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Feb. 1-7
Cases Continue to Decline; Vaccine Program Frustrates Many
In the first week of February, the new Covid cases reported in Cape May County continued to decline. There were 273 cases reported among county residents this past week. That puts the daily average cases below 40, when they were above 60 per day a month ago.
The number of active cases in the county dropped by 110 in the past week, standing at 412 Feb. 7 compared with 522 at the end of the previous week.
The number of fatalities increased, with six county residents losing their battle with the virus. Four of the deaths were community-based, with the remaining two being long-term care facility residents. Total Covid-related deaths of county residents stands at 169.
This week, Gov. Phil Murphy announced he was increasing the capacity limits on indoor activities, including indoor dining.
The rollout of the Covid vaccination program suffers from short supplies of the vaccine. Unclear state messaging about vaccine availability, multiple sites that are using appointment websites that are not part of the state registration system, and overwhelmed networks made the task facing “eligible” individuals daunting, as they seek ways to get an appointment for the vaccine.
Many towns set up special help for their residents, especially for those for whom the need for almost constant online vigilance at appointment sites is beyond their skills.
Municipal, County Happenings
Bids for the reconstruction of four Middle Township sanitary sewer pump stations came in significantly higher than expected, causing a delay to late April before an award can be made.
Meanwhile, North Wildwood introduced a $15.5 million bond ordinance for a stormwater pump station.
In Stone Harbor, the real estate market continues to be hot, with a record number of title changes, some for homes that never made it to the open market.
The borough also took another step in supporting the subdivision development plans for the Villa Maria property, when Stone Harbor Borough Council introduced a measure to vacate a portion of First Avenue, at 111th Street.
The proposed 13 residential lot subdivision also triggered aspects of the borough’s affordable housing agreement, leading to the municipality purchasing property on Third Avenue to meet their low and moderate-income housing obligations.
As the plans for the Villa Maria property gained momentum, news broke of the closing of Saint Mary by-the-Sea, in Cape May Point.
Cape May introduced an ordinance that will allow the city to purchase the Allen African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church property, on Franklin Street. The church was damaged in a 2019 fire. Among other things, the city hopes to use the property as a staging area for the construction of a new firehouse across the street.
In Wildwood, the Wildwoods Special Improvement District and Wildwood Business Improvement District presented their 2021 budgets to the governing body. This happens as municipalities across the county are structuring 2021 budgets, which must be introduced by the end of March and adopted by the end of April.
In 2020, the summer meal service for county youngsters in need fed more students than ever. The call went out for 2021 sponsors.
Cape May City Council heard “encouraging news” about the JCP&L clean-up of a part of the area included in the new Lafayette Street Park. With the remediation largely done and near state approval, the city looks forward to resuming its development of the park.
At the same meeting, the council, once again, engaged in a discussion concerning allowing dogs on the Washington Street Mall.
Stone Harbor Borough Council took the unusual step of approving the relocation of a weather siren, at 106th Street, even though there is no consensus on a new location.
Fire damaged property in a commercial building on Third Avenue, in Stone Harbor, as reports came in about several agencies joining in an investigation of an Ocean City Boardwalk fire.
Middle Township will see safety upgrades to the intersection of Main Street and Route 9 in Whitesboro. This comes after the municipality announced traffic calming efforts near its Martin Luther King Recreation Center.
On a larger scale, Middle Township’s governing body will hold a work session devoted to discussion of the 10-year master plan reexamination report recently adopted by the Planning Board.
With the likelihood that the pandemic will continue to require remote access to public meetings, Avalon Borough Council is considering adding video access to its existing telephone conferencing technology. The proposed change has the support of Council President John McCorristin.
Avalon is also taking steps to review and modify its outdoor dining regulations for the coming season, taking care to see what went right and what could be improved from 2020.
The borough also announced plans for a sand back-passing project this spring, aimed at moving sand from the town’s middle beach areas to its more eroded north end.
Two winter storms in the span of 10 days caused flooding in a number of island communities. The storms also provided yet another glimpse of the ghost tracks, remnants of old railroad cutting across Sunset and Higbee beaches, in Cape May.
A Wildwood Crest ordinance was introduced that would ban new bamboo plants and create penalties for those with existing plants who fail to maintain them.
New state stormwater management regulations, effective March 2, may increase the burden on municipalities to police the requirements.
And…
Seven Pack 65 Cub Scouts became Boy Scouts during a Feb. 3 ceremony, while 17 Middle Township High School students will graduate with associate degrees from Atlantic Cape after completing the dual enrollment program.
Kratom, a product some see as a dietary supplement and others claim is an opioid replacement, is readily available. Several organizations question why that is so.
Spout Off of the Week
Stone Harbor – “If you think that newer, bigger houses are the cause of flooding in Stone Harbor, you are dreaming. The flooding is caused by the tides rising and water coming up through storm sewers. The back bay, and also the channels to the ocean need to be dredged in a timely and repetitive manner. Look at the southern end of Stone Harbor, the channel has probably narrowed by 50%. I have lived in Stone Harbor since 1989 and Third Avenue has flooded since then and before. If you are happy living in Stone Harbor and enjoying the services thank the big home owners.”
