Those ‘Magic Words’ Still Work

Crowds don’t generally fill the freeholder meeting room. That’s no surprise. Sessions, while open to the public, aren’t exactly reality TV material. Times are odd, almost like figuring out tides. First meeting is second Tuesday at 7 p.m. with a 5:30 p.m. caucus, open to all eyes. The second meeting on the fourth Tuesday starts at 4:30 p.m. with a 3 p.m. caucus. Admittedly, it’s not great for the working set, but they do get the job done. They must, the county operates daily.
Back to the crowds, it’s rather unusual for more than a half dozen folks to attend. Regulars are mostly county employees who must attend. Peter Gilson from Woodbine, simply feels it important to see government in action, Lynn Shirk from Sea Isle City, and this reporter usually comprise “the public.”
So it was with wonderment that we watched a large group enter the portals of the wood-paneled room Sept. 9. One of them was an Upper Township lass, Angelina Pustizzi, 9, with her folks. She attracted everyone’s attention because she wore a cute, pink helmet with bunny ears flopped down the back. She came to say “Thank you,” and had to be lifted by her mother to the microphone to speak.
It turned out the contingent attended just to say thank you to freeholders, who, moments before, had approved a $500,000 allocation from Open Space funds to create a skatepark in Ocean City. It was a stroke of genius, because those two words, “thank you” are seldom uttered in a public meeting. Usually there are just nasty demands or complaints, so a public show of gratitude was noteworthy.
Even more surprising was the number of youngsters who strode to the microphone to express to the board how appreciative they were that the skatepark would afford a place to safely congregate and try out new tricks on their boards.
Yes, they were brought by their parents, and even some of them rose to offer accolades for the action. Some pointed back to their youth when skateparks were non-existent, and those who boarded did so at their own peril, on streets or in parking lots.
One father said his son suffered several accidents with cars on his board, and was thus looking forward to a safe place for his son to skateboard. He said no parent should have to go through what he did in those awful moments.
Each freeholder smiled as they looked upon the young speakers. In a few short years, one of those skateboarders may wield the gavel on that same dais.
The Open Space fund was modified early last year to allow expenditures for such things as parks, recreation and historic preservation. Before that, it was largely to the benefit of offshore municipalities whose endangered farmlands or tracts of land were scooped up and preserved for future generations. The change was made, in part, so that the barrier island communities, which fund a sizable chunk of the dough, could benefit equally with their offshore neighbors. It seems to be working.
Stone Harbor dedicated its Freedom Park Sept. 11, funded by the Open Space account. The center of attention there is an artifact from the World Trade Center. The park’s placement which was finalized, after quite a struggle.
Another fellow attended the caucus meeting, and he, too, said thanks. Kevin Maloney and Sandy, his wife, lugged in a scale model replica of the lifesaving station they hope to see built at Sunset Beach. It’s part of the Cape May Maritime Museum and Education Center which is likely to become quite a tourist attraction.
It was two years ago when Maloney approached the board seeking support on behalf of the organization. Since then, membership has grown, and much research has been done regarding the history of the lifesaving station. Maloney said it was one of the first in the state, and was responsible for saving many lives.
Among its features was a cannon-like device that could shoot a line to a distressed vessel to start life saving work. Maloney said the group plans to have a cannon incorporated into flag-lowering ceremony, held daily in the summer at Sunset Beach. Those tributes were started by Marvin Hume, a World War II veteran. He continues that daily ceremony using a different flag that covered a veteran’s casket.
Maloney said the group plans to continue in Hume’s footsteps so the cherished tradition will extend into the future.
While the board was impressed, Open Space regs would not allow funds to be used, since it would be a replica, albeit faithful. Director Gerald Thornton asked Diane Wieland, director of tourism and information, to look into the possibility of some funding from Culture and Heritage, since it will restore a piece of Lower Township history as well as bolster tourism.
Wow! Imagine what other things could happen if more people simply said “thank you.”