Borough Needs Documentation from West Cape May Fire Company Before Granting Official Status

WEST CAPE MAY — For one year, borough commission has been trying to pass an ordinance to recognize the West Cape May Volunteer Fire Company as the official fire company of West Cape May but three items remain to be settled.
Negotiations have been continuing for three years between the borough and fire company to grant the fire company official status.
West Cape May Volunteer Fire Company has been in operation more than 88 years but the borough never officially recognized them as its official fire company.
At an Oct. 28 meeting, Borough Commissioners discussed three items needed from the fire company before they will pass an ordinance recognizing the group as the official fire company:
• Confirmation of the fire company’s corporate status.
• Confirmation of fire company’s charitable organization status.
• Fire company needs to show a process is in place to complete filings to the state on time in the future.
Commissioner Ramsey Geyer said the fire company has sent all documents, late fees and penalties to the state Office of Consumer Affairs and state Division of Revenue. He said while confirmations do not appear on state Web sites, the fire company is recognized as a corporation and a charitable organization.
Mayor Pamela Kaithern asked that the fire company copy yearly filings with the state to Borough Commission. Geyer said that was part of an agreement with the fire company that has yet to be finalized.
He said the fire company needed to file a corporate status report with state in Feb. 2010 and in June 2010 file a charitable organization report.
Borough Solicitor Christine Cote said the fire company should have an item in its bylaws guaranteeing one of their officers such as their treasurer or secretary is responsible for filing reports with the state.
Geyer said the West Cape May Fire Company does not have status as a 501c3 corporation which allows donors to write off donations on their income tax forms. He said the fire company was working on obtaining 501c3 status which is not a term of the pending agreement with the borough.
Kaithern said the three items need to be satisfied to receive official status but in the future the borough may request other information from the fire company such as insurance certification.
Geyer said he would request copies of applications filed by the fire company with the state for charitable status.
Commissioner Peter Burke questioned why the fire company changed its bylaws in June to not require an outside audit of its finances.
Borough Commission will send a letter to the fire company requesting the three missing items.