“This is an egregious violation….we don’t have any control. You do! This consistent process of delaying the process going forward is very disturbing.” In a soft, but firm, determined yet sad and well controlled voice, Sea Bright Councilman Erwin Bieber politely but courteously scolded the Atlantic Highlands Council for not stepping up to the plate to take some action.
Bieber pointed out Henry Hudson Superintendent Dr. Tara Beams told the state Commissioner of Education she had the full collaboration of the towns, including Sea Bright, and the three school boards, when she presented a petition seeking authorization from the Department of Education for a referendum in the November general election
The petition Beams submitted, in which she said she had the full collaboration of everyone, is different from the petition the three boards had agreed upon, Bieber told the governing body, and is certainly not one that Sea Bright even knew about, let alone participated in submitting … like Beams said in her undated letter.
Earlier, a resident said she had spoken with Highlands Mayor Carolyn Broullon and she also had never authorized Beams to represent Highlands. When questioned by that resident, no one on council said they knew of the letter and administrator Robert Ferragina said he was not aware they were made aware of, nor was he aware any member of council had authorized it…
The petition as submitted by Beams, without permission from any of the three governing bodies, does not include Sea Bright but rather reads an expansion of the current regional School district serving two boroughs to add the two elementary schools to create an all-purpose PKK-12 school district.
The letter, which is undated, but signed by Beams, said the petition also seeks to enlarge the district to include Sea Bright but only “if its withdrawal from the Oceanport and Shore Regional districts is approved by the state and the voters of all three towns.
The councilman asked the local officials how they thought the state Commissioner would react, seeing the petition that was submitted with the accordance of the three municipalities and now seeing another that is different and also purports to be the petition the three towns and boards agreed in letter not coming from any of the attorneys involved, but coming from the educator saying now it was she making the presentation “with full collaboration” of everyone.
Bieber reminded the elected officials that Sea Bright was never consulted in this and if they believe Beams is accurate “you’re missing something”. He asked “what the heck is going on? If this happened ii Sea Bright, we would certainly be taking action.”
Council had said minutes earlier in response to a question from a resident they were not aware of the Beams letter, although Bieber had confirmation it was presented to attorneys for all three municipalities. Mayor Loretta Gluckstein then stated, “I want to see that letter.” However, when a resident held it up and said “Do you want to see it now?” she quickly answered “No!” then added I’ll see it later on” and declined to take the letter.
Continuing to explain the history of the regionalization quest, which he said he has been involved in for years, Bieber made it clear he does not have any children in the school, but added “But I care for the children in our schools.” and reminded the council the state law that would enable Sea Bright to join a new regional district was put in place specifically for Sea Bright and similar towns to take best advantage of state education funds and to enable other districts to secure more state educational funding.
He spoke of conversations and meetings he and the borough administrator had had when both felt the issues that had to be overcome to get the question on the ballot could be resolved in three months in time for last year’s election ballot. He spoke of how the decision to regionalize was made after both the state and boroughs paid for separate experts who all agreed moving quickly and consolidating all three towns was the best thing to do and should be done as soon as possible.
After the Sea Bright Council Member finished his comments and sat down, it was only Councilman Jon Crowley who challenged him citing several instances where he said Bieber was wrong and repeating several times on separate issues that Bieber was not correct. Standing again Bieber took each of Crowley’s accusations individually and presented factual information, citing specific laws and regulations that supported his statements.
Neither the Mayor nor any member of council gave any indication or made any motion that they intend to investigate the matter further or find out why they did not receive, as they said, copies of the letter that Bieber said was sent from Trenton to each of the three attorneys involved, including Atlantic Highlands attorney, Matthew Giacobbe.
Later in the meeting resident Mark Fisher also said council members made an error when they said they were unaware of the letter, noting he had e-mailed it to each of them as well as the borough administrator and borough clerk several hours before this meeting.
After repeated denials throughout the meeting by the Borough Attorney, the Business Administrator, the Mayor, and a number of Council Members regarding the existence of this unauthorized letter sent by Dr. Breams, and only after Mr. Fisher confronted the Council did Council Member Jon Crowley finally admitted that he did in fact receive the letter, although “I didn’t read the entirety of the letter”
This admission opened a flood gate of recollections by other Council Members. James Murphy inferred that he was aware of the letter, but did not read it due to his conflict with the entire matter in which he recluses his self from. Council Woman Hohenleitner also indicated she received it. Sometimes it is hard to get a straight answer … even when you ask a direct question.
