By : RICHARD DEGENER
Source : http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com
Category : Small Business Grant
LOWER TOWNSHIP — Freeholder Will Morey is hoping the spacious Cape May Airport can finally live up to a business potential envisioned decades ago, when it was exempted from strict environmental regulations.
Morey has reached out to the Delaware River & Bay Authority, which leases the airport, and Lower Township Council, and is eager to bring all parties to the table. Morey ran for office last year on a platform of boosting economic development and jobs in the county.
“When we assess the value of the airport we have to go outside the immediate airport confines. It’s important to Lower Township. It’s a benefit for the whole county,” Morey said.
That could be partly because of something dubbed “Cafiero’s Donut.”
Back in the 1970s, former state Sen. James Cafiero was not envisioning doughnut shops when he lobbied the state Department of Environmental Protection to exempt the 1,000-acre airport property from strict new environmental regulations.
The newly enacted Coastal Area Facilities Review Act, or CAFRA, promised to strictly regulate development along the coast. Cafiero, who represented Cape May and Cumberland counties, saw the potential for light industry to locate at the airport and bring something rare in the summer resort economy: year-round jobs.
Cafiero managed to get the airport exempted from CAFRA. The moniker Cafiero’s Donut was coined by DEP officials and it stuck.
Unfortunately, the CAFRA exemption didn’t do a whole lot to attract private businesses. In 2001, former Freeholder Director William Sturm killed a $1.5 million project that included a $900,000 federal grant and a $450,000 state grant because he said too much government money had been spent on economic development projects at the airport that failed. The project would have sought to locate 40 small businesses in the massive Everlon building, which still stands empty.
In 2005, former state Sen. Nicholas Asselta tried to get the airport turned into an Urban Enterprise Zone, or UEZ, to attract business, but his proposal never got approved.
The now-retired Cafiero, reached Wednesday in Florida, supported a fresh effort.
“I would think that the doughnut would be a plus for Morey. I would think the township and the DRBA would be happy to help him along. They ought to jump on board particularly with the added incentive of not being subject to CAFRA,” Cafiero said.
Morey said he is especially looking forward to talking to the DRBA’s new executive director, Scott Green, who is taking over for retiring Executive Director James Johnson.
“I’m eager to meet him. They’re going to bring him down. It’s a challenge but I’m convinced we can do better than we’re doing now,” Morey said.
Council members at a February meeting fought to be chosen to represent the township’s interest. Deputy Mayor Kevin Lare came up with the idea and wanted to be a liaison to Morey and the county freeholders along with 2nd Ward Councilman Walt Craig.
Lare said Morey, who runs amusement piers in the Wildwoods, is “leading the charge” but he wants local involvement.
Mayor Mike Beck argued that he should be the liaison with Lare, since the mayor and deputy mayor are voted on by all the residents while ward candidates are only selected by some of them. Craig said he wanted what was best for the township and was willing to give his spot to Beck, or 1st Ward Councilman Tom Conrad, since the airport is in his ward. A vote to replace Craig with Beck failed.
Council met a second time on the issue this week and Lare agreed to be replaced with Conrad. Council accepted Beck and Conrad for the job.
“I think the issue is bigger than any one person on council. Freeholder Morey has business acumen second to none in the county and the last thing I want to see is this turned into a political football,” Lare said.
Morey was happy to hear local officials will be involved.
“Lower Township needs to be at the table. We’re working with the DRBA to try and start working on the direction of collaboration to move that airport forward,” Morey said.
Whatever direction that is, it won’t need CAFRA approvals, because of Cafiero’s Donut.
Contact Richard Degener:
609-463-6711
Source : http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/communities/lower_capemay/freeholder-will-morey-renews-push-to-bring-businesses-to-cape/article_b15139a0-6bd9-11e1-ab93-001871e3ce6c.html
