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Cape May County Town Hall: Week of Oct. 12 — Emergency Dredging at Townsends Inlet, an $11.5 Million Bridge Bond and a Cape May Point Tree Ordinance
The county, Avalon and Sea Isle City all take up emergency dredging of Townsends Inlet this week, the commissioners introduce an $11.5 million bridge bond, and Upper Township asks for a slower Tyler Road during the Route 50 bridge job.
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Townsends Inlet is the thread running through this week's meetings. The county, Avalon and Sea Isle City all have emergency dredging of the inlet on their agendas, and the county commissioners will also introduce an $11.5 million bond for county bridges. Here is what is ahead, and what towns decided in the last two weeks.
Meetings ahead
Cape May County Board of County Commissioners — Tuesday, Oct. 13, 3:00 PM
County Administration Building, 4 Moore Road, Cape May Court House. Agenda and packet
- Bond Ordinance 5-2026 is up for introduction: $11.5 million for improvements to county bridges, with $10,952,380 in bonds or notes. A public hearing is listed for Oct. 27.
- Bond Ordinance 4-2026, $4.5 million for the acquisition of real property ($4,285,714 in bonds or notes), is listed for public comment and adoption.
- Resolution 590-26 would authorize a contract to buy 321 East Cedar Avenue in Wildwood.
- Resolution 586-26 joins Avalon, Sea Isle City and the Cape May County Bridge Commission in a shared services agreement for emergency dredging of the Townsends Inlet channel next to the Townsends Inlet Bridge, with a $250,000 county contribution.
- Resolution 573-26 asks Gov. Mikie Sherrill to request U.S. Army Corps of Engineers help, under Public Law 84-99, to restore beaches and coastal infrastructure damaged in the September nor'easter.
- Resolution 572-26 approves up to $24,000 for Rutgers' Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation to study tidal energy at the Middle Thorofare and Townsend's Inlet bridges.
- Also on the list: a new agreement with AFSCME Local 3596 running through 2028 (567-26), a $256,414.34 commercial fishing revolving loan for T&T Fisheries (587-26), and a $559,629.20 change order for South State, Inc.'s 2024 county road paving contract (589-26).
Sea Isle City Council — Tuesday, Oct. 13, 10:00 AM
Council Chambers, City Hall. Agenda
- A shared services agreement with Avalon for dredging Townsends Inlet, including a declaration of emergency.
- Contracts for a Type III ambulance and an EMS Chevrolet Tahoe, and a police cargo truck declared surplus.
Upper Township Committee — Tuesday, Oct. 13, 5:30 PM
Township Hall, 2100 Tuckahoe Road, Petersburg. Agenda
- A request that the county temporarily lower the speed limit and make all of Tyler Road (County Route 616) a no-passing zone while the Route 50 bridge over Cedar Swamp Creek is rebuilt.
- Bids for the reconstruction of Klains Lane, and an application to the state's Safe Routes to School program.
- A $22,913.16 LUCAS chest compression system for the Division of EMS, paid for with National Opioid Settlement money.
- Steelmantown Cemetery Co.'s request to buy township-owned land at Block 11, Lot 4.04.
- Triad Advisory Services would take over administration of the township's affordable housing programs.
- A closed session on contract negotiations for a shared services agreement with Ocean City. The meeting opens with a moment of silence for William "Bill" Chatten Jr., former chief of the Tuckahoe Volunteer Fire Company.
Cape May Point Board of Commissioners — Tuesday, Oct. 13, 6:00 PM (Zoom)
- Commissioners will discuss a beach curfew.
- Ordinance 14-2026, amending Chapter 138, "Tree Removal and Replacement," is up for introduction, with a hearing and adoption vote set for Oct. 27 at noon.
- Resolution 119-26 renews the borough's fuel-buying agreement with the county through 2030.
Avalon Borough Council — Wednesday, Oct. 14, 4:00 PM
- Resolution 193-2026 would award an emergency contract to Norfolk Dredging Company to dredge Townsends Inlet, at a cost not to exceed $1.6 million.
- Discussion of the Grace O'Brien Park improvement project and how to pay for it, plus the introduction of an ordinance amending an earlier capital bond ordinance.
- Participation in the federal 1033 program, which provides surplus Defense Department equipment to police.
Also posted
West Cape May has agendas posted for Oct. 13 and Oct. 14; check the official documents for details.
Decisions behind
Ocean City Council — Oct. 8
- Resolution 26-278 authorized advertising City Contract #26-31 for boardwalk lumber.
- Resolution 26-286 set up a shared services agreement to use Upper Township's municipal court facilities on a temporary basis.
- Professional services contracts went to McManimon, Scotland & Baumann for bond counsel and J.P. Bainbridge & Associates for commercial appraisals.
Stone Harbor Borough Council — Oct. 6
- A $150,000 emergency appropriation to remount an ambulance on a new chassis, so the borough keeps the two working ambulances state law requires.
- A contract for replacing the Stone Harbor Marina boat ramp. At a Sept. 29 special meeting, the council voted to leave the State Health Benefits Program (meeting page).
West Wildwood Borough Commissioners — Oct. 2
- Ordinance 652 (2026) was introduced. It repeals Ordinance 600 (2022) and sets new sewer service rates.
- The commissioners adopted the 2025 audit and asked NJDOT for a six-month extension on the Maple Avenue Terminus improvement project.
Wildwood Board of Commissioners — Sept. 23
- $4 million in revenue and appropriations for the federally funded boardwalk reconstruction project.
- A contract with DeBlasio & Associates, not to exceed $115,000, for flood mitigation work at Otten's Harbor.
Not every town posts its meeting records online in a form we can track yet. For the full list, see Cape May County Government.