The Rev. Joseph Donnelly Council 11660 of the Knights of Columbus that is sponsoring the daylong celebration of the borough and the pledge of allegiance on October 12, was founded in Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish in 1995.

The pastor at the time, the Rev. John Dobrosky, approached local resident James E. Smith, asking him to help organize a council of the catholic men’s organization which was founded in Connecticut in 1882.

Smith, who was a Knight in the Vincent Lombardi Council that met at Croydon Hall in Middletown, sought assistance from that council and worked with Dobrosky to organize men in the Bayshore to start the new council.

The new Council had 20 members for its first corporate communion mass in 1995, and Father John led prayers that the council would continue to grow and be active in assisting the parish community and the area.

The new council was named after the late pastor, Father Joseph Donnelly, who had been pastor of OLPH from 1947 until his death in 1961.

Father Donnelly was responsible for starting a catholic elementary school in the parish, with classes first held in the basement of the church in 1951. And included two teachers and two grades.

The school continued to grow, and Father Donnelly continued to set aside funds for the construction of the present building, which was constructed and opened for its first classes in September 1963, two years after his death.

The Knights Council also continued to grow, with Grand Knights following Smith that included George Fisher, Peter Viscomi, Frank Rahm, Robert Dahl, Gabe Tauro, and John Tlerico. Current Grand Knights is Kevin McKenna.

Though no longer open for elementary school education, the school is used by numerous groups, including both the Knights of Columbus and the Highlands Historical Society, as well as meetings and social functions.

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School It was businessman Declan O’Scanlon, not 13^th District State Senator Declan O’Scanlon who spent an hour at the Henry Hudson Regional Board of Education meeting this week to explain why the board should hire his firm for consultation if considering a telecommunications tower on property at the high school located at one of the highest points in the borough.

O’Scanlon, who has operated his own business longer than he was a state senator, assured an Atlantic Highlands resident who asked the question at the meeting, that he is not in violation of any ethical standards by representing the people of New Jersey as well as individual municipalities in his district with his public and private involvement.

As a Senator, O’Scanlon has always followed the ethical regulations in place for elected officials and has never been charged with any violation of any ethical standards.

In his private life, O’Scanlon, a graduate of Monmouth University with dual degrees in psychology and finance, is chief executive officer of FSD Enterprises, LLC, a Red Bank consulting and public relations firm in wireless telecommunications. Founded more than a quarter of a century ago, the firm specializes in helping to bring together elected officials and wireless industry representatives to promote solutions to wireless siting that is mutually agreeable to both. The firm’s expertise includes municipal ordinance construction, wireless technology, and moving trends as the wireless infrastructure continues to grow.

O’Scanlon had been retained last May by the Highlands Borough Council when the borough reached out to him for expertise to determine if it would be possible to install a tower on any borough property. “We did it for two reasons, “ Mayor Carolyn Broullon said this week, “to get rid of the dead zone spots uptown where reception is challenging at best and as a revenue generator.”

O’Scanlon’ s study for the borough concluded there was not sufficient room on any properties on the hill, she said, so Broullon forwarded information to the school administration to see whether the board of education would be interested.

School superintendent Dr. Tara Beams confirmed O’ Scanlon then approached the school to see if they were interested, she forwarded the contact and information to the board .

O’Scanlon came to the meeting this week at the board’s request, to explain not only his own expertise and involvement in telecommunications but also how many school districts or municipalities have towers. In Highlands, currently there is a tower on top of Ptak Towers on Miller St., one at Eastpoint, but residents also complain they do not always have cell phone ability in some parts of the Bayshore.

O’Scanlon noted, and the board displayed on a drawing, the possible site for a cell tower could be on the south easterly side of the building, above the wooded area on the Portland road side.

O’Scanlon noted that more and more towers are being built as more communications are sought by citizens, and they can be a mile apart, and could be revenue producers through lease of the land for public entities. Should the school decide to permit a tower, all construction would be during the summer months when there are no classes, and lease income could range as much as $150,000 a year. O’Scanlon indicated there are no health hazards from cell towers, noting there is more RD exposure from cell phones rather than the towers themselves.

The business executive further noted, as in all his contracts with customers, any agreement with his firm would include initial investigation for an assessment of the property which could possibly be the site for a tower as well as whether the property is suitable for the needs of any wireless carriers. It would also include reaching out to facilitate any necessary on-site meetings with wireless carriers and work to evaluate their equipment and other technical needs.

His contract would also ensure bid specifications are precise and in agreement with the district’s standards and working with the successful bidder(s) to see that leases are finalized and equipment location on the site moves forward efficiently.

O’Scanlon ’s current contract with the borough was set at $2,500 as a retainer and 35 per cent of the first lease payment should a firm be retained through his firm’s consultations . Should the district decide against any construction, his contract would end immediately, he said.

Several Atlantic Highlands residents, parents of children in the school system objected to O’Scanlon’ s being retained, not because of the businessman himself but rather because of their concern for radiation so close to the school.

Board president Richard Colangelo pointed out several times retention of O’Scanlon did not mean approval of a cell tower, but rather consulting services; he noted should a tower be considered on site, it would still have to meet borough regulations and face municipal boards for the necessary approvals. Residents of both boroughs could attend the municipal public hearings for possible construction and would have ample opportunity to express their opinions at that time. The board president said this board meeting was primarily to let the public become more informed about its retaining a professional to aid in any project should the board consider one, and no action was being taken.

The only Highlands resident who spoke about the possible agreement with FSD Enterprises was Highlands council president Joann Olszewski. Speaking as a private citizen who lives adjacent to the school property, Olszewski said she has frequently found difficulties with cell phone connections and would welcome a cell tower in the area to improve communications in areas where cell phones cannot be connected.

Colangelo thanked everyone for their input but did not indicate when the board would complete its review of comments from this meeting or whether consideration of the contract would be on the agenda for the October meeting.

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Day long activities at three different locations honoring three different events highlighting Highlands, the Twin Lights and the American Flag will all take place Sunday, October 12 beginning at a breakfast before the 9:30 mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church.

Under the direction of the Rev. Joseph Donnelly Council of the Knights of Columbus and the chairmanship of past Grand Knight Michael Napolitano, the day will honor the 125^th anniversary of the Borough of Highlands, as well as the date the Pledge of Allegiance was said publicly for the first time, an event that occurred at the Twin Lights.

The third event commemorates the Knights of Columbus who lobbied successfully to have the words “under God” included in the original pledge. President Dwight Eisenhower included it on Flag Day, 1954, 71 years ago, after the phrase was incorporated into the pledge by a Joint Resolution of Congress amending the Flag Code.

The Knights of Columbus, the Rev. Jarlath Quinn, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help St Agnes parish, Highlands Mayor Carolyn Broullon, members of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, as well as the Highlands Police department, first aid and fire department as well as other organizations and individuals are all participating in the event and attending at least portions of it at its three different locations.

The 9:30 Mass will include a ceremony honoring the events being celebrated, after which all those interested will go across the street to Borough Hall. Napolitano will present a flag honoring the borough’s 125th anniversary to Mayor Carolyn Broullon and council members. While the flag will be raised to honor the presentation, it will then be displayed permanently under glass in the main meeting room at Borough Hall to ensure it is visible and protected from weather. The flag was designed and made by the Knights to honor the borough and its 125 years of history.

Following ceremonies at Borough Hall, which will include a talk by Broullon on the borough’s history, , the group will be at the Twin Lights museum Fat 12:30 for an outdoor ceremony at the site where the pledge was said publicly for the first time. After recitation of the original pledge and honoring its history, a second ceremony will be held beneath the flag with a recitation of the pledge as it is today, including the words ‘Under God.”

Following the Twin Lights ceremonies, the group will meet at the FVW post home adjacent to Huddy Park for a social event jointly hosted by the VFW and the American Legion.

This will be the first time in history the borough is being honored for its anniversary as an incorporated borough in a series of ceremonies also honoring the fact the pledge was originally said at the Twin Lights. The Knights of Columbus celebrate their founder, the Rev. Michael J. McGivney, and the mission of the Knights to create men in their faith and help others in their time of need. Their four core principals are charity, unit, fraternity, and patriotism. Founded in Connecticut, it is now a nationwide organization of more than two million men in more than 17,000 local councils around the world. The Rev. Joseph Donnelly Council, 11660 , was formed at Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish in August 1995. Its founding grand knight was James E. Smith, Jr., also a former councilman in Highlands.

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With a slogan reminding residents “We are all in this together” , Highlands Mayor Carolyn Broullon has officially kicked off her campaign for reelection to another term as Mayor. Her team has prepared mailers and Meets and Greets to keep the public aware of her accomplishments in the past and her plans for the future of the borough.

Broullon, who is seeking her third term as Mayor, has already agreed to three Meet and Greet sessions within the next month to give residents the opportunity to meet her in social neighborly sessions as opposed to formal council meetings.

There will be a Meet & Greet the Mayor on Sunday, September 28 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the VFW Post Home adjacent to Huddy Park, another one at Chilango’s Restaurant from 6 to 8 p.m. on October 8 and a third at Franny‘s Pizzeria and Restaurant at 279 Bay Avenue on Thursday, October 23 also from 6 to 8 p.m. In addition, other residents are holding their own afternoon and evening social events for the mayor and their guests.

“The idea is to let people feel comfortable asking me whatever they want,” the soft-spoken mayor said. Smiling, she added, “although I always want people to want to learn more about me and my plans and love for Highlands, this gives them another opportunity that I welcome.”

Broullon has been a resident of the borough since 2002, when she moved from New York to settle here. She had discovered the borough in looking for a summer residence, fell in love with the community and made it her permanent residence almost a quarter of a century ago . A market researcher with major companies for many years, she later became vice president of Gazela Globes and now has her own research marketing business.

In addition to the research company she runs, Broullon and Daneka, her wife, also own and operate Feed and Seed, a pet shop they designed and opened ten years ago. They purchased the former A&P in the center of the borough at Miller at. and Bay Avenue and restored it to its original design from the 1940s.

Among many improvements she cites that were completed during her tenure to date, Broullon cites dredging Jones Creek, creating a safety bump and new sidewalks along Shore Drive from Waterwitch to Matthews St. to accommodate not only residents but passengers on Sea Streak, drainage and other restorations and improvements along Portland rd. Bayside Drive and Marie Ave., the installation of an EV charging station on Bay Avenue, and improvements and updates to the pump station at Waterwitch.

The new borough hall was completed and opened in October 2020, and the administration and police moved their offices to the new site during her mayoral term,

Earlier improvements in 2021 include securing during over four and a half million dollars in grants and beginning the process for the borough to enter the Community Rating System program to ensure lower flood insurance rates.

To learn more about the incumbent mayor and see a complete list of accomplishments since she has served on the borough’s governing body, visit CarolynBroullon4mayor.com

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