So once again the question of the Mother Teresa School purchase came up at the Atlantic Highlands Council meeting. It’s been a question the borough has been tossing back and forth, discussing, doing whatever with, for nine years now. And still the public doesn’t get any answers.
Mark Fisher is not only a resident who loves his town, but also likes to know what’s going on with it. He occasionally makes recommendations, volunteers in many different areas, and always keeps on top of things. So when council members tell him at one meeting something’s going to happen at another, he’s right there at the next meeting to see if they’re keeping their word.
Sometimes they do. Sometimes, not so much…
And if two or three months later, they still haven’t done what they said, well, then, he’s still back at that council meeting asking what’s happening.
But on the question of Mother Teresa School, it sounded like Councilwoman Lori Hohenleitner got tired of the questions. She came across as being exasperated at Mr. Fisher, or anyone else, daring to ask their elected officials exactly what is going in in the town where they pay taxes and pay attention. So she very sweetly said to Mr. Fisher, “Have you asked the church?” Mr. Fisher responded he doesn’t go to that church, to which the councilwoman responded, “you’re only asking us,” and suggested maybe the church isn’t bound by the same rules as council is and if he wanted to know more, perhaps he should ask them.
So Mr. Fisher sat down, the elected officials not only not giving him any help but then one of them suggesting he take it upon himself to seek out other sources because the governing body that represents him wasn’t going to do a thing to keep him informed at this time.
Mr. Fisher doesn’t belong to that church… But I do.
So, the following morning, I set out to get information and within ten minutes got more information from “the church” than Mr. Fisher could get from the people who collect his taxes.
It seems “the church” is getting a little tired of negotiations, meetings, visits, or whatever as well. So, it seems “the church” is giving the borough an ultimatum…you have 30 days in which to make up your minds and make a decision..
“The Church” also advised me that the former Andy Richards residence, currently the St. Agnes Thrift Shop, is not part of the deal if the borough acquires the property. “The Church” wants to keep that building for whatever purpose. But it sounds like perhaps the Hesse Building is part of the deal between “the Church” and the borough, and that piece of property would be going with the school purchase.
There were meetings, the borough administrator and engineers have been on the site, “the Church” told me and supposedly pretty soon “the Church” understands the borough is going to have a special meeting to tell the folks what’s going on.
I don’t know whether all this is accurate. I didn’t talk to “the church” attorneys. I just talked to “the Church.”
But “the Church” was helpful, happy to answer my questions, and happy to keep a church member informed.
