OCEAN CITY — Mayor Jay Gillian provided a list of many of the projects that have been completed to improve the resort and the many amenities that make Ocean City “an amazing place to live” during his annual State of the City address Thursday evening.
Speaking at the City Council meeting, Gillian said “the state of the city is as strong as ever.”
“This administration has assembled a proven city team that delivers for our residents and taxpayers day in and day out,” he said. “Taxes are low and our services are the best. We have invested a lot in improving all the things we love about Ocean City.
“All the while, we have maintained perfectly clean audits and a double-A bond rating that highlight Ocean City’s ‘well-embedded management practices.’ Those are the words of Standard and Poor’s. These experts have no worries about Ocean City,” Gillian said.
The mayor, who is running for his fifth consecutive term in office against two councilmen — the Second Ward’s Keith Hartzell, his opponent four years ago, and Pete Madden, the vice president who serves at-large — touted the state of the city’s beaches, boardwalk and bay.
He said the city is working with “all our elected officials,” including U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, to make sure the north end and downtown beaches get an “overdue” replenishment, while stockpiling sand to shore them up short-term.
Gillian said the city is soon to finish the complete reconstruction of the boardwalk from St. Charles Place to Fifth Street and, after the summer, plans to do the same from 14th to 16th streets. He also pointed out the work was partly funded by a $4.9 million grant and that this spring the city is redecking and reinforcing the boards from 12th to 14th streets.
“Combined with work completed less than 10 years ago, these new projects will give us a new boardwalk,” he said. “That’s in addition to five new pavilions, three new restroom facilities and many ADA improvements.”
He said when the city began its bayside dredging less than 10 years ago, all of the lagoons needed major work, but now dredging is done as needed “so the lagoons will never get as bad again.”
The city is adding new neighborhoods, including Ocean City Homes and from 18th to 26th streets as part of its “innovative flood mitigation projects” that began with the most flood-prone neighborhoods. These are the sixth and seventh projects the city is doing; there are now 35 pumps working at 15 pumping stations throughout town.
“Not everybody remembers what it was like when streets were flooded for days at a time, when residents had to wade home in floodwaters, and firefighters had to carry kids to the Primary School. But these projects have completely changed the way of life in Ocean City,” Gillian said.
The mayor cited ongoing improvements at the Ocean City Community Center, Ocean City Music Pier and Ocean City Civic Center, opening a new police substation at Eighth Street and Boardwalk and plans to construct a new Public Safety Building in the footprint of the existing, old and outdated structure.
“We have a first-class police department and they deserve first-class facilities. That’s what we’re giving them,” he said.
The mayor discussed the upcoming budget that includes a 2.41 percent tax hike. (See related story.)
Gillian also listed some of the many things residents and visitors get to enjoy in the resort:
— First-class recreational and educational facilities for children;
— A wide array of recreational programs for all ages;
— A great new senior center;
— Programs for veterans;
— A home for Special Olympics;
— A community center with a library, pool, fitness center, arts center, historical museum, senior center and café all under one roof;
— A jitney service to help people get around;
— A new parking app and signs to help people find a spot in real time;
— More than 60 new parking spots for the downtown with another 66 temporary spots on the way;
— The city’s own Pops orchestra.
“We’re all very fortunate to live here,” the mayor said. “It’s a beautiful place in every way. But taking care of our beaches, boardwalk and bay, our 110 miles of streets and alleys, and all of our many city facilities and services takes a lot of hard work and investment.
“It’s a challenge each year to tighten our belts while maintaining the services our residents and guests have come to expect.”
He noted the city has to be prepared to clear snow in the winter and trash from 150,000 people on a summer day with public safety personnel always ready to respond on the eight-mile island, in the ocean and bay and sometimes through floodwaters.
“Not every town faces the same variety of challenges and expectations that Ocean City does. That’s why I’m so proud of the exceptional work of the men and women who make up our city team, and of all the volunteers in our community who help in so many ways,” he said.
“I look forward to working with the team, our businesses and all of our citizens to continue to build an Ocean City that everybody can enjoy for generations to come,” he concluded. “We will always be ‘America’s Greatest Family Resort.’”
– By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
