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Vol. 21 No. 50 1985 S*owov* Corp.

December 11, 1985

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^ggf^NEWS ~ - |p^7 DIGEST 7/ ffl/ Wtek's // // // Taj, Stories Beach Tax Stalled TRENTON — Opposition by several coastal legislators, including Assemblyman Joseph Chinnici and Guy Muziani. temporarily stalled an Assembly vote on a bill that would put a one percent tax on hotels and motels in 97 shore communities to fund beach restoration projects. The bill, which has the support of Gov. Thomas Kean. could be voted on when the Legislature meets • tomorrow for its last meeting of the year. Among the protestors were Avalon Mayor Rachel Sloan and Wildwood City Council President Edward Herman. Hearing DENNISVILLE — Monday's hearing on R. Wayne Tozer's election challenge has been continued until next Monday by Superior Court Judge John F. Callinan. Democrat Tozer, whose four-vote loss to Republican Harry L. Creamer in the (Page 13 Please)

inside... ALL ABOUT BLOOD. Health Watch, page 37. BROADWAY HOPEFUL directs LCMR's "Our Town." From the Principal, page 40. WEST CAPE MAY'S Christmas Parade in pictures, page 60. BOOKS FOR EVERYONE on the gift list, County Library, page 12. Saga Hiring 50 for Mess At CG Base By JACK SMYTH CAPE MAY — When Saga Corporation, a private food service contractor, takes ' over operation of the mess at the Coast Guard Recruit Training Center here Jan 1. it will provide jobs for 50 area residents. But whether the local economy will lose some of the money the Coast Guard spent buying foodstuffs from local suppliers remains unclear. A spokesman for Saga said it plans to purchase food from some of the current vendors and will buy perishable items locally. But a Rio Grande food distributor said he feels the change will have a negative impact. "If you are asking if it will mean a loss to the local economy, yes; I am confident that will happen." said Henry Satt. president of Seashore Food Distributors Inc. , In November, the Coast Guard spent 579,000 on food for the mess which serves three meals daily to up to 1,000 recruits In (Page 65 Please)

Doris Ward EYE-CATCHER — Kate VanMeter and Paige Springer, both 13 of Court House, admire a Navajo bear claw bracelet during the Weekend Antique-Craft Show at Middle Township High School. Kate's the daughter of Mr. . & Mrs. Norman VanMeter; Paige Is the daughter of Mrs. Barbara Dahlen.

Redditt Challenges Sloan I

By GREGG LAWSON AVALON — James H. Redditt. retired engineering consultant and chairman of the Planning Board here, announced last week that he will oppose Mayor Rachel Sloan in the Jan. 28 recall election. Redditt. 63. filed his petition with the borough clerk Dec. 4 and officially announced his candidacy in a prepared statement distributed at his home. "My petition was filed this morning, and at this time I'm requesting that Rachel Sloan meet with me at a public forum to debate the issues so the people, once and for all. will get a chance to see what the

facts really are," Redditt told this newspaper. "The problems in this borough are the result of plain-out mismanagement and lack of leadership in the office of mayor." he added. "And this will be demonstrated I when all the facts are presented. " Sloan indicated she will accept Redditt 's debate challenge. In his statement. Redditt criticized the building moratorium Sloan imposed in July 1983. "RACHEL SLOAN'S TERM as mayor began July 1. 1983. Within one month of her installation, she imposed a construction | (Page 65 Please)

nr" vM Ht » jM - M JAMES II. REDDITT D"'" Word

Doris Word SANTA'S HELPERS — Stone Harbor Elementary School students fashion decorations for the borough Christmas tree with materials furnished by the Parent-Teachers' Connection. From left are Shaun. 7. son of Mr. & Mrs. John Deignan; Bekki. 12. daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Robert Rich: and Lori. 9. daughter of Mrs. Jean Harlan.

DEP Gets Icy Quiz On Williams ' Study

By GREGG LAWSON SWAINTON — Monday night's bitter weather air wasn't quite as chilly as the response state Department "of Environmental Protection (DEP) representatives got from Middle Township residents who came to hear details of the $540,000 Williams Dump Investigation and Clean-up Feasability Study. More than 30 residents and officials at-

tended a brief presentation on the history of the Siegtown Road site here, the goals and procedures of the DEP study during a question and answer session at Middle Township Elementary No. 3. Sam Kelly of Swainton summed up a frequently stated opinion; area residents are tired of talk about studies and support the township's plan to pipe water to the area. "This sounds like what we heard a few (Page 65 Please)

Contractor Accepts $25,000 Settlement

By GREGG LAWSON CREST HAVEN — County freeholders recently voted to settle for $25,000 out of court a $300,000 lawsuit, brought against them by Harry Fiocchi Construction Co. of Vineland. Fiocchi sued the freeholders and architect William I. Pearl for change orders in his contract to build the Special Services School at the county complex here. His suit claimed that during the course of building, he discovered that plans,

drawings and specifications by Pearl were improperly and negligently prepared, requiring corrections, extra labor and materials. Fiocchi claimed he went to Pearl and the freeholders with change orders, but both "wrongfully, and in breach of contractural duties, refused to approve same." He demanded $42,459.12 for unexpected expenses. $250,000 to cover the cost of concrete he failed to include in his bid plus punitive damages, interest, counsel fees • (Page 4 Please)

Tax Hike Will Pay For Hall COURT HOUSE — Middle Township Committee last week unanimously approved a $2.8 million bond ordinance for Township Hall expansion and municipal improvements over opposition from the Court House Neighborhood Association. Besides $1.68 million for the expansion. $154,000 will be used to buy computers. $825,000 for repaving roads in non-sewered areas. $110,000 for radio communications systems for police, fire, and rescue squads. $47,000 for new Township Hall telephones and $164,000 for two pickups and six dump trucks for the Public Works Department. The Neighborhood Association expressed concerns about tax increases, especially after the increase approved in « November when voters supported a change in the police pension program. "We just had an increase... that comes to close to $100," association president John Beitel said. "Now we're looking at one in 1989 for another $100." "THE INCREASE IN TAXES in the next three years will be very difficult for the people paying taxes in this town," he added "The area is getting smaller and smaller and it gets to be difficult." Committeeman Charles Leusner estimated an eight to 12 cent increase in the local tax rate, or $80-$120 for a $100,000 home. Leusner said the 12 percent figure represents "the worst possible scenario" and that his calculation was based on paying off the principle in 10 years, not the 15 (Page 65 Please) . JM: Doris Ward HUGGABLES — Sandy. 5. and Elizabeth. 6. cuddle a Teddy during the weekend Antique-Craft Show at Middle Township High School. They're the daughters of Mr. & Mrs. Chip Menz of Court House.