Ocean Grove is changing: Here are some happy witches on What -the-Heck Avenue. Paul Goldfinger photo. 2022
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor. Blogfinger.net. Feb 20, 2023.
The CMA owns most of the land and some buildings in town, but how many residents (ie voters) in the Grove can be counted as part of their “community?” It’s probably a small number, although we don’t have that data. The local governance that has official power over all parts of Neptune Twp. including the Grove is with elected officials, not with the CMA.
Other parts of the power equation include the courts (Neptune, County, State and Federal.)
It is the Neptune governance that officially influences the life styles of those who live and visit here, and it is Neptune which has the power over the North End Plan, the permits for mega events, the placing of religious symbols in public parks, ordinances affecting beaches and boardwalk, tax exemptions for the CMA, closing the streets for the Chamber of Commerce, art shows, food trucks, downtown businesses, parking such as resident stickers, amplified events in the Great Auditorium, places for overnight stays including B & B’s and Airbnbs’s. etc.
The CMA has so many events in this town, hundreds each season, but they probably don’t have to get permission from Neptune for each one. I don’t know how that works, but they shouldn’t be given any special status in that regard.
The CMA benefits financially by obtaining tax exempt status for its buildings, even if none are actually churches. A recent law suit (2022) was Neptune Twp vs CMA regarding the tax status of Grove Hall where there are educational nonprofit religious events including visitors staying the night like a hotel. The hearing was at Superior Court in front of 3 judges. CMA won the continued tax exempt status at Grove Hall.
“In New Jersey, all real property is subject to local property taxation . . . unless its use has been exempted by legislation.”
This is what the court recording says regarding the power of the CMA in this regard:
A former CMA employee testified, regarding tax exemptions for the CMA, that the “Association interprets its mission statement ‘in a very broad fashion’ because almost any type of ‘worship, education, cultural, and recreational activities . . . will fit into [those categories]. ‘” The CMA won this suit, so it’s probable that the CMA avoids taxes all over town including Green Acres programs, etc. We don’t have the list, but the CMA is powerful in town yet, according to some, they don’t pay much taxes. But others have told me that they are the biggest taxpayer in town. But the most interesting variable would be how much they save in exemptions.
And the CMA gets to help itself to all sorts of events such as live Christian music at Illumination Night. Did they need a permit for that?
And they have been recognized as possessing a private boardwalk which was designated by the Feds as a “public thoroughfare,” and we at Blogfinger were big supporters during that post Sandy battle, but now the CMA has the power to have Christian symbols all over that “public space” and that is not right, and we agree with those who are complaining about all that.
But how does the CMA get to violate the separation of church and state? Why has Neptune allowed that? We have had baptisms on the beach and the dedication of the Fitzgerald Fountain turned into an unannounced Christian service complete with hymns and sermons.
We recall when a large group of citizens petitioned the CMA for a dog park. The CMA said “no” based upon its assertion that a dog park does not “fit into its mission.” So the CMA has some power based on its land ownership and its religious “mission” that affects all citizens in the Grove. But what about its power to make decisions such as open services on the boards even though the boardwalk is a “public thoroughfare?.” Presumably some of this will be discussed at the HOA’s “Forum” on Feb 25.
The truth is that the CMA has small numbers of “members” who live here and pay taxes, so the CMA seems to have disproportionate clout over at the Mother Ship. It should be we-the-people who have ultimate control over how our “town” is governed by elected officials in the Township of Neptune. It is the citizens who ultimately should be in charge and not the CMA despite their behavior in OG as they push hard to turn the town into a “Christian Seaside Resort.” But their powers need to be legally reevaluated so that we-the-people can know who controls our lives in our “God’s Square Mile”
The 3,000 census citizens of the Grove should have the most influence in Grovarian policy, but the Neptuners, who run all the parts of town including OG give more credence to the CMA instead of we-the-people of the Grove. The Neptuners should be giving the bulk of their attention in the Grove to citizens and not allowing the CMA to be a quasi-governance.
The CMA is more like a business whose product is religion. They market their product and create large crowds of tourists, but they are not majority Grovers/citizens. So they shouldn’t have inordinate say regarding what goes on here.
And, in addition, they do have an attitude problem. Here is a quote from Blogfinger in 2022: “It is clear that the OGCMA wants to change the identifying words for this town with an in-your-face “Ocean Grove” title that often is accompanied by “God’s Square Mile,” ” Camp Meeting Association,” “Your Christian Seaside Resort,” and “Christian Beach That Is Ocean Grove.”
But regarding who has the power in OG, it should be the people who count, not money, religion, slogans, crowds of tourists, real estate deals, public relations, influence, history, land owned or size.
If the power relationships between the Neptune governance and the CMA could be properly defined, then the people will rule, and these many current issues could be settled by those who should be in charge. But the Neptune Committee has maintained a bizarre “hands-off” attitude regarding the Grove, and the way that the CMA fills the void suggests a deal, perhaps in 1980.
Consider how the CMA schedules hundreds of religious events in season including some that are huge and which compromise the life styles of the majority residents. And what about Neptune Township which promotes all sorts of events in Shark River, Mid-Town, etc, but NEVER in the Grove. They defer to the CMA, and the CMA has never shown much interest in the residential secular population of the Grove, and they owe us their attention.
Our motto in town should be “Power To The People.” Have that banner at the entrance to the Grove and on our streets. Then everything should fall into place including the outrageous relationship between OGNED/CMA and our Neptune “representative government” and between the CMA and the citizens in the Grove.
And while we are at it, let’s allow the Chamber of Commercials only one or two permits per year to shut down our streets and bring in large numbers of tourists who don’t even know how to dance. Those events are a public health hazard given all those greasy food trucks.
It’s time to investigate Neptune regarding these power relationships. A State investigation would be good.
In the end the true power-base of the CMA will be revealed. They will have no power on their own over the rest of us, and matters such as the creche in the park, the cross shape pier, the many giant tourist events, etc. will have to be approved by the people’s local representative government.
And finally, can anyone tell us of another town in the US where a religious group is so prevalent and powerful? This is a unique town with unique challenges, but our national values of free speech, representative democratic government, equal justice for all, religious freedom , and freedom from religion must be the foundation.
BOB DYLAN “In the Summertime”
“When the winter’s here, yeah it’s party time
Bring your bottle, wear your bright clothes
It’ll soon be summertime
And we’ll sing again, we’ll go driving
Or maybe we’ll settle down
If she’s rich, if she’s nice, bring your friends
And we’ll all go into town”
I totally agree with you .
Perhaps some of you might wonder how Blogfinger can support the CMA on one hand and criticize on the other.
It’s simple: I value this country’s basic values of honesty, fairness, religious freedom, equal justice for all, innocence until proven guilty, democracy, true representative government, a free press, and free speech. So let the chips fall where they may.