Co. Chamber Opposes County Beach Control

STONE HARBOR – Thumbs down. Banish the thought. No support.
At Cape May County Chamber of Commerce’s Aug. 21 meeting held at The Reeds at Shelter Haven, the membership went on record opposing concurrent Senate and Assembly bills (A1596 and S2171) to permit counties, including Cape May, to assume control of beaches and be responsible for their upkeep.
To underscore previous objections by freeholders to the bills, when Chairman Scott Campbell asked for a motion and second, Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton immediately raised his hand and made the motion. The board, in previous separate action, voted twice in objection to the bills.
Seated next to Thornton was Freeholder Kristine Gabor who, almost as quickly, offered a second.
Asked for a voice vote, the motion carried without any opposition from the room of about 100 members.
Sponsored in the lower house by Assemblywoman L. Grace Spencer (D-29th, Essex) and in the Senate by Sen. Bob Smith (D-17th, Middlesex and Somerset) , the bills would, if signed into law, “authorize any county of the fifth or sixth class (Atlantic, Monmouth, Ocean, and Cape May counties) to assume complete responsibility for the operation and control of the beaches that border the Atlantic Ocean within the county, by ordinance or resolution, which, under the bill could take effect no sooner than 180 days after final adoption. Upon the county ordinance or resolution taking effect, the county would assume responsibility for and control of the beaches in all municipalities that do not adopt an ordinance reserving such responsibility and control to the municipality, which municipalities are authorized to do under the bill, as amended.”
Additionally, the bills provide that such beach operation would be considered a “public utility of the county.” Revenues and expenses of that beach utility would be required to be reported on the same Internet website as the county budget.
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In another vote at the meeting, the members also wholeheartedly supported reauthorization of Brand USA, pending before the U.S. Senate.
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