§ 154-15. Impounding of unlicensed and abandoned vessels.

The Beach Supervisor of the City of North Wildwood is hereby authorized and directed to remove or have removed any sailboat on which is not displayed the official decal. Such vessel shall continue to be impounded until claimed. The Beach Supervisor of the City of North Wildwood shall notify the legal owner of the vessel, where such owner is known or can be reasonably ascertained, in writing, by personal service, or by certified mail, return receipt requested, at the last known address the owner, that such vessel has been removed from the beach, the reason for such removal and the location of the vessel. Such vessel shall be retained and impounded until the owner shall have paid the cost of such taking and removal, which charge shall be $50, together with a storage charge of $5 for each and every day such vessel is retained and impounded. In the event that an owner fails to claim a vessel within 30 days of the aforementioned notice, then the City is hereby empowered to dispose of same at public sale and apply the proceeds thereof to the aforementioned charges. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the City of North Wildwood expressly reserves the right to institute an action in any court of competent jurisdiction against the owner of the vessel to recover the aforementioned charges.