Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Passing of Strathmere Friend Debbe Starr; Memorial Mass This Saturday

To All Strathmere and Whale Beach Homeowners and Visitors,
 
We are saddened to note the passing of Debbe Starr on Monday, October 27, 2014.
 


 
 
From today’s Press of Atlantic City:
 
STARR, DEBORAH L. (nee Andera) - 62 of Marmora, NJ passed away on Monday, October 27, 2014 at Shore Medical Center in Somers Point, NJ.
Deborah was born in Bridgeport, CT and worked as an ITT Coordinator for ten years retiring in 1984.
She was a member of the Strathmere Fishing and Environmental Club where she served as a board member for many years.
Surviving are her husband, Thomas Starr, her mother Virginia Andera, and many aunts, cousins, nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her father Frank Andera.
A Memorial Mass will be offered Saturday morning at nine o'clock from The Church of the Resurrection of St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish, 200 West Tuckahoe Road, Marmora, NJ.
Burial is private.
Memorial contributions in her memory may be made to Love of Linda Cancer Fund, PO Box 1053, Wildwood, NJ 08260.
For condolences, visit www.godfreyfuneralhome.com.
 
+++++
 
 
Debbe was extremely active in the Strathmere Fishing and Environmental Club.
 
President of the SFEC Rob Coffey released the following statement:
 
It is with a heavy heart that I inform our membership of the recent passing of Debbe Starr on 10/27/2014 at Shore Memorial Hospital.  Debbe was battling pneumonia over the last week and she was with Tom, family and friends at her passing.
Debbe was a longtime board member of the Strathmere Fishing and Environmental Club who greatly devoted her time and effort to keep us all up to date on dues, planned Winter and Summer socials, organized the Jane Shetler Memorial tournament, served as weighmaster for countless tournaments, helped with Nightmare raffles and judging events and was our current Personnel Officer on the SFEC board.
Debbe was a friend, colleague and longtime club member who was greatly responsible for the strong membership of the SFEC.  I always counted on Debbe to attend meetings and laugh and joke around and give a big hug and a kiss when we attended board meetings. She also called us out when we exaggerated fish stories or joked with one another and really didn’t take any grief from anybody.  She was a true grit when it came down to business and was a trustworthy board member who always had solid input and direction for the club business. Debbe was a wonderful lady who just made you smile and laugh so we all could have a good time!
We will all miss Debbe greatly and her valued contributions to the Club. It is a sad day to lose one of our members and especially a longtime board member who devoted so much of her time to the ongoing success and greatness of the SFEC.
Please pass on your prayers and support to Tom Starr and the entire Starr family during this difficult time.
 
***
 

SIA Newsletter 10/28/14

To All Strathmere and Whale Beach Homeowners and Visitors,

We know it’s not even Halloween yet, but we need to get you thinking about the Christmas party!
 
The annual Strathmere Christmas Party will be held on Saturday, December 13,
from 6:00 to 10:00 pm at the Deauville Inn.
 
First, a little history. We last held the party at the Firehouse in 2012.
The legal limit for folks on the second floor is 75 people, and that year we had well over 125 people. We had to do something different.
 
Last year, we moved the party to the Deauville Inn, and said that the Fire Company and the SIA would subsidize the party as in previous years, but there would have to be an admission charge to offset the increased costs. Then the Citizens for Strathmere and Whale Beach organization made a very generous, one-time donation to keep the party free for one more year. The SIA and the Strathmere Volunteer Fire Company contributed what they did in 2012, or more. Over 200 folks attended.
 
This year, the Strathmere Volunteer Fire Company and the Strathmere Improvement Association will contribute a little more than they have in the past, but we will have to charge admission to the party.
 
The charge will be $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under.
These prices include taxes and gratuity, but no drink tickets (there will be a cash bar).
 
 
The menu for the dinner will be as follows:
 
 
Ed Andress Chowder
 
Carved turkey                                 Oven roasted potatoes
 
Cranberry sauce                             Green beans Almandine
 
Stuffing (filling / dressing)                             Salad               
 
Ham                                                Rolls and butter     
 
Pasta Primavera                             Macaroni and cheese
 
Paella (seafood dish)                      Chicken fingers (kids)
 
Desserts – provided by attendees
 

 
Sounds like a great meal!  Not free, but great prices!
 
Tickets may be obtained by sending a check to the SIA at P.O. Box 57, Strathmere, NJ 08248.
Please specify the number of adults and children. If children are included, please specify age and gender (to help Santa).
 
All ticket purchases must be received by Monday, December 1. Please don't wait until the last minute!
 
Questions may be directed to Donna Diefenderfer at donnad921@comcast.net or 215-801-5876.
 
Planning and executing the Christmas Party takes a lot of work. Please don't add to that by not buying your tickets early!
 

*********************************************
 

We’ve had lots of requests, so additional snowy owl suncatchers are now on order.
They’ll make great Christmas gifts!
We expect them in a few weeks and will have them available for purchase at the party.
 
***********************************************
 
We're passing this on,
"Stef and Alex from the Shack thank everyone for their love and support this season!!  We could not run the shack without the support of Strathmere.
Thanks for a GREAT summer!!"
 
 ***********************************************
 
The Schiavo Library reports that a binder with numerous pictures of 1920’s advertisements for "Strathmere by the Sea" from the Girard Corporation has gone missing from the library.
 If by any chance you borrowed the binder and forgot to return it, please bring it back to the Library. They miss it! Thanks.
 
 
*************************************************
 
The dune grass planted by the SFEC, with community help, and also planted by the Township, has come in very well.
We believe this dune grass will be buried by the upcoming beach replenishment project, though we’re told it will survive and grow up through the sand.
 
The bayberry and beach plum trees, however, will likely not survive.
 Bids for the project were opened on October 10, with Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company being the low bidder. It will be awarded in early November.
 We are hoping work will begin in Strathmere as early as this December.
 
A 13-foot high dune will be built with a top width of 25 feet, with new beach extending 50 feet out from that dune.
Sand for the project will come from a borrow area about two miles off Corson’s Inlet.

 
*********************************************************************
 
County Engineer Dale Foster informs us that a project to resurface and improve drainage on Commonwealth Avenue,
from the toll bridge approach to the Sea Isle City border, is now out for bids.
 
The cost is expected to be in the range of $3.0 million, and construction is expected in 2016.
 
*************************************************************
 
 
 
Upcoming Events - please mark your calendars:
 
SFEC Meeting, Firehouse, Saturday, November 8, 4:00 pm
SFEC Last Cast Tournament, Friday & Saturday, November 28 & 29
SFEC Christmas Meeting, Firehouse, Saturday, December 6, 4:00 pm
Strathmere Christmas Party, Deauville Inn, Saturday, December 13, 6:00 pm
 
Let us know of additions or corrections!
 
 
*********************************************************************************
 
The Strathmere Improvement Association invites all owners, renters and vacationers in Strathmere and Whale Beach to join as dues paying members.
The SIA was founded in 1951 as a community organization with the simple objective of making Strathmere a better place.
We work to preserve our town’s “hometown feeling” and to keep lines of communication open within town, and with local government.
 
We are proud of the organization's many accomplishments over the years, including sponsorship of 2012 Centennial activities, taking on a key organizing and leadership role in Strathmere and Whale Beach relief efforts after Sandy, and hosting an annual community beach party and concert or similar event.
 
Additionally, the July and August SIA meetings feature programs of interest to vacationers and homeowners.
 
Please let us know if you have comments or suggestions for the newsletter or for SIA in general, or if you'd like us to change your e-mail address in our records.
 
You can contact us by responding to this e-mail at sia1912@comcast.net or by mailing the SIA at PO Box 57, Strathmere 08248.
 
Thanks very much for your continuing support of the Strathmere Improvement Association!
 
 
Linda Bateman
Elaine Holsomback
Donna Diefenderfer
Rosemarie Whelan
Ken Weaver


Friday, October 17, 2014

Report on the Oct. 11th CFSWB Town Hall Meeting

To All Strathmere and Whale Beach Homeowners and Visitors,
 
Copied below is a comprehensive recap by Ed Tettemer of last Saturday’s Town Hall Meeting at the firehouse. If you are already on the CFSWB distribution list, we apologize for the duplication.

Citizens for Strathmere & Whale Beach
Good morning: Below is Ed Tettemer's report on last Saturday's meeting.
Greetings from a glorious October beach.
 
On Saturday, about 60 Strathmerians and Whale Beachers engaged in a very productive conversation with Mayor Palombo and Township Engineer Paul Dietrich. It is clear that the work we've done the past few years has laid the groundwork for a new relationship between our island community and the mainland municipality. And while we may never get the rapid response we think we deserve regarding the specific needs of our beach and bay community, nor the pro-active planning required to fully secure our island's future, we believe we have all gone a long way toward (if you'll permit a bit of idealistic rhetoric) bending the long, moral arc of the universe toward justice.
 
First, we discussed our ongoing bulkhead/bayfront initiative. Our Citizens group hired Coastal Engineer Doug Gaffney and Surveyor Dave Sharp to review the bay side from the southern boat ramp  all the way up to the point. With the realization that 99% of Sandy's damage was due to flooding bay water, combined with the fact that sea levels are rising at an alarming rate (a rise of as much as 5" by 2025 is forecast by data provided in Mr. Gaffney's report), we went to the Township Planning Board and requested they consider recommending a bulkhead height requirement to Township Committee.
 
Our own Ted Kingston now sits on that Planning Board and was instrumental in getting this notion introduced into the Board's conversation. We had the support of most everyone on the board, as well as Mr. Dietrich, so I hope we have good news to report about that in the next 30 days or so.
 
Mayor Palombo and Mr. Dietrich brought us up to date on the impending beach replenishment. With bids in and a contract awarded (Great Lakes Dredging), there is reason to believe that the replenishment will happen within this calendar year, perhaps in December. The sand will be dredged from a bar two miles out. Corson's Inlet will not be dredged. Much of the State Park area will be replenished, and the sand should enlarge the dunes and beach right on through to Sea Isle City.
 
This is part of an Army Corps of Engineers beach protection plan that dates back to the mid-'90s. It is not in response to Sandy or any specific storm. It will be financed solely with federal dollars, and if there is any further protection work of any kind required after the replenishment, we'll have to work with Township and State of New Jersey to plan, permit and finance that work. We will keep our eyes open.
 
On the bay side, a few blocks in what Mr. Dietrich calls "the lowest spots" - where now nuisance high-tide flooding is common (it's impossible to get to Twisties sometimes without a kayak) - will be raised with funding from a state grant. Some of the storm drain system that has been failing will be repaired, and we hope this is the first step of a long-term flood mitigation program that will happen in collaboration with Cape May County.
 
The boat ramp reconstruction now has secure funding. Permits and planning continue and this work is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2016 summer season. We're told there will be a fee to use the ramp imposed at that time, with an attendant working at the site every day. Kudos to the Strathmere Fishing & Environmental Club for staying on top of this project.
 
The big discussion was the possibility of beach tags or other kinds of fees in order to collect revenue to offset the Township's cost of managing the beach. The Beach Patrol itself has a budget of approximately $300,000, according to the mayor. It's important to note that everyone understands the concept of beach tags in Strathmere and Whale Beach is controversial, to say the least. It's also important to note that the mayor remains skeptical that any beach-tag program would be able to pay for itself, let alone kick off extra dollars to offset current township spending on its beach program.
 
The side effects of beach fees are also quite daunting. The argument was made that imposing beach fees would also require construction of toilet and (perhaps) shower facilities, as well as beach lockers that could be rented by the day. So for those who think that beach fees will somehow improve the Strathmerian quality of life, be careful what you wish for.
 
While the potential for beach tags appeared less likely after our Saturday conversation, one agenda item was deemed to be popular and quite possible. We all know how dangerous the trip down Commonwealth Avenue can be during the summer season. Cyclists, pedestrians, drivers and folks hopping in out of cars lining the road seem to be on the verge of constant collision. Emergency vehicles have a hard time navigating this stretch of road with any efficiency. Whale Beach is a danger zone when the weather draws the crowds.
 
One solution discussed was to outlaw parking on the west side of the road. Everyone seemed to agree that one-sided parking would allow for better conditions for cycling and walking, and would set the stage for far fewer mishaps. And while Commonwealth Avenue is a county road, the local municipality (Upper Township) has the authority to mandate parking rules along that road.
 
The mayor was quite receptive to continuing this conversation with the Township Committee. As this idea moves into the system, we'll ask that you consider making contact with our Township Committee members via their email addresses (each is listed at UpperTownship.com) and lobbying on behalf of one-sided parking along Whale Beach.
 
The good news is that we're seeing evidence that Upper Township is reaching out to collaborate with the county and the state (even the feds) in ways that would have been unheard of a few years ago. And that they are more receptive to hearing the perspectives from experts they never would have considered worthy prior to our de-annexation efforts.
 
As George Welker put it best regarding the results of our de-annexation initiative: "We lost the battle but we may have won the war. Things are different now."
 
On other notes, there will be a town-hall discussion about the FEMA flood maps in the next few months. Mayor Palombo and Paul Dietrich volunteered to come back to Strathmere for a daylong workshop to discuss the proposed new flood maps and walk us through their implications, address by address, so we can all know where we'll stand in terms of flood insurance and such. We'll have 90 days to respond and appeal if we disagree with our individual position on the maps, and the mayor and Mr. Dietrich have pledged the Township's assistance in that effort.
 
We're not sure when those maps will be released, but believe it may be early spring. We'll broadcast an invitation to this daylong workshop the moment we hear when the 90-day comment period will happen. We hope it's closer to March or April in order to get the most amount of townsfolk in attendance. So keep your eyes peeled for that announcement in the months ahead.
 
There is plenty more to talk about, especially about how we continue the fight to secure the best services for Strathmere and Whale Beach, and how we can fight to secure the island's future given the fact that flooding and storm surges will only increase in their routine intensity.
 
Here's a special shout-out to everyone on the CFSWB board, those who participated on Saturday, and to Kandy Kruse, who has taken on the thankless (and time-consuming) task of being our treasurer. She has proven to be absolutely methodical and meticulous with the books. And here's to Rosemarie Whelan, our secretary, whose minutes keep us on track and on focus.
 
Your comments, questions and yes, financial support, are always welcome. In the meantime, have a safe and peaceful winter season. We'll see you on the beach!
 
--
- et
 

Friday, October 10, 2014

Schiavo Library: October 2014 Newsletter

Schiavo Library: October 2014 Newsletter 


Used Book Sale
Our sixth annual “End of Summer” book sale was a record breaker! We made a profit of $689.45 and had 423 people attend our book sale in 19 days. WOW! Profits from our two yearly book sales are used to purchase new books throughout the year. Thanks for your donations – we couldn’t do it without you!

October is Mystery Month at the Library
For the month of October we are having a special drawing for a “mystery prize.” Check out a book (it doesn’t have to be a mystery) and enter to win. Good luck

Why the Public Library is Better than Amazon
Recently, Wall Street Journal’s personal technology writer, Geoffrey Fowler, compared Amazon’s $10 per month “Kindle Unlimited” service and the free e-book lending by his local library. The result: Amazon often didn’t have the newest, big-name books that the library offered. Hurrah for libraries!

Book and DVD Circulation
Our books and DVDs are “flying off the shelves.” Well, maybe that’s a little exaggeration, but our circulation was up this summer and in September. The DVDs continue to be very popular, but we’ve got some avid readers here. And we certainly can’t use the excuse of bad weather for the increased book reading; it was a lovely summer. So, keep reading and we’re glad you’re enjoying our DVDs too.


Christine Rohrman, Library Director
www.strathmerelibrary.org


Wednesday, October 08, 2014

SIA Newsletter 10/6/14:

To All Strathmere and Whale Beach Homeowners and Visitors,
 
 
Both the Citizens for Strathmere & Whale Beach and the SFEC will hold meetings at the Firehouse this Saturday.
The Citizens for Strathmere & Whale Beach meeting is at 11:00 AM and will focus on the issue of beach tags and seasonal congestion on the island.
Mayor Palombo will attend.

  
The Strathmere Fishing and Environmental Club's monthly meeting will be at 4:00 pm and feature an educational discussion on beach erosion, causes and possible fixes (not specific to Strathmere). Coastal Engineer Doug Gaffney will lead the discussion.

Refreshments will be served following the meeting.

All residents are encouraged to attend both meetings.  
There is no membership requirement for either meeting. 


*************************************************************
 
Saturday is also a big day in Ocean City, if you want something to do between the Strathmere meetings – and then after the SFEC meeting.
 
Here is a guide to the OC Fall Block Party and Fireworks.
 
 
****************************************************************
 
On Monday we observe the Columbus Day Holiday.
 
Trash pickup will be Tuesday instead of Monday, and there will be no recycling pickup (hold until October 20).
 
****************************************
 
There is some minor news regarding what we reported in the September 12 Newsletter.
 
The opening of bids has been delayed from 10/3 to 10/10, likely pushing everything below off a week.
 

++++
 
A contractor for the beach replenishment project (34th Street in OC to Townsend’s Inlet) has not yet been selected.
Bids are due back on October 3, and it will probably take at least a month for the Corps to finalize and announce a winner.
 
The contractor will then need a month or so to mobilize and bring a dredge or dredges here, so the project will probably start in the first half of December.
 
The contractor will determine the order of the beaches to be replenished.
Because of both the condition of the State Park and
the environmental
timing restrictions (nesting birds) that are unique to Strathmere,
we are hoping that our portion will be done prior to (or perhaps in conjunction with, if they use multiple dredges) the south end of Ocean City and Sea Isle City.
The Township has had numerous discussions with the Army Corps of Engineers on this, and will discuss it with the contractor once the winner is selected.
 
 
*************************************************************

A “mysterious lady” (from Williams road) planted these flowers at the firehouse in memory of Herb Hollinger, Sr.




Speaking of Herb Sr, if you were unable to attend the celebration of his life last month, here is an abbreviated video of that event.


*******************

Here is a great photograph of the inlet, taken by Ted Kingston at low tide at the end of last month:






Speaking of Ted, the Weavers had him take pictures of our family for an upcoming birthday, and we could not be more thrilled with the wonderful job he did!


****************************************************

Upcoming Events - please mark your calendars:
 
CFSWB Town Meeting, Firehouse, October 11, 11:00 am
SFEC Meeting, Firehouse, Saturday, October 11, 4:00 pm
Trash picked up Tuesday 10/14; hold recycling until 10/20
SFEC Meeting, Firehouse, Saturday, November 8, 4:00 pm
Strathmere Christmas Party, Saturday, December 13, 6:00 pm (details to follow)
 
Let us know of additions or corrections!
 

                   *********************************************************************************
 
The Strathmere Improvement Association invites all owners, renters and vacationers in Strathmere and Whale Beach to join as dues paying members. The SIA was founded in 1951 as a community organization with the simple objective of making Strathmere a better place. We work to preserve our town’s “hometown feeling” and to keep lines of communication open within town, and with local government.

We are proud of the organization's many accomplishments over the years, including sponsorship of 2012 Centennial activities, taking on a key organizing and leadership role in Strathmere and Whale Beach relief efforts after Sandy, and hosting an annual community beach party and concert. Additionally, the July and August SIA meetings feature programs of interest to vacationers and homeowners.

Please let us know if you have comments or suggestions for the newsletter or for SIA in general, or if you'd like us to change your e-mail address in our records.
 
You can contact us by responding to this e-mail at sia1912@comcast.net or by mailing SIA at PO Box 57.

 
 
Thanks very much for your continuing support of the Strathmere Improvement Association!
 
Linda Bateman
Elaine Holsomback
Donna Diefenderfer
Rosemarie Whelan
Ken Weaver