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Thf llrrald And The iJntfrn

Thursday, May 10,1979

' Letters To The Editor

Sewer Plant Defended Bittner

Dear Editor. , In answer to Thomas White's statement at Candidates Night at the Avalon Community Hall roncerning the Avalon sewer plant. 1 feel thid the people of Avalon were misled The Avalon sewer plant is one of the few two stage municipal sewer plants operating in Cape May County The quality of our plant and its outflow is second only to the Lower Township plant, which is much newer, in all of Cape May Cotinty The State of New Jersey' the County and our own testing facilities all agree that only Lower Township has a belter affluent than the Avalon plant As for the odor from the plant. 4his occurs in the summer as a result of lack of oxygen entering our digestor We have applied to the State for permission to add additional air lines to our digestor to eliminate this intolerable situation Our sewer engineer and

our sewer contractors are prepared to take this action promptly on receipt of h State permit. As to the capacity of the plant, we have already received preliminary approval from Farmers Home Loan Association for a low interest loan to replace many of Avalon’s old sewer lines which are allowing storm and rain waters to enter the sewer system Our engineer reports to me that this will result in the lowering of sewerage volume entering the plant by at least 30 percent This will result in a sufficient capacity in our plant to operate until the M U.A. system comes on line Whites statements concerning the conditions at our plant are simply not true which leads me to believe that he just docs not understand the situation or the problems involidkl. Henry M. Peddle Commissioner Revenue A Finance Avalon

White Expresses Thanks

At this writing. I do not have the election results. We are leaving on our annual three week vacation. May 10. Before departing: ! wanted to thank the Avalon voters and members of the press for their support during the recent campaign. I believe my entr,y into the mayorality contest sparked the interest of the voters to more closely analyze the candidates and

services promised. If one of the other candidates is victorious May 8. Avalon will Still he a great place to live and I will be the winner's most diligent monitor. ^ This race has given me the opportunity to make many new friends and I belitve has been a contribution to good govern ment Thank you. Thomas J White Sr. *

Avalon

Opposes Consent Law OCEAN CITY - Jack Bittner, the Republican candidate for Freeholder, called upon the Cape May County Board of Choson FredffoJders. The City CouncAfof Ocean City and AsserWilymen James Hurley and Joseph Chinicci to oppose the reduction in the age of sexual consent from 16 to 13 years. Bittner made his request at aCity Council meeting in Ocean City citing his concefn as “a parent and resident of this State.” Bittner was very pleased to learn that both Assemblymen Hurley and Chinicci opposed . the Criminal Justice Code during the vote in the Assembly and they both promised that they would continue to vigorously oppose this provision. In his letter to the Cape May County Board of Chosen Freeholders. Bittner mentioned: “that in thcsc*days of declining moral standards we should be doing everything that we can to strengthen the moral tone which exists throughout our County and

State

Bittner also urged the Freeholders to pass a resolution urging the Governor. The Senate and The Assembly to amend the Criminal Justice code to retain the age of sexual consent at 16.

NJEA Leaders Urge School Monitoring

r The State's "Thorough and Efficient" Education Law won't work unless it's ^ properly monitored and "unless positive communications occur between school management and staff. NJEA President Frank Totten said recently. Speaking at the Cape May County Education Association's annual • Legislative dinner held at the Crab Trap, Somers Point. Totten and NJEA would continue to oppose two hills which'would dilute

the State's ability to insure that each school district is providing a good education for its children. The bills. S1480 and S-1481. would cut State funds for offices of county superintendents and T&E monitors "There should be less paperwork involved in the T&E process." Totten said. “But we do need monitoring <to check programs such as compensatory education to see if they're being run properly "

And II Thl» Oo#«n'» Work Either...W* Moy Be Forced To Reiort To Th# Fro* Enterprite Syttem...''

Totten said NJEA will continue to push for passage of A-1264. sponsored by Assemblyman Thomas Deverin (D-Union-Mid). A-1264 would mandate annual evaluations of all teachers in accordance with procedures negotiated by the local association and school board. The NJEA leader also spoke on the problem of school violence which he said is increasing throughout the state. He urged passage of a bill to make expulsion of a student convicted of assaulting a school employee automatic, and legislation to iprease legal penalties for slich assaults. NJEA Executive Director James P. Connerton said NJEA would try to pass two bills which would restore part of the cuts in aid to special education made by Governor Brendan Byrne last year. Connerton said New Jersey should also take a bigger share of the costs of all ecucation in the state, shifting the burden away from the property tax. He compared New Jersey, where the State pays 40 percent of elementary and secondary education costs, to Pennsylvania, where newly-elected Gov. Richard Thornburgh has promised to raise the State's level of support to 50 percent. "There is a model for New Jersey." Connerton said.

flw SOVmiOM STATf o< AFFAIRS BOYD It WOOD

DO YOU THINK JERRY BROWN S RHATK3NSHIP WITH LINDA RONSTADT IS

Assembly Candidates

Attack Consent Bill

UPPER TOWNSHIP - Democratic Assembly candidate Jerry Livingston said that he and his runningmate RaAdy Wilhelm "are strongly opposed to the portion of the new state penal code which will lower the age of sexual consent to

13."

Both Livingston and Wilhelm recently spoke before the Upper Township Democratic 1 Club.

Livingston said that if he and Wilhelm had been in the legislature at the time the new penal code was debated, he would have spoken out sharply against that one portion of it. "As both a parent and an assistant superintendent of schools. I am aware of the increasing problems our society is facing with the present relaxed sexual standards. The last thing we need is to lower the consent age to 13." said

Livingston.

The candidate said that he and his Assemblyrunning mate "have found it difficult to beliBve that such a drastic change could

Opposes

slip through the Assembly of 80 people with no advance comment whatsoever. "I think this is more proof than ever that some changes are necessary up there. We in Cape May and Cumberland Counties need assemblymen who will pay attention to what they arc doing, and not simply vote a party line or act to do favors for friends." Wilhelm, in addressing the same group, said that he and his Democratic cocandidate would not vote for any major piece of legislation without first reading it carefully and fully understanding all its implications. "Serving in a major state position like the Assembly requires a dedication and a' real desire to understand all the ramifications of the issues under consideration. "We promise the people of Cape May and Cumberland Counties that there will be no more unpleasant surprises like the 'sexual consent at 13' law which is scheduled to take effect September 1," Wilhelm said.

Taft Firing Shocking Dear Editors: I am absolutely shocked by the brazen effort of JohnVinci. Chairman of the Cape May County Municipal Authority, to dispose of Walter Taft who was the only person who gave straightforward answers to questions posed by myself and others pertaining to the needless appointments of Freeholder Catonoso’s nephew and his close political ally Edward Lanza to the needless position of inspectors for the purpose of inspecting the work of already hired professional inspectors. Mr. Taft is a thoroughly honest man. He is the only on^ who came out with a straightforward answer that no one. including himself, interviewed Edward Lanza. Bach of the members of the MUA said they did not interview Lanza. Chairman Vinci said he did not interview Lanza. But Vinci said. "I thought that Mr. Taft interviewed Lanza". Mr. Taft at that point with all due candor said. "I did not interview Lanza. I didn't know that I was supposed to interview Lanza". The testimony of Mr. Taft leads to only one conclusion. No one interviewed Lanza and no one instructed Mr. Taft to interview mr. Lanza including Mr. Vinci himself. The shocking truth apparently is more than Mr. Vinci can stand. Consequently, for reasons known only by Mr. Vinci, the honest, upright Mr. Taft is being thrown toHhe wolves. A tactic that is very commonplace in Cape May County. Remember Edith Wallace. Richie Farine, George Campbell and Tom Brodesser and a whole host of others. The firing of Mr. Taft is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. A petition to recall Catanoso will be circulated in every voting district in the county this week. The removal of Catanoso will put an end to this kind of activity. Franklin L. Halbruner Cold Spring

^Consent Age MILLVILLE - Calling public resentment unprecedented. Assemblyman James R. Hurley said today he and his colleague Assemblyman Joseph Chinnici are supporting legislative efforts to raise the lb-called "age of consent" for females from 13 to 16 years of age. The new law which goes into effect September 1 permits 13 year olds to consent to sexual relations. "We voted against the Penal. Code revision legislation primarily because of this when it came up originally, and we welcome an opportunity to raise our voices again on this morally degrading

idea."

Hurley said never in his memory has a piece of legislation caused such an

outcry.

"Many people call the sex legislation revision revolting and disgusting. But it was recommended by a study group as part of a Penal Code overhaul and the administration embraced it.” Hurley said.

CAPB MAY COUNTY

Hrrallt

LarKMl CircnlaUon In Thr Count>■

Our ThlrtMnth Year Serving Cape Moy County P.O. Box O 37M Dune Drive Avalon, N.J. 04302 Phono 4*7-3312 H7-72M Published Ivory Thursday By the Sea wave Corporation Darrell Kopp Editor and Publlsltor Bill Sherman Sports Editor Kathloen Cox Schaeffer Reporter J. A. Cunningham Feature Writer Cheryl Crews Feature Writer Peter Dunne Columnist Charles P. Lamay. Columnist Cheryl Craws ........ Graphics Contributor Gall Carlno Advertising Graphics Svon Carr Compositor Nows A Photos Monday—3 p.m. Advertising Monday—3 p.m. Classified Advertising Tuesday - Noon Subscriptions — 17.00 PER YEAR * Neither participating advertisers nor the publishers of the HIRALD will be responsible or ilablo for misinformation, misprints, typographical errors, eft.. In any Issue. The editor reserves the right to edit any letter or articles submitted for publication.