22 . Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 26 February '86

J ( From page 1 ) / Facing Reality / / CAPE MAY - If you can't b<*at 'em. join 'em. La Mer motel owner Gus Andy is rebuilding the motel restaurant severely damaged by Hurricane Gloria last September. It was called the Pier House. The new restaurant will be called The Water's Edge. If it Works Once... WILDWOOD CREST - Charles Mathis, 61, who last month won Avalon's slogan writing contest with "Try Avalon as a First Resort." is apparently no stranger to slogan writing. Several years ago, he said, he won a $100 savings bond in another contest. That slogan? "Try Atlantic City as a First Resort."

Another Perv Alert DENNISVILLE — School officials sent notices home with Dennis Township students last week, warning their parents about a man wanted for attempting to lure children into his car Feb. 18. Described as a white male in a business suit, who may have been driving a blue Oldsmobile Cutlass, the suspect made the afternoon attempts on Tyler Road and Dennisvilie-South Seaville Road, according to reports. State Police are asking for information, particularly a license number of the suspect's vehicle. Call 465-7141. Hiring Angers Bruno TUCKAHOE — Over the objections of Committeeman Bruno Tropeano, Terry Dailey of Marmora was voted solicitor of the Upper Township zoning board. Tropeano contended that the appointment was politically motivated, since Dailey is related to Committeeman Louis DiLuzio, and that former Solicitor Steve Moore was fired without cause. Moore's work record was not questioned by the board.

Mayor Sole Incinerator Supporter

By E. J. DUFFY SUNSET BEACH — Only Mayor Robert Fothergill voted Tuesday for a state grantloan to Lower Township toward acquiring the closed magnesite plant here and using part of it for an incinerator More than 130 people turned out for the 7 p.m. public hearing on that issue Monday, despite the snow, and most of them stayed to hear the 2-1 negative vote at 12:50 a m yesterday. Councilman David F Brand and Robert F. Conroy opposed grant -loan acceptance; Councilman Joseph Lonergan and Deputy Mayor Peggie Bierberbach abstained Several of more than 20 speakers from the audience opposed only the plan to use five acres of a 90-acre Harbison-Walker tract for an incinerator to burn paper or wood. They based their objections on environmental concerns, but did not oppose township acquisition of the property from an unwilling Dresser Industries of Texas OTHER SPEAKERS. LIKE township planners Robert Imler and Margaret Spencer regretted that the incinerator and land acquisition issues were Jinked Spencer urged Council to separate them Township Solicitor Bruce Gorman advised Council that it was actually voting on the plant acquisition though approval'nf the incinerator plan was implicit iff that vote When it came, however, the real issues were economics and information. Lonergan and Bieberbach said they didn't know enough about the projects and township liability Foreseeing $6 million in acquisition costs and a grant-loan of only $997,455. Conroy couldn't foresee where Lower would get the money The property's assessed at $2.3 million, he noted, doubtiqg that Dresser would ac cept or the township would pay less, even through condemnation IF INDE-POWER. the firm that's proposed to build a biomass converter (in cineralori for industrial and environmental tenanLs, backs out of the deal. Lower would be obliged under grant-loan terms to demolish 'the existing buildings for $1 million to $3 million. Conroy said. i

"1 can't see where you're risking anything except the cost of appraisal." said Mark L. Palmer, attorney for INDEPower representatives. He was echoing Gorman's view that, by accepting the state Green Acres grantloan. Lower was only committed to appraising the plant property at a cost between $7, 000- $20,000. "I think, if anything's going to be done with an incinerator, maybe it should go on the ballot." said Conroy "The only existing use of the land < possible! is us." said Palmer. He had argued that, in the "worst case." Lower would get 90 acres and be stuck with a lost tax ratable and appraisal fees. J Conroy and Bieberbach called INDEPower's presentation "terrific." but. as Lonergan complained earlier. Bieberbach said she felt there were "not enough answers" or guarantees that township taxpayers wouldn't wind up paying the freight "I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH information on'it," she said. "I honestly can't vote yes or no." "It seems to me that, for want of the cost of an appraisal fee. it would be a shame to turn down (the grant-loan Palmer observed "I feel that we need more guarantees than we have now." Bieberbach replied "You have a letter from the governor. 1 don't know that more you could want," Palmer replied. Louis H. Elwell III, INDE-Power president. told Council several times that the incinerator development company would spend $10 million on the site, including $100,000 initially to "clean up" the property. Every phase would be bonded and environmentally sound, he said. But, as Lonergan noted, "we have nothing in writing; we have nothing to go on "If you don't do it then we're really stuck." he said. Elwell offered to submit a letter of intent and Gorman proposed council members review an unsigned contract to better gauge the proposal But Bieberbach called for the wee-hour vote that ended all discussion of Fothergill's three-year-old incineration project.

j— NEWSJOUPON | Here s a coupon you can clip and save. If. at some time, you know of someone or some- I | thing we should write a story about, let us know. I Include any details we may need (name, addresses, telephone numbers, etc.) and a brief I I ^description. | Story idea: i j ! j Name and Telephone: j rkaie nil u JOSEPH ZELNIk. EDITOR HERALD AND LANTERN P.O. BOX 434 CAPEMAVCT.HSL.NJ.M210 TELEPHONE: 465^053 ' - 1

Vent Capping Begins WILDWOOD CREST - Foundations and Structures Inc. began capping some of the 2,801 sewer vents here last week, work that Mayor Frank McCall said will reduce flow to the borough's sewage treatment plant by 500,000 gallons a day on average. The work is necessary to fulfill the Crest's service agreement to hook into the county MUA \ Wildwood/Lower treatment plant, which should be completed in May 1988. The MUA has stipulated that all participating municipalities must cut down excessive inflow and infiltration of collector systems. The work is expected to take three weeks and cost $$88,050 Call the Cops ESTELL MANOR - State Police want information (641-4250) on two men who beat, robbed and attempted to rape a Court House woman, 22. on Tuckahoe Road (Route 557), around 10 p.m. last Wednesday. The victim, released from Newcomb Medical Center. Vineland, Friday, had stopped to help one of the men sprawled on the road when the other ermerged from the woods, broke her station wagon window, beat her and stole her wallet. Found unconscious by passing motorist two hours later, she described her assailants as white, about six-foot each, one 190 pounds with a mustache, the other with blond hair.

Court Voids Sentence COURT HOUSE - The slate Supreme Court has negated a May 1984 ruling by Superior Court Judge James A O'Neill that sentenced David J. Vitale, of Wildwood Crest, to 10 years in prison for the beating of John Dubak. 20. of Southampton Township, Pa., at the Martinique Motel's bar. Wildwood. July 16. 1983. Dubak. 20, later died from his injuries The court agreed with Vitale's contention that the sentence was excessive and more evidence was needed to sustain it Vitale has the option of seeking a new trial or keeping his quilty plea and obtaining a new sentence Mandatory Recycling ? SWAINTON — The county MUA agreed last week to begin a $900,000 mandatory recycling program if 12 of the county's 16 municipalities adopt resolutions suppor ting the idea by March 31. The plan would call for the construction of a $550,000 processing plant at the MUA landfill on the Upper Township-Woodbine border Communities that have not agreed to participate are Lower, Middle and Dennis townships and Woodbine

f Not for the Birds MARMORA — Upper Township's zoning board recently denied Daniel S. Bready of Old Stagecoach Road a use variance to keep exotic birds at his property after several neighbors complained about possible noise, odor, health problems and effect on property values. Bready's neighbors, Donald and Janet Ay, hired an attorney to oppose the variance. Bready was convicted in December of killing their cat, Morris. Cop Pleads Guilty BEESLEY'S POINT - Atlantic City policeman Brendan Connell, 25, of here pleaded quilty to one count of death by auto in Superior Court last week for the killing of Holly Davision. 20. of Somer's Point in a June 25 crash on Route 9 here He faces five years in prison, a $7,500 fine, or both and must still appear in Upper Township Municipal Court on charge of drunk driving. Superior Court Judge James A. O'Neill ruled last month that blood alcohol tests performed on Connell after the accident werea't admissable as evidence. Sandman School COLD SPRING — Lower Township's elementary school board unanimously decided last week to rename Consolidated School here after one of its former students, the late Superior Court Judge Charles W Sandman of Erma Park. That change will come after $800,000 in renovations to the 1929 school The board decision came while officials are considering changing the name of streets or a Cape May-Lewes Ferry to honor Sandman, a former Congressman and state legislator. Restricted Movements COURT HOUSE — Superior Court Judge James A. O'Neill turned down Assistant Prosecutor Robert Wells' request Friday to hike bail for Clarence M Moore. 36, of Islen Avenue. Town Bank, indicted for rapes in Atlantic and Cape May counties. Free on $70,000 bail in the latter and $100,000 bail from the former. Moore was told not to leave his home without an adult escort after 8 p.m and confine himself to Cape May County ex cept for case-related appearances north.

Farmland: a Steady Decline

( From page I ) Wildwood? The downward slide was briefly reversed in 1890 with the founding of Woodbine, unique to the rest of the county then, and unique it remains. Baron Maurice De Hirsch, wealthy Bavarian industrialist, set up a fund which purchased 5,300 acres in and around Woodbine for $39,000. His goal was to offer a place to the persecuted of Russia, especially the Jews. THE FIRST 60 families arrived in 1892, each given a house, barn, outbuildings, one cow, 25 chickens, tools and seeds, according to "Cape May County Story" by George F. Boyer and Jane Ann Cunn- 1 ingham. publisher of this paper in the 5 1960s-70s. ' The Woodbine Agricultural School. America's first high school devoted to the study of agriculture, opened in -J895. It closed in 1917 lor lack of enrollment, and reopened in lfcl as the Woodbine State t School for the mentally retarded There was amx{ier countywide spurt in acres devoted to farming during World i War I which. like most wars, brought an increased demand for food.

But Seabrook floundered by 1970 and the number of acres still growing limas is estimated at one-third that peak. The most recent trend: 1970: 15,863 acres of "land in farm;" 1978, 15,013 acres, 1982, 13,992 acres. Of that an estimated 10,000 acres are tilled. WORLD WAR II had the same result, including some 3,000 acres of lima beams throughout the county for Seabrook Farms of Cumberland County and headed for the Birds Eye label.