Ocean City Enters Contract For Flood-Mitigation Plan Development

OCEAN CITY, NJ — Ocean City entered a contract with an engineering firm to develop a Flood Mitigation and Drainage Master Plan. City Council authorized the agreement with ACT Engineers at Thursday's meeting.

Ocean City has previously partnered with ACT, whose work with the City has included a Shooting Island project to reinforce existing islands that act as buffers against storm surges, according to The Press of Atlantic City. The City has completed major drainage projects in three of the island's most flood-prone neighborhoods, said Mayor Jay Gillian.

"This plan will utilize all of this knowledge in developing short-term and long-term strategies to increase flood resiliency in Ocean City," Gillian said Friday in his weekly address.

The plan will recommend partnerships and funding through the county, state and federal governments, as well as through research by institutional and academic groups, Gillian said.

The City authorized that this contract can exceed $17,500 but cannot surpass $140,000.

ACT will also perform flood-mitigation analysis on Merion Park and West Avenue 43rd to 45th Streets. This contract can exceed $17,500 but cannot surpass $100,000.

Funds will be charged as the purchase orders are issued in both contracts, according to the ordinances.

Suzanne Hornick — founder of the Ocean City, NJ Flooding Committee (a civilian group) and the Ocean City, NJ Flooding Facebook group — praised the City's decision.

"Ocean City Flooding Committee commends the City on taking this action," Hornick said. "We have been begging the City for both a long- and short-term, island-wide flood remediation and mitigation plan. It appears after more than five years they are finally listening to us as we advocate for all residents of Ocean City."

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