West Cape May Seeks Judge for Municipal Court

WEST CAPE MAY — Wanted: a judge for the borough’s municipal court, experience is not necessary, if you are an attorney.
At a Wed., Oct 13 meeting, Borough Commission discussed the upcoming retirement of David DeWeese as municipal judge on Dec. 31.
Commissioner Ramsey Geyer suggested the borough may want to revisit alternative solutions such as consolidating court operations with a neighboring town, in particular, if it produced a cost savings to the borough rather than finding another part time judge.
Deputy Mayor Peter Burke said the municipality made an attempt to consolidate its court “and it didn’t go anywhere.” He said he did not favor having a court in borough hall run by another municipality.
Mayor Pamela Kaithern said the borough does not have to use a sitting judge and can appoint an attorney to the position.
Borough Solicitor Frank Corrado, who also serves a Borough Prosecutor, said municipal judges are lawyers in private practice. He suggested Borough Commission speak with Judge Louis Belasco, presiding judge of municipal courts, and DeWeese for his suggestions.
Corrado said the appointment would be similar to the borough hiring an engineer or solicitor.
Burke suggested calling Cape May and Cape May Point and ask them to reconsider their position.
A study commissioned by Cape May, Cape May Point and West Cape May looked favorably on a merger of the three municipal courts but the concept died after Cape May Point chose not to renew an intermunicipal agreement with West Cape May Municipal Court earlier this year.
Cape May Point signed an interlocal agreement with Cape May’s municipal court, cutting West Cape May out of the equation. Cape May and Cape May Point kept separate courts but located both courts in Cape May City Hall.
West Cape May established its own municipal court as of March 1, dissolving the intermunicipal court with the Point. Commissioners approved DeWeese as judge at that time.
Cape May Point Mayor Carl Schupp told the Herald in February the move wasn’t so much for a cost savings but to maintain its current level of costs. He called it a “relationship that was not going to get better.”
In February, Kaithern said several months after the study was released and attempts to have “sit downs,” the borough was advised Cape May was no longer interested in a intermunicipal court.
She said there were benefits for all parties and some compromises probably were possible but the parties were “unwilling to sit down at the table together.”
Burke said the consolidation study said court should be held in and operated by West Cape May.
Geyer noted the borough moved its construction office to Lower Township.
“Do we want to look for a way to reduce the cost?” asked Geyer.
Kaithern noted there was little time until the end of the year. She suggested finding a judge with the possibility of pursuing court consolidation in the future.