Five Things to Know From Last Thursday's Council Meeting

At its public meeting on Thursday (Feb. 9), City Council on eliminating the city's Ethics Board, agreed to apply for money to try to at 19th Street and Boardwalk and got the first glimpse at the city administration's . But here are five other things that might be of interest.

• City Council passed a bond ordinance to borrow $5.7 million and spend $6 million to complete capital improvements including: dredging of lagoon mouths on the bay side ($1 million), road and drainage improvements ($2.4 million), bayfront bulkhead repairs ($300,000), isolated Boardwalk repairs ($525,000), City Hall Annex renovation and other public building repairs/remediations ($830,000). See attached PDF for complete list. Dredging permits could be in place by June 1, and the City Hall Annex renovation is targeted for completion by Memorial Day.
• City Council heard a report from Jeff Buehler, state director of Main Street New Jersey, on Ocean City's Main Street program. Buehler spoke at the request of Councilman Keith Hartzell in response to recent questions about the local program's accountability. Buehler said the Ocean City's budget was "a pretty straightforward situation." He said the program's 40 percent administration costs were typical and less than the 65 percent of an effective program in Hammonton. Hartzell defended the local program, listed a number of the program's successes and drew applause when he suggested the city should invest in improving the downtown as well as the boardwalk.
• Council agreed to start the process of finding a contractor to complete Ocean City Music Pier restroom renovations.
• Mayor Jay Gillian reported in his State of the City address that a site for the disposal of dredge spoils along the Route 52 causeway may become available in 2013. The new site could help the city complete a number of pending projects, including some in the First and Second wards.
• Gillian reported good news from a meeting with the state Department of Transportation: the Route 52 causeway project is on schedule. Four lanes of traffic should be open by Memorial Day.