Jay Prettyman retiring after 32 years on force
OCEAN CITY — The Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce named Police Chief Jay Prettyman the recipient of its 2023 Citizen of the Year Award.
Prettyman is retiring after 32 years on the job.
According to a news release, the chamber recognized Prettyman for his extensive service to the citizens and children of Ocean City. He is involved in many volunteer and philanthropic organizations, as well as social and religious organizations, the release stated.
Prettyman accepted a full-time position as a police officer in September 1995. He has an extensive background in law enforcement and while employed full-time, he earned a master’s degree in public safety/environmental protection from Saint Joseph’s University. He is also a certified public manager and attended the FBI National Academy in 2009.
Prettyman is president of the Cape May County Association of Chiefs of Police and a past president of the New Jersey chapter of the FBI National Academy Associates.
Prettyman obtained certification as a New Jersey State Certified Advanced Law Enforcement Executive, a New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police Accreditation Team Leader and Assessor, and is a New Jersey Police Training Commission-certified instructor with specialized certifications in firearms, sub-gun and physical fitness.
He has been the recipient of numerous awards throughout his career, including multiple PBA Distinguished Service Awards, several Life Saving Awards, Outstanding Police Work Award and a Certificate of Merit.
Prettyman lives on the island with his wife, Tiffany, and daughters Phoebe and Chloe.
City Council honored Prettyman during its meeting Oct. 12 for more than 32 years in law enforcement.
“I won’t be saying goodbye; I know you’re not going anywhere,” Mayor Jay Gillian said. “One thing about being mayor, it’s important to have the right people at the top.”
“It’s the right time for me; 32 years is a long time to do anything,” Prettyman said.
City Council also honored Ken Jones with a proclamation for retiring after a career of more than 20 years as a zoning officer and municipal code enforcement inspector.
City Council President Pete Madden said Jones “always served Ocean City residents well.”
Jones will now spend time traveling in camper listening to Jimmy Buffet.
“We wish him much happiness and safe travels,” Madden said.
“What I always liked about you is you knew what you were talking about,” Gillian said. “Your dedication was appreciated.”
“It was a privilege to work with the city. I will miss my co-workers but it’s time for younger people to take over and do the job,” Jones said.
City Council adopted a resolution awarding a $1,008,700 contract for a turf field at the Tennessee Avenue Sports Complex contract with Fieldturf USA of Georgia. The money will come from two capital accounts.
The project calls for installation of a 101,612-square-foot turf playing field along with field hockey, soccer and lacrosse goals.
The work will require a staging area of the playing field times .12, a minimum access of 15 feet wide by 15 feet high and no more than 100 feet from the site. A hard or paved clean surface area 25 feet by 25 feet within 50 feet of the site is required for proper mixing of infill material.
City Council also awarded a $642,299 contract to Landberg Construction of Dorothy for West Avenue North to Ninth Street road improvement project.
Glen Cove lagoon
During public comment, Bob Hellier resumed his statements against a commercial marina on the Glen Cove lagoon, which recently received conditional approval from the Department of Environmental Protection.
During the previous meeting, he discussed how the proposed marina would be in a residential area and noted the size of piers allows for large boat but no facilities for wastewater would be provided, possibly leading to discharge in the waterway.
He ran short of time so returned to complete his statements. He said construction the planned finer piers will reduce the ability to navigate.
Showing City Council a map, he said “when you overlay the finger piers into the lagoon, they go 17 feet past lot 4 into the lagoon, making it almost unnavigable.”
He said boats run into existing piling as is and would have a more difficult time if the piers were built.
“People feel that there may have been a premature issuing of some of the permits,” he said.
Jennifer Hall said her home has been in her husband’s family since the 1920s, noting they are full-time residents
“This is affecting our community. This is a family lagoon, not a commercial lagoon,” she said. “I understand you have to maintain relationships with businesses in town but you also have to consider the residents.”
Bob Landau, 76, said his family has been in Glen Cove since 1922.
He said Glen Cove is seen as insignificant, and noted his cottage of about 750 square feet is probably the smallest waterfront home on the island.
Despite that, he said, it’s significant to him, noting he remembers the days of steam trains and when folks had to dress up to go to the boardwalk.
“Glen Cove in some ways is relatively insignificant compared with other lagoons, but for us one of the reasons the city is still called America’s Greatest Family Resort is that you can still live on Glen Cove,” he said.
It’s still a place where people can play, jump in the water and not worry about pollution, he said.
“Our contention is that if the marina becomes reality, it is going to diminish the lives of those on Glen Cove. In our minds, it is not insignificant. We don’t want our lives to be diminished because of the marina,” Landau said.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff