CREST HAVEN – Book lovers, take heart.
The Cape May County Library Tax will not change in 2022. The rate was approved Dec. 14 by the Board of County Commissioners at .00034 of a mil per dollar.
That rate raised $11.3 million to support the $13.3 million library budget this year.
Translated into an easier-to-understand amount, as an example, the rate for Middle Township taxpayers will be roughly $35 per $100,000 of assessed value.
The library serves patrons in 14 of the county’s 16 municipalities. Ocean City and Avalon have municipal libraries and do not participate in the county library system.
Passage of the resolution was without comment by any commissioner.
Reappointed to Park Board
Three County Park Advisory Board members were reappointed to terms that will end Dec. 31, 2026. Pete Bitting, of Villas, Michael McLaughlin, of Court House, and Victoria Rutledge, of Sea Isle City, will continue to serve.
Wetlands Mitigation
The county will pay $12,825 to Evergreen Environmental LLC for wetlands mitigation. That is because work on the Ocean Drive Bridge railing, over Upper Thorofare and Mill Creek, disturbed 0.019 acres of wetland.
County Engineer Robert Church told the board the expenditure was less than what other remediation would have cost. Funding will come from a 2016 bond ordinance.
Vet Contract Awarded
South Paw Animal Hospital Inc. was the sole respondent for proposals to provide service to the County Animal Shelter and Adoption Center.
The Court House facility was awarded a one-year contract with two additional one-year options.
Probation Enrichment Program
The board awarded a $40,000 one-year contract to Cape May Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Inc. (doing business as) Cape Assist. There is a possible one-year additional option.
According to the resolution, the entity will provide “a probation enrichment, incentive, and orientation program.”
The award was made on behalf of the Department of Human Services Division of Community and Behavioral Health Services.
Appoint Joyce for Wildwood Project
The board appointed Louis Joyce as the county’s designee on the Project Review Committee on Wildwood’s Pacific Avenue Redevelopment project.
According to the resolution, Wildwood was selected as the pilot community “to assess the efficacy of the initiative.”
According to the resolution, the county agreed with the city to develop and implement short and long-term plans to stimulate an economic resurgence within and develop the Pacific Avenue Redevelopment Zone.
A five-member committee, including county and city planners and city zoning officer, will oversee the project.
Board Reorganization
The Board of Commissioners will hold its annual meeting (reorganization) Jan. 5, 2022, at 4 p.m.
At that time, Vice Director Leonard Desiderio will take his oath. The mayor of Sea Isle City, he is the director of Consumer Affairs, Public Offices, and Public Safety.
The meeting will occur in the Commissioner Meeting Room of the William E. Sturm Jr. Administration Building, 4 Moore Road, Court House. Those who cannot attend in person can listen via an internet connection on the county government website.
