Looks like the modus operandi used by the Queen of the Cooper herself whenever she doesn't get her way: just do an end run, and to hell with the taxpayers! Looks like somebody's in line for a nice, fat contract?.

A Taxpayer
Joe, this is one more reason why the commissioners and the borough administrator need to go. They decided this behind closed doors at a commisssioners' WORK session on short notice. They did not show respect or common decency to Haddonfield taxpayers. This should have been discussed at a commissioners' MEETING so that there could be an open discussion with community input. The commissioners are supposed to be serving and representing us. They have no ethics. Yep, the hell with the taxpayers!

Our PTA is forced to contribute to the card swipe security system at the Middle School, and our borough/board has hundreds of thousands for turf fields? Where are the priorities in this town? Obviously the commissioners have been out to lunch since January 22nd.

Also, the $600K raised is only the tip of the iceberg over the coming 8+ years. Tens of thousands in maintenance per year. Plus $1 million or more for replacement.

Fine, if a small minority of residents want turf, let them pay for it all and endow the maintenance/replacement costs. Perhaps Mr. Flacco will help them out.

These are elected officials that the majority of residents voted in to represent our town for the term life. How dare you hide behind an alias with the thought that just because you pay taxes you should have a specific voice into these issues. This not just your town. As a young parent I feel the fairly represent and have the best interest of a majority of our residents in mind. They do not represent every single taxpayer that has an outlandish or even valid viewpoint. I for one, may not agree on every issues outcome, but acknowledge the facts were addressed and debated properly. i support and accept the decision of every voted official when it becomes final. What's your plan?anonymously discredit officials so you can get someone in that represents you? That just tells me the individuals you have in mind can't win a seat fairly by debating the real long term issues to make our community better. It's important to Support our proud towns history and its accomplishments: stop ripping apart what those before us have succesfully created.

I'm so tired of listening to you all complain about turf as if it is some sort of extravagant purchase. Clearly this field is difficult to grow grass on due to overuse. We talked for as long as I've lived here about how unsafe it is for these kids to play games on a muddy field and then subject teams from all over the same safety issue. Turf will allow increased usage by the kids at the high school and youth sports. Add to that the increased usage for the kids during gym class. A group stepped up to do something about the problem rather than keep complaining. Yes money had to be spent out of taxpayer funds. Sorry its not on your list of priorities but there is more than a small majority in this town that feel this is important. As I recall there was some project at the auditorium where private funds were raised but it wasn't enough so the borough or BOE kicked in some money. Now my family is not exactly theater or musically inclined but I don't recall thinking that this was money that shouldn't be spent just because it doesn't directly impact me. All interests and activities should be looked out for. And by the way, the PTA exists partly to help fund shortfalls and wish lists of our schools. Let them help with these things and not complain about it.

Hey pro haddonfield, I remember reading your post after the bond vote. You said they should build a Walmart on Radnor Field so you could go there and buy your cheetos.
I met people with real coin and they laugh at you wannabe elitists. They also look down on you the same way you look down on people in the Radnor area. Pathetic.
A lot of teachers live there. You know, the ones who teach your kids?
I'm sick of you people preaching to everyone, like you think your better than other people who live here. Know why you lost that vote? Look in the mirror. People living here their whole lives are sick of your crowd.

Essentially we have 1 and 1/2. The 1/2 will allow for games and practices to go on simultaneously. While there are no doubt added costs for maintenance etc., what we are spending on maintenance now is being thrown away. All the watering seeding aeration etc is wasted money when the field is not allowed to rest except for the coldest and hottest months of the year. We needed a better solution given our limited space issues. One was spearheaded by the good people of this town and the other was voted down by a little more than one half of the half of the good people of this town that bothered to vote. While your point that the PTA money perhaps should not go toward security items is not argued here, this is not the only funding that is going on. Money is spent on educational items like smart boards and other valuable tools.

Jack S is there a dedicated tax for that stuff or can we use open space money for it too? I have an idea, let's cap healthcare costs at the schools and do some more capital improvements. You with me? No NEW TAXES RIGHT!!!!

It's very interesting that there are ongoing conversations with Bancroft. I remember Eddie B saying that the purchase referendum was "once in a lifetime", "there will NEVER be another chance", "We need to ACT NOW!!!". If I have said this once, I have said it a thousand times, BANCROFT HAS NO LEVERAGE. And, at the end of the day, that is what every negotiation is about. Haddonfield will eventually purchase the property at its market price instead of the inflated, ridiculous number that was previously "negotiated".

I remember a comment made by a Pro-Turf contributor last year who said that because we don't have turf fields "Haddonfield is the laughingstock of the Colonial Conference." God, I haven't able to sleep nights knowing that! And if anyone thought this was done deal after the referendum...you don't know how our town works very well. Regarding elected officials....when they stop listening to the people who elected them....it's time for a change. May is just around the corner.....

Excellent point Mike. Once in a lifetime was thrown around by quite a few folks.
As for the turf fields, the total cost of every aspect has to laid out for all to see, which has not been done. A fair compromise would be to turf the high school field. Anniversary field should not even be considered. Among its many problems, the field is in close proximity to 100 year old trees. They have massive root systems that would have to be cut. Expensive retainer walls would have to be built along the borders. The cutting of roots of such large, ancient trees would kill them. Those trees are the only thing keeping the elevated area from eroding, which would affect the integrity of any installed turf and the drainage system. One falling tree destroys the turf.
There are drainage pipes already under Anniversary that would have to be dug up and reset deeper, below the drainage system for the field. To build a turf field in a wooded area teeming with wildlife is absurd and brings problematic costs with it.
Anyone who tells you Anniversary field can't be seeded from overuse or is more expensive than maintaining turf is wrong. Other fields, including Tatem are also available. Anniversary field is slated to be used as a practice field. Not worth the expenditure of taxpayer money.
It's time for every conceivable cost associated with turf, now and future, to be laid out for all to see.

I wasn't a fan of the Bancroft purchase and voted accordingly. Further, the elected officials responsible for the monumental increase in taxes since I moved here 10+ years should be ashamed of their mismanagement of the town's finances and their obvious contempt for the average Joe in town. Having said all that, this seems like a reasonable expenditure of money so long as it is limited to this field only. If they think though that this is their foot in the door to lay down their cheezy turf on the other fields in town, or to eventually craft a scheme to ram the Bancroft purchase & its pie-in-sky "campus" down the gullet of the taxpayer in some other fashion, then they've got another think coming.

In response to Pro-Hadfld I am not opposed to turf or anything that adds to the growth of children I am concerned that money that is needed for infra-sturctural needs for both the District and the Borough technology security academic programs, and other core necessities would be spent on turf concerns when these other necessities take priority refer to 29mil District capital improvement plan The rennovation to the high school auditorium was to aid in the fulfillment of NJ State D core curriculum requirements for performing arts students must complete credit hr performing arts to graduate
the rennovation which includes sound and light systems also offered the community a place for various venues -
3. District received a matching grant lights camera action acted as a fundiraiser to obtain this matching money tax dollars were never required District money through bond(s) and budget had been spent on the auditorium that proved to be unusable Also peeling lead paint, splintered stage floor and other issues had to be addressed PTA is not in the business of raising money for structural or academic necessities If in fact the District must turn to PTA for such while concerning itself with turf then there is certainly a problem with fiscal responsibility on the part of the BOE. I have concern that stadium field is described as unsafe. Bond(s) and budget money have also been allocated to care for it.

Pro Haddonfield, Yes, Let's talk. We could meet for a cup of coffee. I'd be glad to discuss anything you'd about money spent, just as I did with the press on many occasions. I'd be delighted to show you how a grass roots campaign can operate on little money with passion from people who believe in their cause.
Please feel free to message me anytime.

Pro-Haddonfield doesn't seem to understand much about either grass or grass roots. A grass roots campaign is one in which voters are so involved that they will do things like make phone calls on their own time and using their own phones to voters. That is different from the kind of campaign where push polls commissioned by a company like McLaughlin Associates are performed to try to influence voters. That is certainly not grass roots.
In terms of grass itself, what I don't understand is the obsession with artificial grass. Here we are in New Jersey where our state School Rutgers has an internationally renowned program in Turf Management. Certainly we should consult with them and get some assistance with the right kinds of turf mixture to use and their recommendations for maintenance. As a Master Gardener myself, I would be glad to call one of the folks at Rutgers or I am sure our town representatives could as well. This would be the right solution from both a cost, ecological and environmental approach. I would also like to state for the record that neither Scotts nor any other seed company supported Haddonfield United.

Pro Haddonfield, Another thought of interest...when I state facts about the problems and costs concerning Anniversary Field, I never seem to get much of an answer.
As I've stated before, people from all over Haddonfield who are well informed and in many cases have worked for our local government are part of the Haddonfield United effort and know just what they're talking about.
The problems of costs to taxpayers and potential damage to Haddonfield's environment never seem to matter to some people.
When you say the projects are approved and are going to happen (as in, this is a done deal) it could leave one to ponder certain thoughts.
Do you or anyone you know stand to profit from this? Are they so indifferent to the potential problems because they simply don't care about the effect it could have on the town?
Have our elected officials bothered to take these things into account?
A possibility you might not have thought about is this. If we have new elected officials who take these matters into account, the good of the town might actually be put before anything else.,

Brian and Susan. First a note of clarification. I believe you meant to address your questions to "Pro Haddonfield Too". As far as the Grass comment in Susan's post, I have actually consulted with Professionals regarding Centennial field where we are experiencing the same issues that we have with the HS Field. They all say the same thing. You can pump as much money and effort into maintaining/improving the grass as you want. But, without proper time to grow/germinate etc. your money is just wasted. I have tried. These fields are used from August to December and March through June. Nothing will grow during the hottest/coldest months. I think you know this but it's worth noting.

I can't comment about which "professionals" you chose but I would suggest you consult someone like Rich Buckley or others at the Tuft Management School. If they can take care of the grass on all kinds of golf courses, they should be able to manage a high school field. I don't believe it is as impossible as you think it is. What about zoysia for example?
Susan Hoch MD

Susan,
I'm not going to debate this with you beyond this and I'm not going to provide the resumes of every professional I've had out there the last 7 years. I can assure you these individuals are respected in their field. I volunteer my time along with a fine group of parents and at this point am satisfied with the answers I've been given and do not feel I need to spend my time contacting Mr. Buckley or anyone else. You are completely missing the point. Seed/Seedlings of grass, no matter the type don't germinate when trampled and definitely not in July. I have actually tried this and wasted money. We (youth programs) also don't have the funds that a golf course does and I am faced with much more dense use in a much smaller area. 120 kids for three hours a night does a lot of damage especially through the center of the field. I've asked reps at other school districts how they maintain such a good head of grass and the answer is always that they rotate fields through a period of rest. We do not have that luxury which is why turf at the high school is so necessary. You can debate money or safety all you want but the necessity of it can't be. Once the turf fields are in place, my hope is that the lacrosse teams will be able to practice at the HS allowing us to both rest and restore Centennial in the Spring.

golf courses? Really. do golfers all line up in bunches and move around on golf courses? do golf courses even open when it rains? Come on Sue, I expected something more than that from an educated person like yourself. Princeton, Yale, Harvard and hundreds of the premier colleges and high schools in the nation plus 70% of all NFL teams all have turf because it is the solution to the problem. If its good enough for elite liberal think tank colleges, it's gotta be good enough for us.

I think we can all agree that Johns Hopkins is a premier university especially when it comes to medicine. They also happen to have a great artificial turf field. I wonder if they did their homework before installing it.

Right Joe and those pro teams that use grass replace all or parts of their sod frequently. Imagine the cost of that . I don't think that everyone will find this to be a priority and know there will be disagreement but the overall feeling here is that there is a group that is just so dead set against the good being done for the kids in this town and that athletics are not vitally important to the growth of a child as is a focus on art, music and academics. I strive to raise well rounded children who get good grades and have many interests. They have chosen to also pursue various sports as an outlet for fun and fitness. They have developed great friendships, learned respect for others, how to work as a team....and on and on. I keep hearing how turf benefits a minority in this town. If the youth of this town are a minority then they are our most important minority.

The majority of voters in this town don't have or will never have children in the schools; about 35% of Haddonfield households have school age children. Most of us want to maintain our excellent schools and don't believe that field sports on fancy fields are vital to the academic mission. I notice that no one ever mentions the other sports - tennis, track, basketball, skiing, ice skating, swimming, diving, gymnastics. All of these teach fitness and dedication and some also teach teamwork. These, unlike field sports, are sports for a lifetime. I would rather have my taxes pay for a new track at the high school that the community could use or a swimming pool for the swim team and the community. I played lacrosse and field hockey in Baltimore. I played tennis, on concrete, not on grass or clay. That was adequate and in this time of economic recession, budget deficits and the highest property taxes in South Jersey, turf fields are a luxury. If people want to pay for this themselves, that's fine but to use taxpayer money at a time when the schools are falling apart and lack technology and the town has other needs is wrong. And I think that many of the 65% of us with no children in Haddonfield Schools who pay taxes in Haddonfield and vote will agree. Unlike the vociferous minority, we don't have turf envy and could care less the Colonial Conference. We don't have to keep up with the Joneses.

ONLY 2.5-3 MM?! Okay with me if the expenditure benefits all of our students in their pursuit of knowledge, but for their recreation and entertainment....different story. And I know this will make some heads explode but, perhaps this is a good time to teach kids that in this world, you don't necessarily get everything you want....even in Haddonfield!

Really? Thats how you feel about how Claudia and I raise our girls? They get everything? I haven't complained about my tax dollars and your legal fence battle. So if the money goes your way. It's expected and okay. But the minority 32% needs a little from your pockets and you aren't paying a cent? That and your overall bitterness to this community and the youth of this town is why you don't walk our dog anymore. By the way... who are most of your customers? The seniors that have raised those kids to adults... or the dual income workers providing for their school aged children to get a better school life and maybe a playing field deemed unsafe and not made of dirt. Have you told your clients directly what you think of their kids and what they should be taught?

The original idea called for turfing the high school field and at the time was deemed appropriate to handle excess wear and tear of the existing fields. A fair compromise is to go ahead with the high school field, an expense that will be shared by the whole town.
There are positions both pro and con towards all the added expenses that turf could bring. If the high school field is managed well,and is shown to be cost effective then maybe the town will consider a different field somewhere down the
line.
The biggest hurdle from a common sense point is turf fields in a heavily wooded area. Anniversary field poses problems beyond any clear open space. As I've said before, trees have recently fallen in storms that would have destroyed any turf field. This needs to be acknowledged. If you seed Anniversary field in the springtime, water and fertilize it grass will grow. The argument of overuse is also used endlessly for Radnor field's poor condition. I landscaped for years and if the borough just fixes the sprinkler system there I will pay out of pocket myself to seed, thatch and fertilize it and bring it back to a solid grass field so the girls field hockey team doesn't have to play with huge dirt patches on both goal areas.
In the spirit of volunteering to help my town, my offer stands.

Eric, I think it's fair to point out the 32% you speak about is well funded in all terms of academics and sports by the rest of the town. I would say they give most generously.
As for your point about seniors, the people who helped build this town with their taxes over a lifetime and still continue to pay towards your children's education and athletics, maybe you should be a bit more appreciative of them.Or even thank them, as they give back to you and your family generously.
As for Maryann Campling, you might not be the best person to call her bitter, as you seem to harbor a great deal of that towards many of your fellow neighbors. We can all disagree vociferously about an issue while still respecting each other as neighbors.

I found your post to Ms Campling, inappropriate and meanspirited. You may be raising your daughters so that they can play field hockey, soccer and lacrosse but if they take after you, they will be nasty people who never learned how to negotiate with and respect others who have different opinions. Not a good background to live in a diverse and global society. And they certainly won't understand what a democracy is - where it is the will of the majority of voters, not just the will of the noisy minority that makes the decisions. As one of the 65% who fund the schools your daughters attend, I hope that they will get an excellent education, particularly in the democratic process but also in understanding that people can have different opinions and that namecalling and insulting those who disagree with you is not how adults behave. I find your comment to Ms Campling highly offensive.

Mr. Kelly. Radnor is not the issue here. The overuse of the High School fields along with Centennial and even Crows Woods (where now girls lacrosse will be playing for the first time) is. Turf will offset that overuse. Beyond that Mr. Johnson makes a valid point and calling him mean spirited (Ms. Hoch and Ms. Campling) is well, calling the kettle black. Bottom line here is there was a problem, citizens stepped up to do something about it along with borough and BOE help. Good is being done. Not everything is going to benefit the majority but I think 35% of households with kids (1 kid, 2, 3, 4,5) adds up to a large population. As far as my exclusion of sports like skiing, tennis, and the other sports you identify, well they are not mentioned because they are not at issue in this topic. To say that field sports are not worthy because they are not life long sports is a misstatement on your part for starters. The overall benefit to our youth and life lessons they instill are not to be ignored. You can't tell me Ms. Hoch that you did not benefit from playing lacrosse or field hockey. Just because you no longer play does not mean that they were a waste of your time or that they don't deserve our care and attention now. As always, amazed by your ignorance....

How many times are people going to change the excuse when they lose the argument? I am not paying for any one elses road repairs any more do it your self you deadbeats

Comment to Tish Bonner.
Bingo! You hit the nail on the head. Need versus want. One of the failures of some baby boomer parents is that they raised an entitled generation who always got what they wanted when they wanted it and never learned that there is a difference between need and want. Their helicopter parents were always there, giving them whatever they wanted. They never learned NO. I fear that what we see is the results of this kind of childrearing in the young adults born in the 1970's and 1980's who are unable to say NO to their own children and think they must have everything they want and have it now.

Hi Eric: I am so glad you mentioned Claudia, I had no idea who you were up until then. I want to respond to your questions...about the demographics of my client base...just a quick overview of today's schedule=3 households with children, 9 households w/o children. Of course, this varies but I believe that it is rather consistent to that ratio. I haven't crunched the hard numbers, but it has been my observation that since the recession started in 2008, the group that shows a decline was younger households with children, understandably because it is costly to raise a family and often the "extras" need to be cut back. Folks aged 45 + have held their own, and have, in fact represent the greatest number in my client base. As I said, I haven't spent a great deal of time collecting this data, but will be glad to do so if you feel it is relative to the discussion.

Part II: My contempt for the town and children. A few years back, I was cited by the Mayor for my "contributions to the community" in an awards ceremony at Borough Hall, where the accomplishments of several of our town's women were honored. I have, over the years, supported countless scholastic/sports endeavors, through monetary contributions, advertising, Therapy Dog programs, etc. Heck, I've bought enough Girl Scout Cookies, fruit boxes and candy bars to feed a Third World country for a month. (not to mention the "discount cards" that the football team sells to raise funds.)...glad to do it. Not only do I care about our kids, but through my ministries at Sacred Heart Church in South Camden, have paid tuition for dozens of kids over the past 25 years, to keep them out of the cesspool of the public school system. Every Christmas there is a family in Camden that has a tree, presents and a turkey dinner because of me (Holy Cow, is my halo glowing yet?) Not bad for someone who has contempt for kids, huh?

Part III: "The Fence" I am not a Constitutional Scholar, but I know that every citizen is entitled to due process under the law. As this matter is still being litigated, there are points that cannot presently be topic of discussion (when the matter is closed, I will be happy to share information with any resident). That being said there are two points I'd like to share. My whole life, I have had to make choices between my principles and my popularity....I've always chosen my principles. And because I took a stand, Ordinances were reviewed and amended....what this means is that what happened to me and my neighbors will NEVER happen to any other Haddonfield resident. Another wonderful outcome is that a member of the Church who was going to make a large monetary donation was so disgusted by the way we were treated, that they donated the money to one of our fine volunteer service organizations instead.....one that serves the whole community! So the way I look at it, the thousands of dollars I have spent will benefit all of us (you can thank me later.) Keep smiling!

Eric, As my parents moved here in 1959 I'm more knowledgeable in what the demographics were. There were far more families with children back then and the priorities were safely in order. Education, the maintenance of the infrastructure, providing quality services for the town along with good athletic programs were the norm.
You're right this isn't about parks and fields. It's about turf and the small percentage of people who aren't willing to compromise. As I have said repeatedly, the town should compromise and install a field at the high school, which was the original plan in the first place, which the colossal majority of the town not using it will pay for. Compromise is something you don't seem to get. Also keep in mind many families with children voted against the bond and are against turf fields. Many would be satisfied with a fair compromise.
As one senior recently wrote me "We are realistic people and understand our house's estimated value is indicative of the excellent schools we have. Turf fields and parking lots does NOT make an excellent school. Teachers and people committed to education do. Put out a bond for a science/tech lab and IF it is fairly priced we will vote for it." Priorities.
Thanking senior citizens is nice, but actions speak louder that words.
You miss the point of what Maryann Campling says. I'm sure most other people reading her posts do not.
Everyone pays huge taxes for education and athletics. They deserve thanks, not derision.

Mr. Kelly how can you say that a vote against the bond equates to being against turf fields? The bond was multifaceted and much more than just a turf field.

Not everyone pays huge taxes. Most pay less than average but get all the same benefits. Anti bancroft anti fields anti children. If turf fields are no good why does paul vi, camcath, evesham, cherry hill, shawnee, cherokee, mt laurel, moorestown, bishop eustace all have them? What do they know that we dont. Get our head and ego out of the clouds. Everyone should make a t shirt wi brian kellys picture on it and have it say. I am the boss of you!

Ohhh tish several multiples. Puhleaasse. 15% of 23k is 4k. Is that really the problem? How much does brian pay?

Hey Tish, as a landlord are you saying that you don't pass the property taxes on to the renters? And that despite the taxes you pay in aggregate, you don't profit from operating the rentals of which taxes are a deductible business expense. Further, are the rentals stacked with multiple families who use the schools thereby increasing the burden on the rest of us?

Reply to Pro-Haddonfield. I personally do not have either a chip or a lacrosse stick on my shoulder. I think that you still are confusing Want with Need. I might need to eat something today but I want to go to Le Bec Fin. I do not Need to go to Le Bec Fin. Similarly, if we have more teams in more sports than we can accomodate, then maybe we can't afford to field teams where we don't have fields. Most people have to make choices as to where they spend their money. Similarly the town must make choices. Who is to say adding field hockey is more important than taking care of the dying trees or fixing potholes or fixing up the Mabel Kay House? Perhaps many of the young adults who are so gung ho for spending money on field sports have never had to live within a budget or decide - do I spend the money this month on repairing the car or fixing the roof where it leaks. Perhaps they have been fortunate enough in their life that they can have it all and don't have to make choices and so wants become needs. I am not bitter - I am a realist and I think that the town must make choices as to where it spends its money. I would personally support spending on computer technology for the schools and a science and technology building above and beyond more sports fields. Those would be my choices for education of the students of this town, not more athletic fields. We can differ on priorities and in a democracy the majority wins. And I think my priorities are those of the majority.

No one is saying any one thing is more important than the other and I am also a realist. These are all important things and should all be addressed. Maybe you should start a group called "Fix Up Mabel". Maybe you will be able to accomplish a much needed goal such as the "Turf It" Committee did. I'm still waiting for you to get that playground at Radnor effort off the ground.

Ripped off, When you wrote your first post you said you're not paying for anyone elses road repairs. Apply the same logic to your turf practice field. That's why you should pay for it if it's so important to you.

Pro Haddonfield, As I've said before, compromise is an issue all people need to explore. The original proposal called for turfing the high school field to address overuse. In meeting people halfway, turf it and continue to hold fundraisers to offset continuing costs and leave open space and capital investment for the most important things, fixing the schools, treating our 1800 diseased trees, etc. You say...We need to turf a practice field to handle overflow.
I say...No, we don't. We need to seed and do maintenance in the spring and grow a field. Is there a team that needs to use it then? Use one of multiple fields like Tatum, Scout, Mountwell ect. in the meantime until it grows in.
The reason we are 41 million dollars in debt is because no one even tries common sense fiscal approaches. When I suggest them I have people like ripped off tell me I'm trying to be the boss of them. And you call me dramatic? Oh, brother.
If turf goes in it goes in. Until then I'll speak my piece and give ideas I think are better and more fiscally sound for our town. I respect your right to do the same.

Pro Haddonfield, Instead of Susan Hoch getting that playground effort at Radnor off the ground by herself, how about all of us getting together and addressing issues like that all over town?
Haddonfield has a wealth of talent as if we put our efforts together we could accomplish many things. Maybe we could walk over to Anniversary Field, go over the pros and cons and come with a solution that could be a win-win for everybody.

First off, ripped off was sarcastically taking your stand. You won't pay for turf so he won't pay for roads. Now you are turning it back around. It's a vicious cycle you created here.

Are you really going to ask me about whether there is a team that needs to use a field in the spring? This is probably the time we see the worst congestion. We have a Rec. Counsel in town where we all get together and try and figure out who goes where. EVERY field is in play and is considered. We work with the High School representatives to make sure that we aren't scheduling over top of each other. Tatum Scout Lizzy Central Mountwell Centennial...all in play and being used. Anniversary is an important piece in all of this. I welcome your good ideas. I welcome your thought in all of this. I'm not creating derision here. I am trying and failing to communicate to you that for many years we have put much thought into this, many people. Year after year we see more and more field space needs (yes needs and not wants) as kids become more physically active (thank God given trends the other way nationally) and as we add more youth sports which are driven by the children's interests. Look at Girls Lacrosse. We are squeezing them in over at Tatem and soccer has been kind enough to work with them to offer space. Field Hockey is coming this fall I believe and will need a location. Please understand I am not minimizing your ideas. I just can't get through to you all that......

Ripped off was being sarcastic by my stand...gee, you think?
You minimize everyone's ideas when you don't seem to grasp the concept of meeting people halfway. When I asked you to meet at Anniversary field your answer was to tell me all the things you've done and explored, as if people on the other side of the argument aren't doing the same thing.
This may come as a shock to you but everyone realizes the importance of children's sports. There are two sides to every issue and when one side assumes they're the only intelligent rationale they make a big mistake. This keeps people from compromise.
Life is a series of viewpoints and opinions directed by personal wants and bias.
How the majority responds to that comes from a global, or in this case, community perception.
Taking the bond as an example, the idea of education and preservation was pleasing to me and many residents. When the bond focused on sports fields and little else, the community responded accordingly.
With all the taxpayer money spent on sports programs the 65% of people paying for them deserve an attempt at a little modification. If this approach had been taken towards the bond is might have passed!
There are environmental and cost problems to Anniversary field. Please at least acknowledge them. The sports programs of Haddonfield will not descend into chaos if a small percentage of kids practice on one shabby field no one seems to want to take care of.

Brian, Actually I think we were writing at the same time so my answer was to your previous post. I am now just seeing both of your more recent posts. First of all, I am more willing to meet half way than you could imagine and have not minimized anyones ideas. More over I encourage people to take their ideas and run with them. Let's talk. I'd be glad to meet you over there. I'll facebook you to set something up. I think it will be good because I understand most of what you are saying and I don't think you see that. I certainly don't see most of these posts expressing an importance in youth sports. More the opposite frankly. I'll touch base soon.

Thank you Pro Haddonfield, I would love to talk and am eager to learn about many of the ideas and insights you have. Whenever it's convenient for you I'll make the time. Thanks again...

There you go again Brian Kelly. The Bancroft issue wasn't just about sports fields. You, and your short sighted followers, threw the baby out with the bath water. I don't think you, and the people who voted NO are evil or bad people, just ignorant, misinformed and short sighted.

Right. Thats why I stand by my statement. I forget to mention petty, because that's what it really comes down to the, "I've got mine, screw the rest of you." attitude.

I bet you're a baby boomer.