Crest Debates Events on Beaches; Alcohol Cited as Factor

WILDWOOD CREST – Wildwood Crest has a long-standing policy: no organized events on its beaches.
The Crest receives many requests each week for events, such as wedding receptions, parties, and family reunions, but denies them for several reasons.
During the Wildwood Crest Borough Commissioners’ meeting Aug. 5, Commissioners Joyce Gould and David Thompson said that the primary fear surrounding the events is the potential presence of alcohol. Gould said that alcohol, and crowded beaches, are reasons that she hesitates to allow such events.
“As big as our beaches are, they are already really crowded,” said Gould. “Last summer, they estimated that 5,000 people were on our beach. I’ll tell you right now, you can’t say ‘no alcohol’ because there is always going to be alcohol. There’s alcohol on the beach now. That is what it is, but the flavor of this town is that it’s a family town. If they want to drink, they can go to the Crest Tavern to buy alcohol, they can go to Reed’s to buy alcohol, but we don’t have it, and I don’t think that many people even want to have it.”
Thompson regrets that the Crest has to say no to so many events, but shares many concerns with Gould. 
He said, “I hate telling people ‘no’ to everything. I just do, but if you’re going to have as many as 500 people on the beach, they’re going to have alcohol. There are always those that abuse it, they’re going to do it. I think the issue is controlling the alcohol, it getting out of hand, and the liability. I’d love to say yes, and let people do them, but I’m well aware of the abuses that people do. If we were to say yes, I would say the back beach only. I just don’t see how you can get around the alcohol.”
Mayor Don Cabrera thinks that the Crest has had an attitude of ‘this is why we can’t do this’ instead of a problem-solving attitude that would allow increased economic prosperity for the Crest that might come with such large events. He said that events, like the ones proposed, are in character for the town.
“Wedding receptions and reunions are about as Wildwood Crest as you can get,” Cabrera said. “I don’t see anything wrong with that after hours. If we’re going to take such a harsh stance on alcohol, I think we’re at a point now where we say ‘what’s the point of having the license potentially in the business district at the motels and the hotels.’ People get married here at every gazebo, but they can’t have a reception? It makes no sense. We’re sending business out of the Crest.”
He continued to stress that alcohol is in the Crest every day, even if not legally. The Crest refused to address this, he said, and needs to grapple with that reality, as they make decisions about organized events. Cabrera fears that overregulation is harming the town, as a whole. 
“I wish we would get our minds on the fact that people are drinking on the beaches in the Crest. They are,” he said. “As fast as we can get our hands on that and understand it and appreciate that people are being respectful. We are overregulated. People are here on vacation, and all we do is say no. If this is a safety issue, we’ll address it at that time. They’re already having gatherings on the beach, hundreds of people.”
Gould stressed that the issue must be brought to a referendum.
“Then you’ve got music,” she said, “500 people after 5:30 p.m. They start to drink. They go in the water, there are no lifeguards. You have to understand. You know what, Don? Make sure you get your referendum and it goes to a vote. Do people want alcohol in the town, or don’t they want alcohol in the town? Then you’ve got your answer. Then it’s over.”
This issue is one that will be discussed and voted on in future commissioners’ meetings.
The Crest is currently considering liquor licenses for motels and restaurants. Dialogue within the meeting seemed to imply that the decision made on that front would impact the commissioners’ decision regarding large events on the beaches.