The Cape May County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 9 approved a memorandum of agreement with the Delaware River & Bay Authority to allow construction of a public-use hangar at the county airport, the board said during its regular meeting in Cape May Court House. The resolution (511-25) was adopted during the meeting’s addition items and received unanimous approval.
The agreement allows the DRBA to proceed with construction that the authority described as a public-use hangar. The action follows earlier public discussion and questions about the county’s termination of a lease with the DRBA and the county’s future airside operations.
Why it matters: county residents and meeting speakers said the airport’s lease status and the selection of a new airside operator could carry large, unresolved fiscal consequences for taxpayers. Commissioners and staff told the public some financial details remain undetermined, while staff pointed to published procurement materials for specifics.
What the board decided: By adopting Resolution 511-25, the board authorized execution of the memorandum of agreement with the Delaware River & Bay Authority to permit the hangar project. The vote on the resolution was recorded as approved during the meeting’s addition section.
What was discussed: Several members of the public asked whether the hangar construction was a DRBA project and who would be financially responsible. County staff responded that the hangar is a DRBA project and that the earlier nonrenewal of the lease requires county review before any work proceeds. One resident who said he is running for county commissioner criticized recent federal spending changes and warned that local liabilities could be substantial, saying, “The financial landscape is shifting and I think we need to be responsive to that.”
County staff and counsel directed attendees to procurement postings and public records for the details of the recent airside operator selection and related expenses. At the meeting, staff said the county has published bid results and that additional procurement documents are available on the county procurement portal or by OPRA request. Commissioners also said the total potential liability from the lease termination had not been determined at the time of the meeting.
What remains unresolved: Meeting discussion and public comments requested clearer, earlier notice on the airport lease nonrenewal, the chosen airside operator and any projected county obligations. Commissioners and staff pledged to make procurement documents and bid results available through official channels so residents can review them.
Context and background: The DRBA is a regional authority that operates across portions of New Jersey and Delaware. The county’s decision to authorize the memorandum does not, by itself, quantify any fiscal obligation the county may owe related to the prior lease nonrenewal.
Next steps: Commissioners and staff said they would rely on published procurement materials and, where necessary, OPRA requests to provide additional details to the public. No follow-up vote on the MOA was scheduled at the meeting.