City Retains Lighthouse Lease; Friends File Action, Items Boxed

NORTH WILDWOOD ─ “We take this opportunity,” NJ DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) manager George Chidley wrote, “to thank you (city) for your expression of support for the preservation of the historic Hereford Lighthouse and continuance of its interpretive programming.”
In a letter dated Dec. 21, 2017, Chidley acknowledged the city’s “proposed changes in the administration of the Hereford Lighthouse,” and named the city as tenant of the same.
City council “received and filed” Chidley’s letter Jan. 16 during its regular meeting and the Herald was given the letter.
Addressed to Mayor Patrick Rosenello, Chidley wrote that “the DEP is in communication…to resolve concerns over administration of the Lighthouse, including preservation of the existing landscape and gardens.”
The Herald contacted DEP representative Larry Hajna Jan. 19 and Hajna stated that, unless otherwise dictated, stewardship and lease of Hereford Light remains with the City of North Wildwood.
Questions simmer regarding the matter of stewardship.
According to Rosenello, the city has leased the lighthouse from the DEP since 1983.
“Nothing has changed,” said Rosenello. Rosenello stands by the city’s actions, emphasizing the legal nature of the DEP’s lease of the lighthouse.
Rosenello explained the city’s agreement with the Friends of the Lighthouse had operated on a year-to-year basis since 2011. Due to “mismanagement” of a Department of Transportation (DOT) grant totaling $17,000, the city revoked the agreement for 2018. 
In the spring of 2016, the DOT contacted the city saying the grant had not been “closed out” properly.
Former chairman Steven Murray said the Friends were not aware of the error since all paperwork had been handled by the project’s architect. In 2016, the architect had retired due to illness.
In previous comments, Murray said he contacted City Administrator Kevin Yecco, asking why the DOT waited five years. An internal audit was the cause.
TRIAD Associates, one of the largest grant-writing firms in the Northeast, worked with the retired architect to discover what was missing.
What paperwork had been missing? Murray said it was “just forms.” Due to time elapsing, the grant was revoked and no reimbursement provided.
In November 2017, the Friends were denied access to the lighthouse because Murray wished to remove certain artifacts. Murray said the donated items should be returned to their owners.
However, according to a release dated Nov. 27, 2017, removal of the artifacts was a “violation of both the state lease to the City of North Wildwood and the management agreement between the City of North Wildwood and the Friends.”
On Jan. 22, Murray announced that the Friends had filed action against the city.
Murray also said the city has recently “boxed up” and gone through personal items belonging to the Friends, placing the items in a storage location for the Friends to “pick up” within 30 days. According to Murray, the items include a cash register, gift shop items, checks, official papers, and “uncounted money.”
“This is illegal,” said Murray.
The DEP has not communicated with the Friends regarding its desire for stewardship of the lighthouse.
To contact Rachel Rogish, email rrogish@cmcherald.com.