Herald & Lantern 15 August '84 . — —

14 County Hi-Tech Companies? : — — —

(From Fage l) however, its author said. "Since high technology, by definition, v refers to leading edge industries, every effort was made to provide the most recent data available," Minde wrote in the preface to the state study. In its introduction, he answered Childs' query about "where they got their infor- < mation." Minde noted: "This study is based on administrative records from the New Jersey Department of Labor's Unemployment Insurance program. "THESE QUARTERLY RECORDS are I required from each employer in New i Jersey who employ one or more persons ' with quarterly earnings of $1,000 or more," he added. "This administrative data series ■ was selected because it provides a current i listing of all employers in the state, unlike i government surveys or Census documents which are often several years old by the time they are released." Nevertheless, the Commerce Depart- I ment figures are now two years old. Minde < continued : ' 'The third quarter of 1982 com- < puter tabulation of employes was provided for our analysis by the New Jersey Depart- I ment of Labor, from which 49 individual, 1 four-digit Standard Industrial Class ifica- i tion (SIC) codes were identified as < representing advanced, or high, ] technology industries in New Jersey. I "One limitation of this study," its author | conceded, "... is ... one code alone cannot i accurately describe all the different ac-

tivities in which the firm may be involved." Minde dismissed as improbable the possibility that a computer dating service could have been included on his list of county hi-tech firms. He said, though, that some of the local "leading edge industries" might be three- or four-person operations. SEVERAL ARE SMALL OPERATIONS, indeed, according to his study The two unidentified research and development firms together employ 15 people and the two local computer and data processcompanies he listed employ a totai of three. That doesn't mean the little New Jersey outfits aren't leading edge industries. After all, Thomas Edison started small upstate and wound up turning on the world. The Wright brothers' bicycle shop probably wouldn't have been rated as hi-tech the commerce departments and industrialists of 1903 even after the successful flight at Kitty Hawk. Childs and Patterson still wonder where the state Commerce Department foun<fl4 leading edge industries in the Cape. With more than two weeks to think about it, Childs could only come up with one comthat met his qualifications for the hitech designation — S perry Rand's experimental facility at the county airport in Erma. BESIDES SPERRY RAND, Patterson

suggested Orion Resdel, an airport outfit that works with epoxy tubing, and Associated Products of America, Orion's neighbor. The three companies, Patterson figured, might have enough engineering personnel to qualify for the federal definition of hi-tech and the state category of research and development firms. Since only two companies are listed, though, one of them must be^out. Other possible R&D qualifiers, Patterson speculated, might be the Wetlands Institute near Stone Harbor, and Marine Science Consortium near Palermo and a paint research firm in Ocean City. They could have scientists on duty long enough each year to meet the $l,000-a -quarter requirement used by the state Department of Labor as one of the criteria for the Commerce Department study. As far as the two computer and data processing companies listed in it, Patterson could only think of one, Automatic Business Centers, a payroll-bookeeping firm in Marmora. Yellow Pages list another data processing firm in Stone Harbor and one in Avalon. WHAT ABOUT THE 10 communications companies reported here, Patterson was asked. If you add local radio stations (6), to the cable companies here (3) and also count the telephone company and WAATTV40, they total 11, Patterson calculated. Subtract TV40, which has its business office in Atlantic County, and the total number of local broadcast companies

equals the number of communications firms listed by the state. Patterson didn't base his speculation on Minde 's SIC numbers. He recalled that each radio station is required to have a licensed engineer aboard. If the station only employs 10 people, with a single engineer it would at least qualify for the 10 percent definition of hi-tech used by the federal government According to Minde's stats, nearly 264,000 people are working for hi-tech companies statewide. That represents about 10 percent of New Jersey's private sector jot*. All 21 counties in the state have hi-tech firms, the report noted, with Bergen County leading at 552 and Salem County's at nine bringing up the rear just after Cape May County "Those figures I would have to question,' said Patterson, referring to employment data extracted . from the state Department of Labor's Unemployment Insurance program. He once collected that kind of information and sometimes found the figures fudged. Although the Chamber exec is bullish when it comes to local business, he seemed to think the hi-tech report was a little too bull-ish. Those who drafted it, he concluded, "are probably tryiqg to use that to induce other hi-tech firms to locate (here)."

News Digest (From Page l)

last week. A copy is on file at the County Library's main branch in Court House. Home-grotcn Free VILLAS — Lower Township Council is expected to adopt anpcdinapce after a public hearing nexFMonday night that would exempt farmers and residents from obtaining mercantile licenses for selling produce Hf they grow it on their properties and selkit there. The proposed ordinance (No. 84-2A) amends Ordinance 74-2 that requires minimum mercantile license fees of $25. The revised measure unanimously passed council on introduction July 30. Rape Reported VILLAS — Lower Township Police are investigating reports of the beating and rape of a Pennsylvania woman, 31, early Saturday morning, Lt. Charles Thornton confirmed Monday. According to the county prosecutor's office, the woman was picked up in North Wildwood and taken to an unknown location where she was possibly raped and beaten. Thornton said the woman was found battered and unclothed. Two young men in a small, dark pick-up have been tagged as assailants. Bay Okay: Sutton NORTH WILDWOOD - "We got clean results," Clay C. Sutton, county environmental program administrator, said last week of water quality samples taken <Jin the wake erf a July 24 sewage leak into the bay at West 6th Street. The county Health Department closed 20 blocks of bayfront to recreational use after a 10-inch main ruptured and leaked raw sewage. The main's been repaired and repeated tests showed a clean bay by Aug. 3, Sutton said, adding, "There's no cause for alarm at all." Dead Man Found WILDWOOD — Ernest Lozano, 25, a native of Columbia, South America, was pronounced dead Thursday afternoon by the county medical examiner where his body wais found by vacationers at Maple Avenue aad the Boardwalk. Police had all but ruled out foul play Friday when an autopsy was scheduled at Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital to determine the cause of Lozano's death. The autopsy report was apparently still pending release Monday night, according to city police. y

Seagulls Killed AVALON — Thirty-three seagulls were found dead at the Marion Armacost Park on Ocean Drive, apparently from being fed effervescent antacid tablets. Animal control officer Terry Nielson said a similar seagull kill occured in the same area around the same time last year and speculated August vacationers were responsible State laws provide for a $200 fine plus C06ts for killing seagulls and the county chapter of the Society for Cruelty to Animals offered a $100 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. Lockout Belleplain SEA VII J. F — State Assemblyman Guy F. Muziani announced last week that the state has abandoned plans to relocate a juvenile detention center from Atlantic County to the Marine Science Consortium on Route 9 in this upper Township community. County freeholders, township officials and local residents opposed state Corrections Department plans to move 30 youths from Manorwoods Academy, Estell Manor. The department is considering other locations, including one in Belleplain, Muziani said. Two Save Eight SEA ISLE CITY - Beach Patrol Lt Steven Kane and Patrolman Michael Larkin rescued eight children on two rafts that were blown 600 yards offshore Aug. 6 around 6:30 p.m., after resort lifeguards went off duty. A strong lanu breeze blew the rafts seaward and weakened the surf that would have helped push them near the beach. Kane and Larkin, a former lifeguard, manned a beach patrol surf boat and towed the uninjured children to shore at 39th Street. Eau de Sea Isle SEA ISLE CITY - It'U be another five to 12 weeks before resort residents and vacationers can breathe a little easier. That's the time span projected for repairs to sanitary sewer lines along Central Avenue. State environmental officials ordered the city commission to repair the broken main July 24. Since then, the estimated cost of emergency work has soared from $125,000 to $827,000 / a Exponential Groieth' RIO GRANDE — The county's Office on Aging became a Department on Aging last week. Freeholders "upgraded" it unanimously at the recommendation of Freeholder Gerald M. Thronton who said the department he beads had a staff of three when it started in 1971. Today: 57.

* 'House ' Wins NORTH WILDWOOD - George Mahana's Haunted House on Morey's Pier can reopen thanks to a recent ruling from the county Construction Board of Appeal. The city, and state Bureau of Code Enforcement, had no right to close the amusement as an unsafe structure two months ago, the county board decided in a 2-1 decision. A city fire official inspected the place in June and found that it lacked a third-floor exit, six smoke detectors and emergency lights. The state wanted nine safety inprovements. Crash Claims Couple VILLAS — Stanley Mankowski, 79, and his wife, Florence, 76, of E Alexander Avenue, were pronouced dead on arrival at Burdette Tomlin Memorial H ospital after a head-on crash Siinday afternoon along Fulling Mill Road. Headed east, Stanley Mankowski drove his car across the centerhne at a curve and collided with a car driven by Frank E Svitak, 27, of Locust Road, according to police. He was hospitalized with multiple injuries. Applying For Grant AVALON — Borough Council will hold a special meeting at 9:50 a m tomorrow, to authorize an application for a Small Cities Development Block Grant for Public Facilities. Administrator Andrew J Bednarek said he doesn't know how much he'll apply for, but the money would go for "flood mitigation, especially at the fire house, and also to repair or replace storm sewer outfall lines and flapper valves on the bay " The latter are believed to be a major cause of bay flooding. Musical Chairs TUCKAHOE - Upper Township committeemen are supposed to decide next week whether Bruno Tropeano, zoning board chairman, also can serve on the Planning Board. He was appointed to 0 that post in January after Solicitor James Waldron said he could serve as a Class II member. Waldron later issued a legal opinion to the contrary after the appointment was challenged. Tropeano ran as an independent Republican candidate for the committee seat held by Leonard Migliaccio Defeated in the May primary, Tropeano was selected as the Democratic write-in candidate.

Cut; Take 2 CAPE MAY — This resort needs a multi-level parking garage and its officials should try to furnish more perking sites rather than restrict the parking demand, local business people told city council last week Council tabled a resolution which would have prevented home and office owners in commercial zones from converting their properties into shop6 and restaurants. The measure had been proposed as a means of com bating the traffic congestion.

Sewage Plant . (From Page 1) Morrison, chief sewer plant operator, are 70,000 to 80,000 gallons a day. THAT APPARENTLY means the county can handle the sewage from a new nursing home without a costly expansion at the sewage treatment plant. The plant is called Holmes Creek Treatment Plant because it used to discharge effluent into Holmes Creek. That was changed to Crooked Creek in 1978 when the plant was enlarged, Morrison said. The Holmes Creek plant now discharges into Crooked Creek about 100 yards north of the Middle Township Sewage Treatment Plant. Middle's plant is a primary treatment operation, removing solids and adding chlorine; Crest Haven's is a secondary facility with a higher level of treatment.

' . as# Doris Word NEW MANAGER — James R. Stomp of Michigan officially became Lower Township's manager last week.