Eittreim in School Fight

Former Atlantic Highlands Board of Education member Elisabeth Eittreim sent out letters asking for donations to underwrite costs of promoting the special School election set for September 26, and asking for volunteers to walk door to door to distribute door-hangers urging people to vote.

In a letter addressed to Atlantic Highlands and Highlands community members and signed by Eittreim, who served two terms on the Atlantic Highlands Board, the letter indicates the September 26 election” is a FIRST STEP toward allowing other districts (like Sea Bright) can join the district.” The letter lists the writer’s opinion saying why a first step is necessary but does not indicate what other districts besides Sea Bright she is anticipating requesting admission to the school district.

After 50 years of having three school boards, three separate districts and one superintendent  in the two towns, Ettreim  does not say why she never recommended any action while she served on the board or why now time is of the essence.

Ettreim is calling for volunteers to distribute door hangers on Saturday as well as donations to pay for materials to get out the word about the election. Checks should be sent to Friends of Regionalization, 123A East Highland Avenue, Atlantic Highlands, NJ 07716  but does not identify any  of the members of the group, or if the group is a not-for-profit entity.

The address is Ettreim ’s residence.

A Paypal account and a regionalization page have also been set up for funds.

The letter urges visiting the website and the Facebook page, as well as attending an Information Fair on Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. at Henry Hudson Regional School to walk around tables and learn from experts, though they are not identified, about the impacts of regionalization on education, legal and financial areas.

September 26th Regionalization Vote

All five members of the Highlands Borough Council made it loud and clear at last night’s meeting of the governing body: A NO vote in the special school election September 26th is the best thing for borough residents.

Councilman Donald Melnyk also indicated the way the election was called by the school boards of education  and is being held leaves a concern that “the intent is less than above board.”

As Mayor Carolyn Broullon has said several times in the past, she would not be presumptuous enough to tell anyone how to vote, however, she is definite her vote on September 26th will be no simply because it is not a good thing for Highlands and Atlantic Highlands to regionalize without the inclusion of Sea Bright.

Each of the other four members of the governing body also put on record their concern for a yes vote on September 26th, saying it is unfair for Highlands voters, taxpayers, and students at the schools.

Melnyk said he has given the question a lot of consideration and questions once again why it is necessary to have a special election only  six weeks before a regular election.

Traditionally, fewer voters turn out for special elections, and the hours for this school election are from noon to 8 p.m., depriving early morning voters from getting to the polls. There have to be reasons for this, Melnyk said, it’s difficult, but it appears the intent is less than above board.

Council president Joann Olszewski, a retired teacher and school department head in Teaneck, a council member known for researching every issue before casting a vote,  said it would be “dangerous” to vote yes for regionalization without Sea Bright and challenged the method of financing the new district as outlined in the question being decided September 26.

Olszewski pointed out the school boards approved a resolution and the question on the ballot that splits financing of education between Highlands and Atlantic Highlands strictly by  assessed valuation and does not include student enrollment.

Olszewski pointed out. “This year, Atlantic Highlands paid “more than one million dollars for the Elementary School than Highlands did for our Elementary School. Why?” She asked. “Because they have 135 more students than Highlands does,.”  She pointed out, as she answered her own question.

Such a formula at this time, considering only equalized valuation and not student enrollment, forces Highlands taxpayers to underwrite the cost of their neighboring town’s student enrollment. Urging the members of the school boards, while thanking them for serving in elected positions sometimes difficult to fill, Olszewski said they should include before Sea Bright in making any changes in regionalization.

Experts retained both by the school boards and the boroughs have all said the inclusion of Sea Bright would immediately bring in millions of dollars, while at the same time splitting the cost of education among three rather than two towns. Including the small number of Sea Bright students in a Henry Hudson Regional school district would not incur any costs for additional faculty or more classrooms.

Both councilmembers Karen Chelak and Leo Cervantes agreed with the statements made by the mayor, council president, Melnick with Cervantes adding a Yes vote September 26th “makes no sense and he agrees with a NO vote “one thousand per cent.”

Remember to Vote September 26th !

Broullon “I am definitely voting NO”

“I have never told anybody how to vote, nor will I.” said Mayor Carolyn Broullon when asked about the special election on September 26 called by the boards of education.

“But I will tell them how I vote!” she added.  “And in that special election, I am definitely voting no. It simply doesn’t make sense for either Highlands or Atlantic Highlands to approve regionalization without Sea Bright.”

Absentee voters have already received their ballots for the September 26 election, which will decide whether, quite simply, the boards of education of Highlands and Atlantic Highlands should be discontinued, and in their stead the Henry Hudson Regional Board of Education would then be the sole board of education for the K-12 schools in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands.

A Yes vote then eliminates Sea Bright from the regionalization at this time, and Highlands and Atlantic Highlands taxpayers would be voting to forfeit the several million dollars their inclusion would bring to offset taxes in both towns.

Atlantic Highlands resident Mark Fisher has been following the regionalization issue since it first began several years ago.  In a recent explanation on his e-mail page, which he invites everyone to join, Fisher recently listed the results of either a Yes or a No vote as follows:

IF YOU VOTE “YES”

Voting YES is endorsing a regionalization plan that has NOT been the 3-town plan discussed for the last four years;

Voting YES would mean approving only 2-town school regionalization WITHOUT Sea Bright students being included;

Voting YES would go against expert advice by NOT bringing a portion of $2 million+ revenue from Sea Bright “as soon as possible” into Atlantic Highlands coffers for expanded educational programs and tax rate stabilization, as advised by experts on this subject;

Voting YES forms a PK-12 district that could accept students from other school districts in the future;

It is unknown whether Oceanport and Shore Regional Boards of Education would withdraw their lawsuit if regionalizing without Sea Bright is approved by Atlantic Highlands and Highlands voters.

IF YOU VOTE “NO”

Voting NO will send a message to the Monmouth County and New Jersey Commissioners of Education that Atlantic Highlands residents do not want to move forward with school regionalization unless Sea Bright, and their funding, is included;

Voting NO will send a  message to the individual “Tri-District” Boards of Education to re-focus and bring Sea Bright’s students into the Tri-District “as soon as possible”;

Voting NO will send a  message to the Tri-District BoE’s to now move toward 3-town school regionalization with Atlantic Highlands to receive a good portion of the $2 million+ in additional funding from Sea Bright;

Voting NO keeps everything as it exists today: two-towns, three Boards of Education.

It is unknown if Oceanport and Shore Regional Boards of Education would withdraw their lawsuit if regionalizing without Sea Bright is voted-down by Atlantic Highlands and Highlands voters.

Fisher, whose personal motto is “Trust, but verify” agrees with Boullon’s  habit of not telling anyone how to vote, but feels it is important for people to understand the ramifications of Yes or No votes.  He invites anyone to join his group for information simply by e-mailing a request to  ahnewsbymarkfisher@gmail.com

Broullon also urged voters to be sure they either vote absentee or go to the polls on September 26 between noon and 8 p.m. to cast their ballots. Failing to vote means not expressing an opinion and failing to take action which impacts taxpayers and parents in both towns.

How Will You Vote?