Mayors of Ocean City, New Jersey

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Mayor of the City of Ocean City
Incumbent
Jay Gillian
since 2010
TypeMayor–council
StatusActive
Term lengthFour years
Formation1884 (1884)
First holderGainer P. Moore
Websitewww.ocnj.us

The Mayor of the City of Ocean City is the head of the executive branch of government of Ocean City, New Jersey, United States.

Since Ocean City was chartered as a borough in 1884, 22 individuals have held the office of mayor. Four mayors served two or more non-consecutive terms. Gainer P. Moore was the inaugural mayor of the city, who served on three separate occasions for a total of ten years. The current mayor is Jay Gillian, who was first elected in May 2010, and re-elected in 2014, 2018, and 2022.[1]

History[edit]

Beginning in 1879, when the Lake Brothers founded a Christian retreat on the island, the Ocean City Association handled official business, which continued in this capacity until 1884.[2] Based on a referendum on April 30, 1884, the borough of Ocean City was formed from portions of Upper Township, following an act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 3, 1884.[3] At this time, the town was governed by a mayor and four members of a City Council.[2] On March 31, 1890, the borough of Ocean City was reincorporated. On March 25, 1897, Ocean City was again reincorporated, this time as a city.[3] At this time, the City Council expanded to six members. In 1911, Ocean City switched to a city commission government, in which voters picked three commissioners, with one designated as mayor.[2] On July 1, 1978, Ocean City switched to a mayor–council form of government, in which there are seven council members, and a directly-elected mayor.[4]

Mayors[edit]

No. Mayor Term start Term end Notes References
1 Gainer P. Moore 1884 1890 First mayor of borough of Ocean City [5]
2 James E. Pryor 1890 1892 [5]
3 Gainer P. Moore 1892 1894 Second tenure as mayor [5]
4 Harry G. Steelman 1894 1895 Tied with Robert Fisher in the 1894 mayoral election. The City Council chose Steelman, which Fisher contested in court. [5][6]
5 Robert Fisher 1895 1896 Tied with Harry G. Steelman in the 1894 mayoral election. After contesting in court, the City Council instated Fisher for the 2nd year of the two-year term. [5][6]
6 Gainer P. Moore 1896 1897 Third and final tenure as mayor [5]
7 Wesley C. Smith 1897 1901 First mayor after Ocean City incorporated as a city [7]
8 Joseph G. Champion 1901 1907 First of three tenures as mayor. [6]
9 Lewis M. Cresse 1907 1911 [7][2]
10 Harry Headley 1911 1915 City government changed to a three-person commission, which chose Headley. [6][8]
11 Joseph G. Champion 1915 1931 Second of three tenures as mayor. [6][9][10]
12 Harry Headley 1931 1935 Second tenure as mayor. [6]
13 Joseph G. Champion 1935 1939 Third and final tenure as mayor. [6]
14 George D. Richards 1939 May 17, 1943 Died on the last day of his term. [6][11]
15 Clyde William Struble, Sr. May 1943 December 3, 1948 Delegate to 1947 state constitution convention. He died in office on December 3, 1948. [12][13][14][2]
Vacant December 3, 1948 May 10, 1949 City commission was unable to agree on replacement. Position was vacant until the next mayoral election on May 10, 1949. [2]
16 Edward B. Bowker 1949 1959 [15][2]
17 Nathaniel C. Smith 1959 1963 [2]
18 B. Thomas Waldman 1963 1967 [6]
19 Robert L. Sharp 1967 1971 [2]
20 B. Thomas Waldman 1971 1978 [6]
21 Chester A. Wimberg 1978 1982 First person elected under the newly adopted mayor–council form of city government [7][2]
22 Jack Bittner 1982 1986 [2]
23 Roy Gillian 1986 1990 [16]
24 Nickolas J. "Chick" Trofa 1990 January 31, 1992 He died of a heart attack while in office on January 31, 1992. [6]
25 Richard Deaney January 31, 1992 May 12, 1992 Appointed by City Council until a special election on May 12 [6]
26 Henry "Bud" Knight May 12, 1992 2006 He won a special election in 1992, then served three more terms. [6][16][17]
27 Sal Perillo July 2006 July 2010 [16]
28 Jay Gillian July 2010 Current mayor of Ocean City [16]

Higher offices held[edit]

The following is a list of higher public offices held by mayors, before or after their mayoral term(s).

Mayor Mayoral term(s) Other offices held References
Wesley C. Smith 1897–1901 New Jersey General Assembly (1895) [18]
Lewis M. Cresse 1907–1911 New Jersey General Assembly (1901-1903) [19]
New Jersey Senate (1904-1906) [19]
Joseph G. Champion 1915-1931 Cape May County Board of Freeholders (1922) [2]
Nathaniel Smith 1959-1963 New Jersey Senate (1954-1955) [20]
Jack Bittner 1982-1986 Cape May County Board of Freeholders [2]
Roy Gillian 1986-1990 Cape May County Board of Freeholders (1971) [21]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Bill Barlow (May 10, 2022). "Gillian re-elected mayor in Ocean City". Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Fred Miller (July 2010). "Mayors of OC". Ocean City Magazine: 55–57.
  3. ^ a b John P. Snyder (1969). The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968 (PDF) (Report). New Jersey Geological Survey. p. 115. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  4. ^ "City Council". City of Ocean City. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d e f The History of Cape May County, New Jersey: From the Aboriginal Times to the Present Day. Cape May, New Jersey: Star of the Cape Publishing Co. 1897. p. 477.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Fred Miller; Susan Miller (2011). Legendary Locals of Ocean City. Legendary Locals. ISBN 978-1-4671-0004-5.
  7. ^ a b c Fred Miller (2003). Ocean City: America's Greatest Family Resort. Arcadia Publishing. p. 83. ISBN 0-7385-2447-6.
  8. ^ "Ocean City Mayor and Member of Board Held Over $250,000 Note". New York Times. September 21, 1933. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
  9. ^ "Ex-Mayor of Ocean City, N.J., Sees Plot in Auto Sale Inquiry". New York Times. September 7, 1931. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
  10. ^ "Taxpayer Gets Warrant for J. G. Champion of Ocean City, Charging Irregularities". New York Times. September 6, 1931. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
  11. ^ "Ocean City $1,113 Short. Warrant Is Issued for Brother of Woman Official". New York Times. August 18, 1942. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
  12. ^ William Starr Myers, ed. (2000). Prominent Families of New Jersey. Vol. 1. Genealogical Publishing Company. p. 171. ISBN 9780806350363.
  13. ^ State of New Jersey Constitution Convention Biography of Delegates (PDF) (Report). New Jersey State Library. 1947.
  14. ^ N.J. Constitutional Convention. 1947. p. 979.
  15. ^ "Mayors of Ocean City, New Jersey". Political Graveyard. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
  16. ^ a b c d "Optimism rolls in on new OC bridge". The Gazette of Ocean City. May 29, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  17. ^ "Former Ocean City mayor Henry 'Bud' Knight dies". 8 March 2015.
  18. ^ Thomas F. Fitzgerald (1905). Manual of the State of New Jersey (PDF). J.L. Murphy Publishing Co. p. 203.
  19. ^ a b Lawrence Kestenbaum. "Crellin to Crochett". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  20. ^ Lawrence Kestenbaum. "Smith, K to N". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  21. ^ Fred Miller (2006). Ocean City 1950-1980. Arcadia Publishing. p. 91. ISBN 0-7385-4536-8.
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