Mayors of Ocean City, New Jersey

American municipal office

Mayor of the City of Ocean City

Incumbent
Jay Gillian

since 2010

Type| Mayor–council
Status| Active
Term length| Four years
Formation| 1884 (1884)
First holder| Gainer P. Moore
Website| www.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 January 23, 2018.
9. ^ "Ex-Mayor of Ocean City, N.J., Sees Plot in Auto Sale Inquiry". New York Times. September 7, 1931. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
10. ^ "Taxpayer Gets Warrant for J. G. Champion of Ocean City, Charging Irregularities". New York Times. September 6, 1931. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
11. ^ "Ocean City $1,113 Short. Warrant Is Issued for Brother of Woman Official". New York Times. August 18, 1942. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
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 January 23, 2018.
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". March 8, 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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Ocean City, New Jersey

Education|

* Ocean City School District
* Ocean City High School

Transportation|

* Ocean City Municipal Airport
* Ocean City Transportation Center

People|

* Mayors

Landmarks|

* Carey Stadium

Culture|

* Ocean City Nor'easters

This list is incomplete.
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