July 31, 2026

Dear Friends,

I’m proud to report that Ocean City is once again “New Jersey's Favorite Beach.”

This is the 13th year in a row that the public has put Ocean City at the top of the list in a statewide poll. The N.J. Sea Grant Consortium announced the winners of the annual contest in a presentation at the Ocean City Music Pier on Wednesday morning.

This recognition is a tribute to everyone who works so hard to make Ocean City the special place that it is, including the entire city team, our public safety departments, the Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Tourism Development Commission, the Boardwalk and Downtown Merchants associations, local businesses, all volunteer groups and the entire community. You can read more here.

While the winners of the “Favorite Beach” contest were being announced, work continued a few blocks away on our beach replenishment project. The newly completed beaches are beautiful, and work is gathering steam as it moves toward the Music Pier. Daily updates are available at ocnj.us/beachupdate, and an aerial video shot on Thursday shows the scope of the work being completed.

I was honored to join Mary and Chuck Bangle for the 70th anniversary celebration of Manco & Manco Pizza this week. The family-owned business has been an institution on the Ocean City Boardwalk since 1956, and generations of Ocean City families have watched Manco’s skilled “piemen” toss dough to make their distinctive thin-crusted pizza

I want to thank our Night in Venice Planning Committee, the entire city team, the Coast Guard, state Marine Police, marine units from neighboring towns, the Chamber of Commerce, our event sponsors, our grand marshals, and everybody who helped put together and participated in another great Night in Venice last weekend. Planning this event is a massive undertaking, and all of these men and women worked long hours making sure the evening was both fun and safe. We’re lucky to have such a great team working to keep this annual tradition going so well.

Our Tax Office now has the new billing amounts from the county and state calculated and they are currently available on our website. We will have the bills mailed out soon, and we are extending the 2026 third-quarter grace period to Tuesday,
September 8.

I’m incredibly sad to report on the loss of Firefighter Kenny Pollock, who died this week at age 47 after a long battle with cancer. Kenny was a proud father and proud 19-year veteran of the Ocean City Fire Department. I know he was loved and respected by his family and friends inside and outside the Fire Department. He will be greatly missed. I hope you all will join Michele and me in paying tribute to this exemplary public servant and in extending deepest condolences to everyone who knew him.

I also want to extend sympathies to OCFD Deputy Chief Vito DiMarco and his family upon the passing of his mother, Angela Hastings. Angela lived in Ocean City and Ocean View, and worked in The Shoppes at the Flanders.

Ocean City also lost three fine citizens who lived long and distinctive lives.

Dr. Homer J. Gerken died on July 17 at age 101. He moved to Ocean City when he was five and lived for the rest of his life here, maintaining a dental practice in town until his retirement in 1987. He was a lifelong member of St. Peter’s United Methodist Church and a 70-year member of the Exchange Club of Ocean City.

Doris Foglio died last week at age 94. She was a 1949 graduate of Ocean City High School and raised four children in the same Ocean City house she live in until she died. Joseph DiMassimo was a Korean War veteran and longtime member of Ocean City’s American Legion Post.

Our sympathies go out to the Gerken, Foglio and DiMassimo families.

There will be a memorial service for Daniel Foglio at Godfrey Funeral Home in Palermo on Thursday, August 20. Danny passed away in April. He was an Ocean City High School grad and owner of a local painting business. Visitation is at 10 a.m. and the service is at 11 a.m. Please join Michele and me in extending condolences to the entire Foglio family.

PBA Local 61 will host a National Night Out event from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026, at Carey Stadium, which is behind Ocean City High School (on the beach block between Fifth Street and Sixth Street). The free family-friendly event will include bounce houses, face painters, balloon animals, a K-9 demonstration, helicopter landing, dunk tank, food, superhero characters, a drone demonstration and more.

National Night Out was created to strengthen the partnership between the community and police in fighting crime. Different events are held in towns nationwide on the first Tuesday in August. Our Community Policing Unit does an exceptional job year-round working with citizens on a variety of programs, and they were instrumental in bringing National Night Out back to Ocean City last summer.

See this week's "Inside City Hall" video below. I hope you all have a wonderful and safe weekend and get to spend it with friends and family.

Warm regards,

Jay A. Gillian

Mayor

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Welcome to The City of Ocean City, New Jersey!

Ocean City is a town rich in history and a deep sense of community. Families have been vacationing in Ocean City for generations and many have made Ocean City their year-round home.

Our residents enjoy award-winning schools, world-class recreation facilities and outstanding municipal services from all city departments, including Police, Fire and Rescue, and Beach Patrol. Residents participate in activities for every age and interest including the cultural arts, music and theater as well as sports and recreation programs available at our many parks, playgrounds and city facilities. One of our local treasures is the Ocean City Community Center at 1735 Simpson Avenue, where families and individuals can enjoy the Ocean City Free Public Library, Ocean City Arts Center, Ocean City Historical Museum, Ocean City Aquatic and Fitness Center, and the Howard S. Stainton Senior Center under one roof.

The city also maintains and operates a municipal airport, 12-hole golf course, Aquatic and Fitness Center as well as the famed Ocean City Pops Orchestra.

Ocean City is also host to more than 200 family-friendly special events held year-round. Many of our events are popular family traditions, including the Night in Venice Boat Parade in July, the Baby Parade in August, our mile-long block parties in May and October, and our family-friendly First Night New Year’s Eve Celebration.

If you are vacationing in Ocean City, I know you’ll enjoy our seven miles of beautiful beaches and exciting Boardwalk lined with shops, restaurants and amusements. And be sure to visit our unique and charming downtown shops and restaurants located in the heart of town on Asbury Avenue.

I am truly proud to serve as mayor for this great community and hope you and your family enjoy your time in America’s Greatest Family Resort.

Jay Gillian, Mayor

Phone: 609-525-9333
Email: mayor@ocnj.us