Five Things to Know From City Council's Meeting on Thursday

At a public meeting Thursday at the Ocean City Free Public Library, City Council heard an update on beach replenishment projects in Ocean City and saw a presentation on plan to revive a . But here are five other things that might be of interest.

• Beach Replenishment Easements: City Council voted 5-0 (Council members Scott Ping and Michael DeVlieger were absent) to grant the state a perpetual easement to do beach replenishment work on city-owned lots on the beach (the portion of Waverly Blvd. that exists only on paper). The city collected easements in the 1990s when the federal Army Corps of Engineers began regular beach maintenance program. But the Corps needs new easements for all properties. They effort to collect easements will include the south end of Ocean City between 34th and 59th streets. While not currently scheduled for an Army Corps project, easements would be required for 121 privately owned lots in that area.
• Payments for Ocean City Beach Patrol legal costs: City Council approved two resolutions authorizing a combined $55,000 ($21,569 and $33,110) to pay for legal representation for Ocean City Beach Patrol Operations Director Tom Mullineaux. Ethics findings against Mullineaux were dismissed in August by the Ocean City Ethics Board
• $5.8 Million for Capital Improvements. City Council gave final approval to an ordinance that is part of an aggressive plan by Mayor Jay Gillian's administration to catch up on neglected infrastructure improvements. It includes $2.9 million to reconstruct various streets and drainage systems, $690,000 for storm repairs to public buildings, $550,000 for dredging bayside lagoons and $1 million to replace city vehicles. The ordinance represents about half of the administration's plan to spend $10 million per year. The ordinance includes $5.5 million in borrowing. The vote authorizes the borrowing and the plan. Authorization for specific purchases will be considered by Council individually.
• Special Improvement District Budget: City Council gave final approval to an approximately $260,000 budget for 2013 for the Special Improvement District (the retail section of the Ocean City Boardwalk, the downtown section of Asbury Avenue and the gateway section of Ninth Street). 
• Floodplain Management Plan: City Council approved an amended Floodplain Management Plan. The document, in part, helps determine flood insurance discounts for Ocean City property owners as a whole. See attached PDF for details.