Saturday June 24, 2023. HOA meetingPaul Goldfinger, Editor Blogfinger.net, attending this meeting by ZOOM. 6/24/23.
The OGHOA has 471 paid up members, but our estimate was that about 50 attended this meeting. At the start of the ZOOM, there were 14 signed in. Interestingly about 80% in attendance were women and most of the board are women. What does that mean?
The meeting was run by Joyce Klein, Vice-President.
Author Ted David provided an amusing and “quirky” talk sharing “stories” about OG history. It should have been filmed for posting.
There were a few items which particularly interested me:
Ted David told some “stories” about OG history.a. Ocean Grove is not one square mile. It is .42 square miles consisting of .37 land and .05 water.
b. The founders of the Grove were a well connected group of affluent religious leaders. The lots were “sold” for $100.00, and that was a lot of money in 1869. But Ted didn’t tackle the question of how those sales were turned into leases, and that story has eluded me for years.
c. In 1869 there were 20 tents, but the town quickly became “the queen of religious resorts.” By 1890 the population was 3,000, and in season huge numbers of people came by train. At its peak, 710,000 tickets to the OG/AP train station were sold, and the town became very crowded in season.
The “North End report” by Joan Venezia indicated that the suit involving OGNED and HPC remains stuck in place.
The Town of Neptune should cancel the official “zone in need of redevelopment”. Enough is enough!
The HOA report included nothing about the Asburian rumblings coming from the AP south end, including a proposed 5,000 seat rock and roll amphitheater attached to the currently closed Casino, but there was no sign of life regarding this subject at this meeting.
There is a change in bicycle rules being considered—-changing the time when bikes must leave the boards from 10 am to 9 am. The HOA supports that change.
The HOA is considering a change in their rules as to who can be members. But they can’t agree.
The treasurer reported that their expenses last year were $12, 254. But I am still waiting for the Groaners to release the report of lawyers who investigated ground leases a few years ago, spending $7,500 of the group’s money, and then refusing to release that report to the public.
There also were a few obnoxious questions such as the guy who wanted Ted to discuss the KKK in the Grove. Ted said that he knew nothing about it.
And there were two disgraceful questions on the ZOOM chat line from two different Grovers:
“African Americans in the area claim that in the 60s, 70s, and later Ocean Grove was very inhospitable, to the point of aggressive, such that they felt unwelcome on the beach. Can you comment on that?”
Fortunately these fictional and troublesome statements were not read to the group. Someone needs to edit those chat lines.
Ironically, Joyce Klein, Vice President, ended this meeting by asking that future discussions at HOA meetings be “civil and with respect.” She undoubtedly was referencing the horrid abuse of the CMA at two recent HOA meetings.
The most interesting part of the meeting came at the end regarding Sunday morning beach closures—see above for those details.
Next Thursday you can find the minutiae report of this meeting in the Coaster. That reporter, “the stenographer” was, as usual, present, and amazingly she takes enough notes to fill up an entire page of the Coaster. Don’t they have any editors at the Coaster?
ROLLING STONES WITH “Time Is On My Side.” So, this meeting was one hour too long. I have things to do.
The first usage of “God’s square mile” seems to have appeared in the OG Times on 6 June 1930. A special comment concerning this was made and it might have originated at that time.