George Brandt: Really Special

By JOE ZELNIK George Brandt’s 70th birthday last Friday was one to remember. Brandt, driver of Lower Cape May Regional’s bus No. 42, got his first and best present when he delivered his entourage to Our Lady Star of the Sea school in Cape May. The students gave him a plaque that read ‘‘George. For your 70th birthday and all your helpful ways.” Brandt, pleased as could be, called the Herald and Lantern because “all you ever hear is the bad things kids do.” He said that, although all "the kids chipped in and helped pay for it, Jamie Cherry was the instigator.”

Jamie admitted it. "GEORGE, I MEAN Mr Brandt, well, we all call him George, has been with us for around four years,” said Jamie, “and we’ve always been wanted to get him a present that he would remember us by . We decided that being 70 was really special ” Jamie, 12-year-old son of Mr and Mrs James Cherry of North Cape May. took up the collection, asking for $1 apiece, and averaging $2 apiece. He raispd $35 95 The “gold-colored" plaque cost $25 And the rest of the money’’ "George loves hats,” said Jamie, "so we re going to give him a nice hat to wear at the end of the summer ” WHAT'S SO SPECIAL about George Brandt?

"He’s always giving, kind and generous to everyone.” said Jamie. "I don’t think there’s a mean bone in his body "I just treat all kids like they were mine,” said Brandt "These are nice kids I give 'em qandy once in d while " Brandt was born in Philadelphia and moved to North Cape May in May 1975. He commuted from there to his job at a machine shop in Lansdalc until he retired in 1978 He’s been a part time bus driver for five years. He and his wife, who died in December, had three children For his birthday. Brandt said he was go mg to "treat myself to dinner.” It was a nice way to end a special day. but not half as nice as the way it started he agreed.

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Vol.19 No. 18 '19B3 S«awov* Carp All rigMt r»»»rv»d

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Off-Shore Drillers Among Six New Lessees at County Airport

ERMA — An off shore drilling operation exploring for oil will locate offices at the Cape May County Airport Industrial Park They are two of six new' leases that will bring the county some $70.(KM) a year in additional rentals "It doesn’t mean a lot of jobs,” said Donald M Kelly, executive director of the county's Economic Development Commis sion. "but there will be an economic impact " He said Shell Off-Shore Inc of Houston, will lease 4,000 square feet for $24,000 a year and Sonat Off Shore Drilling Co. will lease 3.BOO square feet at a cost of $22,800 a year •THIS WILL NOT have a great impact

on the economy,” said John WVight, public affairs manager for Shell ^Exploration is not manpower extensive (But if we find something, then we're locking at something else " More than 100 persons will be involved in the drilling opthration in 6.800 feet of water in the Atlantic Ocean 100 miles east of Atlantic City. Wright said Amoco and Sun are partners in the operation, which should begin in July, he said But these are specialists who come with Shell and Sonat, work seven days on. seven days off. and will commute by helicopters at the county airport WRIGHT SAID the Shell office staff will total "about six Maybe we ll hire some

1st Jersey Acquiring Guarantee First Jersey National Corp. will purchase Guarantee Bancorp for about $37 million according to an agreement in principle announced last Friday. First Jersey, the state’s seventh largest commercial banking organization, came to Cape May County last August with purchase of the five-office First People's Bank of New Jersey If the agreement is approved by shareholders and regulatory agencies, it will acquire Guarantee's 21 banking offices including nine in (.'ape May County OFFICIALS OF both banks told the Herald and Lantern they hope no local offices will be closed and expect no local employes will be laid off First Jersey has four member banks and 52 banking offices, five in Cape May County: in Avalon. Cape May Court House. North Wildwood, Ocean View and Stone

Harbor

Guarantee’s are in Cape May. Cape May Court House Plaza. Court House. North Cape May. Villas, Ocean City, Sea Isle and two in Rio Grande. About 70 of Guarantee’s 410 employes are in those

offices

"There is one overlap in Court House,” said Donald J Coleman. First Jersey’s chief financial officer, “but we wouldn’t want to close any facility.” COLEMAN SAID, however, that "would depend on the regulatory agencies, what their assessment of the competitive environment is. We prefer not to close any branches, but we may have too much of the market share in a particular area." "We do not anticipate layoffs," said William Carlos, director of marketing and public relations for Guarantee “Branch personnel process transactions. Someone will still be needed to process transactions. We fully expect to remain an integral part of the community." Coleman said any decision on First Jersey keeping Guarantee's "George” Automatic Teller Machines is "still open. That is a service contracted through (Page 25 Please)

local office help, a secretary or two ' The three-well drilling program will be done oVer a year from a drilling vessel, the “Discoverer Seven Seas.’ now in the Mediterranean "These will be exploration wells." said Wright "They are not used to produce oil We are drilling for mformatipn on leases we've acquired If we find sofnething that justifies the expense of going into production. then we will build a whole new system.” Wright said that there have l>een no com mercial oil discoveries since the federal government opened the off-shore areas in 1976 Of 26 drillings in the Baltimore Cp nyon, he said, 21 were dry holes and five found "some gas, but of no commercial significance " Kelly said the county was assisted in locating the firms at the airport by local realtor Suzanne Moore of Kopp & Co. in Cape May THE OTHER NEW leases Charles H Eckel & Son, which does diesel engine repair and maintenance, increased its space from 3,000 square feet to 6,000 squart feel and its rent from $5,100 a year to $9,000 Kelly said this would (Page 25 Please)

Doris W»rd

HIGH KICKERS — Middle Township High School cheerleaders work out during a cheerleading clinic at the school last Saturday. Left to right, Rebecca Senior, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Senior of Cape May Court House; Monica Zane. daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Zane of Avalon and Philadelphia; and Sally Pfeiffer, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Pfeiffer of Rio Grande.

George Brandt And Gift

News—^ Digest Ct, Pass the Greens AVALON - The Cape May County League of Municipalities voted to raise its annual dues paid by local taxpayers $50 from $250 to $300 in order to keep pace with the cost of dinners. It has seven dinner meetings a year and each of the county's 16 municipalities, the freeholders and the Municipal Utilities Authority can send four representatives

Parsimonious GOSHEN Middle Towaship will hold its $3,000 Independence Day celebration at the Goshen Road Sports Complex July 3 at little or no cost to taxpayers Op timist Club is raising money with a raffle toward which gifts have been donated The township is even looking for a con tributor with a flagpole and flag Five'll Get Ya Two COURT HOUSE - County volet's will be able to pick from five (fandidates for two freeholder positions next November on the basis of filings last week Republican incumbents Ralph W Evans and William E. Sturm Jr.. Democrats James lannone and Georgette Shirley, and former Repubican freeholder William Wilsey who will run as an independent ' Rent a Garage CAPE MAY — Parking tickets are go ing to cost twice as much this summer as they did in 1982 The state last week ap^ proved the city's plans to up the fines from $5 to $10, according to Lt Angelo Infanto of the city police Parking meters went into service Monday and will con tinue through the end of October Still Trying UPPER TOWNSHIP - The local school board has cut $71,500 from its total $5.2-million budget, defeated at the polls April 12. With reductions in nine line items, including salaries, tuition and community education, the current expense budget is now $4,514,129 with (Page 25 Please)