If you have driven by Sea Isle City’s former public school during the past few days, you may have noticed that a chain-link fence has been erected around the west end of the property, connecting with the old fence that has surrounded the school’s parking lot for many years.
The fencing was installed by the company that we hired to demolish the school building, which will be leveled in the coming weeks to make way for our future Community Center.
As I have said before, the Community Center will be home to many events and activities that the people of Sea Isle City will enjoy for decades to come – so please watch us grow and enjoy the anticipation of what’s headed our way!
As is the case with all of our major projects, we will keep everyone informed as the construction process unfolds and we move closer to the grand opening of our wonderful new Community Center, which we anticipate will take place in early to mid-2025.
Following a great deal of planning and pencil sharpening performed by our city employees, I will provide our proposed 2023 municipal budget to City Council during their February 14 meeting.
At that time, I will also present my yearly State of the City address, which will include a brief recap of the past year and information about what we have planned for the year ahead.
Realizing that not everyone will be able to visit City Hall on the morning of February 14, we will share a copy of my speech through our E-News System, and we will also post it on our municipal website. (Spoiler Alert: the state of Sea Isle City is, indeed, very good!)
As we all know, “Eagles Fever” has swept our region. Naturally, we have many “Birds” fans here in Sea Isle City, and many local residents are flying Eagles flags and decorating their properties in Eagles green.
As exciting as it is for those of us who will be cheering on the Eagles this Sunday, I can only imagine how exciting it must for the parents of Travis and Jason Kelce, who reportedly are the first brothers to play on opposing conference teams in Super Bowl history.
As you may know, Jason Kelce is a property owner in Sea Isle City – and we are very proud to have him as a member of our community!
I wish both of the Kelce brothers good luck this Sunday, and I hope to see the entire Kelce family in Sea Isle City next summer (including Jason, as a two-time Super Bowl champion).
Speaking of the Super Bowl, if you will be attending a Super Bowl party this Sunday, please travel safely to and from your destination. The thrill of a hometown team appearing in a championship game can be a huge distraction, so please drive extra carefully (and defensively) on Sunday!
For many years, Presidents’ Day Weekend has been a banner weekend for Sea Isle City – and we don’t expect anything less in 2023.
This year, I hope you will be able to join us for the long holiday weekend and take advantage of Sea Isle’s many dining options and the various bargains that will be offered at local retailers.
Also, I hope everyone will show their support for the Mike’s Seafood Run-Walk for Autism on Saturday, February 18, which benefits several worthy organizations. As Mike and Jeannie Monichetti often say, “any time you can you do something for children with disabilities … it’s a good day!”
Earlier this week, I was informed that Sea Isle City was ranked No. 10 among “most sought-after destinations” on HomeToGo.com. Naturally, this comes as no surprise to those of us who already realize what a wonderful town we have – and I am very glad to see that others are aware of that as well.
I want to thank all of the good people of Sea Isle City who make our community so very special, including our year-round residents and second homeowners, the travelers from across this great nation who stay with us each summer, the members of Sea Isle City’s business community who always welcome customers with a smile, and everyone else who works and plays in this great town. Thank you all!
This week’s “Shout Out” goes to the employees of Sea Isle City’s Public Works and Water-Sewer Departments. Very often, “behind-the-scenes” workers go unnoticed and unappreciated – however, they are often the ones who perform the tasks that keep a community running smoothly (many times while working in the elements during bad weather conditions).
I am very grateful for all the efforts that each of our municipal employees put forth throughout the year; and, because of their devotion and commitment to excellence, I have every confidence in Sea Isle City’s future!
I hope everyone enjoys the Super Bowl and has a Happy Valentine’s Day!
Smile … You’re in Sea Isle,
Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio
