MAY COUNTY

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Vol. 16 No. 8

Wednesday, February 25, 1981

PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY BY THE SEAWAVE CORPORATION P.0 BOX 0. AVALON. N.J 08207

Cape Fishery Need Emphasized

by Robert Gunther COURT HOUSE — Expressions of an urgent need for creation of a modem county fishery overrode differences generated by private and public sectors and fears of federal aid cutoffs during a meeting Thursday at the county Freeholders meeting room. “Diversification of the economic base of Cape May County is a goal tohose time has come," said Cliff Rossingol, director of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) for New Jersey. Rossingol stressed that there was a need for fall time, year round employment in the tyTHE MEETING. ATTENDED by a startding room only crowd, was called by An\ thony Catanoso, Freeholder director, to N clarify the positions of Middle Township and the Cape May County Industrial Commission Inc., each seeking federal grants to establish a fishery in the county. The Industrial Commission, if successful in receiving the grant to build a public dock, will then lease the facility to Sea Harvest Inc. in Lower Township, headed by Daniel Cohen. Cohen emphasized the need to distinguish between local politics and the prospects for fishery development. He and others called for'unity. “Unless we wake up to the possibilities we have at hand and go ahead in a concerted effort, we are going to get nowhere," Cohen said. MIDDLE TOWNSHIP officials, who were unable to attend because of a regularly scheduled municipal meeting, were unofficially represented by Karl Faust, chairman of the Industrial Commission of Middle Township. Faust directed questions to Cohen and others in order to make sure things were “done right and the money goes where it should." It was emphasized at the meeting that time is an important factor; that the coun- - ty is in great need of fish processing plants; and that in addition to creating jobs here, the fisheries would also help to stablize prices for the fisherman. "Right now the fisherman is at the mercy of the fresh fish market," noted freeholder Bill Sturm. *

ONE WOMAN, a fisherman s wife, ex- the area, many fishing boats could move to pressed concern over the fluctuating other areas or be put out of business prices of fresh fish, explaining prices will President Reagan’s proposed cuts in the sometimes drop between the time the federal budget was also a matter of confishing boats leave and return to dockside cern "After listening to the President last

If a processing industry isn't developed in

(Page 14Plea.se)

THE EXTENT of the fishing fleet that calls the Jersey Cape port may be seen, in part whenever the weather keeps the commercial boats at dockside. This is the view from the Cape May side of the harbor.

State OKs Solid Waste Plan

SWAINTON — N. J. Environmental Protection commissioner Jerry English has "approved, with modifications, the Solid Waste Management Plan for Cape May County Charles Norkis, engineer for the county Municipal Utilities Authority, said thpbnly change made by the commissioner in-

Shopping Bus Cuts Ahead

COURT HOUSE — Freeholder Director Anthony Catanoso today announced that the county’s Fare Free Transportation System will completely reschedule the Senior Citizens Shopping Bus runs effective next Monday. The rescheduling has been necessitated because of recent CETA driver layoffs. All areas will continue to be served, but the frequency of the trips will be reduced. In a few instances the routes will also be ad-

justed. New schedules are being printed and will be available sometime in March THE WEEKLY PHILADELPHIA medical specialist run has been cancelled and riders are encouraged to call New Jersey Transit’s toll-free line (800) 772-2222 for bus and train schedules. Additional information regarding the revised Fare Free Shopping Bus schedules can be obtained by callin 886-2011.

Little-Used Arthritis Clinic Closes

COURT HOUSE — Despite an estimated 15,000 sufferers of the painful, often crippling disease on the Jersey Cape, the Cape May County Arthritis Clinic closed its doors in January. Its closing has precipitated charges and counter-allegations on the effectiveness of the clinic *- and a suggestion from at least one health care consumer on how to reactivate the service. Opened in July of 1978, the clinic served a total of 234 patients in its 2Mi-year existence (at an approximate cost per patient of less than $38). EVEN BEFORE ITS nffirial rl/wino Ow>

clinic was seeing little use (a total of 81 patients in 1980 compared to a high of 121 the previous year) — a situation which led Paul Wenger, president of the Cape May County Senipr_Citizens organization, to inquire why, in a letter to John J. Napoleon, D.O., president of the Cape May County Osteopathic Medical Society. Dr. Napolean’s response was a scathing letter with respect to not only the clinic operation but also the involvement of government in medicine in general. (Ex. "Our senior citizens were being duped into this whole process so that they could be utilized as a statistic for the purpose of ex-

News Digest

The Week's Top Stories

volves the approved location for solid waste disposal for each municipality prior to the completion of a county landfill. "The new county regional landfill is ex peeled to be on line by 1983," Norkis explain*^ to the MUA members Wednesday. "We tried to honor all existing disposal contracts until that time by directing all solid wastes to be disposed of at the same landfills which they now use. IN THE FINAL APPROVED plan, the commissioner amended this portion of the plan to require that each municipality dispose of its solid waste at a single, statedesignated landfill after June l, 1981 All existing landfills are to cease operation when the new county Idndfill becomes operational. "Her decision may affect some municipalities and their contractural arrangements," Mr. Norkis said of Ms. ^English. County Government will be part of a pilot resource recovery project, according (Page 14 Please)

trading more ‘free money’ fropi the federal government. The net result, is higher taxes, poor or non-existent services and the squandering of that money on social programs that do no good whatsoever") The gist of the dbetor’s letter was that better service is provided arthritis patients by their own physician or previous existing facilities. LOUIS LAMANNA, public health coordinator for the county, in responding to Napolean's accusations point by point, summarized his six-page memo on the clinic: "Quite frankly, we find it very dif-

Federal Funds Due WASHINGTON. D C. - Middle Township. Cape May City and West Cape May learned Friday that they will share, almost $900,000 in funding made available through the federal Dept, of Housing and Urban Development's Small Cities program. The money will be used in Middle Twp. for neighborhood stabilization and economic revitalization, in Cape May for a neighborhood conservation program, ana in West Cape May for a housing rehabilitation program. Landfill Park? COURT HOUSE - The county Planning Board informed offcials last week not to neglect looking into the possibility of putting the next county landfill on publicly owned land. A new landfill sit^ill have to be found by 1983. DEP regulations significantly restrict potential sites, and strictly manage methods of t landfill operation. Therounty MUA has since reaffirmed its position not to use such lands for a site. Room Tax Eyed CAPE MAY — City officials here are once again considering the possibility of implementing a rdoffi rental tax to increase local revenue. The tax. whifch would be levied on summer visitors who rent rooms at guest houses or motels, was discussed irf 1979 and reintroduced at a recent City Council session At the same time, Cape May's 1981 budget, designed td maintain the current municipal tax rate of $1.27 per ^100 of assessed valuation, was introduced This is the sixth consecutive year the city has avoided raising its local purpose tax rate Under the 'Cap' WILDWOOD — City officials have managed to establish 1981 budget within the state ‘cap* ceiling, but doing so will require layoffs of public employees and reduced services Some of the results of the most recent. $80,000 cut include the layoff of 10 Public Works Dept, employees, reduced trash collection, the boardwalk information center being closed during the winter months, less overtime pay for police officers and firemen, and slashed lifeguard salaries. Keep on Writing TlKKAHOE — Little was accomplished afa meeting last Wednesday here among landowners, farmers, local officials and the Pinelands Commission. Disillusioned by the event, Dennis Twp. Mayor Frank Mui^hy came away with the opinion that the only way the Pinelands plan is going to be changed is for people to keep writing to their.state and federal representatives until something is done

Arson Arrest

RIO GRANDE — Early Thursday morning. the second fire in less than a month occurred at the Florida Motor Court, Rt 9. A local man, Robert Robinson, was arrested at the scene and charged with aggravated arson. (Pace 14 PIpacpi