CREST HAVEN – Five superior officers in the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office, represented by Police Benevolent Association Local 401, had a collective bargaining agreement confirmed by the county Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday, Jan. 23.
The four-year pact is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2023, and continues until Dec. 31, 2026.
According to County Counsel Jeffrey Lindsay, the contract “mirrors the contract that we recently entered with PBA Local 401 Detectives and Sergeants.”
The salaries listed in the Salary Resolution of Jan. 4 are for captains to earn $148,216 annually and for lieutenants to earn $138,326 annually.
Kilpatrick Causeway Emergency Declared
A sinkhole in the eastbound lane on the James Kilpatrick Causeway (County Road 619) north of Corson’s Inlet Bridge brought an emergency resolution before the board on Jan. 23.
The road that connects Strathmere and Ocean City was first battered in Superstorm Sandy, and 400 feet of its embankment had to be rebuilt.
Then, on Jan. 10, the County Engineer’s Office members were summoned to the site.
“The County Engineer (Robert Church) was notified of a large sinkhole having developed in the eastbound travel lane adjacent to the westerly timber abutment wall of the bridge,” the resolution states.
“It was determined that another slope stabilization extension, identical to the 2021 repairs, is needed for approximately 200 feet north of where we left off in 2021,” it continues.
As a result, Landberg Construction LLC, of Dorothy, was hired for, at most, $150,000 to do the repair job.
If normal bidding procedures were followed, the resolution continued, “The public would be at risk and said work could conflict with other bridge work that provides access to Stone Harbor…”
Landberg Construction was deemed “readily available” with equipment and personnel to begin work on the needed repairs immediately.
Crest Haven Nursing Home Policies
The board approved two resolutions regarding Crest Haven Nursing and Rehabilitation Center insurance policies.
Lindsay stated that one terminated existing insurance relating to the facility’s operation and authorized “tail” coverage procurement.
The second is a new policy on the structure and property since it remains county-owned, with the county acting as landlord, he stated.
One policy is with TDC Specialty Insurance Co. for $209,868, and the second is with Starstone Insurance Co. for general liability for the building leased to Allaire Health for $21,000.
Fifth Lease Amendment
The effects of Covid are still being felt, but not physically.
Commissioners approved a fifth lease amendment with Cape Square Entertainment LLC, which operates in the County Commons facility in Rio Grande.
Lindsay replied to a Herald inquiry as to whether such amendments are typical.
“No, it is not typical to have five amendments to a lease agreement,” he stated. “But amendments are typical for projects that commenced just prior to Covid.”
Lindsay stated that the amendment adjusted the rent commencement date and clarified the rent terms adjusted in a previous amendment.
“Rent was to commence upon them obtaining a temporary certificate of occupancy, but the approvals from the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control were substantially delayed due to no fault of the tenant, so the county agreed to adjust the rent commencement date,” he wrote in an email.
Railroad Avenue Drainage
The county agreed to purchase a “drive aisle” from Hober Storage LLC at 1084 Route 47, Rio Grande, to connect Railroad Avenue to his business, just south of the Middle Township park.
Lindsay stated that the county plans to make drainage improvements to alleviate flooding on Railroad Avenue and the properties in that area.
Public Safety Complex Bond Announced
Commissioner Director Leonard Desiderio announced that a bond ordinance would be introduced at the Tuesday, Feb. 13, meeting at 3 p.m. The funds from that bond will erect a Public Safety Complex in the Crest Haven vicinity east of the Garden State Parkway.
Included in that project will be offices for the county prosecutor to replace the present facility, a warehouse for that office, a Police Academy dormitory, and a facilities and services warehouse.
South State Awarded Park Contract
The County Zoo is a major, year-round tourist attraction. That means vehicles are parked in every available spot, especially in the summer.
To rectify that, the commissioners awarded a $5.8 million contract to South State Inc., of Bridgeton, for a traffic circulation and parking improvement project at the Park and Zoo.
South State’s was deemed the only “responsible bid” submitted on Dec. 20, 2023, meeting all criteria. Funding will come from two bonds, one from 2018 and the other from 2022.
Veterans Cemetery Project OK’d
Command Co. Inc., of Egg Harbor City, was awarded a project contract to enhance and beautify the Gerald M. Thornton Veterans Cemetery on Crest Haven Road.
The firm will receive $1.287 million from a 2023 capital ordinance for its work.
Sheltered Workshop Gets Contract
Jersey Cape Diagnostic Training and Opportunity Center was again awarded a $63,700, one-year contract to pickup recyclable materials from county facilities.
The center is located in the Crest Haven Complex.
County Links with Fish and Wildlife
A 1-acre parcel of county ground in Court House will join the county and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in a Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program Landowner Agreement.
County commissioners approved the resolution at the Jan. 23 meeting.
Homelessness Trust Advisors Named
Committee members of the Homelessness Trust Fund Advisory Board have terms that start on Jan. 1, 2024, and that end on Dec. 31, 2026. They are Hugh Blair, Elizabeth Cunningham, Jackie Meiluta, Stanley Higgs, Middle Township Mayor Chris Leusner, Wildwood Commissioner Krista Fitzsimons, Charles Ryan, Patricia Devaney and County Commissioner Will Morey.
Board Appoints RSVP Advisory Panel
Members of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program Community Advisory Council were appointed and reappointed to terms that end on Dec. 31, 2026.
Regular members are Joseph Orlando, Hilda Orlando, Cheryl O’Hara, Shirley Cruz, Michael Dellavella, Frank Frozio, Carmella Fullerton, Dolly Neilson, Andrea Pekula, Jan Randle and Fern Washington.
Ex-officio members are Morey and Director Rachel Sanfo.
Public Input
Members of the public quizzed the board on several matters.
The first was about the lack of public availability of audio of meetings accessible on the website. The practice started with the Covid pandemic and was abruptly ended this month.
Public access had been possible from the county website, which still had the link to the caucus and regular meetings but was inoperable for the Jan. 23 sessions.
Another question concerned the extension of Route 55 into the county. Vice-Director Andrew Bulakowski reported attending a South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization meeting where Vineland Mayor Anthony Fanucci asked about completing the highway.
A question arose about using county messaging road signs on barrier island causeways opposing offshore wind turbines. The speaker said those messages did not represent her sentiments and wondered whose opinions were presented on the signs.
The board had passed resolutions in opposition to the establishment of those turbines.
Desiderio stated that the board was not against renewable energy but rather how the process of placing proposed wind turbines offshore was done, which lacked transparency and input from all stakeholders.
