OCEAN CITY — At the Dec. 22 Ocean City Council meeting, two members asked to delay the Gillian Administration’s proposed five-year capital plan, but the $146 million proposal was approved in a split vote.
The approval, however, won’t prevent council from having a say over most of the projects as they come up for contract and spending votes in the coming years and the plan remains open to change.
Councilman Bobby Barr asked for the capital plan to be removed from the consent agenda — a group of items that council votes on en masse.
“I am going to oppose this today, not that I’m against any particular projects but because I still have questions and I wasn’t able to meet with George (Savastano) and Frank (Donato),” Barr said.
Savastano is the city business administrator and Donato is the chief financial officer. Barr noted he did get to speak to Donato but had more questions about the impact of the capital plan.
The spending is heavily front-weighted, with two-thirds proposed in the next two years — $54.5 million in 2023 and $46.8 million in 2024. Among the big items are $25.5 million for a new police station/municipal court and $32 million for flood mitigation projects. (A list of the project is below.)
Councilman Jody Levchuk said he agreed with Barr.
“There is nothing I see an issue with, but a whole big chunk of this was news to me,” Levchuk said.
He added that he preferred that he learned about the plan before it was presented to the public — not at the same time — so he could answer constituent questions.
“I think there are a lot of great things in it,” he said.
However, he wanted more information given to council earlier and he also blamed himself for not reaching out to administrators to learn more.
“I would prefer more personal communication before we’re expected to pass a capital plan,” Levchuk said.
“I’d like to move this forward,” Council Vice President Karen Bergman said, noting the plan does not limit what the city can do. “Every year we put a plan forward and every year we change it. The plan never comes to fruition as originally presented.
“I think we owe it to the public to get a plan in action so they know where we’re going in the new year. I’d love to move this forward.”
Mayor Jay Gillian said everything in the plan is going to go before council “so many times.”
“It’s just a plan,” he said, and, referring to council, added, “Nothing gets done without you guys.”
When council President Pete Madden asked if there were consequences to not moving forward, Savastano explained the city does base its operating budget on the capital plan.
During a presentation of the plan at the first council meeting in December, Donato said the administration was hoping to get a vote on it before the end of the year so they could begin preparation for the work going earlier in the new year.
Bergman, Madden and colleagues Tom Rotondi and Terry Crowley Jr voted to approve the capital plan resolution. Levchuk and Barr voted no. Councilman John “Tony” Polcini was absent.
Capital plan highlights
These are the highlights of the five-year capital plan for 2023 through 2027; the plan is subject to change.
— $12 million for paving and drainage improvements with $4 million for 2023 and $2 million each year after that.
— $32 million for flood mitigation projects both north and south with $12 million in 2023 and $5 million each year after that.
— For the beach and bay, $12 million for dredging, with $1 million in 2023, $4 million in 2024 and $2 million each of the next three years. There is $6 million for beach fill including $3 million in 2023 and 2026, $240,000 for beach paths and $85,00 for dune fencing.
— $1.3 million for isolated boardwalk replacement including $1 million in 2023 and $75,000 each year thereafter.
— $9,370,000 for affordable housing in 2023 for new units at Peck’s Beach Village.
— $5.3 million for airport facilities and a golf pro shop, including $300,000 in 2023 and $5 million in 2024.
— $460,000 for beach patrol station renovations, including $350,000 in 2024 and $110,000 in 2026, and $300,000 for non-permanent structures for the beach patrol spread out over five years.
— $150,000 to renovate the City Hall elevator in 2023.
— $2,050,000 for the Community Center, including $1.5 million in 2023 for renovating the Aquatic and Fitness Center pool, $250,000 in 2024 for racquetball room conversion; $50,000 in 2023 and 2024 for locker room renovations and $200,000 in 2025 for the Community Center generator.
— $100,000 for the Civic Center floor in 2026.
— $3 million for the Fire Department, including $2 million in 2024 for headquarters dorm/living area renovations, and, in 2023, $500,00 for dorm/living area renovations and $400,000 for a concrete slab for Station No. 3 and $100,000 to relocate the blue metal building at that station.
— $1.1 million for the Music Pier including $500,000 in building work and $100,000 for new stage lighting in 2023 and $500,000 more for the building in 2026.
— $25.5 million for a new Public Safety Building, including $500,000 in 2023 and the rest in 2024.
— $3.8 million for other work in the city including $2 million in 2023 for the Carey Stadium entry and playground and shuffleboard building; $10,000 a year for public restroom work at four city playgrounds, $325,000 annually for general work and $25,000 a year for LED lighting.
— $2.1 million in 2023 for a new scoreboard, bleacher rehabilitation and general improvements at Carey Stadium.
— $4.2 million for Grimes Field renovation in 2023 and $30,000 annually for playground equipment.
— $1.75 million in 2023 and $765,000 each year after for work downtown and citywide including $125,000 a year for landscaping, $500,000 a year for streetscaping and lighting, $1 million 2023 for the lots by the Community Center.
— $1.05 million for golf course, including $50,000 for redesign in 2024 and $1 million in 2025 to do the work.
— $7 million in 2023 for the tennis and pickleball courts, including $1.3 million for the Fifth Street tennis courts, $1 million for expanding the 18th Street pickle ball courts and $4.7 million for the 34th and West/Asbury recreation facility.
— $7.1 million for vehicles in all departments including $1 million in 2023, $696,000 in 2024 and 2024, $2.07 million in 2026 and $937,000 in 2026. The two big-ticket items are $1.3 million in 2025 and 2026 for fire engine/rescue vehicles.
— $2.8 million spread over five years for other various equipment.
— $631,500 over five years to improve communications including $85,000 in 2023 for beach patrol radios, security initiatives.
— $1.275 million for transportation including $500,000 in 2023 for the Tennessee Avenue boat ramp and flood mitigation improvement.
By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff