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Board advances $172,626 match for preservation of WWII Fire Control Tower No. 23
Summary
The board agreed to move forward with HP 26-01, authorizing up to $172,626 in matching funds toward preservation work on WWII Fire Control Tower No. 23; Cape May MAC said the full $345,252 estimate includes unit-cost allowances and that work would begin in October and finish by year-end.
The board voted to move HP 26-01 — a preservation project for WWII Fire Control Tower No. 23 — forward with a matching-funds allocation not to exceed $172,626. Commissioner Bobby Barr made the motion and Ronald Simone seconded; the motion was recorded as carried with all members in favor before Mr. Simone stepped down from the dais and a quorum was no longer present.
Representatives from Cape May MAC — Jody Alessandrine, Kate Devaney and Bob Russell — told the board the tower requires maintenance after prior preservation work. Bob Russell said crews would “sound” the concrete (tap it to detect hollow sections) to identify areas needing repair, and described planned scaffold erection, roof-hatch replacement, window repairs, painting and installation of safety bars. The group provided a $345,252 cost estimate that includes predetermined unit costs. Alessandrine said $172,626 of that sum is proposed as matching funds from a New Jersey Historic Trust grant and that awards will be announced at the September meeting; she added that Cape May MAC would proceed using its own funds if the trust award is not received.
Board Engineer Andrew Shawl told members the application was thorough and met requirements. Applicants said work would start in October and should conclude by the end of the year. The board opened and closed the public-comment period with no speakers present.
The board’s action advances the project to the next stage of funding and contracting; minutes reflect a motion to proceed with the matching-funds amount but note that the subsequent absence of a quorum prevented further business later in the session.
