By Paul Goldfinger, MD. Editor ( Blogfinger.net 12 years old in June. Over 4 million hits.)
The OG Home Groaners have a history of choosing irrelevant topics for their meetings.
Instead of important matters such as whether OG residents would support their disgraceful position on the North End, the OGHOA has had meetings about anti-semitism in the Grove (doesn’t exist) and a recent meeting as to what their survey said about their being more popular. Do you think that green energy was what the citizens requested from their HOA?
Recently they invited the OGNED (North End) developers to a meeting where provocative questions from the audience were banned. Censorship is what that meeting delivered.
They never offer programs on the lack of transparency by the Neptune Comedy as the Neptuners continually dump on the Grove and the HOA is only now waking up to the idea that renters might be interested in the town.
Topics they always ignore include explaining land use laws, threats to Lake Ave, uninhibited condo conversions, Wesley Lake pollution, excess tourism, coping with the impending North End disaster, zoning distortions, ground water clarity, Air B&B growth, deluge of rentals and renters escaping the pandemic, Asbury impact on the Grove, and how about a committee that looks after the interests of people who actually live here and pay taxes.
By comparison, here is a snapshot of the OGHOA in the past—- totally different from the gibberish-laden slush being dished out to Grovers by the OGHOA.
From the Blogfinger OG Timeline:
“By the 1980’s, the town is characterized by an overall “decrepitude,” including deterioration of buildings, declining tourism, crime, and a growing poor elderly population. Deinstitutionalized mental patients are housed in empty old hotels and rooming houses in Ocean Grove. The town becomes a “psychiatric ghetto” (NY Times, October 1988,) and by the 1980’s, 10% of the town’s population are mental cases who are not receiving appropriate services and are sometimes abused by landlords. The prognosis for Ocean Grove is dire.
“During this period, the Ocean Grove Homeowner’s Association (OGHOA) develops as a political and activist force that successfully begins the process of converting the town from decay to renaissance.”
That generation of OGHOA saved the town. This generation is politically correct and impotent.
Now we learn that the next meeting will be “TALKING GREEN!!” The Groaners want to know if “our Historic District status can be compatible with a Green future.”
This is a contrived and fake news topic as it pertains to our town.
They say that this program is “inspired by the creation of the OGHOA’s Renewable Energy Committee” Do we really want such a committee?
To this end the Groaners have invited two representatives of political groups who’s purpose in life is to promote “green energy.”
The Renewable Energy Committee’s motto is “Change your energy, change the world.” They seek money to “empower consumers.” They don’t produce anything in our society but propaganda. Their real goal is to change our country and our communities.
The Electric Vehicle Association promotes—electric vehicles. Why do we need to hear about that? Surely there are more important topics to confront.
If you want to be brainwashed by the Groaners, go to this meeting —it is totally political and unnecessary.
K.D. LANG:
Totally agree with your comments about Home Groaners. Of all the topics for discussion as we enter the summer season, green energy and electric cars is not one of them.
I can foresee serious difficulties for electric car owners in urban areas that lack private garages. At present, it seems a complete charge takes overnight, though newer technology may improve matters.
Currently the use of solar panels in the Historic District is prohibited on roofs. While it may not save energy, I would like to see electric wires placed underground in Ocean Grove. This would greatly improve the appearance of the place and be more “authentic.”
@Blogfinger
Re: attacks on you—— stay the course. 👍😊
We learn more about OG from you than anywhere else.
Yes these groups are political. You could be sure that they would like the government to pay for electrical charging stations all over the country instead of being paid for by the automobile companies. And they would like the government to help people pay for solar panels. Individuals should pay for their own solar panels.
Of course those groups are political. Their goal is to push a point of view in the hopes that policy will follow. They don’t produce anything but that.
As for being disrespectful to the Home Groaners, that is a nickname, so if they can’t live with that then so be it. When I write about the Home Groaners, it is always to be critical of their policies. That is called an opinion. If they ever wake up and do something really useful for our town, then I will consider shelving the nickname.
And as far as Fox news is concerned, you must be devoid of ideas if that’s the best you can come up with.
Instead how about sharing your ideas about Ocean Grove.
And while you’re at it, how about having the courage to tell us your real name. It’s cowardly to launch personal attacks without telling us who you are. Besides, personal attacks are against our rules. You should read our rules page above.
Well. When your blog refers to the Homeowners Association as “Home Groaners” it is critical and disrespectful, and your news reporting becomes more comparable to Fox News than the New York Times. And you specifically refer to the invited speakers as political groups, which opens the discussion to your readers of subjects you consider out of scope for your blog. I didn’t do that.
It doesn’t matter to me whether you publish this response or not.
Curmudgeon: When Charles Layton, a professional newsman, was working with me, he was offered a petition at a parade in town. He refused to participate because, as a journalist, he would not take sides. His job was to report the news.
My task as a blogger in Ocean Grove is to offer news and opinion. I do consider myself a journalist and I have been a member of the NJ Press Association.
It would be out of line for me to become an activist and “start something.”
Your characterization of me as a “complainer” is offensive, and I reject it. Would you call the editorial board at the New York Times “complainers?” I think not.
You say that “green energy” is a “relevant” issue in the Grove. OK. You are entitled to your opinion. So knock yourself out and go to the meeting.
But regarding your concerns about national politics, solar energy, electric cars, future legislation, and “Republican intransigence,” none of those subjects are on the table for specific discussion on Blogfinger.
This article is about the Home Groaners and what topics it chooses to promote.
Green energy might not be the most pressing issue in Ocean Grove right now, but it is certainly not irrelevant.
I think there will be some infrastructure legislation despite Republican intransigence, and will likely include incentives and support for solar energy and cars.
How will solar panels coexist with Historic Preservation? How will the supply of electricity support more electric cars? I didn’t buy one due to concern about a charging wire out to the street. Green energy is not a fake issue, here or anywhere else.
Why don’t you start something to address some of the local issues you cite as priorities if you are not content with the HOA, instead of complaining? Try organizing legal opposition to the North End project for starters. See how much support you get.
I was part of that alliance that brought attention to the situation in Ocean Grove back then. We had had enough. Especially when you see mentally ill patients committing suicide, accosting residents, and some things you don’t want to know about.
The reason we were successful is that we had a nucleus of caring people who had lived here a decent amount of time and realized unless we contacted the media nothing would change. So we did. There were interviews conducted on the sidewalks by Channel 7. It was carried on the news. We told it like it was. We also contacted our Senators. Action was taken, indigent residents were re-located, and town began to look better.
We don’t have that nucleus of long time residents anymore. But yes, we should be concentrating on the quality of life in Ocean Grove by repairing/replenishing our core.. Green energy? Where are your hearts?