By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
VENTNOR During their Facebook live-streamed meeting Thursday, March 26, Ventnor commissioners said they have no intention of closing the boardwalk during the coronavirus pandemic. Twenty-eight viewers logged onto the meeting through their Facebook accounts and posted comments and questions.
Other New Jersey shore communities, including nearby Ocean City, have closed their boardwalks to the public to ensure social distancing during the pandemic.
We the commission are not going to close the boardwalk or our beaches, Mayor Beth Holtzman said. I know there are some people that would like us to and some people that want us not to. We are not closing them because they are open public space, people just need to follow the governor's executive order to stay at home unless you need food, medicine, a doctor's appointment or you're going out to exercise. If you are going to any of those places you need to have distance between people.
Holtzman said City Hall had about 100 calls requesting information about the boardwalk.
Our beach and boardwalk, we are blessed to have it in our backyard. People need that more now than ever. They need it for their heart, their mind, their soul, she said. We have no intention of closing the beach and boardwalk.
Commissioner of Public Works Lance Landgraf said he was on the boardwalk earlier on Thursday to check the progress of the bathroom construction on the Ventnor Pier and he saw that people were keeping a safe distance.
The boardwalk had people on it but they were staying a safe distance apart, he said.
There are more people at any giving time in the supermarket, which is a closed building, Holtzman said. To me, standing outside you are not at risk as long as you have the social distance between people. You are more at risk in a closed building.
Holtzman said she did not believe people from Ocean City would be coming to Ventnor to exercise on the boardwalk.
In the public comments section of the Facebook broadcast, Barbara Mill Baum said when she was on the boardwalk, she noticed people were not keeping the correct social distancing.
It's very crowded. Can Ventnor Police enforce the governor's edict? she asked.
Police Chief Doug Biagi said officers would conduct additional patrols on the boardwalk if crowds increase as the weather warms.
We are trying not to be the social distancing police, but if it becomes an issue, I will have my officers do more frequent checks up there, he said. Usually people get the hint when we're up there and they do tend to split up more when they know they are being watched.
Former Mayor Tim Kriescher, who called in for the meeting, applauded the commissioners for keeping the boardwalk open.
I think it's a very valuable amenity at this time for people to use, he said.
Second homeowner A Kendall Charles asked if those who pay taxes and come into town for periodic checks of their homes be cited.
Biagi said police are available to do perimeter checks of homes upon request.
No one will be cited for coming to check on their homes, Commissioner of Public Safety Tim Kriebel said. The notion that we don't want people to come down who are second homeowners is incorrect. There was some media that used some terms in a derogatory fashion that was unfortunate. That's not what it's about. It's about following the overarching safety order, but you absolutely can come and check on your home. Practice the safe distancing we are all trying to practice.
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