Borough Councils in both boroughs now have representatives to the school boards of education, now that Mayor Lori Hohenleitner has instituted a practice that had been in place several years ago in Atlantic Highlands and named Councilman Brian Dougherty to the position.
In Highlands, Council President Joann Olszewski is the council representative to the boards of education, and listed activities from sports to elections in her monthly report at the Highlands council meeting.
Dougherty, in his report, stressed that while neither governing body has any control or vote in the boards of education, it is important that residents and governing bodies be kept aware of activities there as well as throughout the municipality. The councilman noted that especially since the new regionalization has been approved, it is important for all those involved to continue communications.
Both Dougherty and Olszewski reported on the reorganization of the school boards, including the fact that the three school boards named Cory Wingerter of Atlantic Highlands president and Irene Campbell of Highlands vice president of the Henry Hudson PK-12transitional board, Clair Kozic of Atlantic Highlands and Richard Doust of Highlands are the president and vice-president of the Henry Hudson Regional Board. Karen Masina and Cory Wingerter are president and vice president of the Atlantic Highlands Board of Education, and Rebecca Wells and Robyn Sanfratello president and vice president of the Highlands Board.
In her report Olszewski noted there are 161 students in the elementary school and 305 students in the 7th through 12th grades at Henry Hudson. She listed the dates for midterm exams and early dismissals for Henry Hudson as well as the two hour delayed openings in the last two weeks due to weather. Olszewski also announced the cooperative sports agreements the district has with the Keyport Board of Education and the Keansburg Board of Education with Henry Hudson the host school for Keyport cross country, track and field for boys and girls, as well as girls tennis and boys tennis. Keansburg is the host school in that cooperative agreement for wrestling.
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.”
The BRIC program from FEMA which is financing the flood mitigation situation between Monmouth Hills and Highlands, did not come to the borough easily or without a lot of hard work, energy, keeping on top of federal projects and dedication.
Highlands has faced the water runoff problem from Monmouth Hills in neighboring Middletown Township for more than a century. Route 36 has been closed more than once because of flood waters dashing down to the residential areas of the borough. But FEMA’s innovative approach for allocating funds enabled the borough to get the financial help it needed to put a solution into motion.
Mayor Carolyn Broullon worked well with the Monmouth Hills Association and Middletown to achieve the more than $12 million the borough received in federal aid.
The Flood mitigation project for Highlands and Middletown is vast in scope. It includes constructing bioswales throughout Monmouth Hills, constructing a detention basin underneath Kavookjian Field, both located in Middletown. It also includes building a storm water pump station at Jones Creek, updating the pumps at Valley and North Streets and adding natural gas backup generators to all pump stations as well as upgrading all outfalls and associated storm water infrastructure.
The $12,193,960 the borough received under the program is a testament to cooperative efforts and dedication, Mayor Broullon pointed out, in expressing thanks to all levels of federal, state, county and municipal governments and most especially to the team at Colliers, notably Kelsey Howard, giving the borough the opportunity to vie for the funds.
Because BRIC is a FEMA program it is open to every municipality throughout the United States. That is why it is particularly significant that Highlands was able to be included.
The program is part of FEMA’s commitment to the Justice40 Initiative, instilling equity in the foundation of emergency management. Under the program, FEMA gave priority to smaller or “sub” applications that included tribes, economically disadvantaged rural communities and other disadvantaged communities throughout the nation. That strategy also enabled FEMA to expedite awards and implement mitigation solutions.
Of the grant submissions, FEMA received sub, or smaller, applications from 127 Economically Disadvantaged Rural Communities, a 15% increase over the previous year. That program offered an increased cost share which included a 90% federal share, as well as 100% management costs for all.
Structure for the program was unique. It was comprised of three separate application opportunities with the State or Territory Allocation and Tribal Set-Aside selections announced in May and the National Competition sub application awards announced last August.
Looking at the odds makes it more astounding Highlands was selected for the $12 million grant.
For the one grant cycle alone, FEMA received 803 sub applications, totaling more than $4.6 billion in requests. They came from 55 states, territories and the District of Columbia. There were also another 37 applications from tribal nations. All had to be considered and prioritized.
From the $4.6 billion allocated for the 803 applications received overall, including Highlands, FEMA selected 124 competitive projects based on the highest composite score for the funding amount available.
New Jersey had 34 applications with 15 selected. Highlands was the third largest grant request approved in the state with its $12, 193,960 total. The borough was granted the highest award of any single municipality in New Jersey. Two higher totals approved were for major utility companies in Cape May and Ocean City.
In the FY22 National Competition, 64 awarded projects included nature-based solutions from 19 states and 8 regions applied. Highlands was one of them as well.
Highlands has three years from this past October in order to design and complete the program for the grant payment to reimburse the borough.
The Sea Bright Mayor and Council unanimously approved a resolution authorizing an update to the feasibility study which had been done two years ago in preparation for allowing Sea Bright children to attend the newly formed Henry Hudson Regional k-12 school district.
The Highlands Mayor and Council have already unanimously approved joining Sea Bright in applying for a state grant to cover the cost of the study, offered at $27,000, a figure Sea Bright also indicated it does have available should the grant not be approved.
Atlantic Highlands several months ago passed a resolution to contribute, however stressed that approval is with stipulations.
All three municipalities have long since acknowledged that Step One to enable the voters to decide whether Sea Bright can bring in both funds and students to the new district has already been approved.
All three also agreed that Step Two is enabling the residents in all three towns to vote on whether Sea Bright can be a part of the regional district.
To date, there is nothing on the agenda for the January 25 Atlantic Highlands Council meeting regarding anything about regionalization. Borough Administrator Robert Ferragina confirmed this week that he is working with the borough attorney in Atlantic Highlands to look further into the matter.
“It’s time we all worked together towards this common goal,” said Highlands Mayor Carolyn Broullon this week, “This is a regional school district. We agreed on Step One, forming the regional district from PreK-12 for Highlands and Atlantic Highlands. Now it is time to advance Step Two and make the education of our children the priority for all of us. This is the time all of us, School Boards and Councils, should apply for this state grant that will cover the $27,000 cost and enable all three towns to continue to move forward.”
Sea Bright and Highlands have agreed to apply for the School Regionalization Efficiency Program Grant to finance the study to be conducted by Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, the Morristown firm that submitted the $27,000 bid for the study. The firm conducted the original feasibility study which showed accepting Sea Bright into the Highlands and Atlantic Highlands regionalized school system would be a financial benefit to the two towns immediately as well as to Sea Bright in the future.
Cadet Russell Karshmer, a junior and Chief Petty Officer at MAST, the Marine Academy of Science and Technology) in the NJROTC program, received the congratulations and applause of the Highlands Mayor and Council at their regular meeting Wednesday night.
The cadet was honored for creating the design which will be the obverse side of the official commissioning coin for the submarine New Jersey (SSN796), the third Navy vessel to be named after the Garden State.
Russell’s award-winning design was selected from more than 300 original designs submitted to the New Jersey Commissioning Committee by high school students throughout the state.
In making the presentation of a plaque recognizing the expertise and creativity of the cadet, Mayor Carolyn Broullon highlighted all the innovation and research that went into New Jersey characteristics and history Karshmer managed to fit into the design….the state bird, tree,, flower, Sandy Hook Lighthouse, the oldest still operating lighthouse in the nation, NWS Earle where the commissioning will take place, as well as Mount Mitchill, the highest point along the coast from Maine to Florida. The mayor also noted the student highlighted how three is important to the state…the third state to join the Union, the submarine being the third Naval vessel bearing the state’s name, and more.
The submarine will be commissioned April 6 at 10 a.m. at the Leonardo pier of NWS Earle and Karshmer has been invited to attend along with his family.
Mayor Broullon wished Karshmer continued success and commended him for being the role model he is.
Former Monmouth County Commissioner Lillian G. Burry was welcomed and received a standing ovation at the regular meeting of the Atlantic Highlands Mayor and Council Thursday night, when Mayor Lori Hohenleitner presented her with a proclamation honoring all her years of service to Monmouth County residents.
In presenting the proclamation, Mayor Hohenleitner said she was eager to praise the outgoing County Commissioner and made it a priority to recognize Commissioner Burry at her own first meeting as Mayor because of all she has done.
Ms Hohenleitner cited the numerous areas where Commissioner Burry has achieved success for Monmouth County and where she has been recognized by numerous groups and organizations for her hard work in the fields of history, the arts, education, and the military.
She also referred to several citations from various organizations, including the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, Spinnaker Award, the NJ Federation of Women, the first Clare French Award and the Soldier On organization which recently named the women’s wing at their facility in Tonton Falls after Mrs. Burry.
Commissioner Burry, who did not seek re-election to the Board of Commissioners, is a cum laude graduate of Wagner College where she majored in political science and history and earned a Fellowship in political science.
She first served on the borough council when she and her husband Don, a retired Coast Guard Captain, lived in Matawan, then was elected both as a committeewoman and later Mayor in Colts Neck when the family moved to that township.
The freeholder has also maintained her Colts Neck Realty office in Colts Neck for more than 40 years and has been a strong force in both the numerous facilities at Fort Monmouth following the closure of the army base, as well as historic Fort Hancock, where she is a member of the Fort Hancock historical 21st century Commission.
She has also been a long time supporter and frequent speaker at MAST, the Marine Academy of Science and Technology and was instrumental in the current plans to reconstruct a former barracks into an indoor drill field for the NJROTC cadets at MAST.
Councilman James Murphy also led more applause for Commissioner Burry when he recognized her birthday, which was Monday, January 15.
In accepting the standing ovation from the crowd in Atlantic Highlands, Commissioner Burry thanked Mayor Hohenleitner for the honor, explaining the borough holds a special place in her heart since her daughter and son-in-law live in town and her granddaughter was raised here.
Atlantic Highlands is the second town in Monmouth County to give special appreciation thanks and honors to Commissioner Burry. Her hometown of Colts Neck also recognized the former mayor at a recent meeting. She was also honored by more than 100 guests last month at a gala reception she and her husband hosted at Eagle Oaks Country Club to recognize her retirement from the political arena.
If Patti Swick weren’t such a fireball of energy and enthusiasm, her fiancé Dan Feehan could have proposed exactly the way he wanted….in one of the towers of the Twin Lights.
As it is, the Twin Lights State Historic Site and its beautiful grounds are so important to this couple that they drove to Highlands from their Linden home specifically to have their engagement photos taken here.
It all started more than 10 years ago when Patti started working at a deli and catering business near her home in Linden. Dan was already working there, and almost instantly, the pair felt a connection of friendship. Even when Dan bought the deli and catering company, the two became friends and started dating. That was nine years ago.
Driving to various places along the shore, Dan and Patti found themselves always drawn to the Twin Lights. There was something about it that held their attention and charm. So much so that when Dan knew he wanted to marry Patti, he planned to bring her to their favorite place, climb one of the towers, and propose to her at the top, looking out over the Atlantic Ocean .
But Patti, who has undergraduate and graduate degrees from Kean University, Dominican University and Georgian Court University and is a third grade teacher, is obviously a woman on the go. Busy with her career as well as other activities, such as serving as Vice President of the Kean University Alumni Association as well as being active in other organizations and school groups, she saved time for Dan and herself to still drive down the shore. In the meantime, Dan sold his successful deli business and is currently a restaurant consultant and managing his own catering business.
The date was set for January 8 of last year for Dan to propose. He wanted to ask that all important question at the top of the Twin Lights. He and Patti were going to a friend’s baby’s Baptism and thought they could stop at Nicholas Creamery for ice cream and after that, visit the Twin Lights.
But Patti was too tired and wanted to go directly home instead.
Back at home, Patti’s grandfather was outside by the car. He lives with Patti and Dan, and Dan, concerned he was outside, ushered him into the house. Patti went next door to get her dog from her mom’s house to bring him back home.
Back in the house, with Grandpa settled and the dog lying quietly, it was a very excited and by now frustrated Dan who asked his beloved if she could just stand still for 30 seconds. And as Pati tells it, “I turned around and he was down on bended knee next to our couch. It was the most perfect proposal because it was just us in our home with no interruptions. “
So the engagement did not take place at the top of the Twin Lights as Dan had hoped. But because the site was so important to them both, they drove back down to take photos both inside and outside the museum, as well as a few overlooking Sandy Hook and the ocean. “It was the perfect engagement shoot. We had the fortune of being able to climb both towers and actually used one of them in our engagement shoot.”
The wedding is set for October 13 of this year at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church in Linden, where Patti and Dan both attended the grammar school, although it was years apart. The reception will be at the Palace at Somerset Park.
For now, while Patti is sorry her active lifestyle didn’t allow for Dan to carry out his engagement plans at the site they both love, she explains “ Dan is an extremely selfless person, helping whoever needs it and putting others’ needs before himself. He never questioned when my Grandpa became sick and needed to move in with us, doing whatever he could to help out. He has such a big heart and he never fails to make me laugh. While I’m a very type A person, he is more laid back and never fails to ground me when I take on too much or just need support.”
Dan, on the other hand, understands why his own plan for proposal could not happen. He says he is primarily attracted to Patti because she is “ compassionate, caring, and resolute.” He likes how Patti “has always been by my side, even when I didn’t ask for help or wasn’t looking for it. I love her sense of humor, even her bad puns, which are a constant.” And he loves that once she starts a project, she sees it through until the end. Quite simply, he smiles, “she makes sure everyone is taken care of.”
As for the Twin Lights?. It will always be a special place for both of them, and a reminder every time they climb a tower or enjoy a picnic lunch on the front lawn or pick up a gift or souvenir in the gift shop, “it has always been a very special place in both their hearts.”
The Twin Lights grounds are open every day from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM for visits, whether or not an engagement or wedding is planned.
Check our website for building and tower climb hours www.twinlightslighthouse.org call (732) 872-1814 or follow the Twin Lights Historical Society on Facebook.
The Twin Lights State Historic Site is owned and operated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks, Forestry & Historic Sites (“NJ Parks”). Nick Wood, RIS-History, the full time NJ Parks Curator at the site, offers private tours by appointment for a small fee (so worth it!). Nicholas.Wood@dep.nj.gov.
The Twin Lights Historical Society is the officially recognized friends group for NJ Parks at the Twin Lights. The role and purpose of the society at the site is to support and assist NJ Parks in its operations and exhibit development through financial support as well as volunteer services at the site. The Society invests all donations, memberships and proceeds from the Twin Lights Museum Store to improve visitor experience and online public relations, including new exhibits, paid internships for local high school and college students, as well as special projects.
Former Atlantic Highlands Mayor Loretta Gluckstein thanked the dozens of borough workers, volunteers, friends, and everyone who make the borough the wonderful hometown it is for everyone.
But she touched more hearts when she brought broad attention to Alzheimer’s Disease, a brain disorder that only gets worse other time.
Mrs. Gluckstein pulled no punches in telling the audience at Thursday’s regular meeting of the Mayor and Council that the disease, which is characterized by changes in the brain, causes the brain to shrink and brain cells to eventually die and is the most common cause of dementia; it is a gradual decline in memory, thinking, behavior and social skills.
The former mayor did not talk about the 6.5 million people in the United States over 65 years of age who live with Alzheimer’s disease. Nor did she talk about the 75 million people worldwide with dementia, of whom up to 70% are estimated to have Alzheimer’s disease.
Nor did the mayor talk about how the disease eventually progresses to serious memory problems and loss of any ability to perform everyday tasks, the lack of treatment or cures for it, or that complications can result in death.
Instead, Mayor Loretta Gluckstein reminded the crowd who were thanking her for her service to the borough as mayor and in numerous other areas, about the personal impact a person with Alzheimer’s has on everyone else.
For Loretta Gluckstein, it was a love story.
She explained on the few times she has missed official meetings it was because she was home with her mother, a nonagenarian who lives with the Glucksteins in their home on Ocean Blvd. She reminded residents they have often seen her mother with her at official or social functions as well. She said her mom has Alzheimer’s. Then she explained that in spite of anything she has done for the town or any of the organizations she has been in or continues to help, she has a greater duty, and that is to take care of her mother.
As much as she has taken on that duty willingly and happily, Mrs. Gluckstein went on to say she has a great desire to help her mother because she herself had a wonderful childhood and her mother was then, and remains, very special to her.
But then she switched her main point for a minute to accent her husband Steve and told the audience just how much she loves him.
Whether it was to reiterate reasons for her own long happy marriage or to let the audience in on something secret, the former mayor continued, “I love him dearly. Because if you see me and my mother is not with me, then he is.” He is the caregiver who spends so much time with her mother, she explained, her voice choking with emotion.
Both Steve Gluckstein and Loretta’s mother were in the front row of the audience at borough hall, he with his arm holding his mother-in-law close to his side. The husband who never attended any of his wife’s meetings as mayor epitomized what she was telling her friends and neighbors at the public meeting.
Loretta Gluckstein will continue to spend more time caring for her mom now that she is no longer in political office. But she also reminded the crowd before they erupted in a standing ovation for her, “I must give back to my mom and for her, I must do all I can do for anyone who has Alzheimer’s disease.”
A number of conditions can result in memory loss or other dementia symptoms. Some of those conditions can be treated. If you are concerned about your memory or other thinking skills, talk to your health care professional.
If you are concerned about thinking skills you observe in a family member or friend, talk about your concerns and ask about going together to talk to a health care professional.
It probably came as a great honor but no surprise to Boyscout and now Eagle Scout Anthony Martignetti when he received congratulations from the office of His Holiness, Pope Francis on his accomplishment in the Boy Scouts. The son of Tara and the late Anthony Martignetti, Jr. Anthony is a frequent acolyte at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church and a 2022 graduate of Henry Hudson Regional School. He is also the stepson of Tim Sheridan and the family lives on Highland Avenue in Highlands.
Anthony was one of the three Troop 22 boy scouts who was honored at the Eagle Court of Honor at OLPH school auditorium last week and received numerous letters of congratulations, not only from the Apostolic Nuncio for Pope Francis, but also from the Attorney General, Governor Murphy, House Speaker Kevin Speaker, US Attorney Philip Sellinger, the National Park Service and officers and officials of the US Air Force and the US Space Force, the National Boy Scouts of America and the National Eagle Scout Association, to name some of the letters contained in the report each Eagle included at the ceremony.
Anthony chose to improve an open-air courtyard at Care One at Middletown Care Center on Route 36 in Middletown as his project where he created new planters and filled them with perennial flowers to enhance the area residents enjoy daily during good weather.
He credits his team of eight scouts who worked with him on the project, including Kevin Connelly, Jr., another scout who was honored at the Eagle Court of Honor for his own work, for completing the project. One of the requirements in achieving the Eagle Scout award is to not only plan, research and carry out a project, but also to lead a team of scouts in completing all the work it involves, an example of the Eagle’s leadership skills.
The Eagle Scout said the most difficult part of the overall project was researching the types of woods to be used for optimum endurance and the proper perennial plants so residents would be able to enjoy them. He chose the nursing home simply because “I thought it would be a good place to put it,” knowing it would be an attraction that would keep residents relaxed and happy.
Anthony noted that staff at Care One were highly cooperative throughout the time he was planning and working on the project and expressed thanks to them for their appreciation of the work he did.
Anthony’s uncle, Alan Resch, presented the Eagle Award to his nephew during the ceremony. Anthony credited his uncle and his mother as his mentors in achieving his goal.
Aside from the congratulations and honors last month at the Court of Honor when Anthony received the highest award in Boy Scouting, the scout earlier in the year also put to life saving use other training he received in scouting.
While at a private pool party with family and friends, Anthony noticed a man fall in the water. As others rushed to get him out, the man was in obvious distress, turning blue and unable to breathe. Anthony immediately started CPR, working on the man until an EMT unit arrived on the scene. Others at the event noted it was obvious it was Anthony’s quick actions that saved the fallen man’s life.
“Now that taxpayers are getting an honest look, the offshore wind projects off the Monmouth County coastline simply don’t measure up to hype,” said Congressman Chris Smith this week, regarding the news that two firms have cancelled their contracts for the project.
Smith said both BP and Equinor have cancelled their contract for the Empire Wind 2 project two months after Orsted rejected the subsidized proposal approved by Governor Murphy.
“The promise of benefits and jobs was always over-hyped and predicated on the backs of taxpayers,” said Smith, in expressing pleasure over the contract cancellations.
Despite the clear indication that these projects are economically unsustainable and pose serious dangers to our marine environment and national security, President Biden and Governor Murphy have rejected calls for objective studies, doubled down and insisted that these projects must continue—no matter the huge taxpayer subsidies they require and the credible predictions of big increases to ratepayers, Smith said in a press release issued yesterday.
“It’s long past time for Biden and Murphy to stop recklessly pushing these unsound and improperly vetted projects and trying to prop them up by irresponsibly throwing billions of US taxpayer dollars at these foreign corporations,” the Congressman added..
Smsith said the cancellation of the contracts marks a victory for concerned residents, environmentalists and commercial and recreational fishermen and added:” we must continue to fight and put an end to ocean wind development off our beautiful shore. Enough is enough.”
