“There has never been a reason to come to Point Pleasant unless you are driving through.” -Point Pleasant Mayor William Schroeder, Ocean Star, 3/16/12
Words fail me, so below are a few reasons I’ve heard why people come to Point Pleasant. Feel free to add your own in the comments.
- Clark’s Landing
- Forte
- Boat Museum
- Bay Avenue Boat Ramp
- Dairy Queen
- Fishing on the Canal
- SummerFest
- Halloween Parade
- OB Diner
- Riverfront Park
- Antique Boat Show
- Skate Park
- Grazianos
88 Lanes (who’s with me?)- Shore House
- Reel Life
- Earth Day Celebration
- Weisleder Autos
- DeFelice Auto Center
- Pat’s Pizza
- Beaver Dam Creek Park
The 88 Lanes? Are you kidding? They’ve been gone for almost ten years. All the places you listed are places Boro residents visit, no one comes from out of town to visit any of those places. Forte’s is a local joint frequented and overrun by local politians, cronies and the like. Clark’s Landing is visited by out of towners when they’re going to a wedding. The boat ramp is not open to out of town residents, you need a permit. Same for the skate park, but neither is strictly enforced.
Sadly, the mayor is right, and any attempt to change that has been undermined by a small, local cabal of insiders.
Space – 88 Lanes was throw in just for fun.
FYI, the Bay Avenue Boat Ramp is free and open to anyone. A permit is not required. You are most likely thinking of the Curtis Ave Boat Ramp.
No one comes from out of town to visit Reel Life or Forte or SummerFest…? You sure about that, SpaceForThePoppa?
You name one day events, not attractions, and even those one day events have a light out of town draw.
Reel Life? A stop on the way to fishing, like 7-11. Forte? Seriously? A local political hang out, someone from out of town is going to visit it?
I have no problem with what he said, and I’m ok with the fact that few out of towners pick Boro as a destination. Look at the problems the Beach struggles with dealing with their attractions … Traffic, rowdiness, headaches, etc … If I wanted that I would have moved there.
Space – Comparing Reef Life to 7-11 is like comparing Mayor Bloomberg to Mayor Schroeder. It’s just a different ballgame and comparisons are useless. And only politicos hang out at the Forte? Methinks you need to get out a bit more. Perhaps a happy hour cocktail at the Forte – my treat?
Reel Life, like 7-11, is a retail outlet. I am very happy to have a shop like RL that put locals to work. But it’s not an attraction that draws people like a beach or boardwalk does.
Bloomberg vs. Schroeder? Where did that come from? They’re both RINOs?
Thanks but no thanks for the Forte’s invite. I do appreciate the offer but it’s not my cup of tea. I prefer a cold one at Idle Hour.
Alright, Space, I’m putting you down for a cold beer rain check at the Idle Hour!
Schroeder a RINO…??? Don’t you mean DINO?
We’re all Point Pleasant. Here’s to a fun, safe weekend!
@space The quote here is one line of a fairly lengthy article in which the mayor speaks very highly of the town , its businesses and its people. I am grateful that Cortland included the article’s citation so that those interested can go to the Star and read his full message.
I can think of a lot of reasons. I moved to Pt. Pleasant because it was always my favorite spot growing up and raising children. How about the Seafood Festival, The River Belle, the beach, the boardwalk, fishing, the Tiki bar, Jenkinsons Aquarium, and the list goes on
Hi Barbara – Agree 100%. I would add all your events to the list but technically, they’re in Point Pleasant Beach, not Point Pleasant. Of course, not many people know the difference and one day they will be united, but for now, those places/events are Beach events. Of course, we’re all Point Pleasant so it’s all good!
United? The Boro and the Beach? LOL, never in a million years. The animosity between the two communities (look at all the sniping that went on when Boro “borrowed” the Beach courthouse) will forever prevent that from happening. The Beach has always looked down their noses at the Boro. We can’t even agree to do the smart thing and share services.
Space – There is a realization taking hold in the Beach, Boro and in small towns across the New Jersey – our elected officials have sold our future financial sustainability to government employee unions and pay-to-play municipal “professionals.” People are wising up and they simply won’t stand for it much longer.
Million years? I’d give it 10-15 years, tops.
None of those attraction are in the Boro.
Holy Crap…..you moved to the wrong town……
Wow. That comment from the ONE person who should be showing tremendous pride in our town. That, in my opinion is disappointing. In any case Cort, you can probably add Earth Day Celebration to that list. The Point Pleasant Environmental Commission puts on the biggest Earth Day Celebration easily in all of Monmouth and Ocean Counties. And guess what Mayor, they ain’t all Boro residents coming out to that. It’s on April 21st at Riverfront Park this year…Patch did a good article:
http://pointpleasant.patch.com/events/point-pleasant-borough-earth-day-celebration
And all other relevant info. can be found on our(the commission’s) facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/groups/69039089749/
PS-Still seeking sponsors and vendors!
That’s just it. If there was anyone who wouldn’t/shouldn’t say that about their town, it’s the mayor. Never mind the fact that it’s flat out not true, it’s just a bizarre thing for any mayor to say about their own town.
Instead of saying, “We’re seeing more people than ever come to Point Pleasant for our great restaurants, fun events and beautiful parks, ” we get “There has never been a reason to come to Point Pleasant unless you are driving through.”
Did we read the same article? I will grant you that out of context, the quote is open to misinterpretation. But I doubt that those who read the entire article will believe that he was “dissing” the town. Personally, I thought the repeated RAH RAH Point Boro in the article was a little over the top.
I believe we read the same article. It was the same one where the Chamber of Commerce questions whether the Mayor’s farmers markets will benefit Boro businesses or out-of-town businesses. That’s the one, right?
The quote is the quote. How those words would ever come out of any Mayor’s mouth is beyond me. No one said he dissed Point Pleasant. He just said something completely untrue, short-sighted and obviously not well thought out.
He said something that was his opinion and judging by some of the other posts here agree with him. Perhaps they too are saying, untrue, short sighted and obviously not well thought out statements too.
As for the chamber of commerce, if there is opposition to the event, it should be voiced. However, they too are opinions and may also be short sighted, etc. etc. etc
Free2B – Actually, the defense of the quote (yours and others) have been far more eloquent, factual and well thought out than the Mayor’s original quote.
How ’bout getting in on our Idle Hour happy hour with SpaceForThePoppa? Nothing here we can’t iron out over a few beers!
Tom..enough of the spin on the quote already.
PS- I did the article in the Patch that you hyperlinked..
As far as Earth Day is concerned…. 40 vendors and exhibitors to date (wish more we local though…just sayin’), good food, couple of bands jamming out, stuff for the kids….and Riverfront Park.
To the local businesses, we are still taking applications….
All in all, setting up to be a real good day!!
This list contain the reasons I and many others like living here. But none are going to draw vast amounts of people to visit the Borough. People like the Boro for many reasons and one maybe that it is next to a “destination” town and is not one itself.
@ Dan, I think you are 100% correct and I would guess that was what the mayor meant. All he said was that he was trying to attract outside $$$$ into the town and he gets accused of not having pride in the town. Maybe he could have chosen his words more carefully but what’s the point? He’d just get piled on from another direction.
…the OS article had to do with attracting people to special events in the Boro(kind of a political foot ball in the Beach last year over police costs…just ask long time resident Dave Cavagnaro).
We…or should I say the Point Pleasant Cultural Arts, Recreation and Events Advisory Board started promoting special events last summer, along with our Summer Fest & Earth Day held at Riverfront Park. . .
Don’t understand the Mayor’s comment. . .but what else is new?. . .With his “off the cuff” remarks on the net and at town Council meetings to residents?
After reading that list and some of these uninformed comments….I think I should have never come back to town
Very good way to twist up one quote, from an article that was otherwise ALL about touting ways to enhance the sense and feel of community and expending the horizons of things that will not only attract people from out of town but also attract people from Point Pleasant.
And not for nothing, but many people ARE just driving through…to get to Bay Head, to get to Pt. Beach, etc from the Parkway or from Brick or Howell or elsewhere. I wish more people would stop and I bet the business do too…
Don’t get me wrong, there has been a concerted effort to keep things and enhance things local…and I applaud that, support that and am 100% behind that and will back my word to assist that. But let’s not work against each other…let’s work together on this…
Let’s work together. Plenty to do. Power to the people!
Let’s not shoot the messenger.
See ya on Tuesday!
Sign me up! Oh wait, think I already am…;)
See ya Tuesday…
That quote as reported in the OS, was attributed to a conversion exchange between Eileen McCabe, a spokes person for the Boro Chamber of Commerce, having to do with a Farmers market at Town Hall on Friday(between 3-8PM), and Mayor Schroeder at the Council meeting. Ms McCabe kept pointing out the deficiencies as it pertains to the Business community in it’s participation there. Finally at the end of the interchange, the Mayor uttered his remark, putting an end to the discussion?
Personally I’ve been to many Farmers Markets. They are daytime events from morning to late afternoon held once or more days a week, usually held at or around public parks, fields,schools, or in parking lots on weekends. The Beach holds it’s market on weekends in the NJ transit railroad station parking lot on Sunday from 10AM to 2PM. Sea Side holds it’s market on Monday, 11AM-5PM at Marina Field, Waretown, Tuesday, 11AM -5PM at school house, Toms River, Wednesday,11AM-5PM at Huddy Park. . .
I understand that the quote was from the exchange….I also understand, that if you don’t read the article (which I am assuming some have not), and you just see this quote and the comments, one would think that that is the gist of the article.
As far as the Farmers Market,……
The point is: with that remark, Ms McCabe was mouth less to respond. . .with the Mayor intimating that it was going to be his way Period. . .you get your people there, and I don’t want to hear any excuses. . .prefaced by Ms McCabe lamenting afterward to the Ocean Star. . .
Completely doubt that it was that way…
Indeed. It’s always a bit different in the story than in real life.
However, there is a larger point that needs to be discussed. Shouldn’t the Mayor be focusing on municipal issues instead of business issues? I’ve heard Mayor Schroeder speak about wine and dogs and festivals MANY more times than I’ve heard him talk about taxpayers.
In a nutshell, that’s the problem, IMHO. This Mayor is focused on the completely wrong things. Let the business community focus on business development, farmers markets and festivals. Our elected officials should be focused on municipal government issues such as property taxes, crime/safety and the mis-management that repeatedly emanates from Boro Hall.
Sorry…replied in the wrong string…
http://boroindependent.com/2012/03/16/why-people-come-to-point-pleasant/#comment-3144
Shouldn’t that also be the case on who decides what power supplier the Boro residents decide to go with? This is the responsibility of the individual homeowners. Deregulation occurred in 1999 and choosing a power supplier has been the residents responsibility since then…why is this all of a sudden to hot button issue?
And why in the world should we be paying our Boro attorney to draft an ordinance to solicit power suppliers to Boro residents? There are SO many more things that our attorney and our council should be directing their resources too, that could save the taxpayers money!
Indeed.
That particular issue has moved extremely fast without a lot of discussion or input from the community. A system where you’re automatically opted-in and must opt-out yourself is not very user friendly and puts an unnecessary burden on otherwise happy energy customers.
Of course, lower rates are lower rates, but since there’s been no data nor discussion, we really don’t know anything about the potential rates.
Alas, we will be rescued from all this confusion by what I’m sure will be a politically-connected consultant who will direct us to the promise land!
And for people who already switched and are happy with their service (for whatever reasons they chose the supplier;), and may now have to potentially bear the burden of cancellation fees when one is opted into the Boro plan, and then to have to opt out of the Boro plan to opt back into their plan of choice if they so choose to (which administratively could take up to 3+ months), this is not fair. Among the many other unanswered questions, that we are going to pay our attorney to address, when it all really comes down to the fact that this IS really the customers choice!
And you said it yourself about the mayor, and why shouldn’t it apply especially to everyone else up there…
“Let the business community focus on business development,………………. Our elected officials should be focused on MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT issues such as property taxes, crime/safety and the mis-management that repeatedly emanates from Boro Hall.”
It was also quite sketchy that we could not see this, “legislation” at the council meeting due to fear of “copyright infringement”..
Smoke and mirrors…
Shell games…
Some say one is guilty of avoiding their ‘tasks’ but is it really just one???
Please be more specific Chris, “one” is guilty of “avoiding their tasks?”
Cortland was saying that the mayor was concentrating things other than the mayor’s tasks…But if he is guilty of this, I guess they all are..
You hear the same Committee Reports that I hear. Frankly, between the doggy fairs and kitty cat programs, I’d say there’s more than enough guilt to go around.
Mayor and Council should promote their pet projects, pun intended, on their personal time and get back to doing the business of the Boro.
I have a lot of respect for both of you gentlemen but I have to disagree. The Council lays a proposal on the table which saves on average 10-15% annually on utilities(at least that’s what it saved the County when they switched over), and now we’re going to say “that’s not the Council’s job?” Really? Chris, yes it’s been de-regulated since 1999, are you saying that’s a disqualifier for even considering this? It sure sounds like it. If this opportunity has been around since 1999, how come it was just recently you decided to start talking up 3rd party suppliers yourself, in regards to your business, Chris?
Residents would be able to opt out of this program, this isn’t big brother at work here. Cortland, I agree we haven’t seen the numbers but I’m sure they will be forthcoming. And Chris, while I can’t speak for Cortland, I interpreted his words to be saying we don’t hear any common-sense cost savings proposals like this from the Mayor, instead we hear about jazz concerts and dogs and wine. And that’s not my “spin” as you call it, that’s just the fact! When has Mayor Schroeder come out with any kind of REAL, LONG TERM cost savings proposal? And yes, this is minor cost savings, relatively speaking, but jeez at least somebody up there is moving the dialogue in the right direction. A direction which can benefit the taxpayers
Tom…no hidden agenda here… It is avenue that my wife and I recently have decided to take…and we decided to take this avenue due to the green aspect of the energy supplier we are working with. Yes we are looking to make a few extra dollars if we can, but we also chose this company because they choose to incorporate alternative energy sources to supplement the power supply.. On a much higher percent than the traditional suppliers out. You, being someone for the environment, should understand the positive effects green energy has on the environment…cleaner air, cleaner water to say the least..
But there lies another issue I have with this. Why should the governing body making it more difficult for someone to make a living out of something like this? Although, that appears to have been something that the Borough has had a habit of doing…
There are so many things within the ‘government’ that should and could be addressed before we spend money to make people’s personal lives ‘better’..
That’s all I am saying….
Nobody suggested you had a “hidden agenda” and I DO appreciate the need for clean energy such as the kind you are helping to offer people. It doesn’t take a lot for the attorney to draft up a simple RFP, and considering it has the potential to save people money, to generalize looking into this proposal as “spending the peoples’ money” is a total mischaracterization. Nobody’s making it harder on anybody Chris, certainly not the governing body. If anything they’re making it a little bit easier on the people who have to decide between paying the gas or electric bill for that month. Repair the car or make tuition payments? People have 100% freedom to opt out and go with whatever energy supplier they choose…in fact, I’m willing to wager that if the Boro picks a 3rd party supplier, it will raise awareness regarding this issue among residents and MORE people will probably switch to various 3rd party suppliers.
Actually Tom…it does make it harder. I would now be competing with the Borough, and in addition, some plans people choose will require a cancellation fee to break from that plan because they are forced to go into the Boro plan. In addition, opting out and opting in can take up to 1.5 to 2 months each. Also I’d love to see the 15% savings… Why really were we not allowed to see this “legislation”? If there’s copyright issues, then I question it. And while it may not take a lot for an attorney to draft the RFP, the followup and back end stuff is what I question.
Pt Pleasant Chris C: you kind of left out that you represent an energy supplier…”an independent sales consultant for Viridian, a Norwalk, Connecticut green energy provider” Disingenuous on your part for not telling us here? And who were the people speaking at the Council meeting about the program. . .you, Wayde and Toni Weisleder, also representatives of another supplier?
Hey…why don’t you read the whole conversation between Tom S and I in this thread before you say anything….
And to further back that up, I don’t believe anything I have done or supported was ever “Disingenuous” or done with malice….. Unlike some others…. Jus Sayin’…..
…it’s not malice. . .more like pedaling your green agenda with a little extra thrown in. Weisleder is your competitor along with other conventional(non green) alternate energy suppliers. With the town going with a conventional alternate supplier. . .will reduce kw/hr pricing 10-15%. . . that would put your business at a competitive disadvantage. You would have a tough time convincing resident’s to pay about 15 – 21% over town rate. Currently Viridian with 100% wind power… their rate is 11.95/kwhr. Other conventional(total non green) alternate suppliers are around 10.30 /kwhr. Town would reduce cost to about 9.82-10.40/kwhr, from JCPL’s 11.55/kwhr . . .
I am not going to use this forum to “pedaling my green agenda” and nor was I using the council to do that either. I was not pushing our rates or our product at either ‘venue’. If you were there, you would know that!!
Show me the proof of 15% with this type of plan…show me 10%!
While the county got good rates, they were not required to sign on all of the county residents.
My issue is: Why should the Boro decide what power supplier the Boro residents should go with? This is the responsibility of the individual homeowners. Choosing a power supplier SHOULD BE the residents responsibility since…why is this all of a sudden to hot button issue?
My issue is: whether it is Viridian or Toni and Wayde’s company, Ambit, or any of the other associates for 23 other licensed power suppliers…’we’ are now competing against the town..plain and simple.
My issue is: Why should the governing body making it more difficult for someone to make a living out of something like this?
There are companies out there that offer very competitive….without municipal intervention and expense!!!
As was stated in not some many words by myself and others:
Our elected officials should be focused on MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT issues such as property taxes, crime/safety and promoting efficiencies and fixing inefficiencies.
They should have been and should be concentrating on ways to save the Boro taxpayers money by:
Upgrading to reduce energy costs in town owned properties,
Should have been and should be making our sewer/water rates more in line with 2012 and not 1996 (especially when times were good) which would have allowed upgrades to facilities and infrastructure, which would run more efficiently reducing energy/operational costs and correctly calculate and meter so fees are not lost,
Should have been and should be making construction fees more in line with 2012 and not 1990 something(especially when times were good).
Among other things..
I am not a god..
I am not a savior…
And I definitely don’t have all the answers, but you know as well as I that substantive stuff is out there that can equal or exceed these ‘savings’ without taking over decisions for the homeowners…
In 2009 we had a person that was addressing exactly what you now bring up in lieu of a town forced alternate energy supplier. . .PROPERTY TAXES. . .you saw what happened to her. . .so cut the bull!
Property Tax Reduction is an anti-Union Disease. . .you’s changed the political climate after 2010. . . hired two more cops now, and raised property taxes 5%, for starters. . . Now you don’t want to hear Republicans talk property tax reduction anymore. . .so now you kind of sowed your own seeds?
…as for Water/Sewer being addressed in 1990′s. . .like I posted elsewhere. . .that was always a political football. . .just ask John Meyerle. . .when he uncovered how they were using operating budget to fund water/sewer expenses. . .like a hidden tax that kept water/sewer rates down while residents wrote off growing expenses. . .
…as for promoting energy efficiencies. . .we just renovated town hall. . .not to your liking. . .just how much more money do you want to bond to promote energy efficiency?
The best is when you wrote: “My issue is: Why should the governing body making it more difficult for someone to make a living out of something like this”. . .now your sounding like a Tea Party Republican. . .So government is good when it puts money in you pockets. . .that’s OK!
First off, our Borough engineers and the architects hired to redo Boro Hall should have incorporated energy efficiency into the reno design. Plain and simple. The HVAC is still lame, the lighting isn’t efficient, electric baseboards on the back wall in chamber… Come on..
Since 2010 and a lil before, there have been some people volunteering and professionals working to find energy efficiency upgrade grants, and other avenues and have been successful. With little cost to the Boro. Unfortunately, these things weren’t incorporated in our Multi million dollar redo and it is now being piece-mealed into the facility.
And ‘you’s people’ encompasses many people on both sides of the fence…remember that..
And with the way our system is currently set up, and with all the recent and pending retirements in the PD, I think the 2 rookies are warranted. Could the organizational structure be a little different….maybe, but that isn’t happening anytime soon
And you had a mouth in the early 90′s….did you make the issue heard about the water and sewer and do anything about it???
I never mentioned soliciting the town. I don’t know if I can and like you said, there is a good chance that our rates wouldn’t be competitive enough. And why should the Boro competing with individuals in something like this?
You know what? If the investigations turn out that the savings are advantageous for the Boro with the Aggregation plan, then put it on a binding referendum!! Let the people decide that it’s ok for the Boro to make its decisions for them things around the house.
How is this any different from the nay-sayers of the tree ordinance when they said, “You can’t tell me what to do on my property”?
They shouldn’t be able to tell me what power supplier I must have. They should be telling me what power suppliers I can have and concentrate on bundling all of the Boro owned properties with the neighboring towns.
That is my MAIN issue there bud!
Chris: not for nothing, but you mentioned 1996. . .our municipal tax went up almost 20%(.311 to .372). . .now you wanted me to speak up about not paying enough for my water/sewer. . .I don’t think so! Where do you think the bulk of that increase went. . .
As for hiring two rookies. . .those rookies will be on the same band wagon in step increases. . .based on per existing contracts?
In 1998, according to State Police data, we had 28 police officers. . .now we’re at 30. . .
…as for referendum. . .it has to be stand alone, not put on with Presidential election this November. . .
“And ‘you’s people’ encompasses many people on both sides of the fence…remember that..”
…you bought up the “Property Tax” issue. . .and “both sides of the fence”. . .there’s those who have had enough with property taxes going to fund ever and ever growing personnel costs. . .so whose on the other side of the fence. . .the benefactors?
…and the renovations your not happy with. . .all that costs more money. . .money the town did not have? When your dealing with making capital budget expenditure choices. . .fixed growing personnel costs take priority, unless you want to keep raising property taxes thru the roof. . .to satisfy your “green”?
electric base board. . .so for you they should have put in hot water base board. . .and how much would that cost. . .High efficient led or electro- magnetic T5 ballast lighting. . .how much would that cost. . .replace HVAC with high efficient unit or units. . .how much would that cost. . .maybe solar panels on the roof too? Where’s the 10′s of thousands of dollars coming from to pay for all this. . .
You forgot to mention solar tubes…
I forgot how inexpensive it was to operate electric baseboard was these days. :/ Listen, all those efficient renos would have been paid for or seriously offset with the $$ saved on energy costs and incentive programs; back then, there were many clean energy grants out there to soften the blow even more. Some of ‘my green’ can/could have work if implemented correctly…we just need to look past our nose despite who’s is up in the next election…for many things other than ‘my green’.
Where did that money go? We were continuing to have a population increase, so do you think services were decreasing?
I guess looking back, maybe someone should have said something about because it’s coming to bite us at an inopportune time.
Thank you for the clarification on the referendum…
Anyway, as always, we can agree to disagree on many things Mr./Ms. Spooner, but we both are trying for a good Point Pleasant. We just are using a different GPS to get there..
Cheers…
Whether is pedaling green electricity or brown electricity…the fact remains that there are plenty of other things the town should be focusing on as far as cost savings. It’s the homeowner’s responsibility to find a cheaper third party supplier if they so choose to. Quit wasting time and money on something a homeowner can do for free!
pats is legendary…..people drive an hour for their food and I ran into two buddies from high school who drove over an hour for hickory hog and do that at least once a month!!
Todd – Pat’s is legendary and people do come from miles for Hickory Hog!