CAPE MAY POINT — The borough recently completed its Best Practices Inventory, scoring a 38 on the state-mandated questionnaire in order to receive state aid.
Clerk Elaine Wallace told Borough Commission on Oct. 14 that the inventory had to be discussed during the meeting as part of the process.
The questionnaire included about 70 questions but only about 40 were scored, with a requirement of 32 points needed to collect 100 percent of the state aid payment.
“We will receive all of our state aid payments,” Wallace said.
Deputy Mayor Elise Geiger asked if commissioners were interested in adopting a resolution to volunteer tuition credit for volunteer firefighters.
“There are a lot of things that don’t apply to us because we’re so small,” Mayor Anita VanHeeswyk said. “Luckily we have enough that they do count.”
VanHeeswyk thanked Wallace and Chief Financial Officer Jim Craft for their efforts.
Commissioner Suzanne Yunghans asked Wallace if there was anything that could be worked on for next year.
“It’s mostly status quo, most of the things we have to answer are things that just don’t apply to us,” Wallace said. “They’re not always where you can pick an ‘A’ and some that even the things we answer no to, it’s unlikely that we would start to do them. It’s beyond the scope of what we do.”
Wallace added that the state tries to gauge what people do from the survey, noting it is possible that in a few years, things could change, in which case the borough would reconsider.
“It’s an interesting primer for all of the regulations that we seem to have to deal with in terms of performance,” Geiger said.
House numbers
In other news, enforcement of the requirement to have house numbers visible from the street will begin Nov. 1, with an expected compliance date of Dec. 15.
Geiger brought the issue to the commission’s attention in July.
Borough code requires owners or occupants of buildings to place a number on the building so that it is visible from the street, no less than 5 inches tall and plainly displayed.
“Currently, the ordinance calls for numbers to be 5 inches, but 4 inches seems to be more standard,” Geiger said, adding that the last time it was discussed, the commission requested to amend the ordinance, denoting the updated size requirements.
The numbers must also be in contrasting colors from the home to be plainly visible.
“This is for everyone’s safety, to save individuals, put a fire out, or help police find you,” Geiger said. “I will write up an email alert to go out as well.”
Equalized valuations
VanHeeswyk said Cape May County sent the table of equalized valuations for Cape May Point, with the borough coming in at 53.50 percent.
“We’re kind of in the middle of everybody else,” she said. “With everything that’s been going on in the last several years, this usually leads to us having to do a re-evaluation or reassessment, and it appears that we’re not going to be doing that too soon, because the county is not pushing for that.”
Housing plan
VanHeeswyk also updated the commission on the borough’s Fair Share Housing Plan, which the state has challenged.
“We’re not the only ones in the state that’s been challenged; there’s hundreds of them and it’s putting a lot of pressure on everybody,” she said, adding that the borough’s planners have submitted a formal response.
Yunghans asked what the next step was and if the borough was waiting for a response from the state.
“Since they eliminated [the Council on Affordable Housing], everything goes through the courts,” VanHeeswyk said. “If it goes anywhere, it goes to the courts. I think if they’re satisfied, this probably won’t go on.”
Substitute solicitor Scott DeWeese said he would check with solicitor John Amenhauser to see if there is anything else to be done.
“If he’s already submitted the response, we’re probably waiting on another response from them before anything happens,” DeWeese said.
Public Works
Yunghans reported that renovations and the addition to the Public Works maintenance building have been awarded second place in the category of municipal design of infrastructure for project of the year, to be awarded at the League of Municipalities conference Nov. 19 in Atlantic City.
“Really the thanks go to [engineer Dale] Foster and Bill Gibson, and the previous Public Works commissioner Catherine Busch, who worked on that,” Yunghans said. “It’s very nice news for the borough.”
In other business, regular fall maintenance is ongoing throughout the borough, including the trimming of trees and bushes and the removal of sidewalks in various places to reduce impervious surfaces and better absorb groundwater in accordance with the master plan.
“Bill Gibson [told] me there was some beach erosion at Surf and Pearl avenues (from the Columbus Day weekend nor’easter), but basically the town fared well,” Yunghans said, thanking the Cape May Point Taxpayers Association and volunteers for a successful Dune Day, which got in right before the storm.
By RACHEL SHUBIN/Special to the Star and Wave
