Herald & Lantern 6 February, 1985 18

DEP: Permit's Valid From Page 1 District 1 has is a valid permit until a new one is issued the spokesman added Karaso. in the local commission's first meeting last Wednesday with four other newly -elected board members, said he was told the permit expired in June or July of 1983 THE ENGINEER AND operator for the plant told Karaso at the meeting they were pretty sure the permit is not expired They indicated Karaso may have spoken to the wrong office The permit they said, is not a state permit but a federal permit for discharging waste into waters of the United States — and the issuing office is in New York, not New Jersey Karaso countered that the permit, nonetheless, goes through the state, and said he was told over the phone that it had expired The words were hardly out of Karaso's mouth when board secretary Helen Wescott said she received a phone inquiry about getting a sewer hookup permit for a woman who wants to convert part of her house into an apartment "What should I tell her'' Mrs Wescott asked "I also received an application with a check for the $100 fee from Samuel C. Stokes."' she added, to hook-up a vacant,lot in the Komney East sulidivision The outgoing commission issued 19 permits there a week earlier Lawmen Arrest 9 From Page 1 hindering apprehension. Smith and Hall are charged with possession of stolen property. Martin noted Both women were jailed in lieu of $10,000 bail, he said According to Majane, Douglass Gavetti is charged With possession of : methamphetamine with intent to distribute, stolen property (three counts), an unlicensed firearm, a dangerous weapon (a teargas grenade) and of hypodermic needles RICHARD GAVETTI faces charges of possessing hypodermic needles (133 of them) and two counts of possessing stolen v property. Majane said Besides a quantity of methamphetamine (speed). Law men have recovered some $4000 in stolen property "consisting of guns , stereos, televisions, and a video recorder." the sergeant added. During these arrests, there was the possibility that one of our officers could have been killed He said the property was recovered from the Gavetti apartment, a house in Rio Grande and from a boat, owned by one of the two suspects, at a marina in the Schellenger's landing section of lower near Cape May Speaking of the Gavettis. Majane said "We believe these individuals were substantial suppliers of methamphetamine to people in the Cape May County area." Richard Gavetti has been released on his town recognizance, the sergeant added. while the father was being held Friday in lieu of $25,000 bail at the county jail "The majority of the property stolen by the perpetrators has been traded for cash or drugs." Chief Denny informed lower's manager, James R Stump, in a Jan 28 memo By then, five of the suspects were ar rested "Some stolen property has beenrecovered and identified by the rightful owners . - lower Councilman David F. Brand Jr summarized Denny's memo for the public at township council's Monday night meeting last week Brand commended the 32-member town ship force, adding "During these arrests, there was the possibility that one of our officers could have been killed " 5% Pay Hike From Page 1 "We are holding the line, and a little bit less." he added "Our tax collections were up this year which gave us a little bit of a surplus " Blomkvest said the tax rate of 57 cents per $100 assessed valuation will actually drop to 56 cents. It will mark the ninth year of holding the tax rate steady, he said. The 1985 budget calls for hiring one more policeman and buying $15,000 worth of newparking meters, among other items. Council also announced it is applying for a $500,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs to replace and reroute the century-old sanitary sewer system on Columbia Avenue between Ocean and Jefferson streets. It is to include replacement of various sewer mains on intersecting streets.

"The board is withholding any permits at this point." Karaso declared\ Attorney John L. Ludlam. acting as temporary solicitor for the new commission, rose to say. "there's been a little misinformation in the newspaper" He claimed only five permits were issued at that meeting. "AS THE BOARD IS aware, it's a very controversial .situation, and I think you should defer any action until you consult with your attorney." Ludlam said The board, moments earlier, nominated Carmen Alvarez as solicitor She, it was said, had been approached about the job. hut was not present Two days later, she said that she had not been formally offered the job and could not comment She is marriod to Edgar Holmes, first assistant county prosecutor but practices under her maiden name Ed McGuire. a professional engineer representing Vincent Mustico, told the commissioners his client is still waiting to know whether he can open a restaurant in Court House McGuire said Mustico obtained conditional approval from the Planning Board to convert a four-bedroom house into a 36-seat restaurant The condition is that the sewer commission approve it too. The house, at 113 S Main St. is hooked into the sewer system. It's proposed that kitchen waste would be diverted to an onsite septic system. Less sewage than before would be going into the sewer system, nobody would be living in the house, it was said. But since the original papers were filed, McGuire said he learned the house has five bedrooms, not four, and that would change the gallonage comparisons somewhat. "I never went upstairs, that's my error. " McGuire said It was mentioned that on weekends, there are sometimes as many as 12 people living in the house Karaso replied that he wanted to wait until the sewer commission could appoint an engineer of its own to get his opinion WE'RE KIND OF IN a bind for time." McGuire said He wanted to know if a decision could be made at the next meeting to be held this afternoon "Well, we don't want to put the community at risk for time." Karaso answered Mustico said that the restaurant would be for local people Commission vice-chairman Philip Heck replied "I don't want personally put you off because I know you've been put off for some time But we're kind of in a fish bowl now and we've already turned down two people " Karaso added. "Right now. we do not have sufficient data to make a decision This board is only an hour and 10 minutes old We have a responsibility not only to our individual citizens, but to the community as a whole for what we're discharging, and for water quality You make it very difficult for anybody to bring a case before you." McGuire said "It's not a case of whether we are polluting, but how much we are." Karaso said. "We've been around the barn a couple of times on this before." said McGuire "I think we need some kind of input in order to make a decision," said Heck. TOWNSHIP ENGINEER Al Herman was nominated as the sewer board's engineer, but he declined. Could he suggest anyone local? he was asked. "I wouldn't want to do that." he replied • The average age of the new commission is 38 James Killian. 53. is the oldest Jeanne DeVico. 23. the youngest Philip Heck is 40. Michael Mills. 38. Albert Karaso. 37. • Killian nominated for secretary Leatrice Wescott. whose mother held that post for 30 years, and whose father, a.commissioner for 20. lost to Killian by five votes in the recent election. The motion was seconded by Mills • In noting the Wescott appointment. Karaso said. "We feel the need for transitional continuity from the old board to the new board." • Killian also nominated Heck as vice chairman. Karaso seconded it. DeVico nominated Karaso as chairman and Carmen Alvarez as solicitor. Karaso nominated DeVico as clerk, seconded by Mills. • All the nominations were quickly approved unanimously, with no challengers. • Attorney John L Ludlam, coaching the five through parlimentary procedures, jumped from his seat during their first vote as the new members answered, "here." "You're not taking a roll call, you're voting on a motion. You answer yes or no!" the lawyer advised.

FIRST MEETING — Newly -elected members of Middle Township Sewer District 1 commission hold their first meeting in Court House. Gathered last

week were, from left: Albert C. Karaso Jr chairman. James G. Killian Jr.; Thomas M Mills; Nancy J DeVico; and vice chairman Philip Heck

Tubes Lube Pill Bill

( From Page I ) Channel 40 newscast last Wednesday night. Channel 9 either picked up the story The Latern, The Press, or Channel 40 Thursday when Deputy Mayor Joseph Davis appeared on the Channel 9 telecast to oppose the pill allocation while a township office worker noted that the pills have been covered bv Lower for a number of years Blocks Project ( From Page 1 ) plant." Hearing officer. Steven Epstein noted in a 14-page preliminary report that high development sites must have direct access to a wastewater treatment system with adequatre capacity to treat the sewage from the development "The borough sewage treatment plant is currently at full capacity, and additional connections to the system have been bann ed by the Division of Water Resources." the report said "However. the site is targeted to be served by a new regional sewage treatment plant with secondary treatment capabilities by 1988, at which time the site will meet all the conditions for acceptability." the report added. Epstein said that CAFRA approval of the townhouse project would be "conditional" on access to a sewage system with adequate capacity. ANDREW BEDNAREK. borough administrator. was not available Monday, but his office said the borough had "heard about" the ban and was checking into it because no written notice was received from the state. Bednarek's office referred a caller to David Carrick, in charge of the town's sewer and water division, but Carrick was not available. The Avalon Home and Landowners Association outlined its objections at the Jan 23 hearing. "We feel the (sewer) facilities are already overtaxed, afid the plant at this time is not capable of handling what would be fed through the lines" by 42 more townhouses, said John A. Halbe. Jr., president of the civic group. Borough Council imposed a two-week construction ban in mid-1983. It was lifted when the town agreed to comply with DEP orders to make improvements to the plant . But 84 additional dwelling units were hooked up to the system last year, overloading the plant again, the local civic group said. "Waste water treatment has always been a borough problem from the time the original plant was built in 1958," Halbe said in a three-page statement entered into the hearing record. For the past five years, the Avalon sewer plant has been dumping more waste than it can properly treat into the back bays in summertime. Halbe said. Besides a CAFRA permit by the state, the townhouse project will need a borough zoning variance for building height and setback requirements. The three-story townhouses would rise 38 feet above grade, eight feet higher than Avalon allows. The proposed rear yard setback would be nearly 12 feet less than the 20 feet required by the zoning ordinance.

Channels 3 and 6 out of Philadelphia presented Municipal Clerk Claudia R. Kammer and Councilman Joseph Lonergan. respectively, as well as township residents' views on the issue. Lonergan repeated his opposition to township payment for pills reported in The Latern. KAMMER. HOWEVER, accurately observed that the oral contraceptives are not just used to prevent pregnancy, despite their name. Among other reasons, physicans prescribe the pills for women with irregular menstrual cycles. Echoing Davis, though. Rocco Romano of Town Bank called the proposed pill appropriation "ridiculous" during last week's council meeting. "Are you going to give something to the men for protection, too?" he asked the officials. "That's not a bad idea Roc." quipped Fothergill. "We'll take that up at the next (council) work session." Arguing that prescription plans are suppoed to cover medication for illnesses. Romano maintained that the pills are used for an entirely different reason. "That snot an illness." he said, "that's a pleasure." Township Manager James R Stump contends that the pills were covered in a former prescription plan for employes which was replaced by a plan that does not cover payment for them. SINCE THE TOWNSHIP is obliged, by contracts with its three unions, to provide the same prescription coverage as the previous plan, the manager said the township is also obligated to pay for the pills as a line item in this year's budget. There's some confusion about what is and is not mandated by union contracts, though, because James Lee. shop steward for Teamsters in the township Public Works Department, told Romano at the council meeting that pill coverage is not called for in the Teamsters' contract. Conceding the confusion. Fothergill said council would direct the manager to provide "some historical report" on the township's pill coverage in the past, the contracts and prescription plans. After the meeting, the mayor also asked Township Solicitor Bruce Gorman to research the questions. "We're all upset about it," Fothergill told council's audience earlier. Gorman passed copies of his report on the pill bill to councilmen Monday night. They reviewed the report in closed session. While the solicitor declined comment on the report. Stump announced that he plans to meet with employes about the matter this week. Campsite Permit OKd DIAS CREEK — Hacienda Campground. Middle Township, has been granted a CARFA permit by the state Department of Environmental Protection to expand the number of campsites. James Pearson, Hacienda owner, currently operates 200 campsites on 84* acres. The permit allows him to put another 150 campsites on 37 acres along Delsea Drive which has been designated a farmland conservation area. It was testified at a recent hearing that the land is not suitable for farming.