CAPE MAY COUNTY HERALD

Vol. 21 No. 5 1985 Seawave Corp/ All rights reserved. January 30, 1985

News The Digest Week's Top Stories Nanavati Wins Suit COURT HOUSE — Dr. Suketu Nanavati won his case against Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital when Superior Court Judge Marvin Rimm ruled Thursday that the cardiologist can remain on the hospital staff. Since 1982, the medical staff and board of governors have twice voted -to dismiss him. Nanavati said he may sue Burdette to recover $200,000 in legal costs, and he may build a stroke rehabilitation center in Cape May. Firemen, Police Win OCEAN CITY — Mayor Jack Bittner said this resort may consider a volunteer fire department in the wake of an arbitrator's award in favor of the paid firefighters. After more than a year of negotiations, the arbitrator awarded the firemen 7.3 percent raises, retroactive to Jan. 1, 1984, and 7.9 percent raises this year. Police also won their labor dispute with the city, but details weren't released last week. Motel Tax Posed TRENTON — As much as $30 million could be raised by imposing a seasonal one percent tax on motels, campgrounds, and other rental units in 95 shore communities. The money would be set aside in a trust fund to combat eroding beaches. The bill, sponsored by Democrats in the state legislature, is opposed by Assemblyman Guy Muziani, a Republican representing Cape May County. He said the measure puts the burden on one industry. Keep it Comin ' WILDWOOD CREST - Property owners here will be getting a break on their 1985 local purpose tax rate. Introduced last week by the borough commission, the '85 budget of $3 million projects a 3.1-cent rate decrease from last year. The new local rate will be 53.6 cents for each $100 of assessed value. No Connection BEESLEY'S POINT - Atlantic Electrie officials told county freeholders last week that they expect to increase the smokestack at the B. L. England generating station to 385 feet from 250 feet to get rid of sulfur dioxide gas emissions "higher than we'd like to see" around Somers Point. The next day, Atlantic County freeholders reported they'd like to burn their trash at the generating station. Atlantic Electric officials told the Herald-Lantern there was "no relation whatsoever" between the two proposals and "the idea of trucking trash to B. L. England would not work." Extending Deadline? TUCKAHOE — "Numerous difficulties" — like the tax collector's (Page 20 Please) County Courts To Make Move ERMA — The county courts operation — three courtrooms and all that go with them — probably 'will be moving to vacant space at the airport industrial park for 18 to 24 months. "They're not going to be comfortable," conceded Freeholder James S. Kil pa trick Jr., "There'll be some shoehorning." The courts now have about 30,000 square-feet in the courthouse, Kil pa trick ' said, and will move to about 13,000 squarefeet where two previous tenants vacated. A move is necessary while the courthouse complex is renovated. That should start between Sept. 15 and Oct. l, Kilpa trick said.. The "temporary facility" at the airport "appears to be our best bet," Kilpatrick said, "because of economy and availability of space." The economy stems from being a county-owned facility. Hie only cost is loss of revenue that might have come in if it were rented. Previous tenants Shell Oil and Sonat left (Page 21 Please)

Old Sewer Board Fades Away 1

Doris Ward

FINISHED HOME — This new house is in the subdivision along Romney Place and Crest Road, Court House, where sewer permits were issued for 19 vacant lots.

Panel Gets in Last Licks Issues 19 Sewer Permits

By JOHN DONOHIJE COURT HOUSE - A skeleton sewer commission, in one of its last official actions, last week issued permits for 19 sewer hookups in the Romney East subdivision being developed by Romney Associates. One of two Middle Township Sewerage District 1 commissioners, John M. Ludlam, said later that he didn't know who the permits were issued to. The matter was handled perfunctorily in about 30 seconds. The Herald-Lantern was told that a

dozen of the permits were issued to Romney Associates for 12 unsold lots. The other seven were issued for $100 each to Barbara Kerr, Joseph D. Rich, Roger J. Soens, William H. Tozour, Pamela Bond, and Marino Cosenza; he got two sewer permits. Romney Associates includes Cosenza, Thomas J. Repici, manager of Avalon Real Estate's Court House office; builders William H. Tozour Jr. and David J. Kerr; attorney Frederick W. Schmidt, and Realtor Rogers. When built, the 19 homes would add an (Page 21 Please)

Law Duties are Split Up

By JOE ZELNIK COURT HOUSE - Freeholders have I divided the legal duties formerly held by Albert M. Ash of Ocean City between two attorneys. Harry A. Delventhal Jr. of Ocean City was named county counsel, reportedly at a salary of $55,000 a year. Louis F. Hornstine of Wildwood was retained to handle the county's litigation at $45,000 a year. Both start Feb 1, Ash's retirement date. Their total salary of $100,000 compares with the $81,000 Ash made in his final year via a last-minute, retroactive pay hike (see related story). Prior to last month, he was making $69,000 a year. Freeholder Director Gerald M. Thorn - ton,in charge of county counsel, did not return repeated Herald-Lantern phone calls. A Thornton proposal to add a third attorney to the stable, Vincent Lamanna Jr., municipal judge in Avalon and Stone Harbor, was removed from the freeholders' agenda at the last minute last week. Thornton had leaked Lamanna 's position to the /ftuantic City Press a week before it was supposed to happen, including Lamanna 's salary — $15,000 — and his duties — advising the Planning Board and Health Department. The Press reported this on Jan. 17 and on Jan. 23, reported that it happened at the freeholder meeting of Jan 22. But it didn't. Lamanna told the Herald-Lantern Friday that he had been "asked if I was interested, but I haven't committed myself yet. It's under consideration." Diane E. Rudolph, county administrator and clerk to the Board of Freeholders said

the Lamanna resolution "was not introduced or acted upon." Freeholder Herbert (Chuck) Frederick told the Herald-Lantern he did not realize the resolution was not voted on. Freeholder William E. Sturm said he didn't know why it didn't come up. Freeholder James S. Kilpatrick Jr., an Ocean City attorney, said he thought the appointment may have been "postponed. There was a request by the director of the board (Thornton) that it be removed from the agenda." Freeholder Ralph W. Evans could not be reached. The board doesn't meet again until 4 p.m. Feb. 7. Delventhal will be a county employe, but his duties will exclude condemnations and (Page 21 Please) Freeholders Bid Goodbye To Ash COURT HOUSE - County Counsel Albert M. Ash of Ocean City attended his final freeholder meeting in that capacity last Thursday night. In his letter to the freeholders announcing his retirement. Ash said he'd been acting counsel since 1960 and counsel since 1971. In that time, he said, he had served with three clerks to the board and 17 freeholders. Each of the freeholders praised Ash and Ash said he'd miss them. They raised his • (Page 21 Please)

New Commission Regroups Today BY JOHN DONOHUE COURT HOUSE — Less than 40 percent of eligible voters came out following a snow storm Saturday, to barely defeat the remnants of a sewer commission that had not held elections in 20 years. It marked the withdrawal of John M. Ludlam, who chose not to run after 28 years on the Middle Township Sewerage District 1 Commission, and his younger cousin, John L., who quit after 13 years as its lawyer. But not before he took charge of operations and ran the election. Then he was asked by the- victors to stay on as their legal counsel, too. The only incumbent, LeRoy S. Wescott, who occupied 12th place on the alphabetical ballot, came within five votes of being re-elected, he lost to James G. Killian Jr., 89-84. Wescott was a commissioner for 20 years. But, as the tallies were being doublechecked, one of the candidates, Thomas M. Mills, was awarded 10 extra votes by those in charge to catapult him to fourth place with 96 votes and a seat on the new commission. Mills, the Herald-Lantern has reported, was among a slate recuited by attorney Frederick C. Schmidt and Realtor Thomas Repici which included Dr. John Napoleon, Gregory Willis, Joan Tinney and Lawrence Macatee. They have denied it. The top five vote-getters of 13 candidates were elected. Victors were Philip Heck, with 140 votes; Albert C. Karaso Jr., 117; Nancy Joanne DeVico, 103; Mills, 96; Killian. 89. DeVico is married to a nephew of former Middle Township Mayor Sam DeVico. Heck is a teacher at Middle Township Highschool. Karaso runs a furniture store in Wildwood. Initial tallies gave Mills only 86 votes. Other corrections were also made, giving DeVico, Heck and Karaso two more votes and Willis, one more. THERE WERE THREE absentee ballots in which eight votes were cast. Eight other ballots were declared void. Runners up were Wescott with 84 votes (Page 21 Please) Delays Snarl Dump Cleanup By JOE ZELNIK SWAINTON — Elwood R. Jarmer said it was "an inexcusable excuse." The county planning director was responding to complaints from his board that plans to clean up the Williams hazardous dump here are going nowhere. The "excuse" being given is that Wheaton Industries of Millville, named by the DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) as "a potentially responsible party," has sued to do its own RIFS (Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study). Wheaton's suit aginst the county, DEP and federal Environmental Protection Agency, was supposed to be heard last Friday in U.S. District Court, Camden, but it's postponed until Feb. 7. THE COUNTY FILED a related suit against the Wiliams family and Middle Township. Originally scheduled in Superior Court last month, it was postpon(Page 21 Please)