Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian
Dear Friends,
I’m happy to report that Ocean City’s mascot, Martin Z. Mollusk, saw his shadow this morning in the annual ceremony that bears his name.
According to a 53-year-old tradition in Ocean City, that means summer will come a week early this year. The lighthearted event is always a fun way to get ready for the season, and we’re all looking forward to another great summer.
With the arrival of May, road projects are starting to wrap up.
Cape May County will be completing concrete and paving work along Roosevelt Boulevard and 34th Street through next week. Work will take place between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. at night. Alternating traffic patterns and detours will be in place. More information is available here.
In the Gardens, the water company’s water and sewer project will continue with final paving of Battersea Road and Wesley Road next week, along with temporary paving of side streets.
The sewer repair on West Avenue at 31st Street remains on track to be complete by May 15. The rebuilding of a street-wide Boardwalk ramp at Moorlyn Terrace is now complete.
The Boardwalk reinforcement and redecking project and the beach-side ramps from 12th Street to 14th Street are complete with work on the street-side ramps continuing next week.
I want to thank Robert Hendrickson for donating his amazing collection of surfing memorabilia to the Ocean City Historical Museum. Robert is a retired surgeon who grew up surfing the breaks of the Jersey Shore and was friendly with George Gerlach, the founder of Surfers Supplies in town and one of the earliest board shapers on the East Coast.
Hendrickson’s collection includes every imaginable magazine, book, and video from back in the day. Next year, he will bring down his vintage boards. The material will be part of a new exhibit at the Historical Museum, and it’s my hope that it will help provide a foundation for a future surf museum in Ocean City.
Our semi-annual Household Cleanup Day and paper-shredding service is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow (May 2) at the Shelter Road Recycling Center. More information is available here.
I want to encourage everybody to attend the annual Community Wellness Day 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Ocean City Free Public Library. The keynote address (11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.) will be delivered by John-Edward Heath, a Marine veteran and adaptive athlete, whose life reflects resilience forged through adversity.
I’m sad to report on the passing of Marlene Murphy, the mother of Firefighter Sean Murphy and retired Fire Captain John Murphy. Please join Michele and me in extending deepest condolences to the Murphy family and all of Marlene’s friends and acquaintances.
We also want to pay tribute to Colleen Griffies, who passed away last weekend at the age of 75. Colleen was a tireless advocate for local veterans, along with her husband, Joe, and she will be greatly missed. Please include Joe in your thoughts and prayers.
The Spring Block Party will go off rain or shine 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow along Asbury Avenue from Fifth Street to 14th Street. This is always one of the biggest events of the spring, and I hope you all get a chance to check it out, along with the Discount Days in-store and outdoor table sales on the Boardwalk and downtown on Saturday and Sunday.
Check out this week’s “Inside City Hall” video below.
Have a great weekend.
Warm regards, Mayor Jay A. Gillian
