CAPE MAY – The City Council has approved $200,000 for repairs and replacement of city property damaged when City Hall was hit by lightning on July 12.

City Manager Paul Dietrich told the council at its July 16 meeting that the lightning strike, which he called the loudest he’s ever heard, caused substantial damage. The lightning’s energy entered the building through the communications system and a roof-top antenna, Dietrich said.

The city manager and his staff began work immediately to restore services, and City Hall was back open for business Monday morning.

Dietrich said most of the equipment damage expenses would be reimbursed by insurance. The emergency appropriation includes funds for preventive measures to help better secure the building from a similar strike in the future.

He said the city would be looking to explore ways in which lightning arresters could help secure City Hall. A lightning arrester is a device that diverts a lightning surge on a specific power line to a ground terminal.

In July 2021 a lightning strike on City Hall damaged police dispatch equipment and hastened the transition of Cape May City to Cape May County central dispatch.

Contact the reporter, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.