Blogfinger

OGCMA front door at their Pitman Ave headquarters. 5/20/20 Imagine, they say, “United We Stand.”

Inside the Boardwalk Pavilion currently roped off. Blogfinger.net. 5/20/20

Ocean Pathway. Do not sit on this bench. Blogfinger photo.

By Paul Goldfinger, Editor. Blogfinger.net

President Michael Badger of the CMA has a history of ignoring  OG citizens  known informally as “The People’s Community of Ocean Grove.”   This residential Grover demographic  consists of  primary  homeowners, renters, and 2nd homers.

The census says (2010) that we are 3,342 but that doesn’t include second homers who are also Grovers and who spend a lot of time here.   And in the summer, the population of “secular Grovers” probably climbs to 15,000.   (my guess.)

When  Badger  refers to his “community,” he  is not talking about  Grovers.  He never defines his community, but you can surmise that he is referring to religious supporters of the CMA, many of whom do not even live in town.   In fact, the CMA board, consisting of half ministers and the rest lay supporters, consists of mostly out-of-towners.

In most American small  towns, church membership consists of locals, so the church is in fact part of the community.

But in Ocean Grove we have a peculiar political situation.  The CMA has a strange “odd-couple” relationship with Neptune Township that gives them unelected power in town.  As a result they have received favored-nation-status in zoning, for example; witness the North End situation.

The CMA even exerts its power regarding other public interest issues such as parking.  And then there is the strange ground rent localism which is rarely found in other towns such as Mt. Tabor which is part of Parsippany, NJ.

And then there is the beachfront governance. In every other shore town, the beachfront is managed by the elected municipality which would favor the citizens.

In fact the Governor’s executive order #143 about boardwalks and beaches, refers to “municipality” control with no mention of the CMA, so that technically, the order should not be followed here unless Neptune Township were in charge—which it ought to be in the best of worlds.

Is this a practical matter?  Well, the CMA in all its functions does what it does to satisfy its “mission,” and it shows little interest in the  “People’s Community of Ocean Grove.”  (aka “we the people.”)

And because it was not elected by us, it has no obligation to worry about us, for example re: parking, secular life styles, taxes, and now beach badges.

Isak says that the CMA should consider residents first when it comes to policy such as beach badges.  And I agree with him, but you can’t expect the CMA to care, because they are not legally obligated to care.

We can expect the elected Neptuners  to care, but they don’t care about Grovers, as Blogfinger has pointed out ad infinitum.

I recall the Belmar mayor saying publicly, when he had to shut down his town because of tourist glut, that his priority was to represent the citizens of his town.  But no such sentiment has ever been voiced here.

At the Belmar web site it says, “To assist us in complying with social distancing guidelines we will temporarily suspend the sale of season badges on Friday May 22, 2020;  We will resume the sale of season badges on Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at the Taylor Pavilion.

But no such  notice appears at the Neptune site. And at the CMA site, it says nothing about this topic.

Badger accepts no responsibility for what has occurred or will occur regarding season badges.   He pins it on the Governor,  Neptune Township, other shore towns,  and the behavior of those who do have beach badges to do what they have been told.

He said in his press release: “The actions of current beach patrons may affect our ability to welcome additional season badge holders in the future.”

He also said, “The decision will depend in part on Gov. Murphy, compliance at other shore towns, and the Neptune Committee.”

It’s about time that a new organization  of this town take place in order to achieve true representative government for we the people. Shouldn’t the Constitution provide this for us?  Our current system is not working.

NOTE:  See comments regarding CMA email sent after this posted.

LANA DEL REY

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