The Hawley family. Admirers, lovers, workers for both Highlands and Atlantic Highlands. Proud Bayshore residents. Their hometowns.
It’s a formidable family for all of us who remember an earlier generation as well as the current generation of generous, outgoing, outspoken, and opinionated residents who fiercely defend their towns and daily show their love and devotion to them. There probably is not another family who volunteers more, be it on boards of education, public works, emergency services, or simply in defense of everything they feel is right for their towns. And when they any move from here to another town, Freehold, for instance, they’re just as giving and generous in their new homeland. Smart, articulate, fearless, indefatigable.
So this is by no means a criticism of any of them, least of all the very forceful and articulate former board of education member who spoke so eloquently at the last Atlantic Highlands council meeting.
But, because we both understand and admire each other, her comments raised a few questions for me.
Speaking of the regionalization idea and the quest to have the questions on the ballot in November, this outspoken lady is correct there is no rush. Not legally. Not on paper. Not in the law.
But there is indeed a rush, many believe, to save money and improve educational standards for students and taxpayers in the Bayshore. To know there are ways education can be improved and savings realized and not take immediate action is wrong, inconsiderate, narrow minded, and selfish.
Since there have been studies done, and they show education can be improved and millions of dollars can be saved by taxpayers, then I respectfully disagree with the articulate lady. There is a rush to make a change.
Unlike my outspoken friend. I do think there there should be a rush. I do think people should look at the reports, ask questions, get honest answers, see the millions of dollars in savings taxpayers can get, and see how educational standards can be raised. There’s been plenty of time to see, read, and digest the Porzio report. Plenty of time to ask questions, get answers, and make decisions. It’s time to act.
So now there are two studies, or at least we have been told the tri-district has had a second study completed. No, we haven’t seen it yet, but that’s due to happen next week. Hopefully, people will make the trip to Henry Hudson to hear what’s in that report. Hopefully, it will also show, like the Porzio report, that taxpayers can save millions of dollars, education can be improved, and facilities our kids love can continue to exist as is, without grandiose and expensive additions to house and educate many, many more students. Then the choice can be put on the ballot to let the residents decide how best they can improve education and save money.
My outspoken friend accused me of pitting two towns against each other. She said that right before she said she doesn’t care what Mayor Broullon the Highlands mayor say or does. She said it right before she said she isn’t thinking about Highlands, just what’s best for Atlantic Highlands. She was upset, and as she said, she’s angry. I admire her love for her town and the education of our kids. But rather than pitting the towns against each other, she made it sound like she doesn’t care about any other town except the one in which she now lives. Although she said it, said it loud and clear, knowing her for so many years, and knowing her fervor, I think it was more the rush of the moment rather than a lack of concern for Highlands or its Mayor. I can overlook those feverish comments, given the volunteer generosity she always exhibits.
But on the other hand, indeed there is a rush. There is a need to get things done quickly. The people, like it or not, do have the right to have an opinion, do have the right to see if there’s a better way to save money, improve education, and present a cohesive plan in which all our neighbors, yes, even those across the river in Sea Bright, can benefit.
These kids play Pop Warner together; go to troop meetings together, families use all our resources, the great ocean front of Sea Bright, the spectacular and historic Twin Lights of Highlands, and the unmatched municipal Yacht Harbor and historic Strauss Mansion of Atlantic Highlands. Let us adults show our kids we need to work together, we need to pool our resources, we need to do what’s right both for the taxpayer and the child being educated this year, next year, and the next decade.
And we need to let the people decide how best to do it.
So yes, my friend, there is a rush. Theer’s a rush if we can cut the taxpayer’s a break; there’s a rush if we can get a better plan in place, there’s a rush if we want to improve things for everyone. So there is a rush to meet the deadlines to get the question on the ballot. A November ballot in 2022 is far better than shoving the question off for some time in the future, to make the decisions for ourselves, not some legislators sometime in the future who don’t know the special characteristics of our wonderful area and its people. It’s up to us to enable the public to see, do and take control of what’s best for residents as taxpayers, and the children of the towns for their education.
