The Multi Step Process
The Sea Bright Mayor and Council unanimously approved a resolution authorizing an update to the feasibility study which had been done two years ago in preparation for allowing Sea Bright children to attend the newly formed Henry Hudson Regional k-12 school district.
The Highlands Mayor and Council have already unanimously approved joining Sea Bright in applying for a state grant to cover the cost of the study, offered at $27,000, a figure Sea Bright also indicated it does have available should the grant not be approved.
Atlantic Highlands several months ago passed a resolution to contribute, however stressed that approval is with stipulations.
All three municipalities have long since acknowledged that Step One to enable the voters to decide whether Sea Bright can bring in both funds and students to the new district has already been approved.
All three also agreed that Step Two is enabling the residents in all three towns to vote on whether Sea Bright can be a part of the regional district.
To date, there is nothing on the agenda for the January 25 Atlantic Highlands Council meeting regarding anything about regionalization. Borough Administrator Robert Ferragina confirmed this week that he is working with the borough attorney in Atlantic Highlands to look further into the matter.
“It’s time we all worked together towards this common goal,” said Highlands Mayor Carolyn Broullon this week, “This is a regional school district. We agreed on Step One, forming the regional district from PreK-12 for Highlands and Atlantic Highlands. Now it is time to advance Step Two and make the education of our children the priority for all of us. This is the time all of us, School Boards and Councils, should apply for this state grant that will cover the $27,000 cost and enable all three towns to continue to move forward.”
Sea Bright and Highlands have agreed to apply for the School Regionalization Efficiency Program Grant to finance the study to be conducted by Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, the Morristown firm that submitted the $27,000 bid for the study. The firm conducted the original feasibility study which showed accepting Sea Bright into the Highlands and Atlantic Highlands regionalized school system would be a financial benefit to the two towns immediately as well as to Sea Bright in the future.
