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Mayor Leonard Desiderio is pushing for expanded bus service.

On February 11, it was my honor to present City Council with Sea Isle City’s proposed 2020 Municipal Budget, which we feel includes the appropriate amount of funding needed to provide our community with all the necessary services it requires – all the while displaying fiscal responsibility and an understanding of the wants and needs of the people of Sea Isle City. 

If the proposed budget is adopted by City Council, it will include a zero percent tax increase for property owners, which is on the heels of the half-penny tax decrease we enjoyed in 2019. Also, there is no proposed increase to water-sewer rates in 2020. 

After handing our proposed budget to City Council, I delivered Sea Isle City’s annual State of the City Address, at which time I was very happy to report that the state of our city is, indeed, very good and that we are in excellent financial shape. 

During my speech, I noted that public safety and floodplain management will continue to be our highest priorities, however we also plan to continually make improvements to our City that will benefit us all – including constructing a new facility on the site of the former public school building at 4501 Park Road, which will better allow our community to come together and enjoy expanded recreation programs, civic meetings, and other important functions. In short, the future Park Road facility will serve everyone in our community for generations to come.   

We are very confident that we have the ability and means to achieve all of the goals that I mentioned in my speech and all of the projects that are included in our proposed 2020 budget – and I look forward to us all stepping into the future as one people and one community.   

I would like to take this opportunity to thank City Solicitor Paul Baldini and Floodplain Manager Neil Byrne for delivering an insightful presentation to City Council on February 11, which reminded the public that our Administration takes flooding issues very seriously. As I indicated earlier, we will continue to make flood mitigation a top priority in Sea Isle City, and we will keep everyone “in the loop” as we improve our infrastructure and continue our floodplain management efforts.  

As I mentioned in my most recent newsletter message, last month members of our Division of Emergency Medical Services and Police Department assisted in the delivery of a new baby right here in Sea Isle City. 

More recently, on Tuesday we had the pleasure of meeting the parents and grandparents of Baby Luciana Regina Golato, who attended this week’s City Council meeting. It was wonderful to have the Golato family on hand as we presented our first responders with special commendations for their efforts – and it was also wonderful to officially welcome Baby Luciana into our Sea Isle family even though she was not able to attend the meeting herself. Fortunately, her big sister, Briella, age 3, was on hand to accept a Key to the City on behalf of the entire Golato family.  

As you may be aware, the sport of pickleball has grown in popularity tremendously in recent years. With that in mind, we have done our best to accommodate the many folks who enjoy pickleball and are always looking for the opportunity to play their favorite sport in Sea Isle City. 

So, in addition to the two new pickleball courts that we created on West Jersey Avenue two years ago, we are “upping the ante” by adding pickleball stripes to a third tennis court at Delay Field, which will be available for use on Tuesday and Thursday mornings this summer. 

We have also added two “Open Pickleball” sessions at our municipal gym on Park Road, where beginners and those approaching the intermediate skill level can enjoy pickleball free of charge on Tuesday nights from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. and on Sundays from 12 noon to 3:00 p.m. – all in a non-competitive atmosphere. 

My thanks go to the employees of the City’s Recreation Office for recognizing the need for more pickleball and for working closely with the members of Sea Isle’s growing pickleball community.  

There is no better place to celebrate Valentine’s Day than Sea Isle City, because we have many great restaurants and no shortage of wonderful people with loving hearts. Since it will definitely be a busy weekend here in Sea Isle, be certain to plan ahead and make your dinner reservation as early as possible.  

Happy Valentine’s Day! 

Smile … You’re in Sea Isle!

Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio