To the Editor:
Denis Caren; photo. ? Plan B for Ocean Grove’s “middle beach walk”
I would like to post this pic for posting on the Blog regarding FEMA rejecting CMA. I took this pic on my cell phone in February; it’s the “path” along the walkway Waikiki. Time for CMA to start thinking about Plan B (pic) for the middle beach.
Cheers,
Dennis
EDITOR’S NOTE: FEMA has already given out “over $241.5 million to municipalities, public entities and certain non-profits,” according to The Star Ledger on April 2, 2013. Now the funds are beginning to “level off” as fewer individuals request FEMA money and funds are now going to “bigger construction projects in municipalities.”
Interestingly, when Point Pleasant recently complained that they did not get FEMA money for their boardwalk, New Jersey’s two Senators announced “more than $2.1 million” for their boardwalk (Point Beach; reported by the PointPleasant Patch.) Seaside Heights restoration will cost $8 million including over $3 million for their boardwalk, and their mayor said that they expect 90% reimbursement from FEMA. Belmar issued a $20 million bond offering to pay for their new 1.3 mile boardwalk. They expect to get over 75% reimbursed by FEMA. (APP 12/5/12). Their beach badges will now cost $1.00 more. Scotch Plains got $1.2 million from FEMA for their repairs and cleanup in Sandy’s aftermath. (Reported by the Scotch Plains/Fanwood Patch)
Dennis Caren’s idea of a plan B in case significant non-FEMA money doesn’t materialize represents some “thinking out of the box.” A similar idea was mentioned by “Joe” in our comments section. Who’s to say that the “middle beach” can’t become a stretch of beautiful walkway as in Waikiki? That should be a lot cheaper to build than a boardwalk. It sounds like a great idea which could become an iconic piece of town landscape design. No hurricane would ever blow it away.
oh right… palm trees… that goes real well.
Good to see another approach, a plan B, in case the money for a middle boardwalk never appears (cannot wait to read the bicyclists comments). The comments about FEMA’s denial seem to forget the loud hew and cry against FEMA’s using taxpayer dollars to pay for restoring the many privately owned facilities such as condos, gated communities, and others that restrict public access. Unfortunately, unintended consequences often are not recognized until new regulations and new laws are put to the test. Let us hope for a beneficial adjustment.