Herald— Lantern— Dispatch 8 May 85 'j 33

He Still Bucks the Tide of Public Sentiment

(From Page 4) What led to the change. Schmidt said. "I really don't know, except that I just became bored with not having that kind of sincere interest." As he applied himself to being a successful lawyer. Schmidt said his views changed. "I will admit to having Decome more conservative and more respectful of those who tiave been more traditional. '"he said • WHEN YOU ARE YOUNGER and you come out of school and you're all charged ^ up. you often jump to some conclusions, and I was certainly guilty of that." he said. As he was when he was younger. Schmidt is still concerned about the environment and how best to protect it. But his views have moderated. "I can remember being younger and pro-restriction for anything that would impair the environment." he said. "But when you start to represent people and see the extraordinary cost it works, sometimes you're compelled to look for some kind of balance. When he represented poor clients, Schmidt said "I felt that some of these programs were absolute rights tfiat you can't take away from people. "Now, I'm concerned how some people have grown dependent on them," he said. SCHMIDT BELIEVES that "all of tis should be self-sufficient." But he adds.

"unfortunately, we haven't found the way to help people become more productive. I guess it's fortunate that a lot of us have been able to rise above our circumstances." Schmidt became interested in investing in real estate as a result of being amazed "at the deals my clients asked me to embody in contracts. "1 found myself excited by the involvement and extraordinarily surprised by the terms, how many people were able to buy properties with no money down, with owner-financing, and with a combination of both." he said. At one time. Schmidt admitted that he had political ambitions. But that's behind him. "I've given up my aspirations." he said without explanation. "Politically, it's hard for me to relate to either the Republican or Democratic parties." he said. "But I've been a contributor to both parties on and off." IN HIS ROLE of representing developers and commercial interests. Schmidt often faces emotional opposition bordering on the vitriolic. "You just set aside the criticism at the emotional level that the developer is evil." he said. "You can't even talk to people who feel that way. "They're forgetting that the country was

built by developers, that almasf every home was built by a developer." he said. The anger that he often faces accounts in part for his turning his efforts to1 real estate. / "I frankly don't enjoy fighting with people." he said. "My practice has moved toward real estate development. I enjoy it because I think it's essentially a construe-, tive effort when you're able to make a more productive use of a piece of land to benefit the community because they get tax revenues from it." SCHMIDT IS KNOWN for his tenacity in pressing cases for his clients One woman who witnessed his efforts to get zoning approval for a Wawa store on Pittsburgh Avenue in the city last summer called him. "a hard-neaded Dutchman. "I will plead {guilty to that.'" Schmidt said. "I can be very hard-headed. That may be why I've gotten ahead in spite of things sometimes." Schmidt is proud of what he has accomplished in 16 years as a lawyer. "I came here with very little. I had some money in my pocket, but I had debts for school loans, and I'm very pleased with the progress I've made. I have been able to build some assets, and I have a comfortable living today." he said. SCHMIDT LIVES in the city with his parents, his younger sister, Suzanne, and his wife, the former Evelyn Teischmann. He enjoys cooking, good conversation about people and current events, good music, and time to contemplate. Schmidt cooks on weekends both for his

wife and the small dinner parties they sometimes host. His favorite dishes include stuffed shrimp. Crab Norma, sherried lobster, and lobster thermidor. Asked for his view of life yi general. Schmidt replied: .J-' I feel there's always room for hope. "I happen to believe in God. that there is another entity more powerful and omnipotent then we are." he said. JV«e rejects the notion that human life is " just an accident. - ''Our hands are probably the greatest tools that we've ever had. and our minds are probably the greatest computer that we'll ever develop." he said. AS A KEEN OBSERVER of politics. Schmidt would like to see citizens develop an on-going interest in government. Many of the times people object to zoning changes, he feels, it is the result of apathy and an ignorance of long-term planning. "If the people sometimes think the politicians fail them. I've seen instances where the people failed the politicians." he said. ^ "I think the lack of interest that people have in the affairs around them is the one thing that could threaten the entire fabric of this country," Schmidt said. » And citizens should be willing to pay higher taxes if they want good government. Schmidt said. City officials who administer an annual budget of over $1.5 million, he said, "are paid part-time salaries to do a full-time job. "I think that's an insult to everybody concerned" he said.

News Digest (From Page 1) campgrounds." Solicitor Raymond Batten warned that such campgrounds escape subdivision regulations. Proposed changes would emphasize that the new campgrounds are recreational and seasonal. Perv Alert OCEAN VIEW - State Police are looking for a tall, dark-haired, white male, about 30. who tried to lure three girls and a woman. 36. into his older model green compact with an obscene note last month, police reported last week. The muscularly built man was naked from the waist down, police said. - The incidents occured between 7:30-8 e' a.m. near the Tamberlane Campground off Route 9. police reported. Call 785-0035 with information. Five Years for Assault CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE - John Joseph Geere, 37, of Wildwood was sentenced last week to five years in state prison for sexually assaulting a 9-year-old boy and 11 -year-old girl last June Superior Court Judge James A. O'Neill imposed the minimum five-year sentence, he said, because this was Geere's second conviction on sex-related charges. Wasn't Even Close CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE - Superior Court Judge James A. O'Neill last week placed Carl Accardi on three . years' probation, ordered him to perform 200 hours of community service, fined him $2,000, and banned him from holding or running for public office in New Jersey for 10 years. That's the result of allegedly getting 13 nonresidents of North Wildwood to Vote for him for city council in the Republican primary last June. The former legislative aide to Assemblyman Guy F. Muziani lost to James McGoldrick. 420-269 MUA Stalemate SWAINTON — Negotiations were at a stalemate last week between the county MUA and 40 employes represented by Local 195. Professional and Technical Engineers. Twenty-five union members have authorized their leaders to call a strike or other job actions as deemed > '

bargaining' table was scheduled Monday The union seeks a two-year contract with six percent pay hikes the first year and eight percent in the second. Non-union MUA workers received five percent pay hikes this year. " Hotc 'bout Cat Pillls? VILLAS — Councilman David F. Brand Jr. called "ridiculous" a proposal Monday that Lower Township pay half the fee for residents to have their cats sterilized. He found it ironic that the township was even considering the proposal when some councilmen oppose payment for employe birth control pills that, he said, are covered by union contractual commitments Councilman Joseph Lonergan disputed that contention but the matter was tabled anyway. Dusty Possibility VILLAS — Lower Township Manager James R. Stump, executive director of the township MUA, reports that its solicitor, former state Sen. James Cafiero may have come up with a way to backbill MUA customers for undercharges in past sewer bills. Stump said Cafiero found a 70-year-old legal case "when they did collect from pastdue accounts. Maybe w^can use that as a basis to collect (as well >," Stump speculated. Davis is Back VILLAS — Deputy Mayor Joseph lla vis reported Monday that he's home from the hospital after extensive heart surgery. His spirits are high, he said, but the doctors have him grounded for five or six weeks when he'll be hospitalized again for removal of a second aneurysm and a kidney bypass. 'Good Fences Make ...?' ERMA — Lower Township Mayor Robert Fothergill said Monday that council will decide if Timber Lane should be extended from the Breakwater Estates (Briarwood Drive > development here through feuding Breakwater Village (Long Bros, development • which opposes the extention. Council's decision, though, awaits Planning Board review. One dispute has been settled, however. Township Manager James R. Stump ordered Long's fence across Timber Lane rp?ioyoi., mile.

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