‘Best Practices’ Save Cape May’s State Aid, Introduce Regs for Low-Speed Vehicles

CAPE MAY – At the Oct. 21 Cape May City Council meeting, Chief Financial Officer Neil Young and City Manager Bruce McLeod reported the results of this year’s best practices survey. In an effort to “improve transparency and strengthen accountability at all government levels” the state requires municipalities to respond to an annual survey concerning incorporation of best practices into municipal governance.
Failure to achieve an appropriate score on the survey puts in jeopardy a portion of the Dec. 1 state formula aid payment up to a maximum of 5 percent.
The survey contains 50 questions across six broad areas of local government operations, including general management, finance and audit, procurement, budget, health insurance, and personnel.
A score of at least 41 out of a possible 50 points is required for no penalty in state aid. To gain a point the municipality must either respond positively that the best practice is being used or that it will be forthcoming in the next year.
Some questions also may not apply to all municipalities. Young reported that the city’s score this year was 43 and thus was in the range needed for preserving full state aid.
Low Speed Vehicles
Council unanimously approved introduction of two ordinances aimed at regulating rental and use of low-speed vehicles. In July, a proposal for a business renting such vehicles went before council. Action was postponed until after the season. Those ordinances represent a return to that issue.
The ordinances set requirements and fees for licensing such vehicles, set standards to ensure that the vehicles are fully equipped with appropriate safety equipment, provide for maps to be distributed that make clear where and when the vehicles can be used on select city streets, and establish zoning rules for where vehicle rental businesses can be located and how much parking that must provide for customers.
State law governs many aspects of low-speed vehicles and will be enforced by the city police. However, flexibility is granted to the municipality to allow the vehicles, by definition ones that travel no more than 25 mph, to travel on roads that have speed limits in excess of 25 miles per hour but not more than 35. The ordinance introduced would allow that in the city.
Council will hold a hearing on the ordinances Nov. 17. Both meetings in November have been moved from the usual Tuesday slots to Mondays – Nov. 3 at 1 p.m. and Nov. 17 at 7 p.m.
School Funding Issue
During introduction of new business, Deputy Mayor Jack Wichterman spoke at length on the school funding controversy. Voters are facing two ballot issues related to the school funding. One is part of the general election Nov. 4 and has been placed on the ballot by the school board. The other is the special election issue that will bring voters to the polls in December.
Regarding the issue that will be before the voters during the general election, Wichterman said he was part of the effort by the city to get such an issue on the ballot in 2004. Only now, faced with the special election in December, has the school board decided to put this on the regular ballot.
The ballot question will ask citizens to show a preference between the current funding arrangement, based on property values, and one that would be based on the number of students sent to the regional schools, essentially a per-head contribution.
Wichterman said that this stark choice was the one chosen by the board instead of some potentially more palatable option like one in which 50 percent of the appropriation would be based on a per head figure and 50 percent on property values.
By implication he was saying that no likely compromise solution can come from this vote any more than one can come from a vote in December on whether or not to allow Cape May to withdraw from the regional system.
The December ballot issue in the special election was forced by action of city council with full knowledge that it will likely lose at the ballot box, but with the need to experience that loss as a necessary step on its way to court where it hopes to reach a more equitable resolution.
Wichterman took time to try to dispel what he believes are scare tactics regarding changes to the funding formula. What is happening with respect to education in the school system is not endangered by this funding controversy, Wichterman maintained.
The operations of the school district are “not going to be impacted one iota.” The claims that “teachers will be laid off” are false, he said. “That’s not going to happen.” What is at stake is not the amount of money the school system has to work with but the “apportionment of the taxes” that pay for it.
Taking a moment to lecture some candidates for council, Wichterman noted that there have been discussions in which candidates said they would sit down with the other side and negotiate better school board representation. “That is not possible.” Wichterman noted.
These things are set at the state level and must be changed either by legislation or in the courts, he noted. “There is no one to negotiate with,” Wichterman said.
Wichterman concluded with the announcement that the Taxpayers Association of Cape May will hold a round-table discussion on this issue Nov. 21 between 1 and 3 p.m. at Convention Hall.
Wichterman will be one of the participants responding to questions from the public. Since this will be after the general election, Wichterman expressed hope that the newly-elected members of council would be present.
The session will be in advance of the special election on the participation of Cape May in the regional system. “I hope the whole city shows up,” Wichterman said.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.