Cape May Voters Approve Convention Hall

CAPE MAY – Voters in this city approved the financing to construct a new $10.5 million Convention Hall in an 818-421 vote, Nov. 4 a two to one margin.
Mayor Edward J. Mahaney Jr. said city council was deeply appreciative to the voters of Cape May “for showing such confidence in us regarding the construction of a new Convention Hall.”
“We pledge that we will build this hall as efficiently and effectively as possible to meet the needs of our residents and our tourists,” he said.
Mahaney thanked City Manager Bruce MacLeod and Councilwoman Terri Swain for their work in putting together an informative brochure about the new hall and setting up five town meetings.
“I believe as a group we sold it based on our own individual credibility and the merits of the project,” said Mahaney.
Swain said she and Mahaney went door-to-door throughout the city during weekends prior to the election.
“In addition, we had some meet and greets which the Mad Batter had hosted for us with different organizations,” she said. “We also met with the different organizations at their private meetings.”
She said she and the mayor took an educational approach reaching out to people who may not have attended the town hall meetings on the new hall.
Swain said each group had concerns about the project, which she and the mayor addressed.
She said they presented the facts of the proposed construction rather than presenting only a pro Convention Hall stance. Swain said they met a number of people who did not read local newspapers or attend one of the town meetings.
She said they found a lot of misinformation in the community.
Mahaney said there were three keys to the project:
• City Council had an open and transparent process, which allowed the public to have input into the uses, location, design, programs and cost of the project.
• Council made every attempt to reach out to the public with the help of the media and brochure printed by the city.
• Public education and door-to-door program provided opportunity for voters to ask questions one on one.
The mayor estimated he and Swain talked with about 1,400 voters.
He said the new hall would “truly be a community center which also has the opportunity to provide performing arts.” He said the building will meet the needs of the city for the next 40 years and be paid off in 11 years.
The city will now discuss the construction phase with architect Martin Kimmel. Mahaney said the city would move quickly to get the final construction plans finalized, obtain permits from the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and send out grant and loan requests.
The mayor said Kimmel has assured him the new hall will open Memorial Day weekend 2010.
Mahaney said the biggest hurdle will be receiving CAFRA permits from DEP, a time consuming process. The new Convention Hall will fit in the footprint of the current facility and neighboring Solarium.
The mayor said the current hall would not be demolished until DEP issues final approval.
“We want the footprints to be verified by DEP to insure we will have the new hall in the location and size our plans call for,” said Mahaney.
The old building will not be demolished until construction is about to begin on the new facility because city wants to save taxpayer dollars by only mobilizing construction crews once, he said.
Mahaney said DEP would make the ultimate decision as to where the Solarium will be relocated on the beachfront.
Sixty six percent of Cape May’s 2,099 registered voters, 1,397, participated in the general election. In District One, which includes Victorian Towers and the downtown area, 73 percent of eligible voters participated.
District 3, which includes Elmira, Bank and Jackson streets, saw 70 percent voter turnout.
Cape May residents voted for McCain/Palin over Obama/Biden 710-653.
In the House of Representatives race, the city’s voters selected Republican Frank LoBiondo over Democrat David Kurkowski, who is a Cape May City Councilman, 752-495.
In the Senate Race, Cape May voters chose Republican Dick Zimmer over Democrat Frank Lautenberg 654-528.