Historic Lifesaving Station Restoration Nearly Complete

OCEAN CITY – Ocean City Council unanimously passed its 2017 $76-million budget April 27.
The budget was the subject of earlier town hall meetings and discussions as it was conceptualized and introduced.  
In turn, council members noted that they were pleased with the direction that the city has taken in addressing long-standing infrastructure issues, including flooding. Each pledged to be stewards of the public trust and finances.
Council member Robert Barr said, “I knocked on 3,000 doors in the 4th Ward when I was running for council and what I heard consistently was, ‘Please improve the beach, Boardwalk, Bay, and downtown,’ and that’s what this budget does through its capital infrastructure funding.”
Resident Marie Hayes said, “You all say you are so happy with the budget but let me say the taxpayers are not happy. The budget you’ve passed means that a homeowner with a property worth $1 million will be paying about $300 more annually and this amount will never decrease. City personnel received a raise of 2 percent, but Cape May County has one of the highest unemployment rates around.”
Lifesaving Station Restoration
During the approval process for items on the Consent Agenda (those items that are routine in nature) a resident asked that one resolution be set aside for in-depth discussion. It was for authorization of a change order for Phase II renovations to the Ocean City Lifesaving Station. 
This is a project of long-standing debate, and it was only at the 11th hour that the city decided not to raze the historic piece of its past. The change order, an increase of $21,000, was to upgrade fire protection, insulation and electronic mobilization of security systems.
Barr said, “When the council first approved renovating the Lifesaving Station, this room was filled with many people from Ocean City with great economic means.
“This project has become a lightning rod for many taxpayers who want to see us make more of a good faith effort to do some private fundraising even though we did receive a grant to help implement the project. Let’s get this project finished so it can open as soon as possible which now we heard will be in June.”
John Loper, who has been spearheading the renovation and assembling artifacts that will go in the station when it opens as a museum, said, “We have received donations from over 90 people of $250 each that have allowed us to buy some unique things we will be displaying. We’ve also done research at the National Archives and learned that this station was operational in 1871, which precedes the official founding of Ocean City by the Lake Brothers. “Some of the oldest family names in Ocean City, as well as in the county, Somers, Townsend, Corson, and many, many others were part of the rescue crews at that time.”
Capital Plan Expenditures
During the public comment, Michael Hinchman, chairperson of Ocean City FIT (Fairness in Taxes) chided city administration for “Not doing the North End pump station contract right. This was the biggest capital project in Ocean City’s history and you were caught. ” At the town hall meeting, the company could not answer the simplest questions, and then they come in with a pricing quote $17 million over budget.
“There was a failure in the process, and I really think the city should always get at least a second opinion and also form a capital plan committee, so there is more oversight.”
To contact Camille Sailer, email csailer@cmcherald.com.