Blogfinger

“..and the walls came tumbling down.” Auditorium roof pieces on Nov. 3, 2012. All photos © by Paul Goldfinger. Left click all our photos.

By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger

FEMA–REGULAR FUNDING SECTOR: The Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association has submitted their second appeal to FEMA. Ralph delCampo, interim COO, OGCMA, told Blogfinger that his team has been working with “just about every elected official at multiple levels of government” including Neptune Township, NJ State legislature, Governor’s office, our Representative in Congress—Chris Smith, and our Senator Menendez. He also specifically mentioned Assemblywomen Angelini and Casagrande along with our State Senator Jennifer Beck.

We should have a response about our appeal around Thanksgiving time.

Mr. delCampo says, “We are trying to address every avenue we can and to leave no stone unturned.”

Based upon advice from consultants experienced with FEMA and Katrina, the CMA has been advised to request an oral presentation to FEMA in Washington, D.C. The CMA contacted them, and “FEMA agreed to a face to face.”

That should happen in October or November. Among the consultants who are helping is Ocean Grover Eileen Kean. Mr. delCampo says that she has “a lot of connections to a variety of government agencies.”

Nov 3, 2012. Many volunteers showed up. PG photo ©

FEMA SPECIAL FUNDING SECTOR: It turns out that there is a separate funding section within FEMA that handles grants. A few weeks ago, three officials from that group visited Ocean Grove and met with CMA. The officials were given a tour and a presentation of the CMA re-design plans for the ocean front including bulkheads, boardwalk, sand replenishment, pier reconstruction and dunes. Mr. delCampo said that the visitors were “very helpful and interested.”

NEW JERSEY SOURCES OF FUNDING: The Governor’s office has referred the CMA to the State Department of Transportation which has grants of $200,000-$400,000 that we can apply for. That is being looked into.

TOGETHER FUND: So far this effort has brought in $1.265 million.

Volunteers came from all over. © PG photo

GETTING READY FOR CONSTRUCTION: A parallel effort is going on in order to be “ready to go” when financing appears. The CMA met last week with their construction engineering firm in order to revisit the estimates and obtain bids for the Boardwalk. “We want to be proactive,” he said.

WORK PRIORITIES:

1. Middle Beach

2. Area north of Sea View Avenue

3. Rebuild the Fishing Pier (“This has always been part of our plan.”)

–A decision will not be made vis a vis the Fishing Club “until

there is clarity” regarding related issues.

4. Redevelop the North End

EXTEND THE FISHING PIER FURTHER? The CMA may get some “outside funding” to go another 30 feet, but we need some more engineering assessment of pilings out there. Maybe the pier can get over the water soon.

BEACH REPLENISHMENT by the Army Corps of Engineers. They are now in Manasquan and will head north. They should reach this area some time in autumn. The last time the beach was replenished was 2001, and the A.C.E. has engineering plans to use in order to get us back to pre-Sandy levels

AUDITORIUM: The new roof materials will be ordered shortly, and the roof should be done by year end.

Nov 3, 2012. A ray of hope: the first fisherman returns to the OG beach. PG photo ©

Here is a link to another photo of the resolute fisherman, above.   Fisherman photo

From the Broadway show “Mame”