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Feb. 14-20:
Sea Level Rise
As the omicron surge of Covid cases retreats, the threats of sea level rise and major rain event flooding will reassert themselves as central issues in our thinking.
This past week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released a 2022 Sea Level Rise Technical Report. It is not surprising that the report depicts sea level rise accelerating and presenting a major danger to coastal areas within the next 30 years.
The report comes equipped with data visualization tools to help the public understand scenarios, inundation areas, and the expansion of the floodplain.
Real Estate – Who’s Buying?
Cape May City adopted a comprehensive ordinance aimed at regulating the expanding market in short-term rentals. A city advisory committee has argued that the residential housing stock has seen an increasing commercialization through the use of online applications that facilitate a lucrative transient marketplace.
The city’s taxpayer association’s analysis of property records shows Cape May property owners with listed residences in 33 states. Some like Pennsylvania, New York and Maryland are predictable, while others like Montana, Iowa and Missouri are less so.
National data from Redfin, a Seattle-based real estate brokerage, shows that in the third quarter of 2021, real estate investors hit record highs in their share of the home real estate market, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Over 60% of those purchases were in areas of high climate risk.
What it all adds up to is a changing real estate marketplace that may force municipalities to rethink their regulations.
Covid –Good Numbers Keep Coming
Cape May County’s Feb. 18 Covid report shows the lowest weekly number of new cases since July 23. The active community cases of the disease have fallen to 171, which is the lowest since before Thanksgiving. Hospitalizations are also declining, with the state’s number of Covid patients in the southern seven counties at 314 combined.
The county reports a rate of transmission that has declined to 0.58 and Covid Act Now puts the county’s test positivity rate at 3.3%. Both metrics are trending in the right direction.
Unfortunately, the increasing sense of freedom from the constraints of the pandemic has not extended to all. The virus remains a danger to some of the most vulnerable. The county reported four new Covid fatalities in its Feb. 18 release. Those deaths bring the number of county residents lost since the start of 2022 to 43.
The school numbers continue to improve, with one example being the Dennis Township School District where the website list of student and staff Covid cases by month shows January with 53 student cases and 19 staff cases. Through three weeks of February, those numbers are two students positive for the virus and five staff.
Police Major Discipline Report
The annual report on major disciplinary actions for law enforcement agencies across New Jersey shows nine of 11 county municipal police departments with no instances of major discipline against officers.
Instances requiring major discipline – defined as a suspension of at least five days, demotion in rank or termination – occurred in two municipal departments – Middle Township and Wildwood – as well as in the Cape May County Sheriff’s Office.
In all, there was one termination, two resignations prior to termination, one demotion and six individuals suspended for varying periods.
Happenings
Stone Harbor is discussing a set of changes to its ordinance on irrigation. Meanwhile, the borough introduced a no tax-rate increase 2022 budget. In a separate action, the borough hired a consultant to “lead the charge” for beach replenishment.
Lawmakers spent some quality time discussing the best ways to control unruly crowds of youthsin an attempt to avoid a repeat of last summer’s disruptive behavior.
Upper Township Fire District No. 2, Tuckahoe, presented a budget to the voters that showed a $910,000 capital purchase of a new fire truck was achieved without any impact on the district tax rate.
A school bus accident with a tractor trailer luckily resulted in only minor injuries. The bus driver was issued a summons.
The county zoo announced the arrival of Capybara pups. The new births represent Mikey and Budette’s second litter since last June.
Middle Township received a grant that will support the extension of the sidewalk on Hand Avenue.
The popular Marmora eatery Yesterday’s has been purchased by the owners of the Deauville Inn. Upper Township approved the transfer of the liquor license.
The Cape May County prosecutor must now face a discrimination suit brought by female detectives. The office was already in the spotlight when a male detective was indicted by a state grand jury for an unauthorized investigation into an accident involving a family member.
Cape May is urging the county to speed up work on Lafayette Street. The project includes “bump-ins” that would improve safety for children being dropped off at the city school.
Stone Harbor may use paid, part-time firefighters to meet service demands during the busy summer season. Fire Chief Roger Stanford said the positions were analogous to the police use of special officers or what have traditionally been called summer cops.
Woodbine has received a $645,000 grant that will be used to extend the borough’s bike path and connection to the county bike system.
A new Deloitte study questions whether insurance carriers are up to the task of dealing with climate-related risks. Regulators are sifting regulations as insurance risks intensify.
We have heard talk of the ‘great migration’ and the ‘great resignation.’Now, Goldman Sachs says we are coming to the ‘great retirement,’ as the boomer generation decides to chuck work for other pursuits.
Wildwood may see Ernie Troiano Jr. back running for political office. Troiano says the odds are high he’ll run. Troiano also took up the fight to stop any consideration of selling the city’s water utility.
Spout Off of the Week
Ocean City – Toll hikes on the 5 Cape May County Bridges start. The Federal Government approved an Infrastructure Bill. Did they even apply? Herald maybe you can write an article telling about all the alternative funding the Bridge Commission thought of/ applied for before resorting to rate hikes.
Read more spouts at spoutoff.capemaycountyherald.com.
