This is the second Italian Night sponsored by the Knights, who meet at Our Lady of Perpetual Help St Agnes Church, and provide a variety of events to help finance their missions as well as the Columbiette Charity Fund.
The event will be held at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Gym, Miller Street at Route 36., Highlands with doors open at 5:30 p.m. and dinner served 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
“Our Italian Night this year is going to be more a Budget Efficient Evening Out” than any an extravagant dinner and entertainment evening,” said Mike Napolitano, Grand Knight of the Fr. Donnelly chapter. “It is what many people have requested or suggested.”
Economical Event
In view of the requests and aware so many people have missed routine or anticipated recreational nights out during the Covid season, the Knights and Columbiettes, women’s auxiliary to the Knights, have teamed up to provide an economical night where guests can enjoy a home cooked Italian dinner for $20 in the friendship of others, while also having the opportunity for a Tricky Tray Gift Auction event plus, if desired, the possibility of winning one or more of several prizes.
To make the event even more cost effective, the admission price is $20 and includes the dinner. For those wanting to spend more and take chances, there are three more opportunities to purchase gift tickets, with those prices even being divided into different cost portions.
Event attendees can purchase chances for $5, $10 or $25 on gifts ranging in value from $25 to more than $100. To enhance their chances of winning, gift ticket purchase will be limited to those in attendance at the event. Gifts range from attendance at sports events to gift certificates to local restaurants as well as several other items for all tastes and hobbies or events.
Limited Event
The event is limited to the first 150 tickets sold, said chairman Steve Bannetto, so interested persons should purchase their tickets soon. Tickets Are available on the flyer which is available daily at the back of both churches, or by contacting Bannetto at stevebannetto@yahoo.com, or Louise Welch of the Columbiettes at columbietteLouu@aol.com. Gift chance tickets can be purchased at the time of reservations as well as at the event when it starts.
Further information about the Columbiettes is available from Welch or AnnDimaira at 732-500-1785 or visiting their website at www.vtlcolumbiettes6525. com. The Auxiliary meets the first Monday of each month at St. Mary’s New Monmouth.
The dinner portion of the event is sponsored by the Knights of the Father Donnelly chapter and will be prepared by them. Because of their regular reputation for presentation of meals, this council of the Knights has been recognized for its outstanding food preparation and service, and on occasion, as is anticipated at the Italian night, includes the famed Red Gravy prepared by Capt. John Flynn.
Laughter at the library … They clap, they jump, they lie on blankets, they sleep in their mom’s arms, or run around the room. Best of all, the one thing they have in common is their laughter.
That’s the scene at any of the baby, toddler, preschool or after school programs at the Atlantic Highlands Branch of the Monmouth County Library. The place where Children’s Librarian Lauren Garcia throws more energy and excitement into reading that any youngster can resist.
No Reservation Needed
In addition to all the other services offered at the branch library located in Borough Hall, Garcia offers weekly programs are geared to four different childhood levels and draws crowds to each one to the brightly lit and comfortably designed reading room within the library. With no advance notice or registration of any kind needed, it’s easy for parents or caregivers to bring the youngsters for any one or more of the sessions. In fact, with the baby story time geared to children from 10 months of age to two years, it isn’t uncommon for a toddler to beg to stay for the story time for two to three year olds which follows the first program every Wednesday. And they do.
Sitting in on a couple of sessions even without youngsters is a joy to see. There’s so much more than simply reading a book, although that is definitely the highlight of the program. But Lauren greets each youngster with more than a smile; there is a lot of clapping, a lot of hugs, a lot of youngsters eager to sit in their special place or next to a new friend. For moms or caregivers of infants, there is either lap holding and cuddling or sitting on the floor with the youngster on a blanket watching the activity around him.
Welcome!
The welcoming procedure might include a bit of stretching or exercise, a Good Morning in a foreign language, or an opportunity for a youngster to tell a story or show a favorite toy. There are questions Lauren is asking, and answers smartly given, there are specialized activities, sounds or songs geared to the book of the day. It changes every day, which is probably what draws so many youngsters, but it is always exciting and fun.
Days & Times
The Baby Story time is every Wednesday through January at 9:30 a.m. for a half hour. That is followed by the Toddler Story time at 10:05 for another half hour or so and Lauren reads another age-related book, along with some classic stories, rhymes and songs, or finger plays. Youngsters learn how their activities are related to their books they’re reading and are eager to answer the librarian’s questions about something or ask her for more facts on something they have learned. Parents and caregivers socialize with each other and the youngsters and all participate in the exercises, songs and poetry.
Thursdays, for a half hour beginning at 3:15 p.m. there is a story time program for youngsters in kindergarten and above, drawing even dozens more youngsters, with or without their parents for both activities and stories, often with a surprise guest or a special story-teller. Lauren, with her perpetual animation and constant smile charms the group with stories that often encourage them to ask for more information on the subject.
With indefatigable energy, Lauren offers yet another preschool program Thursday afternoons for three to five year olds and their parents and caregivers, a half hour that includes a broader variety of activities, including crafts and song, along with Lauren reading the story of the day.
Parents View
A father bringing his son to the Toddler program said he does it every week simply because “my son likes it. He looks forward to being here, getting up, dancing around, and meeting the other kids.” A caregiver said she comes to the baby story time with the child she cares for “because it is helping with her language skills and stimulates her to be active.” Another parent said she particularly likes the Toddler time because “it’s great socialization for my daughter and she likes jumping up and down and dancing with the other youngsters.” One caregiver comes from Rumson with a five year old because “he likes to spend time with other youngsters and enjoys hearing the stories with Lauren’s expressive manner.” Parents come because it’s fun and introduces children at an early age to all that is offered ate the library.
Special Events
While storytelling and related song, poetry, dance and exercises are the norm for the story hours for all ages, special afternoon programs are offered for youngsters right after school that give them the opportunity for making and taking home crafts they can complete in a half hour or so. On Jan. 26, there’s a Lego Story time Club for kindergartners and up when not only will the youngsters hear a story, but they will build a LEGO creation with all the necessary equipment provided.
On that same day at 4 p.m. three to five year olds will have the chance to build something with DUPLO bricks, along with the story for the DUPLO Story time club. As in most programs at the library, there is no registration, no membership, no cost involved with any of the story times or LEGO or DUPLO programs.
“The library is so close to the school, the kids love to have stories read to them, we’re so fortunate to be able to provide it all,” Lauren said. “We encourage them to stop in any regular program and let the youngsters try something new or meet new friends.”
In addition to the regular programs, the branch library also offers special crafts children can pick up at any time to make at home. There’s a Kids page slideshow that explains the craft of the week. For the first half of the month it’s Hot Chocolate, and beginning Jan. 15 until the end of the month, it’s the Year of the Rabbit
Virtual
Jenkinson’s Aquarium will hold a 45 minute live interactive Zoom show for ages four and up on Saturday, January 21 at 10:30 a.m. Advance registration is available for that now, and a Zoom link will be provided for those registered participants.
“This is a one time event and very exciting,” Garcia said, “it will be interactive which is exciting in itself and the youngsters will be able to meet the sea life and inhabitants at the aquarium.” Registration is available at the library or by visiting the library on the county website at www.monmouthcountylib.org.
There were no changes in the makeup of the governing body, and Mayor Carolyn Broullon being elected by a broad margin to her second term as mayor, appointments and transition went smoothly, quickly, unanimously and without objection or negative votes at the annual reorganization meeting of the Mayor and Council this week.
Councilwoman Jo-Anne Olszewski was elected council president. Brian Chabarek continued as borough attorney. Bennett Matland from CME Associates remains borough engineer and Holman, Frenian Allison as borough auditor.
Additionally, Meghan Bennett Clark was named bond council and Prototype Design Group was named landscape architect at $72,625 annually.
Also, McManimon, Scotland and Baumann was named Redevelopment Counsel at $25,000, and Albert Marmero counsel for tax appeals at $150 an hour, not to exceed $15,000 a year.
However, retainers and fees for each of the seven attorneys hired by the governing body varies, with Chabarack approved on a retainer of $5,500 monthly plus $150 an hour at a sum not to exceed $180,000 a year.
The engineer’s maximum is not to exceed $100,000 annually and the auditor’s maximum is $65,850 annually. There was no retainer fee included in the resolutions for the bond counsel who’s maximum annual income cannot exceed $20,000.
Council will continue their meetings on the first and third Wednesday of each month, except in July, August and November where there will only one meeting each month.
New Committee
The governing body also established a communications committee to advise them on e-mail, website, social media and rebranding for the purpose of providing consistent messages by and for the borough. The committee is designed to be not less than five nor more than nine resident members, each appointed for one year or until successors are named, with Councilman Donald Melnyk the liaison to the Committee. Appointees named at the meeting are Larry Chesal, Allison Duncil, Kurt Martin, Lorna Milbauer, Dina Pistone, Johnny Rivera, Alex Tallman, Sheila Weinstock and Douglas Widman.
It was definitely not the kind of Christmas Eve anyone would have asked Santa for. But to Jimmie King, it was one more example of the competence, kindness, hard work and generosity of the staff at Care One at King James. Couple that with an outstanding volunteer fire department from Middletown, and it was a Christmas Eve to remember with love and gratitude.
The Pipes are a Freezin’
King, administrator at the Care Center, was notified by staff Saturday night that there was an apparent broken pipe in the ceiling, in one of the residential rooms. Living close to the Care Center, King assured staff he would be there in six minutes.
In the car and on the way, King received a second call that apparently another pipe had burst. By the time he got to the care center minutes later, a third in yet another location had also broken and “the rooms had what looked like rain showers.”
King notified the fire department, and Middletown’s fire companies and Deputy Chief responded, ensuring that though the pipe breaks may have set off the alarms, the volunteers were there to help staff take swift action.
“We had to re-locate 20 different residents,” King said, because of the freezing temperatures and high winds that had caused the pipes in the ceiling in the one story structure to freeze and burst.
Best Residents
“But we accomplished it, and I know everyone in the Bayshore already knows it, but we have the best residents in the world,” King said. “They adapt to sudden disruptions easily, they do not ask questions, they simply rely on our staff and feel confident the staff will be there to help and keep them safe.”
Confidence in Staff
Nor was he surprised at either the residents’ total confidence in the staff or in the staff themselves. “I have always known this staff is dedicated, capable, and willing to do everything they can for their residents. This was just one more example of their excellence.”
King conceded it was an unusual night with several emergent situations that had to be handled immediately, but with a staff capable of handling a variety of jobs, and willing to go the extra step to ensure the safety and comfort of their residents, everything went “if not smoothly, at least orderly and with the least disruption for the routine schedule in the care center.”
Second Incident
This is the second major unusual incident at the award winning care center within a month. Several weeks ago, one of the contractors that does landscaping at the facility was responsible for the roof over the main entrance coming tumbling on. The driver apparently attempted to get under the roof which was just a bit too low for the heavy ladder he had raised in the back of the truck, and tore the entire roof down. While that repair work was supposed to be started today, the contractors’ back load of other emergent work because of the recent freeze has delayed that until at least next week. In the meantime, visitors have to walk a longer distance to gain access to the building for visitation; the staff is also providing wheelchair access for visitors who cannot walk the additional hundred feet or so for access.
“To say we have had an unusual month puts it mildly,” an experienced and calm administrator said, “but with the staff that we have here, they have proven they can handle just about anything and still keep the residents comfortable and smiling. I have often heard it say the King James staff treats its residents like family. To me, they prove it every day and I couldn’t be more grateful or appreciative.”
With former Mayor, former Freeholder, and current Immigration Judge Anna Little swearing her in, Mayor Carolyn Broullon started her second term as the borough’s Mayor with an outline of recent accomplishments in her regular monthly report.
Just as efficiently she reminded the residents “there are a lot of good things we can do when we work together and there is “more that unites us than divides us.” To be sure they understood, she stressed that teams working together could do “amazing things.”
New Borough Hall
With the multi-million dollar borough hall going up on Route 36, Broullon pointed out that construction dates are all weather and supply-chain ;dependent, work is proceeding as scheduled, the exterior stone veneer is ongoing, and windows are being installed. She estimates that before the end of the month, enclosing the building should be complete and the contractor can continue work inside unaffected by winter weather conditions.
Infrastructure Update
In other construction ongoing in the borough, the mayor said the North St pump upgrades were completed the beginning of December, and updates at Snug Harbor Park should be completed this month. Work on the Marine Pl Elevated Walkway at Snug Harbor is also proceeding, and waiting for railings and trash bins. Work on the Waterwitch pump station began the end of November and work on the Ederle Park improvements at the opposite end of town began in the first week of December and should be completed within another two months.
Skate Park
With applications approved by both Cafra and Green Acres work will be starting this month on the proposed Skate Park. Also starting in January will be portions of the sanitary sewer project with phase I of the Waterwitch Area work that should be completed on the roads from Central Ave to Bay Ave. and including eight others should be completed by June.
Charging Stations
The new charging station for the former Borough Hall site on Bay Avenue has been ordered and installation is planned for completion by April. The mayor also cited several other projects in the process or soon to be started, with grants already received, while and at the same time seeking more grant funds to keep local taxes down.
Lions Club
She praised the Lions Club for their efforts in raising approximately $4,000 for specific projects, and noted the borough is still working with Open Space and the Lions Club for more funding for Frank Hall Park.
Regionalization
Citing still more grants and more projects underway, Broullon conceded she had nothing new to report on regionalization of the school districts other than the attorneys and towns have agreed on the mediator to proceed, but everything must now wait for the school boards to agree. She did not elaborate why school boards have any impact on borough decisions for funding which comes out of tax dollars.
Grants
The Mayor did point out the borough received $808,518 in grants in 2022 and has submitted the FEMA BRIC [Building Resilient Infrastructure & Communities] grant funding for the Snug Harbor Pump station and mitigation of the runoff from Monmouth Hills in Middletown. Several other grants have also been submitted she said, and discussions are continuing with Middletown, county and state officials on the Monmouth Hills situation
The Power of Positive Thinking Interfaith 21st Century Edition, what a great book! Even it’s last minute, make it a gift, particularly to young people who are tired of life and lost their dreams. I would even advocate educators teaching international studies use it as a reference in their classes showing the similarities and differences in today’s world.
Dr. Peale’s inspirational book in the early 1950s was one of the most influential books of the century. It was a best seller for months, selling more than 24 million copies in 42 languages. There’s a reason for that.
Dr. Peale put into print what every thinking person should know…thoughts and feelings dictate actions and a life can and is changed by thinking positively. The theologian drew from the Bible and other Christian scriptures to show that was so.
Enter Mr. Ismaik, who happened to be an Arab Muslim billionaire. He did not know Dr. Peale, in fact, he was only a teenager when the Reverend died.
But he did know his own Quaran and knew enough about the Torah and other Abrahamic beliefs to see the similarities. Mr. Ismaik also knew that each of the three monotheistic faiths, Islam, Judaism and Christianity really did incorporate the very same way of life, a belief that faith is a strong foundation and shared religious teachings can bring about a new world.
Dr. Peale said when he wrote his book he learned the hard way how to think positively. Mr. Ismaik wrote his contribution knowing so many of the Islam faith would not read or heed Dr. Peale without affirmation from the Quaran. This book is his outstanding effort to make that happen.
So this book with writings from the pair of them, the theologian and the billionaire, contains the writings that show how, for instance, where the Bible shows how to break a bad habit, the Quarn does the same, in slightly different words. Where Dr. Peale showed how the King James Bible gave ways to use faith in healing, Ms. Ismaik cites similar passages in the Hebrew bible and the Quran that do the same.
The book gives great individual stories as well as numerous citations where all three religions have passages that give the same message, lightly, yet firmly, and with an eye to the reader becoming a better person.
Read how the religions give similar ways to relax, to break the habits of worrying, to overcome defeat, to expect, and get the best, in effect, to create your own happiness.
The book should resonate with people of all faiths and in an educational and entertaining way shows the shared philosophy of Judaism, Christianity and Islam that is strong enough to unify and give a strong universal voice to a world now polarized and torn apart.
Reared and educated in the belief that everyone is not only entitled to his opinion but the United States Constitution grants him every right to express it, I would never be critical of anyone who accuses me of ‘picking on’ Highlands or Atlantic Highlands. I would never criticize those who condemn me for not thinking the local boards of education are providing the best education of students. Nor would I chastise all those who say I simply don’t like Highlands, or Atlantic Highlands or I can never say anything good about either town.
Do you really know me?
I also have to laugh now and then when I hear people say they know me, so something or other is definitely true. Like when they say they know how I hate Highlands, or know that I never liked it.
Their statements are the first indication that they indeed definitely do not know me. They still, however, have their right to express their opinions.
All of it makes me wonder occasionally, however, where do they get the facts that support those wild out-of-sight opinions?
Those people who say they know me….do you know my husband and I raised our four children in Highlands? Did you know that after my husband’s death, and after having visiting everyone of the 50 states and living in mountains and valleys, on rivers and deserts, close to and far from either ocean surrounding the United States, I chose to come back to Monmouth County as indeed the best place to continue living?
No Longer Affordable
But do you also know that when I got back here 16 years ago, my beloved Bayshore had changed so much that I could no longer afford to live in Highlands? It was only through sheer luck and reasonable non-hungry landlords I could afford to live in Atlantic Highlands where I continue to live?
Do these people who say they know me know anything about the history of these towns? The families who made it so wonderful? The organizations that worked to cure ills when they arrived, worked together to avert problems? Do they know the elected leaders who tightened their belts, grabbed shovels and picks themselves and did everything they could to keep down costs and keep up the standards that were so home plate to these two towns?
Is there anything wrong with wanting all of this to stay affordable to the next generation of families who made these towns what they are?
Sure, Hurricane Sandy changed the structure of the town and state regulations mandated many changes the towns did not want. But especially in Highlands, locals have faced devastating storms in the past, the hurricane of ’44, my favorite Hurricane Donna in 1960, the numerous full moon and nor’easter storms that flooded the streets. Why is facing trauma so difficult for today’s residents?
Looking Forward
As we come into 2023, am I going to express my opinion more? You betcha! Even it if’s a minority opinion? Count on it. It isn’t because I think I’m always right; perhaps I am not. But why just out and out ignore a different opinion? Why not look at it and see if it holds any possibility of looking or being better?
Borough Hall
I going to continue to criticize the new borough hall construction? That’s something else you can count in. Keep in mind, nobody wants to tell me much without my filing an OPRA to get information. That alone makes me suspicious that there is certainly more the people have a right to, and should, know.
The contractor is already being sued by Atlantic Highlands for construction of a mere $1.5 million building there. Already the Highlands construction is way beyond the amount bonded for it. Don’t you want to know where the rest of the money is coming from?
There was a project manager in Atlantic Highlands who should have been keeping tabs on that building and people should be asking how it got approved without doing the job the builder is now being sued to correct. Does everyone feel secure the project manager in Highlands is on top of the job so it won’t happen here too?
The architect drew up the plans for a few thousands of dollars. He’s still on the job, making changes, and charging for the changes. Doesn’t anybody else find that strange? For that matter, if the administrator or the chief of police, or the mayor, or anybody who has the authority wants to move a wall, a cabinet, or locker space, how come didn’t tell the architect that before they approved the plan? And exactly how many people can make these changes?
Aren’t these questions the public might want to get answers to?
Regionalization
And I haven’t even gotten into regionalization and why a paid employee in the schools in towns that stand to make money from a new plan has all the say in how it’s all being handled, especially since she lives and pays taxes in a town that stands to lose money. Doesn’t anyone want to know about that either?
Atlantic
Doesn’t anybody in Atlantic Highlands care to know more about how come three years ago the vast majority who turned out for a meeting spilling out of the room, out of the halls and out the door saying they wanted senior housing in the former St. Agnes School apparently weren’t heard? When the plan came out, that taxpayers were paying for, there was nothing about using the building that is in good shape. Like the people said they wanted. Nope, it was all about 13 more houses. THIRTEEN!!!!! Has there been a study on the impact of that many more single family homes on streets already too crowded? Does the new council care what the people think?
Does anyone wonder why if an attorney doesn’t finish all the work in one term he should be paid to stay on to finish it in another year?
Oh, but that’s talking about attorneys. I haven’t finished my research on that yet, but look for that story soon. I think it was 13 attorneys…13…that’s getting to be an unlucky number for Atlantic….who were hired in little old Atlantic Highlands yesterday. More than Middletown hired. More than Highlands hired. Maybe even more than both those towns hired together! And that’s not counting the Harbor or Planning board attorneys. Atlantic Highlands has a superior prosecutor who’s been doing a terrific job. Now he needs help, the new council says, so they’re hiring a second prosecutor. Same with the public defender. Does Atlantic Highlands really have the need for TWO public defenders?
Ah, so many questions.
So much research.
So many OPRA’s to be filed.
Criticize me if you like. But if you don’t want to know what’s going on in the Bayshore, save your criticism and simply stop reading me.
Bernardsville attorney Marguerite Schaffer was named borough attorney at the reorganization of the Mayor and Council Monday, replacing Jason Sena, by a unanimous vote of the new governing body.
Sena not completely out …
Sena, however also by a unanimous votes, has been retained as Special Counsel to the borough for one year reportedly to finish working on some matters which have not been completed during the past year as borough attorney..
Eclectic Background
Schaffer, a senior partner in the law firm of Shain, Schaffer and Jalloh brings a strong background to her new position, ranging from degrees in law, English and philosophy, certification as a secondary school English teacher, and as well as former legal writing instructor at her alumnus, Seton Hall University School of Law, former counsel, prosecutor or other positions with East Orange, South Brunswick, Roselle and Watchung in northern New Jersey, as well as Lake Como in Monmouth County, where she owns a home. And besides being borough attorney here, she is also expected to be renamed borough attorney for another year at Lake Como when that governing body reorganizes Tuesday evening. Her law firm, Shain Schaffer & Jalloh, is also scheduled to be named special tax council in Lake Como at reorganization.
Cannabis Law
According to her published biography, Ms. Schaffer is an expert in the burgeoning field of Cannabis Law and represents a number of out-of-state entities anxious to do business in New Jersey when legislation permits.
Memberships
In addition to her legal and other appointments, Schaffer, is a past President and current Board of Directors member of the Executive Women of New Jersey, serves on the Advisory Committee of the Institute for Women’s Leadership at Rutgers University, and is Chair of the Somerset County Democratic Committee, was elected delegate to three of the four Democratic National Conventions, and has held several positions with Essex, Somerset and Morris counties.
A former Assistant Counsel and Municipal Prosecutor, Counsel and secretary to the Board of Adjustment, City Counsel to the Planning Board, all in the city of East Orange; and Counsel to and member of the Board of Directors of Mountain Ridge State Bank. Schaffer currently serves as Counsel to the Borough of Lake Como, and Special Counsel to the Township of South Brunswick and the boroughs of Roselle and Watchung. She is also currently a Democrat Committeewoman in Bernardsville in Somerset County where she lives.
She is a member of Somerset County, New Jersey and American Bar Associations.
Born in 1948 in Newark and admitted to the bar since 1975. Ms. Schaffer specializes in commercial litigation, banking, land use and real estate law, and is the co-managing partner of her law firm.
The new borough attorney’s law degree is from Seaton Hall, cum laude, and also earned undergraduate degrees from the University of Dayton. She holds a Teacher’s Certification in Secondary English from the State of New Jersey and prior to law school taught in an inner city high school.
Ms. Schaffer served as an Adjunct Professor at Seton Hall Law School where she taught legal writing, and at Fairleigh Dickinson University where she taught commercial law.
Mayor Loretta Gluckstein both praised borough employees and listed a series of accomplishments the governing body has made during 2022 during her Mayor’s message delivered at the reorganization meeting of the Mayor and Council at noon Jan. 1.
Council Composition
The Mayor will now preside over of council of five Democrats and one Republican, James Murphy, and under this borough’s form of government, would only vote in case of ties among council.
Praise
In praising local employees and professionals, Gluckstein highlighted the individuals who “make the day-to-day magic happen for this wonderful and historic small town.” She especially complimented Administrator Rob Ferragina, Borough Clerk Michelle Clark, Building and HR Department employee, Elizabeth Merkel, DPW Director Jim Phillips and his team, Marty Hawley and the Water Department, Harbor Master Lou Fligor and his team, and Chief of Police Scott Reinhart and the police officers that are “always keeping our small town safe.”
Achievements
In citing achievements through the past year, Gluckstein cited 31 different areas of success, from accomplishing collective bargaining agreements for employees and shared service agreements with Highlands to the purchase of illuminated holiday snowflakes for First Avenue and holiday wreaths and LED decorative lights at the Stone bridge.
Purchases
Among purchases during the year, the mayor praised the new sanitation truck, the travel lift hoist and other upgrades at the Harbor, the LED bulbs installed in the Victorian lights in front of Borough Hall, the purchase of an AM radio for emergency communications anticipated to be operational this year as well as a new borough website.
Environmental and beautification improvements during the year include the repair and working condition of JCP&L center median lights on Memorial Parkway, the removal of remnants of the Center Avenue gazebo, together with new grass seed, and plans for the installation of a new gazebo this year, painting of borough parking spaces in all borough lots and at the harbor gazebo and harbor buildings as well as the borough’s DPW garage also installed with energy efficient LED lights, and the replacement of the faded Bayshore Trail signs.
Communications
Communication improvements included with utility companies which resulted in the removal of unused and non-functioning utility polls that litter the business district, a continuing project this year, with county officials resulting in the long awaited repairs and light replacement to the MT-50 Stone Bridge, as well as wood planks replacement on the Bay Avenue and Center Avenue bridges and re-striping center lines on First Avenue and Ocean Boulevard, both county roads.
Grants
Funding and grants accomplishments include processing several federal appropriation funding request applications which has led to $ 2.1 million enabling harbor bulkhead repair to progress, with thanks to Congressman Frank Pallone, all projects which have proceeded while keeping within the budget.
Green team
Additionally, Gluckstein cited the borough Green Team’s work to accrue additional points leading to the boroughs recertification of Bronze status for several years while inching closer to Silver status, the borough’s first Wellness Fair for Borough employees, funded t through a HIF grant and the Shade Tree Commission’s replacement of several dead trees with new trees.
Looking Forward
Looking forward to 2023, the Mayor said designated streets will be paved, the Upper Prospect wall will be started and could be funded through a FEMA grant, collaboration with the county will continue to improve, maintain,and repair county assets within the borough and the relationship with JCP&L will continue to be strengthened.
County Commitment
Noting that the county has committed to repairing the concrete wall on Ocean Boulevard near Highland Avenue and reconstructing the Ocean Boulevard bridge and other upgrades, Gluckstein thanked the County Commissioners for their contributions, cited the continuing shared services with Highlands for ambulatory service daylight hours, and praised the continuing improvements to the local volunteer First Aid Squad under the leadership of Lance Hubeny.
She said the borough engineer is working on the funding for the ADA restroom facility at the Center Avenue Park and working on upgrades to other parks in the borough for 2023 completion.
An additional $219,320 in NJDOT FY23 Municipal Aid for improvements to East Garfield and Grant Avenue has also be secured, she said.
Summary
In her summary, the mayor said that even with all the cited improvements the one she values most “is having the residents living in a safe community where traditional values, respect for our fellow neighbors, and civility take center stage.” That is how she remembers the town she said, and how she wants it to continue with “neighbors helping neighbors without worrying about political affiliation or socio-economic status.”
The Holly Tree Lot gate was reconfigured after input from DPW, The Parking Committee, and Seastreak.
The Habitat for Humanity House at 21 Leonard finally closed and our new neighbors are now proud Atlantic Highlands residents.
DPW extended yard hours for leaves and brush drop-off to now include November and December weekends, as requested by residents.
Calling for a concentration on traditional values, respect for fellow neighbors and civility on center stage, Atlantic Highlands Mayor Loretta Gluckstein told borough council members “we do not need to always agree, however, an open heart and an open mind can achieve a lot.” The mayor made the statement when the borough council reorganized at noon yesterday with the Democrats taking control of a council that had been evenly divided until November’s election.
Incumbents
With GOP incumbents Brian Boms and Steve Boracchia defeated by newcomers Democrats Eileen Cusack and Vito Colasurdo, Councilman James Murphy remains the only Republican on the borough council along with Mayor Gluckstein. Under the borough’s form of government, the mayor only votes when there is a tie among council members. Councilwoman Lori Hohenleitner was unanimously named council president, so would preside at any meetings in which the mayor is absent.
Gluckstein Comments
In a prepared statement that itemized a number of achievements the mayor said the borough has accomplished in the past year, she also called on the council to “drop the importance of labels in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey (including the rest of the nation)” and encouraged all “to open our hearts and minds and start to listen to all ideas and opinions.”
Labels
Gluckstein explained the difference between her teen years when “we didn’t care what brand of jeans, shirts, or shoes we had on or what label was on those items.” It has changed, she said so that we now live in an economic climate “where advertising and branding take center stage.” The result she believes, is that young adults in earlier decades felt equal,” but the influx of branding and marketing now has people knowing “some people had more and some had less and once again this is occurring in our nation and our community” along with the addition of political labels.
Reflection
The mayor also urged “the council and myself “ to change their ways, noting “the way we conduct ourselves on the dais reflects on how the public will respond, the public will mirror our actions. If we display anger, irrationality, and mudslinging at each other we will have to accept the same from the public.” She reminded the council that “we are elected officials and we all at the dais need to be an example to our fellow citizens, ” before expressing the hope that “ this may be the start of something that has been lacking in parts of our nation, falling short of saying whether it also reflects Atlantic Highlands now.
Positive Example
Let’s have the Borough of Atlantic Highlands be the positive example where people can come together block by block.” She admitted that while the elected officials might not agree on some areas, “we can open a dialogue and know that we are all still residents of Atlantic Highlands, a beautiful small, quaint town that is the Jewel of the Jersey Shore.”
Votes Unanimous
Votes for every appointment and commission member named at the reorganization meeting were all unanimous, with Murphy approving each and only questioning one. He requested to be named to the finance committee, which council also agreed to. Hohenleitner is chairman of finance, personnel and insurance committees, with Murphy and Councilman Brian Dougherty also serving on all three.
The mayor was named council representative to the Senior Citizens Recreation Board, Emergency management and the Senior Citizens Committees.
