City of Cape May

City Manager Reports

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March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006

FROM THE DESK OF THE CITY MANAGER

The City Council recently awarded a bid to allow for the renovation of Harborview Park. The award of this bid will mean that the park will be reconfigured with topsoil and multiple sidewalk trails which will be tinted an earth tone color to blend in with the other portions of the park. Additionally, three areas will be planted with different types of trees and shrubs. These areas will be irrigated to ensure that the vegetation continues to receive needed nutrients. In addition, several hundred perennial, flowering plants will be planted throughout the park. Work is anticipated to begin on this project within the next few weeks, and it is anticipated that it will be completed in time for Memorial Day.

The Mall renovation project continues to move forward and is currently on schedule. The 300 block has been completely paved utilizing the brick pavers. The planters and trees associated with them have been completed and the light posts are to be installed shortly. The rededication ceremony is still scheduled for Saturday, June 21^st, however, the time has been changed to 10:00 AM. The fountain in the 400 block has been installed and the Town Crier has been reinstalled in its new location also.

Work on renovations to the Lifeguard Headquarters is moving forward. The roof modifications have been completed. All of the exterior siding has been removed and some of the new windows have been installed. Future activities will include the shingling of the roof and work is also beginning on the reconstruction and reconfiguration of the inside of the building. It is still anticipated that the building renovations will be completed by the time the life guarding season starts at the end of May.

The City has received its final review from the County concerning our gateway project. The recommended modifications have been forwarded to Rhodeside and Harwell, Inc. so that the necessary changes can be made and a final set of specifications and plans will be developed. Once they have been received, we will be sitting down with our City Engineer to ascertain what type of inspection services and potential modifications may be required in order to conform to the New Jersey statutes concerning projects of this type. It is hoped that we may move forward within the next few months since it is not anticipated that the activity occurring will adversely affect the flow of traffic into and out of the City. More information will be forthcoming once the plans have been reviewed and an implementation schedule finalized.

February 2008 - At its last meeting, the City Council approved an award for the reconstruction of Cape May’s Lifeguard Headquarters. The amount of the lowest qualified bid was approximately four hundred sixty thousand dollars ($460,000). This is significantly less than the bids received for the potential demolition and construction of a new Lifeguard Headquarters, as that cost exceeded eight hundred thousand dollars ($800,000). The City will be moving forward with the reconstruction of this facility in order that it may be operational prior to the onset of our main tourist season. The City previously appropriated funds in excess of the amount needed for this building as a result of the lower bid received, and as a result we will be investigating the potential of replacing three of our existing restroom facilities on the beach with new buildings. They would include Grant Street, Trenton Avenue, and Wilmington Avenue.

If you have walked by the Washington Street Mall recently, you have observed a significant amount of activity occurring on all three blocks. The contractor continues to make good progress and at this time it is anticipated that the Mall will be completed on schedule. To that end, the City in cooperation with several other civic groups, has scheduled a rededication ceremony which will be scheduled for Saturday, June 21^st at 1:00 PM. Activities regarding the Mall will be ongoing throughout the weekend of June 21^st and June 22^nd, so be sure to mark your calendar to attend this enjoyable event.

The City’s 2007 Utility and Road Program has also been awarded. As a result of this award, street reconstruction will tentatively commence in the spring of 2008. The streets to be addressed through this program are Queen Street from Corgie to Washington, Corgie Street from Madison to Jefferson, First Avenue from Beach to Mount Vernon, and West Street from Indiana to Massachusetts.

As you can see, even though we may be in the so-called winter doldrums, your City continues to move forward with a significant number of projects and significant activity in order to be prepared for our upcoming summer tourist season.

January 2008 - On Tuesday, January 15^th, I made a presentation of my recommended 2008 Municipal Budget to both City Council and the public. As a result of the increased expense associated with pension and uncontrollable costs, this budget, if adopted, would result in a 2.9-cent increase in the municipal tax rate to 30.3 cents. This would equate to a twenty-nine dollar ($29.00) increase for every hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) of assessed evaluation on a homeowner’s property. The City Council currently anticipates introducing this budget at its February 19^th public meeting with adoption at the April 15^th meeting.

Work on the refurbishing of the Washington Street Mall is proceeding on schedule. The water main has been installed and tested on all blocks. The storm water main is completed through half of the Mall, a significant amount of structural soil has been installed, and the sanitary sewer main is completed through the 300 and 400 block. Work has begun on pouring the concrete base in the 300 block as well as on Perry and Jackson Streets.

The City is pursuing the potential of applying to the State for a solar utilization grant. The deadline for application is April 1^st of 2008, which means we must move quickly since it is anticipated that the rebate program for solar activities will be discontinued after that time. We will be analyzing the potential of using solar alternative energy at the Lifeguard Headquarters, in the Public Works yard, and on the new Convention Hall.

I have worked with the Parks Committee concerning utilizing the grant for Harborview Park. We have revised the plan to allow us to complete a significant amount of activity and still meet the $102,000 budget amount as provided by the County. The revised plan has been forwarded to our Engineer for review, and it is anticipated that the preparation of the bid specs will be completed within the next thirty (30) days in order that this project may be put out to bid so that work may be completed prior to or in conjunction with the start of our summer tourist season.

December 2007 - Well, another year has come and almost gone, and the Holidays are, once again, upon us. First let me wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.

Looking back over the year 2007, while not easy, it was one that saw progress made in moving the City of Cape May forward in retaining its great appeal. Work was initiated on the Mall, which, when complete in May, will continue to make it one of the "must see" areas of the City. The expansion of our garden and flower program was also well received by many. Plans are now underway which will result in the start of construction of a new Convention Hall in 2008.

The year also witnessed the continuing rancor between the City and a few individuals who, under the guise of being the people’s white knight, spread misinformation, ridiculed the individuals responsible for deciding and implementing those projects representing the best interests of our residents, and placed road blocks in the paths of well thought out and needed improvements. If anything, these efforts have resulted in costly delays and increased expense to the very people they allege they are trying to protect.

The City of Cape May is a model that many others wish they could emulate. The alleged problems we have, which are portrayed by a few as being of tidal wave proportion, would not even equate to a ripple in most other cities. It is time that these individuals realize what they have, and the good fortune that they enjoy by being residents of our fine City. It is also time for the overwhelming majority of our property owners, who understand and support this National Historic Landmark City’s need to move forward, to step up and voice their support for our much needed projects, in order to drown out this vocal minority, thereby putting things in the proper perspective in which they belong.

I believe Cape May’s future is rapidly approaching a crossroads. I am hopeful that the New Year will bring a better spirit of cooperation and understanding, allowing it to travel down the right path and, in turn, enable it to continue to prosper. Only time will tell.

November 2007 - On Friday, November 16^th, the City Council and the public were provided with a presentation by a representative from the Department of Community Affairs that outlined the responsibilities of both the City Manager and City Council under Cape May’s form of government. It was a very informative session with many questions, which helped to define and delineate how our form of government works and what responsibilities are dedicated to the administrative and legislative areas.

Work has begun on the refurbishing of the Washington Street Mall. All of the trees have been removed and the removal of the center thirty (30) feet of the Mall for all three (3) blocks, and the installation of new water, sewer and drainage lines has begun. As this work is ongoing, there will be a ten (10) foot section on each side of the Mall to allow residents and visitors to access the businesses that will be open during this time. It is anticipated that the Mall will always be open during construction, with the potential that some isolated areas may be inaccessible for a few days at a time.

The budget for 2008 is currently being put together. As a result of State activities involving increased pension payments and significantly higher energy costs, it is likely that a tax increase will be required in the 2008 budget. This despite the fact that the majority of the City department’s operating expenses will remain flat or decline over this year’s budget. No potential increases are related to the Mall refurbishing, since the repayment of the costs associated with this project will not be required until such time as the City goes out for permanent funding, which will not happen for a year or two.

This past Tuesday the Revitalization Committee officially met for the last time to review the draft Rhodeside & Harwell Vision Plan. Following this meeting they will make a recommendation to Council as to the potential adoption of the plan. If adopted, it will be referred to the Planning Board for inclusion in the City’s Master Plan Re-examination, which, by State statute, will be performed in 2008.

The City is also preparing for the Christmas season by hanging its holiday banners and providing the appropriate holiday lighting in various areas of the town. In that the Mall is currently under construction, the City will be decorating the side streets of Lyle and Carpenter’s Lane, in addition to Rotary Park, to allow visitors to enjoy some of the lighting that would normally be associated with the Mall. Several of the owners of the buildings located on the Mall will also be adding decorative lighting to their buildings in keeping with the spirit of the holidays.

October 2007 - As you are probably aware by now, the City prevailed in the lawsuit that was filed against it by a group opposed to the refurbishing of the Washington Street Mall through general taxation. As a result, the City awarded a bid to Bud Concrete of Sewell, NJ on Tuesday, which will now allow this project to move forward. They were the low bidder out of three received, with their price coming in at slightly less than two million eight hundred fifty thousand dollars ($2,850,000) which was well within the funding appropriated for this project. At this time it is anticipated that work will begin in the early part of November with the estimated completion date being May of next year. Unfortunately, the City incurred several thousands of dollars to defend its actions, which must be paid by all taxpayers.

Last Thursday the City had its final presentation of its Vision Plan from Rhodeside and Harwell at Convention Hall. At this time, the recommendations are being reviewed by the Council and the Committee and any recommendations for modifications will be provided to the Consultant in order that a final document may be prepared. Once that has been completed, it will be reviewed by Council with the potential of having it adopted to act as a Master Plan for future improvements throughout the City for many years to come.

Activity is picking up concerning the design for a new Convention Hall. On Tuesday, the Council awarded a professional services contract to Kimmel-Bogrette for architectural design services in conjunction with this project. They will now begin to refine their conceptual plans and develop more detailed plans, containing several options and cost estimates, to be reviewed by the committee, public and Council. At this time it is anticipated that construction of a new facility will begin some time in the fourth quarter of 2008.

September 2007 - Last week, the City of Cape May opened its bids concerning the construction of the new Lifeguard Headquarters. The minimum bid received was eight hundred seventy-five thousand dollars ($875,000) with a high of one million sixty-eight thousand one hundred dollars ($1,068,100). This exceeded the allocated budget for the construction of this building. The City Council has determined that it will appropriate the additional funding necessary to allow the award of this contract.

The City is scheduled to present oral arguments regarding the lawsuit filed to overturn the ordinance adopted in order to allow the City to move forward with the reconstruction of the Washington Street Mall. This hearing is scheduled for September 26^th. Assuming the Court decides in the City’s favor, the City will be taking bids for the Mall on October 2^nd, and awarding same on October 16^th with work to begin soon thereafter. In the event that a court determination is not made within the next forty-five (45) days, it could, potentially, jeopardize the Mall reconstruction project for this year. However, the City will still move forward with the installation of the water and sewer infrastructure in that if we fail to do so the price next year will, in all likelihood, be higher than it will be if it is not done this year.

Work has almost been completed on the new harbor access ramp located on Delaware Avenue across from the Nature Center. This ramp provides secure access to the harbor front and was constructed utilizing an NJDOT grant that the City received in conjunction with its grant for bicycle paths.

As you are probably aware, work has begun on the final phase of the reconstruction of Washington Street. This phase will include the replacement of necessary sewer and water services, and also the complete resurfacing of the street from Union to Sidney. Once this project is completed the City will have successfully replaced all of the infrastructure and roadway from Franklin Street to Sidney, which connects to the County project, which completes the entranceway to Cape May.

August 2007 - As the summer in Cape May begins to wind down, the City continues to move forward with several important projects. The most eminent project is the refurbishing of the Washington Street Mall. As you are probably aware, a lawsuit challenging the legality of the ordinance to fund this project has been filed. The City has responded to this lawsuit, and it is scheduled to be heard by the Court the first week in September. Assuming a favorable decision by early October, it is anticipated that work will begin on the Mall the first part of November with a scheduled completion date of early May 2008.

The City is also moving forward with making modifications to its DCA grant, which would allow it to move forward with advancing the money requested by the Beach Theatre Foundation. A public hearing to review these changes, and to solicit public input, has been scheduled for Tuesday, September 4^th at 1 PM, prior to the City Council meeting. Assuming the City has received approval from DCA by that time, a check could be made available and presented to the Foundation on Friday, September 7^th, per their request.

The City has also been advised that it has been awarded a loan in the amount of one million four hundred thousand dollars ($1,400,000) and a grant of six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000) for Phase Three of our Inflow and Infiltration Remediation project. With this new grant, the City has received a total of one million four hundred fifty thousand dollars ($1,450,000) in total grant funds for this project. Phase One has been completed and it is anticipated that Phase Three will be initiated sometime next year.

Work is also proceeding in establishing the final Vision Plan meeting with Rhodeside and Harwell. This meeting will be held on Thursday, October 11 with a public presentation and Council review of the plan at that time. Time and location will be announced in the near future.

Lastly, the City has activated the acceptance of Visa and MasterCard credit cards on its new multi meters. This now enables users to pay by "plastic" versus searching for quarters when using these meters located around the Mall and in the Jackson Street lot. In reviewing the meter reporting, it appears as if this is a very popular means of paying for parking and it has been well-received by those individuals who can now use the convenience of a credit card to pay for their parking time.

July 2007 - Since my last report in June, significant movement has occurred with regard to preparing bid specifications for the refurbishing of the Washington Street Mall. Decisions have been made concerning the brick hardscape design, color and style. A sample layout is located in the City Hall parking lot for anyone that may wish to view it. Water features, landscaping and lighting have been reviewed and will be finalized in the next few weeks so that a request for bids can be issued next month, in anticipation of a late October or early November start date.

In a related matter, the City is moving forward to respond to a lawsuit that has been filed in an attempt to delay the refurbishing project for another year. Sufficient funding exists to allow the City to move forward with the design and bid specification preparation, in the anticipation that the City will be able to award bids when they are received.

The City has received its final design documents for our new Lifeguard Headquarters, also scheduled to begin construction in October of this year, following the end of the beach season. The building will be, essentially, the same footprint and location as the existing building. A courtesy review of this project has been scheduled with the Planning Board on August 14^th. It is anticipated that this new building will be completed and ready for the 2008 beach season. This project is being fully funded through the beach utility with no taxpayer expense.

Our Concert in the Park season has also begun. This year the City has changed from a concert in the "street" to a true concert in the "park" by relocating the seating areas into Rotary Park. This is in keeping with an effort to more fully utilize the City’s park areas and make them more of a focal point for City sponsored activities. New lighting, additional benches, water features, and a water fountain have been added in order to provide a better atmosphere for these concerts. The response to this change has been overwhelmingly positive. By not closing down streets and detouring traffic, it has improved the flow of traffic in the area and allowed for additional parking during the time of the concerts. The change and has been favorably received by the majority of those attending, the Fire, Recreation and Police Departments, the merchants in the area and the performers themselves. As with any new project, a few glitches need to be ironed out and I would anticipate that they should be rectified within the next few weeks.

Work has been initiated on the installation of a new access ramp, on Delaware Avenue, across from the Nature Center. This ramp, when completed, will allow for safe access to the harbor area for those individuals that wish to walk along the harbor and will also provide an interconnection between that section of the harbor and the Fisherman’s Memorial. This project is fully funded by a DOT grant, and as a result, will be completed without any impact on the Cape May taxpayer. It is anticipated that this project will be completed within the next thirty days.

June 2007 -While we may be entering the lazy, hazy days of summer, the activities of your local government are still in high gear.

On June 12^th, the City received a lawsuit from a group called The Concerned Taxpayers of the City of Cape May, in which they are requesting that the bond ordinance passed for the refurbishment of the Washington Street Mall be declared null and void. At this time, the lawsuit will have no impact on the design and specification preparation of this project with the hope that we will be able to move forward with actual construction by the first of November. The City believes that it is on firm ground with the passing of the ordinance, and will defend it vigorously in order that we may move forward with this important project. I shall keep you advised as future events unfold.

As part of the City’s efforts to continue to enhance the beachfront, the restroom at Philadelphia Avenue was completely rebuilt this year with new ventilation, fixtures, and shower areas. This project was done at no cost to the taxpayers in that the funds from the Beach Utility were utilized in the rebuilding of this facility.

The City is moving forward with an ordinance to accept the one hundred two thousand dollar ($102,000) grant it will be receiving from the County to enhance Harborview Park. Once this bond takes effect, the City will move forward with the addition of several amenities and the replacement of some existing materials to improve the look and usability of this park.

The City Council on Tuesday adopted three Capital bond ordinances that will allow the City to move forward with its 2007 Capital Program. These bonds included work to be done under the Current Fund of the City, which provides for road reconstruction, vehicles, building improvement and additional equipment with a life of five years or more; the Water and Sewer Utility, which will provide for infrastructure improvement as part of our Streets and Roads Program and additional automated water meters, and the Beach Utility, which this year will include additional funds for the construction of a new Lifeguard Headquarters, which we anticipate to begin constructing in October of this year.

May 2007 - This month, the City is moving forward with two grant applications to the Department of Transportation. One is for our 2007-2008 Road Program and will include activity on Corgie Street, Pennsylvania Avenue for the replacement of old storm water drainage pipes, and Phase One of the reconstruction of Cape May Avenue. Like Washington Street, this will be a large and expensive project, so it is the City’s intention to do it in phases over several years.

The City will also be applying for a grant under the Centers of Place for pedestrian access on Elmira Street. This will entail the widening of Elmira to allow for two-way traffic and will be working with the County to establish grant funding to provide for the new signalization, which this project will require. It is also anticipated that a left-hand turn lane only will be established, on Lafayette Street, onto Ocean.

Work is continuing on the I & I remediation project on Columbia Avenue and West Street. It is anticipated that this activity will be done by the end of the month, with final paving to be scheduled for the fall, once the construction areas have had an opportunity to compact.

Beginning Memorial Day weekend, and the following weekend, the beaches in Cape May will be guarded. As a result, beach tags will be required on these days. Daily guarding of our beaches will begin the weekend of June 9^th thru September 16^th.

As indicated in my last update, if you have been walking around the Mall or downtown area of Cape May, you may have noticed the Reino multi-meters have been installed and are now operational. This is the first phase of an eventual rollout that will replace the majority of single head meters in the City. We are currently moving forward with the necessary process and modifications to allow for the acceptance of both Visa and MasterCard credit cards on these meters, and expect to have this feature available soon.

April 2007 - Beginning on May 1^st, parking meters within the City of Cape May will be activated. This year the City has replaced some of its single space meters with multi-space meters. These multi-space meters will be located around the Washington Street Mall and in the Jackson Street parking lot. These meters provide self-help, and are user friendly. Should you need help, press the (i) key on the keypad.

There are two types of multi-space meters. One, which is known as a "pay and display", will be located in the Jackson Street lot. It does not matter which of the meters in the lot you go to. To utilize this type of meter you should insert the amount of money required to cover the time you will be parking in the lot. A time receipt will then be printed. You will place this receipt on your dashboard to indicate the length of time you are authorized to stay at that location.

The other type of meter is "pay-by-space" that will be located around the Washington Street Mall. In this case, you must use the meter you are directed to by the signage located by your parking location. In order to utilize the meter, you must enter the number of the parking space where your vehicle is parked. This number is readily marked curbside. At the multi-space meter, just enter your space number on the keypad, insert the money required for your desired park time and you are on your way. There is no receipt provided with this type of meter

They will also accept dollar coins in addition to quarters. It is anticipated that, in the future, multiple types of payment options, such as credit card and/or smart cards will be available to eliminate the need for users to maintain a supply of hard currency for parking meters.

March 2007 - This past month, the City held a third town meeting with Rhodeside & Harwell, the firm tasked with preparing the Vision Plan for the City of Cape May. This meeting was held in Convention Hall, and was attended by approximately eighty (80) people. The consultants reviewed in more detail, recommendations for improvements to various locations around the City, including Beach Avenue, the Mall, and entrance gateways. They also presented a consistency theme for infrastructure improvements throughout the City, concentrating on flowers and greenery as part of a garden type theme. The next step will be to being to finalize the plan so it can be reviewed for adoption by the City Council.

The Mall subcommittee made a presentation to Council recently. They recommended changes to the original conceptual plan. These recommendations, along with input from our consultant and engineer, will be reviewed and incorporated into an updated conceptual plan for Council and public review. It is hope that agreement on a design can be completed in time to allow the project to begin in the fall.

The City also awarded its 2006 Road Program, which will allow for the Phase Three completion of the reconstruction of Washington Street. Due to the time frame associated with this construction, it is anticipated that this work will not begin until the fall so as not to disrupt the normal tourist season activities. Work, however, may commence on Congress Place, which is also included in this award.

The City has been advised that it will be receiving a grant in the amount of $102,109 from the County as part of its continuing Public Improvements Joint Venture Program. The City will be reviewing its needs and considering utilizing this funding to perform significant improvements to both Harborview and Kiwanis Parks.

Design is progressing on the gateway project to add significant improvements to the entranceway off of Route 109 into Cape May. It is anticipated that activity will begin in this area in the next few months. It will be structured in such a way so as not to adversely affect the flow of traffic in this area, and to hold any disruption to a minimum.

February 2007 - The Reinos are coming. In March, the City will begin the preliminary installation process for the new multi meter Reinos. These meters will be placed around the Mall and in the Jackson Street lot. It is anticipated that they will be delivered and installed by the third week of April to be operational on May 1^st.

Work has also begun on the reconfiguration of the dune located in the Cove area of the City. The City, in conjunction with the Army Corps of Engineers, is funding this project. It will result in the re-profiling of the dune to reflect that which has been implemented from the Point eastward up to the Cove area. When it is completed, it will be planted with dune grass to aid in its stabilization and additional fencing added to catch sand at its westward end.

The Rhodeside and Harwell meeting, which was scheduled for February 14^th, was postponed, at the request of the City, due to the inclement weather conditions. This meeting has been rescheduled for Tuesday, March 13^th at 6 PM at Convention Hall. At that time, a review of the modifications that have been made to the previous proposals, as a result of the prior public meeting input, will be conducted.

Work is continuing on Phase I of the Inflow and Infiltration Remediation, funded by a loan and a grant from USDA. Work on Massachusetts Avenue is proceeding, and activity on Columbia Avenue will be initiated within the next several days, weather permitting. This is Phase I of what may ultimately be a three (3)-phase project to reduce the infiltration of ground water into our sewer system, which should result in a reduction in the fees charged by the County MUA for our sewer treatment costs.

January 2007 - A few months ago an article was run in the Star and Wave indicating to homeowners that the City had an ordinance requiring that their house number be prominently displayed on their home in a minimum of four (4) inch high letters. The reason for this is that, in the event emergency services are required at a property, the location can be readily identified. The City will begin enforcement of this requirement effective February 5, 2007. If you have not yet properly identified your residence, as required by ordinance, please see to it that you do so no later than the end of January.

Our beach restoration project, which the City works in cooperation with the US Coast Guard, the State of New Jersey and the US Army Corp of Engineers, has been recognized with another award. The City has received the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association Annual Project Award for the Cape May to Lower Township project. This replenishment has resulted in storm damage reduction in excess of $9.5 million dollars and has resulted in an expanded recreational beach, which has improved the quality of life for both our residents and the significant number of tourists that visit Cape May each year. More importantly it also provides significant protection from storms, which occur on a regular basis, for the City’s infrastructure and physical structures along the beachfront.

Recently I presented my recommended budget to City Council. Due to the significant increases in uncontrollable expenses such as pensions and insurance, coupled with flat state revenues has resulted in the potential of a tax increase at the municipal level for the City. Over the next several weeks the budget will be reviewed in detail to ascertain as to what the exact tax impact may be once the budget has been finally adopted.

Finally, a contract modification was awarded to Rhodeside & Harwell to begin the design of the Gateway into Cape May, from Route 109. It is anticipated that this design will be completed within the next (60) sixty days. The project will then be reviewed and approved by Council and submitted for the bid process. Given this time frame it is anticipated that the entrance to Cape May will be significantly improved in time for the upcoming summer season.

December 2006 - Over the past few months, work has been ongoing in the preparation of my 2007 recommended municipal budget. This budget will be given to the Council on January 15^th as is required by State statute. A special meeting will then be scheduled in order that the budget can be explained in detail to both the Council and the public.

The beach replenishment at the eastern end of the beach, involving the Coast Guard feeder beach and the area at Poverty Beach, has been completed. A significant amount of additional sand has been placed at Poverty Beach to replace that which has been lost due to the past several storms in that area. This increases our property flood protection as we enter the upcoming winter season. In conjunction with this activity, work is continuing at the western end of the beach where the Army Corps is working to restore the natural flow of water from the State Park into the property at the Nature Conservancy and into the far western end of Cape May. Once this is completed, there will be better flood control and a natural means to deter the spread of Phragmites in that area.

Late last month, the City received a New Jersey Department of Transportation Municipal Aid Grant in the amount of one hundred forty-three thousand dollars ($143,000). This grant will be utilized for the reconstruction of First Avenue from Beach Avenue to Mt. Vernon Avenue, and will include paving, curbing, new gutters, handicap ramps at intersections, and enhanced storm drainage.

The subcommittees of the Revitalization Committee continue to meet to put together ideas for several aspects of the anticipated Revitalization Plan, including the Mall, Convention Hall, the beachfront, open space and the harbor area. It is anticipated that dates will be established for these committees to present their recommendations to Council in order that some of these activities may move forward in the next several months.

The City has completed its implementation of expanded decorations for the season. Additional lighting has been added in the vicinity of the Elementary School. Illuminated snowflakes have been placed on Lafayette Street, and a significant number of banners now adorn the area around the Mall, Washington Street, and Ocean Street.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone Happy Holidays, and I look forward to continuing to provide you with information on the activities involving City government in the upcoming year.

November 2006 - Since my last report, the City has initiated several new activities. A second public meeting, hosted by the City and Rhodeside & Harwell, was held to discuss the Vision Plan for the City of Cape May. Approximately, eighty (80) people attended the meeting and were shown a proposal for five (5) main areas of town on which Rhodeside & Harwell believes the City could concentrate. The feeling, which was supported by those in attendance, was that Cape May could adopt a garden theme in addition to its Victorian theme. Copies of their presentation are available for review at both the Library and in the Clerk’s office in the municipal building.

A public meeting of the Revitalization Committee was also held, and discussed some of the activities related to the Rhodeside presentation. At that meeting, sub-committees were established to begin to review and prepare for future activities based on the Rhodeside & Harwell presentation.

Work will be commencing on Massachusetts Avenue, from West to Texas, and Columbia Avenue, from Jefferson to Madison, as part of Phase One of the City’s inflow and infiltration sanitary sewer improvement. Work is currently scheduled to begin the last week of November and continue through the end of January. This activity will involve the de-watering of sewer main trenches and the rehabilitation and/or replacement of some sewer mains, laterals and water services. This may affect local water and/or sewer service at times during the workday. A full width street overlay is also associated with the work in areas where the roadway will be dug up.

I was successful in securing a six-month extension regarding the Department of Transportation’s $135,000 grant for the completion of the reconstruction of Washington Street. In order to retain this grant, the City will be preparing bid specifications and awarding a contract for reconstruction of this and other roadways no later than April 30^th, 2007.

Work has been completed on the installation of Christmas decorations on the Mall and at various other locations throughout the City. The lights will be turned on tonight, November 22^nd, in order that they may be enjoyed during the Thanksgiving holiday. The formal City tree lighting at Rotary Park is scheduled for Friday, December 1^st at 7:00 PM.

Wishing you a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving.

October 2006 - Over the past few months, the firm of Rhodeside & Harwell, Incorporated has been performing several activities as part of its Vision Contract with the City of Cape May.

Among one of the more important activities was a study of four (4) peer cities. These cities included Charleston, South Carolina; Annapolis, Maryland; Bar Harbor, Maine; and Fernanda Beach, Florida. These four communities were selected because they have successfully implemented improvements to their public areas, and their investments and characteristics are similar to those of Cape May. Among some of the areas that were reviewed were visitor services, transportation, public walks, waterfront parks, beach facilities, as well as signage and entrance gateways.

This report, and the results of previously received public comment, will be discussed at the next public hearing to be held by the City and Rhodeside & Harwell. This meeting will be on Tuesday, October 24^th at 6:30 PM, at Convention Hall, on Beach Avenue in Cape May. All interested parties are encouraged to attend and continue their participation in helping to define the direction that Cape May should take in the coming years.

In other news, the Army Corps of Engineers will be continuing its periodic Beach Replenishment in the next several weeks. Sand will be deposited at the Coast Guard feeder beach, and also on the Poverty Beach area where a significant amount of sand was lost as a result of Tropical Storm Ernesto, as well as the recent Nor’easter, which moved through the area.

Additionally, work will be taking place at the west end of the beach in the Cove area. The Army Corp of Engineers will be reconfiguring the dune in that area, which has been the topic of much discussion, in order to have it conform to the dune that was constructed as part of the Lower Cape Beach Renourishment Program. This will result in a change in slope and height, to bring it in conformance with the other dune in that area. Additional fencing will be installed to help capture blowing sand and vegetation will be planted to help keep the reconfigured dune from eroding.

Next month I will discuss the results of the Rhodeside & Harwell public meeting and activities planned for the upcoming holiday season.

September 2006 - As was previously announced, the City of Cape May has received a sixty-four thousand dollar ($64,000) grant through the Certified Local Government Program to do an intensive level historic property survey of at least one thousand (1,000) buildings within the City.

At this time, the RFQ to solicit a company to perform this survey has been completed. I am currently discussing with the State Historic Preservation Office the pre-quote requirements in order for a firm to qualify to submit a quote on this project. It is anticipated that the RFQ will be released in October with the intent to award the project by January of 2007. Assuming that this occurs, which is highly likely, the survey will be completed by August 31^st of 2007. When it is finished, it will provide the City, and its Historic Preservation Commission, one of the final and main tools that will be utilized to control our historic structures. It will also provide information to individuals owning these buildings so that they have a complete understanding of the significance of their building and what guidelines they would be required to follow should they wish to make any modifications to them. As a National Historic Landmark, this is a significant step in protecting those resources that enable the City to retain this prestigious designation.

Work is also continuing on obtaining the necessary approvals to allow for the installation of Christmas decorations for the upcoming season. Applications have been filed with Atlantic City Electric and we are currently pursuing the necessary approvals from Verizon in order to implement lighting along Lafayette Street from the entrance to Cape May to West Perry Street. We are also working with the Mall Merchants Association to, once again, decorate the Mall for the fall season. Cornstalks, hay bails, pumpkins, mums, and other holiday materials will soon begin appearing on the Mall as we prepare for our fall season.

Next month I will report as to the progress being made by Rhodeside and Harwell concerning the City’s Vision Plan and our next steps concerning obtaining additional public input on the Mall improvement project.

August 2006 - At this time, unless you have been in a land far, far away, you are aware that the City of Cape May will be holding a referendum on two capital expenditure bonds next Tuesday, August 22^nd, from 6 AM to 8 PM. This past Tuesday, the City Council held a well attended Town meeting to provide data on the proposed bond acquisitions, alternate hardscape designs and their associated costs, and had a presentation from our Auditor concerning how bonds are scheduled and repaid, and their potential tax impacts. All of the questions that were raised were answered to the best of everyone’s ability based on current, known information.

It is important to understand that the public input process will not be any different regardless of the outcome of the referendum. Public input will still be solicited, sample hardscape will be placed down on the Mall for review and evaluation, and all potential options will be thoroughly discussed before any action is taken by City Council.

Regardless of your position on this issue, I encourage you to weigh all of the facts and to vote what you believe to be in your best interest, which, ultimately will end up being in the best interest of the City. Remember, if you are in favor of moving forward with the funding sources established for the identified projects, you should vote "YES" on the two referendum questions. If you are opposed to one or the other bond ordinances, check the "NO" box.

In other activities, the City, through its Shade Tree Commission, has been awarded a grant of up to twenty-three thousand dollars for what is called Cool Cities. This project is sponsored by a consortium of electric companies and seeks to encourage what is called thermal cooling. What this means is that planting trees, which in turn provide shade, reduces the amount of sunlight that is absorbed by sidewalks and roads during the day. This results in less heat being released back into the air during the evening, lowering surrounding temperatures. These trees will initially be planted on City property along Jackson Street from Beach Avenue to approximately Lyle Lane. They are anticipated to be approximately six to seven feet tall. Tree location review will be commencing for this project, which will explain any mark out activity you may observe on Jackson Street.

July 2006 - Well, here we are in the middle of summer in Cape May. Normally, we would be planning a significant number of projects and acquisitions. However, this year we are on hold until the results of the Capital Ordinance referendum, scheduled for August 22^nd. We have, in the past month, however, been able to award a contract for inflow and infiltration remediation of part of our storm water system. We will be correcting problems on Columbia Avenue from Franklin Street to Madison Avenue, and on Massachusetts Avenue from Texas Avenue to West Street. This will be a contract in the amount of one million two hundred forty- five thousand dollars ($1,245,000), of which up to six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000) will be offset by a USDA grant.

With the refurbishing of the Washington Street Mall on hold for at least a year, I have directed Public Works to move forward with correcting trip and falls in that area to limit our potential liability until such time as a decision is made as to if, and when, the Mall will be reconstructed. It’s not pretty, but safer.

Although it is only July, we are already researching locations for Christmas lights, in cooperation with the Tourism Commission. As most people are aware, Cape May is a significant winter attraction due to its extensive Christmas decorations, both City and private. We are looking to improve this attraction by adding additional cross-street lights, hopefully in time for this Christmas season.

Yesterday, a public meeting was held by Rhodeside and Harwell, Incorporated, the firm hired by the City to prepare its public spaces vision plan. The purpose of the meeting was to solicit input from residents as to how they would like to see the future look of Cape May be defined. It was attended by an overflow crowd, and the input that was received will be significantly helpful in allowing a conceptual plan to be prepared for review by both our citizens and City Council.

In my next month’s column, I will provide a summary of the impact of the bond referendum in order that the voters of the City can make an informed decision as to whether or not they support the efforts of the City concerning the improvements it believes are necessary to continue to move Cape May forward. Information can also be found on the City’s web site at WWW.CAPEMAYCITY.COM

June 2006 - Welcome to my June "Manager" update. Since my last article, several exciting items have been initiated by the City. First, a contract with the firm of Rhodeside & Harwell Incorporated from Alexandria, Virginia has been approved by City Council. This firm will now begin the process of soliciting public comment, and reviewing our current plans and existing infrastructure to begin to put together a recommended vision for the City of Cape May. It is anticipated that public discussions will be held during the week of July 17^th.

Phase one of the City’s sewer inflow and infiltration project is currently being designed. This involves a six hundred thousand dollar ($600,000) grant from the USDA. It will encompass the area from Massachusetts Avenue from Texas to its end, Columbia from Jefferson to Madison, and Maryland from Madison to Trenton. At this time, work is anticipated to begin in the fall. The Venice Avenue – Bank Street pump station has been electrified and is now operational. Work on the City’s approved 2004 and 2005 road programs have now been completed with the exception of a few punch list items.

As per our agreement with HUD and DCA, DCA will be assuming the responsibility of our Section 8 Housing Program in the next several days. There will no affect on the program other than it will be administered from a different location with additional staff and a larger relocation base.

As I am sure you are aware by now, a referendum petition has been certified which effectively places all of the City’s 2006 approved Capital Ordinances on hold. As a result, several of the items I identified in last month’s update as being "scheduled to be completed" are now on hold. The City Council, at its Tuesday public meeting, voted to move forward with placing the two subject ordinances on a public referendum, which will be held on Tuesday, August 22^nd. Until that date, the City is unable to move forward with any of its normally scheduled Capital projects, which would include security cameras, rescue vehicles, and the initiation of our 2006 road project design. I shall provide additional information as to the ultimate ramifications of a "yes" or "no" vote, on the referendum issue, in my July 20^th article.

Work being performed by the County at the entranceway to the City is scheduled to be complete on Friday, June 23^rd. At this time, all concrete work is done, milling is completed, and paving is in progress.

As a reminder, the City of Cape May’s beaches are now fully open, and beach tags are required on all beaches for anyone twelve (12) years of age and older. Tags are available at any beach entrance, City Hall, on the Promenade, and at the MAC information booth at the head of the Washington Street Mall.

May 2006 -Welcome to my inaugural "From the Desk of the City Manager" column. In an effort to continue to expand the information being provided to our residents and visitors, I will be presenting a monthly update on City activities here in the Star and Wave. Each article will contain an update on projects that are currently ongoing within the City, and other items of interest. An archive of my articles will also be available at the City’s Web site, at www.capemaycity.com, under City Manager Reports.

At this time, construction of the new pump station, located at the corner of Bank Street and Venice Avenue, has been completed, with the exception of the electric service. Once that is connected, within the next two weeks, we will then have the ability to prevent flooding, which has occurred in that area for many years as a result of heavy rain and in conjunction with high tides.

The road construction work being performed on Washington Street as well as on Second Avenue and Jefferson Street is essentially complete. There still remains some amount of striping to be completed as the weather allows. The County is also moving along with its project to replace curb, sidewalk, and drainage, in the area entering Cape May, along Lafayette, Sidney, and Washington Streets, and Yacht Avenue. The concrete work is scheduled to be completed within the next week. Milling and a full width paving overlay of the roadway will be initiated in early June.

The City Council has awarded a bid for the new, user-friendly Rhino parking meters. Once these meters are received, they will be installed in the Jackson Street lot and then the Mall area. This is a multi-phased project, and will be completed over the next several years. It will result in the replacement of over twelve hundred (1,200) single meters with approximately one hundred fifty (150) multi-meters.

Weekend rest room cleaning will be initiated on the Memorial Day weekend, with daily coverage beginning on Saturday, June 24th thru Labor Day. Facilities on Ocean Street, Lyle Lane, and the Transportation Center will be cleaned from eleven in the morning (11:00 AM) to seven at night (7:00 PM) on a rotating basis.

By the end of June, security cameras will be implemented throughout the City; some will also be added as part of the City’s website for tourist access. At this time, it is anticipated that cameras will be mounted at lifeguard headquarters and at the entranceway to the Mall in order that residents and potential visitors can obtain real time views of the beach and the Mall area. I also anticipate that our AM radio station will be operational in June. It will continuously broadcast updated information important to both residents and visitors alike.

I would also like to take this opportunity to remind our visitors and residents that street cleaning enforcement will be initiated this week. On certain designated streets within the City of Cape May, all vehicles must be removed for street cleaning on the designated days and times. The appropriate streets are delineated with signage, identifying the times and dates that vehicles must be moved. Anyone failing to move their vehicles as part of the street cleaning requirement will be subject to summonses and towing. This is an important part of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP’s) requirement for our City to maintain clean streets so that heavy rains do not wash trash and other types of contamination into our storm sewers, which ultimately ends up in the ocean. Our failure to maintain the cleanliness of our streets could subject us to potential beach closings and fines from DEP. Your cooperation in this matter is anticipated and appreciated.

Hopefully, this regular monthly segment will provide you with valuable information on activities going on throughout the City. As always, should you have any questions concerning these, or other activities within the City, contact my office in order that they may be accurately answered.

Luciano V. Corea, Jr.
Cape May City Manager