League of Women Voters Honored for 100th Anniversary

CREST HAVEN – Freeholders passed a resolution Feb. 11, honoring the League of Women Voters on its 100th anniversary.
Freeholder Will Morey was absent.
The league “is a non-partisan, political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy and influences public policy through education and advocacy,” said Mary Conley, president, League of Women Voters of Cape May County.
She noted “the local league started in 1988, as a pre-provisional league. With the assistance of the freeholders and the county employees, we were able to publish two informational books on the working of the county departments in order to establish ourselves as a fully functioning league.”
Conley listed the league’s efforts, including meetings held on voter issues, political debates, meet and greets and voter registrations in various locations throughout the county.
She thanked freeholders for recognizing the league, and promised to “continue in our mission of voter education.”  
Freeholder E. Marie Hayes, a member of the league, thanked the group for its debates. She admitted that she was scared for her first debate, as she had no idea what to expect, “and you ladies made me feel so comfortable and so confident that it’s just a wonderful thing, and it gives people a chance to see us, to talk to us, to hear our views, and I so appreciate you for that.”
“I’ve participated for many years in the debates with the League of Women Voters,” said Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton, prior to casting his vote in favor of the resolution. “You have been such an asset to the County of Cape May, and made an awareness of what it means to be involved in the political structure in the County of Cape May, and I’m going to commend you over and over again on your fairness.”
“It’s been an honor and a pleasure for me to work with you, and participate with your organization. Well done,” Thornton added.
In other action, the board:
* Reappointed Richard Rixey, of Court House, and Carl Groon, of Wildwood Crest, to the Cape May County Municipal Utilities Authority, with terms expiring Feb. 1, 2025.
* Appointed or reappointed members to the county Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and high-yield Explosives (CBRNE)/Hazardous Material (Hazmat) Task Force. Team leader is Anthony Robinson. Team members are: Jennifer Fairman, Honey Pron, Heather Johnson, David Tormey, all county Department of Health; Frank Mittleberger, Mike Eck, Ed Zebrowski, all Cape May Fire Department; Harry Wozunk, North Wildwood Public Works; James Sampson, Seaville Fire Company; Dale Gentek, Villas Fire Department; Brad Ladislaw, North Wildwood Fire Department; Carmen Mazzuca, Andrew McNeill, both West Wildwood Fire Department; Mike Bailey, HazMat Tech/Communications; and William Semczek, communications. All will serve until Dec. 31, 2020.
* Accepted an $8,000 grant from the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation for the Senior Oral Health Program, between Jan. 1, 2020 and Dec. 31, 2020.
* Accepted a $93,014 grant from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for food and/or shelter assistance in the county, between Feb. 1, 2018 and March 31, 2020. The county will receive $29,014 of the award, and FEMA will administer the remaining $64,000 to St. Barnabas Cares, Bethel Soup Kitchen, Ocean City Ecumenical, Bethel Emergency FP, Lazarus House, Green Greek United Methodist Church, Cape Hope and the Catholic Charities.
* Accepted proposal of Mott McDonald for $15,303 for licensed site remediation and environmental services associated with hazardous material services for four buildings at the Cape May County airport.
* Accepted a proposal of Gibson Associates, P.A., of Ocean View, for $152,896 for construction engineering services for Woodbine-Ocean View Road roundabout improvements.
* Closed the contract with JPC Group, Inc., of Blackwood, for Avalon Boulevard (CR 601) Bridge over Ingram’s Thorofare underwater substructure repairs, with a final payment of $446,853.
* Closed the contract with Remington and Vernick Engineers, Inc., of Haddonfield, for construction engineering services for Ocean Drive (CR621) over Upper Thorofare and Mill Creek bridges repair and approach guiderail replacement, with a final payment of $9,166.
* Requested that the state Department of Transportation (NJDOT) expedite construction of the replacement of the Dias Creek culvert along Route 47.
According to the resolution, “any closure of the roadway will be detrimental to the public well-being and any continued closure beyond May 20, 2020, will result in unacceptable conditions to county residents, visitors, and businesses due to the tourist economy,  and therefore the county requests that the NJDOT complete the project in an expedited manner by staffing the contract using double, eight-hour shifts during a typical work day, working on Saturdays as standard operating procedures and extending the work hours to Sundays, if needed, working on a 24-hour basis until the project is completed and the roadway is reopened.”