Disruptive teens still a problem in Margate. Some say it’s only getting worse. What will Mayor Becker do? Listen to the podcast.
Residents of Shore Club and Ivory Beach Condominiums in Margate addressed the Mayor and City Commissioners on Oct 20. Representing well over 100 condo owners, homeowners are pleading with the Mayor for help. This public safety challenge has been going on for years.
Resident concerns over escalating teen chaos. Current ‘hands-off’ approach to policing as per Governor Murphy not working.
Listen: Margate Public Comment. OCT 20, 2022.
NEWS: NJ Senator Vince Polistina, along with Assemblyman Guardian and Assemblywoman Swift announced legislation that will aid law enforcement in addressing juvenile crime issues within the State of New Jersey.
“Following the decriminalization of marijuana and the changes to the juvenile justice laws, many law enforcement officers are being left with unclear direction as to what, if anything, they can do to combat some of the offenses and issues being caused by some juveniles primarily in our shore communities,” Senator Polistina said.
- The proposed law would allow for law enforcement officers to identify and verify age for persons in possession, and or use, of marijuana or alcohol.
- The proposed legislation does not require an arrest or citation for underage use but allows for confiscation and notification to a parent or guardian for any individual under 18 years of age.
‘This new law will give some power back to the police, and hopefully help to quell any issues before they arise.’
Taunting residents. Brick throwing thru a window. Can’t approach the kids. Why? Fear of retribution from parents?
Without deterrent, penalty, fines or even jail time, bad behavior will continue to increase nationwide. The Jersey Shore too.
Law enforcement addressing juvenile crime issues within New Jersey.
More public comment.
I saw a 14 year old girl being carried off the beach in a stretcher. The parents were called. Their answer was ‘we’re out to dinner.‘
There’s going to be an altercation at some point. Something is going to happen. One resident won’t take it so kindly and one kid is going to throw a punch.
I saw a mother dropping 4 kids off. 13-14 year old girls. 11:30 at night. I said to her: What do you think is going on out on the beach? You may want to walk down and explore. It’s a disgrace.
If a kid drinking, dives into the pool and breaks their neck. A tragedy. We’re liable if someone gets hurt on our property. It’s our insurance carrier. We can’t confront the kids because there might be some type of altercation.
Reports of people being taunted by juveniles. A kid was chased from the pool, they thought the same kid came back and threw the brick. Owner at Ivory Beach on the receiving end of a rock that went through his window where his 2 year old granddaughter usually sleeps.
A young girl had to be picked up at Shore Memorial by the mother. The nurse releasing 7a the next morning asked the mother why she was on the beach at 2:30am? The mother’s response was: ‘she can do whatever she wants.’
Absentee parents. Gov Murphy restricting what cops can do. Bail reform and Murphy’s juvenile justice laws not working.
years ago i made a suggestion at the JCC to have events at the field on Jerome Ave as teens have no place to gather & no activities. the issue was liabilities.
i believe that this has to be a goal…. i also believe that parents must be accountable for keeping curfews by the city.
we need a creative, as well as legal, approach, to addressing this escalating problem!!! (bigger houses, more residents!!!)
Is it a coincidence that this problem has come to our attention and become worse the past few years?
What is the coincidence?
Our Commissioners helped to write and approved a new Master Plan that pushes for a more transient Margate.
We had 1/2 season and seasonal rentals only.
We now have one week and Airbnb rentals.
These kids and their parents have one week to have fun at any expense and our loss of quiet enjoyment of our homes.
Margate has changed and will continue to change to a short term rental community if our commissioners continue on their path.
This problem will get worse unless we speak
up and force a change of direction.
This May we have an election for Margate Commissioners.
Yiu have a choice to be complacent and accept this or vote for a change.
Coincidence???
I think not
When I was a kid I did some underage drinking myself. I had no clue as to what I was doing. My mother had a 11pm curfew for me. I snuck out of the house got drunk and me and my buddy were walking to Lenny’s hot dogs that used to be on Washington and Atlantic next to Lucy. But the police had other ideas we got arrested and taken to the police station and had to have our parents come pick us up. We were punished by our parents and the police threatened us with going to juvenile jail at Harbor Fields if we got caught again. The answer is make the parents responsible for their kids if not haul them off to court and let the judges take care of it. Without respect for authority beginning with your parents the problem will never be solved. You can’t let the inmates run the asylum
👍😎
It all comes down to parents not only being responsible but also accountable. It means accountability by applying fines and, for repeat or major offenses, community service or jail time. I think this applies across all states and localities.
Very well said.
This has been the worst year yet. The kids are getting totally out of control. They are dangerous and violent and lack any respect for authority. When we politely ask them to to leave…we get vulgarity and threats. We live on Washington Ave…and the kids hang on the beach late at night drinking and congregating in large numbers. We see parents dropping them off after hours on the beach…saying “have fun!”
It is illegal to be in the beach after hours…but that doesn’t seem to matter. A resident can be fined for walking their dog in the beach, but kids are allowed to disturb the peace and break the law without consequence!
Something needs to change.
Hold the parents accountable for their under age children breaking the law. Punish, fine, even jail time for the parents and maybe…just maybe they will start parenting their own children. Both kids and parents should do community service. Personally, growing up in Margate, I would have gotten in worse trouble at home if I dared break the law. It really all boils down to respect of other’s, their person and property, respect for police, teachers and parents. Unfortunately I see none!
The kids are a symptom of the problem. I agree that parents must take responsibility.
The problem started when our commissioners decided to change Margate to a town of short term renters who do not share a sense of community.
Those parents who are dropping off their kids are short term renters who are gone in a few days.
Fix the problem and the symptoms go away.
How exactly is it that you can make a blanket statement that it’s short term renters that are causing all of the issues. You have both zero proof of that, and it ignores the reality of both full time residents and second home owners kids/parents being equally as culpable. Be better than that, Jay.
Short term rentals are a disaster for all decent residential communities. How many do you own Steve?
Says the miserable clown who admits he doesn’t live here, and hasn’t even been here in years. Actually, LIES (because you certainly aren’t truth), I own none. I have owned a property for more than 20 years and never rented it once. My point is simple: Jay (who does a great job with his Homeowners group work) is blaming everything on an amorphous group of renters, with zero evidence or basis in fact.
I said it was a coincidence that as our short term rentals have grown do has the problem.
Just a coincidence.
Just asked you a simple question. Triggered much?
No, Lies, your question wasn’t a question. If was a false accusation with a question mark as the end. Nice try, though.
Triggered? No, mocking you.
Jay, you know we did plenty of stupid things at The Wall at 2nd and C growing up and there were absolutely no short term renters then… parental responsibility is the issue irrespective of rental duration, locals or second homeowners.
I agree with you.
I was stating that this problem began to increase in severity at the same time that the commissioners adopted the new 2017 Master Plan that clearly leans toward a more transient Margate.
They adopted one week rentals as our old ordinance called for 1/2 season and full season rentals only.
The city has over 200 Airbnb properties and no means to oversee these properties and no enforcement arm.
Yes,kids today are just like us. We ad they need and will look for a place to meet and hang out . We had the Wall.
Yes we need more parental oversite.
The difference is that Margate has changed as our Master Plan changed and so this problem has grown.
Governor Murphy’s rules tie the hands of our police. NOT GOOD!
Many years ago when my children were in their early and late teenage years Needed and found things to do to spread their wings .
My children ,who are now young adults with children of their own, would leave our home and walk to Wawa to see their friends . They had a strict curfew and we enforced it.
They knew the consequences.
We owned our home in Margate and had a sense of community and responsibility.
I am sure you will agree with me( this is not always the case) that those who own a property will take better care of that property as compared to those who rent. The owners will most likely be building their relationships with their neighbors and our community. Renters are here for a good time and do not, typically, build those same neighborly and community relationships.
Back to my point ………………..Just a coincidence that this problem has grown of late at the same time of the changing of the ordinance and Master Plan .
I do not think it is a coincidence and parents need to be parents.
Margate is an adult playground that poo-poos everything that has to do with giving the kids their own playground. We build bars, restaurants, pickleball courts and still nothing for the kids to do.
When Mom and Dad are at those entertainment activities, the kids are on their own.
Find a remote place, build a skateboard park or figure out what they are into these days and build it. Name one thing in Margate for the 12-18 crowd to do at night.
And for the record we all drank while under age back in the day, those things never change, we are just getting older :)
The only 2 options are Congo falls and Ventnor theater.
The issue is 100% that parents – locals and seasonal – drink too much and don’t keep tabs on their children. Kids will get into trouble if the parents aren’t involved, it’s what kids do, make dumb decisions.
Even if we had a skate park, kids would just congregate there and get into trouble. And the parents would be obliviously getting drunk at Tomatoes.
Wow, generalize much? So every parent is apparently drunk all the time? One certainly doesn’t have to be drunk to not be controlling there kids. Yes, it’s very much due to parents but the drunk thing you’re espousing is a huge, cartoonish exaggeration.
Regardless of a lack of activities for teens, there is a huge lack of RESPECT from teens AND their parents today. I think if everyone here takes a second to think about it, none of us commenting here would have ever: cursed at an adult, throw a brick at a condo, curse and taunt the police or any authority figure, etc.. I could go on.
Parents used to discipline their children and enforce rules. Many parents of today’s generations and beyond do not. They don’t want the stress and confrontation after a long, grueling day at work. Simple fact. Different generations, totally different parenting style, different values. And that’s all I have to say about that……..
parenting leaves a lot to be desired today. People are more concerned about their own “fun” to be concerned about instilling values in their kids. This generation is being raised to value their own entitlements (i.e. the mother who at 2:30 am said “my kid can do whatever she wants”). This is the “wave” that has taken hold of our once beautiful country and will surely be it’s downfall. NO YOU CAN’T DO WHATEVER YOU WANT!
Around Labor Day, there were eggs thrown down Washington and in the business area. They were bought in WAWA. I took pictures of the eggs in various parts of town. They smelled awful in the daytime heat and I saw business owners cleaning their windows and sidewalks. This is vandalism. It will only get worse. I do not know the answer, but the surrounding towns to Margate have a curfew and it is enforced. These children on bicycles should not be on the beach all night anyway, so just get a curfew and enforce it.
So what’s your solution, banning wawa from selling eggs?
The eggs were a symptom of the problem.
Your comment was insensitive and rude.
It demonstrated your lack of understanding.
An apology is due and perhaps be a bit nicer next time you respond to someone.
How would you like to be treated?
Bob, you made Elena’s point for her – what is the relevance of where the eggs were allegedly purchased to the behavior and no curfew issue? Nothing.
Frank
I never mentioned where the eggs were purchased.
I said the eggs were a symptom of the problem.
I said the solution was a curfew. I buy my eggs at WAWA. That was really a ridiculous comment, just meant to be sarcastic and ineffective. What’s your solution besides making stupid comments.
let kids be kids, SO WHAT. RELAX
If they were from Atlantic City, you’d use your go-to response of calling for a wall to built. Ironic, the difference…
get over yourself
You are from Ventnor???!
Your comment was out of place and insensitive to others concerns.
i am and i also live in philadelphia