CAPE MAY – Mayor Clarence Lear carried through on a campaign pledge March 29. Cape May held its first town hall meeting. Running a campaign for mayor in 2016 that focused heavily on issues of accountability and transparency, Lear made an early change to council meeting schedules, adding quarterly town hall meetings at Convention Hall.
The concept behind the meetings is to have a less formal and more interactive meeting accessible to a larger audience. The first of four meetings for 2017 drew about 130 to Convention Hall. They gave every indication it was well received.
Lear began by giving updates on some initiatives with a focus on the filling of key positions and an update on the proposed ordinance dealing with outdoor seating at food and beverage establishments.
On the seating ordinance, Lear briefly outlined activities to date and made clear that work still needs to be done “to get it right.” Amendments to the draft ordinance will be considered in April with the first council meeting in May as a probable date for a public hearing.
Lear also singled out three projects for which the city is helping to seek grant support:
- Beautifying the water tower.
- Restoration work on the World War I Memorial.
- Restoration of the Franklin Street School.
Deputy Mayor Shane Meier updated on infrastructure and capital projects including:
Beach replenishment, over 200 cubic yards of sand have been pumped onto selected areas from the Cove to the Point.
Continuing work on Lafayette Street Park.
Rejuvenation of the school swimming pool. He hopes the pool will be available to students and the public in August.
Meier also highlighted an effort to bring sidewalks to an area of Elmira Street near the Atlantic City Electric substation.
What followed was an update for the public on the efforts of the Beach Safety Committee.
Council member Patricia Hendricks and committee chair Dennis DeSatnick spoke of a three-pronged approach emphasizing safety education, a longitudinal study of surf injuries, and a hoped for demonstration project aimed at surf zone safety.
One of the early orders of business for the new administration had been formally making the ad hoc Beach Safety Committee into a standing committee advising the council.
Hendricks spoke of the extensive education program which includes a brochure, better beach area signage related to safety, and videos produced by the beach patrol that will be accessible at Convention Hall and, hopefully, through the city public TV channel.
DeSatnick’s son was severely injured in a surf-zone accident. He reiterated the city’s support for the federal beach replenishment project that protects homes and significantly aids the local economy.
He spoke of the potential links between the replenishment efforts and the natural beach erosion which leaves slopes that make the surf zone vulnerable to plunging waves. They are thought to be responsible for many beach injuries.
By systematically gathering data through a new arrangement with Cape Regional Medical Center, the city hopes to be in a better position to demonstrate the potential linkage and engage the state and federal governments in addressing the beach engineering issue.
Beatrice Pessagno presented certificates of recognition to two city resident volunteers who made a difference in the lives of many.
The first award went to Emily Dempsey, 80, who overcame prejudice and segregation in her early life to become a champion in the service of preservation of the city’s African-American history. She is a community activist with a special place in her heart for the city’s children.
The second award was presented to Annika Marks, a student at Wildwood Catholic High School, who demonstrated boundless energy in her involvement in numerous efforts aimed at helping the less fortunate of the city’s residents.
Whether it was collecting for the food bank, working with children through music, or being the first to step forward when a need was recognized, Marks already left a mark on the city.
The question-and-answer period that followed continued the informal nature of the town hall.
Those who did not have an opportunity to get questions addressed were encouraged to submit them on forms that had been distributed.
Everyone was promised a response within a week.
Questions included:
- Taking action on two abandoned and rotting boats in the harbor.
- The need for a new elevator in city hall.
- The Nature Center’s planned harbor clean-up on Earth Day April 22 and a call for volunteers.
- Better ways to help Coast Guard recruits orient themselves on their first leave in the city.
No questions strayed into areas of civic controversy as citizens and officials seemed to take pleasure in an atmosphere that encouraged the involvement of the public in their local government.
One questioner, Zack Mullock, rose to express concern about a news item in a local publication that spoke of efforts to put a six-story parking garage in the heart of the historic district and a welcoming of national big box retailers to the city.
He quickly learned that he had taken the bait for that publication’s annual pre-April Fool’s issue.
Not all town meetings will probably escape controversy, but a precedent was set for a forum and a dialog with city governance.
The next meeting is scheduled for July 8. The selection of a weekend date in the summer was made to provide an opportunity for participation by second-home owners.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.
