After all the talk, all the money, all the advertising of meetings, all the meetings, and all the secrecy, it doesn’t look like anything will happen with the St. Agnes School property until next year.
In a 37- minute long meeting that has to go down as one of the shortest meetings of the Mayor and Council this year, with no one from the public asking any questions, Councilman Brian Dougherty and Mayor Loretta Gluckstein both confirmed that the Planning Board meeting for Monday night will not address the proposed Redevelopment Plan, Resolution 174-2022, and it is not on the agenda.
At the end of the meeting, Council also announced there would be no executive session following last night‘s council meeting, a session that was scheduled for discussion of Resolution 174-2022, acquisition of property.
With Council only having one more meeting scheduled for this year, Dec. 15, and the planning board having no other meetings but the Dec. 1 scheduled meeting for this year, it would appear that any further action on the redevelopment plan or St. Agnes School acquisition will have to wait until next year. And since a new governing body takes office New Year’s Day, the entire process will have to begin from scratch once again.
Borough Administrator Robert Ferragina said there will be the opportunity for the public to speak on further action on the resolution, although he could not specify at what meeting that would take place. He did confirm, that as Council always does, the meeting will be announced, will be posted on the bulletin board, as well as on the illuminated sign in front of the building, and will be properly advertised and on the borough’ official website so everyone will have the opportunity know the time and date for the meeting.
The Planning Board meeting scheduled for Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. as advertised will address three other applications which have been on the board’s agenda for action.
After three years of discussions, residents anticipating and desiring a senior citizen housing possibility at the St. Agnes School property, and the public asking questions on progress of negotiations or actions the governing body intends to take, borough council has scheduled an executive session at tonight’s meeting apparently to continue discussion on acquisition of the property. However, the agenda for tonight’s meeting, slated to begin at 7 p.m.. does not indicate whether any action will be taken following the executive session.
Three years of talk, executive sessions, public questions and many requests from the public for action, it’s down to the end of the year and, if action is taken, a rush and conglomeration of activities and meetings that would have to be completed by Jan. 1 when a new council takes office.
Last month, the governing body uncovered a 34 page Mother Teresa Property Redevelopment Plan by Resolution 170-2022. The plan not only does not make any reference to senior housing use of the school as the public anticipated . Instead, it offers changes to the property that would allow for construction of anywhere from 9 to 13 residential houses and the demolition of the school building.
Such a plan, by law, must be submitted to the Planning Board for its review and comparison to the borough’s Master Plan, another 182-page document the borough adopted three years ago. The meeting is set for Dec. 1. Once the planners review and compare the documents, they must then forward their review to the governing body. Council’s next and last meeting for this administration is set for Dec. 15.
All of which means that while there has been talk, executive sessions, questions and few answers, the future of that piece of property, and the consistency review, be it for residential housing, senior residence or something else, is expected to be studied by the planning board, reviewed, and back to council for final action within 17 days.
Had not the attorney for St. Agnes and the Diocese of Trenton successfully called for adjournment of the meeting scheduled for last Monday, simply because he had never heard of the new plan before the night of that council meeting, it still would have only given a few more days for the planners to review the documents.
Does all this make any sense? Is this prudent action? Is it what the residents want or don’t they get to have a say?
In the meantime, Ordinance. 13, the proposed code that approves the new 34-page redevelopment plan, is scheduled for a public hearing Dec. 15, Council’s last scheduled meeting for this administration. That ordinance was introduced last month and approved unanimously on first reading by the council. Mayor Loretta Gluckstein does not and cannot participate in anything to do with the school due to a possible conflict because of her employment.
So the bottom line is…..why is there a rush now? If thoughtful and cooperative consideration and input could not take place over three years, is it wise to rush through a new ordinance, a new plan, one that was not even shared with the property owner until a couple of weeks ago,….. and then only because he attended the meeting via ZOOM…., at the 11th hour before a new administration takes office Jan. 1? Should a plan that could not be done in three years….a new redevelopment plan, a comparison of it with the Master plan, meetings of at least two different commissions for discussions and action, and time for public comment all take place all with a couple of holidays and holiday preparations thrown in, be rushed through now?
In other business at the meeting this evening, Council will approve Councilman Brian Boms as a fireman, introduce an ordinance to increase membership on the Shade Tree Commission and approve four other resolutions, one to approve submission to apply for a $320,000 grant for the Road Construction program that had a Nov. 16 deadline for applying.
The Smithsonian Folklore Cookbook, published 30 years ago, has a recipe for Cranberry Raisin Pie. For traditionalists who want to celebrate Thanksgiving as the day was celebrated centuries ago, it’s easy to try.
1 cup raisins
3 cups cranberries
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup water
1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Double 9-inch pie crust
Preheat oven to 425° F.
Grind or chop raisins and cranberries. Note: cranberries that are left whole will puff up and burst, leaving a hallow that is also without sweetening.
Combine raisins and cranberries with sugar, cornstarch, salt, and water in a saucepan. Cook on low heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Add vanilla and cool.
Pour filling into pie crust and cover with top crust or lattice. Bake for 30 minutes until brown.
If you’re looking for the perfect gift to give a young couple buying their first home, a couple selling their home after becoming empty nesters, or just someone who loves their home, Michael White might just have the perfect answer for you.
Think of an artwork of your favorite residence.
White, a former New Yorker who moved to Monmouth County three years ago and lives in Red Bank, has been taking advanced art classes since he was a young teenager. After high school, he was accepted into the Fine Arts Department at Cornell University, graduating from there with a degree in fine arts.
The artist also spent a year studying art in Florence, Italy and has exhibited in New York for more than 20 years. One of his works is a mural of the Queensboro Bridge, which is now in the Lion Match Building in Long Island. He also has painted Nunley’s Carousel in a mural at the Long Island Railroad Station in Baldwin.
Now, White specializes in accepting commissions for drawings and paintings in any medium, and any size, with an accent on pencil, ink or watercolors, and commissioned works generally 14 by 18 in size. He also works in oils and acrylics, as well as painting on canvas.
Although White has worked for so many years doing drawings and paintings from life, he now also produces his art renderings from photographs, bringing a feeling of verve and gesture to each piece, the result of his many years of doing live pieces.
Married and the father of two high school teens, White devotes his entire professional life to his art work. He does the commissioned house paintings for prices that begin at $400 and range according to size, the preferred medium and the amount of detail to be included. He can complete works in as little as a few days for a drawing, a short time longer for paintings.
A fascinating side benefit of White’s work is the same can also be featured on note cards or other ideas to extend the life and attention given to the specialized work.
Persons interested in contacting White for ideas, questions or commissions, can reach him at Michael White
She has illustrated more than 40 books, drawn more cats, dogs and other pets than she could remember, and now the very talented Morgan Spicer is offering special gift ideas for those who want illustrated reminders of their favorite pet.
The talented artist, who lives in Atlantic Highlands where she serves on the Environmental Commission as well as being active with Wild in Atlantic Highlands and other environmentally friendly organizations, creates personalized illustrations that make ideal Christmas gifts.
She founded her studio, Bark Point Studio, ten years ago and since then has created thousands of portrait of animal companions. Some of her works have also been featured in the local Art Gallery, and one of her newest books, Norman the Christmas Dog, has been featured at the Eastern Branch of the Monmouth County Library. She has illustrated the popular Musky the Ferret book and second book in that series as well as numerous other books for a variety of authors.
She and her husband, Zack Brown, own six dogs of their own, all rescued as puppies from various sources, and she has visited schools and libraries with her well behaved pets, instructing children about both art and animals.
A graduate of Syracuse University and raised in Monmouth County, Morgan creates both artwork for framing as well as other unique ideas personalized by those who commission her for personal use or gift giving ideas.
Visit Morgan’s webpage at Bark Point Studios or contact her at morganspicer@barkpointstudio.com
Thanksgiving means many different things to many people, but in almost all cases, celebrations and festivities focus on family, church services to offer thanks, large dinners, and the main course, turkey.
In 1932, in the midst of the Depression, turkeys were reported at their lowest price ever, at least ten cents per pound lower than the year before. Local large purveyors had train carloads of turkeys delivered, with advance orders guaranteeing they would all be sold.
The price of turkey for Thanksgiving in 1932 in Monmouth County? Twenty-nine cents a pound!
In addition, turkeys were said to be better than ever in quality, given the weather conditions during their growing seasons and improved methods of raising turkeys.
In 1779, it was raisins that were hard to get to complete the Thanksgiving meal. According to a letter written by a young girl, Julianna Smith, to her cousin, Betsy, the family, at least three generations of both sides of the family, were gathering at Uncle Simeon’s house for the annual feast. Uncle Simeon was a merchandiser and had quantities of needed items in his inventory.
According to Julianna, everyone in the family in their own homes baked two or three days to make all the pies, cakes and breads necessary for the feast. And absence the raisins, dried sweet cherries were used, both beside the turkey in sauce and in pies and breads. The two grandmothers present at the Thanksgiving dinner were described as “handsome old ladies,” made even more handsome since they were surrounded by generations of their families.
When all the spices were not available, Uncle Simeon went into his stored supplies and came up with a jar of ginger preserves from a foreign port to put in the Suet Pudding, which replaced Plum Pudding for Thanksgiving. The pudding was also filled with dried plums and cherries, and the ginger was used in the mince pies.
Noted military historian Paul E. Zigo will make a presentation on the attack on Pearl Harbor, the entry of the United States into World War II on the Day of Infamy, 2 p.m. Thursday Dec. 7, at the Info Age Science and History Museum, 2201 Marconi Rd., Wall.
The author will go into detail about the events of the bombing of US ships at port in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on Dec. 7, 1941, a day President Franklin Roosevelt said would “go down in Infamy.”
Zigo, the founder and director of the WW II Era Studies Institute is a graduate of Rider University, Temple University and the US Army War College. He was the executive producer and narrator of the cable network series Triumphant Spirit: World War II Generation Speaks, a program that ran for three years and can still be accessed at the Library of Congress’s Victory History Program.
He is the author of numerous books, including The Longest Walk, the Amazing Story of the 29th Infantry Division on D-day, June 6, 1944 as well as Witnessing History: The Eisenhower Photographs featuring the photos taken of the former General and President by his personal wartime photographer, Al Meserlin.
A 30-year veteran of the US Army, Zigo retired as a colonel and is a founding sponsor of the National Museum of the US Army.
Entrance to the program, which is $10 for all from age 12 and $8 for those younger, includes access to all the museums at the Cape Evans Historical Landmark site. Membership in Info Age is always available
An intimate and informal memorial ceremony took place Sunday afternoon at 3:30 for Jane T. Reynolds, the beloved former librarian at the Atlantic Highlands branch of the County library.
Jane died Nov. 1 following more than three years of courageously battling GBM brain cancer.
Guests attending the memorial ceremony in the library took advantage of the opportunity sharing their joy at knowing Jane and the very personal reasons why she was so special to each, as well as the joy and lessons they learned simply by knowing her, working with her, and seeing her in watching the sun set or helping a youngster select a book. They shared everything from Biblical stories to A.A. Milne and intimate incidents or memories to recall a friend, mentor, and ever joyous individual.
With guitarist Nick Esposito playing soft music in the background, friend and fellow librarian Faye Sacco showed the joy in Jane’s face and her “TaDa” attitude a photo she brought to the memorial. The photo is Jane at the top of Mount Washington in New Hampshire’s White Mountains and it was taken right before she was diagnosed. “She trained hard for her mountain adventure,” Sacco said, “and she was so happy in the process. I know she is cheering us on.”
Born March 17, 1960, Jane was the daughter of Joseph and Maria Reynolds and was known for her love of children and working with them. She was an instructional aide at Atlantic Highlands Elementary School, a volunteer for Literacy Volunteers of America, and also volunteered with Head Start and Lunch Break as well as UNICEF.
But she is remembered warmly and in a special way by the members of the Atlantic Highlands Book Lovers Club and the throngs of children who sought and received her help with everything from homework to simply cheering up a youngster’s day. Always eager to encourage children to read, she took the time to seek out the perfect reading materials for each child, while at the same time stimulating a love for the written word, not only with children but adults who came to the library as well.
Jane studied at the Parsons School of Design in New York, and was a hiker, camper, and mountaineer, citing as one of her great achievements that last mountain climb.
Jane is survived by her brother and closest friend, Joseph, II.
Donations in Jane’s memory can be made to NB Tumors of Newton Mass at http://braintumor.org or to your favorite environmental or arts non-profit organization.
It’s kind of funny how Highlands first Mayor, David Miller, selected the first borough clerk when Highlands officially became a borough in May, 1900.
After the new borough council was elected along with Mayor Miller, Charles Snyder, Atlantic Highlands attorney, officially swore them in to the new offices of governing the brand new town, now no longer part of Middletown.
The first thing they had to do was name a borough clerk. Two men had applied for the position: Fred Johnson and William Ahearn.
The mayor liked both gentlemen and did not want to make the choice. So he turned it over to the other council members.
There was a tie vote, which went the decision was back in the mayor’s hands to break the tie. He didn’t want to do that either, because he did not want to offend either gentleman.
So he did the only thing he could! He tossed a coin, and the first borough clerk, by the flip of a coin, was Mr. Johnson.
But wait! Before he was even sworn in, the following week in fact, Mr. Johnson resigned from the position. No reason given. Simply up and quit.
But Mr. Ahearn, who would seem the logical choice, was not appointed even then.
That’s how Jesse Sculthorpe became the first official working borough clerk in the new borough of Highlands.
There were other appointments, all of which went quite easily. Mr. Snyder, who had sworn in council, became the borough attorney, and Alonzo T. Derby became the marshal. Assistant marshals were W.E.Parker and Job. G. Liming. John Burdge became the Overseer of the Poor.
The only other appointment made at the organization was for the Board of Health and five gentlemen were named to that: Allen Reed, Charles Rogers, John Layton, James Taylor and George Foster.
Taxation was the next topic and the governing body felt they were so much better off as an independent community rather than part of Middletown. They figured the first year they would bring in $500 in taxes and another $1100 for license fees, giving them a total of $1900 to run their new town for a full year.
That was a good deal and the town could be affluent, they all agreed. They estimated Middletown never spent more than $500 in the territory which was now Highlands in any year.
Seeing so many Christmas decorations already up, even seeing a couple of trees in family living rooms, I figured I really ought to put my Christmas Legends of the Bayshore book up for sale for gift giving to youngsters or oldsters who like to read legends and fables in and around the Bayshore.
I wrote the book last year, in part compiling some stories I had written each year for my own children. My custom during their growing up years, well, way into their 20s, was to write a legend then create a tree ornament that depicts the character in the legend. I wrote the book so other parents could be creative with ideas for ornaments that would match any of the stories.
While some of the stories could happen anywhere, in the ocean, like The Starfish and he Christmas Tree, or in any home, like “The Ornament not Selected,” there are many that focus on local people… fun legends about local legends like former Mayor Helen Marchetti, Highlands Mr. First Aid, Harry Duncan, or even the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club team. There’s even one about the men and women who go to mass at St. Agnes every morning, “The Peanut Lady,” and another that takes place in Hartshorne Woods.
The book, in larger print suitable for younger children to read, are $15, and available at Bayshore Pharmacy, Bahrs Restaurant, or this blog.
Every once in a while, it’s just fun to bring a little make believe into your life
