Dear Atlantic Beach Residents,

The Village of Atlantic Beach has submitted requests to the office of Congresswoman Laura Gillen asking her to include four village infrastructure projects in her Community Project Funding submissions to the U.S. House Appropriations Committee. This is the first step in a multi-step process. If the Congresswoman selects our projects for submission, they would then be considered by the Appropriations Committee for inclusion in the federal budget. There is no guarantee of funding at any stage, which is why community support matters.

We are writing to let you know about these projects and to ask for your help. Letters of support from residents are one of the most important factors the Congresswoman’s office considers when deciding which projects to put forward. Your voice directly strengthens our chances.

The village has submitted requests for four projects:

Fourteen village-owned bulkhead sites along Reynolds Channel are deteriorating and need repair. Our bulkheads protect village roads, utilities, and properties from tidal flooding and erosion. Many of these structures have reached the end of their useful life, and Hurricane Sandy showed us what happens when they fail.

The safety railing along our boardwalk is corroded, weakened, and missing in places. The boardwalk is elevated on pilings, and compromised railing is a fall hazard for everyone who uses it — especially children and older residents.

The boardwalk’s lighting fixtures and underlying electrical wiring have deteriorated after decades of coastal exposure. The system needs more fixtures to reduce underlit areas, and the aging wiring on an elevated wooden structure is a fire safety concern. Our public works staff and electrical contractor have kept it going with repairs, but the system has reached the point where full replacement is the only responsible path forward.

Recurring flooding on these streets — particularly a section of Ocean Boulevard — creates hazardous conditions for drivers and pedestrians and damages our road surfaces. This project would install new drywells, catch basins, and drainage pipe to address the problem.

For all four projects combined, the village’s local cost share would be approximately $288,000, leveraging over $2.5 million in potential federal investment. This is an opportunity to address real infrastructure needs at a fraction of what it would cost if funded entirely by village taxpayers.

If you support these projects, a brief letter would make a real difference. The Congresswoman’s office reviews community support when deciding which projects to champion, and letters from residents demonstrate that these are priorities for the people who live here.

Your letter does not need to be long or formal. A few sentences explaining why you support one or more of these projects is all that is needed. You might mention how these issues affect you personally — whether it’s concerns about the boardwalk railing, flooding on your street, or the condition of the bulkheads near your property.

Please address your letter to:

The Honorable Laura Gillen

U.S. House of Representatives

428 Cannon House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

Please send your letter to office@atlanticbeachny.gov and we will compile and submit them to the Congresswoman’s office with our requests.  We need these letters back no later than Thursday March 12th. 

If you have any questions about these projects, please contact office@atlanticbeachny.gov.

Thank you for your support of our community!

Sincerely,

The Board of Trustees