Fired Manager Charges Politics \ Freeholders Feud Over Airport

, By Joe ZHnik / Cape May County freeholoei-s have removed airport manager Robert A. Laws of Erma from his $l-a-year job. caws and his only supporters, Freeholder board director Anthony T. Catanoso, ''barged politics. But I^aws' principal accuser, Freeholder and county finance director William E. Sturm Jr, said the airport under Laws was "an unmanageable mess.” Two 3-1 votes in closed caucus-sessions indicate board members have sharp difference of opinion pn the airport's operation. In a private meeting Dec. 28, Catanoso angrily turned over control of the airport to Sturm. But six days later, on Jan. 3, Catanoso changed his mind. "The ballgame changed over New Year’s weekend,” said Sturm. “The phones must have been going off the hooks.”

At the Jan. 3 session, Sturm said, he made a motion that he be assigned the air port, but no one offered a second. Finally, he said, Gerald M Thornton seconded the motion to bring it to a vote, but after Catanoso and Ralph W Evans voted “no,' Thornton also voted "no.” "I COULDN'T SEE doing that to Mr Catanoso,” said Evans. “He started the airport and has it running pretty good It would be like cutting a pair of legs out from underneath somebody ” James Kilpatrick, sworn in as the fifth freeholder Jan. 6, was present at both sessions, but had no vote. The airport operation has 45 employes and will spend more than $850,000 this year, Sturm said. "I am not downgrading the airport,” he said, “but I question how far the county should go in its operation. Arc we not get ting to the point where it is not cost efficient? We are 20th of 21 New Jersey coun-

ties in population Is the expense justifiable'’ Laws' resignation letter, read to the Freeholders last Thursday, said the air port “has become a respected facility throughout the tri-state area Over the past four years, the airport has enjoyed continued growth, both economically and physically " THE FREEHOLDERS accepted Laws resignation “with regret” in their public meeting, but in their closed session of Dec. 28. Sturm and Thornton charged Laws had "violated procedures which could be serious if not checked. "Politics makes strange bedfellows." said Catanoso ‘Tve learned in politics you can do a lot of things to hurt people if you want to.” And Laws charged he was the victim of "a political fight, and I got sandwiched in.” “For me it was not a political issue, it

was a busint-.,. sue,” said Thronton Catanoso said Laws is "an honest, honorable man who worked hard for Cape ay County I stand behind him orte thound percent CATANOSO SAID he reluctantly seconded the motion to seek Laws' resignation. "In my heart I didn't want to do it,” he said "I'm going to miss him very much." But Sturm said Catanoso in fact was the only Freeholder to vole to retain Laws. "He couldn’t second a motion." said Sturm, "He was presiding ” Kathryn A. Willis, clerk of the board, said minutes of the meetings were not available at this time I^aws said Sturm "was told things that were not true and instead of having integrity and sitting down with us and fin ding out they were lies, he believed them. He listened to a few people who. were burned up because they didn't get what they wanted " Laws said one county department head at the airport complex was the source of the complaints. "Lies were fed to Mr. Sturm," he said, "and he didn t have the decency to come to me He listened to an individual he shouldn't have listened to " "WE HAD RECEIVED complaints and inquiries from other airport employes." said Sturm, "more than one 1 heard many things from many people and my 'investigation tells me that what they were telling me was true." Sturm said l^aws "did not in all cases follow county purchasing procedures and methods of accountability When this was pointed out to him and to Mr. Catanoso, nothing changed They continued to do the same thing So I asked Edward Grant from (Page 10 Please)

Con Artist Nets Another Victim VILLAS — Lower Township police are once again warning senior citizens to be on the lookout for a flimflam artist who has conned thousands of dollars out of county residents over the past year According to police, the con artist ap proaches elderly white males at shopping centers and pretends to know them or members of tijeir family. He tells his victims sad stories about how he needs money for an emergency, or that his car has broken down. Police say the suspect has claimed at least three victims in the past six months — one of them being duped into drawing $3,000 out of his bank account. The latest incident occurred last Thursday at the Cape May Court House Murphy's Mart Other incidents have taken place in North Cape May and the Villas. Police say the suspect is a black male, 50 to 65 years old. about five-feet, 10-inches tall, weights approximately 175 pounds and has a mustache. He was last seen wearing glasses, a grey jacket and baseball cap Anyone with information is urged to call the detective division of the Lower Township Police at 886 2711

Oom Wtirit ROOTER — Mrs. Dorothy Hagrrty of Del Haven gives a congratulatory kiss to New Middle Township Committeeman Charles l.eusner. sworn in last week. I.eusner is a teacher at Middle Township High School and Mrs. Hagrrty was his supervisor there until she retired two years ago. Democrat Leusner said Mrs. Hagerty. a Republican who supported him. will be appointed to a newly-formed Shade Tree Commission.

But Pierre Still Loves County ‘Man in Canada ’ Left Hanging

Is it "adieu" or merely "au revoir” for Pierre Payette’’ Payette is Cape May County's "man in Canada," its tourism representative for the last 18 years. B^t when county freeholders organized last Thursday, Payette’s contract, although No 9 on the agenda, was never mentioned. "It was deleted because the terms of the agreement have not been reached.” said Kathryn A. Willis, clerk of the board. "He's doing things I wasn't very happy with," said* Freeholder director Anthony T Catanoso. "He doesn't Ijke to Jake orders After we settle our differences and he learns to take orders..." "THE PROBLEM seems to be that over the years I had a lot of personality con flicts with Lou Rodia (assistant director of public affairs for the county;," said Ppyette "I didn't like the way he was runnikg things for publicity purposes here in

Canada "

"I don't know of any major problems with Pierre," said Rodia "He has a very, very strong personality and sometimes I have to tell my employes what to do That's where the problem lies " Rodia said Payette will continue to work for the county on a month-to month basis while it "reappraises the whole Canadian program. We are taking a long look at the Canadian market and what we do in Canada will depend on a lot of variables '' Rodia said that the Canadian tourist business dropped last year because of its higji unemployment and unfavorable 25 "'Tx’rcent exchange rate Payette conceded that Canadian tourist fell by 45 per cent last year RODIA SAID it’s been estimated that at least 20 percent of the county's annual half-billiorvdollars tourist industry comes

from Canada.

Payette's 1982 contract paid him $11,180 a year as a consultant to perform profes-

sional and advertising services. The coun t> also spends about $15,000 to rent an of fice in Montreal. Rodia said the county's entire tourist promotion effort in Canada probably costs $35,000 In addition to its seven-member county Public Affairs Department that focuses on tourist promotion, the county also has a contract with Coastline Advertising Agency of Erma, primarily to place advertis ing. That contract was renewed last week It includes no cost figures, hut Rodia said Coastline is paid about $3,500 a year Coastline is a firm of Robert A Laws, removed as county airport manager last week. CAPE MAY is believed to be the only U.S. county with a representative in Canada Payette. 66 and a former newsman, said he got the job when he met Catanoso at a sportsman's show in Mon • Page 10 Please)

News—^ Digest TopTstofiei Whut About Broad? RIO GRANDE — Although hundreds of people keep pouring into his office each week, Marvin Morrell, social work super visor for the Cape May County Welfare Agency, wants it known that the supply of surplus federal cheese is gone Morrell doesn't expect more cheese until the end o| March, but a large shipment of butter is due early next month and will be an nounced in this newspaper Touchy Touchy NEWARK It .got 11-cents a month costlier to use Netv Jersey Bell's Touch Tone line Monday That rate hike, ap proved by the state Board of Public Utilities, raises the monthly Touch Tone charge for residence customers from 83. cents to 94 cents and will net Bell an ad ditional $3 2'n.iillion this year Meeting Postponed COLD SPRING - Tonight's meeting of the Lower Township Elementary School Board has been postponed until Monday. Jan 17 It will begin at 8pm in the Con solidated School library Supt Edward Campbell said the meeting was changed because some board members are ill See ) ou in Court?

OCEAN CITY Mayor Jack Bittner, who resigned as county freeholder to take ^Page 10 Please)

Dr. Robert G. Kritman will be writing columns exclusively for the Herald and Lantern starting with thi* week's issue. Murphy, of Cape May Courthouse, will author "Good Reading." reviews of hook* available in county libraries. Dr. Beitman. of Marmora, will write "Health Watch." which emphasizes preventive medicine*.