Wednesday, October 29,198«

The Herald and The Lantern

Page 3

Tuesday’s Ballot- — *From Page 1 > • he maintains shows him to be independent-minded. IN THE FREEHOLDER RACE, Republican by • cumbents William Sturm of Rio Grande and Ralph Evans of Stone Harbor are seeking re-election; Sturm to his fourth three-year term, Evans to his second. Trying to get a foothold on the solid Republican five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders are Democrats Charles Town of Sea Isle City, and Michael Voll of Rio Grande. Stuqm. a high vote-getter in previous campaigns, is running on his popularity and experienpe and record as > his own man; Evans as a member of the Republican * Team who has one term of experience under his belt and, as a successful builder, has the time to devote to public office. Among issues Town and Voll are hammering away at are controversial decisions and actions by the freeholderappointed county Municipal Utilities Authority. The Democrats are saying the MUA has little to show for the millions of dollars already spent and shouldn’t have as free a hand with other millions before the regional treatment facilities are completed. The two Democrats are Freeholder Evans as the incumbent to beat. ON THE LOCAL LEVEL, there are contests in seven of eight municipal elections: Upper Township — Incumbent Republican Daniel Beyel is being challenged for a seat on Township Committee by Democrat Thomas Bonner Dennis Township — Republican John Champion and Democrat Raymond Adams are seeking the three-year seat currently held by Republican Robert Grace, who isn’t seeking re-electton. Middle Township — Incumbent Democrat Committeemember Patricia Peterson is being challenged by .Republican Bruce Back and Independent Carl Baker for the one three-year seat up for election. Lower Township — Incumbent independent Democrat Peggie Bieberbach is being opposed for the three-year seat by Republican James MacDonald and Independent Phyllis Nelson. Woodbine - Council President Ernest Materio, a Republican, is running for the mayor’s seat which was declared vacant after Democrat Thomas Levin went on an extended vacation last summer. No Democrat has filed for the mayoral seat but there is an Independent challenger, Elmer McCray Sr There are also two council seats to be filled in Woodbine. Contenders include Republican incumbent Charles Payne and Republican' Jose Rodriquez, whb is running for Materio's seat; and Democrats Carmen Aponte and Samuel Ocassio, respectively. > Stone Harbor — Republican Mayor James Wood and Republican Councilman Arden Hand and Louis Clelland are running unopposed. North Wildwood — Republican incumbent First Ward Councilman Robert Plum akd Second Ward Councilman Lewis Vinci are being challenged by Democrats Joseph Fox and Joseph Duncan, respectively. West Cape May — In this non-partisan election, Commissioner Marvin Morrell, who was appointed to an unexpired term, is being challenged by Lewis Ferger. The winner will serve until next May, when the entire threemember Borough Commissioncomes up for election. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF other municipal attractions for local voters in Ocean City and Sea Isle City, but here the issues are public questions, not candidates. There are four municipal questions in the county this election year: Ocean City — Shall the city do away with charitable exceptions to the Sunday Blue Law? A Yes vote would mean Sunday activities like the publicly-maintained tennis courts would no longer be exempt from the Sunday Closing Law. Dennis Township — Shall the township continue to use the chemical -Sevln to spray for the control of gypsy moths? Middle Township — Shall the township extend the hours for the sale of alcoholic beverages in the summer an extra hour, from 2 to 3 a.m.? Sea Isle City — Shall the present three-member Commission form of govemnfent be changed to the fivemember Council-Manager form in which the council members would select a mayor from among themselves and appoint a municipal manager as the chief administrative officer? COUNTY-WIDE, VOTERS will also have an opportunity to respond to a couple of controversial questions (both of which are non-binding): Question I — Do you favor expanded state control of land use in Cape May County as proposed in the Pinelands Draft, the Comprehensive Manager Plan? Question II — Shall Cape May County unite with Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, and Salem Counties to form the new and separate State of South Jersey? The two county questions appear at the bottom right of the ballot; any local questions in the middle. Seven statewide questions lead off this section of the ballot — three involve bond issues totaling $345 million, three are proposed state constitutional amendments and one is a referendum involving gambling laws. These include: Question I — Natural Resources Bond Act ($145 million including funds for matching grants to counties and municipalities for sewage treatment, resource recovery, water supply, ptc.) Question II — Public Purpose Buildings Construction Bond Act ($159 million including funds for new or improved veterans' care, mentally retarded, and nursing home facilities; and prisons). Questions III It IV - Deal with property ownership requirements and higher eligibility limits for senior and disabled citizens’ property tax deductions; among other aspects, extending such deductions to mobile home owners. Question V — Energy Conservation Bond Act ($50 million for energy audits and public buildings renovations aimed at offsetting increases in energy costs in the state’s

Plan to Guard Storm

New Pile work < From Page,,

OCEAN CITY - Tevis M. Wernicdff of 312 Bay Ave. has applied to the Department of 'the Army for a permit to construct a bulkhead and fill in Beach Thorofare, Greqt Egg Harbor Bay. along Bay Avenue. The plans provide for the removal of poles and decking and construction of 232 ft. of timber bulkhead. The purpose of the bulkhead is to protect new pile foundations from wave action and to retain the fill material in order to protect the foundation

homes in resorts and along causeways between the barrier islands and mainland. Ditto Wildwood’s west side, which was also

underwater.

On the mainland — except for bayfront beaches where dune and bulkheads were hard hit — the most commonly seen damage was from the wind: downed power lines, huge trees uprooted, unprotected ‘construction toppled. . The storm — actually a combination of a coastal system coming up the east coast and a cold front from the west — almost coincided with a full, perigee moon when spring tides were at their highest Beautiful fall weather prior to the storm’s arrival and less than.meaningful warnings from tv weathermen left many unprepaied for the eventual battering. And when it arrived, it came quickly.

energy bill). Questions VI — Sunday horse racing and extension of Saturday night racing and parimutuel betting hours aimed at providing financial assistance via gambling to private racetracks. Question VII — Concerns amusement game laws and would enable the legislature to establish prize limits instead of continuing it as a matter to be decided by the voters in state referendum. This, too, is aimed at increasing the amusement industry's ability to respond to cost increases. ALMOST 48,000 JERSEY CAPE residents will be eligible to vote in next Tuesday’s election, some 1,800 or about 4 per cent more than the '76 registration of 46,000. A voter turnout of around 80 per cent would be considered about average for the President Election. Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. next Tuesday.

“I checked the [South Cape May] dunes and Mt. Vernon Vernon Ave. Saturday at 9 a.m.. and the dune was intact," West Cape May Commissioner Marvin Morrell noted "At 10 a.m. it was leveled. The whole thing got wiped out in one hour!' ’• Morrell, who is also Borough Civil Defense director, said that in less than one-half hour the intersection of Second and Pacific Aves went from rainwater wet 10*4 ft. deep in seawater. In the few minutes it took to evacuate one woman from her home. Morrell witnessed the water rise a full foot. “You have a situation where one sightseer was driving up Sunset Blvd. When he started out there was no water In two blocks r it was up to the door. And by the time we arrived it was up to the car window.” At one point Borough officials blocked off the main entrance to town to keep sightseers out. A move repeated in other communities. In neighboring Cape May City, water from overflowing Cape Island Creek and South Cape May meadow, and seawater spilling out of Frog Hollow cascaded into other sections of town across Broadway, Perry and Madison Ave. And in Frog Hollow, at least 4 ft. of water .was trapped behind the seawall — the City’s new million dollar plus 'pumping system was not yet operational. Commissioner Morrell noted Monday night that Mayor Jack Vasser Jr., a lifelong resdent, had been right on the money about the storm. “He predicted high wind and high tides. Frankly, I didn't really believe it," Morrell said — echoing the reaction of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Jersey Cape citizens about what will probably be calied the October '80 storm.