Parking, Covention Hall on Minds of Six Candidates

CAPE MAY – With three seats opening on City Council July 1, six candidates participated in Candidate’s Night presented by the Taxpayers Association of Cape May April 15.
The participants were newcomers Shaine Meier, Alison Bjork, Bill Murray, Jayne Dawn Brautigam and Deanna Fiocca. The voice of experience was Jack Wichterman who served on Cape May City Council from 2002-2004 and on Ringwood, N.J. Council for 13 years.
Bill Murray made a strong presentation in the event, having served on Cape May’s Zoning Board, Revitalization Committee, fire police, as current president of the Cottagers Association and as chairman of the Parking and Traffic Advisory Committee.
Missing from the event was candidate Robert “China Bob,”McCafferty Jr.
In her opening statement Bjork, a bed and breakfast inn owner and a founder of the city’s Dog Park, called for full disclosure from City Council on all matters other than those that require a closed session.
Meier, a lifelong resident of Cape May and head butcher at Westside Market, said he was pursuing a Bachelors degree at Richard Stockton College. He said he met with the city’s police and fire chiefs and chief financial officer to have a better understanding of how the city works. He said he made connections with the city’s departments.
Murray told the audience he has had two careers, as an aerospace engineer and as an attorney. He said he has been coming to Cape May for 50 years and had a home here since 1982. Murray said council needed a strong, independent voice as a member.
Brautigam is managing assistant to the Director of Visitor Services at Mid Atlantic Center for the Arts. She said she has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice Administration and while in college worked for police departments in Newark, Del., Stone Harbor and North Wildwood. Brautigam said she also worked in the casino industry for 21 years. She said she decided to run for council when council passed an ordinance with fixed water/sewer rates.
Fiocca said she was born in Cape May and attended Our Lady Star of the Sea School. She said while living in Lower Township, she served as vice chairman of the township’s Zoning Board for four years and also served on the County Zoo Commission for two years. Fiocca said she is general manager of Lucky Bones Restaurant, which has brought her skills that can be applied to council.
Wichterman said he moved to Cape May in 1998 after vacationing here for 30 years. He said he retired as vice president of international sales and marketing of a packaging company. Wichterman said he chaired the finance committee while serving on Cape May City Council and served as chairman of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee.
Moderator Corrine Robinson, of the League of Women Voters, asked a number of questions generated from the taxpayers association and audience members.
On a question of whether the council/manager form of government is right for the city, Bjork said she believed it was. Fiocca said “it works when it is adhered to.” Murray said the current form of government can work with independent thinking persons on council.
On a question of whether the candidates have attended a recent council meeting, Fiocca said she had not, Murray said he had attended many meetings. Bjork said she had attended a meeting where East Cape May homeowners spoke against adding parking meters which she termed as an exercise in incivility.
What are their three top concerns for Cape May? asked Robinson. All the candidates agreed a new Convention Hall needs to be constructed.
Wichterman cited paying attention to new development on the Sewell’s Point tract and increasing spending for tourism promotion.
Fiocca said she was also concerned with businesses closing in the city and increasing tourism promotion.
Brautigam said she was concerned with parking problems in the east end of town and development at Sewell’s Point.
Murray cited consolidating services with other towns and the financial well being of Cape May in the future.
Meier said Convention Hall was not one of his top three concerns. He said he worried about bed and breakfast inns closing in the city, parking meters and traffic problems that scare away visitors and the high cost of living in Cape May.
Bjork said the city needed a better Web site with minutes of meetings and a listing of members of city boards and commissions.
Do you have suggestions for new sources of revenue for the city? Robinson asked the candidates. Murray said we live in troubled times and suggested getting federal grant money for special projects. Bjork said the city should live within its means. Fiocca said tourism should be strengthened since it supplies 60 percent of the city’s revenue.
On a question if the candidates had reviewed the city’s 2010 budget, Wichterman said he had the budget with him and he had questions about crossover items from the beach utility. Brautigam said she attempted to find the budget online and was still looking for it. Meier said he looked briefly at the budget and he believed fees for weddings should be increased for more revenue.
What is your assessment of current issues that are delaying the building of a new Convention Hall? Robinson asked the candidates. Fiocca said if the building was smaller, perhaps remaining in its original footprint, there may not have been delays in a starting construction. “Cape May is always going to be a small town, we don’t need to have this huge monolith of a Convention Hall because it is only going to cause more problems with the parking,” said Fiocca.
Murray recommended scaling back the building. He said the city needed to live within its means. Bjork said the city needed a larger building than the current facility.
On a question of future costs to operate a new Convention Hall, Wichterman commented said it was impossible to estimate not knowing what sort of building would ultimately be constructed. He questioned building a facility one third bigger than the present hall when it only played to a sold out crowd once in 30 years.
Meier suggested the city sell energy credits back to utilities from the hall’s proposed solar panels.
What is your opinion on the city’s current master plan and how do you see it working for Cape May? asked Robinson. Murray said he was involved with the parking and traffic study portion of the plan.
“Unfortunately, the master plan is never implemented here,” he said.
Bjork concurred with Murray. Fiocca said the plan needed to be current.
On a question if the city should go through the same process of approval for renovations to city properties as the public, Bjork said she was not offended by the “lighthouse,” signboards on the bridge approaching Cape May since there was an historic house painted purple down the street. Fiocca said the city should be held to the same standard as the public. Murray criticized vinyl railings placed on entranceways to the Promenade.
On a question of allowing residential parking permits for those lacking a driveway and possibly conflicting with more meters being installed in the city, Fiocca said she was not in favor of more meters. Murray said a number of elderly residents have no parking available near their home. He said parking permits were designed to be revenue neutral. Bjork called for a parking permit for a space in the proximity of a home that doesn’t require removing a parking meter.
Does Cape May need a parking garage? Wichterman said it did not because the garage would be empty nine months of the year. Brautigam concurred with Wichterman. Meier said he wasn’t opposed to a garage but the cost to build such a facility was too great.
On a question of adding back-in angle parking spaces on Beach Avenue, Murray said it should be tried. Bjork suggested head-in spaces rather than back-in spots. Fiocca said she was not in favor of back-in spaces.
Meier said he was not in favor of metered spaces in residential areas of East Cape May other than on Beach Avenue. Wichterman said he signed a petition against the residential metered spaces but was in favor of more spots along the Beach.
Should the city sell properties it owns on the Promenade or the desalination plant, asked Robinson. Brautigam said the city should not sell assets Wichterman said he would not sell the desal plant. Meier concurred.