Governor Phil Murphy • Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver

October 16, 2018 - DCA and City of Atlantic City Host Inaugural Meeting of Atlantic City Executive Council

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, October 16, 2018

   

Executive Council Consists of Local Leaders and Stakeholders; Provides Structure for Collaboration between Government, Private and Philanthropic Institutions

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – Lieutenant Governor Sheila Y. Oliver today joined Mayor Frank M. Gilliam, Jr. and Council President Marty Small, Sr. to participate in the first meeting of the Atlantic City Executive Council. The creation of the Executive Council was recommended in the Atlantic City Transition Report, which was issued in September to provide a framework to return the city to local control.

The purpose of the Executive Council is to provide a structure for local collaboration between government, private and philanthropic institutions and to administer elements of the city’s revitalization efforts. The Executive Council consists of the Mayor, City Council President, Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA), Atlantic County Economic Alliance, Atlanticare, Stockton University, Atlantic City school district superintendent, Atlantic City Housing Authority, Atlantic County Prosecutor, ACDEVCO, civic association, casino management, and labor representatives, and the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA), which is the state department charged with stabilizing the city’s finances under the Municipal Stabilization and Recovery Act.

“Our administration wants to make certain our focus is not just on improving the finances of the city, but also on improving the quality of life for the people who call the city home,” said Lt. Governor Oliver, Commissioner of DCA. “It is phenomenal to see all the civic, business, and educational leadership gathered around the same table. It is going to take all of us to lock arms together and work in collaboration to begin to harness the city’s many community assets.”

“We want to cultivate an environment of inclusiveness and creativity,” said Mayor Gilliam. “Atlantic City is at a turning point because we now have a robust road map for the city’s revitalization. As I look around the room and see so many leaders ready to work with the city, I am optimistic for our future. This is an opportunity to try new things to move Atlantic City forward.”

“I’m excited that everyone is going to be playing from the same sheet of music,” said City Council President Small. “We will finally be able to deal with the underlying problems facing Atlantic City. With everyone who is here at this meeting, working together, we can accomplish so much.”

“We have to do many things well, though not all at once,” said Jim Johnson, special counsel in the Governor’s Counsel’s Office. “This group will enable us to move together effectively, doing more with the resources we already have.” 

During the inaugural meeting, the Executive Council discussed the following steps already being taken to implement recommendations in the Atlantic City Transition Report:

• The Atlantic City school district is creating a technology internship program with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Technical Center, Hard Rock, Borgata, and Stockton University for high school students interested in science, technology, engineering, and math.
• The Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce has organized a Jobs Council, which has begun meeting to design strategies and develop partnerships to recruit, train, place, and retain city residents in jobs that offer a positive career path.
• The city’s civic associations have agreed to work with the city and state to establish a Citizens Advisory Board, which will provide a regular channel for communicating with the city’s police chief and resolving potential disagreements between the community and Atlantic City Police Department.
• The city is working on a training program with Rutgers University specifically designed for municipal managers that will begin in January. The 10-month program will ensure that managers are trained to perform their jobs at a high level; encourage team-building across government offices; and foster a culture of problem-solving and achievement.

For the next meeting, members of the Executive Council will prepare the short and long-term goals each of their organizations have for the city’s revitalization and will offer resources they can commit to moving the city forward. 

The Atlantic City Transition Report is available on the DCA website at https://www.nj.gov/dca/images/library/stories/A.C.report_9.20.18.pdf.

For more information about Atlantic City, visit http://www.cityofatlanticcity.org/.

DCA offers a wide range of programs and services, including affordable housing production, fire safety and building safety, community planning and development, local government management and finance, and disaster recovery.

For more information about DCA, visit https://www.nj.gov/dca  or follow the Department on social media: