City Council has a fairly light Consent Agenda today, but your first order of business is the second reading and public hearing for the bond ordinance that will put funds into place for the projects identified in the 2025 capital plan adopted by City Council this past December.

This ordinance is consistent in scope and funding with the adopted Capital Plan, and represents nine-and-a-half million dollars in appropriations.

As we’ve discussed many times, one of the core missions of local government is the maintenance and improvement of our public assets and infrastructure.

We take care to ensure our capital planning is done in a thorough and thoughtful manner, with detailed review and analysis by city staff in conjunction with elected officials, members of the public, contracted planning and design professionals, and various government agencies at the local, county, state, and federal level.

Key projects and acquisitions in the ordinance before Council include the following:

For the Fire Department, a fire truck and equipment for fire personnel totaling $875,000.

For Public Works, a trash truck and beach cleaning equipment in the amount of $480,000.

$2 million for construction of structural repairs and improvements to the promenade, consistent with the Boardwalk Preservation Grant program.

The city will ultimately be reimbursed by the grant program, which was funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

$800,000 for construction of handicapped accessible ramps to the beach at the north-end in the area of 5th Street, along with an observation platform at that location. This is another project that we will ultimately be reimbursed for – from the County Open Space program.

$850,000 for decorative promenade lighting at both the northern and southern sections, which will complete our lighting upgrades that we’ve had planned for the promenade.

The addition of lighting at Excursion Park, in the amount of $250,000.

And finally, funding in the amount of $3 million for the pump station project that will serve the area between 43rd and 46th Street; and for the continuation of our citywide road paving program.

At the next City Council meeting on March 11, I’ll give my annual state of the city address, and deliver my proposed budget to City Council.

As a government, we’ve accomplished much; and we still have much to do, and I look forward to reviewing our accomplishments along with our challenges.

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