Well at least all those taxpayers in The Gardens who rent to our life's blood tourists will have some beach this year.

Want to bet that the north end gets another replenishment after this one, before a permit application for a south end project is even submitted?

The north end - the Gardens. ocean City exists for the prosperity of the north end and the Gardens. The families with the Insurance companies who have made a fortune selling insurance to the 2nd homeowners held in such disrepute here and the boardwalk merchants who run the island for their own benefit. Yes. How nice that the north end and Gardens are doing ok while the south end sits here at risk of a catastrophic loss with no beach and no dunes for protection. If ever there was a blatant example - here it is. Our roads have been neglected and the drainage problems never dealt with our beaches diminishing yearly - and our taxes going to the benefit of the north end and Gardens and boardwalk. This is not just this administration. This has been going on forever and it is reprehensible. Mayor Gillian - this falls on your shoulders now to correct generations of neglect and you don't have much time.

And the ACE don't need permits. They can issue their own permits. They need this mayor to let them know in no uncertain terms that this is an emergency!

Sucker's bet, Jeff. Not even with odds. I think we can all stop holding our breath now. Nothing's going to happen. Did anyone cath the 57th St. Beach Cam yesterday? A front end loader was dumping piles of sand at water's edge at low tide. I've seen kids build bigger piles to make tunnels. Those piles were half gone a couple of hours befroe high tide and there's no evidence they were there at all today. It's pathetic.
When the Mayor sent out his plea to unite, I empathized. But I realize now we need a response to an emergency situiation, in a word: Leadership. Not a write your Congressman campaign.

All this for the north end, while we at the south end continue to see our beaches erode and our homes and properties at risk with no sign of a beach replenishment project on the horizon.

Ah, so the corps of engineers continues to ruin surfing and fishing in ocean city for another two years till the sand settles down and begins to migrate normally again. And then there are the broken shell bit causing laceration on tourists and the major risk of spinal injury in the new pounding shore break...... The CoE, screwing up the environment with their one size fits all beach dumping......don't worry south end, the north end sand will be yours soon.

The Corps' purpose in dredging is for navigation. That is behind the dredging and putting the sand on the beach to dispose of it. The sand has migrated south but isn't on the beach. There is a sand bar instead and that does help stop the Ocean a bit but we need a wide beach and dunes for protection. We need our mayor on the doorstep of the ACE and our gov reps. Mr Gillian, have you taken a ride to DC? You need to leave OC and do some real meaningful work.

CTA: I wish that were the case. We'd be like Wildwood Crest by now. Unfortunately it flows down and "bulges" in the middle of the island. The littoral current gets pushed outwards and actually has an almost opposite effect the further south you go. It also affects the surfing and fishing down there too, because we end up with sandbars further off the shore line. We sort of have wading pools at mid tide and the waves breaks are further out.
Another dangerous situation as sometimes swimmers go out to the sand bars and don't realize how far out they are when the tide comes in.

I don't think the city has the resources to deal with both a north end and a south end that got wrecked by a full moon dead-on hurricane which we all knew would occur someday. The problem in the north end was actually caused by beach replenishment....They dredged the sand bar off Waverly in the late '90's and early '2000's..result? ...big waves, a surfing beach (thanks Charlie), and big destruction when the storms come. I know, because when I was a crazy surfer kid, I couldn't surf Waverly (where I lived) no waves...I had to lug my board all the way down to 4th street to have any fun.
I think/ I hope that because you south enders have a sandbar, then maybe your OK for now but I'm thinking maybe a jetty horizontal to the shoreline might be the answer. It's just a terrible situation and I feel bad for everyone who has to deal with this. But, again, I don't think our city was prepared for this. Kind of like Chief Brodie wasn't prepared for that big shark.

The city has always neglected the south end. They take the taxes and neglect the roads, drainage issues, beaches, dunes and then some on council like Ping and Hartzell want to take the protective wetlands too. But of course they are trying to please those who promise them votes and have no regard for the property owners. After all, many are just 2nd homeowners who get no respect in this town anyway. It is a rotten situation and I personally am relying on our Mayor and Business Manager to change this dynamic but they better move quickly before any more catastrophes occur. They have no time to waste

All I want to know is if the beaches will be accessible when we go to Ocean City at the end of May. We will be living at Ocean Front Motel near 14th Ave. How will it be there? We were there one year and it was a mess, the beaches were being reconstructed, it smelled bad, it was noisy and very unpleasant. I understand this has to be done, but I would rather go later in the season if need be. We love O.C. Thank you and good luck.

Ask the Mayor, Mariette. he knows all of the answers. His office tells us, the residents, to not speak out. So, ask the Mayor. Then hold him to what he says to you.

Steve is sending the right message. We at the south end deserve the same treatment as the rest of the island. We pay the same taxes and should get the same hurricane Sandy relief that everyone on the Jersey shore is expecting to get. Come on Mayor, make it happen!!!!

Some direct email adresses for NJ representation. Many (including the governor) can only be sent via their websites. The Dept. of State adress is Kim Guadagno's office. Maybe highlighting the bad publicity will help.
feedback@sos.state.nj.us
SenVanDrew@njleg.org
AsmAlbano@njleg.org
AsmMilam@njleg.org
lobiondo@mail.house.gov

Lumpy

Hey mister Mayor, heres an idea. The money that the city is spending to dredge the lagoons, in the north end so that the north enders can park their boats behind their houses using everyones tax money, how about sending that dredge to the south end and get our beaches and dunes back so that we even have houses to go to. Stop using the whole city's tax money to only take care of the north end.

Me me me. Me me me me me me me me me me me me. The mayor sucks. The rant from the south.

LMFAO. Always so willing to take from others. Rather than getting in line and waiting their turn.

If your own beach replenishment project doesn't come fast enough for your liking. Blame the mayor and steal someone else's. the bay has been waiting for the dredging for years. Get in line.

How about not spending the money on tv advertising right now. And save that cash for sand.

This is not about taking from other citizens on this island. The bay, the Northend, the Southend, all one Island. Chris, as a Southend Resident, I do not begrudge you what is needed for the Bay or the Northend. There is just something that is not "kosher" about all of this. Many mixed messages from City, State and Federal Government Officials, many contradictory comments from the same. I can assure you, the deep Southend Beaches were severely eroded prior to Sandy. The storm only exasperated the situation. Have you ever felt like you are getting the runaround? This is how I personally feel. This also not about "waiting your turn". It is truly a shame that all of the governments from federal to state to city, couldn't stop and assess all of the problems post sandy, and "triage" the needed work. If they had done this, if a plan was made for all involved that was logical and well thought out, I think everyone would feel supported.

Some of you people - Chris M. Richard - just really missing the point here. The beaches in the north end have been consistently replenished. I don't know if the south end has ever been replenished but before Sandy the beaches from 50 south were non-existent. This not the same as dredging the lagoons for recreational boating. This is about life and property. This is a safety issue. So comparing it to dredging the lagoons is ignorant. Unfortunately, Ocean City has its share of ignorance and it is sometimes displayed here on the Patch. No one is blaming the Mayor for the hurricane but every administration going way back has ignored the south end of the island and taken good care of the north end. It is now on this Mayor's shoulders to fix that. These petty remarks are just that - petty. Get a grip, guys. You sound like real fools

blame it on Lautenberg. He is on the house of appropriations and didn't even get money appropriated for his own state's dredging project before Sandy. That leaves the city and state paying for these expensive projects by themselves. He is useless for the needs of us South Jersey residents. This would have never happened if Bill Hughes was still in congress

The north end needed sand every bit as bad as you and quite likely worse. If the south end wants sand then start the process. This replenishment project wasn’t scheduled as a result of Sandy nor was the bay project. I have been to both ends of the island and your beach is no worse than the north. How many people are on beach in the area of 1st to 14th st compared to 50 to 59th. Hell, the city’s main parking lot dumps them on 5th st and there is no beach there at all I am not from either area and it’s quite simple to figure out where to put the sand first, not that it’s the city’s choice anyway Posting comments on here bashing the mayor will get you nowhere so keep up the good work. As if he doesn’t want to get sand on the south end beach. It’s ludicrous

People who purchased homes in the extreme south end did so because they wanted to be away from the main beat and path of OC. When you made that decision you must have known that you wouldn’t receive the same attention as the main part of the island. All decisions have an up and down side. For example, if your house is in a very low populated area and you had a power outage as a result of Sandy, you probably would have waited quite a bit longer to have power restored. The power company is going to put its resources in the area where it has the most effect first. As such, the city has to put most of its services where the most people are. Many people commenting on this article would divert the North project and instead replenish the south end. That’s the dumbest thing I have ever heard. This thought comes from the ME FIRST mentality that has infected this country. I can’t even imagine if a catastrophic event occurred. Sandy was no picnic but it’s certainly not the worst thing that can happen. Not by a long shot

Chris you are something. There is a way to "add on" to the beach replenishment that is going on right now. Not do the south end instead of - but add on. And no - since we pay taxes we expect the same services as the rest of the island. It is cute that you think you have to defend the mayor, but this neglect of the south end has gone on for many, many administrations so it is up to the Mayor now to protect all the citizens and their property. And no - no one moved to south end to be ignored just wanted some quiet but still wanted services for our tax dollars which is fair and reasonable to expect.

And if you cannot imagine a "catastrophic event" you must have missed the pictures of the aftermath of Sandy to the north of Ocean City. There were not catastrophic losses in Ocean City but there were serious losses and people suffered and not to be dismissed by you (you have a bit of the ME ME ME thing, yourself there, Buddy)

Can someone give me the boundaries of the "main part of the island"?

Can someone give me the boundaries of the "main part of the island"?

Richard, I have been respectful throughout this dialogue. The southend pays their taxes just like the northend. We need to stop making this a north vs south issue. It is not. Read what Chris wrote about the southend. In his mind, we are to expect less from the city because we live in the Southend. That is absurd. The problem is now we are in "reaction mode". The City knew about the problem in the southend for 8+ years. The Stockton College Coastal Report has been studying these beaches and reporting on them. All I am asking is that they tell us publicly what they have done on our behalf. It is not a hard question. You work, I am sure and if you were asked what you did to help with a specific issue, I am sure you could reply. The answer of : "we are working on it" is vague. All of out taxes paid for the bay dredging last summer- no federal/state funding. Ocean City Patch, May 3,2012-

Government

City Council Approves $1.8 Million Dredging Project

City Council authorizes a contract to dredge shallow water on the bay side of Ocean City.

By Douglas Bergen
City Council on Thursday awarded a $1.8 million contract to dredge parts of Ocean City's back bay. Many channels and lagoons on the bayside are impassable to boat traffic at low tide. City Council voted unanimously. The project would include dredging in an area between 16th Street and 34th Street. "This is not a long-term solution," Dattilo said. "We're working diligently toward a long-term plan."

Ken, I hate to brake it to you. It's the comments on these write ups by the southern residents that have invoked this north end / south end controversy. Can you think of one reason the Mayor would not want to restore the beaches in the South? Other than not having the funds, i can't.
You mention a 1.8 million dollar bay dredging contract. What would 1.8 million do for your beaches. Not much I imagine. The bay has long been waiting for the dredging of that area and it is desperately needed. I suspect that project will have longer lasting effects than any beach replenishment project. 1.8 million might get a couple beach blocks some sand, but that will be gone after the first storm. We both know that, Right?
I cant tell you how many years I have watched them pump sand onto the beach, then watched it disapear after one summer. These are very expensive temp fixes. Since they are exactly that (expensive temp fixes) I would really prefer the city not to go broke ( and as such brankrupt us the taxpayer) for these beach projects. The Mayor clearly needs state and federal funding to persue any such project. We should all understand that fact.

I don't think anyone wants to divert. But IF they actually do something in the South End, it'll be more expensive to do it later. The Post Sandy situation is an emergency for which there are emrgency funds. Somewhere between the City, Sate and Washington, there has to be a way to expedite this while we have the money. Given the current budget issues in Washington, we may NEVER see federal funding for the already approved project for the South End. The last time it was done was a Sate/City partnership. My guess is the City is willing to keep the band aids on the South End to avoid having to pay 25% vs. 8%. It's a game of fiscal chicken.
My fear is that if we don't do it now, it's simply not going to happen in the forseeable future.
I agree with the previous post that the bulk of tourists are between 1st and 14th. I'm not trying to begrudge that area. But I can understand why others might question the tourist density between the Longport Bridge and say, Seaspray Rd. And as Richard said, that sand's always gone by Labor Day. But I would'nt presume to say folks in The Gardens want to be off the beaten path or suggest that it should be sea-walled like Avalon's and Anglesea's inlet exposed sections.
This isn't "me first", it's "us, too." It's been eight years! In fact, money that was SUPPOSED to be budgeted for a "future" South End project was used to rebuild the dunes on Atlatic Ave when they got blown out a couple of years ago.
Me first?. I's been "after you" for long enough!

Apparently, the NJDEP and ACE right now are told to do what was already lined up as projects for replenishment. That leaves out the south end and once again brings up the question - why wasn't the south end one of the projects all set to go before the storm? And once again brings up the same answer as to why our roads are a mess and the drainage problems are never solved - simply the north end of the island is the priority and Richard - grow up - this is not about you or north vs south this is about all the previous administrations making the north end the priority and neglecting the south end. If you want to act like you are in 3rd grade, Richard, which apparently you do, you can say it is north vs. south but it is a fact that the south end beaches should have been in line for replenishment (not instead of north end but in addition to the north end) and they were not so now there is no date set for replenishment. This means that one good noreaster could flood the whole south end because there is no protection. I am really upset about this - angry that we were not even in line anywhere so that now we blow in the wind while they blow sand onto the north end and have no hope for us in the near future

And the reason no Mayors have cared about the south end: 1. Many 2nd homeowners, non-vote producing 2. The local old time families with all the clout live in the north end and Ocean City is just a little town with the insiders club and the outsiders - they all pay the same tax but there are different rules for each. 3. The boardwalk is the priority putting cash in the pockets of those who make decisions about the town (and always has been) These people take really good care of themselves and each other - none of them live in the south end of Ocean City. So Rick or Richard - unless you are one of the chosen ones - old locals who have made good money over a couple generations, or one of the hot shot developers or one of the biggest realtors who lives in OC full time - I wouldn't knock myself out defending anyone or anything because they don't really care too much about you either.

Lumpy

Ken you misinterpretted what I said. I said pull the dredge from the lagoons, not the north end beaches. Save the southend propertys and not just dredge a deeper channelr for some people to pull their boats into the rear of their homes. As several people have already stated we pay the same tax rate as the north end.

We have beach tags. Why not boardwalk tags as a revenue source. Use it for boardwalk maint. Beach tag rev for beach projects and maintenance

"Massive" Project on tap for beaches to the North....SOME public officials have figured out how to access Sandy Relief money Piping Plovers or not:

http://oceancity.patch.com/articles/massive-replenishment-project-may-be-on-tap-for-beaches-to-the-north