April has flown by and May has arrived, which means Memorial Day Weekend will be here before we know it. I hope everyone is looking forward to the approaching warm weather as much as I am – and that you are planning to be in Sea Isle City throughout the summer season. We have a lot of entertainment planned for you this year, including our free Saturday night concerts, “Movies Under the Stars” and “Family Fun Nights” – not to mention the Chamber of Commerce’s weekly Farmer’s Market and Acoustic Open Mic Nights for teens, as well as Sea Isle’s wonderful Beachcomber Guided Tours and a myriad of special events that are on our 2022 calendar.

Even though we have many great events planned, I realize that some people simply look forward to enjoying some “down time” while they are here. If that’s what you have in mind, Sea Isle City’s magnificent beaches are the perfect place to relax and rejuvenate – so, bring that extra book to read or plan on spending some quiet time while “people watching” from the comfort of your beach chair. After all, there is nothing like sinking your toes in the sand and letting a cool ocean breeze wash your cares away!

On Friday afternoon, the members of Sea Isle City’s Environmental Commission, Garden Club, Historical Society, Green Team, Shade Tree Committee, Sustainable Jersey Committee and Beautification Committee hosted a very nice Arbor Day Celebration in front of the Welcome Center, where 38 new crepe myrtle trees were dedicated to the people of Sea Isle City. The crepe myrtles, which line JFK Boulevard from the bridge to Landis Avenue, were purchased using funds from the Environmental Commission Trust Account – and I can’t wait to see their beautiful pink flowers come into bloom this summer.

My thanks go to each of the civic organizations who hosted last week’s Arbor Day event, and I am also very grateful that the Environmental Commission purchased those beautiful trees for our community! --Thank you all!

If you were in Sea Isle City last weekend, you know that it was definitely a special time “for the ladies” – thanks to the Chamber of Commerce’s annual Spring Girls Weekend event, which brought many people to town. For some, Girls Weekend is a chance to reconnect with good friends and loved ones, and for others it is an opportunity to discover great bargains and special deals at local retailers and restaurants. Regardless of why everyone was here, it was wonderful to see so many happy faces all over Sea Isle City!

Looking ahead, Saturday is “Community Day” in Sea Isle City, and we hope you will be able to participate in the various activities we have planned, including a City Council meeting at 9:00 AM and our municipal bicycle auction at 10:30 AM. For additional info about Community Day – including the meet-and-greet event with city officials and local volunteers inside the Community Lodge on Saturday morning – please see the special section in this newsletter.

Unfortunately, because the weather forecast looks rainy on Saturday, we are postponing two of our Community Day events until a later date. Therefore, the document shredding event, which is being sponsored by First Bank of Sea Isle City, will now take place on Saturday, May 21, from 9:00 AM to 12 noon in the parking lot of the Community Lodge.

Additionally, we will host the Street Dedication Ceremony in memory of U.S. Navy Seal David M. Tapper at 10:00 AM on Saturday, June 11, at 89th Street and Pleasure Avenue. Petty Officer Tapper was a member of Seal Team 6, who helped rescue wounded POW Jessica Lynch in Iraq – and it will be an honor to dedicate one of our streets in his memory. I ask everyone who is able to attend the dedication ceremony on June 11 to please join us in a show of support for Petty Officer Tapper and his family. My thanks go to Veterans Advocate Joe Griffies for initiating this street dedication – and, of course, special thanks go to the Tapper family, who we expect to be with us on June 11.

Recently, I asked the Department of Public Works to ensure that all of our streets are cleaned prior to the start of the summer season – so look for our City’s street sweeper making its way throughout town next week. The planned times and days for street cleaning are shown below (with operations beginning at 6:00 AM each day, weather permitting). So, if you can, please move your vehicles off of the street so the sweeper can be as effective as possible…

• Monday, May 9 = 2nd to 38th Street, and all of Pleasure and Central Avenues

• Tuesday, May 10 = 38th to 50th Street

• Wednesday, May 11 = 51st to 70th Street

• Thursday, May 12 = 71st to 84th Street

• Friday, May 13 = 84th to 93rd Street.

As a reminder, a citywide bulk trash pick-up is scheduled for Thursday, May 12. Residents may place bulk items out for collection by 7:00 AM on Thursday, May 12. Please remember that no bulk items may be placed out for collection earlier than Wednesday afternoon.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Smile…You’re in Sea Isle,

Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio