4 Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 31 July '85

Baywood Disputes Survey

BY E.J. DUFFY FISHING CREEK — Baywood park homeowners dispute an "intensive survey" by the county Health Department that "revealed no malfunctioning septic systems" in their neighborhoods here. "That's a bunch of so to speak." complained tower Township Manager James R. Stump who asked for the survey to locate other sources of contamination in nearby Cox Hall Creek Stump drew his nasty conclusion about the survey after citing it to the homeowners last week during a meeting on the possibility of replacing those septic systems' with township MUA sanitary sewers The vast majority of people there said the Health Department was never down there." said Stump, who also serves as MUA executive director. Some residents told him. he added, that "they can take a shower and watch the septic system overflow "THEY SAID. Ah. come on, they (county Health Department personnel) didn't speak to a single person down there." Stump continued. "Despite known past malfunctions in ihis subdivision, no problems were noted At present." according to the July report from the Health Department on Baywood Park septic systems. "...At no time was there ANY sign of leacheate or overflow in the "back yards' where they abut the swamp." wrote the report author. "Baywood Park can be characterized as not being a significant contribution to the pollution of Cox Hall Creek at this time." "That's not true; we feel we are (polluting)." said a Baywood Park resident who attended the meeting with Stump hut asked not to be identified. "I don't think they ( Health Department personnel > were back there at all. There were maybe 25 or 30 families there." the resident said of attendance from Baywood Park during the meeting with Stump, "and no one had their septic system tested." "WF.I.I,. I DON'T think we knocked on every door." said Clay C. Sutton, environmental program administrator, for the department "But we did look through the backs of the properties there " "No they didn't." countered the resident "I can tell you they didn't I want to know specifically, where did they go°" the

Baywooder added, noting that neighbors asked Stump to find out. Sutton recalled the conclusion to the Health Department report which notes that "other surveys will be conducted over the next few months in those areas which might contribute either street runoff or septic leacheate. "However, only in a 'wet year' could we ultimately learn the potential for septic failure in both Baywood Park and other unsewered sections of Lower Township." STUMP. THOUGH, is even more skeptical than before about the Health Department's overall findings about bacteria contamination in Cox Hall and the nearby bayfront. Last week, he griped that the department buried as "inconclusive" its finds that most of the bacteria came from animal not human waste, leaving a cloud over the MUA which discharges treated sanitary sewage into the Cox Hall Creek headwaters. Villas. (County Health Officer Louis J. Lamanna last year called the MUA's Villas treatment plant the major source of the pollution eventually reaching the Delaware Bay through the creek.) Furthermore. Stump argued, the department failed to detect those other sources of pollution that he insists exist and which the overall study was supposed to locate. BAYWOOD PARK, as noted in the Health Department report, has been suspected as one of the creek's pollution sources. But property owners are divided over whether they want to foot the bill for sanitary sewers. "Naturally, the people who didn't want it had functioning (septic) systems," observed Councilman Joseph Lonergan who attended last Wednesday's meeting on the issue. "They want sewers but they don't want to pay." said Stump. "They want very low cost." According to engineering estimates, sewer installations would have cost $350,000 to $375,000 if the MUA does the work rather than hiring a contractor. Stump proposed that the 59 Baywood Park lot owners pay for the sewer project with yearly installments to the MUA. He said he didn't figure out what those installments would be for individual property owners But the resident quoted above said Stump first told Baywood Parkers the installations would cost them $2,300 each

Then, when they balked, he reduced it to $l,000-$l,400 a piece. "HOW CAN THEY barter on the cost?" the resident asked. "I just had a really negative feeling." "It should have been done in the first place." Stump said of sewer installations in Baywood Park. "Why wasn't it done?" he asked. "It was cheaper back then." Citing the subdivision's "really low area with a high water table." Stump said. "Now I sort of have to unravel this thing and come up with an answer." Baywood Park is a subdivision but it is not a development, noted the resident. Homes there were custom built by their owners or individual contractors. Like Realtor Herman Tolz and property owners in his cape May Beach development. Town Bank, the Baywood Park resident wants to know why nearby subdivisions have MUA sanitary sewers while Baywood Park lacks them. "PEOPLE. THEY don't want to put that money up" Lonergan said of Cape May Beach property owners who met with Stump earlier this month to discuss MUA sanitary sewers for their neighborhood "They think it should be paid for by everybody (all MUA sewer customers)," the councilman added. "The final result was. (Stump's) going back to the drawing board." Stump initially proposed to install sewers to 153 Cape May Beach properties for $210,000, with each owner paying $263 a year for five years. Based on his revised figures, lot owners would pay $300 a year and homeowners $150 annually over five years. "The original cost was $530,000 ... per (MUA engineers) Van Note-Harvey." Stump stressed, referring to the overall cost. "We got it down to $210,000."

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Wa Wa Scrutiny ( From Page 1 ) This was the only action taken on Wawa's application. The board could not vote on final approval of the project, since Wawa did not have an elevation plan. ALBERT KARASO was the most vocal resident, speaking four times. He said during a recess that he wanted Wawa to develop a better plan, incorporating aesthetics, the historical value of the area. • and traffic and school children safety. "I am for planning This is not planned well. This is only a seed, and plenty of work needs to be done before this can grow into a plan," he said Mr and Mrs. Anthony DeVico III also voiced concerns about the safety of school children in the area Two township elementary schools are a quarter-mile south of the proposed store on Main Street The DeVicos brought their year-old son with them, and DeVico stated his concern for "future Middle Township school students " Karaso and Mrs DeVico are chairman and clerk, respectively, of the township sewage commission VINCENT RODIA. who has lived at the corner of Steel and Douglas roads for 25 years, was one of several residents of that area who faulted the plan They objected to a proposed exit onto Douglas Road, which they said will overburden the already -crowded street and cause parking problems near their homes. Rosemary Benner. Wawa real estate representative, said. "We are willing to work with the township to design and give you what you want, so long as we can work together." She added that Wawa has cooperated with historical commissions in Mays Lan ding and Cape May while planning stores there, and would have contacted the appropriate society in the township. Currently. no such group exists, she said. Paul Dare. Wawa attorney and Lower Township Planning Board solicitor, said the chain wants community input on the project He suggested tomorrow's work session be open to the public. "We want to be good neighbors." he said J See Coupon On I I Classified i r >50*!

News Digest ( From Page 1 ) emergency squads better locate properties. adding to the safety of township residents. Heavy Burglary WILDWOOD — Police reported last week that an unknown number of burglars broke into a safe at the Wildwood Candy and Ice Cream Co. store on the Boardwalk and made off with more than $27,000. Burglars reportedly knocked out a cinderblock flow gate beneath the Boardwalk to enter the store, police said. Police added that more than one burglar probably was involved. because the weight of the cash and coins missing is estimated at 100 pounds. 0 Fourth Lower Rape ERMA — Lower Township Det. Richard Hooeyman is investigating the rape of a Pennsylvania girl around 10 a.m. Monday in a wooded area off Route 9 near Lower Cape May Regional High School. Sgt. Frank Majane described the rapist as a white male. 30-40, about five feet. 10 inches tall and 170-185 pounds. He has light brown hair and facial hair, with a hole pierced in his left ear. He was wearing sneakers, denim shorts and a tee-shirt, all white. Call Hooeyman with information at 886-2711. He said police don't think the attack is related to three township rapes earlier this year. Davis Critical VILLAS — Ambulance crewmen rushed Lower Township Deputy Mayor Joseph Davis to Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital. Court House, early Saturday morning after an apparent overdose of sleeping pills, township police report He remained in critical condition Monday afternoon, according to Burdette's nursing supervisor Davis has suffered from insomnia since his multiple heart bypass operation earlier this year I\o Such Attitude ERMA — A H. "Rick" Childs, county airport executive director, says its management doesn't have the "public be damned attitude" this paper reported as a complaint last week from a Lower Township reader about a low-flying aircraft July 11 Airport management tries to correct such complaints by tracking down offending pilots. Childs stressed, but that's really the responsibility of the Federal Aviation Administration <FAA>. Sex Convict Gets Max. NORTH CAPE MAY - Municipal Court Judge Robert Taylor of Lower Township last week sentenced Frederich G Dravis. 30. of Johnstown. Pa., for exposing himself to a local woman. 20 and her child. 3. July 19. at Franklin and Adriatic avenues here With a history of sex crimes in Pennsylvania, including rape, statutory rape and indecent ex posure. Taylor slapped Dravis with the maximum on the local charge — six months in jail, a $1,000 fine, three years' probation and mandatory counseling ( Page 64 Please > United Way— (From Page 1) Boy Scouts. $10,850; Jersey Cape Visiting Homemakers. $9,800; Girl Scouts. $8,400; county Association for Retarded Citizens. $7,000; First Call for Help. $5,250; and Jersey Cape Diagnostic. Training, and Opportunity Center. $5,075. Also: county Mental Health Services. $5,000; Cape-Atlantic Legal Services. $4,250; Coalition Against Rape and Abuse! $4,000; Salvation Army. $2,500; Contact Atlantic (an information and referral service) $2,000; and United Services Organizations (USO). $1,816.