On City Council’s agenda today is the second reading and public hearing for an ordinance establishing fees for recreation activities, including the new Community Center. As I indicated at the last Council meeting, there is language being recommended to be added to the originally introduced ordinance to ensure there is no question as to the fact that any property owners and any year-round residents will not be required to pay a fee for entry to the Community Center for general use.

Also being recommended to be added is language establishing that there will be no charge for use of indoor pickleball courts for members of the community center. We heard the concerns that were expressed about this matter and agree that this is the fairest way to handle it.

On a separate legislative matter, I wanted to mention that the governor last week signed legislation establishing new rules and requirements for e-bikes. Some of the key points of the legislation include the following:

• Riders must be at least 15 years old to use any e-bike.

• Operators must have a license and register and insure their e-bikes.

• Operators, age 17 and older, can use a valid driver’s license.

• Operators, ages 15 and 16, and anybody without a driver’s license, will be able to obtain a motorized bicycle license after successfully passing road tests of both their ability to safely operate an e-bike and their knowledge of traffic safety laws.

• E-bike owners will have six months to meet the new licensing, registration, and insurance requirements.

• Licensing and registration fees will be waived for one year.

We’ll work with our police department and city staff to educate the public about this new legislation.

I want to address an issue we’ve discussed previously at council meetings – regarding the drainage work being done around 46th Street between Central Avenue and Park Road, and the potential for a pump station in that area. At this point, we intend to evaluate the operation of the drainage system following completion of the project currently underway, which involves improvements to the current drainage system. Contrary to what may be on social media, the current project doesn’t change or add any discharge of stormwater to the lagoons; it simply improves the existing system and makes it more effective, reducing backups. We expect to complete this drainage project within the next month, after which we’ll evaluate its effectiveness, along with consideration of the future pump station. In the event the city believes that advancing the pump station project for this area continues to be the best course of action, we’ll hold a public meeting to review the outfall options.

Finally, I want to compliment our Public Works Department on the outstanding job they did clearing our streets from the recent snowstorm. They planned for the event and got our roads salted in advance of the storm; and were in full force Saturday and Sunday plowing and clearing. We’ll continue to clean things up, and I ask everyone to be aware of the freezing temperatures we’re expecting through this week.

As always, please remember we are one Sea Isle City and together we’ll be stronger than ever.

Smile…You’re in Sea Isle!

Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio