In a piece published on March 9, 2020 in the Asbury Park Press,  we learned a few new facts:.

1. Regarding the Better Parking Alliance:

“Andy Levine, president of Better Parking Alliance, said he and several of his members recently met with Asbury Park Deputy City Manager Michael Manzella.

“Levine said he was particularly interested in shared services with Asbury Park and Neptune and would look at options like a joint parking garage and a shared residential parking permit system.

“We have to balance the needs of residents, visitors, hotels in the area, and to try and find something that is the middle ground,” Levine said. “

Curious:  He left the CMA out from from his list.

And, we have no information about what he accomplished at his first town hall meeting.

2.  Asbury official Manzella said that  “he did not offer opinions on parking solutions or opportunities for joint projects with Ocean Grove. ”  He said that his city has their own parking problems, but AP would be interested in discussing cooperative efforts with OG.

But, in an example of sloppy journalism, the Press decided to again bring up the worn-out subject of those locked Wesley Lake gates.  It’s just trying to start a brush fire when the situation requires focused quiet discussions.  This is some more fake news from the APP troublemakers.

However, while bringing up those locks, the reporter quoted Neptune Township Police Chief James Hunt with a factoid that we hadn’t heard before:

“Police Chief James M. Hunt Jr. wrote in a letter to township officials that an analysis showed 70% of burglaries and 50% of thefts in Ocean Grove occur along the boundary with Asbury Park.”

3.  And once again CMA President Michael Badger is quoted in the Press.  He said that he is “skeptical” about any paid.  (ie permits)  or metered parking in OG, but that he is awaiting the results of the CMA’s private parking evaluation by a consultant which will be ready with a report in August.

The APP says that “Badger is quick to point out the historic tourist nature of the community as a reason to avoid paid parking. People visit Ocean Grove throughout the year for a wide variety of programming, including many of the religious functions held at the community, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.”

At least he now admits that his priority is parking for all his religious tourists visiting the Grove “throughout the year.”  Once again he doesn’t mention the residents of OG and their parking and life-style concerns.

Note that both the CMA and the Chamber of Commercials have been promoting OG as a “year-round”  beach and religious “community”.  A recent Chamber promo says, “Ocean Grove is ‘open for business 365 days a year’ “.    And how about those Grovers who say that our parking problems are only in peak summer months?  Those people have self interested reasons for saying that—-eg realtors.

The OGCC is responsible for a ramped-up schedule of tourist events. They have a different idea of “the good life” than do the residents in town. Blogfinger photo