SOMERS POINT — The Summer Beach Concert Series will continue this year along the bayfront in Somers Point and may even be expanded to offer additional days and dates.
City Council authorized Mayor Dennis Tapp on Feb. 13 to execute contracts for the series, which has been operated for more than two decades by Tony Mart Cares, the nonprofit arm of promoter Tony Mart Presents.
Solicitor Tom Smith said four entities submitted proposals to operate the series but two withdrew, leaving Tony Mart and the Somers Point Police Athletic League.
“The city decided to try to expand the beach concert series, and that’s what it has done by way of this resolution, to two groups that may decide to proceed with a contract with the city,” Smith told City Council.
Under the resolution, which was amended to change a couple of dates, Tony Mart Cares would hold concerts on Friday nights June 13 through Sept. 6 and the PAL would hold concerts Friday nights at the beginning and end of the series, as well as Sunday nights through July and August. Dates and times will be set during contract negotiations.
However, Councilman Sean McGuigan, who is vice president of the PAL, said it likely would not be taking part since its plans involved operating all of the concerts.
“The way that the resolution is now is not what we were hoping for; we were obviously hoping for the whole slice,” he said, noting that once the resolution was formulated, he had discussions with the rest of the board. “At this point, the way it is now, we don’t believe that we can make that work and move forward.”
He asked Smith to clarify that the resolution provides the opportunity to enter into a contract but does not obligate the PAL to do so.
Smith said that if either side decides they cannot fulfill the contractual requirements, the entity could back out.
Carmen Marotta, who operates Tony Mart Presents with his wife, Nancy, said he is pleased to be able to continue providing live performances in the city, talking about the legacy of music in Somers Point. His father, Tony Marotta, operated the Tony Mart Cafe, better known as Tony Mart’s, hosting live music for decades.
“We are very, very proud that we were able to do what we have done. We just wanted to say that to us, the most important thing is the legacy, preserving this unique legacy that goes all the way back to the ’30s,” Marotta said.
He added that instead of forcing the promoter to submit an RFP for the concert series, it should be thanking his wife for the “thousands of hours of volunteer service in the last 21 years.”
“She should be honored, she should be praised and she should be thanked for what she has done, because we never could have taken it to the level where we won national recognition as the best concert series in the country without all these hours of work that Nancy did,” he said.
Marotta said his wife “has suffered a lot of pain emotionally” but “we’re ready to go to work. We’re ready to do whatever it takes to do in a positive way and honor the city because this city is about its musical heritage and culture. We are very proud that the Somers Point Beach Concert Committee will be able to continue.”
City Council faced a backlash when it voted Jan. 9 to seek bids for the beach concerts instead of sticking with the nonprofit vendor that made the series No. 1 in the country in 2023.
“Please don’t put this legacy, the support of our wonderful musical artists and the promotion of Somers Point’s fabulous reputation as a great community for the performing arts in jeopardy,” Beach Concert Committee member John Loreaux told City Council during that meeting. “Please do not take this tremendously important part of our lives in the community and region and put it out to auction.”
Council President Charlie Haberkorn said at the time that the move was intended to protect the city from financial liability after the promoter went over budget last season to the tune of about $20,000.
“One of the things we have to be cognizant of is having financial controls in place,” he said.
“The whole purpose of this is to divest the city from any obligation other than providing the police and shutting off a portion of Bay Avenue, providing public works and the venue. In the past we were tied in financially,” Smith said Feb. 13.
The original resolution passed 5-1, with Councilwoman Janice Johnston casting the sole no vote. Councilman Rick DePamphilis was absent but did contact the Sentinel with comments, noting he would have voted against the ordinance had he been present.
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
