Freeholder Director Delivers ‘State of County’

SWAINTON – Overcrowding of the Cape May County Correctional Center was one of the topics discussed by Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton Feb. 19 as he presented the State of the County to Cape May County Chamber of Commerce members at Avalon Links.
Freeholders recently rejected bids for the facility and opted to rebid the redesigned project, because all six bids came in over a projected budget of about $35 million.
Recounting the prior county administration’s attempt to build the center for $20 million, Thornton said the county Director of Facilities and Services AnnMarie McMahon explained to him that, if the county spent that, the facility would still not comply with regulations, thus the original plan was scrapped, he said.
The jail, built 35 years ago to house 188 inmates routinely houses 240, with a population of 235 on Feb. 19, Thornton said. In summer the population swells to 310, he added.
There were 42 female inmates that day, he said. There is a limit of 40 in the center. Because of that, two females had to be housed in Salem County jail at a cost of $100 per day, plus transportation and time by sheriff’s officers.
Bail Reform’s Impact
Thornton told of the impact that bail reform will have on the county. That change, approved by state voters, will mean courts must be accessible seven days a week. It will mean an increase in overtime, although Thornton said the county is “fighting” with the state over “state mandate, state pay,” in hopes that the state will fund that overtime.
If the present courthouse were to remain open weekends to allow judges to set bail for inmates, the cost in utilities alone, not calculating sheriff’s officers’ overtime, would be $176,000 annually. The new correctional center will have its own courtroom where those bail hearings will be able to be held.
In addition, Thornton said there will be a need for six additional sheriff’s officers and two assistant prosecutors to comply with the pending reform process.
What about the Homeless?
Thornton responded to an inquiry about what the county is doing for the homeless population. “We have been spending federal and state money to put them up in motels that take vouchers,” said Thornton.
Admitting the county ‘gets criticized,” for placing such individuals in those units, Thornton rehearsed the regulations that must be followed.
One of those rules, he said, is that after being housed with aid of a voucher, the individual is supposed to go to the Social Services Department for an interview to see what services they might need and for which they may be eligible.
Many never respond to that requirement, he said. “You can’t get a voucher if you don’t comply with the regulations,” he said.
Under the county’s new Code Blue policy, municipal emergency managers are notified when a Code Blue will take place, such as when the temperature is 32 or lower with precipitation, or 24 degrees and dry.
The county Office of Emergency Management notifies all the municipalities who are then responsible to open the warming centers for those who are homeless.
Thornton recounted several cases where persons claimed to be homeless when, in fact, they had left homes in other states to relocate to the county.
“The law says, if you make yourself homeless you are not eligible (for benefits),” he added.
Further, regarding the Social Services office in Rio Grande, Thornton said the county formerly, for security reasons, posted sheriff’s officers there.
Those law enforcement officers, whose sworn duty is to arrest those known to have outstanding warrants, were deemed by the state Department of Human Services to “put a chill on people who had warrants but who were asking for welfare,” said Thornton. As a result, there are no sheriff’s officers at that location.
Central Dispatch
Thornton said that a saving will be realized by many towns which will utilize the county’s central emergency dispatch center in Lower Township’s Public Safety Building at the Cape May County Airport. The county will lease space for 50 years from the township while building the $5 million center. Thornton said Lower Township is likely to save $160,000 per year by joining with the county system. Other municipalities are expected to join in the future as technology costs will make such linkage feasible.
Hiring at 28 Hours
The county has reduced its workforce by 160 positions, Thornton said.
New personnel hired full time are being hired at 28 hours per week so as not to incur health insurance costs.
County Budget
The proposed county budget is $151.1 million compared to the adopted 2015 budget of $142.2 million. If passed after a March hearing, it will impose four-tenths of a cent increase which will raise the county tax rate to $2.18 per $100 of assessed value, or $218 per $100,000 of assessed value. Thornton said the budget increased 6 percent. That is due to the inclusion of the Board of Social Services. The state will fund 4 percent of that increase, he noted.
Social Services a Department
Within the past year, the county Board of Social Services was assumed into the county as a department, which “creates efficiencies,” said Thornton. While that merger bumped up the county budget, he noted that two-thirds of the costs will be received from state and federal sources, with the county taxpayers paying the remaining third.
Winter Storm Totals
Winter Storm Jonas, which hit the county Jan. 22-24, inflicted a total $72.3 million in damage to municipalities along the coast, Thornton said.
Broken down by municipalities: Sea Isle City, $24.6 million, North Wildwood, $13.3 million, Stone Harbor, $12.6 million, West Wildwood, $5.6 million.
He noted that Gov. Chris Christie has sought a federal disaster declaration that would alleviate some of the burden of payment from the local towns.
“If not, we’re on the hook for $72 million,” Thornton said.