Minutes after Marty Hawley was named Employee of the Month by Mayor Loretta Gluckstein and received the praise, congratulations and applause of the governing body and all in the audience, he was put to work!

In one of the light-hearted moments during last week’s meeting of the Mayor and Council, Hawley was named for the recognition for the month of October in the tradition Mayor Gluckstein started earlier this year in order to give special recognition to  leading borough employees for a month of  recognition.

In presenting the award to Hawley, the mayor noted he has been superintendent of the water and sewer department since 1997, citing all the licenses he has pursued and holds, as well as serving as fire marshal.  She called him “a walking encyclopedia of everything about the business of the town and that his family for generations is synonymous with Atlantic Highlands” because of their commitment and volunteerism in a variety of causes and commissions of the borough. She cited how Hawley has also raised his children to be involved and volunteer and once again thanked him profusely for his dedication to his job and the borough.

No sooner had the praise, congratulations, thanks and applause ended than Borough Administrator Rob Ferragina jokingly suggested that “while you are here” he could talk about the hydrant flushing scheduled for this month.

Hawley reported the fire hydrants throughout the borough will be flushed between Oct. 17 and 21 from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m.  When Ferragina then half in jest asked if anyone had any questions for the superintendent, Regina Keelan immediately raised her hand with a question “for this great man.” Hawley is Ms. Kellan’s brother, and she wanted to know what residents should do if their clothes get soiled in the wash because of the hydrant flushing.

Without batting an eye, and addressing her with as much solemnity and knowledge that he gives every resident, Hawley told his sister that if she or any other residents have laundry problems, they should contact the water and sewer department and there is a specially designed detergent the borough will provide to residents that would will eliminate any laundry problem resulting from the hydrant flushing.  In the meantime, he warned her, don’t launder with hot water, to which Councilman Brian Boms added, nor put them in the dryer.”

The governing body also recognized Ferragina who was celebrating a birthday this week as well as his first year anniversary as borough administrator.

In other business at the meeting, council also approved amending the salary ordinance for officials and employees after no one spoke during the public hearing, awarded a contract for mooring tackle and Helix inspection at the harbor,  and appointed Mark Allen as a DPW employee at the harbor.

Council also put off, at the request of Councilman Brian Dougherty, discussion on the EV Charger plans, pending further information from another source for a more  complete and comprehensive discussion.

It also postponed official recognition of the appointment of Ptl. Jonathan Elmer as a sergeant to give the officer sufficient time to enable friends and family to be notified of the promotion and be able to attend the swearing in ceremony on Oct. 27.

Richard “Richie” Halsted of Atlantic  Highlands passed away suddenly at his home on Tuesday October 4th. Born in Jersey City NJ on July 14, 1955, he moved to Atlantic  Highlands in 1992. He went to trade school and became an electrician,  plumber, air conditioner repairman, and so much more. Richie operated his own business Halsted’s Electrical and Maintenance strictly by word of mouth. He was an outgoing guy who loved to go on cruises with his Mom, sister and brother in law. He loved his two dogs, taking them on walks and visiting neighbors.  He will be sorely missed. He is survived by his mother Catherine,  sister Janice Halsted and brother in law Carl Muhlhauser. Funeral arrangements handled by Posten McGinley Funeral Home 59 E Lincoln Ave, Atlantic Highlands, NJ 07716 will be Private.

“Just whisper my name in your heart and I will be there”

Richie Halsted has died, a shock to all of us.

I did not know Richie until I met him in response to his advertising an apartment for rent. It was on a quiet street, up 15 steps, and he and his mother lived downstairs. I loved the apartment right away, spacious, a wonderful fenced in back yard, and a mini forest beyond that to keep out the highway noise a block away.  I knew several others who were looking to rent the same apartment, so I felt fortunate and happy when he told me I could sign the lease.

Nor did I get to see Richie very much; I suspect he kept friendship separate from business relationships.  It didn’t matter. He was nice, he was fair, and he was always calm and pleasant.

I used to see him a few days a week, early in the morning while I was walking to church and he was walking his two dogs, Paige and Penny. They were happy dogs, and adored Richie, albeit a bit feisty at the ends of their leashes he held securely. He always stopped to chat a bit, tell me something new that was going on, and letting me spoil the dogs as much as I wanted to.

I had a minor problem with a window in my apartment. I mentioned it to Richie and he took no time at all to repair it himself.  I didn’t know at the time what a wizard and technical guru he was with all kinds of electrical and plumbing things. But it was easy for me then to understand the outstanding reputation he had.

Stop in Jaspan’s Hardware Store and they’ll tell you about Richie, how he can create, repair or replace just about anything in a house or apartment.  Talk to anyone in Highlands and they’ll tell you I’m not the only lucky one, Richie has apartments there as well which are a distinct asset to the residential and business area below the hill.  See him with the neighbors, all of whom love talking to him, trading stories, talking about what jobs they’re in the middle of, how they can help one another.  You know the neighbors love him when you see Gene come over to trim his trees, or Erica and Joe bringing over their dog to cavort with Richie’s two.

Observe how he treated his mom. There simply aren’t many sons like that. But Richie tended to her needs got, her to the physical therapist, put together runners for the steps so his mom had an easy and comfortable means of getting to the vehicle he had specifically for her comfort.  When you meet his sister, who with her husband spends so much time making her mom even happier, and you see how both siblings learned kindness and gentleness, to say nothing of patience, from their mom.  It was wonderful to hear the tales from their recent cruise together, the proud Mom with her son, her daughter and her son-in-law. Truly  loving and caring family.

From  the beginning of tomato season, Richie would leave plastic bags of freshly picked tomatoes, two varieties, at my door. And when the grapes grew on the vines around the freshwater pond, I’d find them attached to my doorknob as well.  Among all his talents, Richie was also a great gardener. He taught me the benefits of bees, pointing out the apiary of a friend. Or explain the comforting noise I heard at night was from the toads in the pond.

His obituary tells a short version of who Richie Halsted was. But it doesn’t depict all the sadness of friends, the shock of his sudden death, the placid, composed and even imperturbable personality that was Richie.

He will be sorely missed by not only those who knew him well but all the rest of us who feel privileged to have known him even for a short time.