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May 23-29:
Settlements
Lower Township reached a $300,000 settlement agreement May 16 with two employees who claimed they had suffered a hostile work environment, harassment and age discrimination. The settlement comes just months after the municipality settled litigation brought by a female police detective for $130,000.
In February, Ocean City agreed to a $135,000 confidential settlement with a female lifeguard who alleged ongoing sexual harassment. Cape May also settled a lawsuit brought by a lifeguard who alleged he was passed over for promotion and was the victim of cronyism on the city’s Beach Patrol. That settlement, approved in September 2021, was for $150,000.
Also in 2021, Avalon reached settlements with two employees for $85,000 and $150,000. The investigation into allegations led to a reorganization of the borough’s Public Works Department.
Much larger settlements are not unknown in the county municipalities. In March 2021, Wildwood Crest approved a $1.2 million settlement with a police officer who alleged retaliation after he became a whistleblower in 2012 concerning the alleged falsification of a police report.
It would be hard to forget the $1.7 million judgement against West Wildwood resulting from litigation brought by its police chief. Likewise,the 2018$800,000 settlement with Cape May’s past Police Chief Rob Sheehan.
Beaches
Memorial Day is here. The unofficial start of summer has kicked off a tourist season with high expectations for the number of visitors and levels of spending. County officials expect to surpass the numbers from the record 2019 season. Nothing is more important to summer activity in the county than the beaches.
Reports from across the county are mixed. Upper Township and Sea Isle City report beaches in good order and ready for the onslaught of visitors.
In Avalon, the Mother’s Day storm that spread over several days disrupted an effort to move sand from mid-borough beach areas to badly eroded north end locations. The effort is back in full swing, and the borough expects completion by mid-June.
Cape May is ready but beach safety advocates are still pressing the city over the surf zone beach slope they say is dangerous. The city has hired the Stockton University Coastal Research Center to do a more detailed analysis of sand movement across its entire oceanfront.
North Wildwood saw significant damage from the long duration May storm, which delayed efforts to truck sand from neighboring Wildwood to eroded beachfronts. Some beaches are not yet open but the effort to move truckloads of sand will continue.
Stone Harbor presents a unique case. Eroded southern end beaches cannot be repaired through back passing efforts because the borough has no natural source of available sand. The municipality has hired a coastal engineer to help develop plans for maintaining its beaches.
Formula
New Jersey families, like others across the nation, are suffering through a shortage of baby formula. Gov. Phil Murphy has declared a state of emergency aimed, in part, at preventing price gouging during the shortage. The state’s acting attorney general has promised vigorous enforcement of the governor’s order.
How did we get here? In February, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigation into infections in four infants led to the discovery of unwelcome bacteria in an Abbott Nutrition’s plant. A voluntary recall followed, as did the awareness that only four manufacturers nationwide produce about 90% of all formula in the U.S.
Efforts are underway to get formula production back to needed levels.
Happenings
In Stone Harbor,angry pickleball players have turned their ire on Borough Council for a significant raise in the Recreation Department rates for this summer.
Police presence in local schools was increased in reaction to the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
A controversy exists over allowing police officers to use cannabis products when off–duty. In Trenton, legislation is being introduced to address this unintended result of the state’s legalization of marijuana.
Record high inflation is having yet another impact, as fuel costs are hitting local pleasure and commercial boaters hard just as the demand is up.
Avalon is among the first in the county to go out to bid for trash collection services following a period in which the major outside vendor for many county municipalities demanded added compensation not part of existing contracts.Avalon negotiated a temporary solution for this year but seeks greater diversity in bidders.
Water rescues are again in the news. In Stone Harbor,a boy in distress was safely brought back to shore even though lifeguards had not yet begun to guard beaches.
A convicted felon who blew his girlfriend’s foot off with a shotgun says the state failed to prove he intended to kill her, calling the foot where he aimed a non-vital area. He lost his appeal on his attempted murder charge.
Sea Isle City is taking steps to initiate demolition of the city’s old school. By arrangement, all Sea Isle students are educated in the Ocean City schools.
Second Congressional District and Upper Township Committee candidates shared their thoughts ahead of the June primary elections.
An Upper resident asked the state and the county prosecutor to investigate the hiring of Gary DeMarzo as temporary business administrator.
The Board of County Commissioners have hired attorney Michael Donohue to challenge the offshore Ocean Wind I project. Donohue is also the chairman of the county Republican organization.
While the county fights Ocean Wind I, resistance grows against the proposed changes to state land use regulations known as NJPACT.
Anyone of a certain age remembers civics classes in middle school. They were a component of American education for a long time. In 2021, a new state statute requires that all school districts teach two quarters of civics in a middle school grade.
A motorist lost control of their vehicle, striking and killing a woman sitting on a bench before landing in the Delaware Bay.
Spout Off of the Week
Wildwood Crest - We all complain about the same things…noise, partying, parking problems and out of control behavior. Please stop telling us we should deal with it or move. We expect crowds and noise once the season starts but who decided that it’s okay to ruin life for the rest of us so some can have a good time? There used to be expectations of reasonable behavior, now people feel free to do whatever they want because they know nothing will be done. The police used to be the ones to help, when they won’t do anything who are we supposed to go to for help?
Read more spouts at spoutoff.capemaycountyherald.com.
