The 2025 autumn season is off to a great start here in Sea Isle City! Aside from a little rain, we have had some amazing weather since Labor Day – which is very good news for the events that have taken place in recent weeks, including our annual Patriot Day Ceremony on September 11 at Veterans Park, where we gathered to remember the thousands of lives lost during the 9-11 terrorist attacks. I want to thank everyone who attended that ceremony – especially 9-11 survivor, ground zero worker and organizer of The 9-11 Project, John Kostick, who was kind enough to step to the microphone and share a few words with the audience, even though he lost most of his voice after being exposed to the dangerous conditions at ground zero.
Two days later, our community gathered for a much happier occasion, when the Tourism Office hosted our town’s annual Fall Family Festival Weekend on September 13 and 14. On Saturday, the festival featured a food court on JFK Boulevard, live music and other family-friendly entertainment at Excursion Park, and 146 merchandise vendors along the Promenade. Then, on Sunday, over 50 classic vehicles appeared in the Fall Family Festival Antique Auto Show and Parade, during which Howard Barth received the “Best in Show” award for his amazing red 1960 Chevy Corvette, and Gregory Guarini was presented with the “Mayor’s Choice” trophy, which he took home in his pristine 1985 Cadillac Eldorado convertible.
Also on Sunday, the Sea Isle City Environmental Commission distributed their 2025 Beautification Awards to eight local property owners, who have notably improved or maintained the appearance of their homes. My thanks go to everyone at the Environmental Commission for recognizing the homeowners who enhance our community with their attractive homes – and my congratulations go to each of this year’s Beautification Award recipients: Marianne and Mark Dever, Patti and Lenny DiNote, The Sisters of Saint Francis House, Maryann and Mike Gallagher, Megan and Rick Lewis, Linda and Dennis Maguire, Tara and Michael Palma, and Habib Troudi. Additional congratulations go to Rich Weiner, who received the Environmental Commission’s 2025 “Endless Beauty” award.
Looking ahead, VFW Post 1963’s Auxiliary will host their annual POW-MIA Recognition Day Ceremony at 6:00 PM tomorrow evening on Post 1963’s front lawn, where our community will honor the American service members who were held as prisoners of war, as well as those who went missing in action. Attending this special event is an ideal way to show your respect for the individuals who made tremendous sacrifices for our nation – so I hope you can join us on Friday night at Post 1963!
On Saturday, the Cape May County Library System will celebrate its 100th Anniversary with a special event inside the Sea Isle City Library at 4800 Central Avenue, from 12 noon to 2:00 PM. During this once-in-a-century gathering, visitors can enjoy live music, children’s activities, and complimentary refreshments – so bring your entire family to the library on Saturday afternoon, and while you are there be certain to check-out the amazing view of the wetlands from the library’s second floor balcony!
Now that summer has passed, many of Sea Isle City’s civic organizations are beginning their off-season activities, including hosting regular meetings and other events. With a wide variety of local organizations to choose from, it’s no wonder that our residents can happily stay busy once they store their beach chairs in the garage for the winter. Anyone hoping to join one (or more) of Sea Isle’s various civic groups can find contact information and meeting schedules by clicking the “Organizations” link on the home page of www.seaislecitynj.us – and, when you see the list of active organizations we have, you might be surprised by how many different groups serve our community.
I have two “Shout Outs” this week. The first goes to the employees of Sea Isle City’s Department of Public Works, who always do a great job keeping our town clean and running smoothly – plus they recently beautified the gardens at City Hall, where you’ll find new grass, flowers and trees along the sidewalks. Thank you, DPW!
Our next Shout Out goes to the members of the Sea Isle City Environmental Commission, who are celebrating their organization’s 40th anniversary this month! In addition to selling commemorative “Save a Turtle” tee-shirts to raise funds for their initiatives, our Environmental Commission volunteers also host an annual Tree Raffle that has resulted in scores of new trees being planted on private properties across Sea Isle City. The Environmental Commission has also planted numerous trees in our parks and along JFK Boulevard – plus, they host Sea Isle’s Spring and Autumn Beach Clean-ups, they financially support our Beachcomber Guided Tours, and they quietly perform other tasks that greatly benefit our community! Happy 40th Anniversary Sea Isle City Environmental Commission!
Smile…You’re in Sea Isle!
Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio
During City Council’s September 9 meeting, each of the resolutions on the Consent Agenda was approved, including…
• Resolution 161, which awarded a contract in the amount of $506,878 to South State, Inc., of Bridgeton, NJ, for the reconstruction of 55th Street (Landis Avenue to Roberts Avenue).
• Resolution 162, which authorized the Submission of a Corrective Action Plan to the New Jersey State Comptroller, confirming that adequate funds are in Sea Isle City’s Lifeguard Pension Trust Fund to fund all expenses for the year.
• Resolution 163, which was written to urge the New Jersey Governor and Legislature to enact regulations governing the operation of Electric Bicycles and Scooters on public streets, sidewalks, bike paths and other public areas, to enhance public safety.
During the “New Business” portion of the September 9 meeting, Councilman Ciseck suggested that City Council meetings should be broadcast to the public via live-stream or some other video format, and a discussion about his suggestion followed. City Council is looking into this idea and will alert the public if any new communication system is put into place.
After Councilman Ciseck spoke, Councilman Jargowsky inquired if an outdoor shower (for rinsing purposes only) could be added to the Beach Patrol Headquarters at 44th Street, where there is currently a rinse-station for feet.
During the “Citizen Comment” portion of the September 9 meeting, six property owners stepped to the microphone to share their thoughts and ask questions, at which time several of them expressed their support for broadcasting the City Council meetings.
While City Council discusses the concept of broadcasting meetings, the public is reminded that there is no need to wait for a City Council meeting to ask questions or express concerns. Comments in the form of emails and phone calls are always welcomed by City Council, the Mayor, and the city’s Administration – and municipal contact information can easily be found on the City’s website, www.seaislecitynj.us. City Council’s email addresses are also included in each of our E-Newsletter messages. Also, for your convenience, meeting agendas are posted in advance of all City Council meetings under the “Government” tab on the home page of www.seaislecitynj.us, where you can also find meeting minutes, after they are approved by City Council during the following meeting.
Please be aware that City Council will host a Capital Plan Public Workshop on Wednesday, November 12, at 1:00 PM on the third floor of City Hall.
The next regular City Council meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 23, at 10:00 AM on the third floor of City Hall – and we hope to see you there!
Best regards from the members of City Council,
Council President Mary Tighe
Ian Ciseck
Frank Edwardi
Michael Jargowski
William Kehner
