Opinions

Opinion

Reared  and educated in the belief that everyone is not only entitled to his opinion but the United States Constitution grants him every right to express it, I would never be critical of anyone who accuses me of ‘picking on’  Highlands or Atlantic Highlands. I would never criticize those who condemn me for not thinking the local boards of education are providing the best education of students. Nor would I  chastise all those who say I simply don’t like Highlands, or Atlantic Highlands or I can never say anything good about either town.

Do you really know me?

I also have to laugh now and then when I hear people say they know me, so something or other is definitely true. Like when they say they know how I hate Highlands, or know that I never liked it.

Their statements are the first indication that they indeed definitely do not know me. They still, however, have their right to express their opinions.

All of it makes me wonder occasionally, however, where do they get the facts that support those wild out-of-sight opinions?

Those people who say they know me….do you know my husband and I raised our four children in Highlands? Did you know that after my husband’s death, and after having visiting everyone of the 50 states and living in mountains and valleys, on rivers and deserts, close to and far from either ocean surrounding the United States, I chose to come back to Monmouth County as indeed the best place to continue living?

 No Longer Affordable

But do you also know that when I got back here 16 years ago, my beloved Bayshore had changed so much that I could no longer afford to live in Highlands? It was only through sheer luck and reasonable non-hungry landlords  I could afford to live in Atlantic Highlands where I continue to live?

Do these people who say they know me know anything  about the history of these towns? The families who made it so wonderful? The organizations that worked to cure ills when they arrived, worked together to avert problems? Do they know the elected leaders who tightened their belts, grabbed shovels and picks themselves and did everything they could to keep down costs and keep up the standards that were so home plate to these two towns?

Is there anything wrong with wanting all of this to stay affordable to the next generation of families who made these towns what they are?

Sure, Hurricane Sandy changed the structure of the town and state regulations mandated many changes the towns did not want. But especially in Highlands, locals have faced devastating storms in the past, the hurricane of ’44, my favorite Hurricane Donna in 1960, the numerous full moon and nor’easter storms that  flooded the streets.  Why is facing trauma so difficult for today’s residents?

 Looking Forward

As we come into 2023, am I going to express my opinion more? You betcha! Even it if’s a minority opinion? Count on it. It isn’t because I think I’m always right; perhaps I am not.  But why just out and out ignore a different opinion? Why not look at it and see if it holds any possibility of looking or being better?

 Borough Hall

I going to continue to criticize the new borough hall construction? That’s something else you can count in. Keep in mind, nobody wants to tell me much without my filing an OPRA to get information. That alone makes me suspicious that there is certainly more the people have a right to, and should, know.

The contractor is already being sued by Atlantic Highlands for construction of a mere $1.5 million building there. Already the Highlands construction is way beyond the amount bonded for it. Don’t you want to know where the rest of the money is coming from?

There was a project manager in Atlantic Highlands who should have been keeping tabs on that building and people should be asking how it got approved without doing the job the builder is now being sued to correct. Does everyone feel secure the project manager in Highlands is on top of the job so it won’t happen here too?

The architect drew up the plans for a few thousands of dollars. He’s still on the job, making changes, and charging for the changes. Doesn’t anybody else find that strange? For that matter, if the administrator or the chief of police, or the mayor, or anybody who has the authority wants to move a wall, a cabinet, or locker space, how come didn’t tell the architect that before they approved the plan? And exactly how many people can make these changes?

Aren’t these questions the public might want to get answers to?

Regionalization

And I haven’t even gotten into regionalization and why a paid employee in the schools in  towns that stand to make money from a new plan has all the say in how it’s all being handled, especially since she lives and pays taxes in a town that stands to lose money. Doesn’t anyone want to know about that either?

Atlantic

Doesn’t anybody in Atlantic Highlands care to know more about how come three years ago the vast majority who turned out for a meeting spilling out of the room, out of the halls and out the door saying they wanted senior housing in the former St. Agnes School apparently weren’t heard?  When the plan came out, that taxpayers were paying for, there was nothing about using the building that is in good shape. Like the people said they wanted. Nope, it was all about 13 more houses. THIRTEEN!!!!! Has there been a study on the impact of that many more single family homes on streets already too crowded?  Does the new council care what the people think?

Does anyone wonder why if an attorney doesn’t finish all the work in one term he should be paid to stay on to finish it in another year?

Oh, but that’s talking about attorneys. I haven’t finished my research on that yet, but look for that story soon. I think it was 13 attorneys…13…that’s getting to be an unlucky number for Atlantic….who were hired in little old Atlantic Highlands yesterday. More than Middletown hired. More than Highlands hired. Maybe even more than both those towns hired together!  And that’s not counting the Harbor or Planning board attorneys.  Atlantic Highlands has a superior prosecutor who’s been doing a terrific job. Now he needs help, the new council says, so they’re hiring a second prosecutor. Same with the public defender. Does Atlantic Highlands really have the need for TWO public defenders?

Ah, so many questions.

So much research.

So many OPRA’s to be filed.

Criticize me if you like. But if you don’t want to know what’s going on in the Bayshore, save your criticism and simply stop reading me.

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