Parkway end: Stay alert!

St. Raymond’s to merge with Star of the Sea

Joe Jackson hired as new Lower Township manager

By CHRISTOPHERSOUTH

Cape May Star and Wave

LOWER TOWNSHIP –Lower Township Police ChiefEdward Donahue said he willbe meeting withAssemblyman Jeff Van Drewand representatives of theTurnpike Authority andDepartment ofTransportation regardingsafety improvements at thesouthern end of the GardenState Parkway.

“I got a call from VanDrew’s chief of staff. They’veset up a meeting on March 22in his office,” Donahue said.

He said Van Drew wantedto discuss the entire CapeMay County section of theparkway, specifically thetraffic lights at Crest HavenRoad, Stone HarborBoulevard, Shell BayAvenue, and at the southernterminus of the parkway.

Donahue sent letters to Gov.Jon Corzine and Turnpike

Authority executive directorMichael Lapolla expressingthe need for safety improve-ments at the intersection ofthe parkway and Route 109.Donahue referred to tworecent fatal accidents occur-ring at the same locationabout six weeks apart.

On Dec. 14, 2006, WadeDickinson, 24, of LowerTownship was killed when histruck left the roadway andstruck a utility pole. On Jan.27, Steven Scholz was killedafter his vehicle left the road-way and struck the very samepole.

Donahue acknowledgedthat excessive speed played arole in each of these acci-dents, however the locationhas been the site of numerousaccidents over the years.

Lower TownshipCouncilman Bob Nolan com-mented about the chief’sefforts at Monday’s councilmeeting, saying he respondedto numerous accidents therewhen he was a volunteer fire-

man. Nolan suggested thetownship council pass a reso-lution in support ofDonahue’s proposal.

What Donahue has pro-posed is improved signagesuch as can be seen whenapproaching toll plazas. Inhis letter to Lapolla, Donahuehas suggested a “large signthat would straddle bothsouthbound lanes of the park-way at mile marker 1 stating:

“Warning – Parkway Ends 1Mile – Reduce Speed.”

Donahue suggested a sec-ond large sign at the half-milemark reading:

“Traffic Signal Ahead. StayAlert for Merging Traffic.”

Donahue feels the signagewould improve safety, help-ing to alert drivers traveling65 or 70 miles per hour to theupcoming intersection. Hefeels the signs would helpuntil a better solution couldbe worked out.

“A study in 1992 recom

Please see Mile 0, Page A2

By CHRISTOPHERSOUTH

Cape May Star and Wave

VILLAS – Lower TownshipCouncil went into closed ses-sion, Monday evening to dis-cuss the vacant position oftownship manager. Whenthey came out they voted 4-1to hire banker Joe Jackson tofill the position vacated byKathy McPherson.

Jackson, who has spent 26years in the banking industry,was named recently as a fron-trunner in the search for anew township manager.

Jackson’s hiring wasopposed by Councilman

Wayne Mazurek, who said thetownship could not afford themove. Speaking from his seaton the council dais, Mazurekaddressed Jackson, who wasin the audience, saying, “Joethis has nothing to do withyou.”

“Your resume is good andI’ve known you. My problemis I don’t think we can affordit.”

Council later introduced anamended salary ordinance,which sets a salary range forthe township manager atbetween $72,000 and $90,000.McPherson was the directorof personnel, making $50,000before taking on the addition-

al duties of township manag-er, for which she was paid astipend of roughly $24,000.The new salary ordinancesets the range for the town-ship’s director of personnelbetween $70,000 and $90,000.

“We’re going to spend$75,000 to $85,000 (manag-er’s salary) when it was$24,000,” Mazurek said.

During public comment,resident Ed Butler said, “Idon’t want to spend more forthis job. As a taxpayer, weshould not have extra taxeson top of everything else.”

The residents of LowerTownship recently receivednotices of their revaluation,

which for some resulted insignificant tax increases.

Butler asked to make com-ment prior to the vote, butwas told he would have toaddress the matter during thepublic comment portion ofthe meeting. Butler com-plained about the process,saying by then council wouldhave already voted to hire thenew manager. Mayor WaltCraig told Butler the meetingwas being conducted as it

was supposed to be.“It only took three weeks to

make an appointment . This iswrong,” Butler said.

Craig said McPherson hadbeen hired from within theoffice where she worked andthere was no search involved.He said a search for a newmanager would probablyresult in having to pay thatperson $125,000. He saidJackson was qualified to workas township manger, and

would be paid much less. “What this township is fac-

ing is financial issues. And weprioritized finding someonewith a financial background,”Craig said.

Craig said Jackson met thequalifications and has been amember of the community for30 years. Craig said Jacksonwould save the townshipmore than it would pay him in

Please see Joe, Page A2

By CHRISTOPHERSOUTH

Cape May Star and Wave

CAPE MAY – Our Lady Starof the Sea School in Cape Mayis slated to receive the stu-dents who attend St.Raymond’s School in Villas,after the diocese decided toclose four schools in theregion.

St. Raymond’s was one of

the four schools being closeddue to small enrollments.This year, St. Raymond’s has104 students enrolled ingrades K-8.

Our Lady Star of the Sea has159 students in grades K-8plus another 18 in preschool.Principal Joan Dollinger saidthey do have the space toaccommodate the additionalstudents coming over from St.Raymond’s.

“We have a large eighthgrade class graduating, sothat will help accommodatethem,” she said.

Dollinger said they don’tview St. Raymond’s as clos-ing, but are consolidating,and the students will continuetheir education in anothersetting. The school willassume the name Our LadyStar of the Sea RegionalSchool and will be a three

parish school, drawing stu-dents from St. Raymond’s, St.John of God, and the OurLady Star of the Sea Parishes.The school already has stu-dents who come from LowerTownship, the Wildwoods,and Middle Township.

“We look forward to wel-coming students from St.Raymond’s. They are allGod’s children,” she said.

Still, Dollinger said it was a

hard thing to see any schoolclose.

“There will be a period ofadjustment, even grieving,”she said.

Crystal Hardin of Cape Mayis one parent who is relievedshe and her children won’thave to face that grievingprocess. Hardin has five chil-dren in Our Lady Star of the

Please see Star, Page A2

Cape Ma WaveStar153rd YEAR NO. 6 CAPE MAY, N.J. 50¢SERVING AMERICA’S NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK CITY

SPORTSCaper girls rule, boys lose, B1, 2

AREAGive someone special a

rose this Valentine’s Day,B2

CAPE MAYBlack, white and ‘Boffo’film series begins, A8

INSIDE

8 11:35 5:31 5:369 12:15 12:18 6:21 6:16

10 1:06 1:11 7:20 7:0411 2:05 2:17 8:26 8:0412 3:09 3:28 9:32 9:0813 4:10 4:33 10:30 10:1014 5:05 5:29 11:22 11:07

FEBRUARY TIDE TABLE(eastern daylight time)

LOW HIGHam pm am pm

RELIGION/OBITUARIES....A4OPINION/LETTERS............A6ARTS...................................A8MOVIES..............................A8WEATHER..........................A8SPORTS/OUTDOORS....B1,2EDUCATION/YOUTH........B3COMMUNITY/LIFESTYLE..B4CLASSIFIED................B6,7,8,9PUBLIC NOTICE................B9

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2007

Lower Cape May Regional’s Talent Showcase had a lot to offer. From dance companies, upper left, to instrumental and vocal performanc-es. Top center is Lower Cape May Regional teacher Jim Colubiale, at top right, Ashley Walker waves to the emcees after her piano per-formance. Above far left and far right, father and daughter, Chris and Bethany Titerance sing a duet. Above center, Adam Kleinschmidt, MaxMoran and Ari Blou “Bust a Move” on the Lower Cape May stage. See story on Page A3.

Photos by Christopher South

Christopher South/Cape May Star and Wave

100 days and countingKindergarten students at our Lady Star of the Sea School show off projects they made to com-memorate the first 100 days of school. Each project contained 100 items.

Talent Showcase