Taking the bull by the horns and mincing no words, Mayor Carolyn Broullon said what everybody else has avoided saying clearly: the question of regionalization for either two or three communities is definitely not going to be given to the voters in the November election.
The mayor and attorneys from the Porzio firm which represents both Highlands and Sea Bright also made it clear however, there are still options in December, January and March when the residents of this borough, Atlantic Highlands and Sea Bright would be able to vote on whether they want to form a K-12 regional district, with the two larger communities deciding on whether or not they want to include Sea Bright… It depends on the mediation among the towns not yet scheduled.
All of this was made clear during a 90 minute special meeting of the Mayor and Council this evening, that called in May to give residents an update on what all hoped would be a comprehensive plan for a K-12 district with sufficient information to let the voters decide if that is what they want. Each of the towns had agreed to an initial meeting on introduction of the proposal, and a meeting closer to the November election to keep voters informed of any updates.
The question planned for the ballot was whether the two elementary schools in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands together with the 7-12 regional Henry Hudson School should be combined in a single district with one board of education as one option, and whether Sea Bright should be included as a third community in the regional district as a second option.
However, even though all three boards of education in the two boroughs…Sea Bright does not have a board of education since it is part of two other school districts…agreed to resolutions putting the question on the ballot, as did the three boroughs, all of whom have to agree in order for the question to be posted, the boroughs of Highlands and Atlantic Highlands differed on the cost sharing that would come from Sea Bright being included. With Highlands receiving a large portion of the funds Sea Bright would bring into the new district, in order to have Atlantic highlands agree, Highlands council agreed to share the added income 50-50 with Atlantic Highlands, and considered the matter finished and ready for the November ballot.
However, in a last minute meeting with their attorney, Matt Giacobbe, who identifies himself as a labor, not an education or finance attorney, and without advance notice to Mayor Broullon or the Highlands Council, Atlantic Highlands council said they would settle for not less than the 50-50 cost sharing in perpetuity, not to be discussed every year, but to remain forever. Although Mayor Broullon had agreed to a timed agreement to get the question on the ballot, she would not agree to a binding, non-ending agreement.
At last night’s meeting former Sea Bright Councilman Charlie Rooney praised the mayor and explained what happened to his borough when they many years ago agreed to “in perpetuity,” a non-ending agreement.
“I remember my father, who was on Sea Bright council at the time, coming home one night,” Rooney told the governing body., “ and he said “the board of education has ripped the heart of the town; they closed our school.” Rooney explained the borough had agreed, in perpetuity, when they became part of the Shore Regional and Oceanport school districts in 1962, but never realized that their school, years later,  would be closed rather than fund the estimated $60,000 needed for repairs  “Forever is not a good word,” Rooney told the council.
Last week, the Atlantic Highlands council authorized its attorney to contact the Monmouth County Superintendent of Schools to ask him to mediate the differences between the towns. Broullon said last night they have not yet heard any more about whether the Commissioner would mediate or when or where it would be. Nor did the attorney nor Council know who would be involved in the mediation.
Broullon could not give Atlantic Highlands resident Mark Fisher a definitive answer on why the school boards should be involved in the mediation at all, inasmuch as they already approved the resolution calling for the K-12 district plans, and the only difference at present is a monetary issue between governing bodies representing their local tax payers.
Vito Gagliardi and Kerry Wright, attorneys with the Porzio firm which represents Highlands and Sea Bright, both listened to a series of questions from an Atlantic Highlands resident, declining to answer several and explaining they do not intend to identify their strategy prior to entering the mediation. However, they did say that the new regional district voters would all share the debt currently owed by the Atlantic Highlands elementary school, and Highlands would continue to maintain the roads, sidewalks, public works obligations, police and emergency services and other costs Highlands taxpayers incur in municipal taxes in addition to their share of the overall school budget. They also indicated that while “permanent” is not a word included in the resolution adopted last week by Atlantic Highlands, council there has made it clear they would not approve any ballot question without that agreement in perpetuity.
Porzio had also indicated that under the new law, any modifications can be made at varying times agreed upon, from one year to any number of years in order to recognize changes in each of the communities and in fairness to the public in all communities.
Broullon said the question is by means ended, and all are still working together towards a ballot question with the additional options of dates. “We can all be fair, we cannot be equal” she said, “but we should be talking about the students, education and tax savings.” She pointed how each of the communities is in better financial condition now, with assessed valuations in all three towns rising considerably in the past year. Atlantic Highlands has assessments of more than one billion dollars, she said, and an assessed valuation that has risen 10 per cent, while Highlands has a valuation of $892 million, a 14 per cent increase over the previous year.
“Highlands has been doing great,” she said, adding it still has more improvements and valuations to look forward to, citing the plans for Bay Avenue rehabilitation, and the negotiations still ongoing for the former Shadow Lawn Trailer park. “We can talk about the good stuff,” she said, about the 400 units possible on the former trailer park site below Mount Mitchill, where 15 per cent would be affordable housing. “Let’s talk kids and savings, and not pay attention to the noise in the background. We’ve made great strides, we’ve never come this far before, we’ve never been this close.”
The mayor and attorneys from the Porzio firm which represents both Highlands and Sea Bright also made it clear however, there are still options in December, January and March when the residents of this borough, Atlantic Highlands and Sea Bright would be able to vote on whether they want to form a K-12 regional district, with the two larger communities deciding on whether or not they want to include Sea Bright. It depends on the mediation among the towns not yet scheduled.
Porzio had also indicated that under the new law, any modifications can be made at varying times agreed upon, from one year to any number of years in order to recognize changes in each of the communities and in fairness to the public in all communities.
Broullon said the question is by no means ended, and all are still working together towards a ballot question with the additional options of dates. “We can all be fair, we cannot be equal” she said, “but we should be talking about the students, education and tax savings.” She pointed how each of the communities is in better financial condition now, with assessed valuations in all three towns rising considerably in the past year. Atlantic Highlands has assessments of more than one billion dollars, she said, and an assessed valuation that has risen 10 per cent, while Highlands has a valuation of $892 million, a 14 per cent increase over the previous year.
“Highlands has been doing great,” she said, adding it still has more improvements and valuations to look forward to, citing the plans for Bay Avenue rehabilitation, and the negotiations still ongoing for the former Shadow Lawn Trailer park. “We can talk about the good stuff,” she said, about the 400 units possible on the former trailer park site below Mount Mitchill, where 15 per cent would be affordable housing. “Let’s talk kids and savings, and not pay attention to the noise in the background. We’ve made great strides, we’ve never come this far before, we’ve never been this close.”
