At last nights council meeting in Atlantic Highlands, Jim Smith of Holly Springs, Mississippi, a Marine veteran, former Highlands resident and former borough official there, was the second to last to speak during the public portion of the meeting.
His comments, a defense of his mother and an urgent plea for council to recognize and do something about equalizing treatment for people with disabilities, left those in attendance, as well as council, in stunned silence… until they silenced him with the mute button
He was the next to last to be recognized to talk during the public portion, and once again he spoke on lack of attention paid to the needs of the disabled by pointing out that a councilman could attend the meeting by phone, yet no accommodation was made for his mother, a person with disabilities to attend a meeting.
He criticized the fact that the Boroughs Planning Board at their last meeting inferred that the residents of the Borough were stupid and needed classes on what the Planning Board does, and limiting who can, and cannot speak at meetings. He suggested that the Mayor hold classes for the members of the Planning Board on the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act.
He was muted, not permitted to be heard anymore, after he criticized a councilwoman for using a word at the public meeting most parents would punish their kids for using, then questioned the mayor for talking to the attorney while he had been recognized and was talking, then criticized the attorney, himself a councilman in another community, for suggesting that a disabled blind person should walk to a meeting or get a ride as the attorney indeed did suggest when first apprised of the disability.
After he was muted and unable to continue his reason for attending the meeting virtually, another virtual attendee, a former council candidate was recognized and chastised him for criticizing an elected official for using a federally banned offensive word as an elected official at a public meeting that is spread via zoom, recorded, and part of official minutes of the municipality. She was not muted and was permitted to address comments critical of that citizen during the meeting.
Earlier in the meeting, it was announced that a committee chair had called a meeting of her committee. After considerable talk, discussion of facts and some non-facts, it appeared to be ..not sure of this, but it appeared to be….that she should not have the meeting she called as a committee chair, she should not have called the meeting in the first place, and she should modify what she wanted so as to accommodate what some at the council meeting want.
Indeed, she should have the Mayor and Council run her committee meeting.
What in God’s name is going on in Atlantic Highlands? Council members talk over each other all the time, raising their voices as well, a resident who asks questions at one meeting consistently has to ask for the response to those questions at the next meeting simply because he is never advised that anything has happened…if indeed anything has happened from the previous meeting…
The Mayor called off action on a resolution she had assured residents at the last meeting would definitely have at this meeting, namely, the all-important adoption of a resolution to let the Commissioner of Education know this town wants to put a very important question on the November ballot. Her reason for putting it off? She wanted Councilmen Crowley and Borracchia to be present at the meeting.
But Crowley was! He was present on the telephone, a special accommodation made for him, but not one given to the disabled. The councilman was present for votes, for input, for suggestions, for response to questions. So why was he not considered present for this one single resolution? And if a councilman cannot make the next meeting, is action delayed again? No one said. Such power for one person. Such risk for losing so much money for the taxpayers. Such a violation of the reasons why someone is elected to council. Such lack of fortitude on the part of elected officials. Such lack of concern for costs to the taxpayer.
Then it was strongly advised that that June 6 committee meeting called by it a chairman should include reports from the two regionalization reports, not just one. Why, a very wise and reasonable councilman from Sea Bright asked. No one objected, nor should they, to the school district only bringing up one report. Why should anyone object to a chairman named to a committee to review another subject not be able to do so? For that matter, why should she be deprived of equal time to explain a second report?
Indeed, the praise for public works employees, the adoption of a salary code with no objections or comments employees don’t deserve it, the appreciation for all the wonderful things that do happen in this town are all indicative of how wonderful a place it really is.
But the contrast between how the one regionalization report was presented in Sea Bright and Highlands, and the necessary resolutions unanimously approved by both governing bodies shortly after, coupled with how the Kean University report was presented at Henry Hudson with class, confidence and professionalism, garnering such praise for everything about it, should give a strong message to the governing body of Atlantic Highlands that it’s time to put all your political agenda aside, both for elected or appointed officials, and make attention to what is important: the mandate of your job you chose to take.
Jim Smith of Holly Springs Miss. Is primarily fixed on the needs of the disabled, because of the impact a disability has created for his mother. So he’s ready to stand up, be noticed, and do whatever he can to ensure these needs are met and will accommodate the disabled.
Would that the governing body would have that same strength, that same determination, that same lack of fear, and that same ability to stand up to criticism or be prevented from representation to ensure Highlands Sea Bright and this borough can be shining example for the state of New Jersey in the best education plans for the future of New Jersey’s young.
Let it start here.
Thank you!