CAPE MAY — Following the city rescinding the certification of petitions submitted by the Friends and Neighbors of East Cape May (FAN ECM), seeking to suspend the operation of new parking and metering ordinances and asking for a voter referendum on the issue, the organization has replaced two committee members and is gathering new signatures.
FAN ECM delivered 220 signatures on 37 petitions to City Clerk Diane Weldon on April 12. All those petitions have been disqualified.The ordinances allowed the city to create more than 300 new parking spaces by using back in angle parking on Beach Avenue and install parking meters in the east side of town where parking has been free of charge. The petitioners have until May 27 to submit a new petition.
The city’s decision to rescind certification of the petitions was based on a decision by Superior Court Raymond Batten that “the petitioners did not hold sufficient status to initiate a referendum.” City Clerk Diane Weldon had discovered one of the persons gathering signatures on petition had registered to vote in Cape May as little as five days ago.
“We already have people out there getting signatures for the new petition drive,” said FAN ECM Committee Member Jerry Gaffney.
The committee of five is made up of Joseph Rymer, Gaffney, Marilyn Pharo, Thomas Phelan and Virginia Hesel. Two members were replaced because one was challenged and another likely to be challenged, said Gaffney, members Jeanne Reel Testa and possibly Barbara Kolodyn-Glenn.
He said he believed the committee would have no problem gathering the needed 160 signatures. Gaffney said residents were angry that the city suspended certification of the first petition.
Voters who signed the first petition are signing the new petition, he said.
An appeal by FAN ECM is still pending in state court.
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
