Gillian: Ocean City’s Surplus, Investments Grows

OCEAN CITY – Mayor Jay Gillian introduced the 2020 budget and delivered his annual State of the City remarks before Ocean City Council Feb. 27. He highlighted 2019 achievements, boasted about the city’s strong financial position and detailed upcoming projects.
Finances
Ocean City ended 2019 with a record $8 million left in stable funds, according to Gillian. He credited another strong summer of revenue for the surplus. 
“This stable fund balance helps the city maintain an exceptional AA bond rating,” Gillian said. “Our bond rating and low interest rates helped the city absorb an $85-million bond sale for capital improvements.”
Gillian said to think of the address as a shareholder’s report. 
“You should be happy to know that the value of your investment continues to grow. The city is making major improvements to every part of Ocean City, from beach to bay, tip to tip. At the same time, we continue to deliver responsible budgets year after year,” said Gillian. 
Gillian said the combined value of real estate increased by $100,000 for the sixth year in a row. “We are the fourth most valuable city in all of New Jersey,” remarked the mayor.  
The mayor’s proposed $83-million budget is up $2.5 million from last year. There is a proposed tax increase of a half-penny for 2020, Gillian said. 
“The city received another perfectly clean audit this year. Ocean City has not received a single finding in the 10 years of my administration,” the mayor said. 
Flood Prevention
The city improved its rating with the National Flood Insurance Program, achieving Class 4 rating, Gillian said. This change will save households an average of about $200 per year. 
“The city team has been hard at work on achieving Class 3 and an additional 5% discount,” said the mayor. 
Some of the ways Ocean City has successfully improved flooding problems are adding 10 pump stations, installed as part of three major drainage projects completed last year, according to Gillian. The city is continuing to study further ways to reduce the risk of flooding. 
“The elevation of homes and infrastructure, installation of pumping stations, replacement of bulkheads and barriers, creation of living shorelines, purchase of open space and various other ideas are all part of our overall flood protection strategy,” said Gillian. 
Plans for the Beach
On the beachfront, Army Corps of Engineers’ replenishment efforts for the south end of the island are complete. Work will begin in the north end in the spring, the mayor said. 
The corps plans to pump about 1.4-million cubic yards of sand onto the north shore to restore the beaches before Memorial Day. 
Gillian also announced that blue mats, which were on some beach entrances, extending toward the ocean last summer, would be back and more prevalent this summer. 
“After a successful experiment last summer with extending beach mats to create wheelchair-accessible sitting areas on the beach, we will look to expand the program. We also plan this spring to add accessible ramps over the dunes at Waverly Beach and onto the boardwalk at St. Charles Place,” the mayor announced. 
On the boardwalk, there will be some changes to the north end. 
 “We plan to extend the boardwalk decking at the street ends of 9th Street, 10th Street, and 11th Street to allow for restroom facilities,” said the mayor.
Hawks, falcons, and owls will be soaring overhead. Seagulls, hopefully, will not. 
Gillian announced that the bird abatement program, utilizing trained hawks, falcons and owls to scare seagulls, would be brought back for a second go-round. It reportedly cost the city $2,100 per day last year. 
Other Highlights
“Our bayside dredging program for 2019-2020 is nearly complete,” Gillian said. “We have a solid plan in place for maintaining our bay waters into the future. This will include an experiment with a ‘sediment trap’ to prevent the frequent re-silting of Snug Harbor. If successful, this could become a model for other areas.”
“We are proceeding with an ambitious program of road improvements, and we are coordinating with utility companies for major upgrades to local services. Our commitment to maintaining roadways will never end,” said the mayor. 
“The city successfully negotiated four-year labor agreements with all major unions this year. All average wage increases are under 2%. This is fair for both employees and taxpayers,” Gillian said. 
“We continue to negotiate for the acquisition of the former car dealership lot adjacent to the Ocean City Community Center. This is a rare chance to protect an entire city block from residential development. Whenever similar opportunities arise, we will pursue them,” the mayor said. 
To contact Shay Roddy, email sroddy@cmcherald.com.