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Dear Friends,
This past week, the Ocean City Sentinel published a letter from David Breeden (OC Fairness in Taxes President) that highlighted a previously undisclosed $2M consulting agreement between Mayor Jay Gillian and Eustace Mita that surfaced only recently through court filings concerning the more than $4 million Gillian allegedly owes to the developer.
As a group passionate about what happens on our boardwalk and in our town, we believe everyone should read the letter, in which Breeden says, “Clearly, as a result of the consulting agreement and the ongoing litigation, the mayor is financially beholden to Mita, which could potentially influence the decision making process…. All of these financial entanglements taint the process and begs many questions regarding the involvement and potential benefit being received by certain city officials from the Mita boardwalk hotel proposal.”
Here are some of the key takeaways: $2 million consulting deal: States that Mayor Gillian would receive $2 million over 10 years from Eustace Mita. No clear job description: Doesn’t spell out what work is actually being done in exchange for payment—something that stands out for a deal of this size. Not disclosed to the public: Despite repeated statements about transparency by Gillian, the agreement wasn’t publicly known for years—though it appears City Solicitor Dorothy McCrosson knew of it at some point, but also did not disclose it publicly. Tied to the closure and sale of Wonderland: The agreement only takes effect if Wonderland is sold to Mita, raising questions about whether it created pressure or incentive around that decision. A copy of the agreement has been circulating and can be referenced HERE.
Thank you for you continued engagement, Bill Merritt
Ocean City 2050
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