Councilman Sean Barnes turns in his nominating petitions to City Clerk Melissa Rasner. (Courtesy of Sean Barnes)
Councilman Sean Barnes formally declared his candidacy for City Council on Monday, proclaiming that Ocean City is at a “critical crossroad” that will require its elected leaders to act without partisan influence.
Barnes submitted his nominating petitions last week to run in the May 12 municipal election, which will include the mayor’s race and three at-large Council seats up for grabs.
Barnes, fellow incumbent Tony Polcini and newcomers Jim Kelly and Jocelyn Palaganas will vie for the three Council seats. Mayor Jay Gillian will run against opponents Pete Madden and Keith Hartzell. Madden currently serves as Council’s vice president and Hartzell is the Second Ward councilman.
Barnes has served on Council since June 2024. He won a special election in 2024 to fill the remaining four-year term of former Councilwoman Karen Bergman, who resigned from the governing body in 2024 to become a supervisor at the city’s Howard S. Stainton Senior Center.
In a statement Monday announcing his candidacy, Barnes portrayed himself as an independent voice on Council unaffected by partisan politics. He emphasized that he wants to continue the work that he started on Council two years ago.
“During my tenure on Council, I have worked hard to be a voice of reason and common sense, proactively researching the issues at hand, listening to all stakeholders, and always making decisions with the best interests of the residents of Ocean City in mind,” he said.
“I have not let politics change who I am, I advocate for honest fact-driven processes, and my decisions have been rooted in an honest unbiased analysis of the facts,” he continued.
Barnes has served as City Council’s liaison to the Ocean City Planning Board since July of 2024, a position that allows him to oversee development projects in town, including a controversial plan for a $150 million luxury hotel in place of the former Wonderland Pier amusement park site on the Boardwalk.
“Development is a critical component of our economy. As Councilman, I will continue to advocate for responsible, sustainable development with the best interest of all stakeholders in mind,” he said.
At a meeting in January, Barnes was one of four planning board members who voted against declaring the former Wonderland site as an area “in need of rehabilitation” to help speed up development of the proposed hotel. Four other members were in favor of the rehabilitation designation, but the measure failed by a 4-4 vote.
Barnes and the three other planning board members who voted no argued that the Wonderland site did not meet the criteria needed to declare it in need of rehabilitation.
Barnes also serves as a member of City Council’s Boardwalk subcommittee, a nine-member panel that is studying the zoning requirements and development options for the commercial zones of the Boardwalk from Sixth to 14th streets, including the former Wonderland site. The subcommittee is expected to make its formal recommendations to Council for the Boardwalk’s future sometime this spring.
“Right now, our town is at a critical crossroad, and the next elected body will determine the future of Ocean City,” Barnes said. “There are many competing opinions as to what that future will look like. I believe that we need to debate openly, without anger and without partisan influence.”
“I am hopeful that we can arrive at the best possible solutions going forward, respectfully welcoming all points of view,” he added.
Barnes characterized Ocean City as being “like no other place in the world” that offers its residents “the best life has to offer.” But he stressed that “the challenges are real.”
“We have a unique environment that must be protected, our economy needs to be strong, and we must do all that we can to maintain a vibrant, safe, and welcoming community,” he said. “Those of us who have the privilege of living and working in Ocean City have the best life has to offer. I will work hard for the residents of Ocean City to preserve our shore way of life.”
As he closes in on his second full year on Council, Barnes said it feels like he is just getting started and is hopeful that voters will elect him to a full, four-year term.
Professionally, Barnes is a director at Enterprise Community Asset Management Inc., a company that helps create affordable housing opportunities across the country.
He is also a Coast Guard-licensed boat captain and owner of Sail Atlantic LLC, a local sailing charter business that provides cruises and corporate/employee team-building opportunities.
