Sturm: Growth Is The Issue

-The Freeholder Race-

ED. NOTE: Four candidates are seeking two positions on the five-member Cape May County Board of Freeholders, which manages county government. The part-time jobs pay $12,000 a year. The current boa^d, elected atlarge, is all-Republican. The Herald and Lantern this week profile the incumbents. Next week, the Democratic challengers.

Evans: ‘Look at the Buildings’

Bein^ihe self-styled “point man" on the Cape May County Board of Freeholders doesn’t seem to have done William E. Sturm Jr. any harm. Since his first victory in 1971, he's increased his winning margin

WILLIAM E. STURM JR.

and received the. top vote the last three times. Sturm’s role as director of the county’s Department of Revenue and Finance and his past focus on employe negotiations made him the prime target this year for tough questions on the county’s budget and on stymied contract talks. “I’m open and honest with the people,” be said. "They never have any trouble understanding where I am.” Sturm, in 1971 the first Democrat elected

Stroll past the Cape May County Courthouse with Freeholder Ralph W. Evans apd he stops twice to pick up litter from the

manicured lawn.

Evans, 56, is in charge of buildings and grounds and, when he says "I’m going to run on my record," he means that 35-member department’s performance. "Look around at the buildings and grounds,” said the Stone Harbor builder. “They were falling to the ground when I got on the board six years ago. The win-

The Herald/Lantern Interview

by Joseph R. Zelnik

freeholder in 43 years, changed to Republican in April of 1973. His reason, he said, was anticipated election opposition from Democratic leaders whose dictates he refused to follow “But I’ve always had a somewhat conservative philosophy of government,” he added. IN SEEKING HIS fourth three-year term this fall, Sturm said he feels the big issue is “the county’s direction in a time of growth and change. “The county had a 37 percent growth rate in the 1970s,” said Sturm. "The question is, how to provide services government should provide at a time of financial constraint brought about by the economy in general and less state and federal (Page 20 Please)

dows hadn't been cleaned in 10 years. I could see What had to be done.” Evans could see it, but, he said, the public may not yet be aware of improvements. “We had to start with the roofs," be said. “You don’t see that. You'll see the results of my work down the road, from here on out." AMONG THOSE RESULTS is the restoration of the "old courthouse" which means more courtroom space while preserving a historic landmark. Evans also mentioned a sprinkler system in the county Library Building, which houses county’offices, and “more than 750 storm windows, an investment that will pay for itself in three years.” Campaigner Evans carries with him a

three-page July memo from Harry A (Skip) Kehr, buildings and grounds superintendent, which reports that the department is spending *500,000, almost 43 (Page 20 Please)

RALPH W. EVANS

News—^ Digest Middle Marked BURLEIGH — This Middle Township community is marked as the proposed site of a trash transfer station, county Municipal Utilities Authority officials announced Monday night. The MUA staff has recommended a single location on Shun pike, north of Indian Trail and west of Route 9, to accept trash from southern county municipalities. Hie site was selected from 11 possible locations. A public hearing on the proposed site will be held next month.

Fetter Bites, Less Bucks DIAS CREEK — Did you suffer fewer mosquito bites this year? The Cape May County Mosquito Ccsnmission says you should have because' purchase of two helicopters for about $300,000 “made us at least 50 percent more effective this year,” according to Supf. Judy A. Hansen. The county also was able to cut the helicopter hourly rate to $260, including gas, compared to last year’s leasing price of $295 plus gas, she said.

Fiery Protest OCEAN CITY — Public relations director Mark Soifer, Donald Pileggi, recreation superintendent, and Fred Cade, construction code official, planned to burn their contracts with the city in front of the Music Pier at 10 a.m. today. The protest highlights a controversial ballot question which asks resort voters to decide if six management employes should be paid 1963 salary increases called for in their memorandum of understanding with the city.

Family Ties WILDWOOD — Police Superintendent George Quinn resigned effective Oct 31 and Mayor Earl Ostrander named his brother, Capt. Wilbur Ostrander, as city police chief Friday. A former State Police colonel, Quinn was hired last fall to reorganize the department in the wake of brutality charges filed against Chief Harry Breslin, his two sons and several (Page 22 Please)

Go-ahead

For Bridge STONE HARBOR - It looks like full steam ahead for reconstruction of the 96th Street bridge, but work may not start until late December or even early January. With U.S. Coast Guard approval of the last permit, the state Department of Transportation will open bids Nov. 3 for the estimated $4-million projects, funded 80 percent federal, 20 percent state. In the meantime, Cape May County Engineer Neil O. Clarke has asked the department “to waive some red tape normally involved if the low bidder looks proper. NORMALLY there’s a delay (in awarding) of up to three months," said Clark."We don’t want that kind of delay." “They have to check out the contractor to make sure he’s legitimate and doesn't have more work than he can get done," said John McCann of the Transportation Department’s Local Aid Office in Malaga. “Then they can tell him to start ordering his material." ITie project called for the Great Channel Bridge to be closed from mid^Qctober to mid-April this year and'H^cLThat will close Stone Harbor Boulevard, tBfe.only direct mainland route to the borough While work goes on, traffic will be detoured via Avalon Boulevard, a 9-10 mile trip. McCANN SAID plans call for doing substructure work the first year in order to have “the least amount of interruption to community and marine traffic. “Next summer, motorists won’t know anything's been happening," be said. Next fall, be said, the new deck would be (Page 22 Please)

Doru Ward

EAT YOUR PEAS — Mrs. Joseph Diaco of North Cape May got to eat lunch with her son. Frank, during National School Lunch Week observance at the Memorial School in Villas last week. Frank is a C-year-old

first-grader.

Gas Company Eyes Airpott SWAINTON — South Jersey Gas Co. may extend service to Cape May County’s Airport Industrial Park, the utility’s officials said last week South Jersey, which purchased New Jersey Natural Gas Co. Oct. 3, introduced local elected officials and community leaders to its management and employes at a luncheon Oct. 12. "We don't like to say no," said William F. Ryan, South Jersey Gas president. "We're looking at the airport right now (Page 22 Please)

Union Trust Will Merge WILDWOOD — Cape May County's next-to-last independent bank won’t be that much longer Midlantic Banks Inc. of Edison has announced it will acquire the Union Trust Co. which has its home office in Wilchyood and branches in Wildwood. North Wildwood. Wildwood Crest. North Cape May'and Avalon. That will leave the First National Bank of Tuckahoe as the county's only independent bank. It has branches in Marmora and Greenfield, is the smallest in the county and “is not for sale,” according to Frank Dietrich, cashier. MIDLANTIC’s announcement said Union Trust will be operated as a separate bank for two years. F. Edward Benham, Union Trust’s vice president for customer relations, said its 60 employes are assured of jobs for that period, but "after that one never knows.” Midiantic's statement cited Cape May County as “one of the fastest growing counties in New Jersey” and said the merger of the two banks “will .benefit shareholders, broaden opportunities for employes, and offer expanded banking capabilities to Union Trust customers " MIDLANTIC HAS assets of $5 9 billion and about 3,400 employes in its 178 New Jersey offices. Union Trust has assets of $71.5 million First National of Tuckaho£ has assets of • $20 million, according to Dietrich. The Midlantic acquisition of Union Trust depends on approval from regulatory agencies and Union Trust shareholders They would receive $33 for each share of common stock, paid in cash and Midlantic stock.