^ CAPE MAY o COUNTY ^ ^ £ttufl \ 1111 • ' . z1

Vol. 20 No. 24 If 13 Stewavt Carp. AD rights '•t«rv«d JUIK?13, 1984

\ Ocean, Bays Test Clean

By JOE ZELNIK CREST HAVEN - Almost all of Ca^e May County's ocean waters and back bay recreational waters are clean, according to the first run of the county Health Department's water monitoring program. "We're happy with it." said Clay Sutton, environmental program 'administrator, • "We're starting the season with really clean water. Everything looks beautiful." Of special interest was Avalon's back bay, closed from 31st to 40th streets last 9 summer because of a high fecal coliform j count, an indication of human sewage % pollution. Its readings, taken June 5. ranged from less than 2 MPNs ( most probably number) to 79. The state sets a maximum of 200. For

I j ocean w^ter. the state sets a maximum of SO. j ONLJr TWO OCEAN WATER samples topped 50. one in what Sutton last week called a "problem area. " / A reading of 926 came at Cox Hall Creek near the Lower Township sewage treatment plant. j "There's always a high count there," siaid Sutton. "It's not a bathing beach." Sutton said the department is doing "a very extensive special survey" at that site. "I have a feeling it does impact bay waters and could possibly affect bathing beaches," he said. He said the sewage treatment plant discharges effluent into the head of Cox Hall Creek where it stagnates and, more than a mile later, is pumped into the bay.

THE OTHER OCEAN W ATER problem area jwas a 79 MPN at Miami and Ocean avenues in Wildwood Crest. Sutton said that was nothing to be alarm ed about. "One test on its own means very little. We have to look for a trend." Other ocean water results: Ocean City: readings from 2 to 49. the latter at Surf Road and the beach Strathmere, Upper Township a 5 reading at Willard Road. Sea Isle City: two less than 2 MPNs and one 5. A valon : two less than 2 MPNs. Stone Harbor: two less than 2 MPNs NORTH WILDWOOD. from 5 to 49. the latter at Walnut Avenue and Central Avenue, near where the sewage treatment (Page 22 Please)

LOOKIV GOOD — Ann Melchiorrr of ( ape May Court House, lab supervisor for the County Health Department, cheeks ocean water samples.

News— ~ nippct Weeks ^ ■ o Top Stories Change of Command COURT HOUSE — With an emergency meeting Monday morning and handdelivery of four resolutions to the Secretary of State in Trenton, county freeholders accepted Sheriff Beech Fox's offer and took control of the County Correctional Center. Warden William Fisher reports to Freeholder James Kilpatrick now, and Fox, defeated for renomination in the Republican primary last week, jeft for a two-week vacation.

Purse Snatcher Alert CAPE MAY — City police are advising merchants and their employes to store purses in safe places after a woman, carrying a baby, lifted several employes' pocketbooks from beneath resort checkout counters. The suspect is described as white, with brown hair and eyes, between five-foot three - and fivefoot five-inches. Call police at 884-8414 with information. Highwayman Alert BURLEIGH — State police report that * a motorist, who stopped to help another driver on the Garden State Parkway south of here just after noon Friday, was a victim of highway robbery. The man he tried to help at milepost 5.5 northbound, /fulled a pistol, took the would-be helper's k cash, shut the hood on a pale red older QCy' (Page 43 Please)

Nurping Home Still in Doubt County Disputes Middle Sewage

By JOE ZELNIK COURT HOUSE — Cape May County's planning and health departments have raised objections to a proposed 120-bed nursing home on Magnolia Drive. The Health Department cited its own tests showing Crooked Creek to be

"severely contamined" and state DEP • (Department of Environmental Protection) reports that the Middle Township Sewage Treatment Plant, which discharges effluent into the ' reek is "over the design capacity." The Planning Department also questioned the plant's capacity, and included

criticisms based on such land use factors as lack of recreational facilities, an aesthetically pleasing environment, and sufficient lot size. EUGENE MAYER, president of Court House Associates which proposed to build and operate the Court House Convalescent Center, said the sewer questions were "legitimate." but the others were not. "I have tu work on the assumption there is sewer capacity." said Mayer, who has previously been told that" by Middle Township officials and owners of the land. "I would like to find out too If there isn't, I'm not going to do it. " Mayer proposes to buy 2'2 of ejght acres owned by Holly Associates, which includes Court House attorney Frederick W Schmidt Jr and Realtors Thomas J Repici. William H Tozour Jr and David J Kerr. . all of Avalon Real Estate But that sale is contingent on all necessary permits. including sewage service

THE MIDDLE TOWNSHIP Sewerage Commission has retained ou'sidy- experts to determine the plant's capacit>\and its current flow, numbers that shobld be available this month. ; At a DEP CAFRA (Coastal Area Facility Review Act > hearing in CourNipftse last week. DEP officials cited "anpverage daily flow" on May J of 96,000 gajons per day (gpdi and the county Health Department cited March figures showing 108.000 gpd. The plant's capacity is 100.000 gallons and Mayer has agreed to use a 12.000-gallon estimate for the proposed nursing home DEP'S "preliminary analysis" raised nine issues, but the sewer plant capacity was the key.. The analysis said that the plant "does not at this time have thp addi (Page 22 Please )<

Meanwhile, Upstream ...

COURT HOUSE — Two pipes practically side by side discharge effluent from two sewage treatment plants into Crooked Creek, just northeast of the intersection of the Garden State Parkway and Stone Harbor Boulevard. Last week. Cape May County Health and Planning department officials testified that one of those plants — the Middle

Township Sewage Treatment Plant — was at capacity. They also concede that the other plant — the county's own sewage treatment plant serving the complex of county buildings at Crest Haven — probably is. too. Each plant has a 100.000-gallons-per-day capacity. Middle's is a primary treatment operation, removing solids and adding chlorine; Crest Haven's is a secondary

| facility witt/a higher level of treatment No one kifawfc whether one, which one. or both plants are responsible for Crooked Creek being "severely contaminated." But Middle Township Sewerage Commission member Michael Vistenzo. his own plant criticized by the county, has been saying for some »;me that he'd "like to see the paperw k on their (the county's) plant." That should happen within a month, according to county Planning Director Elwood Jarmer The county Health Department has asked the state DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) to conduct 24-hour evaluations at both plants. "We don't want the county calling the (Page 22 Please)

VK igBL NOW IT GETS TOUGH — Graduation's rough. Goodbye classmates, fun, the carefree life. Hello cruel world of responsibility. It all brought tears to the eves of 4'2-year-old Dena Kozanas, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Kozanas of Wildwood Crest at gradtfetion ceremonies of the "For Kids Only Pre-Schooi Learning Center" in North Wildwood last week. More photos inside. V _ " j ^

Matalucci Goes for 11 DeVico Takes Dem Helm

By E. J. DUFFY COURT HOUSE - Former Middle Township Mayor Samuel S. DeVico took over the county Democratic Party helm from James R. Iannone at the party's reorganization meeting in its E. Pacific Avenue clubhouse last night. N Meanwhile, across the parkway in the old court house, GOP county committee members reelected Philip A. Matalucci {o an 11th yearly term as county Republican leader. Iannone. who has served as county Democratic chairman for three years, decided not to seek a fourth term so he can t

better prepare for another political campaign next year. As chairman, he ran unsuccessfully for freeholder last year and came within 1,477 votes of capturing a freeholder seat in 1962. /*\ "I'll be running for office in the very near future," he said, declining to name ■N^the post he'll seek. "I'll be making an announcement in January. " Iannone, 37, is an executive of Sands Department Store and Freda Real Estate, both in Sea Isle City. Hi«> replacement is vice president and a dfrectar of L.S. Riggins Oil Co. DEVICO. 52, was elected to seven con- ( Page 43 Please)