Mayor Addresses Cape May Setbacks, Successes

CAPE MAY — In his annual State of the City Address July 2, Mayor Jerome E. Inderwies acknowledged setbacks Cape May suffered due to lawsuits and a rampant rumor mill in the city.
He said the city suffered a setback in its effort to revitalize the Washington Street Mall when a voter referendum defeated a bond ordinance that would finance the mall project.
“The delay in the ability to purchase specific items in that bond ordinance has cost the taxpayers thousands of dollars,” said Inderwies, “Goods and service didn’t change, however, prices did.”
While council adopted a $3.5 million bond ordinance earmarked for the mall, he noted a pending lawsuit could again prevent the city from moving forward on mall revitalization.
“Rumors in this town run rampant with false information that devastates the reputation of this town,” said Inderwies.
He asked if the taxpayers and voters of this city want their city run by their duly elected officials or by special interest groups.
“Over and over again, we have been accused of having secret meetings concerning city business,” said Inderwies. “Nothing could be further from the truth.”
“To eliminate that accusation, I have ordered all meetings concerning city business be held in this room and open to the public,” he continued.
Since 2003, Cape May’s local purpose tax rate has increased only slightly over 6 percent, said Inderwies. Initially, this year’s budget appeared it would have a 2.9 cent tax increase but that was eliminated when the city’s contribution to Lower Cape May Regional High School District was decreased.
He said Cape May has the third lowest tax rate in the county and sixteenth lowest rate in the state.
Inderwies highlighted the city’s recent success stories: stopping infiltration of storm water runoff into the sanitary sewer system elevating bills from the county Municipal Utilities Authority, receiving a $64,000 grant for a survey of the city’s historic homes, and reconstruction of the sand dune at Poverty Beach following destruction from winter storms.
He noted Cape May received the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association annual award for the Cape May to Lower Cape May Meadows project.
Reino central station parking meters have been installed in key areas of the city, said the mayor, and work will soon begin on the harbor ramp on Delaware Avenue, funded by a DOT grant. He noted restrooms were reconstructed at the Philadelphia Avenue Beach financed by beach tag sales.
Inderwies said the city would be in dire straights without the help of many volunteers on boards, commissions, and committees.
Contact Fichter at (609) 886-8600 Ext 30 or at: jfichter@cmcherald.com