4 „ Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 11 September '85

»-'' " • «_ X ^ IV.ru Word FAMILY AFFAIR — Five generations of her family help Sallic Smilh. a 60-year residrnlof -Avalon and Court House, celebrate her 90th birthday at the County Park on Aug. 31. From left: her dauRhter. Marie Stonehf Court House: Sallie Smith; her Rrandson. I)r. Cary Stone of Wildwood Crest: and right, great-grandson John Stone holding her great-Rreat-grandson. Nicholas Stone.

Childs Out as Airport, Development Director

l»v JDK /Kl .NIK KHMA Sometimes the county's locksmith is among the first to know that a department head is leaving whether via retirement or less pleasant eir cumstances lie's sent to change the locks. That's what happened last Friday at the office of Industrial and Kconomic Develop men! Commission Kxecutive Director A II ( Hick) Childs in the airport terminal building Childs. who also was executive director of the airport' and the airport industrial park, received his walking papers from Freeholder Director (I era Id M Thornton, and Freeholder Herbert Frederick, who heads that department Neither would explain the reasons for the departure of a department head generally thought to be doing a good job ITS A PERSONNEL MATTER too sensitive to comment on." said Thornton. "He's decided to resign." said \ Frederick "It's a touchy situation. I can't go into details as to the circumstances " 0 Childs did. not return this newspaper's phone calls County Purchasing Agent Kdmund Grant Jr of Wildwood was named to tern poranly cover the economic development office, where he worked as a project manager until his promotion in May FHKDKKICK SAID the county will advertise for "some new people." an in dication it may return to having an airport manager and economic development director as it did before Childs was appointed Aug t. 1984 "We may break up the department." Frederick said • The decision on Childs. who was making $39,375 a year, was reached at a closed meeting the previous afternoon attended by the entire Freeholder Ixxird plus Coun " ty Counsel Harry A Delventhal Jr Childs was not present This did not mean, however, that the op portunity to resign was a surprise to Childs. who has appeared tight lipped in recent weeks "He was aware that there were some problems." said Frederick ALTHOUGH CHII.DS came here from the Pittsburgh office of Aviation Planning Associates, a Cincinnati -based firm, he was based in eastern Pennsylvania for most of his professional life He came to Cape May County an ticipating five years on the job and retire ment here He and his wife. Phyllis, had purchased a home in South Dennis His leaving surprised others in countygovernment And the chairman of the Kconomic Development Commission. G John Schreiner Jr. of Ocean City, hpd not been

notified of Childs' departure as of Monday morning. After having had no meetings in July or August, the commission is scheduled to meet next Wednesday afternoon IN ADDITION TO (Irant. who had not been replaced. Childs had two women in his department, a clerk stenographer and clerk He also was in charge of a 10-person airport safety and security force headed by Kdward C Kotz. The airport's maintenance people are under county Facilities and Services headed by Harry K. (Skip) Kehr Kotz indicated he did not anticipate any problems without Childs "I'll continue to run the airport as I've been doing for the last eight years." he said I N A N INT F. It V I F. W with this newspaper a month ago. Childs said that he had helped bring $2 4 million-worth of improvements to the county airport and boosted revenue at the industrial park from $115,000 in 1983 to $267,000 last year He also oversaw a $r>00.000 federallyfinanced low-interest revolving loan pro gram for commercial fishermen that topped its quotas both in private moneyleveraged and jobs maintained or created Outside the airport industrial park, however, there were few successes to point to Childs was hired by the entire board of freeholders, but worked for his first five months under former Freeholder-Director Anthony Catanoso. for his last eight months under Frederick Childs' predecessors also left under unpleasant circumstances Robert A. Laws. t$l-a-year> airport manager, was removed by the freeholders in January. 19R3. and Kconomic Development Director Donald M Kelly quit in June 1983. midway through a 90-days without-pay suspension The freeholders had been typically vague on taws' missteps, although they in eluded personal financial problems Kelly was in trouble for accepting a "finder's •fee." This is the fourth departure of key coun ty officials in less than four months: Purchasing Director William C. Deaver of Rio Grande left in May for a "professional career advancement" at the Ml' A He'd been having freeholder problems, but Ihev were reliably reported as political rather than professional County Roads Supervisor Leroy Reeves of West Cape May retired in June after charges he often was not at work. And Private Industry Council (PIC) Administrator Nan Mavromates of North Wildwood was demoted to "intake specialist" with a $4,817 annual pay cut effective June 4 Her transgressions, like Childs'. were never revealed

Police Want Sweeter Pensions

( From Page I ) crease of seven cents if voters approve the pension change (Each penny generates about $36,000 in taxes, he said). "He's just not figuring it accurately in terms of the $136,319," countered Lower Township Police Sgt. John Maher. Treasurer of the Policemen's Benevolent Association (PBA) Local 59's Pension Transfer Committee during last year's four-town ballot question, he's been asked to advise Middle's PBA pension representatives. ^ Middle currently contributes $70,000-$80,000 a year for police in the existing Public Employes' Retirement System (PERS). Maher stressed, which should be subtracted from the $136,319 to determine the actual annual increase in the municipal contribution for the pension plan change "So, then you come down to what is the actual increase — $40,000," Maher said. "The annual installment ($93,731) wouldn't be paid 'til 1988." he said. "THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW (the cost of the change) ; they haven't figured it out yet," Maher continued. "They're publishing (pension change information) what they're required to publish, but they're not publishing the actual cost." All other law enforcement departments in the county — including sheriff's and county prosecutor's personnel — belong to P&FRS not PERS. Maher noted, along with more than 90 percent of the state's municipal police departments. The PBA's basic argument against the existing PERS pension plan is that it's "inadequate," he said. Under PERS. police can retire at 55. with less than 42 percent of their pay. if they have 25 years' service. If they retire before 55, their PERS pension is reduced three percent for each earlier year. They also lose 10-25 percent of the PERS pension if they want their spouses to collect it after they die. Maher complained. LAWMEN ARE NOT PENALIZED for providing spouse death benefits under the preferred P&FRS pension plan, he said. Joining it would allow Middle cops to retire at any age. with 60 percent of their highest year's pay. as long as they have 25 years' service. "They feel that, basically. 25 years is enough for anybody to be a cop." Maher said of police. As of Sept. 1. he recalled, state police have been required to retire after 20 years. Earlier retirements under P&FRS. allow advancements in municipal police departments, he added, and that means older patrolmen would take over command positions and be replaced on the street by younger officers. Earlier retirements also means a reduction in longevity allowances most municipalities pay to police, that makes a dent in the municipal payroll to counteract the cost of the pension plan change. Maher said. MIDDLE POLIC E ARE PAID 2-8 per cent of their pay rate for longevity, depending upon their time on the force, he estimated. A new patrolman receives 15.000 annually but the average patrolman makes $27,000 a year plus 38 percent of salary in benefits, according to Stites. The PBA contract calls for 15 holidays. 15 sick days, three personal days, at least 14 days' vacation after two years' service, and compensation in days off 1 13) or pay for two hours' overtime a week "Maybe, if it passes, we could negotiate A. H. CHILDS

how much salary cut they'll take," Voll said of P&FRS. police and their upcoming PBA contract talks *uth the township. Questioned about that remark from a Township Committee meeting last week, Voll said later it was "just said in humor" in response to side remarks about the proposed pension plan change. "The Township Committee hasn't taken a position on this," added the former Wildwood cop who belonged to P&FRS. "We just want to get all the information out." Cops are repeatedly "putting their lives on the line," the mayor continued, "and, as I said before, you can't put a dollar value on police protection." Nevertheless, voll said, he's waiting for the outcome of the pension ballot question before begining contract talks with the PBA. DeSpife -opposition from municipal officials. Lower Township voters last November approved a similar question, 4,399-2,527 while Stone Harbor voters approved it 402-370. It passed 917-630 in Sea Islgjryl 749-511 in Avalon. ^position then "wasn't big enough." Treasurer Stites reflected, "because now they realize what it costs." In Middle, he said, the cost of changing pension plans for police almost equals what the township now pays for pensions on all its employes. Echoing Voll, Committeeman James Alexis said. "I don't think we're going to ( publically ) have a position on it until after the hearing " But, "personally," he thinks, "it's very expensive." Deputy Mayor Charles Leusner said he signed the 700-name petition to place the pension question on the ballot, but that doesn't indicate anything beyond the fact that he wapfs to let township voters answer it. f "My position on the police pension." he explained/ "is that the voters should decide." During last Wednesday's Township Committee work session. Voll and Alexis left little doubt they were shocked at the potential cost to the township. Stites said then that the pension change could mean a tax increase of 20-30 cents on each $100 of assessed valuation. Stites also said that, if township police selected the P&FRS program at its inception. they would not also have been eligible for Social Security By coming in now, Stites said, they would receive both, and the township would pay into both. While urging a heavy turnout for the Oct. 3 meeting, Voll observed that the police are still working 42-hour weeks, instead of 40. and receiving 13 comp days as a result.

News Digest i From Page 1 ) m inches (from the hard-to-find four inches) and extended the deadline to 180 days from the previous 90. County Takes Over RIO GRANDE - The county Welfare Department and the American Cancer Society got new landlords last Friday as the county purchased the buildings they rent at the intersection of Routes 9 and 47 from Rio Bowling Lanes Inc. for $1,137,350. Freeholders decided last week to charge the same rent for the remainder of this year, but possibly increase it in January. Some 50-60 percent of the Welfare Department's rent comes from federal reimbursement. Freaked Out VILLAS — "I never saw anything like it," Lower Township Clerk Claudia R. Kammer said of a freak storm Monday afternoon that pelted the township with hail the size of gum balls. The storm, one of several, toppled trees and littered roadways with branches and sparking utility lines. It also felled a utility pole with major power lines in front of the police station on Bayshore Road here That knocked out power to many homes, businesses and to the nearby municipal complex. Since Atlantic Electric didn't I expect to restore power until 9 p.m. Monday, Kammer said, township council | canceled its 7 p.m. work session. ( Page 51 Please >