Lower Township Council Appoints O’Connor to LTMUA

VILLAS – Council appointed Cape May County Planning GIS Specialist Brian O’Connor to the Municipal Utilities Authority by a vote of 3-2 during the regular meeting Feb. 3. Deputy Mayor Norris Clark, who nominated O’Connor, said council should choose the person best qualified for the position.
“I’m impressed with Brian O’Connor’s credentials,” said Clark, prior to O’Connor’s nomination. “He has worked with this township with regards to our Cox Hall Creek systems and when you look at this resume I think this is the kind of person you would want to consider for a position at the MUA.”
“I have a lot of respect for what (O’Connor) does up at the county and I value his opinion,” said Mayor Michael Beck. “I would love to have him on board down here.”
Council Member Erik Simonsen and Council Member Thomas Conrad voted against O’Connor’s appointment. Simonsen had instead suggested Brian McEwing, a retired port captain of the Cape May-Lewes Ferry, while Conrad expressed a desire to appoint a representative from Ward 3.
Simonsen questioned O’Connor’s eligibility, citing his work in the county Planning department. “Don’t they have some influence and power over where water and sewage is put in the township?” asked Simonsen. “Would that be a direct conflict?”
Township Solicitor Ronald Gelzunas said he could not comment on the internal structure of the county government, but did say that the County Municipal Utilities Authority operates autonomously, much like the Lower Township Municipal Utilities Authority.
“So what the interaction and interplay between the planning board and the county MUA, I just don’t know,” said Gelzunas.
Prior to O’Connor’s appointment, Don Embs, of North Cape May, presented council with a petition signed by approximately 500 township taxpayers, asking council not to reappoint an existing board member, but to instead consider appointing a fresh face to the Authority.
After the resolution to appoint O’Connor passed, Conrad voiced his concern with how appointments are made and asked that council re-examine the process with regards to all open positions within the township. “I do believe all wards should be well-represented,” said Conrad.
Simonsen said he was still confused by council’s appointment.
“This week there’s a possibility of a conflict, and maybe even an illegal appointment,” said Simonsen. “The solicitor himself says he doesn’t know, and we move ahead with it anyway. I’m a little concerned, sitting up here.”
“I believe that Ward 3 gets the short end of the stick every time,” Simonsen continued. “First of all we pay the most rates, we pay the most taxes. Now we do not even have representation on the MUA board.”
Beck said he would have liked to appoint someone from Ward 3, but that O’Connor was best suited for the job. “I’m putting him on there if I can do that,” said Beck.
“Even if it’s illegal?” questioned Simonsen.
“Are you saying it is illegal?” asked Beck. When Simonsen said he didn’t say it was illegal, Beck asked him to drop the issue. “If you prove it is, we’ll take him off of there. But nobody in this building tonight, right here, right now, said that’s an illegal pick,” said Beck. “So he goes on. Maybe some people don’t like that. Too bad.”
Earlier during the work session, City Manager Michael Voll presented council with the 2014 proposed municipal budget. Unlike last year’s 2.9-cent tax increase, this year’s budget will see no increase whatsoever. Due to the township’s preemptive property reassessment, there was also a decrease in ratables of $472,871,828.
According to Beck, the decision to move forward with the property reassessments had to do with the negative impact tax appeals had on the budget at the end of 2012. The total cost for the reassessment will fall between $175,000 and $200,000, compared to the $1.5 to $2 million it would have cost to conduct a complete reevaluation, said Beck.
“We would have had to bond, hire a firm. It would have been horrible,” said Beck. “If we had not gotten this reassessment done in time, we would have had a slew of tax appeals which would have crippled our budget.”
The meeting also featured the swearing-in of two new police officers. Surrounded by their respective friends and family, Michael Iames and Louis Bartleson, Jr. each took an oath to protect and serve the public.
“Remember the oath you took today. Carry that with you every day. When you put that uniform and that badge on, remember, not only are you upholding the Constitution of the State of New Jersey, but the Constitution of the United States of America,” said Lower Township Police Chief William Mastriana. “Be proud of what you do and do the best job you possible can.
To contact Kirby Reed, email kreed@cmcherald.com.