WILDWOOD – The Wildwood Board of Commissioners introduced the 2023 Wildwood Business Improvement District (WBID) and Wildwoods Boardwalk Special Improvement District (WBSID) budgets at its Jan. 25 meeting.
The WBID was established in 2004 in the downtown Wildwood area. The WBID focuses on special events, entertainment, advertising, and funding capital projects.
The WBID is governed by an elected board of directors. It works closely, and shares professional management, with the WBSID.
The 2023 WBID budget includes $646,270 in income and $472,078 in expenses, leaving a surplus of $174,192.
WBID funding has been used to complete the Byrne Plaza and café seating, working with two private businesses.
The WBID has three major ongoing projects: Enhancing the concentration of businesses, reconstructing 3401 Pacific Ave., the site of the original Farmers Market, and enhancing the decorative lighting in the Wildwood Business District.
Similarly, the WBSID is a public/private partnership for the ongoing revitalization of the Wildwood Boardwalk. The WBSID does promotions and performs administrative duties for the boardwalk. This includes tasks such as cleaning the restrooms and removing trash from the boardwalk, to participating in capital projects, and, as of 2018, the WBSID was given the right to operate boardwalk tram cars through 2035.
In 2023, the WBSID will receive $300,000 from a special assessment levy and spend $300,000. The largest portion, $125,000, is spent on bathroom staffing and supplies, followed by $85,000 for daily trash pickup and compactor fees.
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