The Shark River. Thursday, November 1. By Paul Goldfinger. Click left to enlarge
By Mary Walton
In the wake of President Obama’s flyover tour earlier this week to view the devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy, Neptune officials are optimistic that the Township will soon be declared eligible for complete disaster relief. That would open up Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) channels for aid to individuals.
At present, Neptune has only a partial designation that covers aid to municipalities and other public entities. Township Administrator Vita Gadaleta said Friday that Neptune has so far spent $1 million on measures related to the storm.
With a full declaration, individuals whose homes have been destroyed could be entitled to temporary housing. FEMA does not, however, provide funds for home repairs. For that, homeowners must turn to their insurance companies. The Township is urging all homeowners with damage to contact their carriers immediately.
Gadaleta said that U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone was in the municipal office building on Thursday making calls to speed up the process, in tandem with U.S. Rep. Chris Smith. The two conferred by phone. Gadaleta said there have been reports in Shark River Hills of FEMA representatives talking to homeowners. “But we have had no official notice from FEMA that they have feet on the ground.” He estimated that perhaps 100 residents need temporary shelter.
While Ocean Grove remained in the dark, electric power was inching closer — although the progress seemed spotty. For instance, a lone traffic light was burning on Friday afternoon at the corner of Springwood and Lake Avenues, while all the lights in the surrounding area remained out. Gadaleta said power had been restored to Neptune west of Route 18. Wawa and other service stations in the area were now pumping gas, though lines were long.
Paul Dunlap of Ocean Grove, who was in the municipal building paying his taxes on Friday, said that he had bought a 6,000-watt generator Wednesday from a friend. The friend had driven his diesel pickup to Winchester, Virginia, and purchased nine of them at a Home Depot. He was selling them at cost to his friends back in New Jersey. But although Dunlap now had a generator, he had a problem getting fuel for it. “I’m trying to get gas cans now.” There’s a shortage of those.
In Ocean Grove, on Friday, a crew was tacking temporary protective sheeting to the north and south sides of the Great Auditorium roof, which lost roughly 20 percent of its surface during the storm.
It is not clear whether the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association will be eligible for federal funds for damages suffered to its properties. Earlier this year FEMA turned down an application for funds to rebuild the section of the fishing pier swept away by Hurricane Irene last year, because it is privately owned and recreational in nature. Recreational facilities have a low priority for FEMA funding.
In at least one past storm the Camp Meeting received federal funds to repair damages to the auditorium roof. Interim Administrator Ralph delCampo said in an interview with Blogfinger that FEMA regulations have been tightened since Hurricane Katrina. He said replacing the boardwalk and pier will cost “millions.”
Restoration of the beach will be complicated, delCampo said. The large piles of sand now lining Ocean Avenue will be trucked to the north and south ends of town. From there the sand must be sifted through large screens to remove debris before it can be returned to the beach.
Although the sand dunes were obliterated in places, delCampo said there is reason to be grateful. Referring to the temporary dunes built with heavy equipment by the CMA in the face of the hurricane, of the three bad high tides during the storm, the dunes stayed in place long enough to fend off the first two of them.
Signs of normalcy are returning. Neptune schools are scheduled to reopen on Monday. Though the Ocean Grove post office is without power, it is now able to receive and send letters. A clerk said the first shipment of mail since the hurricane arrived Friday and mail is going out as well. Said the clerk, “We send it to Asbury, they send it to Freehold and they send it to Trenton. They’ve got power.”
Addressing one major headache for Grovers, the Camp Meeting opened a charging station for up to 20 devices at a time. This service is in the Community Room on Pilgrim Pathway and is open each day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday the Camp Meeting is sponsoring a town-wide clean-up. (See our article below.)
New Jersey Transit is operating limited rail service between Trenton and New York, but Coastline trains are suspended until further notice. Three NJT bus lines were operating on a limited schedule from Asbury Park to Freehold and Red Bank. From Freehold, commuters can take a No. 317 bus to Philadelphia or an Academy bus to Port Authority in New York City. From the Red Bank train station, Academy also has buses to Port Authority, leaving approximately every two hours beginning at 6:45 a.m. weekdays. Riders are advised to have exact fare in cash. (For information on Academy’s bus schedule, go to http://www.academybus.com or call 732-291-1300. For update on New Jersey Transit’s schedule go to http://www.njtransit.com or call 973-275-5555.
Calls are coming in from volunteers wanting to help. A “mass feeding “unit” will open on Loffredo Memorial Ball Fields on West Bangs Avenue at 11 a.m. Saturday, serving lunches and dinners. “They will be there as long as we need them,” Gadaleta said.
The Camp Meeting has received offers from Christian organizations, many affiliated with pastors who have preached here. One California group sent an exploratory team. After learning of communities harder hit than Ocean Grove, they told delCampo that they would like to help everyone but “we need a base.”
In response, he said, the Camp Meeting is making preliminary plans for the housing and feeding of volunteers. Grove Hall can accommodate 50 volunteers in 25 rooms, and the Camp Meeting will canvass some of the B &B’s to see if they will discount rooms.
“Our point is not only to be willing to encourage people to help us, but our mission is to help others,” delCampo said.