Pavilion renovation should be revisited
I've enjoyed the Monmouth Beach Pavilion for 17 years, but with the proposed $2.5 Million bond issue, I may not renew my membership. Consider the following:

1. The bathhouse fees increased substantially. This year I basically paid $1,000 to store my chairs.

2. The beach is so crowded visits must be planned. Midday and weekends are crazy.

3. Parking is a rarity.

4. The pool is very crowded.

I'm not saying the club doesn't need work. It does. But the new pavilion design and high cost begs many questions.

In the grimmest of scenarios, our beach is slowly disappearing. Our own newsletter even stated, "Funding at the Federal level is limited and very competitive for sand replenishment." Why are we planning to spend so much money if the beach is in danger and declining membership is a real possibility? In the early 1990s our beach was the size of a postage stamp!

There are also many design questions:

1. Why do we need another town meeting room?

2. We don't need hurricane proof windows, what are we protecting?

3. The garage doors are fine, why spend extra for glass doors?

4. Why does the new entry corridor to the restrooms take the public into private locker areas? It just adds congestion.

5. Why are we adding more upstairs bathhouses? Isn't this less convenient to the elderly and parents with small children?

Now that the project has the community's attention, we need to stop it and revisit the entire plan.

Doug Becker Monmouth Beach