West Wildwood Commission Postpones Meeting

WEST WILDWOOD — On Friday, Oct. 3, the Borough of West Wildwood sent Sunshine Law notice to the Herald that “due to unforeseen circumstances, the Board of Commissioners meeting for West Wildwood has been postponed until further notice,” according to Dorothy A. Tomlin, borough clerk.
Later the same day, Mayor Herbert C. Fredrick sent a notice explaining that the meeting was postponed in the interest of public safety.
The following is the mayor’s cancellation notice:
“Due to a threat of a terrorist nature made via the internet against one of our local residents that includes the insinuation of intentional disruption of a public assembly scheduled for this Friday October 3, 2008, and that ‘more tires will be slashed,’ has prompted me, as Mayor, to consider the postponement of the October Commissioners in the interest of public safety.
I believe the threats in the Wednesday October 1, 2008 letter at 9:41 a.m. are real based on the fact that residents had their car tires slashed, twice, after they spoke at a recent commissioners meeting. They were also verbally threatened with bodily harm by two individuals after that same meeting.
I further believe that the threats may have validity by evidence of the threatening and abusive group of residents and non residents at the recent Special Commissioner’s Meeting on September 22, 2008 that I believe was led by a former elected official and the political opposition.
For the aforementioned reasons, as the Mayor and Director of Public Safety I find it prudent and in the best interest of the safety and welfare of the general public to postpone the regular October Commissioners Meeting of the Borough of West Wildwood.
Further, I am requesting that the West Wildwood Police Department, in consultation with the Cape May County Prosecutors Office, investigate these threats of terrorism. Once the police and the Prosecutor are satisfied that the public safety of the public can be assured I will then re-schedule the time and date to bold the October Commissioners meeting.
Finally, it is formally requested that at all future public meeting that arrangement be made to provide for adequate police protection for the public both inside and outside of the meeting hall.”
The meetings of the West Wildwood governing body are scheduled for the first Friday of each month at 7 p.m.