On February 11, I hosted a very productive meeting with our State legislators and numerous officials from Cape May County, with the sole purpose of discussing the problems that some juveniles are creating during the summer season.
Approximately 50 people were in attendance at the meeting, including mayors and law enforcement officials from nearby municipalities, our County Sheriff and Undersheriff, and several representatives from the Board of County Commissioners – as well as Senator Michael Testa, New Jersey Assemblymen Antwan McClellan and Erik Simonsen, and Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland, each of whom joined me on the dais.
It was a pleasure to gather with so many dedicated individuals on that day, as we brainstormed and discussed ways to address an issue that many shore towns are facing. I look forward to continuing that important conversation and developing an effective action plan as the summer season approaches – and I will keep the public informed as solutions are developed.
I am very happy to report that the Presidents Day weekend was a tremendous success here in Sea Isle City. I spoke with many people during and after the long holiday weekend, and from all reports our local restaurants were bustling, there were many shoppers in town searching for bargains at our retailers, jitneys were continually shuttling people to and fro, and everyone seemed to have a wonderful time!
In addition to being grateful for the tremendous weather we experienced last weekend, I am also thankful that so many people traveled to Sea Isle City in the middle of a cold winter – and that fun seemed to be had by all!
Now that Presidents Weekend has come and gone, the next holiday on the horizon is Saint Patrick’s Day. In addition to wearing green and pinning shamrocks on your lapel, there are several other ways to commemorate this popular “Irish” holiday in Sea Isle City.
For example, limited edition Saint Patrick’s Beach Tags are on sale now at the pre-season rate of $20 each at the Welcome Center and City Hall. You can also visit the Giordano family’s charming “Saint Patrick’s Tree” on the 44th Street Beach – and while you’re there, you can take photos of your loved ones and even add an Irish decoration to the tree.
Additionally, you won’t want to miss Sea Isle’s 2022 Saint Patrick’s Parade, which takes place on Saturday, March 12, starting at 3:30 p.m. For more info about the parade and the many other events that are planned in Sea Isle City during 2022, please go to www.VISITSICNJ.com.
As sure as Saint Patrick’s Day is a true sign of spring, so is Sea Isle City’s annual Kayak Storage Rack Lottery, which our Division of Recreation will host from March 1 through April 15. To learn more about this year’s lottery – and how you can enter to win the use of a berth at our kayak storage facility at Dealy Field – please see the special section in this E-Newsletter.
Another sign of spring that I am happy to say is returning this year is our Division of Tourism’s annual brochure. Due to challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the many events and activities it negatively impacted, we decided not to print our brochure in 2020 or 2021.
This year, however, we are printing a new version of that publication, which we are now calling a “Reference Guide.” This spring, our Reference Guide will be mailed to all Sea Isle City property owners, and it will also be available at the Welcome Center and elsewhere in town – so, make sure you have a copy on hand for the remainder of the year.
Because many of our residents and visitors are dog lovers, in recent years we have been discussing the concept of adding a Dog Park to Sea Isle City’s selection of public facilities. Now, after much planning, we have finished the designs for a new Dog Park, which we intend to create in Sea Isle’s north end starting later this year. Unfortunately, the Dog Park will not be in place in time for the approaching summer; however, when it is completed, it will have features that will appeal to dog owners and nature lovers alike.
This week’s “Shout Out” goes to Kellie Seib in Sea Isle City’s Human Resources Department. In addition to her many duties, which include overseeing risk management and dealing with the challenges our municipality has faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kellie also represents Sea Isle City in the Atlantic County Municipal Joint Insurance Fund, where she recently served as Fund Commission Chairperson for one year. My thanks go to Kellie for all of her hard work – after what has been a trying two years amid this pandemic and the many challenges that came with it. Thank you, Kellie!
Smile … You’re in Sea Isle,
Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio
