Atlantic Highlands Mayor Fred Rast Encourages Republicans and Independent Voters To Vote For Lou Fligor on June 2

Dear Citizens of Atlantic Highlands,

Over the past seven years that I have been your Mayor, I have made sure that politics played a very small role in operating our town. The successes we have had during these years are 100% due to the fact that I, as Mayor, and most of our Council, have worked together to protect and enhance our town.

I have also never allowed political interference in my appointments and actions. As a matter of fact, approximately half of my appointments have been people who are not registered Republicans.

The County, as is their prerogative, have chosen to support the request of the Atlantic Highlands Chair of the Republican Party to place Jack Archibald as the “Party Line Candidate”. The vote of the local Republican Committee between Lou and Jack was a split vote of 4 to 4. We believe the people should have a choice so the Atlantic Highlands Republican party will have a primary on June 2, 2015.

Lou Fligor is his own man. He is the most dedicated public servant of the people of our town, a champion of our town’s people. He has led the battle to force the Gas Company’s clean-up operations. He spearheaded the committee to dissolve the Atlantic Highlands/Highlands Regional Sewer Authority, which has saved us hundreds of thousands of dollars over the last year alone. Lou is the person we all see working for our town 365 days a year, not just during election time. He is a self-made man, who keeps his actions above political considerations. He is a true, loyal friend to all of our town’s people. Lou wants the job, not just the title as Mayor.

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“Party crashers” could determine Atlantic Highlands GOP mayoral nominee

Atlantic Highlands Councilmen Jack Archibald, left, and Lou Fligor, right, face off for the Republican nomination for mayor in the June 2 primary

Partisan primaries in New Jersey are usually very low turnout elections. Mostly they are uncontested, so only die hard partisans, poll workers and their friends who bring them doughnuts bother to vote. In Atlantic Highlands last year, of the roughly 700 registered Republicans, only 101 voted in the primary. Only 68 or the roughly 800 Democrats voted in the 2014 primary.

In contested primaries on a local level, the candidate with the “Party line” on the ballot usually has a huge advantage over a challenger.

The “Party line” advantage is being challenged in Atlantic Highlands in this year’s Republican primary on June 2.  Two long term Republican Councilmen are competing to be the Party’s nominee for mayor.   Incumbent Mayor Fred Rast, first elected in 2007, is keeping his promise to term limit himself out of office.  Councilman Jack Archibald and Councilman Lou Fligor both want to be mayor.

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Highlands: No Ferry Service Without Power Or More Police Support

Highlands Mayor Frank Nolan and Police Chief Joseph Blewet announced to an Emergency Information Meeting this afternoon that the borough’s restrictive access to downtown Highlands will continue for the foreseeable future and that as of now commuters will not be allowed to enter the town on Monday for ferry service to Manhattan.

Highlands has been closed to non-residents all week since the evacuation for Hurricane Sandy.  Police check points are in place at the two entrances to the community…at the base of the Captain Joseph Azzolina Bridge and at the corner of Waterwitch and Linden Avenues…no one without identification with a Highlands address or accompanied by a Highlands resident are allowed beyond the check points.

Blewet said there had been “a dozen or so” looting incidents reported and that the check points would continue until power is restored to the community.  The Highlands Police Department is being supported by officers from the State Attorney General’s office, the State Police, and the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office.

Nolan told MMM that Highlands would need at least three additional police officers inorder to allow commuters into town or the full restoration of power to the borough.  Highlands is not yet on JCPL’s schedule for power restoration, according to the information they provided the Christie Administration.

Seastreak LLC, the ferry service that operates out of Highlands and Atlantic Highlands, sent an email to the customers on November 2 announcing that Nolan “will lift the public access restrictions” and that service would resume on Monday November 5.  The same message emailed was posted on the company’s website.

Jack Bevins, the Seastreak manager in charge at the Highlands Connors location told MMM that the company was indeed planning to resume limited service on Monday.  He said the Highlands OEM Director David Parker had given him permission, subject to a conversation with Blewet.  “This is the first I’ve heard there was a problem,” Bevins said when informed of Nolan’s and Blewet’s announcement.  He immediately left his crew that was restoring access to the fleet to speak with Blewet.

In Atlantic Highlands, Mayor Fred Rast and Harbor Commission Chairwoman Jane Frotton laughed at the notion of Seastreak operating out of their harbor on Monday.  The company’s announcement said they “hoped” to be able to resume service in Atlantic Highlands on Tuesday.  Rast and Frotton said the barge would have to be replaced and parking at the Senior Housing cleared before commuters would be allowed into Atlantic Highlands.   Tuesday appears to be a pipedream.

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