By JACK FICHTER/Cape May Star and Wave
CAPE MAY — All municipal buildings in the city were closed to the public as of March 16, following Gov. Phil Murphy’s executive order to close all public buildings in the state until further notice to protect the public’s health and well-being and to contain the threat and spread of illness from COVID-19.
Cape May’s recreation programs and meetings of city boards, commissions and advisory committees are also canceled until further notice.
At a March 17 City Council meeting attended by few but video live streamed, City Manager Jerry Inderwies said he met with the city’s department heads and asked for their assistance in implementing procedures and strategies to get through the crisis and to keep the city running on as close to a normal basis as possible.
Essential services of the city are operating: police, fire and emergency management.
“There is a challenge for them as well and the unknowns that are out there, and they are doing their best in utilizing the equipment that they have in place and in their training,” Inderwies said.
He noted the county Board of Chosen Freeholders tried to discourage vacation home owners from coming to Cape May County, but it was evident they had arrived.
Inderwies said isolation was the key to prevent the spread of the virus. Working with city department heads, a detailed operational list was assembled for each department and posted on the city website and social media with phone numbers of each department.
He noted the crisis was changing by the hour.
“We’re staying on top of it, we’re keeping our city employees safe, our residents safe as we can. We just need the help from the public to assist us with the self-isolation,” Inderwies said.
Cape May’s 9-1-1 communications officers will ask callers if there is anyone with flu-like symptoms in their home even if it is not a medical call, he said.
“If someone is having flu-like symptoms, please let them know,” Inderwies said.
He noted the playground next to Cape May City Elementary School has been closed, something that was requested by the Joint Insurance Fund.
Council approved a resolution for emergency, temporary appropriations. Inderwies said the city was operating on a temporary budget of 26 percent of last year’s budget for the first quarter.
“Given the fact that we really aren’t sure whether we can have a meeting on April 7, where we’re going to be at that point, we felt it necessary to keep the city financially moving and sound and it would be prudent to do an emergency temporary appropriation to the budget,” he said.
Mayor Chuck Lear appointed city tax assessor Lou Belasco as a Class II member of the Planning Board to fill a vacancy created when Inderwies resigned from the board to become city manager.
Public hearings were scheduled for two ordinances but were tabled due to concerns of COVID-19. The agenda stated, “in an effort to reduce the risk of potential exposure among those considering attending the public hearing to make comments, the scheduled public hearing and consideration for adoption of Bond Ordinance 392-2020 will be continued to the April 7, 2020 regular council meeting.”
Bond Ordinance 392 was tabled. It provides for the construction of a new public safety building, appropriating $15 million in bonds and notes. Passage of the ordinance could also trigger a binding voter referendum on a question of constructing the building.
The second ordinance tabled covers fees for obtaining certain records from the city, such as birth, death, marriage and civil unions certificates, to make them conform with state fees for such records.
Council approved a lease between the city and county for the Franklin Street School. The city and county have a shared services agreement for the renovation and redevelopment of the school building into a public library.
A resolution of council approved endorsing the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts (MAC) application for a grant from the New Jersey Historic Trust to restore the roofs and interiors of the outbuildings of the Emlen Physick Estate. The city owns the estate and leases it to MAC.
Council authorized Lower Township Recreation Department’s use of the soccer field next to Cape May City Elementary School.
The field would be used for Lower Township’s youth soccer program from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday through May 30. Lower Township is not paying a fee but will reimburse Cape May for any maintenance costs beyond normal wear and tear.