Guest Commentary from Tom Burke:
In addition to the rains affecting the beachfront revenue, I feel there is another area that does not seem be getting the attention it needs from our administration.
Here we are with almost a month gone into our summer season, and one of our major revenue generators for the Belmar beachfront and beachfront utility continues to be non-operative. I would have some doubts that it even will be available by the July 4th Week end….I am speaking of our parking revenues from our metering system at the beach.
It seems we (and I don’t know how) have contracted for a new parking meter system similar to that which is operating in Asbury Park among other places. That being a kiosk type system that allows for credit and debit card usage to pay for use of a numbered parking space. So, while this may in fact be a nice system (even though many in Asbury say it has numerous problems) it will be replacing our old meter system.
This leads me to ask several questions: were the old meters lost during the storm? Why aren’t we just using the old system, at least for this year? Where are the old parking meters? Were they damaged? We need to generate the money, and perhaps FEMA will pay for this new metering system and we will then be financially stable.
My understanding if that FEMA will consider reimbursement of up to 75% of the cost to replace or restore things as they were prior to the storm. It would seem however that our old paring meters for the beachfront were taken down prior to the storm hitting Belmar, and were placed in storage. I happened to see some of them, I’d say a couple hundred or so stored by the Belmar water works off of 12th Avenue just this evening. The look fine, and since they were removed, one would ask why aren’t they being used. They even look like they may have been repainted for a new season. Is it possible that the borough administration may have other plans for these meters?
I for one would like to hear answers to some of the questions I have raised, beginning with how a contract for a new system was awarded……was it a bid contract, do we expect FEMA to cover this cost? You know the other questions, it is answers that I would love to hear, and I hope you would.
**************
Thanks, Tom. My question is: If we’re not checking meters and issuing parking tickets, do we have fewer specials on the payroll this year?
3 Comments
Maybe they are sitting outside next to a garbage dumpster for a reason. Maybe they will just suddenly disappear similar to other magic tricks the current administrations seem to pull-off.
I just drove by this again this morning. So far they are not in the dumpster as was suggested may happen to them. Perhaps the administration has not as yet read this narrative.
Beware of the new parking meters. I saw the sticker (does not give change) too late after putting $20 in the machine (for 4 hours) and expecting change. I wrote to the town and they are not issuing refunds. I am out $16. It was an honest mistake. I heard from the local special officers that it happens a lot. I will think twice before going back to Belmar.
Post a Comment