OCEAN CITY IMPLEMENTS HIRING FREEZE FOLLOWING BUDGET APPROVAL

Ocean City, N.J - Ocean City will freeze hiring across all municipal departments after City Council approved a $112.5 million budget for 2025, including a 3.7-cent local property tax increase. The budget passed in a 5-1 vote Thursday night after negotiations between Council and Mayor Jay Gillian, who agreed to the hiring freeze to limit spending. The freeze will apply to every department, including police and fire services, and aims to reduce the impact of rising personnel costs. The city’s average homeowner, with a property assessed at $645,000, will see a $242 increase on their local tax bill this year, bringing the total to approximately $3,687. This marks the third consecutive year of tax hikes in Ocean City, resulting in a 17 percent total increase over that span. City officials say the spending plan was driven by higher expenses in salaries, pensions, healthcare, utilities, and other essential services.
Fourth Ward Councilman Dave Winslow reviewed the budget and presented a list of long-term cost-cutting recommendations, including improved use of technology, monthly departmental reviews, and limiting promotions. Winslow also proposed forming a Compensation-Compliance Committee and implementing training programs to boost performance without increasing payroll. His approach focuses on evaluating staffing levels and labor agreements to identify more sustainable practices going forward. The mayor’s administration confirmed that department heads have been instructed to continue finding additional ways to cut expenses, reinforcing the city’s efforts to stabilize long-term spending.