CAPE MAY COUNTY

Vol. 16 No. 6

News • . t The Week's DlgeSt Top Stories More Hepatitis COURT HOUSE - The infectious hepatitis outbreak in Cape May County persists, with 11 new cases reported since the first of the year. In the past 13 months. 90 cases have been documented most since last fall, with a higher than normal incidence among young people. The rate of the in-‘ fection in the county is more than three times the annual average and by far the highest in the state. No to Beach Fee \ WILDWOOD — Beaches here will remain free, following last Wednesday’s referendum on beach fees which voters rejected 948 to 533. City Commission had hoped a favorable vote would lead to a half-million dollars in revenue to help with this year’s budget of between $6.5 fnd $7 million. The election results will mean either a referendum to exceed the 5 per cent ‘cap.’ or drastic cuts. Already it has been announced that garbage collection services will be curtailed. Another offshoot is continued impetus by both the elected and electorate to t change the government to a mayorcouncil form. No to Twp. P.D. UPPER TWP. - By a 3 to 1 margin Feb. 3, voters here rejected the idea of the township establishing its own police department. The vote was 469/or and 1,500 QRainst with 49 per cent of the 4,000 registered voters going to the polls. It had been publicized prior to the ' referendum vote that setting up a force would add 35 cents to the tax rate. Slow response time by the N.J. State Police (headquartered in Port Norris) and rising burglary rates prompted the referendum >The township, according to state regulations, would either have to form a department once its population reaches 7,500, or pay a fee for the now free State Police service. There are currently 6,700 residents. Arson Suspected I#t Motel Blaze RIO GRANDE? - Middle Township Police believe there is a strong possibility arson was the cause of a five-alarm fire which gutted a dozen motel units of the Florida Motor Court on Rt. 9 here last Thursday night. The blaze sent 40 persons into the night cold following the 7:30 p.m. alarm. Authorities report finding an accelerant in the room where the fire started, and also that there had been a bomb threat call received earlier in the day at the motel. Volunteers from Rio Grande. Erma, Villas. Green Creek and Court House fought the fire, which was shooting out of the structure as the first firemen arrived. Smoke and water damaged another dozen units besides those destroyed. Trial for Murder LOWER TWP - The murder trial of Patrick Fulmer. 52. of Villas began last Wednesday in Superior Court, Court House. He is accused of the March 3, I960 shooting death of his wife of six weeks, ' Nora O’Neill Fulmer. 36. in the front (Page 17 Please)

Wednesday, February 11, 1981

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, Jnlin XndruA SNOW GEESE by the thousands have invaded the rural reaches of the Jersey Cape. Here they take to the wing off Bays'hore Rd. in S. Cold Spring. MUA Takes Plea To Cut Red Tape To Top Level

SWAINTON - The county tyuniciffal Utilities Authority has gone straight to the top in an attempt to cut through government red tap that has snagged its operations. The MUA has appealed to Vice President George Bush to help in easing EPA regulations. Bush is chairman of a task force appointed by President Reagan to. address all federal regulations* that' adversely affect the economy, and is expected to begin hearings soon on the overall problem. John Vinci, MUA chairman, in a letter to . Bush, requested "an opportunity to * testify" before'the task force and suggested “the use of our project as a prime example of a major federal program in need of redirection." APPLAUDING THE. EFFORTS of the new national administration to tackle regulatory control^, Vinci said "overregulation all too often has prevented the MUA from reaching our primary objective: clean water." The Cape May County wastewater

management program was described by Vinci "as a model of a well-intentioned federal program gone awry through overzealous and arbitrary interpretation of a Congressional rtiandate to protect the natural water resources of our country. - The MUA chairman cited the Cape May Region, which includes the municipalities of Cape May, Cape May Point, and West Cape May as a primary example. HE WROTE IN HIS LETTER to the Vice President tltet five years have passed and "we still have not been able to fully provide for these needs and, based on current projections, it will be another three years before these facilities are actually operational." Vinci blamed the arbitrary interpretation of a Presidential Executive order by . the Federal Environmental Protection Agency to prohibit sewer connections in areas below qlevation 10 feet as a major cause for delay and increased costs. "The ultimate costs of the delays will be paid by the users." (Page 16 Please)

Homemaker Service Use Up 20 Per Cent

Conservation Head Hails Gov’t Stand f' In Meadows S. CAPE MAY The head of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation today ap^ plauded action by the US. Fish and Wifdlife Service to'protect South Cape May Meadow from,unsuitable development, David F Moore, executive director of the private, nonprofit, statewide organization, hailed the federal agency's move to study the area's wildlife resources as "necessary to prevent destruction of one of the most important stopovers for migratory waterfowl if) the world " THE STUDY WII.L determine various alternatives for protecting and preserving the valuable habitat of the meadow, which supports a great diversity of bird life, especially during migrational periods The Wildlife Service noted that prime farmland tracts in the area .ire being sold for homesitcs, land which is only marginal for development but essential for migratory bird life. Flooding is a problem in the area due to increasftlg'con.strtictlon "WE AT THE’ Conservation Foundation • and our associates at The Nature Conscrvance stand ready |o help any government agency accomplish the objectives of preservng habitat and open space," Mr Moore noted The Foundation, which acts in concert with the nationally active Nature Conser varfee. was organized 20 years ago to help public agencies throughout the state acquire open space lands for publicise Both the Foundation and the Conservancy have negotiated for parcels in the (’ape May area during the past several years to assist public agencies in land acquisition In 1975. the Foundation aided in obtaining the donation of a 187-acre tract in Lower Township (the Higbee Beach area) to the New Jersey Natural Lands Trust as a natural area. OTHER GROUPS, such as the New Jersey Audubon Society, have accepted land donations in Cape May in an cifort to preserve as much natural habitat as possi blc so that migrator patterns would not be destroyed The meadow area, located almost wholly ip Lower Township, was proposed for in elusion in (’ape May Point State Park in the early • 1960's Lack of funds-caused postponement of the project Some low lying sections of the wetland have now ‘ been filled in to permit housing construction. real as you can get’

BY ED HARNETT RIO GRANDE — In keeping with the push for home care to avoid expensive institutionalization, the Jersey Cape Visiting Homemaker Service expanded its activity last year by more than 20 per cent. At the agency’s annual public meeting, it was reported that 62,629 hours 6f care were provided by te staff, up 11,000 hours from the previous year. Ann Magee, executive director, reported that home health aides furnished care to 586 clients ranging in age from two days to 95 years old. They traveled 240,038 miles in all 16 munipalities to provide the services. DR. HELEN P. KOHN. president of the homemaker service, said that changes in the state association and its administration will give home health care more exposure in the media and the legislature. Home health aides receive special training approved and provided by the state

Department of Health Two courses were given in 1980, bringing the total of certified aides to 95 in the county Approximately 60 to 70 aides are employed at any given time. The agency also conducted eight inservice sessions to Updatb information and provide training in services to clients with special needs. MOST OF THE CLIENTS of the agency are single and over 65. It is a member of United Way, which provides funding for free care to thosfc who can provide indigency. Contracts for service.include the county Dept, of Health, Welfare Board, Office on Aging, the state Division of Youth and F'amily Services and Department of Men tal Retardation. Families can also arrange for service on a private basis by caHing the office in the Social Service Building,

THE ARTIST and her basketful of check arU before entering the bank In Cape May. See story, page 31.