Cape May County Herald, 20 November 1985 IIIF issue link — Page 1

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Vol. 21 No. 47 1985 s«owo». Corp. aii righ, November 20, 1985 r?'1S#.i^^^«,^.M"AoS.coM^A

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Teacher's Pay Hike COLD SPRING — Starting teachers in the Lower Township (elementary) school district will be paid the state-mandated $18,500-a-year instead of the $16,400 they would have otherwise received. Last year's starting rate was $15,500 with ^ projected i985-'86 increases of J y$T, 325-$ 1,975. The district Teachers' / / Association, which represents 140 I I educators, aides, clerical, transportation and cafeteria workers, recently ratified a two-year contract calling for average salary increases of 7.4 percent. 1 Killed, 3 Injured SHAWCREST — Ramoundos Leonidas, 29. of North Wildwood. was killed and , three others were injured Friday when a | van, driven by George Laurie of Middle Township, crashed into Leonidas' compact car and another vehicle near the George Redding Bridge in this Lower j Township community, police reported. Laurie was listed in satisfactory condition at Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital where John Lanczinger of Pacific Avenue, Wildwood, and his passenger, Christine Flacco of E. Nashville Avenue, Wildwood, were treated and released. Beach Money WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressmen voted 358 - 60 last week to authorize up to J $40 million for the long-awaited restoration of beaches in Cape May. Also I authorized is the dredging of Middle (Page 30 Please) — Early Deadline — COURT HOUSE — Three p.m. tomorrow (Nov. 21) is the news and advertising deadline for next week's issue, which will be distributed on Tuesday, Nov. 26. And 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27, is the news and advertising deadline for the Dec. 4 issue. All that is because this newspaper's office will be closed Nov. 28 43d 29 to observe the Thanksgiving holi^9$ Wildwood Revitalization Proposed By GREGG LAWSON WILDWOOD — A $3-million proposal to revitalize this city's downtown business section was unveiled last Thursday night by Mayor Victor DiSylvester. Over 75 residents and store owners came to the high school here to view designs ( prepared by the architectural firm of | Sykes, O'Connor and Salerno of Margate. Their plan calls for a nine-block target j area on Pacific Avenue, between Spencer ] and Glenwood avenues, to be turned into a shopping promenade with wider, tree- I lined side-walks, street furniture, s decorative lighting and reduced vehicle \ traffic. To draw people to the redeveloped shop- t ping area, the architects envision a Cedar Avenue ramp from the boardwalk to a tree-lined courtyard on Pacific featuring a retail center and a fountain and culminating with a bell tower "SOME SAY THIS (project) is too costly, too visionary, too far removed from normal development," DiSylvester said in his opening address. "But it provides for the present and secures the future of our community. "We can't market a 1960 product in 1990," he added. "We must be bold, innovative and creative. If not, our day as number one will surely pass." Sykes, O'Connor and Salerno, who worked on Stone Harbor's project to spruce up its 96th Street business district, was paid (Page 49 Please)

mm m. IU Middle Mayor Michael Voll With Slashed Stuffed Animals Moratorium Victim Planned 'Water Paradise' Vandalized, Eyesore By GREGG LAWSON SWAINTON — Assorted amusement park equipment and storage traders are scattered on a property near the Williams Dump here remnants of a planned "Water Paradise" placed in limbo by the

county's building moratorium. - The equipment and property belong to Bernd Rennebeck of Swainton, who planned to build a $2.5-million water-oriented park, called "Rennebeck's Water Paradise." before the building moratorium interrupted his plans. Rennebeck said he plans to resume work 00 the park as soon as the moratorium is lifted. Constant vandalism has made the property an eyesore, prompting a recent investigation by Middle Township officials who were concerned for the safety of children who play in the area. CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER Norman Lochten said the township was initially concerned it had discovered another illegal dump or a violation of the zoning ordinance regulating the storage of property. But. Lochten said, the items pose no toxthreat and are there for a legitimate "If there is a violation, it's a hazy one." said. "It's not really all his fault there's violation, it's just one of those things that was held up by the moratorium." Lochten said no action will be taken until the township makes a determination, but (Page 49 Please)

—inside HONORING Mark Twain. County Library column, page 48. MONEY markets trail privates, Tbills. Page 40. ARIES: You're in control; Leo: Decorate now. Planetarily Speaking, page 51. MIDDLE homecoming photos, page JERSEY Cape Historically, a new column, page 16.

Tropeano: He Ignored Odds and Won By JACK SMYTH MARMORA — When it comes to elections, every once in awhile an independent candidate will ignore the odds, buck the organization, and confound the experts by winning. Bruno Tropeano did that on Nov. 5 by polling 1,927 votes to oust Republican Ken- j neth Baker, Sr.. from his seat on the five- j member Upper Township Committee. Tropeano. 44. attributes his victory to "substituting a lot of hard work for organization money," and a "willingness to stand up and be counted, and to accept the repercussions." Persistence was another factor in Tropeano's triumph. THREE YEARS AGO. Tropeano, a local tree farmer and claims manager at Atlantic Electric here, filed as an independent, but withdrew prior to the general election. Last year, he was one of three can- 1 didates to file in the GOP primary, and | went to court so he could use Democratic write-in votes to qualify as a candidate in the general election. But he lost again. "IT WAS THE FIRST time in the county that a registered Republican was listed on j the ballot as a Democrat." Tropeano said last week recalling the election. Upper Township according to 1984 estimates has a population of 7.936 in about 3,000 homes spread over about 65 square miles. Communities are generally small, ranging from a few houses to villages of (Page 49 Please)

Cold Spring Admission Hike Likely By JOE ZELNIK COLD "SPRING — The county is "discussing" a 50 percent increase in the admission fee to Historic Cold Spring Village. That would raise the cost from $1 for adults to $1.50. Children now pay 50 cents The ticket is good for the entire season. The increase is under consideration because the operation, which the county received as a gift from its owners last December, lost about $75,000 this year It had direct expenditures of $132,000, of which $107,000 was in regular operating costs and $25,000 for one-time capital expenditures. It had receipts of $56,754 which included $33,258 from admissions, $22,365 from rentals, and $1,131 from other items such as craft shows, etc. SOURCE FOR those statistics was Freeholder Herbert Frederick who heads the operation and who said last week that "We never said we'd break even the first year." When Freeholder-Director Gerald M. Thornton, announced the gift from Dr and Mrs. Joseph Salvatore last December, he said the village "made money" in 1984. This newspaper reported at the time that "knowledgeable sources disagreed." Thornton and the Salvatores referred to the 15-acre property with 15 restored structures as a $1 -million gift. It was assessed at $207,300. Repeated requests from this newspaper to the freeholders and to the Salvatores' attorney. James S. Cafiero, to document the $l-million value, were unsuccessful. That value presumably would be the key to an (Page 4 Please) LJ | TU * Ml/- VOL) ? of j (LECT MAySf BRUNO 1 0^4 BRUNO TROPEANO D"uw°"'