E-NEWSLETTER
From The City of Sea Isle City
May 19, 2010
MAYOR’S MESSAGE:
With each passing day, the approaching summer is getting closer and closer, and here in Sea Isle City we have many exciting events planned that will make the pending season unique and memorable. In addition to a wide-range of family activities, including free outdoor movies, dance parties and musical concerts at Sea Isle’s beautiful new band shell, there will also be pet shows, environmental tours, parades, beauty pageants, festivals and many athletic events.
The first athletic competition taking place this summer is the 4th Annual Tri-For-Our-Veterans Triathlon on the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend, May 28. Like many of Sea Isle’s yearly races, the triathlon is a fund raiser that supports very worthy causes, namely the Injured Marines Semper Fi Fund and Sea Isle City’s VFW Post 1963. Another athletic event taking place is the Gerard A. Desiderio 5K Heart Run and Walk on Saturday, June 4, which is named in honor of my younger brother, who passed away in 2003. The Heart Run and Walk is co-sponsored by AARP Chapter 710 and the City of Sea Isle City, and it raises money for the American Heart Association. And, I could not mention local races without spotlighting Peyton’s Promise 5K Run and 2K Walk on Saturday, June 11. This event is named in honor of one of Sea Isle’s youngest residents, Peyton Laricks, who was born in 2008 with a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH), a serious birth defect that prevents the diaphragm from fully developing, allows internal organs to migrate out of position and stunts proper lung growth. Fortunately, little Peyton survived a gamut of surgeries and treatments after she was born, and today she is a happy and healthy toddler – but not all CDH babies are as fortunate. That’s why Peyton’s parents, Dusty and Debbie Laricks, host this event each year to raise money for CDH research. I encourage the entire community to support Peyton’s Promise and as many other fund raisers as possible – because together we can accomplish anything! Registration forms for Peyton’s Promise and many other community events can be accessed through our City website, www.seaislecitynj.us , under the “What’s Happening” link.
This year, there will also be many other opportunities for people to display their athletic abilities, including additional 5K’s, surfing competitions, hockey tournaments, rugby matches, a children’s homerun derby (sponsored by the Philadelphia Phillies) and a hockey clinic for kids (sponsored by the Philadelphia Flyers). Also, don’t forget the grand-daddy of all local athletic events, the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol’s Annual Captain Bill Gallagher 10-Mile Island Run on August 6, a huge race that attracts thousands of competitors and countless spectators each year. So, put on your running shoes and get in shape, because the summer will soon be here!
See you in Sea Isle!
Mayor Leonard Desiderio
CITY COUNCIL MESSAGE:
During our City Council meeting on May 17, the Administration was happy to report that this year’s pre-season beach tag sales are $30,000 ahead of last year’s figures. 2011 Seasonal Beach Tags can be purchased for $20 each at City Hall and the Beach Tag Office. For information, visit www.seaislecitynj.us or phone 263-1771. Also reported by the Business Administrator George Savastano were the City’s new parking kiosks and the cost associated with them, which was in response to a question posed during an earlier Council meeting. The City is in the process of converting our traditional meters, of which there are hundreds throughout the City. The new kiosks are currently located on the south-side of the JFK Boulevard Corridor and in the Marina District. The benefits of parking kiosks were identified during the Beach-to-Bay Corridor Planning Review and in conjunction with Cape May County during planning for the upcoming reconstruction of JFK Boulevard. Kiosks were deemed desirable from both an aesthetic and an ongoing maintenance perspective. In addition, kiosks provide a more convenient manner of payment for motorists because they accept credit cards and coins. From an operational cost standpoint, the servicing and maintenance of 22 kiosks as opposed to 314 meters will result in reduced costs on an ongoing basis.
At the May 17 meeting, City Council President Mary Tighe announced the names of several winners of the 2011 Jersey Shore Hot List Contest, in which Sea Isle City took First Place in the “Best Beach” category and Second Place in the “Best Town” category. Other first place winners include Groovy Girlz (Best Accessories), KIX-McNutley’s (Best Dance Club), Bubba Dogs (Best Hot Dogs) and Surfside Fitness (Best Gym). Local runners-up included Toni Nicole’s Boutique, Method Skate Shop, Giovanni’s Deli, O’Donnell’s Pour House, Sands Department Store, The Springfield Inn, Kathy’s Hair Port, Elements Spa and Salon, The Ocean Drive, Secret Service Band of Sea Isle City, Steak Out Restaurant, Mike’s Seafood, Shoobies Restaurant, Rig-A-Toni’s Sandwiches and More, Basilico’s Restaurant, Welshie’s For Shore and Heritage Surf and Sport. 1,497 businesses competed for the titles of “Jersey Shore’s Best” and 16, 600 votes were tallied. Congratulations to all of our local winners and runners-up. You have proven that Sea Isle is THE premier destination at the Jersey Shore!
Due to the recently defeated school budget ballot question during the April 27 School Board Elections, Council placed a resolution on May 17’s Council Agenda (per State requirements) to discuss the 2011-12 fiscal school budget. To ensure a quality education and sufficient services are provided to our students, City Council unanimously voted to adopt the School Board’s budget for the next school year.
As was previously disclosed, Council held a second reading and public hearing on ordinance 1498, which added 43rd Place to Sea Isle’s “noise free zones.” This ordinance was passed unanimously and was unopposed by the members of the audience.
Also during the May 17 Council meeting, under new business, Councilman Frank Edwardi made a recommendation that West Jersey Avenue (which is parallel to the JFK Boulevard playground) be re-named Laricks Lane in honor of the Laricks Family, who has run a realty company on that block for 75 years. A resolution will be placed on the next Council meeting agenda for public discussion.
A Public Zoning Workshop was held on May 17 at 2:00 p.m. inside the Public Safety Building, which included the presidents of the zoning and planning boards, the City Solicitor, the City Engineer, the City Business Administrator, the Construction and Zoning Official, representatives from the Chamber of Commerce and Sea Isle Revitalization, all five members of City Council and a small contingency of local property owners. The meeting featured a good public discussion concerning commercial landscaping, design standards and handicap parking. The City Engineer and Solicitor will next draft a zoning ordinance blending all of the ideas discussed regarding those issues. A future meeting will be held to review the draft with the public, and we will specifically invite local developers to attend that meeting.
PLEASE NOTE: The May 31 Council meeting has been changed to June 1, at 10:00 am in Council Chambers.
Best Regards from Your City Council Members
PROJECT UPDATES:
JFK BOULEVARD BASKETBALL COURTS & PLAYGROUND: Work is continuing on replacement of the basketball courts, provision of new lighting, fencing and sidewalks, and the resurfacing of the entire playground area adjacent to the basketball courts with a cushioned safety material similar to that at the Dealy Field complex. The base paving for the basketball courts has been installed along with the new light poles. The perimeter sidewalks have been installed, and the majority of the new playground has been placed, with the next step being installation of the cushioned safety surface. The contractor is on schedule to meet the contract completion deadline of June 15.
EXCURSION PARK ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX: The project is on schedule for completion prior to Memorial Day weekend, with bench seating, railing, electrical work, audio/visual system and sod placement all scheduled to be completed over the next week. At this point, the entertainment complex will be ready for its first event, the Tri for Our Veterans Triathlon, to be held on Saturday, May 28.
85TH STREET LIFEGUARD STATION/PUBLIC RESTROOMS: The installation of roofing, siding, and decking has been completed, and installation of interior plumbing is underway. The project will provide for handicapped accessible restrooms, additional restroom facilities and improved storage capacity for lifeguard operations. Work is being performed by City Public Works forces. The restrooms will be opened to the public for the Memorial Day weekend.
MARINA BUILDING: The steel superstructure of the building has been erected and the installation of roof decking has commenced. Unfortunately, due to a contract dispute between the City’s contractor, NFF, and their sub-contractor, delivery of the siding and finished roof panels has been delayed, and the project completion has been pushed back to August 1. To accommodate the inconvenience, NFF has provided temporary restroom facilities until the new restrooms which are part of the Marina Building project will be available. In addition, the City will assess damages against NFF for the City’s costs associated with the extended need for temporary facilities for Marina operations.
47th PLACE BULKHEAD: The bulkhead portion of the project has been completed, with surface restoration remaining to be performed. The contractor overcame some unforeseen problems with deterioration of the adjacent private bulkheads in order to complete the bulkhead prior to the Memorial Day weekend, and ensure the safe condition of this infrastructure.
SEWER AND ROAD RECONSTRUCTION ON CENTRAL AVENUE (49th to 69th STREET) – The City has received preliminary indication from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that our application for grant funding will be approved for 20% of the cost of the project. At an estimated total project cost of 3.2 million dollars, this will provide the City with grant funding of over $600,000. The additional cost of the project will be funded by USDA through low interest loans. The plan is to start construction in the fall of this year, with the project scheduled to be performed in two phases – the first being from 49th to 61st St.; and the second phase from 61st to 69th St. The project will rehabilitate or replace the deteriorated underground sewer system, as well as provide for reconstruction of the entire one mile stretch of roadway.
DID YOU KNOW:
•Parking meters fees went into effect on May 15 in Sea Isle City. In addition to our traditional meters, look for new parking kiosk payment stations along JFK Boulevard and the Marina District.
•Sea Isle’s 2nd Annual Community Day is Saturday, May 21, at the Community Lodge, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. All are invited to attend this enjoyable and informative event, which will feature children’s activities, displays from civic organizations and municipal departments, emergency response vehicles and a BBQ fund raiser for the Sea Isle Ambulance Corps. Also, Gillian’s Funland Amusement Park will open for the 2011 season on May 21 and they will be offering $10 wrist bands for a day of fun in the park.
•The SIC Environmental Commission’s Annual Turtle Party is Sunday, May 22, at the Lobster Loft Restaurant. For details, phone 263-9643.
•Volunteers are needed for the Tri-For-Our-Veterans Triathlon on May 28 to ensure pedestrian safety, hand out water and help with traffic control. Anyone interested in volunteering can email patriciaannlynn@gmail.com or visit the triathlon’s website, www.piranha-sports.com/race144.aspx. The event’s website is also where athletes can pre-register online.
•There will be some parking restrictions during the Tri-For-Our-Veterans Triathlon on May 28 along Pleasure and Landis Avenues. Please make yourself aware of all parking signs prior to and during this event!
•The South End Neighborhood Association’s Annual Memorial Day Indoor Sidewalk Sale is Saturday, May 28. For details, phone 263-3002.
•The May 31 City Council meeting has been changed to Wednesday, June 1, at 10:00 a.m., Council Chambers, 233 JFK Boulevard, 2nd floor.
•As of June 1, late fees will be added to all Property Rental Permits not yet purchased for the 2011 summer season. The permit fee will be $175 starting June 1.
•Sea Isle City’s 2011 Visitor’s Guide is now available. You can pick up a copy at City Hall and other municipal offices – or you can view an online version at www.seaislecitynj.us
