Herald & Lantern 2 May '84 3

Hy-Land Appeal Claimed It Would Have to Close

COURT HOUSE - Middle Township Sewerage Commission turned down a last-ditch request by the Hy-Land Motor Inn last week for permission to connect tc Middle's sewage treatment plant. Letters to the commission dated April 12 and April 19 from North Wildwood attorney Henry Gorelick Mid the commission that, if it did not reconsider, it would "compel the closing of the facility at the very' outset of the busy tourist season" and this "would visit a disproportionately harsh and irreparably harmful impact upon my clients." But the commission did not reconsider, the motel was disconnected from the sewage line on April 21, and the motel remains open Gorelick, representing mote! owner Thomas J. Repici. also sent a formal application and a $100 fee. The commission, at . its meeting April -25. voted t9 return the check and put the application with others that are being held until the sewage treatment plant capacity and flow can be determined. GORELICK'S LETTER to the commission appeared to be the first public admission that Rtpiri had connected his motel to a subdivision called Romney East which he and four partners own. Gorelick had written: "By reason of possible inadvertence, mistake or neglect on their part, a sewer connection was m£de into the Romney Estate extension along Crest Road within the last

severs i months without the appropriate application bqing filed and the connection fee paid. "During the interim," Gorelick wrote, "my clients... not only disengaged the preexisting hook up to an on-site disposal system, but in addition authorized landscaping work in conjunction therewith to render the entire system inoperative on a permanent basis. There is no ability or capacity to reestablish the disposal line to the old on-site treatment facility inasmuch as it has been demolished." GORELICK WROTE that "strict compliance" with the commission's April 11 order to disconnect "has the practical effect of denying sewer disposal facilities to the Hy-Land Motel." Neither Rej&ci nor Gorelick returnee phone calls from the Herald. 4 The commission did not read the Gorelick letters at its meeting. Solicitor John L Ludlam simply reported that he had the letters "asking for possible reconsideration" and said thev were "made moot by the severing of the line." That line severing was. affirmed to the commission by a letter from Alvin C. Herman, consulting engineer. THE COMMISSION also withheld action on a request from Court House attorney Frederick* W. Schmidt Jr. for renewal of a permit for a 147-patient nursing home, called Court House Convalescent Center on Magnolia Drive to connect to the sewer system

"contingent upon actual capacity..." Holly Associates, a partnership that includes Schmidt, Repici and Avalon Real Estate Realtors William H. Tozour Jr. and David J.JCerr, can sell 2.5 acres of eight acres it owns on. Magnolia to the convalescent center if necessary permits ^nd sewage service are available. The commission had okayed the connection Sept. 1, but it expired March 1. The commission has estimated the home would add 12,000 gallons a dav to thesystem. SCHMIDT WROTE that Court House Associates, the firm that intends to build and operate the home, is "concerned about the impact of delays on their project. "1 am afraid that without some interim confirmation of their (the commission's) willingness to provide the allocation as to capacity, the project will be stalled." Schmidt wrote. He concluded: "Please keep in mind that this project is a $4,000,000 plus ratable which, at the current tax rate, would generate $125,000 in real estate taxes Without causing a corresponding increase in expenses. Likewise. it will generate an additional $3,500 plus in sewerage fees for the district without requiring any additional expenditures " THE COMMISSION moved ahead on determining the capacity of the 46-year-old sewage treatment plant by approving'a

professional service agreement with engineer Herman. They also gave Herman authority to have the ! plant flow meter calibration checked by "instrument man" Ernest Williams and to bring in Ellson Killiam Associates of Millburn, a hydraulic and sanitary engineer, "to measure the plant and. based on design criteria., settle this controversy.^/ Herman estimated cost "in the order of $1,000" to determine plant capacity and flow. Herman's contract sets a $50 an hour rate for attending the commission's meetings. $40 an hour for other meetings, plus 17 cents a mile. The commission also approved a professional service agreement with Solicitor Ludlam at a rate "not to exceed $75 per hour.". Both have worked for the commission for years, but without contracts. The commission's 1984 budget allocates $5,000 for the two professional services. The agreements approved last week are retroactive to Jan. 1. THE COM MI-SSI ON voted to seek bids to have sludge removed from the sewage treatment plant every three months. Caprioni Sewerage Service of Belleplain currently does the job twice a year, but commission member Michael Vistenzo said the cost for four times a year will exceed $4,500; requiring that bids be sought The need to go from once a year to twice a year last year was one reason given

for a 15 percent rate facrease th$ took effect Jan. 1. 1963. Vistenzo said that doubling the frequency of sludge removal "is not an indication of increased sewage flow," but- would simply make it easier to be pumped out. Dominick Caprioni has confirmed to the Herald that he prefers pumping liquid sludge and that, with .--twice-a-year pumping, "it's killing my pumps They let it go so long you could walk on it." BETTV DEENY of High land Road in Court House asked the commission to comment on charges in a March 28 letter to the editor of the Herald from Dr. Russell J Down, headlined "Middle's 'Health Gamble.* " - She said Clav Sutton, environmental program administrator .with the county Health Department, told her the. points in the letter Were "valid." The' commission asked Herman to examine the letter and respond. Sutton told the Herald Monday that he had agreed that Down's ' technical points were "fairly textbook." but added that "the distances of treatment plant outfalls" assured tjiat 'effluents are diluted before they get to homes ..." MRS. DEENY also said she asked Sutton if the county had ttold the sewerage commission to connect the Jamesway Shopping Center and Sut ton replied, "not exactly." she said. That brought wide smiles

from commission members, presumably since the Health Department has suggested the connection but rued the plant's lack of capacity. Solicitor Ludlam reported *he's had no response to . this inquiry to the state Attorney General requesting procedures to follow in electing a new board. New regulations - mandated it go from three members to five and hold an election in January, but the commission didn't get that information in time. Ludlam has said. Chairman John M. Ludlam has been on the t board since 1957; Vistenzo and Leroy Wescott were elected to the board in 1965 with one voter present, to . their recollection. Solicitor Ludlam said he thinks persons miist be district sewage customers and registered voters to vote. The commission, which held its first 1984 meeting April 11. set a special meeting at 4 p.m. May 9 in the Middle Township Municipal Building to open bids for liquid chlorine. It has set a regular meeting schedule of every fourth Wednesday at 4 p.m Rabies Clinic WILDWOOD - Dog and Cat Vaccinatioa Clinic will . be held 1:30 p.m May 5 at the City of Wildwood * Maintenance Barn. Hudson ana Schellenger Avenues Cost is free. If it has been three years or more since a pet has been vaccinated against rabies it is due to - be vaccinated.

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