County, Unions Reach Agreement

COURT HOUSE — Negotiators for the Cape May County Freeholders and its major employe unions last week reached a tentative contract agreement, ending a three-month impasse. Sam Kelly, business manager for Local 1983 of the International Brotherhood of Painters and Allied Trades, AFL-CIO, called it ‘a good contract that takes care of the cohcerns of those who have been abused in the past — newer members.’' He said he was “fairly certain of ratification."

By JOE ZKI.NIK Cape May County is seeking ways to reduce the number of tourists and other nonresidents attending community colleges partly on county taxpayers' money. Among proposals is a computer matchup of voting records of those using voter registration cards to prove residency Those who don't vote for two years could be considered not bonafide residents and ineligible for reimbursement of community college costs. ' But it seems persons willing to risk a fine and imprisonment by lying on a residency affidavit vyill still be able to outwit the county. It opted years ago to pay a share of the cost of residents attending a community college elsewhere instead of sponsoring its own school THE COST to the county increases each year because college enrollment and tui-

D»m« Ward EAT YOUR PEAS — Slx-yrar-old Lori McClure. daughter of Jean Harlan of Stone Harbor, was visited by grandmom Mrs. Betsy Harlan of Stone Harbor as Maud Abrams School in Cold Spring welcomed grandparents during Sr. Citizens Hay last Wednesday. Lori's a first-grade student.

Kelly, said he hopes for a membership ratificatidn meeting before May 24, the date the freeholders are tentatively scheduled to approve, according to Kathryn A. Willis, a clerk of the board KELLY SAID the two-year contract contains a five percent pay hike retroactive to Jan. 1, another five percent on Jan. 1,1984, and "delayed implementation" of one pay step on Oct. 1, 1983 and a second pay step on July 1, 1984. He declined to reveal the lump sum pay

tion are rising Most county students at tend Atlantic Community College, which is aggressively seeking more students. A f^pw students also attend classes kt Cumberland, Gloucester. Essex, Ocean and Mercer county colleges. Last year, for example, the county ap propriated $420,000 for college tuition reimbursement, a figure it apparently knew was much too low By the time all 1982 bills are in. it expects to spend $729,000. And it has appropriated $704,000 for this year, a figure that also is likely to be low. Although most of this expenditure presumably is proper, Freeholder William E. Sturm Jr. said there is "abuse, but not widespread abuse " THREE CATEGORIES were mentioned: tourists who come for the summer and take a course or two, children or grandchildren of the county's many retired pco pie who come here to take advantage of the college opportunity; and ‘people coming in from all over the country to take casinoinstituted courses, then move to Margate,” as Sturm put it

Cape May County's Private Industry Council is still searching for the best recipe to combine eating and working The federally-financed PIC, whose goal is to find private sector employment for the economically disadvantaged, decided in April to quit mixing lunch and deliberations. That resulted after complaints from several members that trying to sandwich business between courses of their noontime meals at the Lodge in North Wildwood was inefficient. So, PIC changed its monthly meeting time to 10 a m to be followed by an op^ tional lunch at noon. ONLY THREE of PIC's 18 members were present at 10 a m last Wednesday at the county's vocational technical career center The meeting slatted at 10; 20 after a quorum of nine arrived. The business meeting, minus food, took 30 minutes, prompting members to agree that work did seem to proceed more smoothly without a dinner plate in front of them.

steps, but said the former "amounts to five percent” and the latter to four percent Kelly called the steps "our major concern and accomplishment" and said it put the contract's price tag “hundreds of thousands of dollars over the county's previous offer of five percent, period, and no steps. " Freeholder William E Sturm Jr, director of the cbtfnty s revenue and finance, was not available to comment THE UNION’S three-year contract

But Atlantic College officials said its casino^related courses are noncredit, and Cape May County does not reimburse for noncredil The county's procedures require that the < Page 22 Please)

ERMA — Lower Township has been awarded a'$305,000 federal grant that ap parently assures the birth of the Container Decorating Company at the airport complex Container President William K Beiseigel of North Wildwood said the firm has $250,000 in private capital and is negotiating with two banks — First National State Bank South and First Jersey National Bank — for J'at least $400,000" for a start up goal of from $950,000 to $1.2 million

On the other hand, PIC chairman Gregory Willis pointed out. "this is the poorest attended meeting we've ever had." •A SEARCH for a happy medium was launched. Marie Britton of Britton Really and Robert Patterson, director of the county Chamber of Commerce, said 10 a m was inconvenient for some people who arrived at work and had to turn right around and go to the meeting To illustrate that point, PIC had a letter of resignation from co-chairman Armand Gagnon who said "pressing business" made 10 a m. impossible for him Britton and Patterson said lunchtime was best since "people have to stop for lunch anyway." “LET’S GO BACK to what we had," suggested .Willis, "but reduce the meal." "And speed the service" added Filbert Catanosc, who represents labor on the PIC "Ix.‘ss time eating, ' agreed Dorothy G

covering 635 employes — 575 general employes and 60 court employes — had ex pired Dec. 31. Negotiations begdn late last November, but an impasse was declared and state mediation 'requested in February. When that, too, failed, the county and union requested state factfinding. Factfinder Lawrence Hammer of Long Island presided over two mediation ses sions, on April 27 and May 10, buj factfinding never started "at the request of both parties." he said.

News~~^ Dippcf w<>< ' ks ■—7 ■ ^ 1 op Sl<nips(Albert ('.leared CAPE MAY Witness Tampering charges against city councilman Harry Gilbert were dismissed by Superior Court Judge Paul Porrcca A grand jury had in dieted him because a city resident convicted of selling illegal television con , verier boxes allegedly withheld Gilbert's name from his list of,customers The judge said the indictrpont was unwarranted and the case trivial

Maxi-Scary REED'S BEACH A ' mini,tornado' blew in off the bay at 5 p in. Sunday tearing the roof off a summer hunte. blowing in windows of a dozen home'., and downing electrical u ires The dark funnel reportedly wa: u. and out in .1 mmuti'. leaving Reed - Iteaeb Road blocked by debris and s.md Two tiont end loader dispatched l.v police opened the road

52 Hikes '

AVALON Fifty two bikes are among the items to Ik 1 sold here today by Newfield auctioneer T .1 Sulims The municipal auction is being held at the borough maintenance yard. 13th and Dune Drive, beginning at 10 a m Triple Tipping? COURT HOUSE - Middle Township

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The grant to I^ower Township is ear marked for a low-interest foan to Con tainer, but Mayor Peggie liiebcrhach said that’s predicted on "guarantees of employment for township residents." "THE PREPONDERANCE of jobs," said Beiseigel, "all things considered, will go to I^ower Township Their applications will have a preference, depending on their qualifications " Beiseigel said the plant expects to employ "in excess of 100 at full employ 'Page 22 Please 1 Combo Mack of the NAACP "There's been loo much socializing and then we rushed through the business." Willis said PIC would meet hereafter at the l^odge at 12 noon, have a "light lunch, probably a buffet,'' and start its formal business meeting at 12 30 "If they get thereafter 12:30," he added, "they'll get the crumbs '

Dan. W«r<l

ABOl T TIME — The smell of coconut oil finally.began floating off Cape May County beaches last weekend. This heaeh scene was

photographed in Stone Harbor last Saturday .

County Targets Ineligible Students

PIC Hungers for Winning

Eower Gets the Money; Container Promises Jobs