Ocean City Introduces $18.4 Million Improvement Plan

OCEAN CITY, NJ — If a spending plan introduced on Thursday night is approved, Ocean City will have bonded over $31 million for improvement projects so far this year, Chief Financial Officer Frank Donato told council.

City Council approved a proposed ordinance on introduction to set aside $18,466,000 and borrow $17,542,700 in bonds or notes for various improvement projects throughout Ocean City.

In February, council unanimously approved a bond ordinance on second reading to appropriate $12,182,500 and borrow $11,573,375 in bonds and notes for various improvements.

Councilman Keith Hartzell reminded residents this is part of the capital plan to spend $112 million on improvements throughout the island over the next five years, and not in addition to it. He also noted that each project will receive further scrutiny before it actually begins.

Proposed spending associated with Thursday night’s introduced proposal includes:

• Construction and reconstruction of various streets, alleys and drainage systems ($9,700,000 authorized; $9,215,000 in bonds or notes);
• Beachfront improvements including, but not limited to, dune maintenance and ADA access improvements ($110,000; $104,500);
• Lagoon and Back Bay Dredging Program including, but not limited to, permitting, engineering and dredging, and the preparation and emptying of one or more disposal sites ($6,500,000; $6,175,000);
• Construction, rehabilitation and repair of public buildings including, but not limited to, the City Hall Stabilization Project and LED lighting upgrades ($225,000; $213,750);
• Acquisition of vehicles including, but not limited to, a 100-foot ladder truck for the fire department, two transit vans, two passenger vehicles and rehab and uplifts to military storm trucks ($1,326,000; $1,259,700);
• Acquisition of communications equipment including, but not limited to, radio upgrades for the fire department and general communications/IT equipment citywide ($330,000; $313,500); and
• Various repairs to parking and transportation including, but not limited to, parking lot improvements at the Transportation Center and the Tennessee Avenue boat ramps ($275,000; $261,250).

The public hearing and final vote on the proposal will take place at the council meeting on Tuesday night, May 23, 7 p.m.

A town hall meeting on the dredging project will take place on Saturday, June 3, at the Ocean City Tabernacle, 10 a.m.

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