New Commodore

Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club Commodore Lou Melillo passed the torch of leadership to Joseph Patsco at the traditional Changing of the Watch ceremony at the club in the Municipal Yacht Harbor New Year’s day, promising the support of himself and all past commodores in continuing the missions of the 70-year-old club.

Patsco, who lives in Little Silver and has been a club member since 2019, assured members and guests at the gala ceremony he will continue the successes the Club has achieved in the past and continue its outstanding programs in Special Olympics, the Boys and Girls Club, and 189 Turning Lives Around, a nonprofit organization that  provides survivors of domestic and sexual violence and their families  free, confidential programs and resources to process and heal from their experiences.

Patsco also thanked both club employees and the Atlantic Highlands Mayor and Council and Harbor Commission for all they all do to keep “The Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club the place to go.”

The commodore welcomed Mayor Lori Hohenleitner, and councilmembers Jon Crowley, Eileen Cusick, and Vito Colasurdo along with Harbor Commissioner Curtis Sawyer. Both Colasurdo and Sawyer are also members of the Yacht Club.

Council Member Alyson Forbes was also present at the Change of Watch ceremony and congratulated the club and its members for their achievements over the years.

As one of his final duties and honors as Commodore, Melillo also announced that the Yacht Club’s dining room, located on the second floor of the Shore Casino Building, will be renamed the Helen Marchetti dining room, honoring the past long time member. Mrs. Marchetti, who died last year at the age of 97, had been a stalwart member of the club since 1962, was also a former Atlantic Highlands Mayor and native of the borough known for her numerous services both to the club and the borough over many decades.

Melillo also recognized other past commodores in attendance at the Change of Watch ceremony, including Lenny Sitar, who has served two terms as commodore and has been a member since 1976, Edward Newins, a member since 1985, and Frank Allsman.

In accepting command, Patsco welcomed members and guests and expressed thanks to Harbor Commission and the borough for their cooperative efforts with the Yacht Club through the years.

Patsco swore in officers and governors for the 2024 year, including Brian Gillen, vice commodore, John Flatley, Rear Commodore, Elaine Hayden, secretary, Barbara Flatley, corresponding secretary, Stephen Mackay treasurer, and Steven Brownlie, Michael Fortier, Bradley Petersen and George Harrington as governors.

Also continuing as Governors under Commodore Patsco are Jennifer Barrett and Bruce Cohn.

The Commodore also recognized with gratitude and appreciation the three governors who have completed their tenure in the positions, Sue Mikaitis, Barbara Nevius and Chuck Parker.

At the request of Patsco, past Commodore Melillo made the presentation of the Tom Duane ward.

The award is presented annually to a club member who has gone above and beyond duties in service to the club. Melillo then contacted by telephone this year’s recipient, Donna Syers, who is currently in Florida. Syers expressed her thanks via telephone to all the members and assured them of her continued dedication to the club. She expressed appreciation at being cited as the club’s “Ambassador of the waterfront and “watchdog of many fields,” and said she was honored by the award.

In addition to honoring the Employee and Volunteer of the month at an Atlantic Highlands council meeting, Mayor and Council honored brothers Andy and Chuck Hall , owners of Jaspan Brothers Hardware Store as the Business of the Month.

Mayor Lori Hohenleitner said Jaspan Brothers is the first of the many businesses that will be honored in the new addition instituted this month for council meetings.

She praised the brothers and their employees for the outstanding store they maintain, noting that a hardware store has been a landmark on the First Avenue site since 1925.

The brothers purchased Jaspan Brothers in 2015 and have been “helpful and amazing” since then, always going above and beyond and supporting the borough and its residents in numerous ways, not the least of which has been doing the Christmas lighting on First Avenue for the holiday season.

The applause and standing ovation of the crowded borough hall meeting room was a strong indication the borough residents are in full agreement with the mayor’s compliments of Jaspan Brothers,its owners and employees.

Mayor Lori Hohenleitner led the praise and thanks to former Mayor Loretta Gluckstein at Thursday’s meeting of the Mayor and Council when the mayor presented her predecessor with a proclamation honoring her dedication to the borough.

In making the presentation, Mayor Hohenleitner also thanked Mrs. Gluckstein for her friendship, saying “it means a lot to me.”

The Mayor read the proclamation noting that Mrs. Gluckstein, her husband Steve and their family moved from her native Michigan to Atlantic Highlands in 1989 and she has contributed in numerous ways since then.

The mayor cited Mrs. Gluckstein’s eight years as member and president of Henry Hudson Regional School Board of Education, five years with the Atlantic Highlands PTA, five with the Boy Scout and six with the Girl Scout organizations, as well as in numerous other ways before she became mayor four years ago.

The mayor also cited Mrs. Glucksein’s work with Meals on Wheels, and as Bible School and CCD instructor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help St. Agnes Parish.

The resolution also cited the number of changes and improvements that were made to the borough during Mrs. Gluckstein’s tenure, and her role in securing grants for harbor improvements among other grants.

In thanking the Mayor and Council for the proclamation and the audience at the meeting in which the proclamation was presented, Mrs. Gluckstein admitted that “change is difficult.”   She noted the past years has been difficult personally and for the borough due to the loss of Bernard Sweeney, owner of the Shore Casino, former Mayor Helen Marchetti and former Councilman Walter Curry.

But she praised the employees of every department employed by the borough, as well as the volunteer fire department and First Aid Squad and their leaders, describing borough employees as ‘fantastic’  with a high moral compass, able to perform miracles, and more.

She noted Borough Clerk Michele Clark and assistant Beth Merkel “are the heart of town and borough hall.”