COURT HOUSE – Middle Township Committee held a brief public meeting Aug. 15 and then adjourned to closed session for “potential litigation regarding the Cape May County Animal Shelter Agreement.”
A change in the formula for municipal participation in the county shelter for 2016 led to extended negotiations between the township and county.
The township agreed to terms in mid-June after a period of about a month when the shelter was closed to township animals.
The current dispute apparently has to do with a difference of opinion on when the new fee structure begins regarding the almost-six months of this year when no contract was in place.
The 2016 fee structure and terms of that contract result in a significant increase to the township as the county moved from a formula based on population to one based on usage.
Township officials, including all committee members, feel the shelter should be supported based on the county tax. They oppose differential pricing to municipalities.
New terms were agreed to in June, largely on the model of what the county proposed in October. With the new contract, Middle Township ended a several-week impasse during which the township gave up its shelter keys.
While the township and the county still disagree on what the township owes from Jan. 1 to the signing in June, the shelter remains open again to township animals.
The term litigation in the agenda is standard for contract disputes that call for a private session resolution. It does not necessarily mean recourse to the courts to settle a dispute.
Community Rating System
Responding to a question from the public both Business Administrator Connie Mahon and Committee member Timothy Donohue explained the current efforts regarding the National Flood Insurance Community Rating System.
The CRS ratings municipalities achieve translate into tiers of discounts for flood insurance premiums.
Donohue said that qualifying under the rating system is something that did not make sense for the township until the new flood maps were published after Sandy.
“Until then we had so few areas in the danger zones that it did not make economic sense for the township,” Donohue said.
The new maps placed more township properties in danger zones.
The township is making its way through the process to gain a discount for insurance premiums based on a favorable CRS rating.
“It is a big task,” Mahon said. She mentioned a list of 64 properties that Federal Emergency Management Agency had labeled non-compliant and explained that the township had begun a process to work with each of those owners on compliance issues.
Island communities have been dealing with the CRS system for many years. Avalon began its efforts over 15 years ago and has achieved a Class 5 rating which translates into a 25 percent community discount for flood insurance.
Avalon was among the first communities in the state to achieve that status. It takes years of work to achieve the ratings level Avalon has.
Other Business
Mayor Michael Clark announced “We are very close to signing the lease agreement with Cape Express.” Clark was referring to the agreement that would have Cape Express utilizing a section of the new Okie Wisting Recreational Complex. “This has been a long time coming,” Clark said.
Clark also said the township would be receiving about $91,000 back in premiums paid for its Joint Insurance Fund. The JIF, a non-profit entity, regularly distributes any surplus over and above the amounts it needs to cover claims and operate efficiently.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
