The mediation set for next Friday between this Atlantic Highlands and Highlands to fill in the blank spaces on the petition filed nine months ago is all that should be needed to get the school regionalization question on the ballot in November, special attorney Matthew Giacobbe told the Mayor and Council as last night’s meeting.
Resolution of the sharing formula between the two towns is all that remains to complete the funding requisite for the petition by all three towns, Sea Bright included, to go to the Commissioner of Education for approval and the right of voters to cast ballots on their decision in November.
Giacobbe, however, did not sound as positive as the Highlands special attorney, Vito Gagliardi did the night previous in updating that borough on the status of the school regionalization issue with Sea Bright and a consolidation of one district for Pre-K through 12th grade students.
Gagliardi had indicated he felt the resolution of how Highlands and Atlantic Highlands would share the millions of dollars bringing Sea Bright into a regional school district could be resolved in one night; Giacobbe said he felt it might take more than one mediation session.
Both attorneys stressed the importance of having the matter resolved through mediation soon so it can be on the ballot in November so the residents of all three towns can have their say.
Giacobbe, appearing on zoom for the Atlantic Highlands council meeting, brought the governing body and public up to date, as Gagliardi had done the night previous, on the fact the Commissioner of Education has dismissed the complaints filed against Sea Bright by Oceanport and Shore Regional school districts where Sea Bright students now attend. Giacobbe said that the fact the Commissioner has dismissed that complaint is rather favorable for the boroughs when it comes to her decision on approving the regionalization of the three boroughs’ school system.
Mayor and Council have said in the past that they strongly favor regionalization with Sea Bright once it is unencumbered by its current situation. The complaint dismissal leaves them unencumbered, so it appears the governing bodies will meet next Friday night prepared to resolve the cost sharing issue.
The next step, Giacobbe said last night, after filling in the blank with the agreed upon figures, is forwarding the petition to the Commissioner of Education. She then reviews it and makes the determination of whether she would authorize the regionalization if approved by the voters in November. Last year the state Legislature passed legislation which encourages schools join together for better educational opportunities as well as cost savings for taxpayers.
In response to Tracy Abby White’s questions, Giacobbe confirmed it is the original petition filed nine months ago and approved by the three municipalities and three boards of education that will be considered by the Commissioner once the mediation resolves the sharing agreement. He also agreed with her that should the boards of education alter their position they had approved nine months ago, the governing bodies have the right to continue the petition moving forward to the Commissioner to expedite what has been dragging for several months.
Atlantic Highlands Board of Education member Karin Masina also spoke at the meeting, charging the school boards have been ‘wasting time,” and as a result borough schools are losing state aid. “Stop the bleeding,” she urged the governing body, “let us move forward.”
Giacobbe repeated several times in response to questions that the borough had retained him to work on a shared formula so the question could be put on the ballot. Mayors, administrators, attorneys, council presidents, and financial experts representing both Highlands and Atlantic Highlands will be at next week’s mediation session, he said.
In response to questions from Mark Fisher, Giacobbe confirmed that while he does not see any future roadblocks, the commissioner’s dismissal of the complaint from the school boards could be appealed by Oceanport and Shore Regional should either or both file an appeal within 45 days of her decision.
Ellen O’Dwyer, whose children grew up under a new regionalization system in Colts Neck where her family lived during that process, agreed it is a difficult process, but noted her children benefited from the expanded school district regionalization created both academically, socially, and with more opportunities to learn.
Several speakers also noted that studies done by two different firms, one for the boroughs and one for the school boards, both recommend a regionalization of the three towns to the betterment of both students and taxpayers.
Sea Bright Councilman Erwin Bieber also noted the improvement and broadness of the quality of education with a three town district and cited the quality of education, even more than the eventual savings for Sea Bright, is his highest priority. Bieber has appeared at several meetings in both Highlands and Atlantic Highlands and shared resources he has used in reviewing the pros and cons of any plan. He noted the importance of proceeding with speed at this point, saying “delay is death for all concerned.”
