Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 4 September '85 61

j ■ t~ 7^^ wmm* ' "si K)H ( K AFT BOOTH — Members of Stone Harbor-Avalon Branch of Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital Auxiliary work on some of handsewn items to be offered for sale at hospital s Horse Show and Country Fair Sept. 21 and 22 at Rx Ranch. Rte. 47. Goshen. Hard at work are Maryanne Busha, left, ways and means chairperson for group, a Stasia Estrada, of crafts committee. Booth will also have children's corner.

News — Digest (From Page 4) Meeting Next Tues . SCHELLENGER'S LANDING - Business owners from Lower Township will attend a 2 p.m. meeting with municipal officials next Tuesday at The Anchorage Inn here, Township Manager James R. Stump confirmed Friday. He said he promised Councilman David F. Brand Jr. to arrange the meeting on economic development. Brand represents the Third War which includes this section of Lower. 2 Deaths Investigated WILDWOOD — Police are investigating the deaths of Joseph Asselta. 18, Millville, and Ricci Sharp, 23. Philadelphia, who were found dead in unrelated incidents last week. An autopsy was scheduled for Asselta, who passed out near the Boardwalk at Magnolia Avenue Aug. 27. A lifeguard for a motel pool in Wildwood Crest, he seemed in good health, Det. Joseph Fisher said. Toxicology tests were being performed on Sharp, who reportedly died of a drug overdose Aug. 26. Her body was discovered when police answered a call reporting an overdose in a Poplar Avenue rooming here. Pen-Pal Councilman OCEAN CITY — Councilman William Meis last week sent letters to his Second Ward constituents in an attempt to counter a recall drive against him. In the letter, he notes he wrote that he had no part in the judicial decision that led to the overturn of the city's Blue Law. The Citizens Committee for Responsive Government, which began the recall campaign, has charged that Meis ignored the feelings of his constituents with his opposition to Sunday closings. Cable Co. Criticized OCEAN CITY — The state Board of Public Utilities (BPU) last week charged Cablentertainment of New Jersey with a "general insensitivity to cable-related community needs and interests" in dealing with customers in Cape May and Atlantic counties. The board specifically criticized the company for not returning deposits on converter boxes quickly, failing to keep proper records, and not following BPU rules in responding to customer complaints. The BPU ordered hearings to determine if state-ordered improvements will be necessary. The company serves this city. Woodbine, Upper and Dennis townships. Hat in the Ring TUCKAHOE — Bruno Tropeano, Upper Township Zoning Board vice chairman, last week announced his candidacy 1

for Township Committee. Tropeano, who's running as an independent, said he's getting an early jump on the campaign so he can meet with every township homeowner. He ran and lost in last year's election as a Democratic write-in candidate. Partial Solution WILDWOOD — Business Administrator Marc Pfeiffer said last week that the city would push sand under the Boardwalk ts at Hildreth Avenue, temporarily solving ,n a beach access problem there. Beachgoers have complained that the path is littered with broken bottles, and puddles of stagnant water from a runoff pipe beneath the sand. The city moved sand earlier in the summer for access, but the excavation exposed the pipe. A a. permament solution, steps to the Boardwalk. was delayed. Pfeiffer said owners of the Ocean Towers condominium. h which straddles the path, wanted a city resolution before they would permit construction. Repair Bill: $1 Million I OCEAN CITY — A second study, released last week, raised repair estimates at the Cultural Arts Center and Historical Museum to $1 million, ac- ( cording to city officials. An engineering ( study by E.P. Ryan Associates of Pleasantville called for structural , repairs to the second and third floors The Wesley Avenue building already needs roof repairs and new windows. i ceilings and heating system. Mayor Jack ( Bittner said he wants to discuss with City Council whether the groups should be I moved out of the building, to * Crash Injures 9 t ( SWAINTON — John Carafides of C§pe j May was injured Aug. 26 in a two-car crash on Route 9 near Route 646. Middle , Township police said. Carafides was travelling southbound when his car swerved into the northbound lane, hitting t a pickup truck driven by Natalie . Holohan of Glendora. Camden County. v d according to police Eight occupants of s i the truck, all Camden County residents, were treated at Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital and released; Carafides was hospitalized with a head |, injury. Police are investigating the ^ accident. b Not on Sunday p f. OCEAN CITY — City Council last week excluded rental of bicycles, water- b skis, boats and fishing tackle from a list n of retail activities permitted on Sundays Council is compiling the list for a referendum on the November ballot, asking voters if they favor a modified closed Sunday. Councilman William Meis proposed the ban on rentals, saying that bike rentals add "as much hustle and bustle as anything in the city."

Hospicomm: New Sewage Proposal

(From Page 1) Frederick W. Schmidt Jr., Court House Realtor Thomas J. Repici. and Avalon Realtors William H. Tozour Jr. and David J. Kerr. Former MUA chairman John Vinci was originally one of the partners, when the firm was called Magnolia Associates, but he was bought out by the other four dur ing negotiations with Hospicomm. Magnolia Associates paid $167,000 for just under eight acres in June, 1983, and sold Hospicomm, trading as Court House Associates. 2.5 acres for $235,000 in October 1983. Williams Dump (From Page I) Hughes, said Friday. He and Hughes' aide John Murz have been phoning the state DEP for several weeks but haven't extracted much information about the Williams' Dump, they said. By Friday morning, Brown said, the most recent news he had from the DEP was that "the guy with the information was unavailable" and that there was apparently some foul-up with the agency's contract for the clean-up feasibility study. Brown finally got an update from the DEP on Friday afternoon. "It's very close," he said, suggesting a call to Susan Gall, community relations specialist with the DEP's Hazardous Site Mitigation Administration (HSMA). "AT THIS POINT, the contract has very nearly been finalized," she said of the DEP's $483,886 contract with Woodward, Clyde Consultants of Wayne. Gall said it should be signed "hopefully within two weeks" but she didn't want to speculate when the study would actually start. THE DEP REPORTED July 26 that the nine-month study would begin in August. It's supposed to outline the subsurface toxic plume, find out the extend of ground water contamination, and suggest methods for cleaning up the mess Gov. Thomas Kean signed legislation in late July, targeting $12 million for cleaning up 12 toxic dumps in the state including the Williams site where more than 200 drums of chemicals were dumped six years ago The cleanup there is expected to cost $2 million. The drums and a layer of contaminated soil were removed from the property a few years ago for $100,000 but Theodore Williams had punctured some of the drums. HE AND FRANCIS BLOCK of Williamstown. former head of Atlantic Steel Drum Co. of Sea Isle City, later pleaded guilty to public nuisance charges for deliberately dumping the drums between August 1978 and January 1979. In their plea bargains, the two were given immunity from further prosecution in exchange for their testimony. One of them apparently fingered Wheaton Industries as the chemicals' source. Named "potential responsible party" for the chemicals by environmental officials. Wheaton sued Oct. 19 to undertake the cleanup study. But, in July. U.S. District Court Judge Stanley Brotman ruled that the DEP is entitled to do it. With $540,646 from the federal Environmental Protection Agency, the study was supposed to begin last fall. Five years ago, test wells showed contamination 40-feet below the surface at the dumpsite and pollution moving northward in the community of 5.200 permanent residents. They live within a mile of the site and another 14,000 year-'round and seasonal residents live within three miles. All of them use well water. Even if the study begins immediately, the cleanup isn't scheduled until late next year and many residents want to know who's been dragging his feet for the past i six years. "Since 1979, our people have received promises, opinions and countless visitors to their community," Voll complained in a i to this newspaper. "Today, Uk prostill remains. "A moritorium has restricted the j building of new homes and the sale of ex- , isting properties." he added. "More im- t portant, residents are concerned, and fear for the health and safety of their families. "They feel they are held hostage by t red tape and indecision." the mayor griped. ^ f

MAYER TOLD this newspaper at the time that Schmidt assured him the Middle Township Sewage Treatment plant had capacity to take the nursing home's sewage. After that prospect evaporated, Hospicomm tried the septic system which received approvals from Middle Township^ the county, and the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), but which the association formed to fight. Township Mayor Michael Voll told this newspaper Friday that Solicitor Bruce Gorman is responsible for studying the latest Hospicomm proposal. He has prepared a draft resolution stating the plant "has conformed with the requirements of all municipal ordinances." Gorman told this newspaper Friday that he was still determining what the township's responsibility was in the matter. "THE TOWNSHIP has to certify it (the septic proposal) is not violating anytownship ordinance," he said. "Obviously we're not expected to rule on the scientific merit of the project. None of us has the expertise to determine that. And the DEP won't do it until we sign this ( resolution > Gorman said state Deputy Attorney General Priscilla Hayes "recommended we go forward with it so it could go to the DEP. "She stated DEP has not yet made a determination with regard to the proposal," * he said. "Nobody wants to move precipitously," ^ said Gorman. "Everybody wants to have the thing aired." HOSPICOMM PARTNER Benjamin Miller came to township committee May 1 to request approval for the septic system be- ' ing fought by the Neighborhood Association. That never came to a vote after Gorman said he found considerable disagreement about some of Miller's statements, including his claims that the state and county favored the home's septic proposal. Beitel said the association won its point in defeating the septic system and "the law suit is going to be settled." But, he said, "we have a report from our geohydrologist which states the package plant system will work, but may not be big enough. The design is correct but the capacity of the plant they intend to install is not large enough. " BEITEL PRODUCED Hospicomm documents stating the home would produce about 10,000 gallons a day of sewage. Beitel said the proposed package treatment plant has a capacity "of only 8,000 gallons per day." , The DEP had required an 18.000-gallons-a-day figure, based on 150 gallons per bed, but Hospicomm always claimed "no more than 9.000 gallons" was a closer estimate. "They've always tried to do it the cheapest way," said Beitel, "and it just doesn't make sense for them to not spend a little more money to build a system they will be sure will be adequate." Beitel said the association, its membership now at 120 families, still owes $9,000 of the $18,000 it spent for attorney fees and engineer costs in fighting the nursing home's septic system. Hospicomm has continued building the home throughout the difficulties and its owners have been quoted as saying they are on schedule and intend to open in midOctober. It is a $4-million project expected to employ 100. Unemployment (From Page 1) And it said that, in New Jersey, more than $16 billion has been disbursed to more than 13 million unemployed workers since the program began Aug. 14. 1935. This reported asked each of the four freeif they had ever collected. "No." said Sturm, "and I've paid in all my life." - SIMILAR ANSWERS came from Free James S. Kilpatrick Jr. and Herbert Frederick. A "no" also came from Freeholder Ralph who. lowering his voice as though he going to tell a secret, said he thought -+ now were "so high that some people don't want to work." Top benefit is $203 a week, according to the Wildwood office. ASKED IF she had ever collected, Administrator Rudolph replied, "Have you0" This reporter collected unemployment three times, in 1976, when a labor dispute caused a lock-out at the Delaware County (Pa.) Daily Times, and twice in 1962, when first the Philadelphia Bulletin and then the Buffalo (N Y.) Courier-Express closed their doors. Here's to unemployment insurance.