News——— Diapcf Week5 Top Stories Political Hills No. 1

WILDWOOD — Mayor and council candidates spent a total of more than $60,000 last month to capture seats on the city’s new governing body. The Wildwood Fist ticket, headed by defeated incumbent Mayor Guy Muziani, collected $26,409 in contributions and spent $24,135. Mayor elect Eacl Ostrarjder and his slate spent $29,000.

Political Bills No. 2

VILLAS — Sam Stubbs spent $5,853 in his GOP primary bid for a seat on the Ixiwer Township Committee compared to his Republican opponent Joseph Davis' $3,247, according to the candidates' fiuan cial disclosure statements filed last week Stubbs was backed by four local Republican clubs and the party organization The ebunty Republican Campaign contributed *700 to his candidacy Davis, however, received $850 from one GOP gropp the Lower Township Republican Club.

Peeling the MU A COURT HOUSE - Twenty to 30 witnesses will appear before a new-grand jury this summer during its investigation of operations at the county Municipal Utilities Authority According to the county Prosecutor's Office, the probe will not be restricted to questions concerning the MUA's acquisition of two Middle Township properties, which were raised at State Commission of Investigation hearings last summer. (Page 16 Please)

Glass Plant On Schedule

ERMA - The Don Kelly flap has had no effect on Container Decorating Co.'s plans to locate in the Cape May County Airport Industrial Park, according to'William R Bciseigel, company president Kelly, executive director of the county’s economic development commission, was suspended for three months by the Freeholders on May 27 for asking Container's investors to pay his friend a consulting fee. "If we hadn't been as far along as we were,” said Bciseigel, "it would have had a profound effect. A lot of people, including some who became famous, might have said, ‘Hey, I don’t need this notoriety.' Some of our customers might have been feeling the same way. "But had it not been for Don," Bciseigel added, "this thing never would have developed to the point it did." Beiseigel said Container had adopted the slogan. "Product Profitability Without Politics." "It's the only thing that makes sense," he said. Container’s negotiated bid to lease the 35,000-square-foot Building No. 12, plus 4.4 surrounding acres, was slated to be opened by the Freeholders yesterday, too late for the Herald and Lantern deadline. Phones are already in place and Beiseigel said a staff of two-three will move in as soon as the lease-is awarded. It’s a 10-year lease at $4,450 a month plus a 10-year option with a provision for a rent (Patfe 16 Please)

Shotgun Marriages for PICS

In Atlantic, Cape May

Cape May County's Private Industry Council (PIC) is about to be gobbled up by Atlantic County's PIC. It is sure to mean less Cape May County PIC niembers, may mean less Cape May County staff members, and could endanger local programs to find jobs for the unemployed and economically disadvantaged. This is a shotgun marriage fought by both counties, but ordered by Gov, Thomas H. Kean and Labor Commissioner Roger Bodman. Both counties appealed being

merged into one consortium Both were turned down Cape May County gave up and has been trying to meet with Atlantic to plan the merger Atlantic is still resisting "We haven't received an answer to our appeal," said Atlantic County Executive Charles Worthington, who gives that as his reason not to meet formally with Cape May County Freeholder Director Anthony T. Catanoso LABOR DEPARTMENT spokesman Ralph Shrom said letters were sent to

Counties Atlantkar^Cape May counties on May 23 Catanoso got his, Worthingtort didn't, although he acknowledges a 1-itKir Depart ment official read him his copy over the phone "He clearly knows the commissioner's decision.' said Shrom "We formed three other consortiums with no problems — Sussex and Warren, Somerset and Hunterdon. and Salem and Cumberland The commissioner hopes they'll work things (Page 16 Please)

Satisfied Stone Harbor

Mayor Hand Personifies Boro

By JOE ZELNIK Stone Harbor Mayor Arden W. Hand seems to personify the town over which he presides It's a nice, quiet satisfied community. Ask the mayor to discuss the borough's problems and he is hard-pressed to think of one. There is beach erosion, of course, but it is resisted with considerable success by volunteers, members of the Realty Owners Association, a group of property owners that oversees the maintenance of sand fence, fertilizes dune grass, etc. As with all shore communities, there arc two Stone Harbors — winter and summer Less than 1.200 live there year-round, the

number swells to 21,000 in the summer But even in the summer, the absence of a boardwalk, the small number Of bars, and the high rent combine to ensure a* tourist crowd that fits in with year-round residents Most summer rentals are for at least a month; many for the season or half season. That, too, ensures a certain stability. STONE HARBOR'S 2,426 residential properties have a total assessed valuation of $383,188,900, result of a 1981 reassessment, giving it one of the county's highest average assessments: $157,960. That also makes possible its low local purpose tax

rate of 41.3 cents per $100 of assessed, valuation Its per-capila income of $9,699 'a 1979 figure i trails only adjacent Avalon j? $10,009 Its 41 percent of people 60 years or older is topped only by tiny Cape May Point's 42 percent And only three percent of them are below the poverty line, a figure bested only by Avalon’s 16 percent Although they share the same "sevenmile island." a curious rivalry — publicly denied, privately admitted - exists bet- * ween Stone Harbor and Avalon Their children attend different elementary schools and ride different buses to the (Page 41 Please»

STONE HARBOR — Collage of Doris-Ward photos shows Mayor Arden W. Hand with map of the borough and, from top, former Coast Guard station which now serves as a recreation hall, the Wetlands Institute, the borough building and a modern home at 1 J6th Street and the beach.