For many of us, the end of December is a perfect time to look back and reflect on the various events that occurred during the past year – and I am happy to report that here in Sea Isle City we had a very enjoyable and productive 2022!
As is the case each year, 2022 began with a focus on the future, because we always strive to ensure that the improvement projects we have planned are completed in a timely and efficient manner, and we want to make certain that we are fully prepared for the year ahead (including the approaching summer season).
As one might imagine, there are many “moving parts” to a vibrant municipality, especially a resort community like ours that experiences vast changes in population as the year waxes and wanes – and it all requires a great deal of planning, cooperation, and a desire to do what is best for the people of the community.
This year, here in Sea Isle City we made significant infrastructure improvements, including the reconstruction and paving of roads, updating water and sewer lines, and dredging some of our water ways.
Also, we recently began work on our Fire House to ensure that new bunk rooms will be available for male and female firefighters in 2023, we had more holiday decorations placed throughout town than ever before, and we received confirmation from Trenton that Sea Isle City successfully maintained its “Bronze Status” with the Sustainable Jersey Program, which requires planning and coordination on numerous levels.
Additionally, we successfully completed an asbestos remediation project at the former public-school building on Park Road, and we remain “on track” to begin construction of our future Community Center in 2023.
The employees of Sea Isle City’s Department of Public Works also completed a variety of important projects in 2022, such as updating the promenade ramps at 40th Street, making improvements to the 40th Street Rinse Station, and replacing the Promenade ramp at 49th Street – all the while never missing a beat when it comes to completing curbside trash and recycling collections, removing snow and ice after winter storms, and keeping our town clean and beautiful throughout the year.
The Sea Isle City Police Department also had a notable year, which included swearing-in Anthony Garreffi as our new Chief of Police/Director of Public Safety and promoting several other officers to higher ranks.
The SICPD also installed new cameras on the Sea Isle Bridge that read license plates and allow our officers to interconnect with other NJ law enforcement agencies; and they completed plans to install a new state-of-the-art radio communication system as well as additional new cameras on the Promenade and in the center of town (all of which will be put into operation in 2023).
In our Finance Department, Maureen Conte became our new Tax Collector, and we welcomed Jen McIver as our new Chief Financial Officer, a position that is responsible for overseeing purchasing, accounts payable, budgeting and more.
As CFO, Mrs. McIver also oversees our Beach Tag Department, and she instituted a new online purchasing system for specialty Beach Tags that saved many people from making a special trip to town just to purchase 2023 Holiday Beach Tags.
Also, Jen organized Sea Isle’s first-ever Children’s Beach Tag Art Contest, which resulted in the wonderful hand-drawn designs that we are using on each of our 2023 Beach Tags.
It was also a very good year for Sea Isle City’s Department of Community Services, which includes the Divisions of Public Relations, Tourism and Recreation.
As is the case each year, our Tourism Office successfully hosted Sea Isle’s summer concerts and free family events at Excursion Park, as well as a variety of festivals, holiday activities, parades, and our annual fireworks displays.
They also did a fine job running the Welcome Center, maintaining and updating our websites, and launching social media and marketing campaigns that kept the public aware of what is happening in Sea Isle City.
Look for the Division of Tourism’s 2023 Reference Guide in the springtime, and feel free to contact them anytime you have questions about our community.
In our Division of Recreation, municipal employees once again hosted Sea Isle’s beloved youth basketball league as well as a new summer basketball program that entertains young adults with special needs.
They also offered a wide variety of summer camps and sports clinics; they organized our beach wheelchair program, which helps people with limited abilities enjoy Sea Isle’s beautiful shoreline; and they worked hard to make certain that all of our other recreation activities went well.
During 2022, our Public Relations Office helped keep the media and the general public aware of what a great town we have by sending-out press releases, e-alerts, and this newsletter, which has been keeping the people of Sea Isle City informed for more than twelve years.
In addition to the many accomplishments we achieved in 2022 on the municipal level, the residents of Sea Isle City also did their part to make sure that we have a town that is welcoming and enjoyable.
Knowing this, I want to thank each of our local civic groups, churches, and volunteer organizations for the community events they hosted and/or supported, the kindness they displayed, and the fine examples they set for us all. They include Sea Isle’s Volunteer Fire Department and Volunteer Ambulance Corps, AARP Chapter 710, the Beachcomber Guides, our local Boy and Girl Scout Troops, the Sea Isle City Garden Club, the Historical Society and Museum, the Italian American Club, the Sea Isle City Taxpayers Association, Sea Isle City Cats, the Yacht Club of Sea Isle City, the Townsend Inlet Yacht Club, the Commodore Club, the Women’s Civic Club, the Sea Isle City Chamber of Commerce, VFW Post 1963, VFW Post 1963’s Auxiliary, Saint Joseph Catholic Church, Sea Isle’s United Methodist Church, and everyone who volunteered their time and gave back to our community in different ways.
Thank you all!
I also want to thank and acknowledge the “behind the scenes” organizations that help keep our town moving forward throughout the year, including the members of Sea Isle City’s Planning and Zoning Boards, Beautification Committee, Environmental Commission, Shade Tree Committee, Green Team, Recreation Committee, Youth Recreation Committee, School Board, and Tourism Commission – each of whom prove that it’s the people who make a community great.
Last, but not least, I want to mention the members of City Council, who work closely with my Administration all year and help keep Sea Isle City moving forward on a path to success. Thank you for your cooperation and hard work Council Members Tighe, Edwardi, Feeley, Gibson and Kehner!
Please don’t forget that freedom isn’t free – and be sure to say “thank you for your service” whenever you see a veteran.
Wishing you and yours a Happy and Healthy 2023!
Smile…You’re in Sea Isle,
Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio
