Co. Chamber of Commerce Honored For 100 Years of Service

CREST HAVEN – Freeholders passed a resolution to honor the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce on its 100th anniversary. The action was taken Sept. 17. 
The business body, with a membership of 800, was established in 1916 under the name Shore Association Chamber of Commerce. It was formed by the resorts of Cape May, Ocean City, Sea Isle City, Avalon, Stone Harbor and the Wildwoods.
World War I interrupted the organization, reorganized and was active through the 1920s until the stock market crash of 1929.
Then, in 1944, Daniel Dawson of Court House and William C. Hunt of Wildwood gathered merchants and political leaders to reinvigorate the chamber.
The chamber was incorporated Jan. 28, 1954. In June 1973 the chamber relocated its office and headquarters to a building at the intersection of Garden State Parkway Exit 11 and Crest Haven Road.
The chamber has 36 members on its Board of Directors. It has a full-time staff that interacts with visitors, manages special events and works on specific business-related issues for its membership.
In other actions the board:
Reappointed Melanie Collins as a member of the Women’s Advisory Commission for three years until Oct. 8, 2019.
Appointed Michael Ludgate as a member of the County Library Commission for a term to expire Dec. 31, 2021.
Proclaimed Oct. 2-8 as National 4-H Week in Cape May County.
Approved an agreement with Straight and Narrow for services to second-time driving under the influence offenders at the Intoxicated Drivers Resources Center at no cost to the county.
Amended a prior resolution to be effective Nov. 1, 2016, regarding a shared services agreement with Lower Township for dispatch services for the Joint Public Safety Facility.
Approved a shared services agreement with Dennis Township for Animal Shelter use.
Extended the contract with Settembrino Architects to June 30, 2017, or until the closeout for Stone Harbor library.
Authorized a shared services agreement with South Jersey Economic Development District for planning services for Phase 2 of the development of a regional bicycle network plan.
Accepted grant funding for $16,200 from the state Department of State Historical Commission for the County History Partnership Program through Dec. 31, 2017, for generation operations and project expenses.
Accepted a Social Services Homeless grant award for $268,608 to provide programs and services for the homeless.
Proclaimed Oct. 1 as Ostomy Awareness Day in the county as a reminder of life-saving and life-restoring surgery.
Accepted proposal of Churchill Consulting Engineers for $196,389 to provide construction engineering services for the 17th Street Bridge replacement in Ocean City.