WEST CAPE MAY — The Board of Commissioner introduced two bond ordinances May 27.
Ordinance 661-26 will provide $2,518,000 in bonds to be used for capital improvements, while ordinance 662-26 will provide $628,000 in bonds to be used for improvements to the borough’s water and sewer utilities.
The bonds provide a separate fund for the borough to use when funding municipal projects.
“It’s been several years since we’ve tackled any capital projects on both sides of the coin, both general and the utility,” CFO Frank Donato said. “So we sort of saved away some capital improvement funds in the last few years, which is allowing us to fund this ordinance as a downpayment.”
Donato explained that the ordinance allows the CFO to borrow money for municipal projects.
Many of the projects that will utilize bond funding are also being funded by grants. The First Avenue construction project and Pedestrian Bridge will use the bond on top of the grant funding.
Commissioner Ellen McDevitt discussed a new grant available to fire companies.
“Homeland Security has issued $648 million in grants available to fire companies and departments across the nation,” McDevitt said. “The one that we’re interested in is called the Assistance to Firefighters Grant, which amounts to almost $300 million to firefighters across the country.”
McDevitt said the grant can be used for personal protective equipment and emergency response vehicles, as well as to develop health programs and wellness initiatives for firefighters.
The West Cape May Volunteer Fire Company is working with Triad Associates to complete the application process. The application is due June 22. Resolution 108-26 authorized an agreement with Triad.
Drought Warning
Deputy Mayor Susan Hoffman reminded residents that, despite recent rain, New Jersey is still in a full-state drought warning.
“You would think that with all the rain we had this week that it would be over, but it’s not,” Hoffman said. “It takes a lot of rain to get over that kind of drought. It takes 20 inches of slow, steady rain over a period of time.”
Cape May County has received less than 19 inches of rain since January.
There are four levels to the Department of Environmental Protection’s drought meter: normal, watch, warning, and emergency.
The U.S. Drought Monitor has five categories depending on intensity and impact: D0 (Abnormally Dry), D1 (Moderate Dry), D2 (Severe Drought), D3 (Extreme Drought) and D4 (Exceptional Drought).
Cape May and other southern New Jersey counties are under D2, Severe Drought, while northern counties are still under D1, Moderate Drought.
Rainfall totals were less than-average in southern counties, with precipitation between 0.45 and 1.35 inches.
The DEP offers a Spring Water Conservation Guidance that suggests adjustments residents can make to limit their water usage. The list includes suggestions like lessening lawn watering, planting drought-tolerant plants, postponing gardening, and using a broom instead of a hose to clean sidewalks. Visit the NJ DEP website for the complete list.
Hoffman encouraged residents to follow the guidelines and other water-conservation practices to prevent the situation from intensifying.
In other news, Mayor George Dick read a proclamation recognizing June as Pride Month in West Cape May.
“One of the things that made my wife and me want to move here is when we were walking around talking to people, and everyone was kind and inclusive,” Dick said. “It didn’t matter who you were. That’s really important, and we want to take the lead on that to make sure everyone feels that way.”
By JULIA DIGERONIMO /For the Star and Wave
