10 Herald - Lantern Dispatch 2 April '86

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Stone Harbor Losing Only Service Station i

STONE HARBOR - This borough will lose its only service station May 1, when the Exxon corporation will close the StonHrlarbor Exxon Center, jJHfTlrd Avenue. Exxon expects its gas stations to pump 120,000 gallons per month a year. This station, which pumps more than 100,000 gallons a month in summer, only averages 46,000 gallons a month yearly. Exxon last week notified Don Sheneman, 61, who leases the station, that he, his three mechanics and three attendants will be unemployed in May. •IT'S MY ONLY source of ^ income," Sheneman said. "I don't know what I'm going to do. "Oh yeah. I have to work. " he said. "I'm not independently wealthy." And his employes? "They're pretty upset about it," he said. "At this point they don't have any place to go." Sheneman has a threeyear lease on the station, with monthly payments, and has operated it for two years. Exxon agreed to buy out the remainder of his lease, but neither partywould discuss details of the settlement. "He (Sheneman) is in bad health and we had a mutual conversation and mutual agreement." Art Dudley, area representative for Exxon. said. "Nothing was forced on him, we settled by mutual agreement." ^ Sheneman was asked If he was satisfied.

"NOT COMPLETELY, but it was either take that or nothing," he said. "I don't want to jeopardize my position with Exxon right now," Sheneman said when asked for details. Dudley said the decision to close the station "is one of economics," and that 50 or 60 other stations in the state are being closed down as part of a nationwice program. "It (the decision) is one of economics, a need to prepare ourselves for the future and the type of services our stations should provide." Dudley said. "It is based solely on economics and has nothing to do with the dealer." Exxon is phasing out older stations, he said, that are either too small or have problems associated with age, such as the condition of their gas tanks and lines. In the case of some stations, like Sheneman's, it is more economical to sell them than invest in new equipment. Dudley said. •THE AMOUNT OF BUSINESS done by that station (Sheneman's) will not support future investment," Dudley said. "We recognize that it is a highly seasonal area and has two or three . good months (selling gas). "But you can almost shoot a gun down the main street in winter and not hit anyone." Stone Harbor's winter population is 1,200, and a large percentage of those people winter elsewhere. In summer, it swells to more than 21,000. The national trend in the petroleum industry, Dudleysaid. is toward fewer and larger service stations. Sheneman said he understood, "to a certain point, the company's position. "What major oil companies do is reassess their stations every few years. "THIS LOCATION needs a lot of repair." he added. "It was estimated to cost $600,000 to rebuild this station and bring it up to ( Exxon's) standard." Sheneman also conceded that the low gallonage of gas pumped in winter is a factor. "But I think there should be an exception to the rule for a town with only one service station and a lot of elderly people," he said. Nearly half of Stone Harbor's winter population is over 60. What will become of the property? "We will de-identify it and it will be placed on the real estate market for sale," Dudley said it will probably be mid-summer before it is on the market." SHENEMAN'S STATION sells gas and does auto repairs. Motorists seeking

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■ H ■jB&k.c w 'l f DON SHENEMAN

repairs now will have to travel to Court House or Avalon, he said. Sheneman's station was operated by the McClure family for 26 years before he took over. A 10-year resident of Stone Harbor, Sheneman is a former oil company executive. He was born in Chestnut Hill in Philadelphia and attended Germantown High School. A MILITARY POLICEMAN in World War II. Sheneman participated in the invasion of Omaha Beach < " 'Easy Red.' we called it"). "We were the only police outfit on the beach. I believe." he said. "We took care of POWs." After the war. he studied business for 2'/* years at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Civic Club Social Set VILLAS — A social given by the Villas Civic Club will be held noon Saturday, April 12, at the Millman Center, Bayshore Road Refreshments will be served. The monthly meeting of the club will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, April 19, at the Millman Center

In 1946, he took training and management courses at Atlantic Refining in Philadelphia, then became district training supervisor for Getty Oil Co. in the late 1950s. He was executive vice president of Washington Oil and Gas, in Washington. D.C. for three years before his retirement 10 years ago. Booster Buttons On Sale COURT HOUSE - T LOVE CAPE MAY COUNTY" buttons are now available for sale at the Cape May County Chamber * of Commerce Information Centers on the Garden State Parkway in Court House and Seaville. The new county promotion and souvenior buttons use a heart shape to denot the word "Love". They sell for 75a piece and tax and are already a popular item. Chamber information centers are now open dailyseven days a week. The Court House Center is at mile post 11 on the Parkway at Crest Haven Road. The Seaville Center vis in the Parkway Service Area at rnilepost 18.

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