Board Accepts $7.5-Million to Raise 38 Dwellings; Private Funding Aspect Drove Many Away

CREST HAVEN – Freeholders approved acceptance of a $7.5-million award from the state Department of Law and Safety, Division of State Police, Aug. 14.
The money, sought by the county Department of Emergency Management from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will be used to raise 38 properties located in the special flood hazard area in the county.
The affected properties are single-family homes, less than 600 feet from beaches, that are primary residences.
Dwellings that will be part of the program are on West Walnut Avenue, North Wildwood, and on Central and Asbury avenues in Ocean City.
Homeowners must pay a certain amount out of pocket, said Purchasing Agency Kevin Lare. He believed that FEMA would pay 90 percent while the homeowner would pay the remaining 10 percent.
Freeholder Will Morey expressed surprise that only 38 dwellings were included.
Lare said that originally there were 300 homes listed, but the number “dwindled” when FEMA, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, moved to the reimbursement schedule that made owners pay a substantial amount upfront before being reimbursed. He used an example of $200,000 for a structure. Homeowners would have to pay $180,000 up front before being reimbursed.
That resulted in many homeowners asking to be removed from the process, Lare said.
Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton said that homeowners in other areas can ask for waivers to be included in the funding to elevate their dwellings, “If all that money isn’t used.”
In other action the board:
* Approved a $372,000 contract Aug. 14 with Tetra Tech Inc. to provide project management and grant administration for a FEMA flood mitigation program on behalf of the county Office of Emergency Management.
* Approved an amendment with the County Prosecutor and the Assistant Prosecutors’ Association. Under the agreement, the exempt employees agreed there will be no monetary compensation for hours worked beyond the regular 35-hour work week. Effective Aug. 1, 2018, compensatory time will be permitted on a “straight-time basis.” The maximum amount of that time is 40 hours. Such time must be used by Dec. 31, 2018. No payment will be given for any remaining compensatory time. That contract runs through Dec. 31, 2018.
* Made an agreement with the state to use Woodbine Developmental Center as an emergency shelter in declared emergencies.
* Agreed to buy for $650,000 a parcel in Ocean City (Block 811.01, Lot 4) containing 14,000 square feet as part of the county Open Space program. Two appraisals of the land came in at $686,000 and $600,000. The city conferred the title to the county.
* Agreed to support Middle Township’s grant application to the state for a street revitalization project. According to newly appointed County Engineer Robert Church, Mechanic Street is to be one way from Route 9 to Magnolia Drive with parking on one side; Boyd Street will be one-way south, and a part of Hand Avenue will be one-way east.