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Mayor says city will stop acquisition of 801 Asbury; council introduces $7.5M playground bond and drops police‑building bond
Summary
The mayor told council the city will not proceed with purchasing 801 Asbury Avenue after due diligence and asked council not to move the bond ordinance for renovating the old police building; council introduced a $7.5 million bond ordinance on first reading to fund a 34th Street playground and staff announced two municipal bond sales.
Ocean City officials on Oct. 9 announced a change in plans for public‑safety facilities and highlighted park funding while the city sold bonds to finance other projects.
Mayor's announcement: The mayor opened the meeting by updating the council on public‑safety planning and the former Crown Bank building. He said that after inspections and conversations with the police chief and engineers the city will not pursue renovating the aging police building or continue with acquiring 801 Asbury Avenue as a will‑work option, and asked council not to advance the bond ordinance that would have funded that renovation. "So tonight I'm going to ask the council not to move forward with the second reading of that ... bond ordinance," the mayor said, noting cost estimates for seismic, flood and structural work on older buildings had escalated.
Contract terminated for 801 Asbury: City staff confirmed that the city is no longer pursuing acquisition of 801 Asbury Avenue and that a termination letter had been sent to the seller after due diligence. City staff told the council that absent a motion to introduce the ordinance on second reading the ordinance will not go forward.
Playground bond introduced: Separately, the council introduced Ordinance 25‑13, a bond ordinance appropriating $7.5 million for the 34th Street playground project. Presenters said the city expects about $3.5 million in county grant support and that the city will expend $7.5 million and then be reimbursed by grant funds. The council voted to introduce the ordinance on first reading; a public hearing and second reading was scheduled for Oct. 23 at 6 p.m.
Debt sales announced: Melissa, the city’s chief financial officer, announced that the city sold $16 million in general obligation bonds (awarded to Roosevelt and Cross, Inc., net interest cost 3.59%) and a $43 million bond anticipation note (2025‑02) awarded to Janney Montgomery Scott LLC (maturing Oct. 8, 2026, net interest cost 2.5%). A full bid report is available from the city clerk.
Why it matters: The mayor framed the decision as a cost‑and‑safety judgment: making an older structure floodproof and earthquake‑resistant would push renovation costs well above estimates and the city has set aside funds to build a new facility that could better complement the substation at 8th and Borwalk.
Council votes and next steps: Council did not take a motion to advance the ordinance to second reading for the 801 Asbury acquisition; staff said that without a motion the ordinance will not proceed. Council did adopt introduction of the playground bond on first reading and recorded an affirmative roll call. The city will continue planning for a replacement public‑safety facility and expects the police substation at 8th and Borwalk to be operational around Christmas.
