Clearly Commissioner Borden and Superintendent Weinstein released this plan on July 4th to ensure that the fewest number of Haddonfield residents are paying attention. Pathetic!

Having control over property is always better than not having control.

Of course, we need all details, but let's get the facts first, read them, understand and then make a final decision about the value of this deal.

I favored the CCRC development, but I think this is a creative proposal. It puts us taxpayers to a test: Are we going to support it and keep Haddonfield as a vibrant community willing to keep pace with educational and recreational advances? Or are we going to retreat, let our facilities fall behind and lose our preeminent status as the best place to live in South Jersey? Ross A Webber

What was the appraisal value complete a few years ago ordered by the commissioners that should be made to the available for the public review so we know what building and improvements assests are part of the purchase price.The assessed value was based on inflated values in 2006-2007 so the assessed value is inflated based on building and assets that need to be torned down so that cost needs to be deducted from the 12 million not added,The enviornmental costs needs to reviewed and costs determined to paid for by Bancroft before any deed transfer and deducted from the purchase price, The Borough should not inherit any enviornmental liability. I beleive the Borough should try and buy but not over pay. No private developer has not offered to buy the property since the purchase price seems to be inflated .The two parties negotiating for the town are trying to help make it work for Bancroft to relocate and build new elsewhere .The buyer value should be what the Borough can utilize for open space and new buildings not what Bancroft needs are.I anticipate that Borough will tear down all the buildings except the Histortic building located in the front of the property. The value needs to based on the vacant land minus the costs to tear down the old buildings and clean up the enviornmental costs plus the bond and interest costs.We are not competing with any private developer in this slower Real Estate market so lets not over pay for the property. Look at wet lands for value

Is the Borough and BOE looking for parternships with local universities to share costs and pay some tax revenue to keep the tax payers burden down.I like Ross Webber and Mr Hess comments since this an opportunity for The Borough and BOE to Grow .The Haddonfield schools are real assets to everyone in the Borough but we need to raise revenue to pay for some of the costs not just ask tax payers to pay more.The Down Town is already paying more that its fair share so additional taxes will only hurt the down town which is another Haddonfield asset .More information is needed and how more revenue can be raised by acquiring this asset !

How much open space and public committed grant money will lower the overall costs to purchase the property .What are the costs of floating the bonds and interest so the tax payers know the real costs.Do we have wriiten estimates to tear down the old buildings and remove other site improvements not needed for The BOE and Borough. Ed Borden says the Borough is paying over 4 million over the inflated 12 million assessed value so the above costs and open space and grants contribution need to be identified and committed to reduce the overall costs before the tax payers can vote on the purchase of Bancroft. Any private Developer would know their costs before buying any property for redevelopment so the tax payers should have the same information before any final vote.

Does anyone remember when the property behind the library was available for expansion and the town passed it up?

Rose Anna the property 56 haddon ave was sold for more that 3 million never offered to the Borough.

The $12 million aseessed value is for land and improvement[ old buildings ] that have no value to BOE and Borough and the Haddonfield tax payers. The BOE and the Borough are adding that cost to the $4 milion to buy and also now tearing down the old buildings.
The Tax payers are paying twice to acquire and now tear down old buildings that they can not use . That cost should be deducted from the purchase price not added in twice. Private Development does not work that way and Goverment should not work that way either.We now have the affordable housing costs to add in to the overall costs and overhead which has not been disclosed.The costs should show that added overhead costs to manage the project and land for BOE , Borough and Tax payers.That is why we need a joint partnership with other Universities to add revenue to reduce the overhead, bond ,and interest and maintenance costs.I estimate the costs to exceed over $32 million not $16 million if revenue is a not added to reduce the costs. Full Cost and added overhead Disclosure is needed !!!

There are many fine ideas expressed above. What we need to do is for all the residents to respectfully debate the issue and come to a decision that will benefit our town.
As Jim said, full disclosure is needed. We also need our Commissioners to respect and serve the people who elected them.
In an article by the Philadelphia Inquire on the Bancroft sale, Commissioner Ed Borden was quoted as saying "The borough is likely to become even more expensive after the Bancroft purchase". Borden said the issue was expected to cause a property tax increase, and did not rule out the possibility that it could force out some of the town's less affluent citizens.
Go on Haddonfield United's facebook page to read the article.
As for Commissioner Borden, not everyone is able to use their political stature to land a job that pays 10 thousand dollars for 40 hours work as he did to review Collingswood's coaching situation.
Most of the the people in the town are far less affluent then Commissioner Borden, and considering it's his job to represent all the citizens in the great town of Haddonfield, it's time he started showing greater respect to the people he serves.

This notion that the purchase of the Bancroft property will lead to "educational and recreational advances" is unproven. The Bancroft property backs up to an expansive Camden County Parks system, which already affords ample opportunity for recreation. And more infrastructure does not necessarily translate into improved academic performance. There are plenty of high schools in SNJ with more infrastructure per student that are poor performers academically. Bancroft:Haddonfield::Lumberyard:Collingswood.

The earlier article on this subject references that ownership between the Borough and BOE will be based on the "funds" available for "affordable housing." So, let me get this straight, not only are Haddonfield residents expected to pony up potentially tens of thousands per household over time for the Bancroft purchase, but a portion of the property will be used for affordable housing? Talk about a pig in a poke.

I support the Borough and BOE's proposal. At the very least it gives both control over the property and the future of the Borough. At best, it will add to the quality of life in town for generation after generation after generation. This is bigger than turf, than a new library, than open space. I volunteer my time to help make this purchase and future development a success. The price will be worth it, even though my family will be long gone before the first class is held in the Drexel-Haddonfield Learning Center or the the first pitch is thrown at Dick and Rawley Eastwick Field.

Did Borden really allude to the "less affluent residents" possibly having to move because of the increase to the already crushing taxes we pay?! What arrogance. And what about those of us who love this town for reasons other than sports and education. As for H-field being the premiere place to live....sure, it is a lovely town, but it will NEVER be Greenwich, or Grosse Point Park, or the Philly Main Line, etc. It is, however, becoming a two-tiered community...and we should be ashamed of ourselves for promoting that kind of bias.

Marryann, You make an excellent point that most people don't take into account. Although every town has a responsibility to provide the best education it can for its children, that's not its sole existence, especially in a unique town like Haddonfield that has such profound historical roots.
There are citizens who have already raised their children, paid their dues and want to live here always. We have everyone from senior citizens, college students and single working people who are just as important as our hardworking families.
The idea that all the residents should have to burden substantial tax increases to build a sports complex costing tens of millions is irresponsible. How about taking proper care of the fields all over town? Don't want your kids injured? Maintain the fields. They do it in other townships.
If the whole idea behind the Bancroft purchase was aimed fully towards academics, maybe more people would be on board. But to talk about buying Bancroft and building a sports complex that would actually force the less affluent citizens out of the town they love is unconscionable. Personal wealth is not a measure to the importance of a citizen.
Lastly, I urge everyone to re read Jim Rhoads comments, especially his point of Bancroft real estate value based on 2006- 2007 estimates.
If Bancroft could have gotten 12 million from a private developer they would have done it in a second.

Opportunity cost :If a private Development with a high end class A office or medical wellness or assisted living space could generate more that $88 million of tax revenue [ based on current tax assessement with a 5% annual increase over 20 years.That tax revenue could be reduce with a pilot program to reduce that tax to encourage private development .The property could generate more money for the town and under the pilot program more that $ 60 million could pay down debt, pay for road and water and sewer improvemens for the next 20 years, We all know by driving in the Borough the roads need to repaved and re constructed. The lost opportunity is the 3 Borough Commissioner and BOE want to pay for what a private development would DONATE for FREE a additional field and share some parking with the High School at no cost to the Borough.The trade off the Borough would permit the zoning fo the various types of Development that borough citizens need and would not have to pay over $120 million of cost and lost tax revenue of the next 20 years. Lower taxes no debt, fix the roads and old infra structure and obtain the additional sports field, for FREE .All this plus the added value that private Development would bring to Borough tax ratables and quality of life in the Borough of Haddonfield. Vote NO for bigger government spending and higher taxes ! Do not allow the Borough Government and BOE to drive up debt , taxes and lose future tax revenue !

Opportunity cost: that added of tax revenue taken in account of added value on the land and building improvement that private development would make.The higher tax assessment negotiated with additional taxes that a tax pilot would be over 20-25 years.The high tax assessment would be maybe 10 times the value that is now located on the property with new developlement of class A office campus or assisted liviing or well ness medical office campus.The bottom line the added value will be several times what the sports or open space lack of tax revenue would bring to the Borough.The additional revenue and economic activity would be jobs for construction, building materials, landscaping, engineeering and other related activites for this re development.The permanent jobs and added tax ratables would be welcome to 100% of the tax payers not just the surrounding few neighbors.The local added value would be for the surrounding area of having a world class development would help the Borough attract other businesses to the Town center.

If land is acquired by borough using grants, it can't be sold for later development. The HD CCRC was taken off the table. Other options, as long as consistent with the Master Plan, remain. The rumor is that no developers have thought the land with its $2 million COAH obligations is worth even $8-10 million.

Our high school's rankings give our properties their value. Those rankings are entirely based on academic achievements. The costs of maintaining new land will divert funds from job #1 for the district, which is maintaining and improving teaching and learning. Many parents pay heavily for tutors for a reason!

Don't forget that property that is owned by the district can be developed by the district without any control by the borough Planning Board. They can even sell it later like they proposed to do with Radnor Field. The district only needs approval of the state Dept of Ed. Planning Board gets only a nonbinding courtesy review.

And acquisiton of more property by BOE will divert funds from obvious and not so obvious maintenance and repair needs. Just look at that peeling cupola on the high school. It's the tip of the iceberg. If they can't maintain the grass fields they own now, they won't be able to maintain artificial turf. It takes a lot of work and if they don't do it right, the manufacturer won't honor the warranty.

The borough lacks the manpower to maintain common areas faclities now,What monies are in the additional budget to maintain the 20 +- acreage.Sell for private development and obtain a sport field for free and have a tax ratable that will give more monies to make other capital improvements in the Borough.The borough and most government enities have no experience in development and their cost at union wages cost 3- 10 times more than private developers pay for building and capital improvements. Vote to stop the BOE and Borough from over paying and becoming developers in kind.

Jim, As you stated before, the price for Bancroft is over inflated in the first place. Bancroft might just be the major player in this deal, as they have fired people who haven't been able to close the deal for them. Exactly how much of Haddonfield's interest is really being looked out for by the Borough and the BOE? I will say It always made sense to me that Steve Weinstein is handling so much of this deal. His credentials are far more suited for this kind of thing than they ever were for education. One observation I've always had. Why does the town with the highest taxes in south jersey lack the manpower to maintain common areas?
The elected officials of Haddonfield are letting the town crumble before our eyes while they do the only thing they know how to do...spend more money to saddle the town with crippling debt while the infrastructure falls apart.
When you look at the bonds floated to repair the schools and look at the condition of them you have to ask yourself, where exactly did that money go? How was it spent? After nearly 60 years, these elected officials have been the worst in terms of management and fiscal responsibility I've ever seen.
I repeat, where is all this taxpayer money going?