To the Editor,
As a long time resident of Rio Grande, life time member of the Rio Grande Volunteer Fire company, a past Rio Grande Fire Company president, currently serving in a leadership role with the Fire District, I understand the importance of community involvement and recreation. With this experience I would like to raise some questions around the leasing of the Rio Grande recreation area by Cape Express Soccer club.
The area is located on Rio Grande county road 654 West, known as Fort Apache. This area has been dedicated to the memory of Rio Grande fire fighter Ockie Wisting. Ockie proudly served the Rio Grande Volunteer Fire Company for over 50 years and the honor of this dedication is well deserved.
I question, If the Cape Express club leases the recreation area will the name change, and Ockie’s dedication be removed?
The Rio Grande fire company, a non profit volunteer organization uses the Ockie field for fund raising activities yearly. If this area is turned into a soccer field complex, I question, will there be space to continue to hold these types of fund raising activities?
My concern is, without these fund raising activities, will the tax payers of Fire District II make up the difference
with a tax increase?
However, if Middle Township or Cape Express provides the funds lost, tax papers will not be affected.
The last question revolves around the lack of communication from the Middle Township Mayor and Council to the Rio Grande Volunteer Fire Company and the Rio Grande Fire District Commissioners. I question, why negotiations have started without the input of the groups directly affected.
Along with these questions, as stated I do support community recreations and have been directly benefited from a child playing with Cape Express Soccer Club. The club does a wonderful job with youth in this county. The club however, is not exclusive to Middle Township and a suggestion would be to utilize any Cape May County grounds. An even better suggestion would be for communications to begin to result in a productive discussion around this topic.
Sal DeSimone
Life Time Member, Rio Grande Fire Company
Chairman Fire Commission Fire District II
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
