Township special meeting held at the Arts Center. January 28, 2023.  Perhaps 200 Grover citizens were present to plead their case before the Neptune tribunal

By Paul Goldfinger, MD.  Editor Blogfinger.net

Eight township officials sat up front to conduct this meeting to review a Pilot Residential Permit Parking (RPPP) Program offered by a Township Subcommittee. The meeting was run by Neptune Township  Mayor Cafferty, a grim looking character who didn’t seem to have a sense of humor. The meeting lasted over 3 hours and ended with a long line of Grovers who made speeches (3 minutes) or asked questions. There was quite a diversity of opinion expressed on that line and in the balcony.

Where did all these opinionated Grovers come from? I thought we had a silent majority in town.

Team Neptune: They don’t look happy to be there. These Neptuners get to continue the Township tradition of dumping on Grover citizens.   No Ocean Grover is part of that crew.   Paul Goldfinger photo Blogfinger.net. 1/28/23.  Click to study their demeanors.

The main question was whether the Township would approve this subcommittee  pilot plan which is sponsored by a group consisting of the OGHOA, the Better Parking Alliance, Chamber of Commerce, and a lawyer named Shane Martins.  Martins woke up the crowd when he said that “there already is a Neptune residential parking permit in the Township Code.”

Also on board was the Deputy Mayor Tassie York who is a newcomer on the Committee and now, by some political magic, is an expert on OG parking problems. She didn’t speak.

Describing the plan  to the group were representatives of the HOA (Joyce Klein)  and the BPA (Andy Levine).

Andy Levine (BPA)  says, regarding enforcement, “Call the cops.” Blogfinger photo.

Also speaking for 15 minutes was Michael Badger, President of the CMA.  His presence was controversial and he even drew some catcalls from the audience.

If you want to know the details of the plan, you can go to the OGHOA website or the Neptune site or go to our BF article below this one.

Many of the  plan details were torn apart by Grovers who spoke.  We should have a T shirt that says, “Grovers Who Speak—GWS”. This could be the start of something big.

Blogfinger will not rattle off  all the details—that’s what the Coaster does,  but we will list some of what we learned this morning.

After a break a line began to form (on the right) to speak. That’s when the Mayor insisted that I sit down.  Busy taking these photos–free press?

a. Most citizens  supported the idea of a “pilot plan”.  The proposal called for the plan to begin in March and last for a year.

b. Michael Badger was very outspoken in opposing any permit parking plan.  He asked the Neptuners to “say  no to preferential parking.”    He said that the plan offered a special advantage to a few and that “everyone should have a shot at a parking space.”

Badger said that we should not give privileges to one group.  But which group is that?   In his speeches and interviews he never acknowledges that we have a discrete group called “Ocean Grove Residents.”  He said that if you don’t like your parking situation, then move somewhere else in town.

He said that such a plan was inappropriate because the Grove is “only 1/2 mile long.”

Really?   His signs say “God’s Square Mile.”

CMA slide during the Badger’s presentation. Click to find the devil.

Michael Badger, “Just say no.” Blogfinger photo. 1/28/23. Ocean Grove

Many in the audience condemned his message and even questioned his choice to speak at this meeting.  Dr. Cindy Williams of Ocean Grove berated  Neptune officials saying that they should “perform their duties under the authority of the people.”  She accused the Mayor of inappropriately allowing the CMA to speak and to allow Badger’s “outrageous power points.”    Others were shouting about a CMA slide depicting some people as devils. They though that was nasty.

c.  Nancy Badger went to the mic. and said that the pilot plan “discriminated” against other Neptune residents while benefitting “a few” in Ocean Grove.

d. Nigel Newton, a parking engineer who lives in town, said that the design work was excellent and now it is time for “action over words.”  He said that Asbury Park is the problem, not Ocean Grove.  Ways to discourage AP parkers must be found or AP will control Ocean Grove.

Others, including Joyce Klein of the HOA, painted Asbury parkers as our main problem now.

Complements of the HOA; Joyce Klein provided these fascinating stats.

e. Some stressed that residents of OG deserved special treatment to deal with their  parking difficulties.  The HOA said that parking problems will “always exist” so this plan is to  find a way “to make it better.”  Klein said that the problem has been studied for the last 8 years, and now is the time to take action.

Andy Levine of the BPA stressed that this is a “pilot—a chance to try something new and learn from it.”

f. Finally, some spoke out to agree with Blogfinger’s prior posts:  We have a large community of tax paying residents who have a major “quality of life” issue here, and parking permits will help–not cure. One speaker said that families are punished by the parking glut including the nurse who comes home with a child and groceries and can’t park.

Klein (HOA) said that 58 of 60 shore towns have laws to help with residential parking.  Only two do not:  Ocean Grove and Deal, and Deal has driveways.

Attention should be paid!

Joyce Klein agreed that she and all Grovers deserve some help with parking. She also stressed the central issue now is of Asbury workers and tourists who park here and go there.

g.  The Chamber of Commercials spokesperson said that they support 3 hour parking for the business district but they are “neutral when it comes to the resident part.” Perhaps we should remember that when we go shopping downtown.

h.  Other topics that were raised included:  tenters, multifamily dwellings, enforcement, guests, cones saving spaces, and where do the 250 summer CMA workers park?     And other issues including short term renters.

i. When things became heated at the meeting, Joyce Klein put things into perspective recalling the story of Chicken Little saying, “The sky is not falling”.  She also said that “offering a little advantage to OG residents is not elitist.”   She encouraged the group to be patient and “let’s see if it works.”

j.  Once again a favorite Blogfinger point was ignored and that is that the Township could reign in the giant events such as the Flea Market and Craft show and others which drown the town with tourists each summer.

These mega- events prevent residents from enjoying their town in prime season  while offering nothing to benefit we-the-people. Just ask Bradley Beach, Spring Lake, Belmar, and Deal, among others such as Seaside Heights.

Steve and Eydie: