20 Herald & Lantern 6 March, 1985

School Budget Hearings Slated

By E. J. DUFFY ERMA — Public hearings are scheduled next week on local and regional school district budgets which should cancel each other's projected impact on the township's 1985 tax rate Although Lower Township (elementary) School District projects a one-cent hike in the rate. Lower Cape May Regional (LCMR) forecasts a two-cent decrease with a drop, from 64.4 to 62.6 percent, in the townships portion of the regional tax bill shared by Cape May and West Cape May The balancing one two combination means Lower taxpayers will actually pay a penny less for schools on each $100 of assessed property value if both school boards adopt the budgets unaltered and if township voters approve them with the districts candidates during April 2 elec tions see related story below).

LCMR'S BOARD PLANS final budget action after an 8 pm public hearing in the high school library here next Tuesday The following day elementary district board members are slated for final action after an 8 p m budget hearing in Maud Abrams School, Cold Spring The elementary district's proposed 1986- '86 budget projects $4,238,857 in current expenses. $184,698 for debt service but nothing for capital outlay since voters approved $800,000 in bonding for roof repairs during a special January election Voters will be asked to approve $2,851,087 of the current expenses As proposed, the elementary district budget represents a $339,197.82 increase over the 1984- 85 measure that included $3,985,617.18 in current expenses. $15,000 in capital outlay. $83,740 for debt service for a total of $4,084,357.18 At 16,872,530.50. LCMR's 1985- 86 propos ed budget represents a $323,104.50 hike

over the 1984- 85 budget The newest measure projects $6,288,822 in current expense. $50,000 in capital outlay and $333,708.50 for debt service Last year, votefs approved $4,439,770 in current expenses and $56,000 in capital outlay This year they will be asked to approve the $50,000 capital outlay appropriation. $4,703,847 of the current expenses and $925.000 in bonds for roof repairs and other improvements Jane D. Turkington. LCMR board secretary, and Nancy Bailey, secretary for the elementary board, said last week they had not calculated what impact their district budgets would have on the local tax rate Those calculations are complicated because both districts operate on fiscal years while the township uses the calendar year, and because township taxpayers are assessed at a changing percentage for Lower's share of LCMR's expenses According to Turkington. the township

share dips from 64.4 percent in 1984-'8S to 62.6 percent in 1985- 86 compared to increases. from 31 to 32.2 percent for Cape May and 4.6 to 5.1 for West Cape May Cape May Point will be paying $3,600 instead of $3,300 for each of the six students it sends to the district high or middle schools, she said BASED ON THE LATEST percentage and the proposed budgets. Wade G Cooper, township treasurer, estimated that the elementary district budget will increase the school levy from 45 to 46 cents on each $100 of assessed property value He figures LCMR's rate will drop from 50

to 48 cents, though, for a net decrease of one cent. That will help offset somewhat the 17-cent tax rate increase projected in this year's township budget If approved unchanged and on schedule after an 8 p.m. public hearing March 25 in Township Hall, the jump from 36 to 53 cents on each $100 of assessed property value will cost the owner of a $50,000 home another $85 a year Any break in school tax levies will help reduce that amount as would any decreases in fire district tax rates, the county and its library tax bills Their impact is still unknown but looks favorable Although the county projects a slight increase in its overall levy, that's based on properties assessed at 100 percent of market value. In Lower. Cooper noted, properties overall are assessed at roughly 117 percent of market value because of the recent revaluation. That prophably translates into a slight decrease in county and library rates. Last year, the library levy was two cents and the county rate was 35 cents on each $100 of assessed property value Then, the First District No. 1 (Villas) rate was three cents. Fire District No 2 (North Cape May-Town Bank) was 3.4 cents, and the rate was 4.1 cents m Fire District No. 3 (Erma. Cold Spring. South Cape May, Shawcrest. Diamond Beach and Schellenger's Landing). While the fire district budgets are up this year over last year, so is the value of properties they're based on, so the increases may have a negligible or positive effect on the tax rate

County Asked to Aid Employe Health

(From Page 1) Melchiorre suggested a policy of rewarding employes with well days off from work for non use of sick days That it. if a person used 10 of 15 sick days, he could get five well days "That would probably take an act of God." conceded Melchiorre He also a recommending that employees, be released from wort for 1 1/2 hours a week for six weeks to take the Lung Associations "Kick the Habit" program to stop smoking That course costs $35. but participants get a $10 rebate after attending the first five classes Melchiorre said he would ask the Lung Association to rescind the fee THE COUNTY follows the state's smok ing policy he said prohibiting smoking tn public areas But there are no rules in work areas he said He said he'd like some "facilities for ex ercise and showering, plus bicycle stands in all county buildings but that may be fiscally and physically impossible I don't know how far you could go with that ' said Melchiorre "I don't think the taxpayers would say 'let's build the employees a gym ' " Melchiorre also complained that "we have a snack machine full of junk and soda machines. but no juice machines ' The Court House has no snack or soda machines The county Library Building has an Enjoy Coke machine on the se cond floor offering Sprite Dr Pepper and Diet Coke The Social Services Building at

Rio Grande. Melchiorre said, has both a soda machine and a juice machine MELCHIORRE ALSO suggested that the Health Department resurrect a discontinued blood pressure program that took that service by van to all employes "We thought everybody knew their blood pressure, he said We made a miscalc ulation " The county study was financed with a $2,400 grant from the state Health Depart ment whose computer printed the individual analyses In addition to county employes, about 700 county school teachers also took the health risk appraisal tests They received the individual computer printouts, but their data was not accumulated for the resulting report or recommendations Melchiorre said there was little signfi cant difference between the two groups " County employes surveyed work in the Health Department, Mental Health. Welfare. Parks. Airport. Extension Ser vice. Road Department MUA. County Clerk's office. Freeholders office. Plann ing Department and Crest Haven Nursing Home. Melchiorre said The survey included 44 percent males. 56 percent females 33 percent under 35 years old 46 percent 35 to 54; and 17 percent older than 54 Twenty one percent said they were in ex cellent health 61 percent said good and 16 percent fair Those tested did not have to identify themselves. Melchiorre said, but most did

Freeholders Boost Budget —

< From Page 1 > Freeholder Director Gerald M Thorn ton who heads the Health Department said it "stands head and shoulders above "I haven't gotten one answer," persisted fisher "Our Health Department does not func tion just to serve you alone," said Thorn ton "it has a very busy staff I think we're doing what we're supposed to do with the resources we have available FISHER ALSO took a poke at one of her favorite targets: the Mosquito Commis sion and specifically the outlandish cost of (attending) - conventions She said the encephalitis threat was "more percep tion that a real problem" Mrs Albert Dulinski who identified herself as a taxpayer in lower and Middle townships and owner of Bay Shore Ken nels countered that she favored giving as much money as possible to the Mosquito Life is misery she said I can't hard ly stand it at all The bugs are horrendous Im sure the persons who handle chemicals are capable and know what they're doing TV biggest increase in the amended budget is $100,000 anticipated cost of ability insurance That item now totals $838,088 compared to $597,088 last year THE AMENDMENTS also added the following $61,250 as the county's share of the beach replenishment project in Sea Isle City

$55,985 for salaries and wages in the Sheriff's office, bringing that total to $358,985 Sheriff James Plousis told the Herald lantern this will pay for five addi tional persons to be hired this spring That includes replacement of a resigned officer, a female office for the female block in the correctional center, and three computer operators to handle the Cape Communication desk which serves local police with motor vehicle IDs etc Sheriffs officers currently perform that function. Plousis said, but he wants to use civilians to free the officers for police work $47,000 for Historic Cold Spring Village That includes another $22,000 in other expenses and $25,000 to purchase a tractor and install septic and heating systems This brings the total for that newly-acquired tourist attraction to $132,888 $23,758 for salaries and wages for the Superior Court and Probation Department $28,888 for an energy management system for the county library building According to Harry E Kehr Facilities and Services director that was on his original list of requested projects knocked off by mistake and reinstated TV amended budget includes two addi tional appropriations offset by state and federal appropriations $23,510 for a special child health services program and $10,000 for rape care services the public will have an opportunity to comment on the budger amendment prior to the budger adoption March 12

County Due for Parity on PIC

(From Page 1) population Service Delivery Area (SDA) Fears that Cape May County would suf fer staff dismissals proved unfounded. And anticipated disputes over funding - the agency spends about $3 million a year - never arose because regulations divided them two-thirds Atlantic, one third Cape May County BUT THAT SAME ratio on the PIC board of directors was perceived to be a problem, especially when it was headed by Atlantic County's William S Cowart Jr But his replacement Redina Gillian, also of Atlantic County, was cooperative and made board parity one of her first goals Forty four is a large number.*' Gillian told the Herald lantern. "and we may eventually go to 22 (11 apiece)." A PIC bylaws committee is expected this month to recommend how best to achieve the negotiated change But the decision to add 11 Cape May Countians rather than subtract 11 Atlantic Countians has already been made The county's 11 appointments, which will be made by the freeholder, may be short lived since the board reorganized at The end of the agency's fiscal year. Sept MAYBE SOME would be willing to

serve only six or seven months,'' suggested Marie Britton of Britton Century 21 Realty in Wildwood Crest She is vice chairman of the PIC board '"We want to move toward parity to show good faith. " said Gillian. "But we can't ask 11 (Atlantic Countians). do you really want to continue?' That's not a realistic option" Freeholder Herbert (Chuck) Frederick, who is responsible for the county 's PIC and JTPA programs, said he was "pleased at the progress being made so quickly " The county's current PIC board includes Kilpatrick. Britton: county Planning Director Elwood Jarmer. Vo-Tech Supt Wilbur J Kistler Jr . Richard Giuliano of Giuliano Marina. Middle Township; Richard love. vice president of Cape May Canners in Burleigh; Wildwood Crest Commissioner Frank McCall of Heritage Manufacturers in Wildwood; David Repici. vice president of First Jersey Na tional Bank/South in Cape May Court House. Harriet Bittner, manager of the New Jersey Job Service in Wildwood; and George J Plewa. executive director of Jersey Cape Diagnostic. Training & Opportunity Center. Inc of Crest Haven Robert Davenport' who recently retired as a community relations manager for New Jersey Bell, was on tV board and will have to be replaced

Public Water: 2 Weeks?

(From Page 1) lump sum payment of the $300 to $400 cost estimated to connect homes to the water main at the curb line TV township is applying for a low interest loan from the state Department of Environmental Protection <DEP> to pay back the bond issue. It eventually hopes for a grant from the state Spill Compensation Fund to pay the entire cost. PHASE TWO of the project is supposed to include the remaining portion of Atlan tic on the west side of the Parkway, plus Atlantic and Pacific and their cross streets south of the school on the east side of the Parkway Alexis said he was "pleased with the porgress we're making so far We've been able to proceed much faster than any com munity with residents with potable water problems" The water problems were reported first by the Herald lantern on Jan 2. at which time township officials said public water could be available in about two weeks IT WAS LATER LEARNED that Dr. Shah Chaudry of 113 E. Pacific became suspicious of his water quality in 1983 and

stopped using it on his own by last summer He has claimed it took the county Health Department six months to answer his complaint It found pollution in Chaudry's well last August but did not sample neighbors' wells until late November The first public alert didn't come until Christmas Eve The Health Department has never explained that time lag. It takes the samples the DEP does the analysis. The source of the pollution has not been determined.