Christie Administration officials will host two storm assistance workshops Feb. 4 in Sea Isle City and Wildwood to provide assistance to residents and businesses impacted by Winter Storm Jonas.
See photos from Winter Storm Jonas: Click Here
Between the hours of 11:15 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., residents and businesses affected by the storm that struck the area Jan. 22-24 will have access to representatives from the departments of Banking and Insurance, Community Affairs, Human Services, Environmental Protection, the Business Action Center and the Economic Development Authority, to answer questions and help resolve any issues they may have.
In Sea Isle City at the library 4800 Central Ave.
In Wildwood, at the Wildwoods Convention Center, 4501 Boardwalk.
The following are recaps of storm damage along Cape May County’s coast:
Avalon
The Borough of Avalon experienced extensive flooding from the bay side as was the case in neighboring Stone Harbor.
The worst of the flooding coincided with the Jan. 23 high tide mark, but Borough Engineer Thomas Thornton said levels receded rapidly with each high tide following, never producing the same inundation.
For the most part, flooding did not result in extensive damage to homes or public property.
As in Stone Harbor, however, many homes are only used in the summer and many property owners have not had an opportunity to inspect their properties and make damage reports.
Some businesses, most notably a Wawa convenience store on Dune Drive experienced extensive damage but appeared to be exceptions rather than the rule.
Debris from bay flooding was extensive and the cleanup has begun. A meeting of Borough Council saw members assured that the borough’s well-documented procedures for debris removal will be followed. Debris removal will continue through Feb. 5.
Procedures for dealing with hazardous materials are also in place and are detailed on the borough website.
Extensive power outages plagued the borough from the time of the storm Jan. 23 through much of Jan. 24.
High winds and flooding at the entry points to the island hampered restoration. For safety reasons, utility linemen cannot work in bucket-lift trucks if wind exceeds 35 mph, according to company representative Veronica Town.
There were no reports of Avalon residents using the county shelter in Woodbine. Any evacuations were voluntary and police reported no storm-related rescues.
The firehouse was used as a temporary shelter and warming center for residents without power and heat.
Damage to beaches and dune structure are the areas of greatest potential expense in storm recovery.
A post-storm beach survey was underway with no estimate available.
Avalon and Stone Harbor are in line for a federal beach replenishment project by the Army Corps of Engineers which should help defray many of the beach-related expenses if it is conducted in the fall.
Thornton reported that eight beach paths were damaged and in need of repair, mostly in the north end. He surprised council members by saying that only about 4,000 cubic yards of sand would be required for the paths. That amount, he said, could be trucked in.
The damage to the first level of dunes was serious and eventually will require attention, but Thornton noted that the remaining dune structure was robust enough to protect the community from a future storm.
Dr. Stewart Farrell of Stockton University, a borough consultant, is at work on the post storm survey. Data was not yet available.
–By Vince Conti
Cape May
The City of Cape May came through Winter Storm Jonas “reasonably well,” said City Manager Bruce MacLeod.
There was no flooding on Beach Avenue as the sea wall held the surge. This included the often vulnerable areas of East Cape May. Protections placed around Convention Hall also held leaving the civic center without any storm damage.
Bay and harbor flooding occurred along back streets behind Lafayette Street, including Perry and West Perry, but no significant reports of home damage have yet been tallied.
MacLeod cautioned that private property damage may be something that the city will not get good information on until many second homeowners return to inspect properties.
Hardest hit areas were along Cape May Harbor.
The historic downtown area appears to have escaped significant storm damage and business was largely back to normal for this time of year.
Some flooding from “snow effects” occurred, Macleod said, due to the fact that the melting snow had no place to drain. Ocean outfall pipes could not efficiently dispose of drainage when confronted by the high water levels.
MacLeod noted that the city had set up a warming center at West Cape May Firehouse. They were prepared, according to Macleod, to convert the site to an overnight accommodation if needed, but the storm passed without city-wide power outages thus the need was not apparent.
MacLeod said the city suffered no real infrastructure damage from the storm.
Debris cleanup had already begun. MacLeod stressed that with so many home owners absent; the extent of the debris to be removed is hard to calculate at this time.
Damage the city suffered was to its beaches, but even here the more southern rather than eastern facing beaches in the city seem to have been spared the brunt of the storm’s rage.
Federal Emergency Management Agency calculations compiled estimate about $1.5 million in beach erosion. It is too early to know what effect, if any, that erosion had on beach slopes that have been the center of much attention as the resort tries to improve beach safety.
– By Vince Conti
Lower Township
According to Lower Township Superintendent of Public Works Gary Douglass, Lower Township escaped the recent Nor’easter with little in the way of damage or flooding.
Douglass stated that some minor beach erosion occurred in the southern North Cape May beach area at David Douglass Park. He added that a light pole at the parking area near the Cape May-Lewes Ferry was toppled from the force of wind and water.
No rescues or evacuations were required although the Lobster House restaurant sustained flooding from the high tide water intrusions in that area. As of Jan. 28, its coffee shop, takeout and fish market reopened while workers continued to prepare the restaurant for reopening.
The Middle Thorofare Bridge at Ocean Drive was also closed for a time over the Jan. 23-24 weekend according to Lower Township Police Lt. William Priole, who also reported that South Jersey Marina suffered some damage to an awning due to high winds.
Priole stated that a few residents had to be temporarily evacuated due to flooding, but no injuries were reported.
Douglass concluded that procedures in place for these events worked well. He felt that the township already knows where the problem areas are located and prepared accordingly.
He added that the Roseanne Avenue/Bayshore Estates area that has a long history of flooding was not affected by the storm.
– By Jim McCarty
Middle Township
Following Winter Storm Jonas, Middle Township cited snow and debris removal as areas of greatest expense due to the storm. Actual numbers are still being compiled and are not yet available, but Business Administrator Constance Mahon said the township escaped without any major infrastructure damage.
The most significant debris problems were in Stone Harbor Manor and Avalon Manor where back bay flooding was highest. Mahon also indicated similar problems along Reeds Beach and other township communities along Delaware Bay as well as the Grassy Sound area.
The township maintained a warming center at the firehouse that was utilized by some residents. There were no indications that township residents used the county shelter in Woodbine during the storm.
No evacuations were ordered, although some in the public engaged in voluntary evacuations. Police reported no storm related rescues.
Earlier reports of possible damage to the fishing pier were false.
The township weathered the storm in relatively good shape. Debris removal began Jan. 25, immediately following the storm.
Power remained on for most of the township with the most significant outages to the south in the Rio Grande area. In many instances power was restored within hours Jan. 23.
Mahon expressed satisfaction with the way township personnel addressed the storm. There are no indications that the storm pointed out any preparedness issues or procedures that will require change in the future.
–By Vince Conti
Stone Harbor
The borough became an unexpected focus of widespread media attention during Winter Storm Jonas. Pictures of residents kayaking down 96th Street made national press publications. The reality is that while flooding, almost all from the bay, was intense, the borough’s area of real damage was to beaches and dunes.
On Jan. 29, borough officials and retailers held an event to announce that businesses were either up and open or, in some cases, working to be open by the start of the season.
Tubes holding dredging debris at the municipal marina on 80th Street held during the storm and experienced no breach.
Beaches and dunes took the brunt of the storm. Borough Administrator Jill Gougher said preliminary estimates were $10 million in damage to beaches.
Gougher noted that the borough, along with Avalon, are in line for a federal beach replenishment in the fall. She said that the borough has been in contact with the Army Corp of Engineers to see if any opportunity exists to move up that project.
Gougher said the borough Public Works Department was already shoring up dunes in areas that would be the most vulnerable if another storm struck. She felt the dune system did its job protecting the community and that enough of the dune structure was in place to offer adequate protection until the beach project, which will also replenish the federally-maintained dunes. Borough dunes would be a borough expense.
Gougher was confident that the vast majority of expense included in the $10 million estimate would be covered by the Army Corps of Engineers, although she added that some percentage would fall to the borough.
If the county were to receive a disaster area designation, she said, even more of the burden would be lifted from the borough.
As in most communities, debris removal is a major task following any storm.
Debris removal, mostly for the borough’s commercial establishments, is already underway. With a large percentage of homes used as summer residences, property owners have been urged “Come down sooner rather than later” to begin getting debris to the curbs, Gougher said.
No reports of significant property damage have been reported to the borough, but the absence of many property owners means some issues may not be known until owners visit properties.
Stone Harbor reports minimal infrastructure damage. A major problem during the storm was loss of power, with large parts of the borough without power for most of a day and a half.
Flooding at the bridges and high winds prevented utility crews from making repairs as quickly as they were made on the mainland.
Police reported no storm related rescues and evacuations were voluntary. A warming center was established at a recreation center with no reports of borough residents using the county shelter in Woodbine.
Nothing in the experience suggested to borough officials that changes were needed in preparedness procedures.
–By Vince Conti
In the North
Dunes held; many were sheared off to create high cliffs but held and protected beachfronts and beyond. Without beach replenishment projects just finished and while expensive, damage could have been worse and cost more than these replenishment projects.
Much of the damage was from severe flooding from back bays. They brought enormous amounts of muck, silt and vegetative debris.
Individual property damage could be significant, no one had insurance estimates yet but some damage could be as severe as Superstorm Sandy (and some property owners and business owners labeled their damage in the tens of thousands of dollars based on Sandy which they also had experienced).
All praised the hard work and dedication of public works, police, fire, and emergency management personnel of each municipality.
The waters rose quickly. Even if residents wanted to get out by then it was really too late; not only were local streets flooded up to impassable levels but also bridges that would be used to evacuate for Ocean City, Sea Isle City and Upper Township locations were flooded and impossible to cross.
The Jan. 23 morning high tide was more potent than the evening high tide.
Officials from all three municipalities said flooding was worse than forecast. Despite all warnings there were, in each municipality, drivers who did not heed those warnings and got caught in high tide waters.
Various officials who visited the county post-storm promised to get funding for renewed beach replenishment and continue efforts to ensure beach replenishment as needed.
The big question for many is what to do about back bay flooding, which sounds as if it will be more costly and complex to resolve than building up the dunes.
This work seems to be the top future preventative measure that could be taken.
Business owners especially in Sea Isle City are concerned that they need to quickly get back up and running because closing even just a few days means hardship in terms of providing for their families and keeping their livelihoods viable.
Upper Township
Township Engineer Paul Dietrich: “Our numbers were not that significant. Our crews worked about 16 hours straight during the storm Jan. 22 into Jan. 23 removing snow and responding to downed trees. We worked on Jan. 24 for another five to six hours unclogging drains and clearing streets in Strathmere. On Jan. 23 we evacuated approximately six people from Strathmere.
“Numerous homes were flooded in Strathmere, but I did not hear of any homes on the mainland that were flooded. Beach erosion was similar to the storm in the fall where we lost another 300,000 cubic yards of sand from the beach. No damage to our dunes.”
Mayor Richard Palombo said he was “out and about.” Those Dietrich mentioned above were evacuated by Palombo and Deputy Mayor Edward Barr.
“We got good use out of the army surplus trucks we bought at auction which we used to get around Saturday afternoon,” he said.
Strathmere had no power for about 12 hours Jan. 23. Some residents noted that they had just finished construction raising their homes, settling with Federal Emergency Management Agency and others over insurance claims, and renovating and or buying new appliances destroyed by Sandy.
They said those houses that were raised experienced a lot less flooding. Strathmere’s Facebook page had a new posting called “Lost and Found Dept.” with all manner of flotsam that had washed away from owners during the storm such as kayaks, floating docks and a small sailboat.
Beesley’s Point residents near the bay experienced flooding and the storm’s high winds knocked down branches and trees onto roads in that area.
Tuckahoe Volunteer Fire Company responded to a car accident on Woodbine Road early Jan. 23 because of a downed tree and electrical wires on the road. Other township roads such as Tuckahoe Road and Hope Corson Road were impassable and closed for much of Jan. 23 because of downed tree limbs and other debris.
Sea Isle City
Mayor Leonard Desiderio was proud of the city’s volunteers, residents and Public Works staff who “all pitched in together to ensure property damage was minimal. I’m also proud that ‘the capital of Cape May County’ had a visit by our three U.S. congressional representatives to assess the situation first hand.”
He also cited the city’s “great relationships” to get electricity back on so quickly. “We were only out for a few hours although others were out until Sunday (Jan. 24) 6 p.m.”
First responders said flooding came up so quickly one of the fire trucks got caught in a flash flood near the bay. That echoes what other residents experienced as earlier reported. The flooding was compounded in ferocity with enormous amounts of mud and ice chunks carried by the rushing waters out of the back bays. The storm created a powerful river with “icebergs” down the city’s main thoroughfare Landis Avenue.
Ocean City
The city used its high school gym as a receiving center for those who wanted to get out of their homes in advance of Jonas.
“We had about 30 people use the gym as a shelter where they could get something warm to eat and wash and dry their clothes. This need was a lot less than Sandy.
“We had tides at the 10-year storm event which is a lot less than our neighbors to the south who had tides at the 50-year storm event. So Ocean City was very fortunate, damage was spotty depending on where you were, so people really did get hit hard,” said Mayor Jay Gillian.
While Sea Isle City had electricity issues, Ocean City did not.
Council President Keith Hartzell offered a prayer for “Those in the south of Ocean City who are suffering, it could have been a lot worse here in Ocean City.”
Residents in the Merion Park section of the city praised operations of the pump stations which functioned well.
A representative of the Ocean City Flood Association said membership has doubled just this past week due to the flooding that occurred from the storm. Residents seem to be much more aware now of and interested in the city’s five-year capital plan and what it might mean for dredging of the back bay and lagoon area as well as raising of sidewalks and roads in the most flood-prone areas.
One Merion Park homeowner said, “The water was so high the pumps were turned off but when they came back on Sunday afternoon the water immediately receded.”
–By Camille Sailer
The Wildwoods
Winter Storm Jonas swept in a fury of snow, ice, and rain Jan. 22-24. As communities throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania prepared by purchasing snow shovels and ice melt, the citizens of the Wildwoods prepared for another aspect of Jonas: tidal flooding.
Although the Wildwoods were not the only shore communities affected, stories of loss, resolution, and courage have arisen as tide waters receded.
Local administrations carried out protocols as police, fire, and public works departments rescued those in need. As citizens carried on, the words of West Wildwood Mayor Christopher Fox echoed “We are cleaning up the town.”
In Wildwood, Mayor Ernie Troiano candidly said “We were not expecting the water the way it came in.” The bay waters hit the city from behind, striking Pacific Avenue.
“Thank God we didn’t have any fires,” said Troiano, reminiscing of past storms. Damage to beaches is still under evaluation and, as discussed at the Jan. 27 commissioners’ meeting, the city hopes for a grant to correct the condition of the outfall pipes.
“I’m grateful,” Troiano said after reporting the safe evacuations of 80 individuals. Troiano estimated damages to the city itself totaled at least $1 million.
Wildwood Crest Mayor Carl Groon said “The community did okay. We still have some work to do.” Beachfront damage assessment is under review, according to Groon. When asked if evacuations were mandated, Groon replied “Not many had to go to the shelter.” Flooding, however, did present a problem for the community. “Our neighbors fared worse,” Groon said.
West Wildwood evacuations took place Jan. 23 as tide water rose. According to Fox, 55 to 60 people had to be evacuated while many also left on their own.
Despite conditions, Fox said preparation “was very adequate.”
The bulkhead suffered significant damage and Fox met with Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-2nd) to survey the damage. “We are really cleaning up the town,” said Fox as he thanked Groon, North Wildwood Mayor Patrick Rosenello, and Troiano for their efforts in sending public works and equipment. “I am so grateful,” said Fox.
In North Wildwood, Rosenello said the city submitted an estimate to the Office of Emergency Management for a preliminary amount between $10 million and $12 million.
Non-stop evacuations for 150 individuals went on from 8 a.m. Jan. 23 to 8 p.m.
Despite being termed “crazy” by Gov. Chris Christie, Rosenello said that he accepted Christie’s apology: “I give him credit,” said Rosenello.
Rosenello praised North Wildwood police, fire, and public works for their efforts during the storm.
–By Rachel Rogish
