Blame it on miscommunication, lack of communication, School Superintendent Dr. Tara Beams or lawyers but the regionalization of Highlands, Atlantic Highlands and Sea Bright schools which last week looked like it was heading to the people for a vote in November, appears to have fallen by the wayside.
That was the message at last night’s meeting of the Atlantic Highlands Council when council members were profuse in thanks and bowed to the schedule of its attorney assigned to the regionalization question, Matt Giacobbe.
The attorney, on ZOOM then reported on the latest event in the convoluted and often confusing proposal of creating one K-12 school district for better educational values and lower costs. Borough Administrator Rob Ferragina reiterated Giacobbe was on a tight schedule due to another commitment but could explain the situation and answer some questions within a limited time period.
Giacobbe said what was conveyed to him through a series of calls at all hours because other attorneys involved were out of state or out of country, that the attorney for Highlands regionalization project, Kerry Wright, had communicated to him that Mayor Carolyn Broullon wanted to bow out of the resolution that borough council had last week unanimously agreed to accept, namely that the boroughs would share equally in cost sharing funds. Although Giacobbe said Wright’s communication was in writing, he did not read it during the standing room only council meeting.
The attorney strongly recommended the boroughs and school boards involve a mediator to help resolve the issue and offered to contact the Monmouth County Superintendent to see if he could mediate the matter. Council agreed and authorized Giacobbe to make the contact and contact Highlands to keep that borough informed.
Councilman Steve Boracchia led some questioning on how the situation got to this point, and noted “it sounds like a problem,” asking “who’s talking to who?” It was also brought up that Wright appears to be in conflict of interest in any communication inasmuch as last year she had represented Atlantic Highlands as well as Highlands. Councilwoman Lori Hohenleitner cautioned that she hoped “we aren’t creating drama,” and added that neither side should be afraid to give a little.
Several council members said more than once all should get in one room and talk, or why not just talk, or why can’t the neighboring towns resolve the issue but also acknowledged they were acting in the best interest of their borough.
Council members praised Schools Superintendent Beams and in response to questions indicated she as the prime educator concerned with the issue speaks for the boards of education but did not say why none of the three boards of education or any of its members have been vocal as the councils have been in discussing regionalization.
Nor could anyone give an absolute response on whether this latest action means the regionalization question will not be on the November ballot. Close to midnight, when the question of whether the question can be on the November ballot came up again during the public portion of the meeting, Ferragina recommended the discussion end until the mediation recommendation could be enacted and a more definite response could be given.
Neither Highlands Mayor Carolyn Broullon nor Attorney Wright has yet responded to a request for comment.
