This isn’t the first time the bulkhead around the Highlands Boat Basin has been questioned and illegalities have been raised. It happened in May of 1955.
Plans Change
The borough had approved $80,000 for putting up the bulkhead for a distance of 185 feet. The necessary variances had been approved and then it was learned by Councilmen John Newton and Herbert Hartsgrove that the plans were changed. The new plans, they charged, showed the footage was shortened and only 156 feet were being built. That was, they thought, to have the bulkhead tie in with the Boat Basin.
Short Changed
They explained that the Snug Harbor return of the bulkhead was shortened and they wanted to know why.
But James Rankin, an engineer for the Bureau of Navigation and Otis Seaman, the borough engineer, said there was nothing wrong.
Cover Costs
Rankin explained the Bureau of Navigation had costs that had to be covered within that $80,000. There wasn’t enough money to cover it all in the $80,000, so they changed the plan to ensure sufficient funds for the Bureau’s costs.
But not to worry, he said, the Bureau did not need that much money now so they simply changed the plans back to the original because now there were sufficient funds.
Unanswered Questions
Hartsgrove questioned, but did not receive a response as to why the change was not sent to the Borough Council for its knowledge and approval. But Seaman said it really did not make any difference, since the original plan called for the 185 foot to tie in with the Basin entrance and that is what would be happening now.
Maybe because it is the start of the holiday season or maybe there are just too many great things happening, but there are so many things that are making me happy these days.
The Girl’s Cafe
The fact so many people got concerned about The Girls Café closing and changes were made in answer to those concerns has made an incredible number of people happy. And Cathy Hartsgrove summed it all up when she said, “I knew people liked us, but I didn’t know this many people loved us.”
That was easy to see Saturday morning when the usual crowd was joined by so many others, and the phone kept ringing for take-out orders. That’s enough to make anyone happy.
Mike Mullins
Made me really happy to see Mike Mullins back at The Girls Cafe with his usual charm and eagerness to help his friends wherever needed.
Signage
And while we’re on The Girls for another second, take some time to read some of their signs around the Café; it shows their joie de vivre and their terrific sense of humor with a sarcastic flare. My personal favorite is “Well behaved women rarely make history!.”
Atmosphere
The atmosphere was so cheery and bubbly Saturday morning that at one time an overwhelmed Cathy shouted out “Is everybody happy?” and got a resounding round of applause along with some spirited and enthusiastic “Yeah” or “Absolutely” or “You bet.”
Stubby
Seeing Morgan Spicer and Matty Guiliano together at the Art Alliance Maker’s Market this weekend promoting their newest collaboration, “Stubby’s Story” was great for so many more reasons. Besides seeing these two very talented people together with Stubby, the adorable ferret who is the star of the book was great. Look for a story on VeniVidiScripto.com on Stubby’s great contribution to the Animal World because of the book is something else that should make everyone happy.
Local Talent
Then seeing all the talent at the Alliance was spectacular, between learning of so many living right here in Atlantic Highlands and learning about one very talented artist who was raised here and decided to come back for good after spending 40 years in the state of Washington was great as well.
Care One
Then read the story on what the residents at Care One at King James are doing. Both staff and residents there are pretty special people and now they’re running a couple of events to raise money for 180 Turning Lives Around, the wonderful organization who among so many other things, has a Hazlet local for victims of domestic violence and the funds Care One is raising helps that.
Christmas Spirit
It also makes me happy to see how so many people are making Christmas brighter for the residents themselves. Folks have been invited to get the name of a resident and drop off a gift that might make that person happy and surprised on Christmas Day.
If you are looking for an idea for some homemade Christmas gifts, but don’t want to bake or make marmalade or jelly, think of putting together all the makings for soup or pasta, layering ingredients in a mason jar or wide mouthed bottle. Include the recipe for completing the dish and tie with a ribbon around the jar. They’ll think of you every time they’re enjoying that hot and delicious dinner loaded with beans, herbs, spices and pasta. Adding fresh vegetables at cooking time means yet one more gift that is excellent for eye care as well as heart health.
For an added touch, add the can of tomatoes and a bottle of wine in a gift basket with the beans and pasta mix and when the recipients add the finishing touches, they’ll think they made the best dinner ever.
INGREDIENTS
TO FILL 1 QUART MASON JAR
1 cup small pasta shells
¾ cup pinto beans
¾ cup kidney beans
¾ great northern or white navy beans
¼ cup parsley flakes
1/3 cup dried diced onion
1 tsp. each basil, oregano, rosemary
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. black pepper
A Zip top sandwich bag
Mix the spices together in the sandwich bag, press out all the air and seal; you might want to label it. Layer the pasta shells first, then add layers of the beans for a colorful arrangement. Tuck the bag in at the top. Include the directions tied around the jar. Since the pasta takes a shorter time to cook, make sure that is the bottom layer of your gift.
PREPARATION:
Empty beans from Jar, leaving pasta, and add to large stock pot. Add 6-8 cups of water and boil covered for about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let beans soak for two hours.
Drain beans, return to stock pot, and add 6 cups of water and the seasoning packet. Cook for about an hour, or until beans are fork tender.
ADD
1 28 oz. can tomatoes
3 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
And simmer 30 minutes. Add pasta.
Simmer to allow pasta to cook to al dente, about 8 minutes.
Enjoy with hot crusty Italian Bread and a glass of red wine.
We’re not going away local resident Mark Fisher warned the Atlantic Highlands planning board at its meeting last night when the question about Mother Theresa school property was on the agenda, but removed from action at a revised agenda prior to the meeting.
“This bouncing around thing,” Fisher continued has got to stop. He cited the number of times the sale and use of the property and the subsequent introduction of an ordinance to change the use have been the subject of several council meetings. “Ok,” said Fisher but “we’re letting you know…”
Interrupting Residents
Board attorney Michael Steib interrupted Fisher to make it clear the planning board is “well aware” of the activity and that while there appears there will be a public form in the future it would not be before the planning board.
Board chairman Douglas Pape pointed out that the planners “look at the consistency” of the proposed ordinance with relationship with the borough’s Master Plan. “The political issue is not before this board, just consistency.” All opinions or questions concerning the proposed ordinance should be taken up with the mayor and council, “not this board.”
No Action
Without the planning board’s report on the consistency of the proposed changed plan with the borough’s Master Plan, the governing body cannot take action on the matter at its Dec. 15 meeting, the last for the year. With a new governing body taking over Jan. 1, the matter would then have to begin at the beginning once again.
Pape Bows Out
Pape also announced at the meeting he does not plan to accept a reappointment to the planning board when his term expires this month. He said he would prefer to defer and enable others to serve on the board on which he has served for many years. He praised all planning board members for their dedication to planning issues, and the volunteer time they put into their exemplary public service with offers no benefit to themselves other than dedication to the borough’s high standards. He referred to both Steib and Engineer Doug Rohmeyer as the “consummate professionals “and thanked them and board members for all they have done.
As the weather gets colder, home made soups get more popular. For those who like to make homemade gifts for Christmas or Hanukkah, putting the ingredients in pint mason jars or other containers in layers also makes an easy to make and attractive gift for family or friends. Put all the herbs and spices in a snack size plastic baggie, put on top inside the jar and attach the recipe for putting it all together on a ribbon around the jar.
This recipe for split pea soup can be made with either all yellow or all green split peas, or half and half for a colorful arrangement in layers. For those who do not want to keep it vegan, use bouillon cubes and add cooked ham at the end.
Split Pea Soup Mix
Makes 1 pint size Mason jar.
Ingredients
2 cups yellow and/or green split peas
1 tsp each of onion powder and thyme
1/2 tsp each garlic powder and Mediterranean spice or oregano
1/4 tsp black pepper
½ tsp. turmeric for more tang and color. (optional)
Instructions
If using two colors, layer peas in jar.
Place spices in baggie and place on top
Seal jar. Decorate, label and include cooking Instructions.
Cooking Instructions
Also needed:
5 cups soup stock, water or bouillon
1-2 cups chopped cooked ham (optional)
Remove spice pack. Rinse split peas in strainer in cold water.
Add peas and spices in pot with five cups of soup stock.
Bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring several times and add water as need.
Cook until peas are tender. Puree for smooth finish if desired.
If adding ham, stir int in and simmer 5 minutes.
Yield Fills a pint (500 ml) jar, Makes 6 cups of soup
If you prefer to include bouillon powder/cubes, replace the stock with water and add 2 cubes or 2 Tbsp powder (or as instructed on your bouillon package for 5 cups of water)
A wise business decision … a terrific landlord … power of the press or the people … an early Christmas Gift… whatever you call it, it is definitely, the answer to the prayers of everybody that The Girls’ Café has cancelled its plans to closed down forever on Christmas Eve.
Literally thousands of readers responded to the story in VeniVidiScripto.com yesterday about The Girls Café. The story reported that the Girls, Cathy and Vera, together with Charley the grill master and were shutting down the Café forever and taking a well-deserved rest. The story continued that it also meant not seeing all those Hartsgroves who pitch in and help or work at the Girls Café at various times and days.
A radio station picked up the story as well. Neighbors phoned each other, VeniVidiScripto received numerous comments. Apparently after all that fuss and fear, many sharp business-minded people, friends or simply scores of people who like to start their day with a great cup of coffee and a warm smile and greeting, took things into your own hands.
The landlord received plenty of messages from people. The girls themselves received plenty of drop ins and calls that they simply can’t shut down.
Today, the landlord, a wise woman, a highly successful and innovative businesswoman and a woman who loves her Highlands and all its people, stopped in for a chat with Cathy and Vera.
The result, though I’d be fairly certain all the details have not been finalized within the last hour or so, is that The Girls Café, as it does every year, will close Christmas Eve and remain closed for the month of January. That is their least busy time of the year.
But this morning’s conversation means the entire picture has changed. Landlord and tenant chatted and agreed, it’s been decided that in February, or unless the winter weather be overwhelming, March the Girls Café will open again.
It’s a co promise. Cathy and Vera won’t be there every day. They will each work three days a week, and Charlie, that great chef you only see from the back since she’s always working her magic on the grill, will remain full time.
Prayer works. People taking action for change make a difference.
By now probably just about everyone has heard the bad news, and while I hate repeating it, I want to be sure everyone knows that Vera, Cathy, and of course, Charley, those wonderful girls at The Girls Café, are packing it in.
For good.
On Christmas Eve.
Vera and Cathy said they’re getting too tired and want to take a rest and maybe do something exciting in the future. But for now, The Girls Café is closing Dec. 24.
Those dynamic sisters Cathy and Vera Hartsgrove, their tireless and energetic long time associate and friend Charlie, and lots of Hartsgrove relatives who all chip in time and talent to keep this wonderful little café the friendliest and, like the other great places in Highlands, highly popular eatery, is closing its doors, and turning down the grill.
The sisters are weary and admit they aren’t as chipper at 5 in the morning as they were when they were younger. And they want to finally take some time to enjoy some quiet time, some late morning sleep-ins, and maybe once in a while have someone else pour their coffee and fry their eggs.
Cathy and Vera are warm, and friendly. They have the ability to make people start their mornings with a laugh, a good meal and send them on their way with a wish and hope they all have a great day. The Girls Café isn’t their first time behind the counter or over the grill. But as to the Café, it’s only been since after Hurricane Sandy that they decided to create this great little sport just off Washington Avenue and overflowing with enthusiasm and happiness.
Now, more than a decade later, with awards for excellence, tons of new friends and lots of customers craving Vera’s special oatmeal or Charley’s sensational omelets or Cathy’s finishing touches and swift deliveries on everything from freshly cut fruit to those toasted bagels or English muffins, they’re taking another big step and plan on discovering lots of fun things to do in their retirement.
Between now and Christmas Eve, stop in with the Girls any day from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. between Wednesday and Sunday, and be sure to sign the notebook they’ll have up. Write a special memory, or a favorite dish, or just hugs and kisses for fine Highlands natives who started everyone’s day with a smile and a hot cup of coffee!
Not only the boroughs of Highlands and Atlantic Highlands, but the state of New Jersey Division on Civil Rights as well, can add other superlatives to their list of firsts or best. They are all masters of irony.
Edgar Allan Poe:
A classic genius in his fiction when it comes to irony. His Cask of Amontillado is especially full of them. So many, in fact, that linguists and novelists often cite the three types of irony he used in this one work alone. Dramatic, Verbal, and Situational.
Obvious:
It was obvious to me that the two Bayshore towns and the state have outdone Poe just in the two complaints the state Civil Rights Division has brought against the two towns on my behalf.
The Request:
I asked both towns to provide me a way to be involved in government meetings. They both declined. Or simply ignored my request. I asked the state Department of Civil Rights office to fix it for me. I wanted them to find out why the boroughs felt that they did not have to grant my request for an accommodation due to my disability.
The Interactive Process
The Courts have established a regular plan of action for just such a request. It’s called the “Interactive Process” and starts with requiring the towns to have open and honest communication with the disabled person to find out specifically what they can do to correct the situation. That didn’t happen. Highlands completely ignored this step in the process … Atlantic Highlands did what they have demonstrated is an art form … delay and postpone.
Mediation:
We moved to the next step … Mediation. That’s when each side, in this case there would be two mediation’s because the complaint involved two separate entities would sit down with me and a state appointed mediator to see if we could handle things ourselves. Cheaper, more efficient, and hopefully would result in a quicker solution.
Nice, I thought, still retaining some measure of pride and hope in the state.
Irony #1
It was easier said than done. The lawyer for the towns…oh yes, one lawyer, two cases, two towns. That’s because both towns have the same insurance company. Not sure if that’s a conflict but it seems to me the lawyer could learn a lot in the first mediation to use in the second mediation. Because of course, he wants to win both. I find that a bit ironic. Even if the complaints were different.
Irony #2
When the lawyers, yes,…. because you see, in addition to the insurance company attorney, each town had its own borough attorney involved…. finally find a date they can be available…about a month after all the dates the mediator wanted…. I get another letter from the state. In order to do this mediation, I have to sign a promise I would not tell anybody anything about what happened at it.
Look at that irony. The lawyer trying to prove the towns aren’t doing anything wrong by not letting me participate in meetings can know everything about one mediation before going into the other. But I can never tell anybody what happened.
Look at the irony. I’ve got a lifelong history of being a journalist, a newspaper reporter, a writer. But now that I’m losing my sight I have to violate every principle I’ve learned and used in order to have the state conduct this mediation.
Irony #3
It’s ironic that I seem to be the only one who knows the US Constitution and its amendments. Because, you see, ordering me to keep my mouth shut, sign a non disclosure and confidentiality form, or I won’t be able to mediate, is clearly a chilling of my first amendment rights those wonderful men of the 18th century and beyond fought for…freedom of speech.
The irony is what I am complaining about is the violation of my 14th amendment rights. That’s the one that guarantees me equal protection under the law. So in order to get those rights guaranteed under the 14th amendment of the 19th century, I have to give up my right to the first amendment adopted in the 18th century.
Tentative Resolution
Trying to help get this resolved at the least cost to the taxpayer and least stress on me, I got the state to agree to waive its regulations executing a non-disclosure agreement. IF..and that’s a big IF…they could get the two towns to agree.
You guessed it.
NOT ON YOUR LIFE.
Neither town would agree. It’s ok for their attorney to talk to himself … or his staff…or use his notes in one mediation on another, but it was not ok for me to tell the rest of the world how this is being handle. Do you see any irony there?
DO you see any irony in the fact the state is actually demanding, in order to treat me equally, that I have to give up another right?
Irony #4
So that cancelled that mediation. I refused to give up my rights.
Well, that cancellation of the scheduled mediation’s prevented the towns and the state from being involved in yet another irony. You see, one of the alternatives, if they wanted a more expensive idea than the simplest possibility, would have been by virtual mediation. That means ZOOM? That irony? That is one of the ways they could have used to enable me to participate in government meetings. Got it? They could use ZOOM to pay attorneys to fight a request that ZOOM would have resolved.
Yes, there are still more ironies.
Irony #5
Both towns, Highlands and Atlantic Highlands, conducted ZOOM meetings throughout the time Governor Murphy mandated they have them during the COVID directives.
Do you see that irony? Both towns could do it for the Governor of New Jersey, but one little old lady who’s losing her eyesight asks for it and it’s not possible.
Irony #6
To be as open and informative as I can be, Atlantic Highlands did manage to spend around $12,000 or so to rig up a new and improved system. But it took them many months to do it, and even then, it wasn’t for me. It was so everybody could participate the way I needed to. A $12,000 expense that isn’t used for all Borough meetings.
More irony here. They spent the money, they have the system, it’s working pretty well these days, though by no means certain. And they still have to explain why nothing could be done for me more than a year ago.
Irony #7
To me, the biggest irony of all is the state of New Jersey has an office specifically created to help people with disabilities. Wouldn’t you think they would have at directed an IMMEDIATE , if temporary solution, easy and cheap enough which I could have explained, even if they couldn’t think of it.
Then they could have gone down the road of all the legal stuff, the discussions, the mediation and the lawyers. And if all that determined the borough did not have to provide a disabled person with that ability to participate in meetings, then they could have taken that temporary measure away.
All that would be left at that point would be a discussion on why the state does not have to help the disabled. Which would be followed by their 86 year old lady going someplace higher and more concerned in order to enable her to participate like everyone else in any governmental meeting anyplace she wanted.
Parting Messages
Two messages for the Boroughs of Highlands and Atlantic Highlands:
Our world would be a lot better if we could provide happiness as easy as we can provide pain for others.
and for my friends in Atlantic Highlands who like Charlie Chaplin so much … Irony is doing the wrong thing at the right moment
One of the stories about people I admire and wrote about in the book Hidden History of Monmouth County, was Rumson’s Toy Bull Dog, Mickey Walker.
I wrote the story not so much because that’s why the Rumson Fair Haven teams are called the Bull Dogs, but because he was one of the feature stories my father wrote back in the 1920s when he was a young newspaper reporter and had to write about a hometown boy from Elizabeth who trained in Rumson.
The story I wrote was also in the Atlantic Highlands Herald in 2018, and worth repeating in part here, not only because Walker was a great boxer and apparently my father liked him, but also because it reminds me once again why I love writing, and that the only reason I have any talent in writing is because I inherited it from my father. I’m also proud that my son and my daughter not only inherited that same talent and devotion to research but also improved on it.
Other historians and writers in local newspapers have quoted my father’s articles in their own research on Walker as well as other persons and places in history.
The Reporter
The story about my dad, Vincent De Paul Slavin and the Toy Bulldog happened in 1921 when the writer was 24 years old and writing for The Index and Elizabeth Review, billed as “the only Sunday newspaper in Union County.” His byline on many stories identified him as a special correspondent to the paper. That means he was probably writing for several different papers at the same time (another gene I inherited).
My father was raised in Philadelphia, and somehow the family found their way to Elizabeth, probably because his father got a job with the ESSO Refinery. He met my mother in 1921, but it would be another four years before the couple married and settled in Union.
The Toy Bull Dog
Mickey Walker was about 21 at the time, born in Elizabeth, lived in Newark and was scheduled to wage “the fight of his life” against Jack Britton, another Irishman who held the welterweight title.
My father thought the story was important enough and ‘local’ enough to wrangle his way into hanging around Walker for an entire day while the boxer trained in and around his home on Lafayette St. in Rumson. His sports news story, written in the flowing, adjective-filled prose of the day, captured some of the beauty of the area as well as the training techniques of Walker and his training team.
The Camp
My father hadn’t spent much time in Monmouth County…it would be another ten years and a few children later before he brought his family to enjoy the beach at Sandlass Beach Club across the river from Highlands. And he described Walker’s Rumson training camp as being “three miles” from the more famous town of Red Bank.
You could tell he loved the area though. Despite the story being about the soon to be welterweight champion, my father took news space to write: “Two blocks from the shore of the Shrewsbury River, in the rear of a bungalow well shaded with huge maple trees, there stands a little house, one story high, and containing but one room. In this room, Mickey went through a good bit of his hard work.”
The Training
Later in the article, he writes: “Every morning at seven sharp found Mickey tumbling out of the hay downstairs for his cup of tea and a few pieces of toast. At eight o’clock he started on the road, and with his many supporters, sparring partners and mascots, covered three miles through the hills of Monmouth County.”
The story goes on to talk about the run, the rubdowns after, the finishing order of the rest of the team, a nap for the champ, then launches back into the charm of Monmouth County and its people. The group, including my dad, Walker’s chauffeur and a few others, sat down for “a good old-fashioned country meal” when “the good old country mother at whose home the challenger boarded, spread on the table fried potatoes, egg salad (that couldn’t be beat) frankfurters, rolls and tea.”
The Fun
After lunch, the story continues, “all hands bounced into Bulger’s (Walker’s manager, Jack Bulger) auto and rode two blocks to the water front where Joe Higgins and Gillie had a chance to show their fancy diving wares…. Mickey sat on the rear of the pier with a fair damsel who showed him how to knit.” The reporter added, “up until two weeks ago, Walker battled with the waves daily, but for the last few days Bulger wouldn’t permit his charge to take to the inviting waves of the Shrewsbury.”
Nor could Walker enjoy the festivities at Borden’s skating rink as the rest of his crew did. While the rest all donned skates to enjoy the rink, Walker wasn’t permitted by his manager to skate, the story said, for fear he might fall and injure himself.
The Champ
Walker went on to a disputed decision in that bout but came back the next year to claim the title, and again to take the middleweight title from Tiger Flowers. And later yet, to go eight rounds as a heavyweight against Max Schmelling. But he retired in 1935, opened a pub in Elizabeth and took up art, painting and exhibiting both still life and scenery.
The Knockout
Sadly, it was in 1974 when Freehold police found him lying alongside the road and took him for a homeless alcoholic. Actually, he was suffering from Parkinson’s disease, atherosclerosis and anemia, and spent the next few years in a variety of care centers and hospitals. He died April 28, 1981 at Freehold Area Hospital.
My Dad
My dad went on to be the police reporter for the Newark Evening News, covering everything from the Hindenburg explosion at Lakewood to Dutch Schulz’ murder on the street in Newark, as well as hospital ships returning with injured GIs during World War II, murderers and priests alike. With teen age sons of his own, he volunteered and was named by President Roosevelt to be Chairman of the largest draft board in New Jersey. As such he was critical of a nation that sent fathers off to fight while leaving young teenagers able to avoid the draft by arguing they were “vital “ to the companies for which they worked. He won his battle with the President for as long as it was possible. When they were of age, his own two sons both volunteered for military service, one in the Navy one in the Marines, later Air Force.
My dad died suddenly in 1945 nine days before Christmas. But he left me, his youngest daughter, with a gift for which I’ll always be grateful
It’s funny how politicians operate. Funny how the state of New Jersey operates. In fact, it’s funny how the laws governing ADA, the Americans Disabilities Act, which was designed to protect people with any disability, and the LAD, New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination, also designed to protect residents or even visitors to the Garden State, are enforced. It’s funny how two towns, Highlands and Atlantic Highlands, both once part of Middletown, now separated sisters who have different opinions of each other, and both still sharing borders with Middletown, can find two entirely different ways to elude, evade and escape justice.
Funny how they can convince the people … residents and voters, that they are doing the right thing, thinking always of them, blah, blah, blah all the while absolutely refusing to follow either law. Then it’s funny that the state of New Jersey even goes out of its way to help these towns continue to refuse to let every resident have a way to participate in government meetings.
Funny … until you’re the victim that is being scoffed, ignored, humiliated and continued to be abused by two governing bodies that really don’t care if this resident can participate in a meeting.
A Very Brief History
Let me take that back. Since I am this resident, and I am a journalist, one who has covered both these town since the late 1950’s, and has always written the good, the bad, and the interesting about each, maybe they just don’t want me covering any meetings at all. Everybody doesn’t have the same degree of truth and the importance of keeping the public informed as this journalist has.
Diagnosis & a Request
When a sudden and totally unexpected diagnosis of aging macular degeneration forced me to limit outdoor activities, especially driving, to daylight hours, I appealed to the two towns I most often frequent for news coverage, to give me another way of knowing what they were doing each month… a reasonable accommodation. All meetings in both towns are at night, and without driving ability, and at 86 years of age, not always keen on walking the distance in the dark to council meetings, I simply asked for help. I gave both towns some alternatives that could solve the problem, in writing. The law requires their participation in an interactive process to discuss ideas or my suggestions once it gets to their level. If they did … it was half halfheartedly at best.
Resolution?
So what could have … should have … been resolved with a sit down and use of a cell phone, has now blossomed into the towns spending lots of money on two attorneys (each!), a lot of wasted time, and still no help for this disabled writer. Not even a temporary solution until the matter is resolved.
Well, neither town was interested. Atlantic Highlands did some things, spoke long and hard about something else they were doing, spending a reported $12,000 to produce a Fancy Dancy ZOOM system so everybody, not just me because of my complaint, could sit at home and attend meeting .
Highlands did absolutely nothing. Heck, they didn’t even answer my first request. They don’t’ even have ZOOM. They got my complaint then simply turned over the state’s civil rights complaint to their attorney.
No meeting to hear more, no meeting to learn more, no meeting to try to help or explain. Just a case of the Disabled be damned.
Stalled
As a result, here we are, more than 15 months later, and still both towns are stalling rather than providing a cheap and easy solution both would have known about had they even participated in an interactive process.
Atlantic Highlands’ system was the one they use for everything of importance…simply delay, stall, and in the end do nothing. (See related story)
Highlands Response … or lack of
Highlands? What did my beloved Highlands, where I got married, raised my kids, served on the board of education, my husband served on borough council, and so much more…what did they do? NOTHING… NADA… ZIP ..They simply ignored the whole thing.
Nothing.
Not even the $12,000 ZOOM system Atlantic Highlands put in, not for me, mind you, just put it in with all its troubles, difficulties, and faults. It’s working fairly well now, but Atlantic Highlands doesn’t even think that “government business” means everything the government does, including the Harbor Commission ..but they don’t think that’s necessary at all.
Highlands, where a lot of government meetings are held in the Community Center, which in itself is questionably handicapped accessible, doesn’t even offer ZOOM meetings, open mike sessions. Nothing. Highlands acts like it doesn’t think public business is really public business.
Highlands Mayor, Carolyn Broullon
There’s a lot to be said for the Highlands Mayor, Carolyn Broullon. She’s smart, she’s pleasant, she’s hard working, and since she moved there, as opposed to being another of generation of a family that’s been there for decades or centuries, I’m sure she loves it. She also keeps things in proper perspective, when she and I disagree on issues. Which we do frequently, she doesn’t take it personally, nor does she feel I have any personal vendetta against her. We can talk, we can laugh, we can share mutual interests and we can even like each other. And we share, I believe, a mutual respect for each other’s strengths.
She’s smart, too, knows her job, knows exactly what she can do, knows how to get stuff done. And has the energy and follow through to be sure it is.
But not for everything.
The state’s complaint on my behalf is the perfect example.
Does Mayor Carolyn Broullon Know What’s Going On?
Does Mayor Carolyn Broullon even know she jeopardized the town’s finances simply by ignoring a legally mandated and required interactive process?
Does Mayor Carolyn Broullon even know the attorneys refused to allow the problem to be discussed or reported in public?
Does Mayor Carolyn Broullon even know that in spite of my getting the state of New Jersey to waive its demand for confidentiality if I could get the towns to do so, the Mayors paid attorney refused to do that?
Does Mayor Carolyn Broullon even know that when her paid attorney filed his response to my complaint, he simply cut and pasted from the paperwork he filed on behalf of Atlantic Highlands?
Does Mayor Carolyn Broullon even know she and Atlantic Highlands are both paying the same insurance company attorney, separately and independently, for doing the same thing and arguing it in two different ways?
Does Mayor Carolyn Broullon even know that since it’s one attorney and he was going to hear the Atlantic Highlands complaint first, different and separate as it is, it could well have a negative impact on her town?
Somebody’s Getting Paid
I know that not only the borough attorney but the insurance attorney are being paid to fight against my request to be treated equally under the law. And I know she has heard, but certainly not everything, from those attorneys about what’s going on.
It’s what she doesn’t know that scares me.
I think this Mayor and her council, who all have minds of their own, but because they talk and discuss lots of stuff then talk again about it at the council table, iron out stuff, save money and make changes before doing anything else.
Atlantic Highlands, before they advertise possible laws, pay other costs, and waste time or energy apparently don’t talk so much then end up stalling and delaying, the Atlantic Highlands costly and time consuming tactic for not facing issues, problems or decision or getting things done.
Ignore it and it will go away
In Highlands? They simply don’t do anything. Act like there’s nothing to address. Don’t bother answering state directives. Run the risk, it would seem to me, of incurring higher costs for the taxpayer and a shot in the eye, no pun intended, for the person the state is representing because of a disability.
Do the attorneys tell the mayor everything?. Does she know they just simply act like nothing’s happened and nothing needs to be done. Shouldn’t the mayor and council know what’s going on before signing those requests for payment?
Shouldn’t the Mayor even ask?
Mediation
The Attorneys, by state request or mandate, whichever it may be, had some conversations with the state mediation team. They were asked for dates when they could mediate. I had given lots of choices. They were too busy.
Finally they agreed on a date … a month farther out then the State of NJ DCR and I had proposed.
Not sure the Mayor or governing body was even made aware of it.
HUSH HUSH
The attorneys for both towns, wanted to keep our interaction hush hush. Don’t dare tell the public, and for God’s sake, don’t dare let ME, a seasoned journalist, tell the public, how we were going to handle this.
Did the Mayor know about this?
It doesn’t seem like she had any clue.
Was it Mentioned?
While she certainly likes to keep things from the public till she gets them done, I get the feeling that if it’s dealing with a decision that has to be made, she’ll make it, then be sure the folks know about it.
So when Highlands and its neighbor both told the state, through their attorneys of course, not through their governing bodies, they wouldn’t cooperate, I’m not so sure the Highlands attorney even mentioned it to the Mayor.
Did she Know?
When I got the state to say it would waive its own rules on keeping everything hush hush if I could get the two towns to also agree do that, it doesn’t even seem like this mayor had a clue that any transparency issues were going on or any decision on confidentiality had to be made.
Did she know?
Mediation Cancelled
Less than 48 hours before when all this grand negotiation and mediation would take place and had to be cancelled because I could not be silenced or muzzled. Was this Mayor even made aware of that?
It doesn’t seem so. But did she know?
Where We’re At
So here we are.
A little town, big taxes, another few million in costs probably coming up soon with that borough hall on the highway, and the mayor isn’t aware of what her paid attorneys are doing? Was the mayor aware of the chances they took most likely were the reason mediation was cancelled?
Does she even know that without the mediation, the whole matter of preventing me from knowing what’s going on and having my say on a meeting most likely will now go into a judge’s hands and he gets to make the decision, and Highlands will have no say in how big or small an impact it will have on the taxes, the local laws, or the future.
