Brown Retires from Tax Board

CREST HAVEN – Freeholders recognized George R. “Ray” Brown III May 28 on his retirement as administrator of the county Tax Board.
“I had no idea about taxes,” said Freeholder E. Marie Hayes, who oversees the Tax Board “and … he (Brown) sat down and he schooled me and he continued to school me through all these years that I have asked probably very stupid questions, and you (Brown) never made me feel like they were a stupid question and you always answered them.”
“… we’re losing someone that has been a true asset to this county for a lot of years, and I just want to tell you (Brown) on behalf of the freeholder board how appreciative we are of all the years you have put in,” Hayes continued.
“It’s been an honor and a privilege to work for the Tax Board for all these years,” said Brown. “The county gave me an outrageous opportunity … I’ve worked with so many great people, so many mayors, so many councilmen, so many tax assessors.
“Right now, I have a tremendous staff. That’s not that they all weren’t good. I feel like I’m leaving you in the best possible shape,” he continued.
 In other action, the board:
* By a resolution, increased the surcharge dedicated to the Homelessness Trust Fund. The Cape May County Clerk’s Office will collect $5, up from $3, for each permitted document recorded, $2 of which shall be used for Code Blue purposes beginning Sept. 1. 
* Reappointed Cornelius R. Byrne, Jr. and David Craig to the Open Space Review Board. Their terms expire June 1, 2022.
* Appointed Scott Halliday, of Ocean City, to the Cape May County Bridge Commission, for a term of three years, to expire May 1, 2022.
* Authorized a shared services agreement with South State Inc. “for the use of the southern approach of the former Beesley’s Point Bridge for waterborne access for construction equipment as part of a contract for utility upgrades with Atlantic City Electric. As part of this agreement, South State Inc. has agreed to install permanent sheeting and slope stabilization of the north, east, and west sides of the approach roadway.”