Cape May County Has Great Potential – If …

I participated in a Cape Issues meeting last week where we discussed the future of Cape May County and what more can be done to help us all reach our potential, help us all thrive at a higher level, and aid Cape May County to become even more beautiful.
Wait a minute. If our county is so very desirable, why is our population falling? Is it foregone that our numbers must decline? No, but there are issues to surmount. The focus of that meeting was to identify the challenges, so we in the community can address them.
Before I continue, Cape Issues is a non-partisan group of citizens who gather to dream about what Cape May County can become. From there, we do what we know to do to make it a reality. We don’t desire to function in a vacuum; we need everybody’s ideas. The people of the county have government entities in place to manage the nitty-gritty, but what about the dreams of the people? How do we want to see our lovely county develop?
There is a national trend for the population to gradually migrate toward the coasts. Of all coastal communities, Cape May County is an idyllic place for people to establish themselves, being both stunning and close to major population centers. To be appealing to young and old alike, any community must, however, be thriving. We know that we are attractive to well-heeled folk, but the young and less affluent struggle here.
Cape Issues has long ago identified matters which hold us back; these include inadequate infrastructure, year-round and well-paying employment, an educational system which too often fails to prepare students for either college or to work in the trades needed in Cape May County. Other areas of our concern are bureaucratic impediments and regulations, the high cost of government, the lack of economic development and the scarcity of planning for our county’s or region’s future. Times are changing; large schools and systems which were needed decades ago need to be combined. Governmental services appropriate to an earlier time need to be privatized or consolidated.
The purpose of this particular meeting was to remove ourselves from our normal activity in order to “sharpen the ax,” that is to say, to identify areas we are overlooking.  One particular item raised was the inattention to quality-of-life issues; one thing which makes us attractive to ourselves and outsiders is our history. The question was asked, “What is going to happen to Historic Cold Spring Village and Naval Air Station Wildwood once the Salvatore’s are no longer on the scene?” Another was, “What are we doing to attract state and federal funds for our museums?”
Lighthouses are of great interest, yet Sea Isle City tore the one there down. Avalon recently held a talk on Cape May County’s railroad history, and a surprising number of people went to hear it.
As a county, we need to look at how we use our Open Spaces money in the light of long-range goals there is thought currently being given to spending it to purchase a former Bell Telephone site in Marmora. However, Cape May County has very little industrial land available, and we have a desperate need for economic development to provide for those in their working years. Shouldn’t we be looking for a replacement industrial use for that site, in order to create jobs?
What about our drug epidemic? Our governments have thrown vast fortunes at this problem, only to watch it grow worse. We need to rethink our approach; joyful people don’t look for escapes. Many find satisfaction in productive careers; many find joy in seeking God. Cape May County must pursue an environment where each person can find a fulfilling life.
These are the thoughts of the 14 Cape Issues volunteers. Please help by giving us your opinions via Facebook, a letter to the editor, an email to capeissues@cmcherald.com, or a Spout Off.