Don’t Put That Here

NORTH WILDWOOD – A petition to stop the location of the proposed pump station and “massive” generator next to North Wildwood’s seawall has gathered over 3,400 signatures, and while the mayor “understands people’s concerns, a lot of time and thought” went into the decision to correct “a public safety issue.”
According to Mayor Patrick Rosenello, the city is currently working with the state Department of Environmental Protection on a flood hazard mitigation project consisting of upgrading the storm drainage system for a large portion of the north end. 
It also includes replacing several stormwater outfall lines that currently empty onto the inlet beach, according to Rosenello. “The system will have both a gravity system that will drain normal amounts of stormwater during normal rain and minor flooding events,” he explained. “It will also have a pump system that will enable the drainage of more severe rain and flooding events.”
The pump system will be activated to ensure that Central Avenue, Spruce Avenue, and Anglesea Drive remain passable during storm events. Rosenello said this route out of North Wildwood is typically the only route onto and off of the island during significant flooding events. The pumps are being installed to keep this route passable for emergency vehicles, such as ambulances and fire engines.
“The pumps themselves will be below ground level and placed adjacent to the seawall at Old New Jersey Avenue,” Rosenello said. “The pumps will be powered by electricity and will have a backup generator in the event of loss of power. The generator will be constructed in the municipal parking lot that abuts Old New Jersey Avenue.”
It’s the location of the backup generator that has upset Linda and Randolph Balcolm and Karen Ammond, who own condos across the street from the municipal parking lot where the generator will be located. They initiated a petition on change.org to see what the response would be. Ammond said she was “shocked” there were over 3,000 signatures, saying she believes the vast majority are homeowners and summer rental visitors. 
“It is awful for the residents to have this pump station destroy the integrity of their seawall,” Ammond said. “My husband (Dr. Paul Langevin) and I met with Linda and Randolph (Balcolm) in June when we came down to do some painting in the condo. They knocked on the door since they were very upset about the fact that nobody was told about the generator that will sit next to the pump station, as generators make noise as well. We are not there too often, so we had no idea about the generator. That was a shock.”
Randolph Balcolm said the 30-day discussion period was held last year, before they owned their condo. “I’m told very few people attended the city meeting on this, and many people said they did not receive any notification about the meeting,” he said. He and his wife were made aware of it at a condo association meeting in May.
“I think the generator could be located elsewhere,” Balcolm said. “I’m concerned about the noise and fumes coming from the generator. We want the pumping station because we’ve seen how it floods, but the building could be elsewhere.
“We want more information and want the mayor to sit down with us to answer our questions,” he added. “If this is the absolute plan, then it is what it is, but I don’t think it is.”
Rosenello said the city has been working on the plans since it received a $9.93 million federal grant for the project in late 2016. He expects the design to be finalized in the next few months, and advertising for bids to occur over the winter. “Little work” will be done during the tourist season, with “heavy” construction taking place in late 2020. 
He anticipates the project to cost about $13 million, funded through grants and the city’s capital budget.
Rosenello said the pump “needs to be as close as possible to the area it’s draining for physical and financial reasons. The generator also needs to be close to the pump for financial and physical reasons,” thus it being placed in the city-owned parking lot.
“I understand people’s concerns, but a lot of time and thought has gone into this project,” he said. “We live on an island, and certain things go with that. We have discussed this openly at our city council meetings so the process has been transparent. It doesn’t make sense to put the generator someplace else.”
The generator will test once a week around noon, according to the mayor. “Probably on Wednesday,” he said. “There will be some noise, but the building will absorb much of it. The generator will meet the strictest environmental regulations, so I don’t anticipate odors or fumes being a major issue.”
Rosenello said he had heard there was a petition circulating but had not seen anything.
Ammond said the goal is to send the petition to the mayor by November and ask for his response.
“Our questions remain, why this location,” she asked. “Why were residents not told about the massive generator that needs to sit alongside the pump station? Why not consider an underground pump station?
“The town 100% needs a pump station for flooding, but why in the middle of their biggest attraction that brings visitors from all over who come to the North Wildwood seawall to walk, then eat in town, etc. I look at the seawall as North Wildwood’s own Eiffel Tower – a reason to visit North Wildwood.”
To contact Karen Knight, email kknight@cmcherald.com.