The Coaster is famous for regurgitating whatever some source gives it. Where is their journalistic integrity? Where is their pursuit of truth?
As Welsh said to McCarthy in 1960, “At long last sir, have you no sense of decency?” Can’t the Coaster put together a coherent report on the subject of parking permits?
In today’s weekly Coaster is a front page article about the plan to “maybe” have a referendum on the subject. To capture your attention is a front page photograph. It is picture of parked cars in the Grove. Wow—how come we haven’t figured out that parking is what permit parking is all about?
Quotes from the Coastericans:
#1: “But even if permit parking were to become a reality, it’s skeptical whether there would be enough parking spaces for everyone who wants one.”
Does the Coaster doubt that everyone would “want one?” And do they think that any coherent plan would propose that everyone get one?
#2 “Some details are still vague.”
Really? Don’t you see that all details are still vague?
#3 “Parking is at a premium in Ocean Grove especially during the summer.”
Well, here’s breaking news! Quick Ma, get the digitalis!
#4 As for getting an ordinance together for November, the Township Attorney Gene Anthony said, “It will be tough.”
Mayor Brantley said, “This is difficult.” He also said, “We need to decide if a referendum is good or not so it is still up in the air about the referendum”
“Deputy Mayor Nick Williams said that there needs to be some specifics in the referendum question such as the cost of the permits and other information.”
Williams went on to say “Where do we go with this? What do we do with it, and how do we work it out? We need to iron things out before the referendum,” he said.”
“The attorney Anthony said that he agrees with Williams.”
#5 “But in the end, the governing body voted to have Anthony prepare a ballot question by the next meeting. Whether it will move forward remains unclear.”
The Mayor followed with, “I think maybe we should take a shot at it and if it can’t be done, at least we gave it a try. Let’s see what we come up with,” Brantley said.
#6 Committeeman Carol Rizzo said, “Let’s see if it can be put on a referendum and let the people in town decide,” she said.
How many lawyers were in that room? Were they all comatose, induced by the gobbledygook?
Let’s face it. No referendum is needed. The HOA should demand that the Township stop the gobbledygook and hire a consultant and work out a plan for parking permits in Ocean Grove, in cooperation with the OGHOA Parking Committee (fire the task force.) Then maybe a coherent plan would be developed, with public hearings and details, and then the Township could consider adoption.
Maybe what we need up on that Committee dais are 7 little girls. They at least know what they are doing.:
Philip Orton, you are 100% correct, and this is all the more reason for OG to separate from Neptune Township, or we will always be under their thumb.
A simple explanation for why NT may not be very responsive to OG residents requests for parking permitting system is this: OG population is only 17% of NT!
Paying property taxes doesn’t give you ownership of the street. The other 83% of the NT population may not enjoy the reduction in free parking spaces in OG. And the township committee is elected by and represents the population not the property tax payers.
This may be a fundamental roadblock to permit parking, and nobody seems to have thought of it. What do you think?
It seems to me that more than anything, permit parking would be a cash cow to Neptune. First, they would assess a fee for each permit. Then enforcement.
No point to a permit if anyone can park anywhere, so restrictions on locations would have to be monitored for non-compliance and tickets issued to “wrong parkers”.
What are legitimate visitors to do?
Maybe I’m not seeing how it would work.
Really, it is a sovereignty issue. Does Neptune want to give away its property to Asbury Park? Let Asbury businesses, residents and visitors use Neptune property at no cost at the expense of Neptune businesses, Neptune residents, and Neptune visitors?
Maybe Neptune should also be writing checks to Asbury interests, in the interest of complete submission. Help them earn profits, help Asbury provide access to Asbury visitors to Asbury beaches, Asbury events, and Asbury restaurants, cafes, and homes. If Neptune wants to financially lay down its resources in front of the King, why not go all the way?
The referendum is a dumb idea. The Committee was elected to make decisions, and they should act. I was at the meeting, and it just demonstrated how many new objections can be raised when the needs of a referendum are identified. And they are not unreasonable. Voters need information to vote on a referendum, so specifics are required. Partial parking permits won’t solve the problem either. OG needs a parking strategy designed to set a market price for parking. This means a combination of resident permits, parking meters, and time restrictions. The Committee could actually care less.