Wait ‘n’ See for Regional Studies, State Forbids Municipal Talks

CAPE MAY – Councilmember Jack Wichterman commented Aug. 6 on the executive county superintendent-led informational meeting attended by representatives from Cape May, Lower Township, West Cape May and the Lower Cape May Regional School District July 22 that dealt with the city’s attempt to change the funding formula.
“I questioned why so much time was needed when in fact our feasibility study, which was 94 pages, contains, I would assume, all the information that all these other municipalities are going to study,” said Wichterman at the Aug. 6 work session. “But figures don’t lie and the folks that we’ve worked with have done an excellent job.”
The extended period of time to review feasibility studies means that Executive County Superintendent Richard Stepura will not issue a report on his findings until February 2014.
“One thing I do question is the fact that we paid $48,000 for our study, and should the regional school board decide to submit a feasibility study in addition to the one we’ve done, we’re going to help them pay for that too by 35 percent,” Wichterman continued. “Because that’s what we pay. But I guess there’s nothing I can do about it but question it publically.”
Deputy Mayor William Murray questioned what the report might say, once Stepura makes his recommendation. To that, Wichterman referenced a recent discussion with Vito Gagliardi, who conducted Cape May’s study. “He said to me that once Dr. Stepura submits his report, things move quickly,” said Wichterman.
During the public portion of the meeting, Kate Wyatt of Cape May, spoke on behalf of the Taxpayers’ Association of Cape May. “The Taxpayer’s Association of Cape May supports the City of Cape May Council’s effort to explore adjusting the money formula for Lower Cape May Regional High School,” Wyatt said. “We support Councilmember Jack Wichterman, who has demonstrated leadership in pursuing this issue during the last 18 months.”
“We appreciate the mayor’s and council’s support for the allocation of funds to hire Mr. Gagliardi to review the current situation and make recommendations in support of the taxpayers of Cape May,” Wyatt continued.
When suggested by Wyatt that the city make efforts to work alongside Lower Township to resolve this matter, Wichterman revealed that was not an option.
“Disappointingly the state does not allow for the municipalities to get together and work out a solution,” Wichterman said. “Anything that’s done in this funding would have to be done, before we go to the courts, by referendum. It cannot be done by us sitting down at Lower Township and saying, ‘Hey, let’s make some sense out of this.’ I’m sorry, I wish it did, but it doesn’t. I was hoping that it did. But we’ve been advised by Vito (Gagliardi) that no way can we do that, so that’s not going to happen.”
Wichterman also said he sent an email to Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-1st) asking him to “attack the problem that we have where we only have one member on the board and yet we pay 35 percent of the funding.” Following two attempts, Wichterman had yet to hear back from Van Drew.