Get ‘The Wrap,’ our take on the news of the week, in your inbox every Tuesday. Sign up at https://bit.ly/3goVpVr.
Feb. 7-13:
Federal Funds
Three federal relief bills in three successive years, along with a huge infrastructure bill, mean that states, municipalities, and school districts are all looking to gain access to monies that can be applied to projects they otherwise would have difficulty funding.
In school Covid relief monies, Cape May County districts will have almost $44 million in federal funds. Each have regulations on how the money may be spent, dates by which it must be obligated, and requirements on reporting its use. High on the list are programs to combat pandemic-induced learning loss and infrastructure improvements.
Municipalities are looking at using relief funds to offset lost revenue from the pandemic and help boost surplus levels that took a hit in the last two years. Infrastructure funds are also high on every municipal and county wish list for sewer system improvements, drainage system modernization, bridge repair and water system improvements.
Looking for Lead
A recent 2021 New Jersey law requires that community water systems across the state inventory their service lines and replace any lead service lines, including galvanized lines, within 10 years. According to one study by American Water Works Association, there may be as many as 350,000 homes and businesses served by lead pipes. Even in communities with few, if any, lead service lines, the inventory process is likely to be a major headache, and it will not be cheap.
In Avalon, Borough Engineer Thomas Thornton explained that the inventory of all service lines must cover the pipes from the watermain to the house. Municipalities will start the inventory with lines where the materials are known, but must proceed to all unknowns, a task that may involve excavations. According to Thornton,Avalon alone has 6,900 service lines.
A New Jersey Office of Legislative Services estimate is that the cost-of-service line inventories and lead line replacements could cost the state $4.5 billion and local governments as much as $2.6 billion over the 10-year period. Some state municipalities have already indicated that the project will command a chunk of their available American Rescue Plan monies.
Covid
Cape May County’s COVID numbers continue to rapidly improve. As of Jan. 11, the county reported 188 new Covid cases in the previous seven days, the lowest number since before Thanksgiving. Active community cases dropped to 355, when they were seven times that number just one month ago.
This week, the county reported one new Covid fatality compared with eight the previous week. Despite the improvements, Gov. Phil Murphy extended the latest health emergency another 30 days.
Schools are also seeing improved case numbers. Cape May County school districts are reporting 10 new cases for every 1,000 students, with less than 3% of students excluded from in-person instruction due to Covid isolation or quarantine. The 10 per 1,000 case ratio is higher than the current state average of 6.01, but the rate is still a decrease from earlier ratios.
Sand on the Beach
A succession of winter storms have complicated the already difficult process of getting county beaches ready for the tourist season. Back passing efforts are planned or underway in some municipalities. In North Wildwood, the storms damaged the sand reserve set aside for applying to the beaches. In Avalon, a back passing operation will probably commence in April, as the borough wants as little time as possible between the replenishment of eroded beaches and the arrival of the summer season.
Stone Harbor is taking steps to gain access to sand borrow zones inside the Coastal Barrier Resources Act–protected area of Hereford Inlet. Borough Council agreed to bring on a new coastal consultant from Mott MacDonald to aid in efforts to remove a federal ban on the use of the sand.
Happenings
The actual property transfer of Stone Harbor’s Smuggler’s Cove took place. Selling price was $2.5 million. The most likely future for the property is a set of townhomes.
West Wildwood residents will see an increase in sewer rates caused mainly by stormwater leaking into sewer lines.
Avalon’s Planning/Zoning Board has promised a special public meeting to discuss possible zoning changes, which would facilitate hotel and restaurant development in the business district.
Nuisance flooding in Diamond Beach has led to renewed resident concerns over the tiny community’s relationship with Lower Township.
Rumors abound that an unsanctioned polar plunge may still be on tap for Sea Isle City. The municipality has withheld approval for the event this year.
Despite noticeable tremors, county residents have been told that there was no earthquake Feb. 8. The problem is officials are stymied on the cause of the shaking.
The remains of a Navy pilot who died in Vietnam were returned to his family 54 years after his death.
Shore towns are preparing strategies for dealing with large groups of unruly teens that disrupted beaches and boardwalks last summer.
Wildwood school district received approval from Native American groups to continue to use the Warriors as the team name.
Oceana Rehabilitation was on the list of the state’s 15 worst nursing homes. State officials say the organization must improve its standards of care or face being cut off from funding.
A hearing date has been set for Orsted’s request to run transmission cables across Ocean City as part of the effort to transfer power from the offshore wind farms to the electrical grid entry point at Beesley’s Point.
A local advocacy group says that the lack of affordable housing inventory in Cape May County complicates efforts to deal with the homeless problem.
Three Middle Township High School seniors have been accepted to elite ivy institutions at Princeton, Penn, and Cornell.
Spout Off of the Week
Cold Spring – Here is some good advice from a personal experience. NEVER put underwear on after you apply Ben-Gay to your knees.
Read more spouts at spoutoff.capemaycountyherald.com.
