The AOH, Ancient Order of Hibernians is holding a Maggie Gibson Spaghetti and Meatball Event on Saturday, January 18 in Port Monmouth to help offset expenses for Maggie, currently undergoing Hodgkins Lymphoma treatment.
The AOH Fundraiser will be held at the VFW Post Home at 1 Veterans Lane and Route 36 from noon to 8 p.m.
All are invited to attend and enjoy the catered dinner anytime between the noon and 8 p.m. hours of the day long event where there will be live music, a silent auction and raffle prizes, in addition to draft beer and wine at the cash bar which will be available. throughout the day.
Tickets for the dinner are $25 per person and can be purchased at the door, or at the Columbian Club. Tickets and donations can also be arranged by e-mailing AOHFORMAGGIE@gmail.com. Checks should be made out to AOH, and mailed to PO Box 852, New Monmouth, NJ 07748.
Maggie is the daughter of AOH brother Kevin Gibson. Maggie is 23, a recent graduate of Stevens Institute of Technology, and a popular young woman known in a variety of social, friend and church circles.
In urging support for the AOH event, Atlantic Highlands resident Mike Rybeck noted the Rybecks and Gibsons as parents watched their seven youngsters, including Maggie, grow up together, attending the same catholic schools and “becoming amazing adults.”
Maggie was accepted into and studied under the Pinnacle Scholars Program and won first place in her Senior Entrepreneurship project, earning the prestigious Ansary Prize for Entrepreneurship in Bio Mechanics at Stephens. She graduated with honors in May and is currently undergoing chemotherapy and experiencing all the negative side effects attributed to her treatments which will continue for another four months.
He may not go down in history as the most impressive or vibrant President of the United States, but President Jimmy Carterwill always be remembered as the President who cared for the people, the President with character, the President who was honest and always believed in doing the right thing.
For me, personally, he will always be the President who believed in the value of hometown weekly newspapers.
It was in the middle years of his Presidency that the Carter White House sent out an invitation to weekly newspapers throughout the United States, inviting a reporter to attend a briefing at the White House. Mathew J. Gill was Publisher of the Courier, Middletown’s popular weekly newspaper at the time, and assigned the job to me.
It was the thrill of a lifetime to meet and speak with the President of the united States.
The briefing turned into a daylong event. We reporters, some 26 of us from small town newspapers throughout the United States, were met at the White House by Jody Powell, the President’s press secretary, and given a few details on what to expect at the meeting. Ushered into the meeting room and seated around a table, we stood when the President entered the room, only to be told to sit down, and make ourselves comfortable before he then introduced himself as Jimmy Carter and invited us to ask whatever we wanted.
My questions focused on a friend who was a priest and Army chaplain, the Father Joe Turner, who had been stationed at Fort Hancock and had some concerns. The President answered, neither using nor taking any notes, but aware of the matter to which I was referring.
There were questions from many of us, others sitting quietly, and simply in awe at being invited to the White House. At the end of the hour or so long meeting, the President got up, thanked us all for being there, then stood by the door as each of us left.
As we passed the President, he put out his hand, and with that big Georgian smile, thanked each of us individually for stopping in.
Powell invited us all to stay for lunch, then said the First Lady would be meeting with us in the afternoon. Once again, we were back in the meeting room, and the gracious Roslynn Carter came in, sat down, and once again answered any questions we posed.
It wasn’t until three or four days later, back at home, that I once again saw how thoughtful the President was. It appears that as each of us was shaking hands and leaving the room, there was a photographer present to record the scenes in individual photographs. The President then signed the photograph, and sent it, along with a copy of all us reporters sitting around the table with him.
Some memories you can never forget.
Nor was this the only encounter any of the Smith family met with President Carter. Daughter Michelle, now retired from the Veterans Administration, was in the Marine Corps in the late 1970s and stationed as a Sergeant at 8th and I, the Marine Barracks in Washington.
One of her duties was part of the Honor Guard that attended events at the White House. Michelle recalls she met President Carter at several of these events, and like me, always felt he was personable and never too busy to talk to anyone who approached him.
“He knew each of the Marines who was there frequently by our first names, “ she recalls today, “and he always made sure we had a meal, since there were times, we had to be there for longer periods of time while major events were going on.”
Michelle also remembers Carters youngest daughter, Amy, was a youngster at the time, and frequently popped in the room where the Marines waited their assignments and enjoyed chatting with them. “She would always tell us all the great things her dad was doing,” Michelle laughed.
Both my Marine offspring also remember that it was President Carter who got the military a 14 per cent pay raise.
Buddha’s Hand There’s more to fruit than simply enjoying growing it, preparing it, smelling it or eating it. There’s learning about all kinds of fruit, the beautiful, the ugly, the ordinary, the unusual.
At the top of my personal list for the most unusual fruit, the citrus fruit with the most fascinating history, the fruit I have never seen before but is popular at least among those who love the challenge of making their own Limoncello or perhaps room aromatics, is the properly known Buddha’s Hand.
This intriguing group of hard, waxy yellow fingers, is from the Plantae kingdom or the order of Sapndales and family of Rutaceae, just like oranges, grapefruits and lemons. They come in hands like a banana, about the size of small carrots, and they’re crunchy to eat raw, skin and all. In taste, they’re like a sweet lemon, pulp less, pleasant and mild.
Buddha’s Hand grow on a bush or small tree with long branches covered with thorns, and green leaves with white flowers that grow in aromatic and citron smelling clusters. They grow in temperate climates, can’t take frost at all, and don’t do well in drought or intense heat.
But its story is fun.
The fruit is often given as a religious offering in Buddhist temples, its unique shape appearing to be Buddha’s Hand. Tradition says Buddha prefers the “fingers” of the fruit to be in a position where they resemble a closed hand, since it symbolizes Buddha in the act of prayer. On the other hand the open hand variety resembles dozens of fingers raised up in cheers and is so much prettier. In China, the Buddha’s Hand fruit is a symbol of happiness, longevity, and good fortune. It is also a traditional temple offering and a New Year’s Gift
Because of its fragrances, the fruit is often used for perfuming rooms, or personal items including pillows, linens or clothing.
It’s often grown in containers on patios for decoration, and in the United states, it’s sometimes called “Goblin Fingers” and sold for Halloween décor.
Since it has little or no pulp or juice, Buddha’s Hand is used chiefly for its aroma, but also as a zest or flavoring in many dishes from desserts and marmalades to tasty flavorful chicken entrees or salads dressings. It can also be candied, and its peel has been thought to be a tonic in the medical world.
But in many European countries, it is best used to make Limoncello or mixed with vodka or rice alcohol.
Candied Buddha’s Hand
3 cups diced Buddha’s Hand
3 cups white sugar, divided
2 cups water
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add diced Buddha’s Hand, return to a simmer, and cook until citrus softens, about 30 minutes. Drain.
Combine fruit, 2 1/2 cups sugar, and water in the same pot; bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until syrup reaches a temperature of 230 degrees F (110 degrees C). Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Drain citrus; pour excess liquid into jars and reserve.
Spread drained citrus out onto a wire rack and let dry until tacky, at least 24 hours. Pour remaining sugar into a shallow bowl. Toss citrus in sugar until coated; transfer coated pieces to a plate to dry, at least 2 hours.
Makes about 32 pieces.
That reserved syrup? Excellent for making cocktails.
Buddha’s Hand Limoncello
1 bottle 80 proof Vodka
3 Buddha’s Hand citron
4 Cups sugar
4 Cups water
Remove and thinly slice “fingers” from citron, then use a vegetable peeler to remove additional zest from the body of the fruit. Place zest and chopped fruit into a jar and completely cover with vodka, shake to combine. Store container in dark, cool area and shake once daily; allow at least 6 weeks to infuse. When fully infused, remove zest and place liquid back in jar.
Make the syrup by combining sugar and water in saucepan at medium heat, stir until sugar is dissolved. When cool, add syrup to Buddhacello and shake to combine; serve well-chilled.
Recipe Tips
You can use any citrus peel in place of Buddha’s Hand if desired.
In what is a first time ever for Middletown, Mayor Tony Perry and Ofakim, Israel Mayor Itzik Danino will hold special ceremonies Monday, January 6 at 11 a.m. to officially become Sister Cities.
Ofakim, Israel Mayor Itzik Danino on Right
The celebration symbolically unites the cities each mayor governs whose residents have both felt the impacts of terrorism.
The ceremony, which will include county, state and federal officials, as well as the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest, NJ, will take place at Middletown Township Hall at 11 a.m. Monday, January 6, when the Mayors will sign a sister city pact. The ceremony will take place in the Main Meeting Room. Parking will be available in the main lot on the Town Hall side of the building (not at the police station).
Ofakim, which is in southern Israel, was infiltrated by Hamas forces on October 7 during the Hamas -led attack on the country. Twenty-seven residents , including six police officers, were killed in the attack before armed residents, and off-duty soldiers battled the militants until IDF reinforcements arrived.
While no terrorist group has invaded Middletown, Perry noted the township had lost 37 residents during the 9/11 bombing of the World Trade Center where dozens of township residents worked. and the township still feels the impacts of that day.
The Middletown Mayor first met his Israeli counterpart last January when he visited Ofakim following the aftermath of October 7. As a result of their communities’ experiences with terrorism and grief, the mayors quickly built a friendship. This sister city agreement will represent the two cities’ commitment to fostering cultural, educational, and economic bonds.
With about 40,000 residents and located in the southern district of Israel, about 12 miles from Beersheba, Ofakim was originally a Bedouin community destroyed in the 1948 war. It became a municipality in 1955, spanning approximately four square miles.
Through work and determination, the city rose from economic difficulties to a development town with new factories and major development. It is home to generations of Jewish refugees expelled from Egypt in 1956, as well as Jewish families from Iran and immigrants from India and Romania.
The primary employer is the construction industry though agriculture and textile factories also employ many local residents. While Ofakim has suffered severe financial setbacks in the past, under current Mayor Danino it has made economic comebacks and has become a more thriving and productive city continuing to grow and prosper. The town has several public parks and schools.
As he promised, Congressman Chris Smith introduced legislation Friday that would empower highly trained state law enforcement units to detect and stop any drones involved in unlawful activities. Follows Through
Smith’s bill—the Law Against Nefarious Drones, Enforcement, Deconfliction (LANDED) Act—comes in response to a request from Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden and Ocean County Sheriff Mike Mastronardy for more authorities to respond to potential threats posed by illegal drone activity amid the ongoing unusual drone sightings across New Jersey.
“As swarms of unidentified drones have violated our airspace over the past month, our state law enforcement leaders have been precluded by law from taking more decisive action, leaving our highly trained officers—who are on the ground and situationally aware—almost completely hamstrung,” said Smith.
The legislation is designed in response to the gaps that exist in the nation’s ability to counter unlawful drones which have been exposed by the unusual activity occurring across our state.
Smith said the Biden Administration’s frustrating lack of response to the month-long unusual drone activity in New Jersey underscores the urgent need to empower state law enforcement to address any potential immediate threats to local communities.
“New Jersey residents should not have to live in fear while unidentified drones continue to fly over our critical infrastructure, sensitive military bases, and homes and communities,” said Smith. “Enough is enough.”
The latest version of this release may be viewed at:
Saturday’s first early morning snow storm, falling on the shortest day of the year, was glorious to see and feel, before it gets to the icy, sloppy and more dangerous stage. It was also the harbinger of plenty of other great wintry sights early in the morning. For instance, already there were kids lugging slides and discs to the top of the Highlands school hill for the thrill of those slides down with friends.
The new Highlands Café had its doors figuratively open, and it was all warmth, great aromas and friendly people inside for the return of a breakfast and lunch place I the Waterwitch section of Highlands. The former Girls Café is open every day but Tuesday from 6 a.m., the croissants are made right there, the pastries look terrific, and some of the breakfast items on the menu are certainly tantalizing! New restaurateurs to Highlands have been popular elsewhere, but happy to be opening yet another locale on Bay Avenue.
Around the corner, the Gourmet Grocery Store is open with some terrific items for last minute shopping. Think of baskets of great olive oils, unusual vinegars, herbs and spices that would make any chef happy, and even any so-so cook even better.
And down the street from the Highlands Cafe at the corner of Miller Street, the Feed and Seed has some great and unusual ideas for gifts for pets, cats, dogs and even more. Think anything from gourmet biscuits to sturdy leashes, and lots of fun things in between. Feed and Seed is aptly named as the grocery store for pets!
The Henry Hudson outgoing, un-elected board of education is right up there in the ranks of the Shore Regional and Oceanport school boards in taking steps that are more about spending more thousands of dollars and getting their way than it is about education or letting the people have their say in what they want for the education of students in their schools.
It began with the Henry Hudson board chairman writing that letter that went to considerably more taxpayers in Atlantic Highlands than it did in Highlands. It went to the parents of our students, it was explained.
But if that’s the case, why does the board that represents ALL the taxpayers, not just parents, feel the board president should only write to SOME of the taxpayers? Since Atlantic Highlands has almost twice as many students as Highlands in the district, that means more people in Atlantic Highlands got the letter than Highlands.
The letter wasn’t about education at all for that matter. It was about regionalization. That is a board issue. And board issues should be shared with every taxpayer in the same way.
So then it was explained that the letter was posted on the website, etc., etc.
That may be true. But those who did not get that letter wouldn’t know how to seek it out on any website, page or anyplace else. Why not treat every taxpayer the same?
When questioned further, it was the Board Attorney who interrupted the president’s attempt to answer questions at a public meeting. He said it isn’t even necessary for the board to have an open meeting to discuss and approve the president sending a letter to some, but not all, the voters.
Really?
Who gave the un-elected president the right to have more power than any other un-elected member, even though he said he and the board agreed?
Can any letter come out from the board president without any authorization from the rest of the board?
Doesn’t the public have the right to know?
But that is only part of the problem. This is an un-elected board, one which had its first meeting this past July and its last meeting last week.
In January, the very first elected board of this new regional school district will take over. So why is the un-elected board working so hard to encumber the first elected board? But they are.
That resolution adopted unanimously last week will require the yet to serve elected board to pay an attorney to represent it in the what started out with what has been called a “frivolous” challenge Oceanport and Shore Regional are taking to the New Jersey Supreme Court.
That’s the one those taxpayers, Sea Bright included, since it’s part of those districts, are challenging at the highest court in the state, that third decision in the Appellate division that already publicly spanked the Oceanport and Shore Regional boards for bringing up in the first place.
Isn’t a 34-page unanimous decision enough to convince these unelected folks just maybe there’s something wrong with what they’re trying to do?
But now, Henry Hudson’s un-elected board took an 11th hour decision at its last regular meeting to be sure the attorney has another job.
Oceanport Resident and Henry Hudson School District Superintendent Tara Beams
They unanimously adopted the resolution that authorizes the Busch Law Group to file a resolution and anything else necessary, with the NJ Department of Education protecting their believe there have been “scurrilous ad hominem attacks” on the Henry Hudson superintendent. The soon to be gone un-elected board wants to be sure they stand up and protect the superintendent before they leave.
And this un-elected board in this same resolution also made it clear they, even though they will be gone by January, are against any joint position to include Sea Bright in the Hudson district until they are happy with a resolution of anything in the superintendent’s certification.
In short, which is more important, the superintendent’s certifications the public doesn’t know anything about, or whether the people will ever get their right to vote of if they want Sea Bright in the district?
Their resolution the other night refers to “scurrilous ad hominem” attacks levied against her because she lives and pays her own property taxes in one of the towns that stands to lose millions if Sea Bright pulls out of that district.
The fact the board is hiring an attorney specifically to send their concern to the state rather than simply sending the Superintendent a letter with their opinion is an absolute indication this outgoing board believes there is very definitely a perception, at least among the public, that there is indeed a conflict of interest between her residency and her taking the lead as the primary spokesman for the regionalization issue.
Well, the law forbidding conflicts of interest clearly is designed and written to forbid any PERCEPTION of such conduct without an investigation into it. At least publicly, there has never been any investigation into it, nor any statement of any investigation into any possible conflict.
Yet the perception continues, enough for the board to want to spend money and keep an attorney working to defend her.
If the education of the students, the concerns of the voters and all those ‘scurrilous attacks’ were really important, surely the board would have done something before paying an attorney to bring the attacks, not the conflict, to the state Department of Education. For that matter, the Superintendent herself, if she cared about the scurrilous attacks or the costs of yet more legal action, could simply step down from her lead position in regionalization.
This is neither the time nor place for other intimations. Records will most likely show, if anyone files an OPRA, exactly how much time the Superintendent has spent on regionalization as opposed to education.
It will show the public appearances she has made, perhaps even the interviews she has given, and maybe even the places she has been quoted for her excellence on the subject. After all, regionalization has become a state-wide discussion since the unanimous approval of the state law that got Henry Hudson and Sea Bright into this predicament in the first place.
The superintendent’s vast experience at the onset of the law will all look good on resumes for newly created positions with school boards wanting to look into regionalization, again which is likely, inasmuch as the Governor is advocating larger school districts with this legislation.
Or a position perhaps with a new state office overseeing what is bound to be a major issue in years to come.
Or with a law firm that wants to specialize in regionalization issues.
No suggestions of any wrongdoing here. But if it were the case, most assuredly, furthering one’s own personal agenda would surely create a conflict of interest.
In what appears to be one last effort of the only non-elected interim board of education of Henry Hudson Regional, the board at its final meeting before being replaced by an elected board of education, unanimously adopted a resolution voting against any authorization to file a joint petition with Sea Bright for inclusion in the district at least until after statements concerning the certification of the district’s superintendent are resolved.
Action came after a 40-minute executive session at the end of the last regular meeting of the school board named among themselves earlier this year after voters approved the regionalization of the Highlands, Atlantic Highlands and Henry Hudson schools into a single district. Voters in all three boroughs, including Sea Bright, had consistently been told that the regionalization of the three schools which have always been under a single superintendent was “the first step” towards allowing a vote in all three boroughs to include Sea Bright in order to expand their district and enable the cost of education to be split three, rather than two ways.
More than half of every tax dollar in each of the three districts is paid for education. Sea Bright had indicated bringing Sea Bright into the Hudson district and leaving Shore Regional and Oceanport districts in order to do so, would also bring $2 million into the new district, offsetting educational taxes paid there.
During the several years of negotiations which included three Appellate Courts ruling Sea Bright and district voters do have the right to put the question on the ballot, Shore Regional and Oceanport then made notification they plan to appeal the Appellate Court unanimous decision to the New Jersey Supreme Court. Currently Sea Bright students attend those two districts and are seeking to see if the voters want to leave those two districts to attend the new, closer district.
In Wednesday night’s action,, before the majority of members were recognized for their final meeting as board members, the board went into executive session with board attorney Jonathon Busch and came back to unanimously file the resolution.
In approving the resolution Busch stressed the decision was based on the September 22 action of the Acting Commissioner of Education in which he said the elementary school districts, Sea Bright and Henry Hudson, MAY file a joint request for an enlarged district. That request, the resolution continued “SHOULD “address state statues including a revised feasibility study if necessary.
However, the board’s recent resolution continued, Dr. Tara Beams submitted a certification….in which she identified a number of issues “that have yet to be resolved before proceeding to address the question of filing “the petition with Sea Bright. Beams’ issues were not identified at Wednesday’s meeting.
Oceanport Resident and Henry Hudson School District Superintendent Tara Beams
Further, this week’s resolution called for rejecting any right to authorize a petition to allow Sea Bright voters to join the district because of points raised by Sea Bright’s attorney, Vito Gagliardi In his letter last December to the Monmouth County Executive Superintendent, Dr. Lester Richens, the board’s resolution Days Gagliardi cited “unwarranted ad hominem attacks levied against Dr. Beams,” because she lives and is a taxpayer in Oceanport . The board resolution also cites” unwarranted accusations of false and misleading statements” of Dr. Beams. Neither board members nor the resolution identified any false or misleading statements to which they were alleging.
However, in expressing its confidence in “her unbiassed and competent leadership,” the board also was not specific in what is in error in the “unwarranted accusations of false and misleading statements.”
The board’s resolution unanimously indicated there will be no authorization for any joint petition with Sea Bright until there is a satisfactory resolution of items questioned in the superintendent’s certification, and authorizes the Busch Law Group to file the resolution, along with any other documentation it has and feels is necessary with the County Superintendent and the state Department of Education.
The long, expensive legal battle continues while the public is deprived of its right to vote, an outgoing unelected interim board attempts to hamper and financially encumber the new district’s first elected board, and no one questions what the false and misleading statements about Dr. Beams or her residency in Oceanport are.
It’s very easy to see why Sea Bright’s Charlie Rooney is so frustrated with school boards that yesterday he posted this giant sign on the front of his house on Ocean Avenue.
To know Charlie Rooney first of all is to know the love and dedication he has for his town and everyone who is fortunate to live in it. Charlie comes from a long line of Sea Bright-devotees, his Dad being the most popular Mayor ever, even before Charlie himself was elected to be on Council.
Here’s a man who works tirelessly for whatever he feels, after research, study, and proofs, he believes is the very best for the people of Sea Bright. Charlie Rooney and Sea Bright are synonymous and Sea Bright can take pride and comfort in that.
But his sign went up because of the recent absolute total waste of taxpayers’ money on two school boards continuing to challenge what was made into law two years ago. Going to the New Jersey Supreme Court after being shot down three times by the Appellate Court does not look like a wise expenditure of a few thousand dollars more.
NEW JERSEY — Could New Jersey one day soon be consolidating more school districts?
The concept is definitely on the horizon, as last week Gov. Phil Murphy signed this Senate bill that provides funding for school districts to study consolidation.
The bill, which is now signed into law, specifically establishes a grant program to reimburse New Jersey districts for costs they incur doing “regionalization feasibility studies.” The bill also gives financial incentives to school districts that choose regionalization.
That’s the lead on a story from 2022.
Henry Hudson Regional wanted to be the first to accomplish this. They did, but not with any great savings. Heck, when it comes down to it, all Hudson really did was take the three schools in the two towns that had been under a single superintendent as three different school boards, and combine them into one.
A wise one, economic to a degree, and sensible, something that should have been done 50 years ago. But it doesn’t bring any more money into the mix to relieve the taxpayers, because it didn’t “ADD” any new district.
Bringing Sea Bright in would, and it’s been shown many times that $2 million would be added to help offset the tax rate in both of those towns if Sea Bright were added. Still, for some still unknown reason, this current interim, unelected school board stalls and spends money and listens to paid employees who should be spending time on educating, not money, rather than let the people decide on whether it’s a good idea.
Not wonder Charlie Rooney is frustrated by all of this. Don’t know what’s happening with Oceanport and Shore Regional, but certainly open the first elected board of the new Henry Hudson Regional district pays heed….and is open and honest…with the taxpayers.
Oceanport and Shore Regional school districts have put the New Jersey Supreme Court on notice they plan to challenge the latest of the three decisions Appellate Courts have made upholding Sea Bright’s attempts to become part of the Henry Hudson Regional School District.
“This is a terrible waste of taxpayers’ money,” said Kerri Wright, an attorney with the Porzio firm representing Sea Bright. “What is worse, they are using Sea Bright taxpayers’ money to continue this fight.”
Kerri A. Wright Principal Porzio, Bromberg & Newman
Sea Bright taxpayers are paying their attorney, the Porzio firm, to represent them to enable the question of regionalization to be a matter for the residents to decide by a public referendum, at the same time, paying those same attorneys to represent them in the legal actions Oceanport and Shore Regional districts are lodging attempting to prevent the residents from voting on the right to decide where their want their children to be educated.
News came Tuesday, the day after the deadline the school boards had for filing any action against the Appellate Court’s upholding Sea Bright’s right to let the voters decide if they should leave their current districts and join the newly formed Henry Hudson Regional District in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands.
Shore Regional and Oceanport filed a notice in a joint petition requesting the state Supreme Court, the highest court in the state, to review the Appellate Court certification earlier this month. Such a request is rarely heard except under rare circumstances. As an example, the Supreme Court may hear a matter if an Appellate Court had issued its final decision by a divided vote. In the case of the Sea Bright matter, the Appellate Court, in its 34-page decision, was unanimous Sea Bright had the right to put the matter to its voters to decide.
While it is not yet determined if the Supreme Court would hear the matter, it would most likely be several months before a decision is reached if they did.
But the arguments of Oceanport and Shore Regional are more severely limited at this level. They cannot introduce any new evidence, nor can they argue anything other than citations the Appellate Court gave in handing down its unanimous decision. Their arguments are also limited to fewer pages than earlier appeals.
“Not only is this putting a heavy tax burden on residents of all three towns, “ Wright said, “ it is depriving the people of Sea Bright the right to make their own choice on how and where they want their students educated.”
It has not been reported when either of the two boards of education at Shore Regional and Oceanport met in executive session to discuss their intended actions , nor if they held announced open meetings, either jointly or combined, in order vote to approve taking their matter to the highest court in the state.
