To the Editor:
On behalf of the Borough of Stone Harbor, please find our response to the article published online in the Cape May Herald on Feb. 24 titled “Stone Harbor Chamber Refutes a Spout.”
The Borough of Stone Harbor is compelled to correct several inaccuracies presented in the article, particularly the implication that the borough provides no financial support to the Stone Harbor Chamber of Commerce. This assertion is fundamentally incorrect. The borough provides over $250,000 of in-kind services and personnel support to all community events, ensuring their success. To suggest otherwise is a misrepresentation of the facts.
The Borough of Stone Harbor, with assistance from the Chamber of Commerce, plays a critical role in fostering local business growth, promoting our vibrant coastal community, and supporting numerous events that benefit both residents and visitors. Contrary to the claims in the article, the borough provides substantial financial and logistical support to ensure the success of the chamber’s events, ultimately enhancing the business district and attracting tourism.
We would like to address specific inaccuracies from the article.
Claim: “The Stone Harbor Chamber of Commerce does not receive any funding from the Borough of Stone Harbor.”
Fact: The borough provides significant financial assistance through services and personnel, covering event support across multiple departments. Each year, the borough contributes approximately $250,000 in support services, including:
· Administrative, marketing, and advertising support.
· Public safety services, including police, fire, EMS and lifeguards.
· Public works assistance, including setup, break-down and sanitation support.
These services are often provided after hours and weekends, requiring overtime wages, which the borough absorbs to ensure successful events.
Claim: “The borough does not pay for staging, sound, public safety or public works services for all chamber events.”
Fact: The borough fully covers the costs of staging and sound for the Tuesdays at the Tower Concert Series. In addition, the borough provides public works, police, fire/EMS and lifeguards for Shiver Weekend. Similar services are provided for the fireworks, sidewalk sales, business district trick-or-treating, car show, Savor September and the Christmas/holiday weekend, among others. These essential services ensure event safety and success.
Claim: “In 2023, the total revenue for the chamber was $218,000, with $57,000 allocated to salaries for a staff of five. That works out to 26%, not 84%. The highest payroll budget was $67,000.”
Fact: According to the chamber’s 2023 publicly available tax return, these figures are incorrect.
· Total revenue in 2023 was $92,968, not $218,000.
· Total salaries, compensation and benefits amounted to $78,008, not $57,000.
· Based on these figures, 84% of total revenue went toward salaries, not 26%.
Claim: “The chamber, as a 501(c)(6), is not required to donate to charity but does so each year.”
Fact: The chamber’s 2023 tax return indicates that with $92,968 in revenue, $550 was donated to charity.
Beyond event support, the Borough of Stone Harbor also provides the chamber with a borough-owned building in the heart of the business district, rent-free. The borough covers all maintenance and operational costs for this facility at no expense to the chamber. Additionally, the chamber does not pay property taxes to the borough. The Borough of Stone Harbor’s Public Works Department provides daily trash pickup for the entire business district seven days a week at no charge to individual businesses.
Moving forward, the Borough of Stone Harbor remains committed to collaborating with the Stone Harbor Chamber of Commerce to drive tourism and commerce in our business district. However, fostering mutual respect and appreciation is essential to strengthening our partnership, rather than misrepresenting the borough’s contributions and undermining the foundation of taxpayer-funded support.
We thank you for the opportunity to clarify these facts.
The Borough of Stone Harbor
Editor’s note: The Herald earlier made corrections to statements in the article cited at the very beginning of this letter.
