While answering a call on public radio earlier this month, Gov. Phil Murphy weighed in with his thoughts on beach erosion in North Wildwood.
“I’m sick of the standoff, in terms of what we do about the erosion. North Wildwood is an incredibly important community, and I want to see this fixed,” Murphy said in response to a question from a caller, “Brian, from Linwood,” during an appearance Wednesday, March 13, on the New York City station WNYC’s “Ask Governor Murphy” program, hosted by Nancy Solomon.
“The erosion problem is real,” the governor continued. “There’s no question about that. But the problem is the approach that the mayor has wanted to pursue, versus what our Department of Environmental Protection has wanted to pursue, are two different approaches. And I’m not smart enough to — honestly, Brian — tell you who’s more right than the other.”
The caller complained about the litigation surrounding the erosion in North Wildwood and asked Murphy, “What actions are you willing to take, starting tomorrow, that will unify all levels of government, get loafers out of the courtroom and work boots on the ground by Oct. 1?”
In response, Murphy called the issues distinct, apparently referring to the litigation and the erosion, and said, “It’s not people loafing versus working.” He pointed to the philosophical differences between North Wildwood’s administration and the DEP, adding he felt he wasn’t qualified to take a side.
He also said he had called for a “summit,” where his senior aides would sit down with Sen. Mike Testa — whom the governor credited — North Wildwood Mayor Patrick Rosenello and other interested parties.
The group would “get at the table and figure this out. It’s too precious a community. The shore is a huge generator for our economy,” Murphy said. “We want to get this fixed. I promise you.”
The caller also asked the governor if he would be willing to visit North Wildwood and “bury the hatchet” with Rosenello.
“There’s no real hatchet to bury,” Murphy responded, saying he spoke on the phone with Rosenello weeks ago to congratulate the mayor on receiving millions of dollars from the state for boardwalk funding.
In an interview with the Herald conducted the same day as Murphy’s radio show but prior to when it aired, Rosenello confirmed the phone call.
“The issues in North Wildwood are on the radar screen at the highest levels of state government,” Rosenello said. “Being on the radar screen and being resolved, however, unfortunately, there’s quite a delta between those two things. So that’s my job as mayor, to try to keep it on the radar screen and work to get a solution. It’s not easy, I can tell you that.”
In a Feb. 26 letter from Rosenello obtained by the Herald and addressed to Murphy’s chief of staff, Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, the mayor thanked Murphy for the boardwalk grant and reiterated his concerns over the erosion and his misgivings with the DEP’s approach.
The mayor left his cellphone number in the letter, and wrote, “if there is anything either Governor Murphy or your staff can do to help our shore protection efforts, we would be greatly appreciative.”
But communication wasn’t necessarily improving a few weeks later, Rosenello said.
“I haven’t gotten a text from him lately,” the mayor said.
Contact the author, Shay Roddy, at sroddy@cmcherald.com or 609-886-8600, ext. 142.
