r Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 27 November '85 65 — *

Low Wages: A Jobs Inducement?

(From Page 1) jobs. Most of the industry in this area pays low. The young person has to have a start. THERE IS NOT A habit of work here," he continued. "Too many people were raised in families that go on unemployment in the winter. They have to be encouraged that life is work, five days a week, 52 weeks a year, except for vacations. The habit has to be established in the young. Without the habit, they will never be workers. When I was 16. I would have dishwashed." "As an educator," said Frederick, industrial arts teacher at Wildwood High School. "I'm concerned that so many young people, after high school, have nothing here. They have to leave the area to survive, save money, start a family." "I've been looking for a bus driver." said Belansen. "Try to find one. I ran an ad six weeks in a row. You can't get 'em. There were days we didn't take a job because we didn't have somebody to drive a bus. It cost $100,000 and it sat there. I can give a year-round, $35,000-a-year job. Where are the young? Why don't they come in and ask me to train them? Some of them can't even answer a telephone." "They can't write a resume." agreed Dorothy Mack. •THEY LACK DRIVE, incentive." said Choice for Sewage — (From Page 1) January. Voll conceded that the township had delayed its decision on the sewage jurisdiction problem until after the November election, in which Committee member Charles M. Leusner was easily reelected. He, Voll, and Committeeman James E. Alexis are Democrats. LEUSNER HAS for some time said that he prefers the present commission be left intact at least to serve the Court House area, if not expanded to handle the entire township. "I'm not the playmaker." Leusner told this newspaper, "and sewage is not one of my areas of responsibility. Maybe I'm sentimental, but I hate to see that commission (No. 1) abolished. They've gained the respect of the community and acted with integrity." Leusner said he would "hold out" to see "existing members" of District No. 1 on the proposed MUA. That might not require much holding. Voll said he felt it likely the two Court House area representatives could be District No. 1 •incumbents." A TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE sensitive to charges of removing goods, elected people from office, could point out that two of the commission's members — NancyJeanne DeVico and Phil Heck — will be completing one-year terms in J^tfry The commission's other three memoers are chairman Albert C. Karaso. Jr., James Killiam, and Michael Mills. Leusner has raised a second objection to dissolution of the current commission. 'Their debt service has been satisfied over the last 50 years." he said. As part of a township-wide MUA. Leusner said, "the Court House area would pay more money Why make them pay for a second debt service?" The township has been "researching" the sewage jurisdiction question since last spring. The committee and commission met in July and the committee suggested it would have a decision by the end of that month. TOW NSHIP SOLICITOR Bruce Gorman told this newspaper last week that he had "no instructions yet" on what kind of ordinance to prepare. He pointed out that creation of an MUA would require local public hearings and approval by the Local Finance Board, a state body that must okay creation and dissolution of all government entities The township's options. Gorman and Voll have explained, include leaving the present commission intact and forming one or more other commissions for the remainder of the township, expanding the present commission to include the entire township, forming an MUA. or having the township "do it itself" with its own public utility Any several districts proposal was felt cumbersome. For the township to do the job itself was considered politically risky since whatever board gets the job will be raising sewage rates. That left an MUA as apparently the least objectionable solution.

Frederick. "They need counseling. It would be cost-effective because society would not have to pick them up." "We're in the process of setting up a motivational course," said Hagerty. "But to give a guy a job at $3.35 an hour — after a month he's dissatisfied. He still ain't got zilch. I'd like to see an industry where ■ there's a little money in it, four, five, six dollars an hour." "I think the starting wage is generally higher then that," said Belansen, "four dollars or so. Atlantic City is impacting the area with their rates. People (employers) down here have to compete with that. It's a problem for local businesses. They have no casino profits, but they have to compete with Atlantic City." Hagerty said that car repairs cost the same in Cape May County as in Philadelphia, but "down here the mechanic makes $7 an hour and in Philadelphia $12. Who gets that five dollars?" he asked. "But rates aren't the same in the hotelrestaurant business," said Belansen. citing higher room rates in Atlantic City than in Cape May County. Hagerty suggested that the county require local help be hired by its contractors, who soon will be doing a new courts complex in Cape May Court House and a new nursing home at Crest Haven. "A secretary makes $8 an hour down here," said Belansen. "With overtime, they can make $12. But they're not around - or they go to the county (government) which pays more plus benefits." Belansen said that the tourist business in July has been "progressively weaker and weaker and weaker" because of the decline in Canadian tourists, largely because their dollar is worth only about 69 cents American. "WE HAVE BEEN WORKING hard in Canada, to convince the Canadians." said Frederick. "They're trading down to the campgrounds The supermarkets gain; the restaurants lose." "Look at Ohio," said Belansen. "It's a terrific market. Higher per-capita income — a 10-hour drive — it could be better than Canada ever was." "We are working Ohio," said Frederick, "and I'd like to see us expand there. We've come up with a terrific idea. People from Pennsylvania, New York. New England are going to Washington, D.C., Williamsburg. We should start promoting in magazines that this is the route down." "A serious, maybe insurmountable, problem." said Belansen, "is the travel agent. This area is not willing to pay a commission Zero hotel-motels pay a commission. You can't get around that." "Some education has to be done with our business people, too." said Frederick. "Yet who needs a travel agent service when you're going to be filled anyway." said Belansen. "Get it in June or September " Earlier in the meeting. Schreiner had suggested a (fish) freezing plant as a possible new industry. And Jack Hefti had proposed "we try for some publicity for the airport industrial park, Erma. as an ideal location. We need to further develop that sleeping giant and tie in with the airfield, the roads, the resort industry." "Maybe the county could give cheaper rent and subsidize it (new industry) for awhile?" suggested Haggerty For the second consecutive month, the commission concluded with a closed session, Last month, in a dinner meeting at the Lobster House Restaurant, the commission excluded this newspaper so that Frederick could explain to members why former-executive director A.H. Childs was asked to resign. Last week, the commission excluded this newspaper to discuss its Commercial Fishing Revolving Loan Program, a $500,000 project Sachs told this newspaper the next day that the closed door conversation covered personnel and possible litigation Both topics are permitted in private sessions under the state's Open Public Meetings Law Lawyer Loses $13,000 WILDWOOD - The latest tiff between City Council and Mayor Victor DiSylvester. over council's vote to cut Law Director Charles Henry James" salary by $13,000. may adversely affect the Pacific Avenue revitalization plan, according to the mayor. The reduced salary, he said, will not let him assign James extra work on the revitalization plans

/JS^NEWS iNgV DIGEST / The Week's H // II Top Stories ( From Page 1 ) placing the county's insurance, a $3-million item. Freeholder William E. Sturm Jr. said National Associates would be paid on a "fee-commission basis." Fishing Loans Live ERMA — The county's Commercial Fishing Revolving Loan Program still has $60,000 in federal funds available for low-interest loans that will provide for low- or moderate-income persons. Contact Walter S. Sachs Jr.. executive director of the county's Industrial & Economic Development Commission, at 886-1755. Group Home Session SEAVILLE — A special meeting, to discuss the proposed group home for six mentally handicapped men here, will be held Dec. 3 at 7:30 in the Upper Township Municipal Building. Tuckahoe Township officials have invited county freeholders. Assemblymen Guy F. Muziani and Joseph Chinnici and Sen. James Hurley It Takes 16 to Tango SWAINTON — The county Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA) staff says it is

feasible to set up a county-wide recycling center, but only if all 16 county municipalities were required to join it. Such a center, which would cost the MUA $817,000 to create, would reduce dumping at the county landfill by about 20 percent, and be profitable for participants, the staff claims. But only 10 of the 16 communities support such a center, and two of the largest. Ocean City and Lower Township, appear uninterested. Lower, in fact, has declined MUA overtures. Plan Route 9 Bypass MARMORA — County officials plan to lengthen Roosevelt Boulevard to the Tuckahoe Road extension spur and bypass a congested section of Route 9 in Upper Township. Design of the project is scheduled to begin sometime after Jan. 1. but construction cannot begin before the county buys seven parcels of land. County Engineer Neil O. Clarke said the state will provide $300,000 of the estimated $1 million cost of the work. Room Tax Refused TRENTON — A majority of state senators last Monday refused to hold an emergency vote on a proposal by Sen. Frank Pallone, D-Monmouth. to tax hotel and motel rooms and campsites in shore communities for beach protection funding. Pallone proposes a one percent tax. and sought an emergency vote to enable a final Senate vote. The bill must pass both legislative houses and be signed by the governor before the end of this year, when the current two-year legislative session ends, or efforts to pass it must start anew next^year.

Courts: Expansion Twice-Delayed

( From Page 1 ) Mott returned Nov. 19 ^ith results of two exploratory surveys of the existing sewer system within the court complex and on Church Street to North Boyd Street Mott said the surveys, timed to coincide with peak residential and commercial flow, reveal the eight-inch lines are only at about 20 percent capacity. "I HAVE EVALUATED the first 725 feet of this system and found it adequate to transport (the added flow) to (the 12-inch main collecting pipe at) the corner of North Boyd and Church Street." Mott said. Kona said he doesn't dispute Mott's figures, but has reservations about the condition of the township's entire system. "I would like to look at North Boyd Street and see what condition the 12-inch main collector is in." he said. Attorney Paul Ambrose said the county did its part by answering concerns voiced at the last meeting. "Mr. Mott went out and addressed them," Ambrose said "Yet. here we are again, looking at another month (delay' "Mr. Mott rendered an opinion and no contrafy opinion was expressed by anyone on the board." he added. "He ( Mott > went beyond what any applicant would have to do to prove no hardship to the system's capacity " •WE DIDN'T SAY we were going to do a feasibility study on your entire system." Ambrose told the commission later "I feel this has been beaten into several different pulps." said attorney Vincent L. Lamanna. Jr . who is coordinating the county's approval effort "To delay this matter. I feel, is unfair to the county." "Our purpose is to provide the most efficient service." commission chairman Albert Karaso replied. "If we didn't look into these matters, we would be negligent to you." "We hired Chuck ( Kona » to substantiate figufes." commission member Jeanne DeVico said. "If he can't substantiate it. I don't feel I can give my approval " Karaso,- DeVico and Phil Heck voted against application approval; James Killian and Michael Mills dissented. A motion was passed authorizing Kona to do any studies he needs to make a recommendation to the board DeVico said they should be completed by the next meeting. LATER. THE PLANNING board was about to enter its fifth hour when the site plan review was tabled. "We just ran out of time." said engineer Bruce S. Graham, who subbed for Alvin Herman on the board Graham said the board's concern is that planned parking space is inadequate and traffic flow problems could result

"We acknowledge there is a parking problem. and are trying to resolve their concerns,-" Lamanna told this newspaper. "The county planner has even offered alternative proposals, including negotiating leases with respect to nearby vacant properties for adjunct parking." THE COUNTY will re-submit its site plan, with amendments, at the December meeting, as well as applications for park ing and height variances. Height of the proposed complex exceeds a 30-foot zoning ordinance allowance by 13 feet, according to Graham. The board, wishing to review the application as a whole, and not in sections, has requested additional information for the meeting. The county is expected to provide details on; the total number and area of driveways, access roads and walkways; the total area of parking space, number of spaces and ratio of parking to building size; the total number of employes to be housed, zoning boundaries and a list of licenses, permits and other approval required for construction and operation. Lamanna said the county didn't come in expecting approval, and that the delay will not affect its timetable But. he said, the same doesn't apply to the sewer commis- , sion decision. "Nobody anticipated it (the plan review' would be done in one night, we anticipated two sessions." he said. "But it should be completed on Dec 17. "WHEN WE'RE DONE with the plann ing board, we're done with the planning board, and can go ahead and get use per mils," he added "When we're done with (the sewage commission) we still have to get a DEP i Department of Environmental Protection) permit, which takes 90 days, at least." Lamanna said county freeholders were mandated by the state Administrative Office of Courts to upgrade the facility. "So there Is some pressure put upon the county to move ahead." he said Freeholder James S. Kilpatrick. Jr.. said neither delay should affect the pro- ^ ject's timetable. Work cannot begin, he said, until the current renovation of the records room is complete sometime in late March or early April and courthouse employes are relocated at the airport industrial park in Erma The project will add 44.000 square feet to the existing courthouse and will take 18-24 months to complete It will include the addition of a holding area for prisoners, a garage, and a probation office i According to architect Edwin N Howell, whose firm designed the renovation, the project was initiated in response to an anI ticipated increase in court cases, employes, and growth in the countv