CREST HAVEN – While 2065 seems distant, 50 years in the future, that’s how long the county and Lower Township have agreed to partner in the Lower Township Public Safety Building at the Cape May County Airport.
Freeholders passed a resolution Oct. 13, as previously reported, that authorized a memorandum of understanding between both parties.
Lower Township Police Department will remain in place while the county Office of Emergency Management and County Emergency Operations Center will shift from its present site in the basement of the main library branch, 30 W. Mechanic St., Court House to the airport site. The new facility was termed, a Joint Public Safety and Emergency Operations Center.
The resolution noted that the county is owner of the airport land, while the building, at 405 Breakwater Road, is owned and controlled by Lower Township.
The airport site is needed due to needed enlargement of the Office of Emergency Management and the expansion of the operations center to house the proposed public safety central dispatch center. As envisioned by county officials, that site will consolidate fire and rescue dispatching, and will likely lead to police dispatching for municipalities that opt to join the operation.
The resolution notes that documents will be drawn in the future when the facilities are finished.
It stated, “Consideration of these needs has lead (sic) the county to conclude that a conjoint facility with Lower Township would present optimal circumstances for the development of a start (sic) of the art emergency management planning and operations center.”
In other action the board:
- Approved a professional service agreement with Greta Mattessich of Court House for $5,000 “to provide a 2015 drone camp, UAS symposium and monthly innovation forums for Economic Development effective Oct. 14 through Dec. 31, 2015.”
- Hired Buell Kratzer Powell Ltd. Of Philadelphia to perform architectural services for renovation of the Lower Township Public Safety Building beginning Oct. 14.
- Awarded a contract to Garden State General Construction Inc. of Clermont for $224,579 for demolition of the concrete slab on which Building 12 stood at the county airport.
- Approved a five-year lease with Cape May County Equestrian Facility, Inc., a non-profit corporation for 418 Route 47 North, Goshen. It provides therapeutic riding programs for the disabled and is a place for Healing Hooves 4-H Club to meet.
- Advanced Kevin Lare to county purchasing agent.
