In one of his many popular movies, Clint Eastwood famously asked the question: “Do you feel lucky?” After last weekend’s nor-easter – and the impact it could have had on our region – I think we can all count our lucky stars because the coastal storm we had seen coming and carefully planned for was not as severe as some forecasts predicted.
As often happens when a storm of this magnitude is rolling-up the coastline, our municipal offices (including the Mayor’s Office) receive a variety of phone calls from people who have questions about the pending storm – including where flooding might occur and if we have any insight about the storm’s impact. As we all know, staying informed with accurate information prior to any serious event can be the best away to avoid problems – and when it comes to foul weather, such as the nor-easter that impacted our community on Sunday and Monday, everyone can rest assured that we take storm readiness very seriously here in Sea Isle City, and our Office of Emergency Management, our first responders, and other municipal employees are dedicated to keeping everyone safe and well-informed prior to (and during) bad weather events.
When storms are predicted, please listen carefully when you receive a message through our emergency-alert phone system, keep an eye on your e-mail inbox for weather advisories from the city, and also check our social media accounts for helpful posts – and always remember that we are more than happy to answer your questions whenever you phone us! After all, it was Benjamin Franklin who said: “Diligence is the mother of good luck” – and we want everyone to “feel lucky!”
Even though we experienced less-than-ideal weather on Saturday morning, many good-hearted people still supported the Environmental Commission’s Beach Clean-up event by removing trash from our beaches and dunes – and planting dune grass that helped strengthen our dune system. My thanks go to each of the volunteers who donated their time to beautify and strengthen our shoreline during this important event, and special thanks go to the members of the Environmental Commission for continually caring about the ecological health of Sea Isle City and for interacting with the members of our community in wonderful ways throughout the year! Thank you all!
As I mentioned in my last newsletter message, the Sea Isle City Recreation Office’s 2025 Halloween Parade takes place this Friday at 7:00 PM along Landis Avenue, followed by our annual Halloween Family Dance Party at Excursion Park. Then, the Chamber of Commerce will host their yearly “Harvest Classic” on Saturday at Excursion Park, where there will be activities that will entertain every member of your family. These events are a terrific way to welcome autumn’s arrival, so I hope you can be in town this weekend to celebrate the season in style!
Later this month, the Sea Isle City Police Department will participate in the DEA’s annual Drug Take Back event from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Saturday, October 25, at City Hall, where the public can safely and anonymously dispose of unwanted prescription medications – and rid their homes of the hazards that dangerous drugs can present. To learn more about this event, please phone 609-263-4431, ext. 2300, and one of our officers will answer any questions you may have.
Looking further afield, the Recreation Office is now taking reservations for their annual Trunk or Treat gathering at the Sea Isle City Library on Halloween Night – an event that seems to get bigger and better every year. One of the challenges for people who love Halloween and live on a quiet street during the off-season is that they don’t typically get trick-or-treaters at their doors. Trunk-or-Treat offers everyone the chance to “get into the spirit” of Halloween and give candy and other treats to costumed kids on October 31 – plus, it’s a perfect place for children to fill their candy bags and make the most of this spooky holiday! To learn more about Trunk-or-Treat or to inform our Recreation staff that you plan to bring your vehicle to the library’s parking lot and distribute treats on Halloween Night, please phone 609-263-0050.
Smile…You’re in Sea Isle!
Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio
Following Mayor Desiderio’s Report during the October 14 City Council Meeting, Sea Isle City Chief Financial Officer Jennifer McIver updated Council on the City’s recent “Best Practice Report,” which is part of the State of New Jersey’s Best Practice Inventory (an annual assessment for municipalities, managed by the NJ Division of Local Government Services, to evaluate fiscal and operational best practices). Because Sea Isle City did well on this year’s report, we will receive 100% of our annual State Aid Payment.
After Ms. McIver spoke, Ordinance 1725 was Introduced with First Reading. This ordinance was written to amend Sea Isle City’s Zoning Map, due to changes that have taken place over time, as identified by the city’s Master Plan as needing revision. Ordinance 1725 will have Second Reading and Public Hearing (and possible adoption) during the City Council meeting Wednesday, November 12.
Each of the resolutions on the October 14 Consent Agenda was approved, including…
• Resolution 174, which approved the city’s latest Vouchers (the system used to purchase goods and services).
• Resolution 175, which approved a Raffle Application for the Yacht Club of Sea Isle City’s Sailing Foundation.
• Resolution 178, which authorized a Shared Services Agreement with the Cape May County Municipal Utilities Authority for Solid Waste Disposal and Recycling Services, for a one-year term (January 1 through December 31, 2026).
• Resolutions 179, 180 and 181, which Ratified Memorandums of Agreement between the city and CWA Local 1036 AFL-CIO Clerical Employees (179), CWA Local 1036 Employees of Public Works and Water-Sewer Department Blue Collar (180), and CWA Local 1036 Supervisors of Public Works (181), for the term of January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2027, subject to the presentation and adoption of a contract in conformance of same.
• Resolution 184, which authorized the purchase of a Garbage Truck Chassis from Gabrielli Truck Sales, of Ridgefield Park, NJ, for approximately $175,157, and a Rear Load Trash Body from H. A. DeHart & Son, of Thorofare, NJ, for approximately $168,458, both purchased through National Co-Op Contracts.
During the “Citizen Comment” portion of the October 14 City Council meeting, a property owner spoke in support of City Council live-streaming meetings to promote transparency.
City Council was very happy that our community fared-well during last weekend’s Nor’easter, and we look forward to better fall weather during the weeks ahead. In the meantime, we encourage everyone to learn about the various autumn events that will take place in Sea Isle City by going to www.VisitSICNJ.com .
Please be aware that City Council will host a Capital Plan Public Workshop on Wednesday, November 12, at 1:00 PM on the third floor of City Hall.
The next regular City Council meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 28, at 10:00 AM on the third floor of City Hall – and we hope to see you there!
Best regards from the members of City Council,
Council President Mary Tighe
Ian Ciseck
Frank Edwardi
Michael Jargowski
William Kehner
