August 21, 2026

Dear Friends,

We had a meeting with the DEP yesterday and they are continuing to monitor elevated bacteria levels in a tributary of Crook Horn Creek south of the 34th Street Bridge. 

In April, the DEP approved a plan for the Cape May County MUA to discharge fully treated effluent into a waterway that feeds Crook Horn Creek, while a repair to its normal outfall pipeline to the ocean is completed.  

The DEP has been monitoring the area and discovered the elevated levels this month. They are advising against swimming, fishing and wading in the tributary and a portion of Crook Horn Creek. The city will post new notices in the area reflecting this information.

The DEP will test again on Monday. The pipe repair is expected to be complete in September. 

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The beach replenishment project is going great. Work is complete on our downtown beaches from 1^st Street to 11^th Street. The rebuilt beaches are elevated and wide with plenty of room for our guests. We also were able to add stockpiles of extra sand. We’ll be able to use that if we need it before the next cycle. They’ll be removing the pipeline from that stretch of beach, but that work will take place only at night. 

They have started the final stage and will work from First Street north toward the Inlet. Daily updates are always available on the city website, and you can sign up to get them by email. 

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City Council last night approved a resolution awarding a contract for the construction of our next neighborhood pumping station project. It will cover the area around Haven Avenue from 19^th Street to 26^th Street. Construction will begin in the fall, and the project is expected to be complete by Easter.

These projects have been a great success. They absolutely change the quality of life for residents in flood-prone areas. The next neighborhood will be Ocean City Homes, and we have already completed preliminary designs.

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Summer is getting short. Our last patriotic drone show of the season is set for 9 p.m. Monday. If you haven’t had a chance to see it, you should check it out. It’s pretty spectacular. 

Our new Wednesday night entertainment series at the 34^th Street Sandcastle Park has been a great success. The last one of the season is set for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, and it will include a visit from the Phillies Phanatic. 

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Finally, I want to remind everyone that I will hold a mayor’s town hall at 10 a.m. Saturday, August 29, in the Chris Maloney Lecture Hall at the Ocean City Free Public Library. Members of the city team and I will provide updates on new services and projects and answer questions from the public. 

An outdated rendering of the 34^th Street playground plans has been circulating on social media. I want to encourage anybody who’s interested in this project to attend the town hall to see the real plans for this and other projects. And video of the meeting will be available for those who can’t make it.

Warm regards,

Jay A. Gillian
Mayor

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