SEA ISLE CITY — Team work has led to Sea Isle City being “as strong as ever,” Mayor Len Desiderio said Feb. 10 in his State of the City address.
“As most everyone knows, we have stressed the importance of working together as a government and as a community to get things done,” he said.
Desiderio, the city’s longtime mayor and director of the Cape May County Board of County Commissioners, said local officials remain committed to a core mission of keeping the city safe and clean; maintaining its infrastructure; providing a balanced system of laws and regulations; maintaining financial stability; and doing their job as effectively as possible.
“When it comes to keeping the city safe, our police, EMT and fire services are among the finest in the state,” he said, noting the city would be budgeting for round-the-clock fire department duty crews.
As for keeping the city clean and well maintained, Desiderio said, “our Public Works Department is second to none and our capital improvement program has been a significant part of our success over many years.”
Capital projects
Those capital projects include reinforcing and improving the promenade with help from a $2 million grant. The project will entail structural improvements and the addition of handicapped accessible entrances, as well as extend the decorative lighting to each end. Lighting also will be added at Excursion Park.
Other projects this year include handicapped-accessible entrances and a viewing platform at the north end of the city, improvements to the boat ramp, upgrades to the stormwater systems and road paving.
Desiderio said the city recently learned that it received a grant to install electric vehicle chargers in the parking lot of the new Community Center.
The facility is nearing completion and already has proved popular.
“We’ve already registered hundreds of our citizens for membership to the building,” Desiderio said. “This facility will be a hub for the community — a place to gather with others and to enjoy all of its recreational offerings.”
He said the planning process for the facility spanned more than seven years and involved community surveys, town hall meetings, an ad hoc committee, referendum vote and “all manner of ways to gather as much information as possible from the public before we completed the design.”
The 44,000-square-foot facility is being built at 4500 Central Ave. at the intersection of Park Road.
Desiderio said the city’s beaches are in good shape.
The city is part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ 50-year beach replenishment program, receiving its initial beach fill in 2015 and two others.
“Through our efforts with our state and federal partners, we’ve been able to maximize the extent of each project, ensuring we get as much sand as possible within our areas of need,” Desiderio said. “This has served us well, as our beaches have weathered the storms we’ve experienced since our last project two years ago with minimal erosion.”
He said the city continues to work with state and federal representatives to secure funding for the future.
“Our beach replenishment program is just one more example of how we best accomplish things by working together,” Desiderio said.
Finances
Desiderio said the budget he presented Feb. 10 to City Council called for a tax rate increase of .75 cents per $100 of assessed value and includes the greatest fund balance ever.
“Our surplus is a key item that rating agencies like Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s consider when they evaluate the soundness of our financial situation and assign bond ratings,” the mayor said. “We currently hold a very high double-A bond rating, and all of our indicators show that we can maintain or improve that rating.”
There will be no rate increase for the water and sewer utility for the 13th consecutive year, he said, noting that the utility budget maintains a significant surplus.
“This is important, as it allows us to advance capital improvements for water and sewer projects without taking on additional debt,” Desiderio said.
The city has budgeted for the down payment for the capital plan adopted by city council in December, which includes shade structures for the playground along JFK Boulevard.