1 CARE MAY COUNTY ^

Vol.19 No.9

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•March 2, 1983

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News—^

Digest

Week's

Top Stories

Keep It Legal

MIDDLE TOWNSHIP - Committeewoman Patricia Peterson has questioncd the legality of a Fourth of July fireworks display under consideration by the other two committeemen. She’s a Republican; they’re Democrats. Donated money would pay for the display. Elks Plan TKO’d WILDWOOD The Elks Club withdrew a request for $3,000 of the city’s $70,000 in tourist promotion money. The club wanted to buy uniforms and robes for a team of 20 boxers that would compete in the Canadian Amateur Boxing Tournament in Montreal March 26. The Elks reportedly have one local boxer and intend to recruit the remainder in the Philadelphia area.

Readers Rally UPPER TOWNSHIP - A public hear ing brought no agreement on whether to put a branch of the Cape May County library in Petersburg or Seaville, about 2‘^ miles apart It will serve Upper and Dennis townships and Woodbine Their officials will meet again at 7 tonight in Upper Township hall. (Page 14 Please)

Dnrti Ward BE IT EVER SO HUMBLE — The Cape May County Herald and Ixwer Township Lantern moved their offices to 106 N. Main St. in Cape May Courthouse this week. At top, publisher Darrell Kopp hammers away while office manager Faith Phillips makes sure it’s straight.

County Opts For Third Judgeship

By JOE ZELNIK COURT HOUSE — Cape May County expects to create a third judgeship this year to handle juvenile and domestic relations. First step would be a request from the board of freeholders to the state Legislature for special legislation authorizing the post Timing is crucial because under state legislation taking effect Sept. 1, Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, whose t judges are county-paid, will be replaced by a Family Court, which will be state-paid But counties without JDR court will not qualify for a Family Court The ju ‘ es make $70,000 a year Freeholder William E Sturm Jr. said the county’s 1983 budget contains funds to abporb the the JDR judge's salary for a pfertion of 1983 and the related costs of a third county judge. Those related costs would include pay for a clerk and a sheriff’s officer. Each of the other two judges has a secretary and a law clerk, but it has been suggested the third judge could share the service of those two people. THE) JUDICIARY’S portion of the 1983 budget is up by $137,908, from $1,394,488 to $1,532,396. About $34,000 of the increase is for court salaries and expenses Sturm said the cost of judiciary is "increasing at an alarming rate This is a growing county Growth's got you by the tail; whether you like it or not. IT’S there " The question of additional judges and courtroom facilities will be discussed soon by the freeholders and trustees Of the coun ty Bar Association. Bar Association President Paul W. Dare wrote the freeholders recently to request the session because of projections that the county "will require at least two additional judges tojiandle the increased caseload within the next 5-10 years." THE COUNTY HAS four existing cour (Page 14 Please)

For Office Suppli es Competitive Bidding Bypassed

Sheriff’s

Sales Up By BOR SHILES COURT HOUSE - Sheriff's sales in Cape May County last year were up 25 per cent over 1981, going from 27 to 36 That’s the number of properties that actually were sold at public auction, accor ding to Joyce Clark of the County Sheriff’s Department The number of properties upon which sheriff's sale proceedings started were much greater, according $o Clark. "Many of the sales never take place because they 're stayed by bankruptcy pro ceedings, other legal action or resolved," Clark said. A SHERIFF’S SALE is the end of the line in a long procedure that begins when a bank, loan company or individual initiates foreclosure proceedings against a proper ty or business. Although payment of back taxes may be involved, sheriff's sales are hot the same as the tax sales held by municipalities. Cape May County sheriff sales are usually held on Wednesdays at 1 p.m. in the courthouse. Properties which have been advertised in the newspaper for four weeks and have not been refinanced or protected by some legal action are auctioned off and sold to the highest bidder "On the average tKree or four properties are sold each month," Clark said. WHILE MOST foreclosure proceedings today are being initiated.by banks, Clark said that because of the present condition of the economy, most barks arc looking for more ways to let the individual save his home or business "I don't think banks are bullying...! don’t think they’re foreclosing she said. "Banks are trying to work along with people.”

COURT HOUSE - Cape May County of fice suppliers are going to "get the business” from county government this year That is, they probably aren't going to get much business, which amounted to about $40,000 last year Freeholders have agreed to "piggyback" on a state contract rather than seek competitive bids for items such as paper, pencils, office furniture, etc They made that decision after county Purchas ing Agent William C Deaver told them it would be "more advantageous to local vendors and financially more rewarding to the county " But in an interview with the Herald and Lantern, Deaver said that the majority of the county's office supplies probably will be purchased from Yorkship Business Sup ply of Atlantic City because it offers the highest discount on the stale contract list - 31 percent plus 1 percent for payment within 30 days THE STATE Cooperative Purchasing Plan solicits bids and then selects those with the lowest prices to appear on its contract list. Only one county office suppliers is on the list, according to Deaver : Courthouse Stationers, of Cape May Court House, with a

A half-dozen items are responsible for most of the increases in Cape May County's 1983 budget, slated for a public hearing and likely adoption at 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 8. The budget is almost $33 million, which is $4 million more than the 1982 budget and $2 million more than the county actually spent last year after additional and emergency appropriations. The tax rate will increase by one cent per one hundred dollars of assessed value, going from an equalized rate of 40.2 cents in 1982 to 41.2 cents. For a home owner assessed at $100,000, for example, the tax

28 percent discount. The county’s 1982 supplier, Guhr’s Office Supply in Wildwood, is not. Last year, it gave the county a 36 percent discount But Deaver said that sometimes was negated because Guhr lacked some items and more expensive substitutes had to be purchased Charles Guhr, III, marketing manager, said an "error in Trenton" was responsible for not being on the list. He said the firm had submitted a bid of a 30 percent discount plus 1 percent for payment with 10 days after billing He said he has com plained tojhe state Purchasirg Depart ment about being omitted from the list WHEN DEAVER asked the freeholders to endorse the new policy. Gerald M Thornton asked him if he was "sure we'll save money 7 '' , "Yes, and we ll also be doing our shopping locally." Deaver said "Otherwise, a distant vendor could be the low bidder " Deaver told The Herald and Lantern that competitive bidding carried the risk that "possibly we would have to award to an outside vendor altogether " Guhr and Courthouse' have been selling the county office supplies for about 15

hike will mean a $10 increase, from $402 to $412. Comparing the 1983 budget with actual 1982 expenditures LARGEST INCREASE is In the "general government" category, up $865,584, from $4 4 million to $5.2 million. Biggest hikes are buildings and grounds, up $167,000 to $1.2 million, and employe insurance. yp $536,000 to $14 million. Freeholder William E Sturm Jr said the employe insurance hike includes anticipate! rate increases plus the additional costs likely to result from a new contract now being negotiated with six employe

years, according to Guhr. DEAVER SAID he will have the option of choosing any vendor on the state contract list and will continue to "call a minimum of two vendors, most likely three, before we buy anything. I feel we can save money and also do some business in Cape May County this way "Wo have to consider that these are tax dollars," he said. "L’.m going for the best price The primary purpose is to reduce the county's overall cost of office supplies " Guhr said riding on the state contract "is a fair and just procedure when properly administered It gives the county an oppor tunity to save money because vendors have a tendency to bid lower for the state contract than thcy-*i>tfTd for a local bid "THE ONLY DISAGREEMENT I have is that I’m not on the list," said Guhr. "Price should not be the only deterntlna tion," he added He said that, as a loqal business, he had offered "somewhat personalized services” such as same-day service, delivery to 25 county drop locations, filling small orders, and often accepting 1 returns. "Yorkship delivers to the county every day," said Deaver

Leaps bargaining units.

Sturm said rate increases alone will hike the cost of an employe’s monthly benefit package from $96.32 to $116.53 The fringe benefits include Bide Cross-Blue Shield, major medical, dental, vision care, prescription drug, accidental death &nd disability, and life insurance, he said That works out to $1,398 per employe a year, Sturm said, and will cost the county $1 4

million

ONE FACTOR in the buildings and grounds increase. Sturm said, is the ex pected cost of maintaining the (’ape May (Page 14 Please)

To Pace Budget Boost

Cost of Employe Fringes