County Constitutional Officers Report

CREST HAVEN – Cape May County’s constitutional officers, Sheriff, County Clerk and Surrogate delivered annual reports to freeholders Feb. 23.
County Clerk
County Clerk Rita Fulginiti, also county historian, expects a busy year for passport renewals. Her office processed 23 percent more passports in 2015 than in 2014, she said.
Preparing for the year’s presidential election, Fulginiti said there was a 28 percent increase in mail ballot use in the November election. “That’s the biggest number we’ve ever had,” Fulginiti said.
Since notary public applications can be done online, the only reason to visit the clerk’s office is for the oath. Last year there were 354 of those oaths taken.
She reported performing 134 marriage ceremonies, and cited a couple whose wedding was witnessed via Skype by the bride’s family in the Philippines.
Surrogate
Surrogate M. Susan Sheppard, toted a bound book of wills from 1863. She would like to see all those ancient documents preserved in digital form so they would be accessible to the public. “I will find a way to get revenue,” Sheppard said of that endeavor.
She lauded the four-member staff which works with bereaved families working through the areas of wills and estates assisted 2,500 last year, and brought in total revenue of $203,602. The officer assisted with 61 adoptions, handled 551 probate matters, and administered 281 affidavits.
The oldest wills in the office, dating to the 1600s, are “falling apart,” she said, but they are on computer.
“My biggest fear is that the court house goes up, we don’t want to lose all those precious documents,” Sheppard said.
Sheriff
Sheriff Gary Schaffer delivered his summary in rapid-fire fashion, although the document is chocked with figures and percentages detailing the department’s work. Job one for the sheriff, reducing overtime.
His department’s revenue totaled $1,468,593 for the year, which included about $395,000 animal shelter donations, and 48,707 from shelter operations, $467,876 in sheriff’s sales and fees, and $17,861 from Internet visitations.
“Even with salaries increasing, this was the least amount of overtime used by the correctional center since I have been sheriff the last seven years,” he said.
In Superior Court, where Sheriff’s Officers are assigned, 3,141 inmates were transported with 467 new commitments. There were 36 juveniles transported, and 301 drug court inmates bringing total inmates handled to 3,478.
Judge Porto required 60.5 hours of officers’ overtime; Judge Taylor, 16.5 hours, Judges Rau and Gibson, a half-hour each, Judge Ridgway, 6.5 hours.
The County Park Unit made 11,727 tours, and 1,117 vehicles stops with 985 verbal warnings for traffic violations. There were 845 “money runs.” A tally of vehicles for the year: 726 school buses, 89 minibuses, 28 tour buses and 163,270 cars for a total 164,113 vehicles through the front entrance.
At the Correctional Center, there was an average 252.9 inmates, 4.7 fewer daily than 2014. There were 2,938 new commitments or 202 less than the prior year. There were 2,950 inmate releases, 100 more than last year.
The Animal Shelter held 891 cats, 435 dogs, with intake up 3.6 percent. Euthanasia rate was its lowest ever at 5.3 percent. Volunteers spent 7,611 hours, which, if paid, would have been $98,562.
Schaffer also reported 35 employees who took no sick time. Also there were 21 clients in the Project Lifesaver program which uses watch-like devices to monitor patients with dementia, should they wander from home.