Herald - lantern - Dispatch 5 February '86 ' 4 * "'*• * r- 41

COURT PROJECT — Top is the Prosecutor's building in Court House which now is included in the county's courthouse renovation project and may be demolished. Bottom. Building No. 8 at the county airport in Erma which will house the courts during the twoyear courthouse renovation.

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(From Page 4) among speakers next Tuesday on a pro I posed waste-to-energy incinerator at the I closed Harbison-Walker magnesite plant. Sunset Beach. Sponsored by West Cape May Republican clubs, the 8 p.m. meeting will be held for members and invited guests only at the Harry Snyder American Legion Post 193. 406 Congress St. here. MUA Bid Backed SEA ISLE CITY — Commissioner James R. Iannone got a ^jte of support from his colleagues last w^k when they adopted a resolution backing his quest for a seat on the county Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA). Head of the resort Public Works and a past critic of the MUA as\a Democratic candidate for freeholder, Iannone is one of three seeking to replace former Commissioner James Busha. Freeholders are expected to decide Feb. 11 between Iannone. Wildwood plumbing inspector Joseph Cot-

Add Prosecutor to Courts Project

( From page 1 > negotiate those steps "Then- the architect said he would put in an open chair lift, and electronically raise them to my office. I objected to that because j^many. particularly the elderly, are afraid of elevators, let alone an open chair lift. "Then the Prosecutor and I agreed to switch, with me going to the front of where the Prosecutor is now, and the Prosecutor up to new space. Then. Howell said, "it dawned on us we were tampering too much with an existing building that, more appropriately, should be demolished." Among reasons: the Prosecutor's building has a lot of wasted corridor space, and a concrete roof that makes a second-floor addition difficult. To renovate. Howell said, might cost $445,000. To demolish and reconstruct, maybe another $33,700, or . a total of $478,700. "I am asking you." he said "if it is worthwhile to spend $33,000 to build a new configuration. How do you wish to proceed0 " The freeholders asked if the Surrogate and Prosecutor were satisfied now. Howell said Hentges liked the first floor proposal, which the architect then took to the Prosecutor and the county bar association. The bar association has been involved since it sued the county in July 1983 to block renovation of the existing courthouse as "wasteful and nonproductive." It backed down after it appeared the choice was a new court house at Crest Haven or renovation in Court House. Then the county decided to place a newCrest Haven nursing home — also not yet out for bid and behind schedule — on land \ formerly intended for the courthouse. ' Howell said the association was "satisfied" with the Surrogate move to the first floor, "but the Prosecutor was not satisfied his area requirements would be adequate." That resulted in the plans for a second floor on the Prosecutor's building. No one asked Howell why this changed came at such a late date. Plans have been under way for about two years. And no one commented on where the 30-member Prosecutor's staff would operate during the two-years of the courthouse renovation. The county doesn't even have adequate space for the courts at the airport building to which it plans to move them. And that prompted Hentges to tell this newspaper last week that he feels "renovation of the existing court house is a mistake. I favor leaving the courthouse the way it is and building a new. 2'z-story courthouse in the northwest comer of the parking lot. "Others feel the same." said Hentges. "From my personal discussions. I would say many employes share my opinion. "I hope renovation is not cast in stone." he added. If not stone, at least brick, apparently. "I foresee no change in plans." said Freeholder James S. Kilpatrick Jr.. who is in charge of the project. "Bob's entitled to

his opinion, but I frankly disagree with him. We've been working on this since sometime in 1983. He's a little late, two years after we started planning and are 95 percent complete. "It has to be an inconvenience," Kilpatrick agreed "I went through a similar move in Montgomery County (Pa.). We relocated (the courts) to a former school for wayward girls in Norristown and operated shuttle buses for employes, litigants, lawyers for 2'z years Like they say on the highway project signs, it's a temporary inconvenience for a permanent improvement." Kilpatrick said Hentges" proposal for a new courthouse on the current parking lot "would create an impact on the residential nature of the street to the west of the courthouse complex and also occupy more of the tract. Think of, the parking problem." Kilpatrick also commented that Delaware County (Pa I "stayed in place" during a recent courthouse renovation and paid a horrendous price," meaning inconvenience. not dollars. And he pointed out that Atlantic County "moved into the old Atlantic Electric Building for l-l »2 years, plus they paid $30.000-a -month rent and had nothing to show for it." Kilpatrick said the county was consider ing two options on where to move the Prosecutor staff : "temporary facilities, some type of trailer, either in the Crest Haven area or at the airport, probably Crest Haven." "I don't knbw where we're going." said Prosecutor John Corino "I have nothing to do with what's happening to this building. Originally this building wasn't going to be demolished and I was just going to send trial teams down there (to the airport) as needed. Now I've been advised to look over modulars and the freeholders will determine where. "I would be better off in Court House, central to dealing with the police departments. rather than tucked away at the airport. if I had a choice." he said"! A number of sources confirmed that county officials met Jan. 14 to discuss the problems inherent in the temporary move of the courts to the airport Problems ran the gamut from buying smaller desks, so more people could be squeezed into offices (leaving the question of what to do with two sets of desks), to how to move the courts without actually "closing" them temporarily, which apparently is impossible. "It is important that the courts be open at all times." said Assignment Judge Williams. "We cannot shut down for a week to accomplish the move. We must try to develop plans to keep the facilities open and operating." Much of the physical preparation for the temporary move to the airport rests with Harry E. (Skip) Kehr, director of the Department of Facilities and Services who is acting as "general contractor" for that renovation. He said he is "in the process of getting

bid specifications for the first phase." Kehr said he will hire eight temporary persons for the job: five tradesmen and three helpers. He said it was possible the interior work "could start in six weeks" and be completed in six months. That would coincide with Kilpatrick's latest estimate that the courts will move to the airport by fall, probably October The courthouse renovation would follow In 1984, the plan had been to move to temporary facilities by last fall The project started out with a $4-million estimated price tag that had climbed to more than $5.5 million before the latest proposed change. Assuming it is approved, the cost could top $6 million. Last spring, the county had estimated the airport renovation would cost $310,000. but decided it could cut that in half by do ing the general construction in-house Sources have told this newspaper the estimated cost has since doubled, however. The county will subcontract electrical. plumbing, heating, ventilating and air conditioning work. 1 I NEW TROOPER - Eric Kane of Wildwood was graduated Jan. 24 with the I0:ird Recruit Training Class at the State Police Training Center. Sea Girt. N ' Resurfacing Rt. 9 COURT HOUSE — Nine miles of Route 9. from Route 109 in Lower Township to Atlantic Avenue here, will be resurfaced before July 1. a state Department of Transportation official has confirmed. Bids on grading and repaving the roadway are expected Feb. 20 with the contract awarded sometime in April. The contract on the $2-million project calls for penalties if the roadwork isn't completed by June 27. the official said.

ton and retired Philadelphia school administrator George Gadsby Last week, freeholders hiked MUA members -salaries from $1.000-$6.500 a year Boil tl ater SEA ISLE CITY — Residents between 63rd and 58lh streets here were asked last week to boil their drinking water after a water main was broken during excavation work by the R.J Longo com pany The company is laying sewer lines for the county Municipal Utilities Authority. The city added extra chlorine to the water supply and test results show ed no contamination. The water boiling request was only precautionary, according to Commissioner James Iannone. One More Step TRENTON — The appointment of former Assistant County Prosecutor Joseph Visalli. 44. to a Superior Court judgeship was unanimously confirmed by the state Senate last week and now only requires the signature of Gov Thomas:!! *Sfc Kean. who initially submitted Visalli's name for nomination Visalli. who will replace the late Charles Sandman, is a municipal court judge in the Wild woods He was assistant county prosecutor from 1976 to 1979 and also served on the county Mental Health. Alcohol and Drug Abuse . Board ■1-2 for 85-36 VILLAS — Lower Township Council, on the fourth attempt Monday, approved Ordinance 85-36 for first reading by a, 3-2 margin on the recommendation of municipal zoners and planners and over objections from several critics. Mayor Robert Fothergill. Councilmen David K Brand Jr. and Robert Conroy voted for the zoning measure that will permit construction without variances on certain undersized lots if adopted after a public hearing March 3 Dissenting on first reading were Deputy Mayor Peggie Bieberbach and Councilman Joseph Loner gan 6-1 for Oxford NORTH CAPE MAY .Stale Division of Coastal Resources officials plan an 11 a m public hearing Friday in Lower Township Hall. 2600 Hayshore Rd . Villas, on Oxford Development's application for a CAFRa (Coastal Area Facilities Review Act) permit Oxford wants to build a 243-unit retirement community and 120-bed nursing home at Bayshore and Town Bank roads here Township zoners voted 6-1 to approve variances for that project last week (see Lower Township News notes). No Penalty 'til March 10 VILI*AS — Lower Township's Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA) wants its sewertustomers to know that interest will not be charged on first quarter sewer bills until March 10. Because of a computer foulup, bills weren't mailed in January as usual. Elizabeth Church, MUA secretary, explained Monday First quarter bills are usually due for payment in February Sunken Ship Suit SCHELLENGER'S LANDING - Sea Isle City is suing Lobster Hbuse owner Wally Laudeman and William Figley. a tug boat captain, for $3,800 — the cost of clearing wreckage from Laudeman's "American" schooner off Sea Isle's beaches last year. Debris from the former floating cocktail lounge allegedly washed a shore in Sea Isle and Avalon after the schooner was scuttled for a fishing reef about 35 miles offshore. The city contends Laudeman. who now has a new floating lounge, and Figley were negligent and failed to take necessary precautions.