OCEAN CITY – With the Wonderland Pier carousel in the background and a large contingent of supporters in front of him, Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian formally announced his re-election campaign Sunday afternoon.
The resort native and 1983 graduate of Ocean City High School said he has dedicated his life to the community and after almost three full terms in office wants to do “even more” for Ocean City.
He got a rousing introduction from Assemblyman Antwan McClellan, a former Ocean City Councilman and, like Gillian, former member of the local board of education.
Saying he “wanted to talk about a friend of mine,” McClellan said Gillian “hasn’t been perfect, but he has been faithful” – to the community, to his family, the city, the school district by helping the new high school be built, to Shore Medical Center. “He gives back to this community time and time again,” McClellan said, the assemblyman noting he began “right here at Wonderland Pier” as did a lot of his friends.
“Jay has been unbelievable in times of turmoil,” he added, reacting to Superstorm Sandy, and protecting residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. “He is a life-long giver of his time, of his money, of a commitment to this community and that is what we will continue to need.”
Standing behind him while he made his announcement were Scott Halliday and Carol Heenan, his campaign manager and treasurer, respectively. Among the crowd were City Council members Pete Madden and Karen Bergman – whom Gillian urged voters to support in their re-election bids – and county Commissioner Marie Hayes.
Gillian said he became mayor 11 years ago with the admittedly corny theme of “Unity in the Community” and ended much of the bickering that plagued the relationships between previous councils and the mayor. He said his administration developed a “first class professional senior staff,” hired a labor attorney who has delivered fair contracts for union members and taxpayers alike, and with a unified council began repairing the neglected infrastructure.
“Everything we’ve accomplished has been because we put nonsense aside and worked together for the community,” Gillian said.
Among the projects he touted were the new boardwalk – completed under budget and ahead of schedule with new pavilions – check valves that help with flooding, and island-wide road and drainage improvement, work that continues on the more than 100 miles of roads and alleys. “We have repaired or paved more than 50 percent of them during my time in office,” he said.
Gillian cited the new pump stations in the Merion Park neighborhood, from 29th to 34th streets and First through Eighth streets “with more to come” to improve qualify of life in those neighborhoods. In addition, he mentioned the “aggressive” back-bay dredging that allowed property owners in the lagoons to piggyback dredging of their slips.
The mayor noted the beautification of the Ninth Street entrance of the city that came about via buying two abandoned gas stations, the new open space around the former 16th Street Chevrolet dealership, replaced and enhanced facilities including the 29th Street fire station and 46th Street city building. He mentioned the Fifth Street recreation complex, the new skateboard park – built with the help of Cape May County (he added a nod toward Hayes at that point; installing pickleball courts with more to come.
He said one of his favorites was saving and restoring the Fourth Street Life Saving Station. He said while some people may have thought the money better spent on reducing taxes, he said saving that history of Ocean City was important.
Speaking of taxes, the mayor said so much has been accomplished because of fiscal responsibility and good budgets, a double-A bond rating that allows low-interest borrowing and clean audits every year he has been mayor. He threw a shout-out to Chief Financial Officer Frank Donato for his work there.
He also noted Ocean City has $12 billion in ratables, putting it in the top five of municipalities in New Jersey.
The mayor also made a point of how the administration helped residents and businesses get up and going quickly after Superstorm Sandy hammered the island back in 2012, midway through his first term in office. He also credited the community organization, OCNJ CARE, for its help.
Gillian gave plaudits to the resort’s veterans “who mean so much to Ocean City” for their service and sacrifice, not only while in the service, but for how they continue to serve the community. He mentioned how the city worked to help the VFW post and to help secure – with the county’s help – the new location for the American Legion at 46th Street and West Avenue.
Gillian concluded his announcement saying the community is better for having worked together from hurricanes to pandemics and that he has worked hard for all of the citizens, people he never takes for granted.
He said he wants to keep working to ensure Ocean City remains the best town to live in, work in, and raise a family. “It truly is America’s Greatest Family Resort.”
Gillian asked for his audience’s support to get out the vote on May 10.
By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff