West Wildwood Cleaning Out the Garage

WEST WILDWOOD – The Borough of West Wildwood Board of Commissioners passed two resolutions, Dec. 2, to allow it to get rid of several old vehicles and one abandoned vessel taking up space in the public works yard.
According to Clerk/Administrator Donna Frederick, for a number of years the borough has been dealing with a boat that was abandoned in the Wildwood Canal owned by West Wildwood.
“It was left in such a way that it was posing a navigational hazard,” Frederick said.
Frederick said the New Jersey State Police Marine Unit told them the boat was out of its jurisdiction, so the borough towed the boat, removed it from the water, and housed it in the public works yard. She said the borough contacted the boat’s owner, who according to Frederick, would not do anything about it. Frederick said the owner died before anything could be resolved.
As a result, West Wildwood now has to advertise the boat so it can get a title. If no one answers the ad within 30 days and claims the vessel, the borough will be free to get rid of it.
The City of Cape May passed an ordinance on Oct. 18 in addition to its abandoned boat ordinance. The new ordinance would allow city officials to tag the boat, and if it is not claimed after a designated period of time, remove the boat to a storage yard and charge the owner storage and other fees on a per day basis.
The borough also plans to sell several surplus vehicles on GovDeals.com, including a dump truck, pick-up truck, a Chevy Tahoe used by the police department, which are being sold for parts only. Frederick said these vehicles have severely rusted frames and are being listed as for parts only. She said the borough is also selling a Ford Windstar minivan and a 1981 Mack fire truck, the latter which is still operational. The fire truck was acquired from Wildwood a few years ago.
West Wildwood recently purchased two trucks from Wildwood Crest, which each came with a snowplow blade. Mayor Matt Ksiazek referred to them as “nice vehicles,” which the borough acquired for about $2,000 each.
“We are still waiting on a new vehicle,” Kziazek said, referring to a vehicle that was originally expected to have been delivered in August. “I have no idea when it will come.”