Weekend storm causes $67 million in damage in Cape May County

Last week's nor'easter at the Jersey Shore caused more than $67 million in public and private damage in Cape May County alone, according to preliminary figures released Friday by county emergency management officials.

Local, county, and state officials have spent the week since Winter Storm Jonas struck assessing cost estimates to determine whether the region will be eligible to seek federal disaster assistance. Beach and dune erosion cannot be factored in, and other damage to private property and public infrastructure losses determine whether a region meets the federal thresholds for receiving aid, officials said.

Officials said 15 out of the 16 towns in Cape May County - even those inland - sustained some damage in the storm that slammed the region with snow, record-setting flood tides, and wind gusts that neared hurricane force. The only town in the county to report no damage was the borough of Cape May Point.

The beach town that apparently sustained the most damage was Sea Isle City, where an estimated $24 million in public and private losses have been tallied. North Wildwood suffered an estimated $13 million in damage. Stone Harbor is close behind with about $12 million in damage counted so far.

Cape May County Emergency Management Director Martin Pagliughi said he would submit the preliminary figures to the Governor's Office on Friday afternoon so that state and federal officials can begin the process of obtaining a federal disaster declaration that may trigger funding assistance to the region.

Pagliughi said that not all the towns have submitted official figures for damage and that he expects the final tally to be higher. Officials also could not provide specifics on the damage in each town on Friday.

"The preliminary damage assessments sustain the request to ask for a federal declaration," Pagliughi said. "The county Office of Emergency Management got to work immediately after the storm and worked with every community to assist in their assessment."

Atlantic County said there was an estimated $2.5 million in damage to public property - aside from eroded beaches - but has not released figures, including private property damage.

Meanwhile, at the intersection of 96th Street and Third Avenue in Stone Harbor that was flooded last Saturday by ice chunks and three feet of tidal water, more than 250 people gathered Friday morning for a photo op. They wanted to send the message that the site is now dry and the Cape May County resort town survived the ferocious storm.

"And we're thriving," said Maggie Day, owner of a Stone Harbor children's clothing shop where the floodwaters damaged merchandise and fixtures during the storm.

Day, who was among the organizers of the Friday event along the borough's business district, said everyone from fourth graders from the local elementary school to the mayor posed for pictures "in a real show of solidarity." There were residents, police and firefighters, town council members, children, real estate agents, the local women's civic club, member of the recreation department, and others, she said.

"Everyone was standing together to send the message that Stone Harbor is going to be OK," Day said.

Mayor Suzanne Walters, who is heading up a local Mayors Wellness Campaign, said a testament to that "intrepid spirit" is that dozens of people also showed up for the kickoff of the fitness campaign on Monday - only two days after the storm.

"People who live here year around know the drill, that we get these nor'easters and we have to deal with them," Walters said Friday. "It was an awful storm for this town, and there was a lot of flooding and damage. But we'll survive."

Stone Harbor, with a year-round population of 850, was among the Jersey Shore towns in Cape May County visited Monday by an entourage of state officials, including Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno and Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin.

The group toured beaches in Stone Harbor and North Wildwood that had nearly been washed away in the storm and saw dunes where 10-foot cliffs had been carved by the ferocious waves and flooding. They also viewed beaches in Ortley Beach and Holgate in Ocean County that were damaged.

On Thursday, the Christie administration will host two storm assistance workshops - in Sea Isle City and Wildwood - to provide assistance to residents and businesses impacted by the storm.

Between 11:15 a.m. and 4:15 p.m., people affected by the storm will have access to representatives from various state agencies, including the Departments of Banking and Insurance, Community Affairs, Human Services, Environmental Protection, and Economic Development.

The workshops will be held at the Sea Isle City Library, 4800 Central Ave., Sea Isle City, and at the Wildwoods Convention Center, 4501 Boardwalk, Wildwood. For more information go to www.nj.gov/governor

609-652-8382 jurgo@phillynews.com @JacquelineUrgo