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Herald & Lantern 21 December '83

Digest

(From Page 1)

Hark: Early Deadlines COURT HOUSE -j- Herald and Lantern employes will celebrate Christmas and New Year's too. So, advertising and news for next week’s issue must be received by 5pm tomorrow, Thursday, and for the Jan. 4 issiie by 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 29. The office at N. Main St. will be closed Dec. 26"and 27 and Jan. 2 and 3.

kin’ Good VILLAS — Two weeks ago, Frances Regan couldn't get a wheelchair ramp. Now she’got two offers. Jack Bowman of Baysidej Village said this week his firm will have a'famp completed “within a week after'the 85-year-old widow signs a release form^eing prepared by the county Welfare Department. And Marianne Sheik of the department said the Atlantic CjtV Council of the Telephone Pioneers of America also has volunteered to do the job. watch this space to see who does it when/

State Parkway, will gather with township, school and police officials to answer questions about their past, present, and future. ,

Salaries Settled (?) WILDWOOD — Six hours of debate over the salary for Mayor Earl Ostrander ended after 1 a m. Thursday when city council decided he should draw $16,000 a year. Council President Victor DiSylvester will be paid $5,500 and councilmen $5,000 each. Although council rejected Ostrander’s seven nominees for department heads, it set their salaries from $22,000-$40,000 for full-time positions.

New Year’s Resolution COURT HOUSE — County^freeholders introduced a resolution last week calling for a 25 percent hike ($3,000) in the five members' $12,000413,000 salaries. Final action on the measure is scheduled at a Jan. 10 public hearing. The freeholders’ last pay increase was a $1,000 raise in 1980. The same $3,000 pay hike proposal

was withdrawn this year.

The Who?

' COURT HOUSE - The “ZPs” will reveal all at a public meeting in the

Middle Township High School cafeteria at k Too Much Too Soon

6:3Q tonight. The Zulich People,

described as a group of young people who like to party at milepost 8.8 of the Garden

Lower, MUA-

(From Page 3) noted, the incinerators could generate power for industrial customers if the plant property wepe converted into an industrial complex Before the study was unveiled. Lower Committeeman Robert Fothergill had one potential customer for the steam power the i n - cinerator could produce Edward Smith, owner of Smith's Landfill, announced the closing of the dumpsite that had taker, trash from municipalities and haulers in the lower end of^he county. Lower Township and Smith successfully negotiated a municipal lease of the dumpsite toward township operation." but the deal remains in limbo without state Department of Environmental protection approval. While Smith's customers calculated the additional cost of trucking their trash - to the next closest landfill, Mar-Tee in Middle Township, its owners announced that the dumpsite had reached design capacity: they projected its closing within a few weeks MUA officials expect to open a county landfill in Woodbine next spring ; -,nd have been pushing to keep Mar-Tee open until then. To counter the haul to Woodbine, the MUA studied a number of trash transfer station sites and recommended a 19-acre tract along Shunpike in Burleigh, Middle Town-

ship.

Shunpike residents and Middle officials opposed the recommendation and proposed MUA property at the county Crest Haven complex instead. Other alternatives to the Shun-

THE COMMITTEEMAN, however, wants to see Lower Township acquire the facility from Harbison-Walker and operate it as a municipallyowned utility that supplies incinerator-generated power to industrial tenants and other users of the property. Last week, the county freeholders gave the MUA the go-ahead for construction of a trash transfer station at Burleigh. If MarTee closes before that station opens. Fothergill also wants to use the magnesite plant as a trash transfer station for local haulers until the county landfill opens — that rather than truck trash to a more distant

dump.

His figures show that it will be cheaper for Lower to haul its trash directly to the new landfill instead of the Burleigh transfer

station.

Cheaper still would be a township-run incinerator at the magnesite plant, he reasoned, since the township would avoid hauling expenses, could charge other haulers tipping fees below those projected at the ButHeigh station or Woodbine landfill and could sell the power supplied by the incinerator to clients in a township-

operated complex.

Last week. Lower Township Committee tentatively adopted an ordinance which, if approved after a Dec. 28 public hearing. will create a township Incinerator Authority to coordinate plans for the proposed magnesite plant take-over and conversion into an incinerator-

powered complex.

THIS WEEK. Fothergill confirmed, the township will begin negotiations with

a.Lti iiawvto i/rc onuu- ucsui negotiations WHO pike transfer station were^the plant owners toward also suggested at a meeting that take-over, and meet

last month of municipal of ficials from the lower end of the county — including Fothergill’s proposal for incinerators at the magnesite

plant.

with MUA officials to discuss it and related issues. The township, he added is also drafting an application for a Small Cities grant to help finance

Cape May County freeholder last month, this week lambasted the board’s 25 percent pay hike proposal and compared it with the 5 percent increase county employes received. She said freeholders also get benefits, mileage reimbursement and “other expenses.”

Hunter Wounded HIGBEE BEACH — Salvatore Esposito, 30, of Trenton was listed in fair condition at Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital on Monday, recovering from a shotgun wound to the chest suffered Friday when another hunter in Esposito’s party accidentially shot him at the Wildlife Management Preserve. The preserve is a habitat for migratory birds including the endangered Bald and Golden r "

Two for Tony

ERMA — Cape May County Industrial and Economic Development Commission will have two vacancies to fill the first of, next year. Terms of James Billmeyer of Lower Township and Leon Cheesman of Woodbine expire this month. County freeholders make the appointments and director Anthony T. Catanoso is in charge of the agency.

PALERMO — Georgette Bond-Shiriey, unsuccessful Democratic candidate for

the project if it gets off the ground. The MUA, however, issued a press release late last week, announcing a feasibility study it has com missioned on the possible use of the magnesite plant as a "county waste-to-energy facility." Results of the study are due in 60 days. If it concludes that the MUA should acquire the magnesite plant and operate it for county waste processing, the MUA could - bump Lower Township out of the picture .even if the municipality takes over the Harbison-Walker property. The MUA press release seems misleading, though, since it implies that a county waste operation at the magnesite plant would be the sole "waste-to-energy" facility in the county, George Marinakis, MUA executive director, conceded Sunday. The MUA. he said, is actually looking at the plant as just one of several incinerators it might eventually install throughout the county. ^ Given the $1 mUlion minimum asking pripe for the property from Harbison Walker and twice that amount in its recently assessed value, the Sunset Beach plant would be uneconomical to operate as a mere auxiliary station for the MUA, Fothergill noted. Given its potential wastehauling savings to the township and municipal income from haulers, tenants and energy users, the magnesite plant would be a money-making enterprise for Lower, he maintained. “It’s in a bad location in regard to where the waste is generated." Marinakis said of the plant. “IT IS." Fothergill said, from a county perspective. "But it’s not for Cape May, Lower. West Cape May, Cape May Point and Wildwood Crest — it’s great for them. " v* Those municipalities and other former clients of (Page 44 Please)

Public Hearing WEST CAPE MAY —Borough officials will conduct a public hearing at 10 a.m. Dec. 27 on their proposed application for a $350,000 Small Citys grant. If submitted to the state as proposed, and approved, the grant money would be used for loans and grants to borough business owners for improvements to their properties and operations. The hearing will be held in Borough Hall, 732 Broadway.

Silver Lining OCEAN CITY — Despite $70,000 in unexpected legal bills, the city expects to end 1983 with a $150,000 operating budget surplus — mainly because it paid $122,000 less than expected in mandated contributions to the state pension fund for municipal employes. Another $22,000 went unspent on salaries because voters last month rejected a referendum calling for pay increase due six city managers.

Tax-Exempt CAPE MAY — Shelton College will not pay $22,000-plus in local taxes next year on its $1,264,200 property, the city tax assessor reported last week. A court ruling allows the church-affiliated college to graduate students through May — in effect, conceding its tax-exempt status until then. Since the city can only grant 12-month tax exemptions, Shelton will be exempt forjhe full year. College officials have been battling state requirements for a degree-granting license.

19 Homeless OCEAN CITY — Nineteen fire victims were left homeless Sunday morning when a kerosene heater sparked a blaze in their Central Avenue apartment building. Monetary donations to aid the victims can be made to the Ocean City Retail Merchants’ Association c/o Boyd’s TV, 925 As bury Ave. (Zip08226). Donations of clothing and furniture can be left at the fire station, Sixth and Asbury'avenues. Call 399-6116 for clothing sizes and other needs.

Switching Judges COURT HOUSE — Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital’s board of governors voted unanimously last week to ask Superior Court Judge L. .Anthony Gibson to disqualify himself from hearing Dr/ Suketu Nanavati’s suit against the hospital for dismissing him. Despite objections from the cardiologist’s attorney, Gibson decided his friendship with Vincent J. Lamanna Jr., former Burdette governor and vocal critic of the hospital board, warranted turning the case over to Judge Marvin N. Rimm.

Mar-Tee Still Open COURT HOUSE - Mar-Tee landfill in Middle Township will continue to operate while Superior Court Judge John Callinan weighs its owners’ and county requests to amend a consent agreement, allowing the dumpsite to remain open until a new county landfill begins operations in May. Unless the amendment is allowed, the state Board of Public Utilities will be required to order Mar-Ttee’s closing if the state Department of Enwaonmental Protection shows that the dumpsite has reached its design capacity.

Red Lining SEA ISLE CITY — Commissioners unanimously approved $64,000 in emergency appropriations from next year’s budget to cover unforeseen 1983 expenses, including $35,000 in medical coverage increases and $30,000 in utility bills. Commissioner William VanArtsdalen is now shopping for a new and cheaper 1984 insurance carrier.

Paid-up

\

OCEAN CITY — Faced with a

contempt of court hearing Monday, city - officials decided during a closed session last week to pay lawyer Robert Fleming $16,000 for representing the city fire and ■^police chiefs in a suit filed last spring by Mayor Jack Bittner. A court settlement called for payment of Fleming’s bill and Bittner’s cooperation in making it. When the mayor blocked payment, Fleming

asked the court to intervene.

Decision Jan. 12 CAPE MAY — School officials are expected to decide Jan. 12 whether the city can operate a parking lot adjacent to the elementary school on Lafayette Street. More than 100 city residents turned out at a special school board session on that proposal Saturday, many of them to protest the plan.

Shipwreck Probed NEW YORK — Coast Guard officials opened an investigation Monday after Capt. Robert Hooyman. 31, skipper of the 80-foot commercial fishing boat, “Liberty," failed to appear for a informal inquiry into its capsizing last week in Manasquan Inlet. Stanley Tomlisson, 40, of Wildwood and Frederic Dieckmann, 31, or Manasquan died afterward. Other crewmen were injured. Michael Tomlisson, 17, of Wildwood and William Bates, 24, of North Cape May are missing and presumed dead.

Lower Drug Arrest MIAMI BEACH — James F. MulIhoUand, 57, of 1626 E. Eyre St., Philadelphia, is being held at the county jail in lieu of 626,000 bail following his arrest late Sunday morning for distribution of heroin and a controlled dangerous substance. Police reportedly found a quantity of methaqua lone and a loaded .357 Magnum after the arrest at 131 W. Schellenger Ave. which climaxed a four-month probe by Lower Township and county lawmen.

No Traction OCEAN CITY — Police closed 22 blocks of Bay Avenue for four hours last Tuesday morning whUe road crews cleaned up 50 gallons of kerosene spiUed from tank truck owned by Tidewater Utilities of Unwood. The driver was apparently unaware of a leak but police were investigating the incident.