The Highlands Board of Education amended the resolution they had unanimously approved regarding regionalization at a special Tri board meeting May 28 at their final meeting of the Board of Education last night.
School Superintendent Tara Beams said the resolution, which she indicated she had just received 15 minutes earlier from attorney Jonathon Busch, was discussed in the executive meeting at the end of the regular meeting and members acknowledged it with their unanimous vote in approving it.
The resolution, as approved by Highlands at its Monday meeting, will also be presented in the same manner for the Atlantic Highlands Board to vote at its meeting Tuesday, June 11, and the Henry Hudson Regional Board to act on at its meeting Wednesday, June 12.
The resolution approved by the Highlands boards Monday, June 10 and scheduled to be presented to the other two boards this week, reads:
Resolved, that the Board hereby approves the revised Settlement Agreement received on June 10, 2024 from counsel on behalf of Oceanport and Shore Regional School Districts and authorizes the Board President to sign the Settlement Agreement on behalf of the Board, and further authorizes the Busch Law Group to take all action necessary to enter into a Stipulation of Dismissal of the matter, I/M/O the Verified Petition for the Proposed Creation of a PK-12 All-Purpose Regional School District by the Borough of Sea Bright, Borough of Highlands, Borough of Atlantic Highlands, Henry Hudson Regional School District, Atlantic Highlands School District, and Highlands Borough School District, Monmouth County, Docket No. A-0716-23T4, in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the Settlement Agreement, subject to ratification and full execution of the Settlement Agreement by the Oceanport and Shore Regional School District Boards of Education.
Be it further resolved that a true copy of the Settlement Agreement shall be entered into the permanent minutes of tonight’s meeting.
Terms of the original settlement agreement, which was unanimously approved by all three boards of education at the special May 28 meeting of the three boards, have not been disclosed but will be part of the minutes whenever they are approved by all three boards. No details of what the proposed settlement agreement is was given during the public portion of that meeting either, other than the boards approved the concept of settlement of the litigation in the matter of a PK-12 all-purpose regional school district by the boroughs of Sea Bright, Highlands, Atlantic Highlands and Henry Hudson, as well as the boroughs of Sea Bright, Highlands and Atlantic Highlands.
No indication has been given as to when the minutes will be approved for any of these meetings. Nor is there any indication when the public will learn what the boards of education have unanimously agreed to enable their presidents to sign, either in the May 28 agreement or in the revised agreement Highlands was the first to approve Monday night nor was any reason given why the attorney was making changes to an agreement he had presented and the boards unanimously approved May 28.
No attorney was present at Monday’s meeting.
