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Herald & Lantern 12 lanuary '83

Freeholders Feud Over Control

(From Page 1) the Treasurer s office to ride herd on air port accounting ” Sturm.said I^aws “did nothing illegal, hut I feared something could happen that would have the appearances of illegality As an example. Sturm said Laws'recciv ed an insurance check to the county for SI9.000 to compensate for weather damages and spent it for repairs without going through the freeholders, as is required The check should have gone into the ■county treasury,” he said, “the job should have gone to bid and the vendor should thave been paid by the county Instead, we went in and cleaned up the paperwork afterwards." •TM NOT INKKKRINC; somebody got something because of politicol-^-onnec lions." said Sturm “It was just loose pro^ cedures and not following guidelines.” Sturm said “lines of organization at the airport were not clearly defined Some didn't know to whom they reported Contradictory directions were being given .out " l^aws and Sturm agreed on two things that the airport will never be profitable and that it needs a full-time manager It may lose money for the rest of its life." said Laws, ’ but if it attracts enough industry, we've made up for it " • | know* it will never be a moneymaker." said Sturm, who said he also is “concerned about the cAnty’s liability should there be an accidenp" LAWS .SAID TIIK airport really needs a

full-time manager, paid $35,000 to $40,000 a year, "but you can’t justify it until the industrial park supports it." Sturm said that, if he had been placed in charge, he would have appointed as acting manager airport maintenance supervisor Horace M Kochcllc who. he said, plans to retire in April when he reaches age 62 Catanoso has said he wiTI “run" the airport operation "That's not a good situation.” said Sturm "No freeholder can be an expert to really run a department unless he's trained along those lines It's not my decision, but somebody will have to be designated airport manager “ Sturm suggested Donald Kelly, executive director of the county's Industrial and Economic Development Commission who managed the airport prior to Laws. IT WAS LAWS’ willingness to be airport manager for $1 a year while his printing business suffered from financial problems that brought some of the complaints. Catanoso said Sturm had questioned the advisability of Ijiws managing the airport after filing for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978 Under Chapter 11. firms are protected from creditor pressure while they reorganize and restructure their debts “I find it difficult for a public body deal ing with public funds to have a person with those kind of problems in that capacity.“ said Sturm. "It can happen to anyone, but it’s best not to have jthem serving ‘In a public capacity “

"It doesn't look good for somebody to be working for $1 a year in a position like that when he has problems with his business." said Evans. "He is an honest and good man. but it’s silly to jeopardize his own business " "CHAPTER ll is not a major concern ^f mine," said Thornton, "except why would anybody let his business falter while he worked for a dollar a year?" "Chapter II was an excuse, not the real reason." said Laws. "My business is solvent We are not bankrupt. Our assets are well over our liabilities My reputation is 100 percent." Laws said Coastline Advertising is solvent and Laws Color Lithographers is being reorganized and turned over to his two sons. "There's no dishonor in going into Chapter 11," said Catanoso. "Half the county’s in Chapter 11. Mr LaWs spent endless hours at the airport He flies, he's aviation-oriented." "I’ve got a Phd in engineering, 29 world patents on lifting devices for aircraft, and a commercial instrument pilot rating," saic^Laws. ‘Tgot $4 out of that deal in four years, and I spent thousands of dollars on trips. I made 27 trips to Washington in my plane and didn't charge the county They (the freeholders) used my airplane and all they paid for was the gas "

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treal He said Catanoso had been operating a booth publicizing the county "I offered to work for him. went to Wildwood, and we came to a consensus," Payette said "I've been happy to work with Tony He's a good friend of mine " Payette said he first worked part time out of his home, but the county started renting an office downtown five years ago He said he's sent hundreds of thousands of Canadians each year to vacation in Cape May County, 545 miles away "Some days you could walk on the beach and hear only French spoken." he said "I LOVE TO WORK for Cape May Coun ty," said Payette. “I love to send people there to have a good vacation. Many arc so pleased they call me when they come

back

"I didn't stress any one place," he said, "but Wildwood was most in demand "It's a natural They like the beach Some days you could walk on the beach and hear only French spoken " Payette said he hasn't talked to Catanose, who also is mayor of North Wildwood, in a month and was surprised his contract was in jeopardy. "I worked my butt off for Cape May County," he said, "but nobody ever said thanks If they don't renew my contract. I'm going to take it easy "

News******** Digest (From Page 1) the job, is locked in battle with some members of City Council over whether he or the appointed city administrator controls personnel matters. A legal fight looms over whether the city's administrative code or the state Faulkner Act takes precedent

Long Count CAPE MAY — In its second attempt, (an earlier election was overturned after alleged voting discrepancies), the Chamber of Commerce has elected Robert Mullock president, Barbara Kopp 1st vice president, Carin Fedderman 2nd vice president, Millie LaCanfora secretary and Charles Bernard treasurer

Just a Splash WILDWOOD — City Commission set Jan. lb for a public hearing on a propos ed $3-miilion bond issue to upgrade facilities of its water utility, which serves more tan 10,000 customers in Wildwood, North Wildwood. West Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, and Lower and Middle townships. A rate increase granted to the utility by the Board of Public Utilities last year is supposed to provide funds to repay the bonds <

Hold Your Nose COURTHOUSE - The Municipal Utilities Authority will lead about 80 stale, county and municipal officials on a tour of the Sandtown, Del., landfill operated by the Delaware Solid Waste Authority tomorrow Idea is to show an operation comparable to one Ihe MUA hopes to construct this spring on the Upper Township-Woodbine border

May to the Bay SWAINTON — Having determined that backbay discharge of sewage effluent will not be approved by the state Depart ment of Environmental Protection, the Municipal Utilities Authority unanimous ly decided to proceed with original plans to build ocean-discharging, primary treatment systems in the Wildwoods Lower and Seven Mile-Middle regions

Music to Their Ears OCEAN CITY — Officials were described as "very pleased at the $135,000 bid of Willard Inc of Somers Point for the first phase of rehabilitating the Music Pier That will involve strengthening concrete beams which support the 50-year-old structure and should be completed this spring Phases 2 and 3 have an estimated total cost of $600,090

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