Listening. Accountability. Smart Planning.
My Plan for Strengthening Financial Discipline, Openness, and Trust
Too many important decisions are being made in Ocean City without the strategy, oversight, and open discussion residents deserve. At the same time, residents are tired of broad campaign promises that sound nice but aren’t backed up by specific action plans, accountability, or a track record of actually fighting for them. What OC residents want is clear thinking, practical solutions, and leadership grounded in real experience managing complex issues.
My career has been spent helping communities work through complicated land-use, financial, and planning decisions. I’ve always started by bringing residents, local officials, and business leaders together to find practical solutions.
That is the approach I would bring to City Council.
Fiscal Discipline & Budget Transparency
Taxes have increased more than 17% in the past three years, while debt service has grown about 8% per year since 2019.
Residents deserve a clear picture of where we stand and where we’re headed, because responsible and transparent planning means fewer surprises and better long-term stability.
Right now, the public is often asked to react to decisions after the key financial choices have already been made. We need a process that invites earlier scrutiny and clearer information.
If elected, I will insist that we answer the hard financial questions in public, with facts, data, and full transparency.
As Council Member, I will advocate for the following reforms:
A standing City Council Finance & Debt Subcommittee focused on long-term liabilities, borrowing, and capital planning.
An easy-to-understand quarterly financial report and online dashboard summarizing total debt, major cost drivers, labor obligations, and multi-year projections.
Independent and public financial and legal reviews of long-term fiscal impacts before major borrowing, redevelopment agreements, or other long-term financial commitments are approved.
Comparisons to similar shore communities to benchmark spending, staffing, and debt levels.
These are common governance tools used in well-run municipalities and private organizations. Ocean City should expect the same level of financial discipline.
Smart, Responsible Growth
Ocean City has experienced dramatic changes in housing, real estate prices, and tourism. Too often this has happened without a clear strategy from the city itself.
This has resulted in pressure on working residents, rising costs, parking challenges, and shifts in the character of our tourism economy.
These decisions will shape Ocean City for decades. They deserve careful analysis and thoughtful planning, not rushed decisions or political pressure.
We can grow and prosper while protecting the family-friendly identity that makes Ocean City special, if we follow a smart strategy.
As Council Member, I will advocate for the following reforms:
Independent public impact studies before any major zoning or redevelopment decisions that outline their traffic, parking, infrastructure, and other impacts.
A long-term infrastructure and parking strategy that aligns with development.
Thoughtful property use decisions that protect neighborhood character.
Balanced economic development, including activating underutilized areas like the north end of the Boardwalk
Policies that preserve Ocean City’s family-friendly identity while supporting local merchants.
My professional background in land-use planning and large-scale development projects has shown me that the best outcomes come when communities carefully evaluate the facts, and work toward solutions that reflect the long-term interests of residents.
Open Government & Public Engagement
City government should invite participation, not limit it. Important decisions should never be made without meaningful dialogue and transparency.
Many people say they want to bring people together. The way to do that isn’t just through words, but by creating clear processes that encourage participation, open communication, and accountability.
As Council Member, I will advocate for the following reforms:
Regularly scheduled public Town Halls outside of formal Council meetings to encourage genuine dialogue about the future of Ocean City.
Clear written explanations of my votes on major issues so residents understand not just how I voted, but why.
Adequate review time before major votes involving debt, redevelopment, or large expenditures, so that residents and Council members alike can fully understand their implications.
Protecting and encouraging public comment in Council meetings.
Trust in local government is built when residents can see how decisions are made and know their voices are part of the process.
A Responsible Path Forward for 600 Boardwalk (the Former Wonderland Site)
The future of the former Wonderland site, 600 Boardwalk, has become one of the most frustrating issues facing Ocean City residents. As I continue meeting people across town, I hear the same concern again and again: the city waited too long to address the site, and the conversation has become unnecessarily divisive.
For the past year, I have advocated for major decisions about the future of our Boardwalk to be handled through a thoughtful, fact-based process that moves Ocean City forward rather than backward. Instead, residents have too often been left without clear leadership or a constructive path toward compromise.
In my four decades working on complex development projects, I’ve seen that the best outcomes come when leaders listen carefully, bring people together, and focus on practical solutions. Ocean City needs that same approach today.
As Council Member, I will advocate for the following approach:
A fact-based evaluation of redevelopment proposals that carefully weighs economic vitality, community character, and long-term impacts.
Early public discussion of major Boardwalk redevelopment proposals so residents understand the options before decisions are made.
Structured opportunities for residents, business owners, and community leaders to provide meaningful input into redevelopment plans.
A commitment to finding balanced solutions—such as a smaller hotel with modern entertainment—that strengthen the Boardwalk while respecting Ocean City’s family-friendly identity.
Responsible redevelopment should bring our community together around a shared vision for the future of the Boardwalk. Ocean City deserves leadership that focuses on solutions, encourages dialogue, and works toward practical compromise.
"Every once in a while, a community is fortunate enough to have someone with special skills, qualities and dedication who decides that it is their time to contribute to their community and make it a better place. Jim Kelly is that someone in our community.
Jim will bring his administrative experience and his proven dedication to the city, a new perspective and a breath of needed fresh air to our community…. Let’s not let this opportunity for real change in Ocean City slip away.”
— Howie Atkinson
President, Beachwatch Condominium Association, Former Member, City Government & Planning Board, Franklin Township, New Jersey