OG North End fire scene. Paul Goldfinger © June 11, 2019. Click on photos to enlarge the mess.
Permission to do nothing; so far. Paul Goldfinger photo. 6/11/19. ©
By Paul Goldfinger and Jack Bredin: Blogfinger.net Reporting on June 11, 2019 from the North End Ocean Grove beachfront.
During Vito Gadaleta’s report at the Committee meeting of June 10, 2019, he described the status of the “cleanup.”
The Neptune Township spokesman was referring to the huge piles of debris left after the North End fire of April 13, 2019, leaving us with a bleak landscape—- a scorched earth beachfront dystopia.
There has been talk of removal work beginning now, but so far every little breeze seems to whisper “a tease.”
Gadaleta said that the CMA and the Pavilion’s (White Whale) owner had “signed all agreements , and that there is a contract to remove all debris.”
He said that the first step was to provide safe passage for those massively heavy trucks to cross the boardwalk at Ocean Grove’s North End without damaging the walkway or the Pavilion deck. Details were not given, but it seems that a sort of bridge will be built.
Gadaleta said the protection work would begin today, Tuesday, June 11, but Blogfinger came by late in the afternoon, when there was perfect weather, but no sign of any work.
A resolution was passed at the meeting to allow contractors to work each day until 8 pm. The idea is to get the job done by July 1 so as not to interfere with the July 4 and the sesquicentennial festivities. This is essential, because there will be considerable holiday foot traffic in both directions.
Neptune Township is not known for speedily getting things done. We have been waiting 11 years for a North End Redevelopers Agreement to be finalized.
During the work, the boardwalk will be closed, and the old pathway used. When the job is finished, the boardwalk will reopen.
Gadaleta made it clear that the Township had nothing to do with the cleanup, but curiously, Committeeman Michael Brantley found it necessary to say, “The Township is not involved with the contract, but we will get that beachfront cleaned up!”
How he hopes to do that when Neptune denies any involvement in the work is a mystical mystery. And another mystery is why he and the Comedy allowed those toxic, hazardous piles of crap to sit for two months, untouched.
Here’s a chorus of “Louise” for the mayor to sing to us:
And in my lonely room.
Thoughts of you come to me,
Like a sweet perfume.”
There’s no perfume coming off that mess.
MAURICE CHEVALIER
So disrespectful to residents. If it was in their back yard in Shark River “Hill’s” (Twp. Administration) it would have been cleaned up by now no matter what the challenge