Mayor's Message: Dec. 13

Dear Friends,

With recent changes to our trash and recycling collection contract, our Municipal Code team will begin to take a more proactive approach to making sure everybody complies with requirements for collection.

This is necessary not just to make pickup more efficient but also to make sure trash and recycling can be disposed of properly. The placement of recyclables in plastic bags, for instance, can result in that material being diverted to the landfill instead of being recycled.

Inspectors may mail reminders or place door hangers pointing out common placement issues. In cases when our contractor refuses collections, stickers may be placed on containers.

As a reminder, these are some of the basic requirements:

• Trash cannot be set out in loose bags. Trash must be placed in sealed containers with lids closed.
• Dilapidated containers must be replaced with sealable containers.
• An adequate number of containers is required to contain the amount of material produced.
• Containers must have address with house number.
• Recyclables must be separated from trash placed in “Single Stream Recycling” container. (Stickers can be picked up at the Henry Knight building or City Hall during regular business hours).
• Recyclables must be placed directly in container. Never in plastic bags.
• Yard waste must be in labeled container or brown craft bags. Never in plastic bags. (Stickers can be picked up at the Henry Knight building or City Hall during regular business hours).
• All containers, when filled with contents, must not exceed fifty (50) pounds in weight.
• Bulk items shall not exceed eight 8 feet in any dimension or 100 pounds in weight.
• One bulk item (excluding appliances) may be placed each collection day.
• Complete guidelines are here: ocnj.us/trash-and-recycle-faq.

Our downtown merchants will continue to celebrate “Festive Fridays” with extended shopping hours, strolling carolers, restaurants serving breakfast at dinner, and free horse-and-carriage rides from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. tonight (Dec. 13) and next Friday (Dec. 20).

The Ocean City Theatre Company’s Junior Company will perform “Anastasia: The Musical” this weekend (Dec. 14 and 15). Tickets can be purchased at oceancitytheatrecompany.com.

People’s Choice voting for our annual Holiday House Decorating Contest opens tomorrow at facebook.com/OceanCityNJVacation. Winners and a full list of contest participants will be posted by 2 p.m. on Monday (ocnj.us/HolidayHouseDecorating).

Our new Jolly Trolley Lights Tour on Tuesday evening in sold out. The trolleys will tour Ocean City’s neighborhoods, so if your home is decorated with lights, be sure to turn them on to help us put on a show.

More information on all holiday events is available here.

Warm regards,

Mayor Jay A. Gillian