Christmas spirit in Ocean Grove on Christmas Eve 2017. Paul Goldfinger photo ©
In a lead article in the Asbury Park Press dated 12/23, CMA President Michael Badger went on the attack regarding parking in the Grove. He rejects parking meters and permits for residents.
And, in a fine example of fake news, he has decided that our parking difficulties are all the fault of Asbury Park. He seems to have forgotten that parking troubles in town go back to when A. Park was a backwater dump without visitors, not too long ago.
He also is worried about Grovers getting permits when those who live in Neptune proper get none. Really?
So he will be hiring a firm to do a study, but he wants Neptuners to join the discussion since how can we exclude them from having permits?
Once again he fails to understand that there are thousands of us who live in this town, and the problem is mostly ours. Including tourists (in this case Neptunites) and the Chamber of Commercials in the discussion just muddies the waters.
He also is disingenuous when he fails to mention that CMA mega-programs are part of our problem, and that his real concern is providing parking for religious tourists flocking into the Grove and sucking up parking that should be prioritized for those of us who actually live here.
So what gives him the standing to make these pronouncements publicly as if he is an elected official in town? It betrays a bad image and attitude coming from our neighbors the CMA.
And what kind of news organization lives at the Asbury Park Press? There is no one interviewed for this article that would reject Badger’s ideas.
Read the article yourselves. Pick up a copy of the APP today or view it on line. It is quite revealing as to where the OG Camp Meeting Association is coming from.
You can comment here now, but most of you have better things to do on Christmas Eve, even if the President of the CMA has chosen the wrong message today.
We will open another discussion on Thursday. You can send me an advance opinion now at Blogfinger@verizon.net or by commenting here, or wait till we start returning to this issue after Christmas.
—–Paul @Blogfinger.net
DARLENE LOVE wishes for something other than a parking fix on Christmas Eve,2019.