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April 18-24:
Credibly Accused
The Diocese of Camden announced an $87.5 million settlement with a Survivor’s Committee as part of the resolution of litigation of approximately 300 cases involving clergy sexual abuse. The diocese published a list of 56 individuals who it labels as “credibly accused.”
Of the 56 clergy on the list, 24 had assignments during their careers in parishes in Cape May County, with some having had multiple county assignments. The parishes listed were in Cape May, Lower Township, Middle Township, Ocean City, Sea Isle City, Stone Harbor, Wildwood and Wildwood Crest. The statement from the diocese notes that while the diocese will pay the bulk of the settlement, local parishes will contribute.
The Diocese of Camden is the first of New Jersey’s five dioceses to reach a settlement agreement. The other four are still dealing with the issue. Since the sexual abuse claims had driven the Diocese of Camden to seek protection in bankruptcy court, the announced settlement must be approved by the court before it is final. The Diocese of Camden has over 12 churches in Cape May County, as well as six schools and two senior living communities.
Earth Day
Cape May County celebrated Earth Day with festivities at the County Park, in Court House. It has been 52 years since the first Earth Day events April 22, 1970. Earth Day came just eight years after the publication of Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring,” a book on the impact of pesticides on the environment. Its publication is often seen as marking the birth of the modern environmental movement in the U.S.
1970 was also the year that saw the establishment of the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Within three years, Congress had passed the Clean Water Act, followed by the Endangered Species Act. Many cite congressional testimony by NASA scientist James Hansen, in 1988, as the point at which climate change publicly entered into the environmental debate. The climate issue was at the center of many of the events celebrating Earth Day 2022.
Summer Workers
Local businesses are cautiously optimistic about the employment trend for seasonal workers in 2022. There should be a rebound in the foreign summer worker numbers but that rebound will not be to the levels the county employed prior to the pandemic. The war in Europe is having an impact on those student workers who traditionally came from Russia, where diplomatic visa services have been interrupted.
Municipalities continue to face problems getting their needed compliment of summer help. Police departments are seeing reduced numbers of applicants for Class I and Class II summer officers. Municipalities are raising wage scales, as they compete in the tighter labor market. The same is true for lifeguard positions, where the number of applicants at this point in the hiring process is lower than usual despite increases in pay scales over the last two years. Some municipalities are planning for changes to trash pickup processes due, in part, to concerns over the summer help available to Public Works departments.
Happenings
Cape May introduced a $5 million bond ordinance for the design and construction of a new police station. Meanwhile, the city hosted a public hearing so state officials could gather comments on a proposed land swap, which would provide the site for the new police facility.
Avalon entered into a new arrangement with its trash hauler that maintains the borough’s residential pickup schedules but ends the practice of returning empty containers to the side of the house. Meanwhile, neighboring Stone Harbor is moving to mechanical loaders to handle depositing trash in trucks. The borough expects to introduce other changes to its trash protocols in the form of an ordinance.
Cape May and Avalon each adopted no tax increase budgets for 2022 this week. The Taxpayers Association in Cape May asked the city to spend more on code enforcement.
A Maryland company has become the most recent out-of-state firm to buy up campgrounds in Cape May County. Holly Shores Camp Resort has become Sun Outdoors Cape May following its purchase by the Blue Water Group hospitality company.
Little data is easily available on how local school districts are spending the windfall in federal Covid relief dollars that were distributed in the last two years. One concern is the pace of spending may need to pick up if deadlines for obligation on the funds are going to be met. Learning loss caused by interruption of instruction during the pandemic is a chief area for the use of relief funds.
The Cape May County Zoo continues its successful conservation efforts with the announcement of the birth of baby tamarins.
Sea Isle City sold a record number of parking permits. Officials will have to adjust the city ordinance to reflect the 500 permits sold.
Middle Township pulled back on adopting an ordinance that would have banned bounce houses on township property. Reacting to public comments in support of the popular entertainment spots for children,Middle Township Committee decided to reconsider the ordinance.
The Cannabis Regulatory Commission has authorized the start of recreational weed sales in New Jersey. Thirteen existing medical cannabis dispensaries have begun retail sales of recreational cannabis products, as well.
Inflation remains high, with gasoline and food prices producing pain for local consumers. Expected interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve System aimed at taming the 40-year high inflation may lead to a negative impact on the housing market through higher mortgages rates.
The ban on single-use bags is starting in a week. The question is how prepared the public is for what that means.
Another case in which a county police officer faces criminal charges emerged in Ocean City, where a grand jury indicted an officer on fourth degree stalking charges.
Plans for the redevelopment of Pacific Avenue, in Wildwood, will benefit from a municipal and county partnership.
Cape May heard a proposal to use the historic Allen African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church as a home for a theater company.
Spout Off of the Week
Court House - Why is there no medical marijuana dispensary in Cape May County yet, Atlantic County has two of them. I’m dazed and confused by this.
Read more spouts at spoutoff.capemaycountyherald.com.
