By Julia Train
A new advocacy organization was launched on Monday, March 3 by a group of Ocean City residents with the goal of holding the town’s officials accountable and promoting transparency.
The group, Ocean City 2050, formed in response to growing concerns over governance, planning and development.
In recent months, several zoning issues on the island — including those involving the Wonderland Pier property and the Glen Cove marina — have been raised, and the group feels they weren’t resolved in a way that reflects the community’s wishes.
“It’s really about good governance. So if you look at a bunch of issues over the last couple years in Ocean City, a bunch of us just felt like there’s a better way to do this,” said Bill Merritt, a founding member. “We just felt like the decisions or the processes being used were not fact driven. They weren’t driven by the interests of the community as a whole, but seemed to be very sort of special interest driven for whatever reason.”
Alongside being a member of the new group, Merritt is also president and co-founder of Friends of OCNJ History & Culture (Friends of OCNJ), a nonprofit that aims to preserve the island’s historic homes and culture.
Like Merritt, several of Ocean City 2050’s members also come from Friends of OCNJ.
According to a press release by the novel organization, Ocean City 2050 shares a commitment to community preservation with Friends of OCNJ, but will operate as an independent organization with a unique focus on governance and planning.
The release made the distinction between the two groups.
Ocean City 2050 will drive long-term policy advocacy, ensuring the city remains well-governed, family-friendly and vibrant, with a focus on transparency, accountability and responsible decision-making.
Friends of OCNJ will continue its mission of celebrating Ocean City’s historic character through initiatives like house and garden tours, historical documentaries, an old-home database and educational seminars.
Merritt said that since Friends of OCNJ is a charitable organization, the group cannot lobby or endorse candidates as a registered 501(c)(3). Meanwhile, although Ocean City 2050 is a nonprofit, the group isn’t registered as a 501(c)(3) so they are able to lobby and endorse candidates.
“We just want the decisions in town, whatever those decisions will be at the end of the day, to be driven by facts, driven by the people who are most impacted by it, which are the residents. And that’s both full-time residents and part-time residents,” said Merritt. “We’re not distinguishing between the two, because people that own a second house and come down for the summer are as entitled to a good community as anybody else.”
According to the release, Ocean City 2050 says it is committed to promoting transparency and integrity in local government while ensuring community voices are heard. The group aims to advocate for a fact-based, balanced Master Plan that supports responsible development, historic preservation and environmental sustainability to protect Ocean City’s unique cultural identity.
Additionally, Ocean City 2050 also plans to work with local leaders and officials to keep the town’s future a priority and explore new, family-friendly entertainment options that align with its character.
When necessary, the group is prepared “to pursue litigation to uphold the principles of good governance, preservation and responsible planning.”
In order to fulfill its mission, Merritt said the organization plans to attend city meetings, talk directly to the mayor and Council, post information on its Facebook page, write letters to editors of local publications and engage with other community organizations.
For additional information, visit www.oceancity2050.org, contact oceancity2050@gmail.com or find the group on Facebook: www.facebook.com/oceancity2050.
Julia is a recent Rider University graduate, where she studied multiplatform journalism and social media strategies. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, trying new coffee shops, photography and the beach. She can be reached at juliatrainmedia@gmail.com or connect with her on Instagram @juliatrain
