Intro of Laurel and Hardy

I would like to introduce to my readers two part time Point Boro residents. They are Stan and Oliver (who Stan often calls Ollie). Stan and Oliver have been friends nearly all of their lives. They were born, raised, worked and married in Camden, NJ. With kids all grown up and both of them widowers, Stan and Oliver decided to share the cost of buying a home in the Boro. They have held on to their homes in Camden and spend about four months each year in Camden and rest at the Jersey Shore.

Following is one of their recent conversations. Let’s join Stan and Oliver…

“Hey Stan, looks like the Council is giving us new cops”, Oliver quipped while reading the paper over one of the breakfast’s they always had together. Stan reacted immediately. “Well, it’s about time! I am sick of the scary feeling I have walking around town. The murder rate is too high, the number of rapes is up again, and everyone is talking about the awful new wave of drive-by shootings”.  Stan, “What in the world are you talking about?” Oliver asked. “You just said we were getting new cops” Stan responded. “And, they should help with some of the stuff like that”. No Stanley, “Not new cops for Camden...for Point Pleasant”! “Point Pleasant?” Stan exclaimed! But, we don’t see murders, rapes and shootings in Point Pleasant, do we? “No, of course not Stanley”, said Oliver. “But apparently, the Boro Council knows about something coming up”. “How could that be Ollie?” asked Stan. “I don’t know, answered Ollie, and neither does anybody else”!

Point Pleasant has 30+ policemen…that’s right over thirty (30) police officers for three (3) square miles. Stan and Ollie got it right…incredulous indignation about why a small little Boro needs thirty cops. There is no need for so many police in the Boro…Point is not Camden!

The newspapers reported the following comment from the Boro Mayor Schroeder… “I am glad to announce the employment of two new policemen, it is an outward sign that the Boro is in the midst of a financial recovery”. I want every reader to focus on the Mayor’s opinion, which is that he measures the fiscal condition of the Boro by how many policemen we have. It would be hard to script a more idiotic and disconnected statement. This is precisely how the Borough got into financial trouble to begin with…too much overspending in areas that are not high priorities. The Police Chief is guilty of “empire building”, and the Council is guilty of irresponsible use of tax dollars.

It is hard to believe that the Boro Council learned nothing from the fiscal disaster in which the Boro has found itself. Yes it is true we had almost forty (40) cops in the Boro in the past. And, that is among the reasons the Boro is broke! What got the Boro in financial difficulty was too many public employees, too many salaries to pay, and precious little to show for the extremely high taxation burdening most residents. It would be exactly correct to wonder what is in the minds of the Council members.

“Stan do you remember when Councilman Goss started meeting with local business people and the PP Chamber of Commerce screamed bloody murder, because they were not consulted?, asked Ollie. “Yea, I do”, Ollie, “And the best Goss could come up with to connect the businesses along Route 88 was to install Christmas lights”. “They made the same mistake again! The Council, through an Advisory Committee that no one knew about or who served on the Committee, decided that they are going to have a wine festival in River Park, Ollie told Stan. “But, Stan, that’s not the best part of the story”… “A PP Chamber of Commerce representative came to the last Council meeting to let them know that the business people in the Chamber thought the wine festival was a PERFECTLY AWFUL idea”! Stan immediately responded… “This Council simply can’t take NO for an answer, and they seem to think they can make a go of it without the support of the Chamber”! Ollie, “just one question, do you think cheese will be served?”

The Boro Council is simply clueless about what they are supposed to be doing. What’s worse is that this is the second time they insulted the local Chamber of Commerce, who should be a close ally. The Council has no political sense whatsoever.

During the dialogue with the Chamber representative Mayor Schroeder tried to convince everyone, including the Chamber representative, that the idea was a good one and would pay off for the businesses in town. How he would know is anybody’s guess, since he does not own a business in town. In fact, not one single person on the Council owns a business in town. That’s why they should rely heavily on the Chamber for advice on business issues. The Chamber person publicly disagreed by stating that local businesses would rather do business in their own shops…not in a park! This wine festival deal can not work without the support of local business, period! 

One last thing...Should everyone know how much this is going to cost? If the local businesses don’t support the festival, who will foot the bill for set-up, supplies, police coverage and of course the wine…the taxpayers undoubtedly! What do you think?