20 Herald & Lantern 26 September '84

* Doris Word

WINNERS — These young riders captured a bundle of ribbons at the Burdette Totnlin Hospital Auxiliary annua! horse show at the 4-H Club grounds last Saturday . Left to right. Denise Dwyer. I fr-y ear-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Dwyer of Cape May; Kim Urie, 1 0-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Urie of Erma; Kim Bieber. 9-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Bieber of Erma; and Jennie Matthews. 10-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Matthews of Cold Spring.

96th St.; DOT: Meet Goal or Pay

(From Page 1 » bureaucratic red tape delayed the start of construction from Oct. 15 of 1983 to Jan. 19 of this year. That gave Raymond three, instead of six. months construction time. So, the county. Stone Harbor and Middle Township gave the firm a two-week earlier start this year, from Oct. 15 to Oct. 1. (That was after turning down Raymond's request that it be allowed to work to May 31 this year.) * . , HOVICK SAID none of What matters when it comes to the penalty clause because the contract for stage one reads "... from date of award to April 20." "That's the contract." said Hovick. "We have to abide by it and they have to abide by it." Raymond officials, who were reasonably communicative during the project's first phase, have buttoned lips this time. Project Engineer Jon B. Wall, who's operating from an office on the Stone Harbor side of the bridge, said he's "been instructed to make no comment. It's company policy." He referred questions to Matt Barnes, Raymond's coordinator for the Eastern Region, in Rochelle Park. "THERE'S NOT too much 1 can say," said Barnes. "It's corporate policy. If anybody's going to tell you anything, it will be Texas (Raymond's home office in Houston)." Last April, when the bridge reopened and Wall was still allowed to talk, he said the job "will definitely run over next year."

Hovick, who lives in South Dennis and conceded he's enjoying this assignment because it's. close to home, spent the summer, except for a one-month vacation, on his job, monitoring shop drawings and various paperwork. But no one with Raymond was willing to discuss the various facets of the job that the firm was able to perform while the bridge was open. HOVICK. CALLING IT "a massive, sophisticated project," said there is a new program schedule and Raymond will use four crews (instead of three) plus four barges ; one at each end of the bridge, and two barge cranes in the water. Maximum number of workers at one timne, he guessed, would be 35 or 40, union people out of South Jersey hiring halls. Hovick files a weekly report on the project showing how much is completed in terms of time and dollars. In this case, he said, there is a pretty close relationship between the two. The job's just a little less than 20 per cent done, he said. Hovick said he expects Raymond to pour some decks in December, others in March, and do the mechanical and electrical work in the spring. Ho vide, incidentally, has his office in a home in Stone Harbor Manor on the Cape May Court House side of the bridge. This is a $3.5-million project, being paid 80 percent with federal money, 20 percent with state. It will have the same grade, but increase in width from 22 feet to 32 feet, and to 24 feet at the draw span, increasing its lane width from 11 feet to 12 feet. A sidewalk will be added across the south side of the draw span where pedestrians now have to walk in the road. Two items made this a particularly difficult project: the two-stage aspect, and the preservation of the double-leaf rail structure for historical purposes. The county originally proposed a onestage project, but went to two because of local concern at having the bridge closed during the tourist season. The rail bascule mechanism, which raises and lowers the bridge, is one of just a few in the entire country and local officials felt it should be kept for that reason. It makes for more work. Raymond had considered p recasting some of the concrete skirts (there are skirts and caps on 11 piers) to save time, but "that never got off the drawing board," Hovick said. That means weather will have a great deal to do with the schedule. Hovick said he was sure Raymond will "make every effort" to complete by April 19. Asked to guess whether it can be done, he said, "It's possible." For another indication, consider this week's news release from Freeholder William E. Sturm Jr. announcing that the bridge will be closed Monday "The bridge will be reopened to traffic on or about April 2C,l/it concluded.

How Long? i Frftm Page 1 > The project was behind from the start. Even the bid opening was postponed from Oct. 6 to Oct. 20 When Coastal, the low bidder, arrived on the job. it found electric lines closer than five feet to construction, a safety hazard that had to be alleviated. That gained Coastal a one-month delay in the project's completion deadline, from April 30 to May 30, but McGeddy said the county took 2'- months to move the poles The county denied that. Coastal later had a three-week delay waiting for sheeting piling, according to Walker. "They just couldn't make much progress." he said. Finally, the contractor had difficulty getting a satisfactory six -inch insulated water main which still isn't installed. Walker said the penalty is automaticallywithheld from the monthly payment to Coastal "It comes right out of my pocket every day." said McGeddy. "I'm going to dispute it." Walker said the work was 85 percent completed and should be done by Nov. 1 The project's specifications called for it to be done in two stages so that one lane of traffic would be open at aU times. The 48-year-old bridge was rated by the Department of Transportation in 1981 as the least safe in. the state.

„ News Digest ( From Page 1 > the choice of GOP candidates up to the county organization which backs Belts. Key Decision Due OCEAN VIEW — Dennis Township zoners are scheduled to hold a hearing tonight in Township Hall on ? variance requested to permit the construction of a roller skating rink in a residential zone on Route 9. just north of Woodbine-Ocean View Roa'd. Thirty members of the newly-formed Ocean View Civic Association have voted unanimously against the variance request. Trade-off — - SWAINTON - County MUA officials have switched $2 million, from funds to expand the new county landfill in Woodbine, to ward making plans for resource recovery. County freeholders last week guaranteed pnother $7.1 million in MUA bonds on the condition that the authorityaccelerate landfill alternatives like incineration recycling. With the latest guarantee, freeholders have agreed to underwrite a total of $18.8 million in MUA solid waste program bonds. And the Beat Goes On SWAINTON - County MUA consultants recommended last week that the authority spend another $1.6 million to control odors at MUA sewage facilities in Cape May, Ocean City and Lower Township. The authority has already spent $400,000 to fight odors at the $46 million Ocean City plant since 1982 The MUA is trying to get $400,000 for alleged design omissions in Ocean City from its former consultants, PQA Engineering Co., and $600,000-plus for other purported PQA mistakes. Speed Up? SWAINTON - A RIFS (Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study) (Mi the Williams' property toxic waste site ap- / parently won't start until December, and - take 8 to 18 months. Freeholders announced in June that the $540,646 study, financed by the federal Environmental Protection Agency, would begin in September. Freeholder Gerald M. Thornton credited the county's moratorium on construction within a mile of the site for "speeding up the process by almost five years." DEP said the RIFS was 9-12 months ahead of original plans and the building ban has nothing to do with that. The problem was discovered in 1979.

Two Vacancies? NORTH WILDWOOD - Councilmen Lewis Vinci and Anthony Visalli are interested in replacing Anthony Catanoso as mayor when he steps down Dec. 31 they said after he announced his retirement plans last week. Mayor since 1958 and a county freeholder since 1963, Catanoso. 67, decided not to seek reelection, as a freeholder in February. Councilman Lewis Ostrander said he'd like to replace Timothy O'Leary if he steps down as council president; O'Leary said he's considering it. Tune-in Next Week WILDWOOD — Formal hearings will be held by city council next week to investigate appointments in the Public Works Department and complaints about the Recreation Division, council announced last week. Councilmen will discuss Tuesday Earl Ostrander's appointment of Edward Williams as a sanitation foreman. On Thursday, they'll look into gripes about recreation programs and poor maintenance of the division's equipment and facilities. Raid Nets 22 SEA ISLE CITY — Operation Triple Header, a three-month undercover investigation, resulted in the arrest of 22 suspects at five locations here and two in Woodbine early Saturday. Police confiscated $3,000 in drugs and cuffed most of the defendants for selling cocaine, marijuana or methamphetamine. One suspect was also charged with a weapons offense, another with interfering with an arrest, police reported. Pastor Charged BURLEIGH — Elder Mose Saddler Jr. 54, of Starling Road, pastor of New Hope Pentecostal Church on Shunpike Road, was released on $25,000 personal recognizance bond last week after his arraignment on charges that he sexually assaulted a Homestead, Fla., girl, 15, at the church between April and August last year. Three alleged assults were reported to police in June after the girl watched a television program about incest. Wrong Number CAPE MAY — Jersey Cape Performing Arts Guild is looking for a permanent theater here for its Sandpiper Players but doesn't expect too many offers at the phone number listed in last week's story about the guild's search for a playhouse. The Sandpipers need about a 20- by 30-foot area to stage their performances and rehearse, but can't afford rent. Anyone in town willing to donate a loft, garage or other suitable facility is asked to call the correct number, 884-0054.

ENDING ORIENTATION — Participants in five-week orientation Droeram at RumUm* Tomlin Memorial Hospital for pre-med students get toge£ ™ right, standing, are: Debbie Silverman, Margate": Vic^M.'ur ^ZuT^t^Dr Robert Beitman, founder and advisor: John PradeUi. Cape Mas and New twt mW Florentine, Atlantie City; Riehard Battista. Brvn Maw, & Howe„ iTfsle O v and Willow Grove, P., Seated are Linda Reeves. Ocean Citr Barrv A^f wild^ Crest; Kellt Green. Linwood and Dianne Sehenek " Aro°' ""Idwdod