Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian
Dear Friends,
I want to encourage you all to attend our annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ceremony at noon on January 18 at the Ocean City Tabernacle. The event was traditionally held on the Saturday before the federal holiday, and it will return to that day of the week this year.
We will honor Reverend Paul Jerkins of Shiloh Baptist Church, Cathy DiMarco of the Sunshine Foundation and the Ecumenical Council Food Cupboard in memory of Regina Ralston with our Community Service Awards this year. A free luncheon will follow the ceremony.
The annual MLK Day of Service will remain on Monday, and volunteers are asked to join in a citywide cleanup. Now that the Senior Center is open seven days a week, we’re asking volunteers to meet at the Ocean City Music Pier before the cleanup from 9 a.m. to noon.
The city team is finishing up drafts of our capital plan and 2025 municipal budget. We expect to present the five-year capital plan to City Council in February and deliver the draft 2025 budget and State of the City address on March 13. This is the start of annual budgeting process that will continue through May, when a final budget is adopted. There will be plenty of opportunity for public input along the way, and all budget documents and revisions will be posted to ocnj.us/finance.
City Council last night awarded a contract for paving and drainage work on six roadways and 24 alleys. Later this winter, we will ask Council to approve work on another three roadways and 16 alleys. These projects don’t get as much attention as the big pumping station projects, but they’re every bit as important. The list of approved roadways is available at ocnj.us/projects.
If you haven’t already done it, you can place your Christmas trees out at the curb for pickup. The Public Works team will pick them up throughout the month of January.
I also want to remind everybody that our Cape May County recycling facility cannot accept recyclables placed in plastic bags. Please help spread the word about this. Material in plastic bags is not recycled and is redirected to the landfill.
Some of you may have heard that local builder Bob Coste’s son, Adam, was injured badly in the New Year’s attack in New Orleans. We hear is starting to make a recovery, but our thoughts and prayers go out to Adam and his family. Our police chief is reviewing vehicle access protection at points throughout town, and we’ll look forward to his recommendations.
I’m sad to report on the passing of Mary Sandra McMahon after a long battle with cancer. Sandy was the mother of seven, and like the entire McMahon family, she shared so much of her time and energy giving back to the community. Sandy and her family have served generations of Ocean City residents through the McMahon Insurance Agency and been benefactors of the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce, the St. Damien Parish, the Ocean City Pops and so much more. Please join me and Michele in extending condolences to the family and many friends of Sandy.
I also want to express deepest sympathies to the families of Nick Leonetti and Americo “Mac” Inacio. Nick’s father, Gene, is a retired Ocean City firefighter. Mac’s son, Michael, is a member of our Public Works team, as Mac was for 28 years before his retirement.
Finally, I want to thank the city team for doing such a great job clearing snow on Monday. It’s a lot of long hours and there are more than 100 miles roads to cover, along with city parking lots and other facilities. We’re also now plowing county roads within Ocean City and getting reimbursed by the county. It couldn’t happen without such a dedicated team, and I hope you’ll join me in commending them.
It’s still freezing outside, so please be careful on the roads, and keep an eye out for frozen pipes bursting. As always, look after your neighbors. That’s what Ocean City is all about.
Warm regards,
Mayor Jay A. Gillian
