Council has a full agenda today. Included on the consent agenda are resolutions authorizing the continuation of our shared services agreements with Ocean City for our business administrator, construction official, and subcode officials. These agreements have served our community very well for the past decade, delivering considerable savings to our taxpayers. By maintaining these agreements, we do not merely achieve cost savings; we enrich our operations through our strong partnership with Ocean City. This collaboration fosters shared knowledge, stability, and a powerful synergy. Working together allows both municipalities to maximize resources and provide the seamless services our residents expect. I strongly urge council to authorize these agreements so we can keep this proven, efficient system working for our taxpayers.

Also on today's agenda is the reappointment of city solicitor Paul Baldini. Mr. Baldini has served as our city attorney since 1993, and there is no one with more profound, comprehensive knowledge of the inner workings of our city government. Over more than three decades, his sharp legal expertise and steady guidance have been crucial to navigating complex municipal challenges. Council, the administration, and our taxpayers have all benefited immensely from his dedicated service and unmatched institutional memory.

Having his reliable counsel ensures our city remains legally protected and structurally sound as we move forward, making his reappointment a logical decision.

I mention these shared service agreements and the appointment of our solicitor because they represent our most vital investments: investments in human capital. In local government, we often talk about capital projects like roads and buildings, and there is no doubt about the importance of those physical investments. But at its absolute core, local government is fundamentally a service organization - and it is skilled people who provide those vital services. The leadership positions up for authorization on council’s agenda today are a large part of our ongoing success, and I give them my highest recommendation for approval.

Switching to seasonal operations, schools are out, meaning we are now in full summer swing. As our beaches get crowded, I want to remind everyone to swim exclusively at guarded beaches. Speaking of our beaches, Norfolk Dredging has started pumping sand for the crucial replenishment of our downtown beaches. They have already placed over 100 thousand cubic yards of sand so far, and we are looking at final completion of the project around the middle of July. You can get updates of the project's progress right on the homepage of our website.

Looking ahead to next week, we will have our very first drone show, which will take place on Tuesday, June 30 at 9:00 p.m. The show will take place over the marsh to the left of the kayak launch facing Dealy Field. The best viewing area for this exciting show is anywhere at Dealy Field itself, as well as in the area north and east of the field. And of course, you won’t want to miss our spectacular fireworks show on the 4th of July starting at 9:15 p.m. Once again, we’ll be launching the fireworks from a barge in the ocean off 50th Street.

This is our last council meeting before the July 4th holiday, and I want to once again ask everyone to fly the flag. It would be truly great to see every property in the city show our national pride and spirit in honor of our country’s 250th anniversary.

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