ATL. HIGHLANDS – With funds hopefully to be received by early fall, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. announced the borough will receive $2.1 million in federal funds to repair the entire length of the bulkhead at the municipal harbor.
Addressing a crowd, including both council members and members and employees of the Harbor Commission as well as local residents, Pallone held a press conference at the bulkhead and identified it as “one of the most critical pieces of infrastructure for residents and businesses near the marina, primarily in protecting the area from flooding as well as in stabilizing the shoreline.
“I’m proud to be in Atlantic Highlands to talk about federal funding to make these repairs,” Congressman Pallone said, “and I’m looking forward to seeing this project once again after it’s complete.”
The congressman also pointed out the borough’s harbor is the largest municipally owned harbor throughout the entire coastline from Maine to Florida, and highlighted its importance to the borough for numerous reasons.
He praised the team effort of everyone who has been involved in the effort to secure the federal funds and noted that everything is in place for FEMA to make its decisions on releasing the funds. Pallone explained the money is already an approved line item in the federal budget and is guaranteed, as opposed to being an application for a grant or other funding.
After viewing the bulkhead more closely, Pallone noted he could see the corrosion that has taken place and noted the federal funds will now extend the life of the bulkhead for between ten and 20 years.
“The borough is honored to host Congressman Pallone at the harbor to highlight this $2.1 million federal appropriation,” said Mayor Loretta Gluckstein. “The structural integrity and safety of the infrastructure here is vital to the community. The harbor is essential not only to us but to the great New York metropolitan area as well,” she noted, referring to Sea Streak’s commuter operations from the Harbor as well as the businesses both at the harbor and throughout the borough.
The bill authorizing the federal funding in this borough was signed into law last year.,
It’s been thirteen years since my boss, my Assemblyman, my Senator, my friend, Joe Azzolina passed away. I wrote this story three years ago, and wanted to share with you. Joe was a heck of a guy.
To anybody who knew him for more than five minutes, he was Joe. To those who worked with him on the USS Portsmouth in the Mediterranean, he was a Lieutenant, or later, on the USS New Jersey in Beirut, he was Captain. To those who saw him as a political figure, he was Assemblyman. Or Senator. To those who knew him as a philanthropist he was the generous guy who was ready to contribute to any worthy cause. To those who use the Middletown library, he was the guy who donated the largest share to get it started. And to those who have visited the USS New Jersey, BB62, in Camden, he’s the guy who led the fight to get it back to New Jersey and created and chaired the New Jersey Battleship Commission.
It will be 10 years on April 15 since Joe Azzolina died. The Courier – the newspaper he bought and kept going after the death of Matthew J. Gill – also died after him, but not without leaving written evidence of everything that went on in Middletown and the Bayshore since 1955 in the bound copies available at the Middletown Library.
Ironically, while it is the 10th anniversary of Joe’s death, one month later on May 18 marks the 70th anniversary of the opening of the Food Basket, the first real supermarket in the Bayshore. The Food Basket was located on Bay Avenue in Highlands, Joe’s hometown. His parents, John and Angelina Azzolina, had moved to Miller Street in 1926 after spending a summer vacation here from their home in Newark. They decided it was the perfect place to bring up their infant son, and three years later, their daughter, Grace. And when the lady who owned the building where they rented the apartment also said the downstairs store was vacant and available for rent, the couple decided to make Highlands their home. Within months, John and Angelina bought the building, opened a deli and began catering to the needs of Highlands. John had to keep his job as a jeweler and travel every day by train, but Angelina tended to the store and the family. And when people began asking for staples and meats for dinner, well, John simply bought them in Newark, filled his suitcase, and carried them down on the train.
Years later, when Joe graduated from Atlantic Highlands High School and went in the Navy under the ROTC program, he began studying the huge grocery store across the street from his dorm at Holy Cross College. Why couldn’t Highlands have that, he thought.
So, when he finished his first tour of active duty service with the Navy, he went back to school again, studied business, merchandising, and a few other things, and he and his dad opened the Food Basket.
It was like no other store the Bayshore had ever seen! There were freezers for frozen foods and ice cream, meat refrigerators that ensured quality, proper temperature and moisture for fresh meats, and refrigerated shelves for cheeses, milk and butter. There were aisles with shelves on both sides, where the bottom shelves were 12 inches off the floor to make it easier for the customer, and there were two checkout counters, Angelina almost always being at one of them. Joe and Grace, as well as Grace’s husband, Lou Scaduto, were there sharing the load and helping to satisfy the grocery and staple needs of the town and beyond. At the beginning, Grace still had a job in New York, but like her dad before her, she also worked at the Food Basket, the family business.
The rest is history. A few years later, Joe at the helm, the family opened the Food Circus store on Route 35 in Middletown, where the iconic clown sign became another part of history, then another supermarket, then another.
Joe Azzolina had well learned the lessons of hard work and dedication to the people from his immigrant parents. And the Foodtown chain of grocery stores became a huge success.
Joe didn’t take a daily interest in The Courier when he bought it. But he always wanted to know what was going on there and always wanted to be sure its editorial stand was in keeping with what he believed. When he ran for the late Jim Howard’s Congressional seat in 1988, his editor followed journalistic standards and despite his ownership, ran political stories both for him and his opponent, equal space to both.
When Joe lost the election to Frank Pallone, he fired the editor, saying she cost him the election by the coverage she allowed for his opponent. He told a daily newspaper he fired her for “philosophical differences.”
Confident with another job with Malcolm Forbes immediately, the editor wasn’t angry with him. Rather, she felt honored that Joe Azzolina, Navy Captain, politician, powerful and outstanding businessman, thought that the little tabloid newspaper that covered one small part of the third Congressional District was big enough, strong enough, and powerful enough, to throw an election.
Their friendship never ended, and he re-hired her a few years later.
That editor was at St. Mary’s Church in New Monmouth 22 years later, standing next to Senator Jen Beck, crying at the funeral of Joe Azzolina.
Jen had known Joe for years as well, had worked with him on his campaigns and in his office, and credited her own political career and successes to the lessons she had learned from a master.
The mediation set for next Friday between this Atlantic Highlands and Highlands to fill in the blank spaces on the petition filed nine months ago is all that should be needed to get the school regionalization question on the ballot in November, special attorney Matthew Giacobbe told the Mayor and Council as last night’s meeting.
Resolution of the sharing formula between the two towns is all that remains to complete the funding requisite for the petition by all three towns, Sea Bright included, to go to the Commissioner of Education for approval and the right of voters to cast ballots on their decision in November.
Giacobbe, however, did not sound as positive as the Highlands special attorney, Vito Gagliardi did the night previous in updating that borough on the status of the school regionalization issue with Sea Bright and a consolidation of one district for Pre-K through 12th grade students.
Gagliardi had indicated he felt the resolution of how Highlands and Atlantic Highlands would share the millions of dollars bringing Sea Bright into a regional school district could be resolved in one night; Giacobbe said he felt it might take more than one mediation session.
Both attorneys stressed the importance of having the matter resolved through mediation soon so it can be on the ballot in November so the residents of all three towns can have their say.
Giacobbe, appearing on zoom for the Atlantic Highlands council meeting, brought the governing body and public up to date, as Gagliardi had done the night previous, on the fact the Commissioner of Education has dismissed the complaints filed against Sea Bright by Oceanport and Shore Regional school districts where Sea Bright students now attend. Giacobbe said that the fact the Commissioner has dismissed that complaint is rather favorable for the boroughs when it comes to her decision on approving the regionalization of the three boroughs’ school system.
Mayor and Council have said in the past that they strongly favor regionalization with Sea Bright once it is unencumbered by its current situation. The complaint dismissal leaves them unencumbered, so it appears the governing bodies will meet next Friday night prepared to resolve the cost sharing issue.
The next step, Giacobbe said last night, after filling in the blank with the agreed upon figures, is forwarding the petition to the Commissioner of Education. She then reviews it and makes the determination of whether she would authorize the regionalization if approved by the voters in November. Last year the state Legislature passed legislation which encourages schools join together for better educational opportunities as well as cost savings for taxpayers.
In response to Tracy Abby White’s questions, Giacobbe confirmed it is the original petition filed nine months ago and approved by the three municipalities and three boards of education that will be considered by the Commissioner once the mediation resolves the sharing agreement. He also agreed with her that should the boards of education alter their position they had approved nine months ago, the governing bodies have the right to continue the petition moving forward to the Commissioner to expedite what has been dragging for several months.
Atlantic Highlands Board of Education member Karin Masina also spoke at the meeting, charging the school boards have been ‘wasting time,” and as a result borough schools are losing state aid. “Stop the bleeding,” she urged the governing body, “let us move forward.”
Giacobbe repeated several times in response to questions that the borough had retained him to work on a shared formula so the question could be put on the ballot. Mayors, administrators, attorneys, council presidents, and financial experts representing both Highlands and Atlantic Highlands will be at next week’s mediation session, he said.
In response to questions from Mark Fisher, Giacobbe confirmed that while he does not see any future roadblocks, the commissioner’s dismissal of the complaint from the school boards could be appealed by Oceanport and Shore Regional should either or both file an appeal within 45 days of her decision.
Ellen O’Dwyer, whose children grew up under a new regionalization system in Colts Neck where her family lived during that process, agreed it is a difficult process, but noted her children benefited from the expanded school district regionalization created both academically, socially, and with more opportunities to learn.
Several speakers also noted that studies done by two different firms, one for the boroughs and one for the school boards, both recommend a regionalization of the three towns to the betterment of both students and taxpayers.
Sea Bright Councilman Erwin Bieber also noted the improvement and broadness of the quality of education with a three town district and cited the quality of education, even more than the eventual savings for Sea Bright, is his highest priority. Bieber has appeared at several meetings in both Highlands and Atlantic Highlands and shared resources he has used in reviewing the pros and cons of any plan. He noted the importance of proceeding with speed at this point, saying “delay is death for all concerned.”
There are those who laughed when Atlantic Highlands Councilman Jim Murphy listed as one of his accomplishments that “he makes every meeting,” his way of explaining when he takes on a commitment, he keeps his commitment.
But last night, residents got to see the importance of just such a commitment…they were that close to not having a quorum for a regular council meeting on an evening set aside last January for a regular meeting.
There’s nothing wrong with councilmembers taking vacations, but why do they have to do it when they have a meeting to discuss regular business, let alone something as important as getting a school regionalization question on the ballot so the public can have their say?
There’s nothing wrong with not being able to be present, thanks to the wonders of ZOOM, even given as imperfect as it is in this borough. But shouldn’t there be checks on the system first? What happened to the training to operate the system that was reportedly included in the cost? Why really does the engineer have to take on the chore? Or the councilwoman?
There are exceptions to being present, of course, and even council members need to put borough business aside to tend to personal commitments. That is seemingly what happened to Councilman Brian Dougherty since his line of work sometimes makes it difficult to be in two places at one time.
But this meeting was a disaster from the very start, for so many different reasons.
It started a few minutes late, since all the councilmen present…three of them…were not in their seats.
Then there were all the opps and ahs, the “can you hear me Eileen?” or “We can hear you!” or “Eileen put your speaker on” and so much more that went into finally getting, it seems, Councilwoman Cusick into the meeting via zoom. Isn’t any of this stuff checked out in advance?
And was Councilwoman Cusick really present? It didn’t look like you could see her lips moving…you already knew you couldn’t hear her on the ZOOM screen, yet they said she voted on a couple of things. We’ll never know for sure; the only time you can hear her was approval of the minutes of the previous meeting. You couldn’t hear some other responses in the meeting room and there aren’t ZOOM video recordings available, so how does one know?
It only got worse when it came to the expensive but hardly present special attorney for school regionalization, Matthew Giacobbe. Of course he wasn’t present in person, rarely has been.
He wasn’t there at the beginning of the meeting on zoom either; he wasn’t even there when the meeting started late. Nor was he there when they first tried to get him on ZOOM when it came to the regionalization item on the agenda. When all that folderol was squared away, all the laughter and talk about the PBA Ball and what’s going to be happening there filled in the gap, Mr. Giacobbe was finally able to be seen and heard. He did answer questions, he did talk, he did give a sort of update, but not nearly as broad or easily understandable as Vito Gagliardi had given the night before at the Highlands special meeting. He sounded a little confused by some of the questions, but did agree, that it is the petition that was filed nine months ago that just needs some numbers filled in on the blank spots that is being discussed at the mediation. But could he stay for more questions? Of course not! He apologized, he was so sorry, but he had another commitment. He was in the middle of contract negotiations with someone else. Really? Isn’t being paid by Atlantic Highlands as important as someplace else? Rather insulting, it seems.
But nobody on council chided him for his lack of interest, commitment or concern for this borough’s tax payers. They simply thanked him for his time. Just as he had politely thanked them earlier “for having me” when he finally arrived via zoom. They are paying him, aren’t they?
But as he’s done in the past, administrator Rob Ferragina stepped up to smooth feathers and offer an alternative to cover for the attorney. Sure, anyone can send him questions or make statements, the administrator explained. He’ll be sure to get them to Mr. Giacobbe or his office and get them answered. Very nice, and appreciated, yet another responsibility for an administrator who seems to take on a lot and try to resolve even more.
Cheers for Mr. Giacobbe though. He did make one thing clear, just as Mr. Gagliardi had done the night before.
The mediation is the key and it’s next Friday. Once Highlands and Atlantic Highlands agree on how they’re going to split the millions Sea Bright will be bringing in, the clerk can simply fill in the blank on that resolution that was approved by all three towns nine months ago, and forward it to the Commissioner of Education. He also said it looked kind of positive at that level, since the Commissioner already dismissed the complaints against Sea Bright. With her knowing the money that would be coming in from Sea Bright, realizing the law that was passed that actually encourages the addition of Sea Bright in a new regional school district, knowing she’s already dismissed any complaints from Oceanport and Shore Regional about how can Sea Bright do such a thing, even though they still have a few days in which to file an appeal, all she has to do is check out the figures, read again that the three towns have all agreed to regionalize and pay for it and voila! The voters can decide in November if they want to save money and improve education for all the kids in three towns from pre-K through high school.
But back to the rudeness. Listening to the recording of the meeting only makes you sick. Not only do an elected official and a paid contractor talk while someone else is talking, albeit just between themselves, they’re so loud it’s difficult for a recording listener to catch every word from the person at the mike. And commenting that one person’s public comments are “ridiculous” is downright terrible.
The meeting was held April 13, the 280th birthday of Thomas Jefferson, the writer of the Declaration, founder of the University of Virginia, and President of the United States who always firmly believed, and said and practiced so often in so many ways, that the public needs to be heard and even listened to. He obviously would not have looked at this meeting as a birthday gift he would want for citizens of the United States.
HIGHLANDS – Volunteer Day will be celebrated at the Twin Lights State Historic Site with the Twin Lights Historical Society, an Officially Recognized Friend Organization of New Jersey DEP, Division of Parks, Forestry, and Historic Site on Saturday, April 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. giving interested people the opportunity to learn how they can become a part of history.
This is an annual event in which volunteers, NJ Parks personnel, and those who love the Twin Lights are all present and eager to share their experiences about how volunteering and working with knowledgeable staff can enhance their experience not only at this museum but at others across the state.
Guests are invited to share a light breakfast with staff, friends and volunteers and hear a recap of the activities at the historic site throughout the past year. Guests will also enjoy a preview of the programming and schedule of events for the upcoming visitor season and pick up some little-known historic tidbits about the building that has been the lighthouse since 1862 as well as the lighthouse keepers who have manned it throughout its busy life protecting ships at sea.
At 11.a.m. local author and historian Muriel J. Smith will give a presentation in the museum auditorium highlighting some of the famous firsts at the Twin Lights, together with identifying a number of ways persons can become a volunteer and be a part of the museum’s future.
Tours of the Twin Lights will also be available, as well as a lunchtime barbecue. Guests will also earn a chance on raffle baskets.
Members of the Twin Lights Historical Society will explain their annual appeal which is in its closing days. Proceeds from this drive go directly towards internships for college history majors, improving visitor experience, and promoting tours for New Jersey school children. Donations are accepted in person, by mail and online. Becoming a member of the Twin Lights Historical Society is another way residents from throughout the state and beyond can be a more intimate part of the Twin Lights and its history.
For those Twin Lights fans who do not follow museum activities or the “hashtag” series on social media, the newly enhanced Society website has added Facebook and Instagram feeds to the HOME page. Check the website daily for a fun fact or short story related to local culture and history, and lighthouses around the world. Join the more than more than a million people who have already viewed the series, “#Jeepers Keepers” or “#FitToBeTide”.
Currently, the Twin Lights state historic site is operating under its winter schedule with the museum and North Tower open Wednesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The parking lot gate and grounds open at 9 a.m. and close at 4:30 p.m. Parking is reserved for visitors only and all vehicles must be removed from the site no later than 4:30 p.m. Prohibition of drones is strictly enforced.
Self-tour admission enables visitors to view the grounds and exhibitions with signs, information panels and interactive features enabling a self-guided tour of any length.
Twin Lights State Historic Site is located at 2 Lighthouse Road, Highlands, accessible from Highland Avenue to Lighthouse Rd.
The Twin Lights Historical Society is a non-profit organization formed by volunteers in 1955. Today, the Society partners with The New Jersey State Park Service, which owns and operates Twin Lights, to share its illustrious history.
For further information, and to volunteer visit the Twin Lights website or call 732-872-1814.
I learned once again this week that by doing one little thoughtful thing for a neighbor and friend you are overpaid in return with love, graciousness, and a realization of how much we take for granted living in this beautiful section of Monmouth County.
With a couple of hours of free time, the sun shining and temperatures making it seem like early summer, I asked my friend, older and more handicapped than I, if she wanted to go for a ride simply to enjoy the day and local scenery.
My friend is still recovering from a stroke of two years ago, one that left her paralyzed on one side of her body, but with a strong, vibrant mind and a determination to not let that ‘minor inconvenience” stop her from continuing to live and teach others.
While she undergoes therapy regularly and has a round the clock care giver, my friend is making progress every day, can walk short ways with some assistance, and works hard unceasingly to keep improving.
Now her caregiver is my very good friend as well. Young, attractive, strong, highly educated and learning more English every day, she is from the country of Georgia, has been in the United States several months and is determined to learn more about the language, the customs and the people every day while she saves money to continue her career in the medical field.
But a trip to Sandy Hook to see the ocean requires a wheelchair. And that strong caregiver had to negotiate it down steps and into the car. Thoughtful, as always, this Georgian caregiver was excited for the trip as well. Knowing that it is windier and cooler at the ocean, she brought an extra blanket should her patient get the chance to get out for a walk along one of the paths at Sandy Hook. Yet coming from Georgia, she had never seen the ocean, never put her hands in the chilly salt water. She laughed like a little kid in anticipation, saying she would be taking “a lot of pictures” and telling her family and friends in Georgia what it was like.
Unfortunately, it is not easy to see the ocean from a seat in a car driving through the peninsula, because of the distance in some places, the height of the dunes in other areas. But both my friends loved the Shrewsbury River, the view of the Twin Lights from that distance, the comfort and location of Highlands’ oldest and longest serving business, Bahrs Restaurant. They enjoyed hearing about Captain Azzolina for whom the bridge between Sea Bright and Highlands is named, and they opened windows to sniff the salt air.
But to be so close, yet so far from seeing the expanse of the ocean would not be right. So, with no signs available showing the way, we pulled into a parking lot and discovered the walkway and bikeway that led to a deck, with a path to the deck accessible with a wheelchair. It was too good to pass up.
So, my Georgian friend took out the wheelchair, got her patient settled in it wrapping the blanket around her for extra warmth. And we took the walk from the car to the ramp to the deck that looked out over the ocean.
The reaction of my Georgian friend is what made me first realize just how much we take for granted. She was beside herself with joy, laughing, singing, using every adjective she knew to describe the sight. Once she was certain her patient was settled comfortably and secure with me sitting on the deck, our young friend literally dashed down the steps to the beach, ran the length of the beach, stopping every once in a while to grab a handful of sand or look at a seashell, then rushed to the ocean, shoes still on, to hold the Atlantic Ocean in her hand. She was too far away, but we could almost hear her laughter, her glee in being this close to the ocean for the first time in her life and her excitement at such natural beauty.
A few minutes later, she made the return trip to the deck, stopping to pick up clam shells of all sizes along with mussel shells that surprised her with their black and deep blue colors. She took her photos, selfies and with her friends; she grinned with delight at another couple who had come up on the deck for the view. Then she told us with more of that laughing enthusiasm that while down at the water’s edge, she had called her friend in Georgia, just to let her know what it felt like to put her hand in the ocean for the very first time.
While our young friend was cavorting and dancing, my friend in the wheelchair was simply smiling, perhaps recalling the times she herself was on, in, or flying over that ocean, breathing in the fresh salt air and soaking up warm sunshine under a blanket shielding her from the breeze. She laughed and welcomed back her caregiver, teasing her about acting like a little child and admiring the supply of shells she brought back to show.
After more photo taking, we headed back to the car, making the transition from wheelchair to car seat, stowing the chair in the back, and headed out to see more of the natural beauty of Sandy Hook from the river and bay side, before heading up to the Twin Lights to see up close that castle-like building my friends could see from across the river.
Whether it’s the signs on the door as you enter, or the smiles on the faces of residents you see, there is a lot of celebration at theCare One at King James Care Center now that masks are no longer required for visitors but remain an option for all who choose.
“It has been three years year and one month that we have all been required to wear masks,” said Care One administrator Jimmie King,” and because of the outstanding care and concerns of our staff and the practices we have had in place throughout this pandemic, we welcome the new state, federal and Care One regulations that enable us to have masks be optional now.”
In order to be able to offer the mask option, King said the Care Center had to be free of Covid positive for at least 14 days. “We have done that, and now we can see smiling faces all around,” the administrator continued, as he shared smiles with some residents in the main entry room. “Our residents are as happy as everyone else, just to see the smiling faces of their friends and relatives who come in to visit,” King continued.
Residents also can share signs of relief and relaxation, he said, since they no longer need to wear masks at the variety of activities either in the main dining room or in the day rooms where they are in proximity with other residents.
“We will continued to be as careful as we have always been, we will continue to monitor for any Covid,” King said, “and right now it’s just so wonderful to be able to see the bright smiles and happy faces.”
Reiterating what the Atlantic Highlands Mayor and Council has said several times, most recently at their last meeting, the attorney for the school boards of education, Jonathan Busch, told the Highlands Council last night that the boards he represents are also eager to go forward with the tri-town school regionalization question on the ballot in November.
With an update on regionalization on the agenda for tonight’s (April 13) meeting of the Atlantic Highlands Borough Council, it is anticipated that Busch will also report the latest news to the residents of that borough, namely, the challenge filed by Oceanport and Shore Regional districts has been dismissed by the state Commissioner of Education, leaving no obstacle in presenting the question to the public.
Vito Gagliardi and Kerry Wright of the Porzio firm which has been representing Highlands and Sea Bright on the regionalization question since it began, both told the Highlands council they sees no reason why the mediation scheduled between Highlands and Atlantic Highlands for April 20 cannot be resolved in a single session. Even should further discussions be necessary, he said, having the Commissioner approve the distribution of funds the boroughs would receive with the influx of millions of dollars from Sea Bright approved by August, would still leave sufficient time to have the question put to the voters in all three municipalities at the November election. At the very latest, Gagliardi said there would still be additional opportunities for a special election in January, February and March of 2024.
Mayor Carolyn Broullon, as she had in the past, called a special information session last night (Wednesday) to keep the residents informed on latest activity on the regionalization question that has been an issue for discussion in all three boroughs for nearly five years.
Both Gagliardi and Kerry Wright from the Porzio firm were present at the meeting to explain everything that has transpired and what residents can look forward to before voters get the opportunity to express their views on whether Highlands, Atlantic Highlands and Sea Bright should form a preK-12 regional school district.
Since all three towns agreed on that in the past, the only issue is the determination of how the influx of money from Sea Bright would be distributed between the other two boroughs. Mayor Broullon had objected to the means of re-distributing the new income never being reviewed or re-assessed at a time in the future, noting that changes in student population and assessed valuation are always subject to change so figures should also be reviewed and modified to compensate for the other changes. It is that question of how this will be addressed which is the subject of the mediation between Highlands and Atlantic Highlands at the April 20 mediation.
Porzio told the audience of approximately 20 residents representing all three towns, that rather than the law including a review and change of allocations at specified times, it does provide ways to limit disparities between the two towns that can be built into the questions. That would ensure the towns always receive the same benefits as they agree on in the mediation.
Gagliardi made it clear the actions by Oceanport and Shore Regional to challenge Sea Bright’s right to form a regional district with other towns have never held up progress in bringing the matter to the voting public and explained that the Commissioner herself had dismissed that argument after the Porzio firm filed a motion for dismissal. He reviewed the history of state actions in creating regionalization for economic and higher academic in accomplishing that purpose. He cited both the failures of past laws and the benefits of the newest law that encourages school regionalization specifically preventing any towns from attempting to disallow another town from disengaging from a current bad situation to enter one that would provide more educational and economic benefits.
The influx of millions of dollars from Sea Bright is an unusual situation, he pointed out, since Sea Bright was forced into its students attending the other two schools without ever having a vote in the process and they are eager to proceed with enabling their residents to finally have a vote on school tuition and academics.
Sea Bright Councilman Erwin Bieber, who has represented that borough’s governing body throughout the process, thanked Broullon for having the information session and assured her and the Council that “Sea Bright is elated” over the prospect of regionalization. He said, “we’re excited,” even recognizing it will be years before Sea Bright receives any tax relief with regionalization, but noting that in the long run, and with the cost sharing, “it is a long journey for us, but we’re excited.”
In response to Atlantic Highlands resident Mark Fisher, Porzio explained having the question of regionalization of just Highlands and Atlantic highlands on the ballot would be “moot” since the question was added by the school boards of education only if Sea Bright was encumbered by the litigation from Oceanport and Shore Regional. Since that has been dismissed, and since Highlands and Atlantic Highlands have already indicated their desire to regionalize with Sea Bright without that encumbrance, there is no longer a need for that question to be on the ballot.
Busch despite repeating the boards eagerly look towards the three-town regionalization, said the 45 days for Oceanport and Shore Regional to appeal the Commissioner of Education’s decision on the best way to educate the children in all three towns has not yet been completed; so, the question has not been completely addressed. Gagliardi countered, in response to another question from a Highlands resident, that the purpose of the new law is to facilitate a situation in which Sea Bright is currently. Its purpose is clear to encourage regionalization, he explained, so it would be highly unlikely any appeal would result in any change from what the Commissioner has indicated.
Atlantic Highlands Board of Education President Alison Jacobs said the boards need time to complete “lots of work” before Sea Bright can be included, despite Gagliardi reminding her that to regionalize the two boroughs now and Sea Bright perhaps at some later date would cost more money and delay the money saving issues for a longer time.
Lewis Locke was attached to the First New Jersey Cavalry which was one of the regiments from New Jersey that fought in the Civil War. It was a Union army regiment organized at Trenton under the authority of the US Department of War on Aug. 4, 1861, by William Halstead, a former congressman. Congressman Halstead also served as first Colonel of the regiment.
The Cavalry mustered out at Cloud’s Hills, Virginia, on July 24, 1865. During its service it lost 12 Officers and 116 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and another four Officers and 185 enlisted men by disease; for a total of 317 lost to death or disease.
It also had more than its share of heroes, with no fewer than twelve men from the Unit receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor. Among these was Lewis Locke, also known as Louis Tacy.
Locke was born in Clintonville, in Essex County, and apparently the family moved to Jersey City at some point before he entered service.
It was on April 5, 1865, at Paine’s Crossroads in Virginia when Pvt. Locke’s regiment was heading to Sailor’s Creek near Farmville, Virginia, part of the Appomattox Campaign. It was to be the last major engagement between the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia commanded General Robert E. Lee and the Army of the Potomac under Lt. General Ulysses Grant.
The Confederate Army suffered a crushing defeat at Petersburg and were hoping to get supplies at Lynchburg when they met up with a strong Union force and the New Jersey Cavalry. Two small bridges over Saylor’s Creek delayed the Confederates on their escape route when they were met by the New Jersey regiment.
The inscription on Locke’s Medal of Honor says simply “Capture of a Confederate Flag.” He was one of a dozen men who received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions at the battle. Of that number Jersey City is credited with the enlisting location of no fewer than eight of the Cavalry members who participated at this battle and the following day at Saylor’s Creek.
Private Lewis Locke received his Medal of Honor on May 3, 1865. He died Jan. 4, 1920 in South Hadley Falls, MA, and is buried as Louis Tacy at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Northampton, Mass.
The regiment is honored with a monument at Gettysburg National Cemetery. The 102nd Cavalry Regiment, part of the NJ Army National Guard, was originally designated the 1st New Jersey Cavalry Regiment and was composed of troops from across the state when it was established in 1913. Informally it was considered to be a successor of the original First NJ Cavalry; however, since there was an almost 50-year lapse in regimental structure, it is not formally the successor of the Civil War unit.
‘We need to step on the accelerator now,” said Atlantic Highlands resident Ellen O’Dwyer, “with that nuisance and expensive complaint filed against Sea Bright gone, now it is just the funding formula that must be settled. Then finally, it is the people in the three towns who will make the final decision on school regionalization.”
O’Dwyer, a Republican candidate for borough council in her hometown, has a reputation for research, study, and action, in that order. As early as last January, she had addressed the tri-district Boards of Education when there was some discussion of withdrawing the resolution supporting a three-town educational idea.
O’Dwyer believes that the K-12 regionalization with Sea Bright has been delayed too long, and action and compromise are now essential in order to let the people vote in November. The candidate also believes the questions should be on the general election day rather than a separate, more costly special election day a few weeks before.
“With the ‘encumbrance’ lifted, she said, “the funding formula question to finance education should be much easier to finalize with the inclusion of Sea Bright.” Otherwise, without adding Sea Bright, the borough that will bring millions of dollars to the educational system in all three boroughs over the years, “we are all only talking pennies.”
Mediation on the cost sharing portion of the impact on the three towns regionalizing K-12 among attorneys, borough council members and borough administrators is set for later this month, to determine how the funds that including Sea Bright will bring to the other two towns will be split is the only question that needs to be resolved. The boroughs had reached a partial agreement before Oceanport and Shore Regional school districts filed a complaint with the state Commissioner of Education against Sea Bright for leaving their two school districts. Now that that complaint has been dismissed by the state Commissioner, the two boroughs in the current tri-district can get back to deciding cost sharing. Highlands had objected to the cost sharing agreement being “in perpetuity” rather than reviewed at specific times throughout the future.
“Nobody should be signing an agreement in perpetuity,” O’Dwyer said. “Rather, the towns should agree to build in a periodic review and refresh to keep the formula fair and equitable for all parties.” She pointed out that “inputs to the formula change or evolve,” citing the differences that enrolment and equalized valuation allocations make over the years in determining what percentage each municipality should include. She suggested a review every five years at the minimum, with updates and adjustments made to continue the cost sharing on a fair basis for all involved.
With the mediation set for April 20, O’Dwyer said there is still plenty of time for the towns to “come to the table so pre-discussions. “That way they will all be better prepared to sit down with the mediator, with their statistics in hand and their understanding of everything that is involved clearer.”
“The municipalities each must do its part to wrap up this final piece to the proposal to the Commissioner of Education so that we can move to a referendum in November,” O’Dwyer, a research analysist by profession continued, “It is important that the voters give their blessing to proceed on a long-awaited regionalization that will benefit our students with a better education and community-based school experience.”
On the question of school regionalization, O’Dwyer also speaks from personal experience. “I grew up in, and raised my family in a community where we created a regionalized high school and can empathize with the “process” she said, referring to Colts Neck. “But I cannot understand why we keep stalling and, in some cases, moving backwards. Colts Neck is one of the six schools in the Freehold Township secondary school regional district serving students in grades 9 through 12.
