By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Continuing the post-election shakeup in Ocean City’s government, Councilman Tom Rotondi said goodbye Thursday during his last meeting as a member of City Council.
Rotondi, who represented the Second Ward, decided not to seek a new term in the May 14 municipal election. He is leaving after serving one four-year term.
“It’s an amazing city. I’ll be here forever. I’m just glad I had the opportunity to serve for four years to try to make it a better place. Thank you for the opportunity,” he said in farewell remarks at the Council meeting.
Rotondi was presented with a ceremonial key to the city by Mayor Jay Gillian. Noting that Rotondi plans to continue living in Ocean City with his family, Gillian told him, “We know that you’re not going anywhere.”
“We’ve had a good time,” Gillian added while speaking to Rotondi. “We’ve done a lot of work, and you can see how hard it is. We do a lot of stuff here.”
Rotondi thanked the mayor, other city officials, his fellow members of Council and Ocean City’s residents for their help during his term in office.
“To the people I served with on Council, it was an honor. We didn’t always see eye to eye, but we all maintained and worked together to try to do the best things for the city.”
He called serving on Council “one of the greatest things I’ve done” while giving back to the community as an elected official, youth coach and community volunteer.
He also serves as the president of the Arc of Cape May County, a nonprofit organization that protects and supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Rotondi was part of Council’s collaboration with the mayor to build major infrastructure projects throughout Ocean City, including stormwater pumping stations to protect low-lying neighborhoods from flooding.
Notably, he was the only member of Council to vote against the city’s $113.6 million municipal budget for 2024 when the spending plan was given final approval in May.
While voting against the budget, Rotondi maintained that the city needs to scrutinize its spending for employee salaries. Although he didn’t single out any employees or departments, he said there might be some positions that aren’t absolutely necessary.
At the same time, Rotondi said he felt that the city is well-run overall and includes “amazing” professionals throughout the ranks. But he suggested that the city should consider reviewing each employee to see if there is any duplication in duties.
Meanwhile, members of Council thanked Rotondi for his service while acknowledging his contributions in office.
“I think he is a really, really upstanding person who always tells the truth,” Third Ward Councilman Jody Levchuk said.
A proclamation read by Council President Pete Madden noted that Rotondi is a U.S. Army veteran and a former police officer and corrections officer.
Rotondi and his wife, Stephanie, have three children, Tommy, Celeste and Joey.
Rotondi’s departure from the seven-member governing body sets the stage for former Councilman Keith Hartzell to become the new representative of the Second Ward.
Hartzell defeated challenger Paul Stryker in the Second Ward race during the May 14 election. Previously, Hartzell had served as an at-large councilman from 2006 to 2022. He stepped down from Council after losing the 2022 mayoral election to Gillian, but mounted a political comeback this year with his win in the Second Ward.
All four ward members on Council will take the oath of office during the July 1 reorganization meeting, including Hartzell, Levchuk, Terry Crowley Jr. and Dave Winslow.
Crowley won a new term as the First Ward councilman without facing any opposition in the election. Winslow held onto his Fourth Ward seat by defeating challenger Cecilia Gallelli-Keyes.
Levchuk edged challenger Amie Vaules in the Third Ward race by a mere two votes, 402 to 400. However, Vaules is challenging the election results in a lawsuit.
A July 23 hearing has been scheduled in state Superior Court on whether three election votes should be rejected or allowed. One of the votes was cast by Randy Levchuk, Jody’s brother.
The suit contends that Randy Levchuk is actually a resident of Kenilworth, N.J., and should not have voted in Ocean City’s May 14 election. However, Jody Levchuk maintains that his brother is “domiciled” in Ocean City and has a long history of living and voting in the resort town.
Levchuk has declared himself as the election winner and intends to fight Vaules’ suit to keep his Council seat.
If Vaules prevails, she would add another new face to Council, significantly changing the makeup of the governing body.
Adding to the post-election changes in Council, at-large Councilman Sean Barnes was sworn into office June 13. Barnes, a newcomer to elected politics, defeated former Councilman Mike DeVlieger in the May 14 election.
Barnes filled a vacancy on Council created when former Councilwoman Karen Bergman resigned her at-large seat earlier this year to take a job as supervisor of the city’s Howard S. Stainton Senior Center.
