14/06/2026
On my mind is where in the world did my post place, What's on your mind?, on my FB/Maureen Nevin page go?
In response to Matt Doherty’s article on Judge Lee Solomon’s report, ordered by the Asbury Park Council, about solutions for the Crumbling Casino building – June 10, 2026 – posted on Next Door, AP:
Hi, Matt -
Thanks so much for staying on top of this sad example of municipal ineptitude over what is a totally inexcusable sixteen years.
I've been wanting to touch base again for some time now. I'm pretty remote geographically, now that I'm living in Ewing, NJ, 8 minutes from Trenton.
But reading your report tonight I couldn't help but ask, Why doesn't the City slam Madison Marquette with code violations like it did the City Historian, who was first to sound the alarm about the historic structures? In fact, the city fined and jailed Werner Baumgartner several times, twice for 30-day sentences, for 'crimes' such as not painting or replacing the railing on his home's porch and not mowing his lawn often enough or repaving his driveway. His real crime of course was publicizing the fact that the City was ruling over the inevitable demolition of the city's unique, widely identifiable and irreplaceable distinctive branding! And furthermore unforgiveable, he lobbied for and successfully obtained funds to partially restore the Convention Hall complex.
At one court hearing for those 'code violations' Baumgartner was forced into paying the balance on a home equity loan that was fraudulently placed in his name. This scam was rampant during the Great Recession of 2007-2010. You can check me online: NYT's Pulitzer Prize winning reporter Gretchen Morgenson covered just about every aspect of the corruption from that era. (In books and daily reports, see "These are the Plunderers" Simon & Schuster 2023)
Baumgartner had traded an early retirement from his position with Bell Labs for a repairman's income to afford the time his State post required. He lost a tremendous amount of income between trying to fulfill his unsalaried duties as city historian, buying building materials and hiring contractors to continue the rehab of his own home, and paying code violations all between bouts of incarceration for no reasonable cause.
So I would ask you now, Matt, where are the blizzards of warrants for code violations Madison Marquette has surely racked up over its 16 years as owner and delinquent steward of AP's historic structures? Summonses each threatening as much as $1200 in fines, if my memory serves me, late fees and possible jail time for Madison Marquette? Where is the equivalent of the 19 summons code officer Bill Grey piled onto the historian?
Asbury Park's limp-wristed annual default resolutions (that carry no fees for noncompliance) against Madison are a glaring comparison -- a clear example of punishing those for trying to do the right thing while rewarding hugely wealthy corporations with endless FREE extensions -- all the while residents' treasures -- priceless assets, literally rot before their eyes.
Matt - Could you please ask the city why its Code Department has failed to fine Madison Marquette as the property owner of record?
Thanks very much, Matt.
Maureen
(See current photo of Casino in Patch AP)
