STONE HARBOR — Customers of Cape Bank’s borough branch have been informed that it will close effective Feb. 4.
The office is one of two of the bank’s branches that will close.
The other is Court House South, near the state Motor Vehicle Inspection Station, at the intersection of Route 9 and Shell Bay Avenue will close Dec. 4, according to Jeff Ropiecki, vice president, sales and marketing at Cape Bank.
Councilman Randall Bauer told council peers at the Tue., Nov. 16 meeting of the news, and was puzzled, since it was rated “second of four (local) banks in market share.”
The closure, he said, was “business decision” that will not only cause long-time customers to drive four miles to Court House to do their banking, but will affect three employees.
“Earlier this year, when Wildwood Catholic High School solicited support from us, we, as a council, voted to support that. I think it would be appropriate if the rest of borough council sees fit, to send a motion in the form of a resolution or letter to Cape Bank asking them, even though we know it was a business decision, do they know what impact it will have, and those people who need service.
Bauer said it is “Up to borough council to support the citizens.”
“Do one for the post office, too,” interjected Council President Barry Mastrangelo.
Mayor Suzanne Walters asked Solicitor Michael Donohue to prepare a resolution for council’s future consideration.
Ropiecki said the decision to close the Stone Harbor branch was done “with mixed emotions.”
In operation since the middle 1980s, the borough branch closing was “Made for business reasons. Growth of the branch was relatively limited over recent years,” said Ropiecki.
“The growth potential was inadequate to support a full service branch,” Ropiecki added.
“We had to make hard choices,” he said, and could well understand borough council’s concerns.
“We will make every effort to place the (branch’s) folks in other positions. They have not been laid off,” he continued. The same will hold true for four employees at the Court House South branch, Ropiecki said.
Contact Campbell at (609) 886-8600 Ext 28 or at: al.c@cmcherald.com
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
