At the July 9, 2018 Committee Meeting there was a first reading of an ordinance: 18-24. The Township wants to establish a new position: HPC Administrative Officer. This bit of news doesn’t pass the smell test regarding what’s best for Ocean Grove and its historic designations.
We already heard about the Township’s plans to rewrite the HPC guidelines and to hire a consultant for that purpose, but we have heard nothing lately as to that topic. As worrisome as that sounds, the Chairwoman, Deb Osepchuk, has refused to make any public comment after promising Blogfinger that she would allow us an interview on the matter.
Rumor has it that the Township, beholden to developers who hate the HPC, wants to weaken the powers of the Commission. But no one in the know will say anything to us.
Now we hear about this new position, and it sounds like the Township wants more control over the process of Historic Preservation, but instead of showing courage at the meeting last night, the HPC Chair refused to say anything, evidently at the advice of her lawyer. So what good is the HPC if it won’t stand up for preservation in the Grove?
We believe that every member of the HPC ought to resign immediately until the future of their Commission be defined publicly including their powers, their guidelines, their credentials, and the integrity of their functions.
The Township must insure that the best interests of Ocean Grove be front and center when considering the HPC.
And, by the way, where is the Ocean Grove Historical Society regarding matters such as this? They should be involved in all these historic preservation issues, and if they won’t, then their Board should be fired by the membership. And of course, the Home Groaners should have been on their feet demanding some transparency regarding this situation. It’s about time that their board also be replaced.
THE ROOFTOP SINGERS:
I strongly believe that the strategy here is for all development in the North End to be approved by this new “Administrative Officer for the HPC”.
Pay close attention over the next few months. And go to Township Committee Meetings and ask questions. Also go to HPC meetings and ask questions.
We need to band together to protect Ocean Grove.
I detest the HPC more than anybody, and for good reason. But I don’t like this idea. The plan to revisit the Guidelines with a consultant is a good one, and I think preservation could be simplified, administered better, and made fairer for Grovers. Any review and change should be a transparent, deliberate process. This proposal, especially at this stage (this is just the top of the first inning), reeks of a power grab in the pursuit of unrestrained development. It should be resisted.
Linda, I believe that an employee of the township is already acting in this new position (which provides only a small pay increase), and is most likely already exercising powers that diminish those of the HPC, even though there is not yet any legal ordinance for this in place.
Paul, when somebody is being mugged, you should help the victim off the sidewalk and focus on the perpetrator. Remember, this just came out of left field. We have a highly qualified and committed HPC, and I am sure they are working as hard as possible at the moment, within legal limits, to continue to protect Ocean Grove.
Go To: The ordinance did not, as you say, provide a job description, so, as usual, we are left with inadequate information.
You are right to want to know the job description, but we don’t take assignments. The ball should, as you suggest, be picked up some organization in town.
The HPC members are failing the public, and they should be ashamed.
And OG was going to revert to single family homes
Paul, I sent the note yesterday alerting you to this situation. It came up at the very last minute with the release of the Committee’s 7/9 meeting agenda. Those few who read the agenda were taken by surprise. Most people are still completely unaware. You were one of the first people notified that a problem exists, and I think that you are correct in tying this to the previous attempt to destroy the guidelines.
I believe that every group potentially involved (HPC, Historical Society, Home Owners, people living in OG, etc.), once aware, should work together to gather and digest the available information, and that a common front against this ordinance will quickly emerge, but we all need to work together on this, and quickly.
Word on the street is that Bernie Haney is actively trying to undermine the HPC’s sole authority to issue Certificates of Appropriateness, and place a great deal of that power into his own office with this new position. Please go to the Township and request a copy of the job description that the seemingly harmless ordinance references.
The Township Committee seems to have no real idea of what’s going on yet. We need to assemble information, help them understand the problem, and remind them that they are our elected representatives, not Bernard Haney.
If that new position pays a decent salary, we can be certain that the Neptune Township Committee will appoint one of their political pals to it, as we saw with Randy Bishop getting the Senior Center post.
Maybe they will create a new position: Medical Director of Neptune Township at a salary of at least $150,000. This would be perfect for Doctor Brantley; after all he is a dentist.