f 64 Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 9 July '86

rH^NEWS Sns/ DIGEST 7/j / The Week's jj U J J Top Stories

(From Page 1) Phew! COURT HOUSE — State and county health inspectors were called in to take air samples of the county courthouse last week in the wake of employe complaints about a bad odor that caused headaches, sore throats,, itchy eyes and runny noses. Twenty workers evacuated their first floor offices for the former records room in the rear of the building July 1. A report on the cause of odors like ether was due Monday from county health officials. We're Number Three NEWARK — Cape May County has the third highest rate of federal tax delinquency in the state, tied with Passaic County at 2.52 percent, according to a recent survey by the Internal Revenue Service. The national median is 2.2 percent. Atlantic County has the highest delinquency rate, 4.22 percent, and Cumberland County has the lowest, 0.74 percent. The state median is 2.03 percent, the study said. Council Reorganises AVALON — In a reorganization meeting last Thursday. Richard Light became the borough's new council president, replacing Pauline Petrica. In other action, Jeanette Glazier was named council vice president and Charles Curtis its Planning Board representative. Cops Save Woman AVALON — Patrolmen Gregory Fitzgerald and Larry Kennedy rescued Colleen Bonner, 20. of Blue Bell, Pa., from the "Party Time," a 26-foot party boat that capsized in Bluefish Harbor with Fourth of July revelers aboard Friday night. The vessel, owned by Joseph Neuber, tipped over around 9:30 about 100 feet off Pelican Drive in 15 feet of water, police reported. Trapped inside the cabin. Bonner was pulled to safety through a window by the officers. . . j. >, » Maureen Coyle STAR-SPANGLED — Robert Haig. 9. was one of the participants in Cape May's July 4 bike parade. Robert is the son of Anaa and Charles Haig of Ocean View.

Fire 'Suspicious' WOODBINE — Eighty firefighters from six companies battled a "suspicious" general alarm blaze that gutted a vacant Madison Avenue warehouse early Sunday morning. A state police arson unit was expected at the scene Monday to determine the cause of the 12:34 a.m. fire in the brick and concrete building. Local Fire Chief Anthony Mashura called it mysterious and state police Trooper Ruben Gomez labeled it suspicious. Authorities were also trying to find out who owns the half-block structure that once housed Franklin Clothes, an army coat supplier. Job in Limbo WILDWOOD - Mayor Victor DiSylvester says he won't remove Thomas Ciccarone as personnel officer despite City Council's vote Thursday to override the mayor's veto of an ordinance it has adopted to abolish that position. DiSylvester argues that the job is needed, and protected because it's funded in the 1906 budget. But Council President Edward Herman maintains DiSylvester, as chairman of the commission that recommended in 1983 changing to a council mayor-council government, said then that the post wouldn't be needed. Eliminating it gives taxpayers more effective government, Herman said. Homes or Trailers? DENNISVILLE — Subdivisions already approved would be exempt, but new residential developments would require three-acre minimum housing lots, if Dennis Tbwnship Committee adopts proposed revisions to the municipal master plan. While restricting housing, those changes favor campgrounds by allowing 200 sites (versus 13 houses) on 40 acres in a new RR zone. Six Wells Polluted MARMORA — Four wells at the intersection of Route 9 and Roosevelt Boulevard here and two wells at Route 9 and Delores Avenue in Palermo are polluted with high levels of gasoline derivatives, according to recent samplings by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) More monitoring wells will be drilled in the Palermo area and further water testing will be taken in Marmora. DEP officials said. Two Bids Rejected ' SEA ISLE CITY - The city Board of Education rejected two construction bids — $474,000 by Martel Construction Co. of Penns Grove and $500,000 by Toll Construction Co. of Burlington County — as being two expensive. The bids were submitted for additional classrooms and office space at the elementary school. The school was built in 1971 to house 150 students; current enrollment is about 206 and the projection for 1990 is 300 students. "We're talking about a 33 percent increase," Administrative Principal Frank C. Dougherty told this newspaper in November. "This city is not ready for this." Dump Site Bill MAURICE RIVER TOWNSHIP - Sen James R. Hurley introduced a bill July 1 that would incorporate 1,600 acres here, one of four proposed sites for the location of a toxic waste storage facility, into the Pinelands Preservation Area. Hurley said it would have to be withdrawn as a potential site for hazardous waste storage if the bill becomes law. The parcel lies east of Routes 47 and 55 in Cumberland County, just over the Cape May County border.

Fired Gorman to Sue

By E.J. DUFFY VILLAS — Bruce Gorman intends to sue Lower Township Council for firing him as municipal solicitor Monday night. He said he "anticipates that there will be a law suit filed seeking reinstatement and, failing that, damages." After a brief closed session. Council's new Republican majority adopted four resolutions on 3-1 votes Monday with Deputy Mayor Peggie Bieberbach dissenting and fellow Democrat, Mayor Robert Fothergill, absent. According to Republican Councilman Robert F Conroy, who promised it when Democrats held the majority last month, the first resolution rescinded Democrat Gorman's $40,000 contract ratified then, retroactive to January when Gorman was unanimously reappointed, and effective until the end of his term, Dec. 31. The second resolution immediately terminated Gorman's position, Conroy said, while the third measure named lawyer Louis C. Dwyer Jr. as new solicitor. The fourth resolution appointed lawyer Louis F. Hornstine to represent Council if Gorman sues. "WE'LL HAVE TO ARGUE that out in court, I'm sure," Conroy said of Gorman's contracted salary. "We have to sit down and work that out," the councilman said of Dwyer's annual pay. Former Republican Councilman David F. Brand Jr. voted with the Democratic majority last month to approve more than $20,000 in outstanding vouchers Gorman submitted for payment then; only Conroy dissented. But, he said Monday, he wants Gorman's calendar of township legal work aikL related time sheets "before I do anything" ' about paying those vouchers. Time sheets and calendars were never required of Republican solicitors, Bieberbach complained. Conroy cited them as reasons for firing Gorman, she noted, but the real reason was obvious from a po6t-election celebration at Conroy's Pirate's Den tavern. Villas, in May when victorious Republicans reportedly toasted Gorman's imminent firing. A state Democratic committeeman, Middle Township and Wildwood school board solicitor, Gorman was legal advisor and contributor to the "People's Choice" slate that Conroy defeated with Republican running mates Phyllis M. Genovese and Edward K. Yates. AH three were sworn in July 1. "I STILL SAY IT was illegal." Bieberbach said of the work session resolutions Monday night that weren't listed on Council's agenda. "It was in violation of the Sunshine Act (state Open Public Meeting Law)." Bieberbach was "People's Choice" treasurer and its major contributor. "We couldn't go by what the agenda said at all," Democratic committeewoman Cass Clark griped as president of the Lower Township Taxpayers' Association "Therefore, we're asking for an investigation into (a possible violation) of the Sunshine Law." Asked why he wanted to fire Gorman, Conroy replied: "Basically because the majority of Council was not satisfied with him" and didn't want to wait until the contract expired to replace Gorman. "He got fired because we didn't feel comfortable with him," said Yates. "YOU KNOW IT'S GOING to come into litigation," complained Democratic committeewoman Lonnie Mattia. "Do you realize what it's going to cost the taxpayers in litigation fees?" Lawyer Michael Testa sued Sea Isle City Commission last year when Democrats replaced Republicans as the majority.

Former Superior Court Assignment Judge Philip A. Gruccio told the commissioners they could either reinstate Testa or compensate him for his lo6t contract. "Damages awarded in it (that case) were pursuant to a formula of the value of (Testa's) salary and the value of services performed by the new solicitor (Dennis Quinn)," Gorman recalled. In short, "for every dollar they paid Quinn, they paid Testa." If Gorman wins damages based on Gruccio's Sea Isle City formula ( which was set aside by another Testa-commission agreement), he could coUect the $40,000 in his rescinded contract plus the same amount Dwyer makes for township litigation this year. GORMAN SAID ANY SUIT he files "would not be based on the Sea Isle City decision" but "certainly, the Sea Isle City decision is the law of the (area legal jurisdiction)." "The premise on which our government in this country was formulated was that goverment should be of law and not of men," be observed. "The new majority on Council... disregarded the law. They apparently take the position that they are above the law. "If they can do this to me, then they can do this to anybody," Gorman reflected. "And I think I have an obligation as an attorney to contest this iUegal and improper action and it is my intention to do so. "I do not know how probable it is that I can reverse the action that was taken..., but, perhaps, I can forestall such future conduct." he said. "There are a lot of little people who work for the township who could suffer the same fate," Gorman concluded. "Maybe I can at least strike a blow for them — to see to it that nothing like this ever happens again." A am/* Mauram Coyl» BRUCE M. GORMAN Crash Injures Two GREEN CREEK - Kathleen Bridygham, 26. of Bensalem, Pa., and Donald Ritche, 26, of Crum Lynne, Pa., were hospitalized June 29 after Bridygham's car slid off a wet portion of Route 47 here and crashed into a tree, police said. Bridygham was listed in critical but stable condition and Ritche in stable condition at Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital. Bridygham's husband, Kenneth, also of Bensalem, was treated at the hospital and released.

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