Library Tax Approved for 2019; Action Taken to Acquire Former Rio Kmart

CREST HAVEN – The Cape May County Library Tax for 2019 will be .00033 of a mil per dollar, and was approved by freeholders’ resolution Dec. 11. That amounts to about $30 for owners of property assessed at $100,000.
The tax will be paid by all county property owners except those in Ocean City and Avalon which have municipal libraries.
* Authorized a $7-million emergency appropriation to acquire real property at 3801 Route 9 South, Rio Grande, the former Kmart building. The money will be provided in a separate $24.1-million bond.
In personnel actions:
* The board appointed Jeffrey Lindsay as county counsel for three years effective Dec. 11, 2018. He was appointed in an acting capacity in January 2018 after former County Counsel James Arsenault resigned to become a Workers Compensation judge.
Freeholder Director Gerald Thornton abstained from the appointment vote as Lindsay is his stepson.
* Reappointed Conrad Johnson Jr. of Wildwood as county fire marshal for one year from Jan. 15, 2019 to Jan. 14, 2020. That department is tasked with the investigation of fires to determine the cause.
* Appointed Patricia A. Ponichtera of Sea Isle City as a member of the county Library Commission until Dec. 31, 2023.
* Reappointed Violet Rixey as a member of the Cape May County Women’s Commission for three years. Her term will end Feb. 9, 2022.
* Approved an agreement with 17 instructors at the Public Safety Training Center on an as-needed basis for one year starting Jan. 1, 2019.
In other action the board:
* Approved a shared services agreement between the Sheriff’s Office and the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office for inmate housing and medical services, as needed, for a period not to exceed 10 years.
* Authorized a partnership with Lower Township to develop a “Tech Village” as part of an economic development plan for the Cape May County Airport and surrounding “Opportunity Zone.” The county and township will contribute $12,500 each.
* Authorized a shared services agreement with Sea Isle City for a flood signage project. As previously reported here, those would be located throughout the city to alert drivers and pedestrians of flooded streets.