Gillette On Hillsborough

Spacious Country Living at Majestic Knolls

2012-01-31T23:59:00.000-05:00

Looking for "spacious country living" circa 1992? That's what led us to look into Majestic Knolls twenty years ago this Spring.

Newspaper ad for Majestic Knolls development in Hillsborough, NJ, 1992

This may have been the place we ended up if I hadn't remembered that there was one more development somewhere over on Beekman Lane that I wanted to check out. Back then, Triangle Rd. was still a triangle, only extended slightly past what we now call South Triangle Rd., to allow access to Majestic Knolls. Beyond that was a barricaded dirt road - which lead to the still gravelled Auten Rd.

Circa 1992 map of Hillsborough, NJ. Click for a larger view.

Happily for us - and unluckily for the salespeople at Majestic Knolls - the map they provided showed us the way around to Beekman Lane via South Triangle and New Amwell.

Right Place? Wrong Time!

2012-01-19T23:59:00.000-05:00

There's only one reason 469 apartments, 130 hotel rooms, and 20,000 square ft. of retail space is not suitable for the 50 acre site on the northbound side of Route 206 just south of Valley Road:

TRAFFIC!

Make no mistake, this is what it all hinges on. Don't wander off into other arguments - stick with this.

And the soon (ha!) to be completed 206 bypass is only going to make things worse.

Let's break it down point by point:

Traffic northbound between Triangle Rd. and Brown Ave. is already a mess during rush hour.
There is a plan to widen 206 through this stretch - but no funding is identified, and no firm commitments have been made to begin work.
There are currently 8 traffic lights between the Montgomery-Hillsborough border and Triangle Rd. These lights have the effect of metering northbound traffic. When the bypass is completed, there will only be two lights (Hillsborough and Amwell Roads) causing traffic to speed quickly northbound into the nightmare.
The applicant (Route 206 Enterprises, LLC) is expecting minor improvements to Route 206 along their frontage to include a center left turn lane, for access to both their development and United Rent All across the highway - we know how well those work!
Even if the center lane could be made to work acceptably, that solution is only applicable BEFORE work begins to widen 206. When that work begins, all bets are off, as the road will need to be kept open while work is going on - a completely different operation than what is taking place now on the bypass - and no doubt as is typical in this kind of project the road will be reduced to a single very narrow lane in each direction.
The eventual widening of the highway in this area will be a long difficult project - not only will the road need to stay open, but there is a railroad bridge to replace, streams to be dealt with, etc.

We must conclude that no additional development take place at that location until ALL of the improvements to Route 206 - the bypass and the widening - have been completed. At the very least, hold off construction until the bypass is completed (next year?) so we can see what effect all of the additional northbound traffic will have on the Triangle to Valley stretch of highway.

As I said in my previous post, I am not automatically opposed to development of this type, or even to development at that location. But just because this may be the right place, doesn't mean it's the right time.

Green Village, Vulgar Appendage?

2012-01-18T14:15:00.000-05:00

"Green Village"? Really? Does Route 206 Enterprises LLC, the developer looking to build 469 apartment units, a 130 unit extended-stay hotel, and two 10,000 square ft. retail buildings on a 50 acre property directly across the highway from United Rent-All, not realize that one of Hillsborough's most notable housing developments, Village Green, is barely more than a mile away on the same highway?

Village Green, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, was the first post war housing project in New Jersey to employ a design where instead of, for example, a 100 acre lot being filled with 100 homes on 1 acre lots, the 100 homes would be built on only half of the site, the other half being left as open space for passive and active recreation.

This first of its kind design is known as a cluster development. I might also be inclined to use the word cluster to describe the current proposal by Route 206 Enterprises, but I would be forced to append a vulgarity not suitable for all readers of this blog!

Naming conventions aside, this proposal is flat out too much, too soon. Whether it's builder's remedy lawsuits, fear of future litigation, or COAH obligations that is pushing this monstrosity along, someone has to stand up and say, "stop".

As long as Hillsborough remains a very desirable place to live, people are going to want to build here. And this might even be the perfect spot for this project....but not in 2012, or 2015, or 2018. Why do I say that? Read tomorrow to find out.

Gay Marriage Bill a "Top Priority"?

2012-01-14T13:49:00.001-05:00

Did I read this right? Did Senate President Steve Sweeney say that sending Governor Christie a gay marriage bill would be a "top priority" in the new legislative term?

It was just about two years ago that the state legislature failed to pass just such a bill. At that time, I wrote why I thought the current civil union law made no sense, and why a gay marriage law would be just more of the same. You can read that post here.

But that's not the real story.

The real story is why anyone in Trenton would think a bill like this would be a top priority? Let's face it, with New Jersey's unemployment rate still hovering around 9%, gays can no more afford to get married than anyone else!

Mr. Sweeney, before you completely fill your head with images of gays and lesbians walking down the aisle, why not reach across the aisle and put a few tools in Governor Christie's oft-mentioned property tax relief toolbox, or do something to help New Jersey businesses grow?

Now is the time to prioritize actions that will help 100% of NJ residents, not a bill that will leave 96% scratching their heads.

Happy 100th

2011-11-16T23:59:00.000-05:00

Heaven exists. How do I know this? Simple, there is no other place my grandmother can possibly be.

Wedding day, 1931

Born in 1911 in Brooklyn, NY to Polish immigrant parents, she grew up in a typical immigrants' turn of the century apartment building with cold running water and outhouses in the backyard. An often absent father meant she spent much time caring for her two younger brothers and working from an early age to to help provide for her family.

With first grandchild, 1964

Despite not having much more than a sixth grade education, she worked continuously from her early teens until her retirement at age 65, finding work during the Depression as a switchboard operator - a career where she transitioned from working for the phone company to manning the switchboard for some of New York's biggest steamship companies.

90th Birthday, 2001

Happy 100th birthday, Grandma. I hope to see you again someday.

Pete Biondi, Hillsborough's Best Friend

2011-11-12T11:07:00.001-05:00

Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State under George Washington, Vice President under John Adams, third president of the United States, upon designing the inscription for his tombstone, famously left off all of those titles. Instead he wished to be remembered for just three things: writing the Declaration of Independence, writing Virginia's Statute for Religious Freedom, and founding the University of Virginia.

In that same spirit, as I reflect on the passing last week of Peter Biondi, I barely think about his ten years as a Hillsborough Township Committeeman, his term as a Somerset County Freeholder, or his dozen years representing the 16th district in the New Jersey Assembly.

More than anything else, Pete was Hillsborough's best friend, plain and simple.

It hurts to lose your best friend. It hurts a lot.

Sometimes looking at pictures helps.

Black Horse Stable Family Day for special needs children, 2007. Pete was a tireless supporter and advocate for the special needs community. Over the years he made generous personal donations to Autism Speaks and the Organization for Autism Research, as well as fighting in Trenton for insurance reform and a common sense vaccination policy.

Rotary Club of Hillsborough annual Easter Egg Hunt, 2008. Pete was a proud member of the Rotary, and exemplified its motto, "service above self". He was actively involved in all of their community activities, including the Easter Egg Hunt, and in later years, the annual Rotary Fair.

Portrait by Kevin Murphy, 2009. When Hillsborough artist Kevin Murphy came to the Cultural Arts Commission in 2008 with an idea to transform our annual art show to include a commissioned portrait of a notable Hillsborough person, he already knew who the first subject should be. We Agreed. Not only did Pete fit every imaginable criteria for inclusion in Hillsborough's "hall of fame", he was also a strong supporter of the arts, offering his personal financial assistance to the art show in subsequent years.

Memorial Day Parade, 2009. Pete was a fixture at Hillsborough's annual Memorial Day Parade. His support for our veterans, as well as those currently serving was unquestionable.

Happy Birthday Hillsborough

2011-05-31T12:00:00.006-04:00

The anniversary of Hillsborough's 1771 Charter passed quietly this year, as has been the usual case over the past four decades.

Not so for the 1971 Bicentennial, which featured a week's worth of events - and probably a year's worth of planning - beginning with a "Miss Hillsborough" Pageant on May 22, and culminating with a family picnic, fireworks, and a Grand Parade down Route 206 on Saturday May 29.

The Franklin News Record printed a two page montage of photos from the parade in their June 3 issue.

Here's the link for the eight-millimeter footage of the parade taken by Dottie Leinenbach:

Hillsborough Bicentennial Parade

USS Corsair

2011-05-29T23:59:00.002-04:00

It's often said that submariners have an unfair advantage over their surface adversaries. As someone who gets mildly claustrophobic in the backseat of a Volkswagen, I just don't buy it. I can't imagine the mental preparation that would be necessary before I could sign on for a tour of duty in a modern nuclear submarine, let alone in a tiny World War II era boat - not at the age of 47, and certainly not at 17.

Insignia of the USS Corsair SS 435

But that's what long time Hillsborough and lifelong area resident Al Nittolo did in 1946 when he, along with seven officers and 68 other enlisted men, was assigned to the USS Corsair, a brand new diesel-electric sub destined for service in the Atlantic.

Born in 1929, Al was bitterly disappointed that he was too young to enlist during the war. He soon came to realize that for submariners in Atlantic and Arctic waters, the war was just beginning.

USS Corsair under way

Submarines proved to be the perfect vessels for intelligence-gathering in north Atlantic waters - shadowing the Russian Navy at the outset of the Cold War. When I introduced my kids to Al at the Memorial Day Parade, he recounted the time that the Corsair got just a little too close to a Russian vessel. On the surface, (the Corsair's batteries only permitted dives up to 22 hours), the Russian ship fired a warning shot across the sub's bow.

USS Corsair

The skipper immediately ordered an empty torpedo to be fired from one of the sub's ten tubes. Al recalls the Russian ship turned and ran from the bogus bomb, and was out of sight within minutes!

Clearly, the unfair advantage has never been in our weapons, but always in the bravery of our young men who fight them.

Retro Soldiers Go Wayback for 2011 Parade

2011-05-28T23:59:00.003-04:00

Hillsborough's 2011 Memorial Day Parade was much the same as in past years - marching band, fire companies, Scouts, and youth sports leagues were all in their usual places.

But at least one group seemed out of step, or at least, unfamiliar.

Take a look at these photos from recent parades.

Hillsborough Township Memorial Day Parade 2006

Hillsborough Township Memorial Day Parade 2007

Hillsborough Township Memorial Day Parade 2009

Hillsborough Township Memorial Day Parade 2010

The "retro-soldiers" have always cultivated a definite 20th century appearance - until this year:

Boy Scout Troop 1776 Colonial Militia Unit marches in the 2011 Memorial Day Parade

It looks like they set the Wayback Machine for the mid 1700s!

Where Are the Results?

2011-05-26T23:59:00.000-04:00

Let's go crazy for a second. Let's assume that the additional $500 million in state aid that the New Jersey Supreme Court demanded that the taxpayers provide to the 31 former "Abbott districts" will result in 1,000 more high school graduates from our city schools in June 2012 than we will have in June 2011. Do you think that would be a worthwhile result?

Now consider that we would be paying $500,000 per student - in that one year alone - to reach that goal. Does it still seem worth it? What if we thought we could increase the number of graduates by a whopping 10,000? Off the top of my head, there might be 25,000 seventeen-year-olds in the former Abbott districts. Would spending an additional $50,000 per student next year save those 10,000?

I know what you're thinking. The $500 million isn't just for juniors and seniors, it's for all the kids - and we can't expect results in just one year.

Well - we're not just talking about one year. We have been conducting this experiment for 25 years! And it is a colossal failure.

Now, you are going to hear critics state that increased spending doesn't equal increased student achievement. But that's not quite right either. I can say confidently that $1,000 per student in increased state aid to a district like Hillsborough (that would be $7.5 million total) would mean infinitely more than the $2,000, on average, that was just awarded to each Abbott student. Here, that money would produce real results - in Newark, Camden, et. al., increases in taxpayer funding have been shown to do nothing.

Hillsborough taxpayers, like those in the rest of suburban New Jersey, only want to see real results. If not equal to the results we see here, then at least something, anything!

[standard disclaimer: the views expressed above are my own and do not represent the opinion of the Hillsborough Township Board of Education]

I'm Still Here

2011-05-23T15:02:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note to let you, and Harold Camping, know that I'm still here.

Now enjoy some John Hartford, courtesy of YouTube.

First Night in Hillsborough

2011-04-30T23:59:00.006-04:00

Patty and I just passed the 18-year-mark as Hillsborough residents. As we get further and further from the Spring of 1993, details seem to slip away. I do remember that we had already asked our landlord if we could break the lease on our apartment, and then - as the completion date for our new house in Rohill kept getting pushed back - asked him if we could stay a little longer. Not once, but twice.

April 30 eventually became the mutually agreed upon drop dead date to get our stuff out of Freehold and up to Somerset County. We pressed the builder with daily phone calls to put all resources into OUR house. Kind of silly now, as we had no kids and could surely have found a place to stay.

In the event, we had our closing on April 29 - and if I recall correctly, the moving van did roll on April 30 - along with my much beloved 1980 Pontiac Phoenix, completely filled with clothes and personal items - the last trip that car ever made. It died right here in the garage on Conover Drive, and remained there for months.

Beekman Lane and Conover Drive, Spring 1993

After spending more than 6,000 nights in Hillsborough, I think back to what my grandfather said to me during his one visit here later that summer, "this house feels like home". Eighteen years later, this still feels like home - just a bit more crowded!

Drama in the 16th, Part 3

2011-04-28T13:34:00.000-04:00

The cancellation this month of All My Children may have saddened some Central Jersey fans of the long running ABC soap, but there's still plenty of drama right here in Somerset County courtesy of the recent legislative redistricting.

Here's a recap of recent episodes.

[continued from part 2]

Episode Three: Write Him In - Assemblywomen Denise Coyle's abrupt withdrawal from the 16th district assembly race after primary ballots were already set posed two problems for Somerset County republicans. Finding a new candidate was easy - dealing with the fact that his or her name would have to be "written-in" in the voting booth might prove to be more difficult.

Current Somerset County Freeholder Jack Ciattarelli was a good choice to replace Denise Coyle. A lifelong Somerset County resident (Raritan and Hillsborough), Ciattarelli is a fiscal conservative with proven success at the county level.

Like a lot of Hillsborough residents, I consider myself to be on a "first-name-basis" with Jack. Thank goodness - because I don't believe I have ever spelled his name correctly. Close your eyes and try it with me: C - I - A - T - T? - E? - nope, that's not it.

Look, I would think that when you write in Jack's last name on June 7, anything close will be acceptable - but you never know. According to a recent campaign mailer, Jack will be providing step-by-step instructions to registered republicans some time in the next few weeks.

In the meantime, let's try again: C - I - A - T - T - A - R - E - L - L - I.

Drama in the 16th, Part 2

2011-04-20T11:13:00.000-04:00

The cancellation this week of All My Children may have saddened some Central Jersey fans of the long running ABC soap, but there's still plenty of drama right here in Somerset County courtesy of the recent legislative redistricting.

Here's a recap of recent episodes.

[continued from part 1]

Episode Two: Nearly Homeless - New Jersey's 120 legislators found out just days before the April 11, 2011 primary election filing deadline what their new districts would look like. By law, Assemblymen and State Senators must reside in the districts they represent in Trenton - and with boundaries about to shift, odds were that at least a few local politicians would be left out in the cold; divorced from their district, foiled by the map!

Such was the case with 16th District Assemblywoman Denise Coyle who makes her home in Bernards, one of the towns in the Somerset Hills pared away from the district. If she planned to run for reelection in November, she had just days to find somewhere else to live. Indeed, all of the newspapers reported on April 12 that Ms. Coyle had decided to move to Princeton, now included in the 16th district.

I never believed she would do it. As soon as I saw the new legislative map, I knew she would have a difficult choice to make, but from what I knew about Assemblywoman Coyle, I was convinced that she was not going to get some phoney baloney Princeton address. If she was going to move, it would be for real.

A few days later, Ms. Coyle announced that she would nor be moving, and that she was withdrawing from the GOP primary.

To Be Continued...

Drama in the 16th, Part 1

2011-04-16T16:56:00.000-04:00

The cancellation this week of All My Children may have saddened some Central Jersey fans of the long running ABC soap, but there's still plenty of drama right here in Somerset County courtesy of the recent legislative redistricting.

Here's a recap of recent episodes.

Episode 1: The Map - Every ten years, after the US Census, New Jerrsey redefines its 40 legislative districts to account for population shifts. Each district is supposed to have approximately the same population - which may be the only thing they got right this year, and even there they fudged a bit. Districts are also supposed to be contiguous, compact, and conform as closely as possible to county boundaries.

A good example of this is the current 16th district (map on the right), comprised almost completely of Somerset County towns (plus Morris County's Mendham Boro). The new 16th (on the left) subtracts all of the towns north of Somerville (splitting them among three different districts, by the way) and adds a large chunk of the south part of Hunterdon County, Princeton and Princeton Boro from Merecr County, and, inexplicably, South Brunswick from Middlesex County.

How did we end up with this mess? The map is created by a panel of five Democrats and five Republicans. Instead of working collaboratively on one map - where's the drama in that? - they each drew their own maps. Deadlocked - the eleventh member of the commission, appointed by the Governor, chose the map created by the Democrats because, in his opinion, it was the most like the current map. What!?!?!?

Setting aside the fact that you would expect the Republican Governor's hand-picked arbitrator to choose the Republican map, the Republicans clearly made some mistakes here - including creating districts that actually tried to protect some incumbent democrats that they viewed as allies. I'm pretty sure the map drawn by the Democrats included no such reciprocal courtesy.

To Be Continued....

Who's in Charge Around Here?

2011-04-11T08:05:00.049-04:00

At the annual townmeeting held at the house of Peter Williamson in the township of Hillsborough and county of Somerset, on the 2nd monday in April 1811, the following persons were chosen in office.

Moderator.....Peter D. Vroom
Town Clerk...Nichl. Williamson
Assessor........Peter D. Vroom
Collector.......Henry Brokaw

Commissioners of appeal - Nichl. Dubois, Dennis Van Liew, Abraham Ten Eyck

Chosen Freeholders - Nichl. Dubois, Martin Schenck

Surveyors of the highway - Garret Quick, Gilbert B. Taylor

Overseers of the poor - Peter D. Vroom, Henry Brokaw, Peter P. Vroom

Constables - John Voorhees, Cyrenus Thompson

Judge of election - Henry H. Schenck

Pound keeper - Cornelius Williamson

Town Committee - Nichl. Dubois, Rynear Staats, John Sutphen, Peter D. Vroom, Martin Schenck

[Twenty-Four men were chosen as overseers of the roads. Nineteen were newly appointed, only five continued with the same road they looked after in 1810.]

Route 206 Traffic

2011-04-10T14:51:00.001-04:00

UPDATE: With three hours to go, April 10, 2011 has a chance to become my busiest blog day in 18 months.

It's 2:30 on a Sunday afternoon and the Hillsborough traffic is out of control.

No, not the highway traffic. I'm talking about the traffic on this blog!

With plenty of browsing hours left, visits to "Gillette on Hillsborough" are already triple what I would receive on an average day.

What accounts for the spike in popularity? It has to be the story this morning in the Star Ledger about the Route 206 bypass project. Once again, the newspaper has failed to provide the one thing that people are really interested in - A MAP!. I know this because nearly all of the visits to the blog today are from people searching for "route 206 bypass map".

Just a few years ago, it would have been common to see a map accompanying a story like this. In fact, computers made the creation of this type of graphic relatively easy - hence we saw a welcome increase in tables and charts and maps in the paper.

Obviously someone realized that the person creating the graphics had to get paid.

Since I don't get paid, and therefore can't be downsized, you can click here to see my map of the 206 bypass.

Blidget Widget

2011-04-09T13:59:00.000-04:00

Do you have a web page or blog about Hillsborough or Central Jersey? Consider adding the Gillette on Hillsborough widget to your page! You can find the Gillette on Hillsborough widget down a bit in the right column of the blog. Click on "Get Widget" to bring up the embedding options.

Introducing Doris Duke, for the Second Time

2011-04-08T09:05:00.028-04:00

Many readers will know that evolving commitments on the School Board, Historic Preservation Commission, and Central New Jersey Walk Now for Autism, required me to ask to not be reappointed for another term on Hillsborough's Cultural Arts Commission.

Portrait of Doris Duke painted by sixteen-year-old Hillsborough resident Kathleen Fritz, which was unveiled Friday, becoming the third portrait in Hillsborough Township's Public Art Collection.

One of the last things I worked on as chair of the commission in 2010 was the selection of Doris Duke as the third subject for Hillsborough Township's Public Art Collection - an adjunct of the annual Art Show. In preparation of the 2011 show, which was held last weekend, I met with Duke Farms chief Tim Taylor to discuss involving Duke Farms in the project - where the 2010 student grand prize winner is commissioned to paint a portrait of a notable Hillsborough resident under the tutelage of premier portrait artist Kevin Murphy.

To say that Mr. Taylor was enthusiastic about the project would be an understatement. He pledged full cooperation of both himself and his staff, and I know their assistance was greatly appreciated by the Cultural Arts Commission.

Tim Taylor of Duke Farms addresses the assembled at the awards ceremony of the Hillsborough Cultural Arts Commission Art Show.

During our meeting last Fall, Mr. Taylor spoke about Doris Duke's love for the arts, and how she would have been so pleased to see young people engaged and participating in the arts. He reiterated those themes when he spoke during the awards ceremony on Friday just before the unveiling of the Doris Duke portrait, but he also said something that I hadn't heard before. Apparently Miss Duke only sat for one portrait during her lifetime.

In 1924, twelve-year-old Doris Duke was painted by renowned English portraitist John Da Costa. Da Costa specialized in children's portraits, and a photograph of his painting of the young Doris Duke appeared in the December 21, 1924 edition of the New York Times.

Twelve-year-old Doris Duke as painted by renowned children's portrait artist John Da Costa in 1924.

All Eyes on Eagles

2011-04-07T09:49:00.000-04:00

Season three of Duke Farms' popular Eagle Cam premiered this week, with two of three eaglets already hatched by Wednesday.

Online TV Shows by Ustream As the babies grow they really become eating machines, devouring everything big daddy brings to the nest - including fish, eels, turtles, rabbits, and assorted roadkill.

New Looks

2011-04-06T14:57:00.000-04:00

Blogger has recently introduced five new, fun ways to view the blog.

Start here with "Mosaic", http://www.cnhillsborough.blogspot.com/view/mosaic#!/ , then check out the rest.

"Snapshot" is pretty cool - displaying every single image that has ever appeared in "Gillette on Hillsborough". If you see something that looks interesting, just click on the pic to bring up the related blog post.

"Flipcard" has the ability to show thumbnails all of the nearly 700 posts on one page.

Have fun.

A.T.M. U.G.H.

2011-03-31T16:05:00.002-04:00

I've been a big fan of TD Bank, formerly Commerce Bank, for more than twenty years. The innovative financial institution, started in south Jersey in the 1980s, popularized such concepts as seven-day banking and evening hours.

One aspect of their operation that I have been critical of is their "drive-thru" lanes, which do not include a drive-up ATM. I do not believe this is an oversight.

Part of the Commerce Bank/TD Bank business plan appears to be to force customers to enter the building to get cash. I guess that once inside, you're supposed to feel all warm and fuzzy about the bank and decide to put all of your money there - or take a big loan.

Still, it seems funny that "America's Most Convenient Bank" won't allow customers the convenience of the drive-thru ATM.

Up until this month, I have used a simple workaround. I have combined stops for coffee with necessary cash withdrawals by using the very consumer-friendly PNC Bank ATM at the WaWa on Triangle Rd., which for years has had no fee at all, from either PNC or TD Bank.

Imagine my surprise last week when I hit that button for $100 "fast cash" and was swiftly docked $102! Where did that $2 go? Not to PNC. It looks like TD Bank has found a convenient way to grab a couple bucks - a 2% commission in this case - from their loyal customers' transactions at WaWa.

What to do? Here's a clue - I won't be changing my coffee place.

Adjusting Open Space Tax Rate is Child's Play

2011-03-25T10:00:00.000-04:00

What happens to property tax rates after a town-wide revaluation, such as the one recently completed in Hillsborough? As my high school calculus teacher might say, the math here is "child's play". In order to collect the same amount of taxes, when the assessed value rises, the tax rate must go down.

We have already seen this calculation put into place with the proposed school tax. On Monday the School Board is expected to propose a new tax rate of $1.45 per $100 of assessed value, where the old rate was just over $2.00. The Township Committee will propose a similar adjustment in their upcoming budget.

So far, so good.

But what happens to other fees that aren't necessarily property taxes, but are tied directly to property values? Shouldn't those be adjusted also?

In dozens of New Jersey communities that have undergone revaluations over the past several years, the answer is either "no", or "we didn't think of it". Incredible!

The example at hand is the Open Space Tax. In Hillsborough, the tax - approved by voters in the mid-90s to preserve open space and farmland - is currently set at 4 cents per $100. Leaving the tax rate as it is would result in an unjustified windfall for the town, and create an increased, unapproved, tax burden for property owners.

Amazingly, nearly 75% of towns that have found themselves in this situation have done just that - collectively receiving a bonus of more than $15 million.

Not in Hillsborough, where Mayor Gloria McCauley has instructed the township attorney to investigate how to legally change the voter-approved tax rate to reflect the reassessments.

After that, the rest is, indeed, child's play.

Flagtown Forger, Retired

2011-03-23T13:20:00.004-04:00

By the time Emanuel Ninger's cell door clanged shut in the late Spring of 1896, the Flagtown Forger was already a legend. As early as 1879, his hand painted masterpieces, mostly 20s and 50s, began showing up at banks around the nation. After his arrest - he slipped up by laying a newly minted twenty dollar bill on a damp counter at a New York City bar, causing the ink to run - art critics came forward to hail the German immigrant, not as a Prussin War pensioner as he claimed to be, but as a near-genius of impressionism, and to plea for a short sentence.

Nevertheless, Ninger confessed, was tried quickly, and sentenced to six years at an upstate New York prison.

Most accounts of Ninger's exploits end with his incarceration - but there may be a bit more to the story.

Ninger's wife, Adelaide, vowed to move herself and her children from Flagtown to Buffalo in order to be able to visit her husband in prison and await his eventual release. Nearly penniless - Secret Service agents had confiscated all the cash they found in the home, both counterfeit and genuine - Mrs. Ninger didn't have the means to set up a new household in another state.

Enter Newark brewer, philanthropist, and sometime alderman, George W. Wiedenmayer.

Newark brewer and philanthropist George W. Wiedenmayer

Perhaps because of their shared German heritage, his appreciation for fine art, or some other reason lost to time, Wiedenmayer came forward and offered to buy the Ninger house in Flagtown, thereby putting Adelaide in funds for her relocation to Buffalo.

While preparing for the move that summer, Mrs. Ninger and a trusted neighbor decided to search one more time for any cash or valuables possibly hidden by her husband. Although Secret Service agents had searched in every nook and corner, it appears that they overlooked the cellar floor.

Upon prying up the floorboards, the women were astonished to find $5,000 in gold - the news of which quickly spread throughout Flagtown and all of Hillsborough.

A search of US census records reveals the Ninger family, minus Emanuel, living in Buffalo in 1900. It was in July of that year that Ninger, after time off for good behavior, was released. His freedom was brief, however, as he was then tried, sentenced, and served an additional term in a New Jersey prison for manufacturing the funny money.

By 1910, the entire family was reunited and living in Berks County, Pennsylvania, where Ninger described his occupation as "farmer". Curious, since he had done practically no farming at his Flagtown farm, instead claiming he derived his income from a Prussian War pension - a false claim used only as a cover for his counterfeiting operation.

So, what was Ninger doing in Berks County? An interview with Secret Service Special Agent Bruff on the topic of Ninger which appeared in a December 1910 issue of the New York Telegraph provides a clue. Bruff claims that Ninger was so well-respected, after a fashion, by the Secret Service, that he was being paid by the government to no longer be a forger! In essence, he was receiving a retirement check in order to ease the minds of officials at the Treasury Department who had spent nearly two decades and $750,000 trying to apprehend him.

It appears Emanuel Ninger may have gotten his pension after all.

Hillsborough, County Down

2011-03-17T10:37:00.007-04:00

Benjamin Franklin made his first and only visit to Hillsborough in October 1771 - a trip that perhaps set in motion the American Revolution. No, not OUR Hillsborough. I'm talking about Hillsborough's de facto sister city - Hillsborough, County Down, Northern Ireland - the ancestral home of Wills Hill, Earl of Hillsborough, British Secretary to the American Colonies in the 1770s.

During Franklin's 1771 diplomatic mission to the British Isles, he made his first visits to Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. It was in Dublin that he surprisingly encountered Lord Hillsborough, noted enemy of American interests, personally responsible for many of the most odious economic policies affecting the Colonies.

What astonished Franklin was Lord Hillsborough's apparent change of demeanor. In London, he was antagonistic and confrontational - in Dublin, he was cordial, amiable even, inviting Franklin and his entourage to stay with him at his estate as they continued on their journey to Belfast.

There was no way Franklin could turn down such a generous offer, particularly because they would have to necessarily pass right by Hillsborough's door.

Once at the Hillsborough estate, the American Party was treated quite hospitably, with particular attention being paid to Franklin. Remarkable since Lord Hillsborough had treated the American diplomat so contemptuously in London.

During the four-day visit, an extraordinary effort was made by Hillsborough to ingratiate himself with the Americans and to foster a good opinion of himself - including assigning his eldest son to drive Franklin forty miles on a sightseeing tour of the Irish countryside.

All of which made Franklin highly suspicious. He knew that Lord Hillsborough cared not for him, and even less for America. His only conclusion was that, "all the plausible behaviour I have described is meant only, by patting and stroking the horse, to make him more patient, while the reins are drawn tighter, and the spurs set deeper into his sides."

Franklin returned to America with an even deeper distrust of Lord Hillsborough and England's policy makers.

And we know what happened next!

Question for the Governor

2011-03-04T11:04:00.003-05:00

I was never a Boy Scout, but I still believe in being prepared. Even though I had no intention of raising my hand at Governor Chris Christie's town hall meeting in Hillsborough on Wednesday, I had a question prepared anyway. Hey, you never know.

Governor Christie at the Hillsborough Municipal Complex

*Here's my question:

Governor, I've lived in Hillsborough almost twenty years. In that time I have found Hillsborough to be a wonderful community full of caring people. Having been involved in some charitable efforts in town, I have seen firsthand the generosity of our residents. Whether it's fundraising for national charities, building a playground for disabled kids, or keeping our food pantry stocked, the people of Hillsborough always come through.

Even though Hillsborough is not an affluent community - in fact, our per capita income is right about at the state median - we acknowledge that there are communities needier than ours. We know that New Jersey's poorer cities need our income tax dollars to fund their schools. But Hillsborough is also a frugal community - evident in the fact that we have had amazing student achievement in our own schools, while spending far less than other comparable districts.

What we demand to see are results. Right now, we're just not seeing it. We send 60% of state aid to thirty urban districts, and it isn't doing any good. Some of these districts spend two or even three times as much per student as we do in Hillsborough, and it's all for nothing. If a student is going to drop out of school anyway, they could do it for $10,000 a year as easily as they could for $30,000.

Governor, when are we going to see some return on our investment in the urban districts?

*As always, this blog post represents my personal opinion and not that of the Hillsboroughh Twp. Board of Education.

Abraham Parsell, Miniature Portraitist

2011-02-28T23:59:00.090-05:00

I hope you're planning to attend the Seventh Annual Hillsborough Art Exhibit on Friday, April 1st, 2011 at the Municipal Building. Among the hundreds of works on display, you are sure to encounter a number of fine portraits in all shapes and sizes. Indeed, the highlight of the show is sure to be the unveiling of a large portrait of famous Hillsborough resident, philanthropist Doris Duke.

But it's a safe bet that none of the portraits will be as small as those painted by Hillsborough's most noted portrait artist, Abraham Parsell. Born in Neshanic in 1791, the second of the six children of Oliver Parsell and Lucretia Williamson, Parsell moved to New York as early 1820 to set up shop as a miniature portraitist.

The first interesting thing about Parsell is that he chose to forsake the traditional career path of the portraitist in the pre-photographic era, which would be to constantly travel. The fact that he was able to sustain a career in New York, competing with classically trained artists, for almost forty years, is proof of his talent and the quality of his output over time.

The second interesting aspect of Parsell's art is that not only did he apply paint to the front of the 2-1/2 by 2-1/4 inch translucent piece of ivory used for the portarits, but he also painted skillfully on the back side, which, according to Vincent DiCicco and Howard P. Fertig in their article about Parsell for Antiques and Fine Art, produced "muted tonalities on the front of the image" and illustrated "clear understanding of the medium in which Parsell chose to work".

The DiCicco and Fertig article includes many fine examples of Parsell's work. This one is from the Christine Archibald Portrait Miniatures web site:

It's Spring Clean-Up Time in Hillsborough

2011-02-27T23:59:00.001-05:00

As soon as the snow starts to melt, people begin asking questions about the Hillsborough Annual Clean-Up.

As in years past, you will need a coupon to visit the dump site. Coupons will be available at the DPW building from March 21 to April 29.

For more info, click on the flier below.

Central NJ Walk Now for Autism - Sunday October 9, 2011

2011-02-26T23:59:00.022-05:00

It seems like it was just a few weeks ago that we wrapped up the 2010 fundraising season for Central New Jersey Walk Now for Autism Speaks - and it was! But already the work begins planning our 2011 event.

The 12th Annual Central NJ Walk Now for Autism Speaks event will be held Sunday, October 9, 2011 at Mercer County Community College. For more information, please click here.

Hillsborough's Hope was the top fundraising team in 2010, thanks to the generous donations of hundreds of Hillsborough families and the support of our local professional and business community.

Please plan on joining us this year on October 9th.

Christie Coming to Hillsborough for Town Hall Meeting

2011-02-25T23:59:00.013-05:00

Governor Chris Christie is coming to Hillsborough Wednesday March 2, for a town hall meeting. Because of space limitations at the municipal building, residents are asked to RSVP by clicking here.

Not only is this your chance to ask the governor a question, you just might become a YouTube sensation!

Christie Gets Down to Business

2011-02-24T10:36:00.000-05:00

For years, New Jerseyans have pleaded with Trenton politicians to run the state like a business. And for years, governors have said, yes!, you're right, I will take a business-like approach. I will strive for efficiency, I will eliminate waste, etc. Yet no one has been able to actually deliver on this promise.

The problem, up to this point, is that government is not set up to be run like a business at all. Every business operates with the knowledge that they may go "out of business" at any time. They are constrained by this premise in everything they do - borrowing, investing, spending, expanding, and bargaining.

State government has always operated as if they can't go out of business, and everyone knows it - the special interests, the unions, and the politicians themselves. Promises made today can be figured out tomorrow. There's always tomorrow - no one is going anywhere.

Until now. Decades of taxing and spending and borrowing, combined with the current recession, may have actually, finally, brought politicians to the realization that New Jersey CAN go out of business.

The temptation is to say, so what? Better to go bankrupt, or get a federal bailout, than to upset the status quo.

With the 2012 budget, Governor Christie is leading with the opposite approach. We MUST upset the status quo, It is actually NOT better for New Jersey to bankrupt itself.

I agree.

Somerset Dems Seek Candidates

2011-02-23T08:00:00.019-05:00

Are Somerset County Democrats looking for love in all the wrong places?

I received an interesting valentine of sorts last week from the Somerset County Democratic Committee containing the local politics equivalent of the "Be Mine" candy heart. After asking around, it became apparent that I was not the only "local democrat" who received the letter seeking candidates for November races.

I was invited to call and schedule an appointment with the screening committee so that we might evaluate my qualifications to run for freeholder, or assembly, or even state senate!

The only problem is that I am not a Somerset County Democrat! As an unaffiliated voter, I belong to no political parties or clubs - which I guess still makes me marginally acceptable as a potential democratic candidate. Or at least more acceptable than the many Hillsborough Republicans who also received the letter.

I suppose the oft-heartbroken Somerset Dems are casting a wide net. On Valentine's Day, it's hopeful to believe there are many fish in the sea. Of course, you never know what you might catch!

The Ballad of Hans van Pelt, Part 3

2011-02-22T12:00:00.020-05:00

The conclusion of the Ballad of Hans van Pelt. If any kind reader knows anything about the origins of this tale, or about its author Joseph Hunt Miller, please leave a comment.

But before a man moved, a fresh breeze in the air
Uncovered the legs that were galloping there,
When the gleaming sharp point of each curving cow horn
Seemed the point of a lance by an enemy borne.

Then arose a wild cry that rang far through the town,
That the Tories in hot wrath were fast riding down.
Such a racket, and tumult, and terrible roar
Never Middlebush heard neither since or before.

When his tired horse at last to the spur gave no heed,
And in vain strove the rider to quicken his speed,
As the day hid its face under night's sable gown,
On a slow-walk he rode into Millstone's fair town,
Where Ten Eycks, and Ten Broecks, and ten dozen or more
Of Van Dams and Van Liews, of Van Duzens, Van Dor-
Ens, Van Veghtens, Van Camps, Van Arsdales, Van Dycks,
Van Cleefs, and Van Syckles, Van Homes and Van Slykes,
Who, that evening as wont having finished their chores,
Were all gathered in groups, just in front of their doors;
The men smoking and joking; the good women knitting-
An employment they follow, whether standing or sitting.
Salutations they gave Hans, believing the stranger
One riding the land with war's tidings of danger.
Came his words to their ears, like chill winds to the flowers,
When an iceberg has stranded on tropical shores-
"The British have come!" - then, on turning his head
And beholding the moon, which now arid and red,
Hung low in the east, and shone through the dim haze-
"New Brunswick is sacked! See, the town's in a blaze,
And on their swift horses they hitherward come,
The soldiers of Howe to pillage your town."

Then the hardy Ten Broecks were all in a quiver,
Through the bold Ten Eycks swept an aching cold shiver,
And the tremor contagious spread to each man
Till aching and shaking stood every Van.

Trusty scouts were sent forward who rode all the night
Nor returned to the town till the dawn's early light,
Though far they had ridden, some to New Brunswick below,
They found in the land not a sign of the foe.
Then the Vans took to swearing and swore all the day,
If ever again Hans should ride down that way,
Though he came like a priest, in a cassock and gown,
Only his ghost should ride forth from the town.

At midnight Hans reached the high hill of Neshanic,
Where he sprang from his horse and ran in his panic
To a cave on its brow, where long hidden he lay.
What came of him then, I really can't say,
For like the old dame, who lived under the hill,
For all that I know he is living there still.

Joseph Hunt Miller

The Ballad of Hans van Pelt, Part 2

2011-02-21T12:00:00.012-05:00

Part two of Joseph Hunt Miller's ballad of Hans van Pelt.

With knees pressing the saddle, erect in his seat
Hans rode into town through long Albany Street
Where he gazed with fresh joy at the tall stately stores
All with large, painted signs overhanging their doors,
So distinctly each lettered on wood, or on tin;
Without asking he knew who were merchants within.

In the heart of the city appeared to his ken
The endless long line of fair women and men,
And though bells were not ringing he had not a doubt
That service, was over, and church was just out,
And surmised, as he gazed on the gaily dressed crowd,
That New Brunswick's fine town-folks were all over-proud
In not giving to strangers that shake of the hand
That plain folks would give in Neshanic's green land.

At a window where brokers pile high their bright gold
He was gazing, and dreaming of riches untold,
When he heard a voice cry, "The British have come!"
Then approaching him near the clear tap of the drum.
Soon quivered the air to the bugle's loud blast,
And in martial array came a squad marching fast-
Not the soldiers of Howe and in red coats of flame,
But wild urchins, who mimicked war's blustering game.
On perceiving them Hans was stricken with fear
That each boy in the ranks seemed a tall grenadier;
Each gay feather a plume arid each broomstick a gun,
With a bayonet flashing the light of the sun.

Then the whip and the spur with wild vigor applying,
Up long Albany Street he rode galloping, flying
Far away from the foeman who had taken the town.
With a hand on the pommel to hold his weight down,
He rode galloping, flying past meadow and wood,
With the wild fear of danger ever chilling his blood,
And as thus he rode on, like an aspen he shook
When he turned in his saddle behind him to look,
For a cloud of red dust that arose in his rear
Seemed a British dragoon at a charge with a spear.

As in his mad flight he was riding adown
The broad highway that leads to old Middlebush town,
Some stray cows that were grazing along the roadside
The wild horse and his rider in wonderment eyed;
And when started the leader, alarmed at the sight,
With long tails high in air, the whole herd took to flight,

And then swiftly together pell-mell they came down
Horse, rider, and cows on old Middlebush town;
While the citizens hearing the noise and the clatter
From their houses all ran to see what was the matter;
And preceding the cloud wreath they knew that there must
Be strong winds in its folds to uphold the red dust.

'Twas a whirling tornado, destructive in wrath,
Such as sweeps the green fields, as it speeds on its path,
Bare as lands in the east that the locusts encamp on,
Or the fields through which ran the red foxes of Sampson.

The Ballad of Hans van Pelt, Part 1

2011-02-20T17:07:00.000-05:00

Joseph Hunt Miller is the author of this long ballad recounting the Revolutionary era story of Hillsborough's "boy who cried wolf" - Hans van Pelt, The Sourlands rock formation Fort Hans, near the Montgomery - Hillsborough border, is named after the eager, but misguided Neshanic farmer. Thanks to Marion Fenwick-Freeman for providing me with a photocopy of the tale - which I will post in three parts. Enjoy!

Hans Van Pelt

Hans Van Pelt was an honest low-Dutchman;
Not low in his stature, but low by the Van
That you find in his name and which proves his descent
From the burghers of old, who, with peaceful intent,
From the Indians bought all the valleys along
The Raritan, and the Musconetcong;
A long belt of land that runs from the West,
From where Delaware joins with the laughing Pequest,
To East where Passaic, or Hackensack flows,
And Communipaw rests in its quiet repose.

In the day of our fathers, New Brunswick was known
Through all this broad belt as the chief market town,
And thither our farmers oft wended their way
With their barley and oats, and their long wains of hay;
And such stories they told by their bright Winter fires
That each lad in the land longed to see its tall spires.

So one day, as noon's shadows to rosy tints melt,
That bold son of Neshanic, young, burly, Van Pelt,
On horse ventured forth for this city so gay.
Joy gleamed from his eyes as he rode on his way;
But a sad thought at times drove its light from his face-
The thought that Lord Howe might soon capture the place;
For of all things under the sun, or the moon,
The most fearful to him was a British Dragoon.

When many a farm house and hamlet were passed;
When the shadows of day had so shortened their cast,
That the reaching foreleg of the horse in its tread
Stood over the shade of the animal's head,
From the brow of a high hill he saw at his feet
New Brunswick, above which the hazy smoke curled
From full many a forge; while beyond, with sails furled,
Rode long schooners and brigs, from the marts of the world.

There afar flowed the Raritan winding its way
Through long meadows and marshes to Amboy Bay;
And there down in the waters reflected were seen
The wild blossoms in bloom on its borders of green,
For so lovely the wild flowers were blushing in bliss
Where daily the ocean runs up for a kiss;
Where, with shoulder to shoulder, the river and sea
Push their way through the reeds, and across the green lea,
Till the wavelets, all standing tip-toe on the shores,
With their cool lips just touch the warm lips of the flowers;
Where the river and sea, in a bright silver tide,
From the blossoms that deck the smooth meadow-lands glide,
And soft sighs, and low sobs all the little waves heave,

While each tardily moves, as if loathing to leave,
Till, increasing in speed, they, in quick-pulsing swells,
Go far down to the bay, passing hills and fair dells.
For a romp on the beach with the wild sea's gay shells.

Lincoln Lunches with Legislature

2011-02-18T09:21:00.001-05:00

On his way to Washington, D.C. for his inauguration, Abraham Lincoln stopped in Trenton for a reception given by New Jersey lawmakers. I previously wrote about Lincoln's speech to the senate - essentially a version of his campaign stump speech, with some added remarks about our state's importance in the Revolution.

For his speech to the assembly - a body composed mostly of Democrats who did not support the nation's first Republican president - Lincoln spoke of the cuff, hinting for the first time that he might resort to force - "put the foot down firmly" - to preserve the union.

Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen: I have just enjoyed the honor of a reception by the other branch of this Legislature, and I return to you and them my thanks for the reception which the people of New-Jersey have given, through their chosen representatives, to me, as the representative, for the time being, of the majesty of the people of the United States. I appropriate to myself very little of the demonstrations of respect with which I have been greeted. I think little should be given to any man, but that it should be a manifestation of adherence to the Union and the Constitution. I understand myself to be received here by the representatives of the people of New-Jersey, a majority of whom differ in opinion from those with whom I have acted. This manifestation is therefore to be regarded by me as expressing their devotion to the Union, the Constitution and the liberties of the people. You, Mr. Speaker, have well said that this is a time when the bravest and wisest look with doubt and awe upon the aspect presented by our national affairs. Under these circumstances, you will readily see why I should not speak in detail of the course I shall deem it best to pursue. It is proper that I should avail myself of all the information and all the time at my command, in order that when the time arrives in which I must speak officially, I shall be able to take the ground which I deem the best and safest, and from which I may have no occasion to swerve. I shall endeavor to take the ground I deem most just to the North, the East, the West, the South, and the whole country. I take it, I hope, in good temper--certainly no malice toward any section. I shall do all that may be in my power to promote a peaceful settlement of all our difficulties. The man does not live who is more devoted to peace than I am. None who would do more to preserve it. But it may be necessary to put the foot down firmly. And if I do my duty, and do right, you will sustain me, will you not? Received, as I am, by the members of a Legislature the majority of whom do not agree with me in political sentiments, I trust that I may have their assistance in piloting the ship of State through this voyage, surrounded by perils as it is; for, if it should suffer attack now, there will be no pilot ever needed for another voyage.

Gentlemen, I have already spoken longer than I intended, and must beg leave to stop here.

New Supermarket for Hillsborough

2011-02-17T13:04:00.005-05:00

With the newspapers reporting that the Hillsborough Pathmark is on the list of stores that will be closed as the A&P corporation struggles to recover from bankruptcy, it may be a good time to reflect on the opening our town's first modern supermarket.

Co-owners John Plesa and Charles Mazur join Hillsborough Committeemen John Guerrera and Elliott Smith, Ray Eghertt, Jr. and Tom Marshall of R.L. Eghertt Refrigeration, and Mrs. Charles Mazur at the grand opening of the Foodtown supermarket on May 21, 1969.

On May 21, 1969, Charles Mazur and John Plesa opened their third area Foodtown in the Route 206 "Hillsboro Plaza". The modern building, most recently occupied by Cost-Cutters, went up in just a couple of months that spring, and featured all of the latest refrigeration equipment and display shelves - along with seven (!) checkout lanes.

Other tenants at the Hillsboro Plaza included Buxton's, Roma Beauty Salon, and Town & Country Barber Shop.

The proprietors touted the plaza's "substantial free parking", and ease of loading up one's car.

But the best thing about the new Foodtown? Has to be those 1969 prices!

Crash, Boom, Bang

2011-02-14T15:24:00.001-05:00

New Jersey's Safe Corridors highway safety program is now seven years old. Misnamed from the start - the designation was applied to a dozen of the state's most unsafe roads - Safe Corridor signage was supposed to alert drivers and reduce accidents on some of New Jersey's deadliest highways.

Has the program been successful? In an era of text-happy teens and otherwise inattentive drivers, most of the state has seen a reduction in collisions along these routes. That's great for most of the state, but right here in Hillsborough, our Route 206 Safe Corridor saw an 11% increase in accidents from 2004 to 2009 - the most recent year in which statistics are available.

Looking for answers? A DOT spokesman blames the 206 troubles on increased traffic volume, and says there's nothing the state can do about it.

Dam, Dam, Dam

2011-02-07T17:52:00.001-05:00

The Houston-based El Paso Corporation has agreed to remove three dams from the Raritan River as part of a settlement to compensate New Jersey for damage to natural resources from four industrial plants it operates in the state. Two of the offending facilities, EPEC Polymers Inc in Flemington, and Nuodex Inc. in Woodbridge, are in the Raritan River watershed.

Removal of the dams is being applauded by environmental groups as the project will allow fish such as American shad, striped bass, American eel, and herring to reach further upriver to spawn. The faster flow of the river without the dams is also better for the overall health of the river and the surrounding wildlife.

The first dam to be removed will be the Calco Dam, in the vicinity of Polhemus Drive in Bridgewater. Built by the Calco Chemical Company in 1938, it was used to disperse chemicals into the river, and is currently used by the Somerset Raritan Valley Sewerage Authority.

View Raritan River Dams to be Removed in a larger map

The two other dams, shown on the map above, are closer to home.

The Nevius Street Dam, located between the Nevius Street Bridge and the Basilone Bridge, was built in 1901 and was used to provide water to the lakes on the Duke Estate.

The Robert Street Dam was built some time before 1930. Located near the eastern tip of Duke Island Park, it's purpose is unclear - but I am guessing it also had something to do with the Duke Estate.

The Headgates Dam, at the western end of Duke Island Park, is not slated for demolition.

HeadGates Dam at Duke Island Park

Hillsborough - All Grown Up?

2011-02-04T11:19:00.000-05:00

I once suggested Hillsborough should get its own groundhog, along the lines of Punxsutawney Phil, or Milltown Mel. Now, with the release of the US Federal Census data, I'm thinking it would make better sense for our town mascot to be a snail.

During the past decade, Hillsborough's population increased just 4.6%. Not only is that the lowest percentage increase in a century, but the 1,669 residents added between 2000 and 2010 were the fewest since our town's first post-war population boom of the 1940s, when residents increased 46% from 2,645 in 1940 to 3,875 in 1950.

It was just four years ago, during the charter study to recommend a new form of government for the town, that some proponents of the mayor-council form of government cited Hillsborough's increasing population as one of the reasons we needed a "larger, more complex" form of government. We often heard Hillsborough's population estimated to be 40,000 or near 40,000. In fact, at the current rate of growth, it would take another full decade for Hillsborough to increase its population from the current 38,303 to 40,000.

How is this possible? Aren't houses going up everywhere, aren't the schools bursting with kids? No and no. Residents who have moved here during the past two decades sometimes have the mistaken notion that we have been in the midst of a building boom. Old-timers know the real boom was in the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s, with population increases each decade of 96%, 46%, 72%, and 51% respectively. The last big wave of residential development was in the 90s, when 8,000 newcomers moved in for an increase of just 27%. And as for the schools - there are about the same number of students in 2011 as there were in 2001, with projections for a slight downward trend over the next several years.

Punxsutawney Phil may have predicted an early spring, but I'm predicted 10 more years of slow stable snail's pace growth in Hillsborough.

Somerset County's Amazing Race

2011-02-01T14:46:00.000-05:00

One of my all-time favorite reality TV shows is "The Amazing Race". The program, which begins airing its 18th season later this month, pits around a dozen teams of two in a combination international scavenger hunt and athletic competition in a race around the world.

The Somerset County Parks Department stages its own "amazing race" each August. The "Somerset County Caper" is a fun two day trek through the various county parks and recreation areas. Family teams compete in challenges, search for clues, and complete tasks - all while learning what our parks have to offer. Every team that completes all of the challenges by the Sunday afternoon deadline is in the running for some great prizes.

This past August was the first time our vacation schedule allowed us to join in the fun. We had such a good time, I think we will planour 2011 vacation around the Caper!

Getting ready for the paddle boat race at Colonial Park.

Bocce at Colonial Park.

Looking for the hidden clues at Natirar.

Collecting all of the stamps for the scavenger hunt book.

A golf lesson at Warrenbrook Golf Course.

William is a natural!

Doing the Chicken Dance at the Duke Island Park bandshell.

Water Balloon toss at North Branch Park.

OOPS!

Three-quarters of the Gillette Quartet.

Chasing tennis balls - and occasionally hitting one -
at the Green Knoll Tennis Center.

Contemplating the wildlife at the Lord Stirling Park Environmental Education Center.

Enjoying a musical lesson in ecology courtesy of Kathy Byers
and Lydia Adams Davis.

Everyone got into the act!

Jersey Couture

2011-01-13T11:11:00.000-05:00

One of the best things about growing up in Freehold was, and I'm sure still is, being so close to the beach. I guess I didn't really appreciate the proximity until I moved to Hillsborough, and was faced with that hour-plus drive to the shore.

Now, after watching several episodes of Oxygen's reality show "Jersey Couture", I am beginning to think Freehold isn't so close to the shore after all.

"Jersey Couture" is about an upscale women's formal wear/dress shop, Diane & Co., in Freehold. Freehold Township, really - although thanks to clever use of b-roll in the editing room, you get the idea that the store is in downtown Freehold Boro, instead of on New Jersey's famous Highway 9.

Regardless, in the world of reality TV, "Jersey Couture" is as far from "The Jersey Shore" as "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" are from "Ice Road Truckers".

The show centers around Diane Scali - who has been in retail fashion for 30 years - and her two daughters, Kimberly and Christina, who run the business with her. Throw in Dad, Sal, and little brother, Anthony, and you get the idea.

Yes, like all reality shows, there are some stereotypes - Kimberly is the business-minded new mom who wants to have it all, and Christina is the free-spirited single girl who just moved out on her own. And there is some created drama - will Christina stay with the family business, or will she break away, follow her true passion, food?

But where "The Jersey Shore" is vulgar, "Jersey Couture" is sweet. Where "The Jersey Shore" is obnoxious, "Jersey Couture" is charming. This must be the only New Jersey based reality show with no fistfights, no four-letter-words, and no arrests!

The whole family cares about each other, looks out for each other, and has the back of every young lady that walks into their shop. Yes, this is a NICE reality show.

Maybe that's why there is still no word on whether they have been picked up for a second season!

Thin and Getting Thinner

2011-01-12T12:00:00.022-05:00

I was about half finished shoveling out today when the guy who delivers the Courier News pulled up and rolled down his window.

"Just toss it", I said.

No dice. "Too light, I can't throw it".

True story.

Ironic then that Gannett, owner of the Courier News and several other New Jersey papers, officially announced today that they were laying off staff at their three central NJ newspapers - the CN, the Home News Tribune, and the Daily Record. Only 53 of the 99 newsroom positions will remain after February 4, 2011.

Maybe the delivery guy would be better off just folding the slim offering into a paper airplane next time.

Hillsborough & Montgomery Telephone Company

2011-01-11T11:14:00.001-05:00

With Verizon set to announce this week that they will be carrying Apple's iPhone, a move that will result in the sales of millions of the high tech gadgets, it's interesting to note that the Hillsborough & Montgomery Telephone Company launched in 1904 with just thirteen customers!

Formed in November of 1903 to serve the rural communities around Belle Mead - southern Hillsborough, northern Montgomery, Millstone, and Griggstown - the company was, by 1971, serving over 3,500 customers.

Growing pains later that decade resulting from the mid-seventies housing boom led to service problems - there were eventually 6,000 customers using 12,00 phones - and a huge equipment upgrade investment.

This uncredited photograph which appeared in the Franklin News Record in 1971 shows equipment being tested prior to a service upgrade.

A 1971 public service ad from United Telephone, still using the H&M name.

By the end of the decade. Hillsborough & Montgomery's 102 shareholders were looking to merge New Jersey's last independent phone company with one of the larger national companies. In October of 1978 they reached an agreement with United Telephone - then the nation's third largest telephone system - to merge the two companies. H&M shareholders received twenty shares of United stock for every share of H&M stock they held.

*Note on the Maps

2011-01-07T21:05:00.002-05:00

If you've browsed around this blog, you may have noticed that many posts incorporate Google Maps. Nearly all of these maps are interactive. In other words, you can use the maps like you would use any Google Map - zoom in and out, switch from satellite to map view and vice versa, and scroll around.

The next time you see a map on the site, get that mouse clicking!

"New" New Center Road?

2011-01-06T10:01:00.002-05:00

Twenty-Five years ago, two small linear-shaped lots were donated to Hillsborough Township for the purpose of road construction. The properties, along the old Central Railroad of NJ right-of-way in the vicinity of Auten, Valley, and Roycefield Roads, were on the agenda at a recent township committee meeting after it was discovered that the two parcels were mistakenly included in Hillsborough's Recreation and Open Space Inventory (ROSI). A public hearing was held on the proposal to remove block 143 lots 11.03 and 7.19 from the ROSI.

All of which begs the question -what road construction project was envisioned in 1985?

The news outlets all reported these two lots as being located "along Auten Road", and as being intended for "road widening". Clearly that is not the case. The lots are NOT along Auten or any other road. They are landlocked parcels in a commercial and industrial zone, north of Valley Road, between Auten and Roycefield.

It is my opinion that the two properties were acquired in anticipation of a NEW road, perhaps something like this:

View "New" New Center Rd. in a larger map

[The two lots in question appear as a darker blue line in the map]

This route would be a new alignment of New Center Road, past the intersection with Auten Road, eastward along the abandoned Central Railroad of New Jersey right-of-way, crossing Roycefield Road, and then more directly east, skirting the southern boundary of Duke Farms, before intersecting Route 206 at Brook Boulevard.

Would a plan like this be feasible now, twenty-five years later? It is no secret that Duke Farms' ambitious plans for a transformation of the Doris Duke Estate into an environmental center and park - including turning the farm barn south of Dukes Parkway into a new visitors' center - would benefit from making use of Dukes Parkway as a de facto entrance road, for no other reason than visitors will have to cross Dukes Parkway to access the bulk of the property after parking at the visitors' center.

Somerset County already owns some of the property in the vicinity of Roycefield Road, and with the mercury now gone from the South Somerville Depot, there may be a future opportunity for more land acquisition nearby. A new road providing access through this area could be useful.

Just something to consider.

Thank You Central New Jersey

2010-12-31T22:41:00.003-05:00

This has turned out to be an amazing year for Walk Now For Autism Speaks Central New Jersey. Together, we have raised over $230,000 to find the causes, treatments, and, ultimately, cures for autism. We obliterated last year's total by more than $50,000!

What is even more astounding is that our own Hillsborough community, led by the members of our Hillsborough's Hope team, was once again so generous and enthusiastic in their support, allowing us to repeat as the 2010 top fundraiser - leading the way with nearly $14,000.

Hillsborough's Hope would like to thank the following for supporting our team's efforts:

Assemblyman Peter J. Biondi

Mayor Frank DelCore

Mr. Scott Rocco, Interim Superintendent of the Schools

Dr. Neil Shusterman, DDS

Dr. Laurene Wolf DMD, MSD

Principal Volpe, Teachers and Staff at Hillsborough Elementary School

Bagel Bistro & Grill, Hillsborough (formerly Bagel BOP) for their in-kind donation for the walk. Thanks, Russ!

Woods Road School Teachers:

Ms. Whitney Impellizeri and Ms. Alyson Williams for joining our team and working with our kids every day!

and to all of the Principals of the Hillsborough Elementary Schools and Auten Road Intermediate School Principal Mr. Carey

All of the families and friends in the Hillsborough School District who have so generously contributed to our fundraising efforts.

Patty and I would also like to thank the dedicated volunteers of Hillsborough's Hope - Kelly Neuberger, Kathy Lang, and Lisa Dickholz - and their families, for giving up their time to work with us on this cause.

Happy New Year!

New Administrator/Clerk

2010-12-30T23:59:00.001-05:00

Former mayor and longtime Planning Board and MUA member Mike Merdinger has been chosen from a pool of nearly four dozen applicants to become Hillsborough's new administrator/clerk. Read the full story here.

Merdinger will begin his new post on January 5th.

Although he will be new to the particular duties of a municipal administrator, the Flagtown resident has many years of private sector management experience in the environmental engineering realm, most recently working on a multimillion dollar waste management project in Kuwait.

This coming year will mark the beginning of Merdinger's fifth decade of service to Hillsborough.

All the Old News That Didn't Fit

2010-12-29T23:59:00.002-05:00

The end of the year is almost here - and I still have so much more to write.

Here are some of the stories I just couldn't find time for in 2010.

The murder of eleven-year-old Josephine Krysowaty
Forty years of Hillsborough Twp. High School Football
Somerset County's "Amazing Race"
The history of Woods Tavern
Hillsborough's most famous, and outspoken, freed slave
Elmer Clawson, boy murderer
The tragic murder of Bell executive Andrew J. Morton
The railroad that put "Hillsboro" on the map

As is usually the case, the only thing separating a job well done from a piece of garbage, is having the time to do the job right.

The beginning of a new year offers nothing if not time.

See you on the "Quad"

2010-12-28T23:59:00.004-05:00

I wrote about Hillsborough's Meadows development back in 2007 - click here to read the story of one of our town's most fascinating neighborhoods.

Then check out these two original ads from 1977.

"Tastefully Appointed Luxury..." at Kimberwyck Village

2010-12-27T23:59:00.004-05:00

Hillsborough absolutely abounds in "tasteful" apartment complexes. Don't take it from me - read this September 1974 ad for Kimberwyck Village.

That two bedroom duplex with full basement sounds like a good deal at $300 per month - even in 1974 dollars.

New Jersey First, Last, and Always

2010-12-23T19:26:00.003-05:00

It's being reported today that New Jersey faces a $53 billion deficit in its retiree pension obligations. That's a number that, according to the governor's office, could rise to over $180 billion in thirty years - if we don't change the system now.

Meanwhile, Governor Chris Christie is mulling over whether or not to sign the "New Jersey First Act". The bill, passed by the Senate this week, will require new state employees to live in New Jersey, or establish primary residence here within one year of beginning work. Current employees who live out of state would be exempt from the provision.

It occurs to me that these two issues have a lot in common.

If new public employees have to live here to work here, maybe new retirees should have to live here to collect their pensions.

It would be interesting to find out how many pension checks are mailed out of state, or transferred by direct deposit to banks in Florida, or North Carolina. All of that capital leaving the state can not possibly have a positive effect on our economy.

Pension checks received in New Jersey are likely to be spent in New Jersey, benefiting our economy.

Perhaps there is a formula where part of the pension could be awarded as a property tax credit - sell your house, move away, and lose the credit.

What do you think?

Barking Up the Right Tree

2010-12-22T23:59:00.003-05:00

I had to read the MyCentralJersey.com Hillsborough dog license fee story through a couple of times, and do some math, before I figured out what was going on.

It's not obvious from the story, but with some multiplication and division, I was able to determine that there are about 3,600 dogs in the township. The $7 license fee established twenty years ago just has not kept pace with the amount Hillsborough pays annually for state mandated animal control services. In 2010, pet owners contributed $25,000 toward the $60,000 fee, with the balance being made up out of the general fund, i.e. your tax dollar.

Don't get me wrong, I don't believe dog owners should shoulder the entire cost for animal control - especially since it is expected to be as much as $126,000 by 2012. After all, the entire town benefits from these services, even if you don't own so much as a goldfish.

Still, the Hillsborough Township Committee's proposal to gradually raise the license fee to $20 over the next two years will mean that leash holders will be covering about 55% of the expenditure - which seems just about pawfect.

Solstice Lunar Eclipse

2010-12-21T23:59:00.001-05:00

This is just cool.

Nixle

2010-12-20T09:44:00.003-05:00

Here's a nice tool to stay on top of road closures/motor vehicle accidents in Hillsborough.

http://local.nixle.com/city/nj/hillsborough/

Sign up to receive email alerts from the Hillsborough Township Police Department.

Get Employed Sooner

2010-12-17T11:36:00.000-05:00

Contrary to Assemblyman Alex DeCroce's assertion that the unemployed are "gaming the system" by not taking jobs, I would offer that the majority of people receiving unemployment benefits are making valid economic decisions for themselves and their families.

Look at it this way - a person who has been out of work for more than a month or two has probably taken the kids out of daycare, started cutting his own lawn, saved a bunch of money on gas, tolls, and lunches, etc. And I haven't even hit on all of the other opportunity costs of having to get up to work your nine-to-five job - or the stress that comes with the daily grind.

In order to go back to his previous lifestyle, that person will need to find a job that pays significantly MORE than unemployment. The trick is to hit that sweet spot - and it's different for everyone.

If the goal is to prod people back to work, the New Jersey legislature should start by creating a system where the tipping point comes sooner rather than later - perhaps by reducing benefits over time, making an undesirable job at week five look like a great job by week fifteen. Only then will we be able to fix this mess.

"These People"

2010-12-15T08:48:00.000-05:00

"Who ARE THESE PEOPLE?" That's not the tag line from Jerry Seinfeld's latest stand-up routine. It's what Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver is asking Minority Leader Alex DeCroce.

While speaking about unemployment insurance benefits, DeCroce used the term "these people" to refer to unemployed individuals who were "gaming the system" to continue receiving benefits instead of looking for work.

Oliver was quick to play the race card. Whether or not she is particularly sensitive to the words "these people" is unclear. What is clear is that she lost no time in seizing this opportunity to turn a real issue - New Jersey's broken unemployment insurance system - into politics as usual.

And yes, Seinfeld fans, there IS something wrong with that.

"Fake Farmers"

2010-12-09T10:57:00.002-05:00

There are two interesting stories in today's Courier News about the New Jersey farmland assessment program. State Senator Jennifer Beck from Monmouth County is once again calling on lawmakers to reform the outdated program whereby property owners with as few as 5 acres of land can get a significant tax break - up to 98% off! - by selling as little as $500 worth of farm products.

Senator Beck goes so far as to call these people "fake farmers". I think she may be right.

The key statistic for me - and these stories were full of stats - is that people are paying up to $1 million per acre for some of these "farms" - and paying just a few dollars in taxes. Obviously, the land's value doesn't derive from being a farm. It's value is as a buffer for a grand estate, or as a potential development. Take a look at this farm for sale in Titusville to see what I mean.

http://www.lisajamesotto.com/172-Pleasant-Valley-Road-a188957.html

There is a simple first step that NJ lawmakers can take to fix this broken system. The $500 threshold was created in 1964. Simply allowing for inflation would raise that number to $3500. At that amount, a property owner might have to have some sort of real operation - some kind of "real farming" - and not just a half dozen beehives, or a couple of alpacas.

Irrational, Cynical, Adulthood

2010-12-08T23:55:00.003-05:00

It was April 1970. Must have been just after noon, as I was in PM Kindergarten at Burlington Road School. We were getting settled at our desks when a classmate whispered, "the Beatles broke up, my sister told me."

I remember thinking, how old is this girl's sister? how would she know if the Beatles broke up? this doesn't make any sense.

"The Beatles are NOT breaking up." I was as defiant as a six-year-old can be. None of my friends' parents were divorced, everyone had two grandmothers and two grandfathers, and the Beatles will never break up.

That ten year period brom April 1970 to December 1980 was my whole rational, idealistic, childhood. I'm not sure what to call the last thirty years. Irrational, cynical, adulthood, perhaps?

Goodbye, Mercury

2010-12-07T14:18:00.002-05:00

Now that the last shipment of mercury has left for Nevada, it might be pointed out that thirty years ago, the General Services Administration's South Somerville Depot was just one of 117 Federal depots charged with stockpiling 93 strategic commodities. Among the 35 materials stored at the Hillsborough Township location on Route 206 just south of the Doris Duke estate were antimony, asbestos, beryllium metal, cobalt, copper, crude rubber, iodine, tin, and mercury - an inventory that was then worth a half billion dollars.

Originally intended to store enough materials to fight the first five years of a war, cutbacks under President Nixon reduced the nation's stockpiles to less than three years. President Ford initiated a program to rebuild the stockpile - a program that was continued by Jimmy Carter.

When a New York Times reporter visited the depot in May 1978, managers were quick to point out the dangers posed by many of the materials. The more than 1,000 tons of crude iodine was said to be particularly hazardous, as was the 12,000 tons of crude asbestos stored in burlap bags. Employees were required to wear protective clothing and follow other OSHA regulations when handling such materials.

As you might expect special mention was made of the 2,659 tons of mercury stored in steel flasks. An electronic sniffer that could detect mercury odors as small as between one and two parts per million was employed in the warehouse. It was noted that inhalation of mercury vapors "can damage the brain and kill."

Good riddance!

Hard to Swallow - But Worth It

2010-12-06T10:34:00.004-05:00

Since I endorsed Chris Christie for governor, people have been asking me if I still support him. The short answer is "yes".

Does this mean that I agree with every decision he has made? Actually, It's hard for me to think of one I DISAGREE with. Certainly, losing $6 million in state aid for our Hillsborough Township Schools - including $800,000 of our surplus - was tough to swallow.

But look - it's not a cop-out to ask, "what's the alternative?" When I was a kid, I didn't like swallowing that awful spoonful of cough syrup, but it had to go down.

What Christie is doing has got to go down, too. The state will be better for it.

"Extravagant, Luxurious..." Beekman Gardens

2010-11-30T23:59:00.001-05:00

Here are some 1977 ads for the Beekman Gardens and Beekman Village apartments and townhouses.

Rents that started at $260 per month 34 years ago are now at $1000.

A "most beautiful" Complex

2010-11-29T13:10:00.000-05:00

Here's an ad from January 1975 for Hillsborough Gardens, one of the many apartment and townhouse developments in the Triangle Road - Farm Road area.

According to the real estate websites, monthly rents have more than quadrupled over the past 36 years, with an 872 sq. ft. apartment now starting at $985.

"Bring Your Own Turkey? Sure!"

2010-11-25T15:00:00.005-05:00

It's Thanksgiving in Hillsborough, circa 1960. I hope you brought your appetite -and your turkey!

Click on the image to enlarge the menu.

Shovel-Ready, 1897

2010-11-18T23:59:00.002-05:00

When the members of the Bridgewater Township Committee were roused from their beds by phone calls and messengers just after midnight on October 24, 1897, they probably weren't expecting to hear that they were in the midst of an invasion by "a thousand men from Baltimore", but that was exactly what was happening.

The New York and Philadelphia Traction Company had been involved in a bitter three-year dispute with the Brunswick Traction Company over who had the legal right to build and operate a trolley line between Bound Brook and Somerville. Earlier that evening, a train left Baltimore for Finderne carrying enough railroad track for two and a half miles of road, a trolley car, and 1,000 laborers, foremen, and engineers under the employ of the New York and Philadelphia Traction Company - with orders to build the railway,and let nothing stand in their way.

The few police officers the township committee had at their disposal were completely ineffectual, so they called on the Somerset County Sheriff - who quickly recruited 50 "special deputies". He was joined by Edward Radel, the president of the Brunswick Traction Company, who arrived a short time later with 50 men of his own, and an injunction from a Superior Court Judge.

The New York and Philadelphia men, who outnumbered the locals by ten to one, kept right on working - digging up the street, setting sleepers, laying rail, and setting poles - despite a pouring rain all day. Fueled by coffee, and the occasional "stronger stimulant", the laborers worked at an incredible pace. By the afternoon, they were already stringing the overhead electric cable.

President Radel made one last stand at a 1,000 ft. stretch of land bordering a farm which he owned, but his men were easily overpowered and the work went on.

New York lawyer John B. Shaw, a supporter of the New York and Philadelphia Company, recently had a large dynamo installed at his magnificent residence in Finderne, supposedly to supply electric light. It was from this location that power was supplied to the trolley line.

By the following morning, the invading army had left for Maryland, eager to be out of the state before any legal action could take place.

And that's how a shovel-ready project was completed in one day in 1897.

Let's see how long it is before the first number 7 train pulls into Secaucus. I'm guessing ten years, minimum.

"Next stop Secaucus - Watch the closing doors"

2010-11-17T23:59:00.000-05:00

Now that Governor Christie has sunk the ARC rail tunnel, plans are being floated by the Bloomberg administration to turn New Jersey commuters into straphangers by bringing New York's Number 7 subway line under the Hudson.

The line, which runs from Flushing, Queens to Times Square, is already undergoing an extension project which will bring the tracks right up to the Hudson River waterfront at 11th Avenue and 34th Street.

The main advantage this plan has over the ARC tunnel is the cost to New Jersey taxpayers. The overall price tag is estimated to be less than half the amount of the NJ Transit ARC tunnel, plus, other jurisdictions - New York City, Port Authority - would be expected to chip in this time.

The disadvantage is that the ARC tunnel promised a "one seat ride" into the city for many commuters, whereas the new plan would have commuters switch to the 7 train at Secaucus.

The proposal appears to be sound. In fact, it really is not very different than the PATH trains that already run under the Hudson in two separate tunnels - and require jumping on and off at Newark or Hoboken.

Hillsborough Township commuters know that potential reactivation of NJ Transit's West Trenton Line is wholly dependent on increasing Hudson River tunnel capacity. This proposal does the trick, and would potentially allow West Trenton Line trains to deliver passengers to Secaucus for transfer to the subway.

Happy Halloween

2010-10-31T08:00:00.004-04:00

Time for pumpkins at Everett's Farm on Beekman Lane - ten years ago this month!

Pumpkins are slow growers - unlike that redhead in the middle.

Universally Fun

2010-10-28T12:51:00.000-04:00

Trying something new today - slideshow!

Conveniently Located

2010-10-20T12:24:00.000-04:00

This small ad ran week after week in the autumn of 1961.

Oxford Place residents take note - proximity to Route 206 is a selling point!

All's Well that Ends Well - in the Well

2010-10-13T09:21:00.009-04:00

Nothing gets your name in the paper - or your story on the 24-hour news channels - like falling down a well. From Tikki-Tikki-Tembo to the trapped Chilean miners, the price paid for your 15 minutes of fame can range from several hours to 69 days.

As the miners are being rescued this morning - practically 23 years to the day after "Baby Jessica" took her tumble in Midland, Texas - we can reflect on Hillsborough's entry into well lore. Here's the New York Times headline form October of 1932.

William Richter, a 53-year-old German immigrant from Union City was spending the weekend at a farm he owned in Hillsborough when he decided to investigate whether or not an old well on the property could be made serviceable.

Richter enlisted the aid of local teen Benny Kukuruza to help him get a ladder down the well. Richter went first, and was able to get to the bottom, but as Kukuruza started down, the walls of the well, built with rocks that had been dry-fitted without cement, began to crumble, trapping Richter.

Several of the larger stones pressed against his face and chest, immobilizing him. Fortunately, Kukuruza escaped the cave-in and was able to call for help.

After five hours of digging, rescue squad members Edward Haring and Harry Lambert were lowered into the well where they secured Richter to a rope which allowed the weekend farmer to be pulled to the surface.

Not surprisingly, it was the rescuer Haring who was taken to the hospital after the ordeal - suffering from nervous shock.

Sold on Sonic?

2010-10-12T09:43:00.007-04:00

Sold on Sonic?

Try turning the clock back to 1964 for this tasty treat.

I'd love to see a Dairy Queen re-open in that location.

How about you?

If You Build It, They Will Camp, part 2

2010-10-11T11:18:00.007-04:00

The mission of the Somerset County Parks Commission, going all the way back to its formation in the mid 50s, is to provide recreational opportunities for county residents. To that end, they have built facilities for tennis and golf, hiking and fishing, baseball and bocce. But one recreational pastime oft-mentioned as a projected use of Somerset County parks has been lately overlooked.

Overnight camping.

Yes, I know, you can get a permit for group camping for scouts at Colonial Park, but I still believe this falls short of the Parks Commission's original objectives.

In 1973, as the county was about to purchase 900 acres to add to the original 700 acres of what would eventually become the Sourland Mountain Preserve, the commission reiterated their desire to include overnight camping as a component of the park. Sadly, despite the preserve growing to 3000 acres, that has never come to pass.

Thirty years later, we are getting a second chance. With the pending cleanup of the former GSA Depot, Somerset County - which co-owns the properly with Hillsborough Township - will have an opportunity to allow camping on the edge of the Sourlands by incorporating the facilities needed into the plan for the proposed park.

What do you think?

If You Build It, They Will Camp

2010-10-08T18:13:00.010-04:00

I had the great pleasure to spend last weekend camping with the cub scouts of Hillsborough Pack 89 in the comparative wilds of northern Hunterdon County at Teetertown Preserve.

It was a super weekend with perfect clear blue skies and night time temps in the adventurous mid 40s - but there was one frustrating aspect to this trip....

...it wasn't setting up the tents...

...or the three mile hike...

...or getting the campfire going...

....or feeding the hungry hordes...

...or even losing to the ten-year-olds in the tug-of-war!

The most frustrating part of the entire weekend was the convoluted drive up into the Hunterdon hinterlands on the devious Cokesbury-Califon Rd. - guaranteed to fool your sense of direction, and your GPS.

If only the Somerset County Park System had a group campground somewhere nearby.....

(to be continued)

"It's Somerset, N.J."

2010-10-07T19:47:00.000-04:00

"It's Somerset, N.J." That was the headline of the Franklin News-Record fifty years ago this week, as the paper reported the decision of the Franklin Township Council to name the township's first central post office after Somerset County.

When Hilsborough got its first central post office four decades later, there was never any doubt that the post office would be called "Hillsborough". The Franklin Township councilmen of 1960 were faced with a much more difficult choice. Federal regulations precluded naming the post office "Franklin" because of other communities in New Jersey already using that name - although Franklintown would have been an acceptable name, and was in the running.

Other possibilities under consideration included Somerfield, Rockingham, Middlebush, which was the name of the post office that would be closed when the new one opened, and Wilson, which was the choice of the Franklin Township Chamber of Commerce.

After several names were eliminated on successive ballots, the nine councilmen were left with a choice between Somerfield and Somerset. The final vote was five to four.

Now, when someone tries to tell you that Somerset is a section of Franklin Township, you'll know where to send them your response!

Claremont Hills, Middle Child

2010-10-04T13:45:00.005-04:00

Here's an ad from June 1962 for the second of the three Hillsborough developments bearing some iteration of the "Claremont" name - the original Claremont Hills.

Not to be confused with the mid-rise and two-story Auten Rd. condominium complex of the 1970s, or the Millstone River Rd. development from the 1950s, these houses can be found on the south side of Amwell Rd. between the high school and Pleasantview, and on the north side of Pleasantview.

By 1964 they had dropped the prices from $21,900 to $19,900 - but for a real bargain, you could have one of these exact same models in Manville for just $16,900!

See if you can spot all three models the next time you're in the passenger seat.

Claremont Hills, Take Two

2010-10-01T23:30:00.005-04:00

Did you know there are three residential developments in Hillsborough bearing the name Claremont? the first was Claremont Homes on Millstone River Rd. built in the 1950s.

This is the third - Claremont Hills, now commonly known as Claremont Towers. Here is an ad from June 1973, touting the luxury condominium's proximity to Princeton.

The following ad from 1974 takes the form of a telegram to Gerald Ford, pledging their support of the President's plan to fight inflation by maintaining their 1973 prices and by offering mortgages "well below the allowable maximum"!

The 1975 ad gets into the spirit of "The Godfather" by making "an offer you can't refuse".

The second Claremont development is also called Claremont Hills, and was built in the 1960s. I'll give you a couple of days to guess where this development is. One clue - even a newcomer to Hillsborough has probably already driven past these houses hundreds of times.

Own it all at Brookside Square

2010-09-22T10:15:00.005-04:00

Welcome to Hillsborough's Brookside Square, circa 1976, where the dreams of home ownership all come true.

Own your townhouse. Own your lot. Own your membership in the private club. Own your full basement "suitable for dozens of uses". All for the low, low price of $37,990.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

Check, Check, Check

2010-09-18T15:00:00.002-04:00

I imagine one of the most frustrating aspects of working in local government is the inability to provide residents with the instant results they deserve - and that you would like to give. Often, an elected official is given little or no grace period before he hears the cry of "broken promises!" Go a little beyond that, and the conspiracy theorists begin their insinuations that the work was never intended to be done - or worse.

The fact is that some things take time.

Establishing railroad "quiet zones" at the Norfolk Southern crossings required much more than money. Navigating the bureaucracy of the Federal Railway Administration took time. And the payoff, notwithstanding a few stray horns this past week due to signalling issues, has been worth it - at least to my ears.

The concept of a new limited access highway through Hillsborough probably goes back more than 50 years to the initial construction of Interstate 95. This "Somerset Freeway" took many forms over the decades, until finally being scuttled in the 80s. Renewed plans for a 206 bypass have been around for more than ten years. Interesting to realize that the first shovels went in the ground the same month that the missing link of Route 95 has at last been mapped out.

Hillsborough's "mercury problem" has also been around for decades, but it wasn't until 2001 that our township committee became aware, inadvertently, that most of the nation's stockpile was being stored in our backyard. Hillsborough officials not only navigated the usual Washington bureaucracy, but also had to deal with the trepidations of the stockpiles new home. The announcement by Hillsborough mayor Frank DelCore that one-fifth of the mercury was trucked to Nevada earlier this month, and the rest will be going soon, should come as no surprise to those who knew that this issue was much more than a perpetual campaign promise - it was actually a top priority.

Sometimes, those priorities take time.

"...formerly known as Hillsboro"

2010-09-03T13:59:00.003-04:00

On November 7, 2006, the village of Toms River swallowed Dover Township. That was the day township voters approved a measure to change the name of their municipality from "The Township of Dover" to "Toms River Township". Already generally known as Toms River by the public - and the Post Office - the change made sense.

Nearly 100 years ago, the village of Manville may have been on the verge of gobbling up Hillsborough. Even though Manville didn't exist as an actual municipality until its separation from Hillsborough in 1929, the Boro was known as Manville right from the start.

Look at this newspaper ad from October of 1912. This was before the Johns-Manville plant was even finished building.

At least Hillsborough, or "Hillsboro", gets top billing.

More telling is this newspaper story from the October 26, 1912 edition of the New Brunswick Times:

Terence P. Murphy, of this city, who is connected with the Brooks & Brooks Corporation of New York, which is developing the land at Manville, Somerset county, has arranged to take a number of people from this city to that place tomorrow, who are going there to look over lots. The car will leave this city tomorrow afternoon at 1.08 o'clock. At Bound Brook there will be a special train on the Lehigh Valley to run from that place to Manville. Tickets have been furnished to all those who are going to make the trip. There have been factories recently erected at Manville at a cost of $8,000,000 and employing 3,500 people. Manville was formerly known as Hillsboro.

Check out the last sentence.

How do you think this played out with Hillsborough's farmers and villagers? Was "Hillsborough" nearly wiped off the map? Brooks & Brooks, who no doubt penned this press release-type story for the newspaper, obviously preferred their new name. And I am sure Johns-Manville would have had no objection to the change either.

Now with....Expanso!

2010-09-02T14:31:00.003-04:00

Here's a May 1955 ad for Hillsborough's first post-war development, Green Hills.

I'm all over the Expanso.

City Sewer Coming Soon!

2010-09-01T23:59:00.003-04:00

Here's an August 1958 advertisement for the brand new Claremont Homes development on Millstone River Road.

So Good, They Banned It

2010-08-18T20:00:00.039-04:00

Check out these two ads from 1962. Hillsborough's Village Green was the first post-war cluster development in New Jersey.

Cluster-zoning allowed for smaller individual lot sizes than the one to three acres usually permitted, with the remaining acreage being reserved for parkland and recreation.

Cluster-type developments were so innovative - and successful - that after Village Green, Hillsborough promptly disallowed future development of this type - a ban that lasted for many years.

"...sleeping late...and...good living..." at Country Club Homes

2010-08-16T08:00:00.061-04:00

Barbecues, fishing - sounds good. But what really intrigues me about this September 1956 sales pitch for Hillsborough's Country Club Homes is the promise of "sleeping late". Fifty-four years later, who among us wouldn't pony up $13,990 for a couple of extra hours in the morning?

Why were the 1956 Country Clubbers able to sleep so late? Well, you have to read the small print for the answer. According to the ad, our forebears only had a 3-minute ride to the train station! And Manhattan was just 45 minutes away!

The above ad features two models - the Lanai, and the curiously named Foursome. I'm hoping this model was supposed to have a golf connection - otherwise, I'd be inclined to wonder what the Threesome model looked like!

Need something a little smaller - or just looking to save $500? This ad from 1957 features the charming "Nantucket Cape".

The last time I was in the Country Club Homes development, I believe I spotted a few of these "Capes" in pretty near original condition. Not bad, not bad at all.

Happy 50th "Island" Park!

2010-08-13T20:28:00.000-04:00

Somerset County residents and VIPs who came out on a rainy Saturday morning fifty years ago today for the grand opening of Somerset's first county park may have done a double-take when they looked at their programs. What had been often referred to as "Raritan River Park", and most recently as "Island Park" had a new name.

As recently as August 11, the Thursday weeklies were touting the upcoming dedication of "Island Park".
The News-Record even provided a map, showing the location of Island Park on Old York Rd.

But careful readers may have noticed a second news story in the same newspaper - on the same page!

The Park Commission had just selected - indeed had received permission - to use the name "Duke Island Park". Permission was granted by Doris Duke, who had already been instrumental in getting the park up and running even before the groundbreaking back in February.

The heiress, who resided just across the river on her Hillsborough estate, had provided $30,500 to repair the Headgates Dam, and had donated 55 acres of land - plus trees, shrubbery, and maintenance equipment.

It's obvious that Doris Duke felt an attachment to the park that bore her name. Less than four years after the park was dedicated, she magnanimously gave the county a staggering $493,000 for repairs and improvements - no strings attached.

Scenes from the Hillsborough Family Campout

2010-08-12T23:59:00.016-04:00

Hillsborough Township Parks and Rec held their annual Family Campout August 6th and 7th at Ann van Middlesworth Park.

I brought my camera.

Hibernia Mine Railroad Bridge

2010-08-11T16:07:00.001-04:00

On my way with the kids to Duke Island Park a couple of weeks ago, I pulled off Old York Road to take a few photos of the Hibernia Mine Railroad Bridge.

Built in 1879 for the Hibernia Mine Railroad, and used as a railroad bridge for fifteen years, the structure has now been incorporated as part of Somerset County's Raritan River Greenway, and is in use as a pedestrian bridge over the Raritan Power Canal.

The bridge also received a restoration award earlier this year from the Somerset County Cultural and Heritage Commission.

The span also has a connection to Hillsborough Township history. In 1894, The Central Railroad of New Jersey bought the bridge and moved it from Morris County to Hillsborough - but not for use by their trains. The bridge was used to carry carriages - and eventually horseless carriages - on Mill Lane over the tracks of the CNJ's South Branch Railroad as part of a grade-separation project.

I haven't been able to find a photo of the bridge in its Mill Lane incarnation, but you can see the bridge in this 1987 aerial photo courtesy of HistoricAerials.com.

Click on the image to see the larger photo at HistoricAerials.com.

Mystery Poles

2010-07-31T09:00:00.002-04:00

Still trying to figure out how 200,000 solar panels will power 64,000 homes?

Well, here's another PSE&G mystery for you.

What the heck are these poles that went up earlier this year roughly parallel to the PSE&G transmission line - the one that passes near the Middle School.

Any ideas? They appear to be in pairs, one on either side of a road or parking lot - as if they were meant to temporarily carry a ground-laid cable over an obstruction.

Solar Celerity?

2010-07-30T12:05:00.000-04:00

I woke up one morning last week, looked out the window, and solar panels had descended on Hillsborough. It almost seems like they arrived overnight.

Actually, it was one year ago today that I first wrote about PSE&G's plan to install 200,000 solar panels on utility poles throughout Central Jersey. At that time, PSE&G announced that it had awarded a contract in the amount of $200 million to Petra Solar to install the panels which would supply enough electricity to power 64,000 homes.

I immediately had some questions about the math, If 200,000 panels can supply enough electricity to power 64,000 homes, then doesn't that mean I could power my own home with three or four panels? Also, does the $200 million cover the cost of the panels as well as the installation? I certainly hope so, as the guy on the lift and the guy smoking a cigarette easily could - and surely did - put up dozens in a single day. That would mean just $1,000 per panel - installed. Hey, what do I need PSE&G for - I can get off the grid for $4,000!

In the story in this week's Courier News, a PSE&G spokesman mentions how the benefits of the solar installation "will be returned to all ratepayers". Funny, since one year ago, PSE&G was honest enough to tell us that the ratepayers were actually paying for the project through rate increases that would continue until 2028!

What Goes Up...

2010-07-29T23:59:00.002-04:00

With apologies to the Solbergs and QuickChek, Central Jersey's worst kept secret has got to be that you don't have to go to the Balloon Festival to enjoy the Balloon Festival.

Whether you camp out at the Shop Rite parking lot in Branchburg, or make your way behind the Dunkin' Donuts in Readington, some of the best seats in the house, aren't in the house!

As long as you have a driver who isn't tempted to take his or her eyes off the road, you can have a lot of fun "chasing" - trying to figure out where the balloons will come down.

Sure, you can go out to the airport and watch the spectacle of the massed ascent, but isn't that a little predictable?

There's much more chaos and excitement in the landing!

Raritan Valley Community College provided a fantastic spot to touch down, and a convenient spot to get an up close look at the balloons.

Setting the balloons down safely requires a lot of teamwork, and a lot of muscle.

I've been to the actual Festival of Ballooning a handful of times over the years - but I must say, this is just as fun.

Besides, I've always kind of been a WaWa guy!

Opposition to Claremont Pump Station Location

2010-07-20T18:40:00.001-04:00

There was an interesting story in the Courier News last week concerning the proposed location of the pumping station for the new Claremont development sewer system. If you're not familiar with the details, you can still read the story online here.

Claremont - along with Green Hills, Country Club Homes, and Village Green - was one of the first post-war Hillsborough developments, and was built with residential septic systems, not sewers.

View Larger Map
An aerial view of the Claremont development which straddles Millstone River Road, just north of the Boro.

In 2007, township health officer Glen Belnay advised the township committee about water quality issues and failing septic systems, which prompted the current sewer project.

The majority of affected homeowners were pleased to be part of the $5.5 million project which will be paid for by an assessment on their future sewer bills - but not all. Some homeowners felt that they were fine with their current septic systems and did not need sewers.

As it turns out, the only suitable location for a necessary sewer pumping station is on a small piece of township owned land that sits right between two homes on Onka Drive. And it just so happens that those homes are owned by residents that were opposed to the whole project - and certainly are opposed to having the pumping station next to their homes. Ouch!

Here's a closer look at the houses in question. The township lot is designated on Google Maps as "Alley Dr."

View Larger Map

I have to tell you, the more I look at this image, the more questions I have. Look closely and you may form a few of your own.

Pack 89 Wants YOU!

2010-07-14T17:33:00.007-04:00

Hillsborough Cub Scout Pack 89, based at Hillsborough Elementary School, is looking for new members. If your son will be entering first, second, or third grade at HES in September, it's not too late to get started in Scouting. Even if you're going into fourth grade, we can get you caught up in no time!

Take a look at some of the fun things we did the past year.

Entertained the residents at Avalon Assisted Living.

Built and raced our Pinewood Derby cars.

Hammed it up at the annual Blue and Gold Dinner.

Checked out the big rigs at the Hillsborough Rescue Squad.

Camped out at Washington Crossing State Park and built an awesome survival shelter.

As well as....

Camped "in" overnight on the Battleship New Jersey
Carved Jack-o-Lanterns for our Halloween Party
Cleaned out and spruced up the flower beds at HES

Interested in joining the fun? Check out the flyer below.

Click on the image to view and print the flyer.

New Route 206 Bypass Map

2010-07-13T16:58:00.000-04:00

With the announcement last week that a local Hillsborough company - Carbro Constructors Corp. - has been awarded the contract to begin the construction of the first phase of the Route 206 Bypass project, I decided to take another look at the official plan that I posted here about a year ago.

And then I decided to create a simpler version highlighting the portion of the roadway that will begin construction this year and be completed in 2012.

In the age of Photoshop when I can start with a scrap of a Hillsborough zoning map and turn it into this in just a few minutes, there is no reason that a map of this type shouldn't at least occasionally accompany a newspaper story about the Bypass.

But what do I know?

Hillsborough Family Campout August 6th

2010-07-09T22:59:00.003-04:00

There's still time to patch the tent and air out the sleeping bag - Hillsborough's annual Family Campout is coming to Ann Van Middlesworth Park on August 6th.

Click the image to view and print the flyer.

Ride the Ducks

2010-07-08T14:01:00.002-04:00

I know of only one way to get a seven-year-old and a four-year-old to willingly board a sightseeing tour bus - tell them it turns into a boat. In cities like Boston, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, you'd be telling the truth! The tragic collision this week of a duck boat with a barge in the Delaware River brought back memories of my own experience with the Philadelphia "Ride the Ducks" tour in 2006.

Before climbing aboard the amphibious craft, everyone receives a duck-billed noisemaker. The kids loved it - but the sound of thirty-seven quackers sounding nearly non-stop for the duration of the trip can only be compared to the noise level in a Johannesburg soccer stadium during the World Cup.

The first part of the tour takes place on the streets of Philadelphia, where you will see such historic sights as this gigantic image of Philadelphia native Larry Fine playing the fiddle....

.... and Alfreth's Alley - the longest continuously occupied residential street in the city.

Then it's out onto the water, where you will get a close-up view of the old Municipal Pier, and the Ben Franklin Bridge.

The accident in which two tourists were drowned appears to be just that - an accident. As long as maintenance records for the two vessels involved come up clean, I can't see how blame can be properly assigned. A boat that becomes disabled on the water - in the channel - is at risk for being hit by another craft. It's really as simple as that.

One observation I will make is that the duck boats ride very low in the water. It's almost like being out there in a canoe or kayak. This probably has nothing to do with how seaworthy the boats are, but I could see how, after this accident, tourists might feel a bit squeamish about being right down there IN the Delaware.

It Was Twenty Years Ago Today...

2010-07-07T11:00:00.017-04:00

Look who made their debut twenty years ago today!

The Three Tenors performing together for the first time in Rome.

And this married couple!

Central Jersey's Hero of the Bourgogne

2010-07-04T05:00:00.004-04:00

When Mrs. Victoire LaCasse, returning by train to New York after one of the most notorious maritime disasters of the 19th century, was asked by reporters how she came to be the only female survivor of the sinking of the French liner La Bourgogne, a tragedy that took the lives of 535 of the 700 aboard, she replied with one of the great lines in nautical history:

"Don't ask why I am the only woman who was saved, better to ask why my husband
was the only man aboard who was man enough to save a woman".

The French liner La Bourgogne, sailing from Le Havre to New York.

In the pre-dawn hours of July 4th, 1898 aboard the passenger steamship La Bourgogne, Mrs. LaCasse thought she heard a sound and aroused her husband Adrian. A foreign language teacher in the Plainfield, New Jersey school system, Adrian and his wife had set sail for a summer vacation in his native France. The ship was making 17 or 18 knots through a dense fog 60 miles south of Sable Island, Nova Scotia, with the crew sounding the fog horn at intervals, and keeping watch through the night.

But Mrs. LaCasse thought she heard something else, and wouldn't rest until Adrian went on deck to investigate. Before he left their second class cabin, he told his wife to put on a life vest.

The English three-masted iron-clad sailing ship HMS Cromartyshire.

LaCasse wasn't on deck for more than a few minutes before the liner was struck amidships by an English sailing ship, the three-masted, iron-clad HMS Cromartyshire.

The ship began taking on water immediately. LaCasse ran back to the cabin, told his wife she had a minute to dress, and brought her up on deck.

What they witnessed during the thirty minutes it took the ship to sink, and during the eight hours they spent in the water before being rescued by a boat from the Cromartyshire, is almost too terrifying to recount. Amidst the utter chaos of the sinking ship, scenes of unimaginable ruthlessness and brutality played out before their eyes. Crew members brandished knives to keep passengers away from the lifeboats. Men were clubbed and beaten to death in the melee. A lifeboat with forty women aboard would not be cut free from the davits. Once in the water, swimmers were beaten away from boats with oars and boathooks. One man watched his mother beaten away from a boat and drowned.

The Lacasses went into the water and were briefly separated, Mrs. Lacasse having lost consciousness. She was pulled by her husband onto a partially submerged raft, where they huddled for hours waiting for rescue.

As recounted by Mrs. LaCasse, the officers of the ship behaved admirably, but could not control the unruly crew. All of the officers went down with the ship, and all perished save the purser, who went under, but managed to swim away from the wreck.

The Cromartyshire was badly damaged but survived the collision, sending out boats to pick up survivors. Another steamship, the Grecian, responded to the Cromartyshire's distress flares, and took the English ship in tow to Nova Scotia, where the survivors boarded another ship and returned to New York. At the port in New York, La Bourgogne crewmen were cursed and spat on - news of the tragedy having preceded their arrival.

The LaCasses returned by train.

Rotary Fair July 19-24

2010-06-24T15:18:00.000-04:00

Big news this year for the Rotary Club of Hillsborough, NJ annual fair - every night is wristband night!

See you there.

Click the image to view and print the flyer.

He Wants to Ride His Bicycle

2010-06-23T14:43:00.000-04:00

An indoor velodrome on the Belle Mead GSA Depot property? I'll admit, the idea - being promoted by Hillsborough resident and cycling enthusiast Michael Izzo - seemed a little crazy when I first read it in the Courier News.

Then I did a little research.

The Dunc Gray Velodrome in Bankstown, Australia

There are only 24 bicycling arenas in the U.S. - just one more than in the relatively tiny U.K. and many less than in Japan. Only a couple are in the northeast (New Hampshire and Queens, N.Y.), and only two are indoor tracks, (California and Colorado).

Having a velodrome - even a less expensive outdoor track - as part of the planned recreation facility at the Depot definitely falls under the category of Big Ideas. But it is an idea that would instantly put Hillsborough, and Somerset County, in the lead pack with the yellow jersey.

Something to consider.

Playground Fundraiser Swings on Sunday

2010-06-22T14:18:00.002-04:00

An event to raise funds to build a universally accessible playground at Ann van Middlesworth Park will be held Sunday, June 27 at Body Shop Total Fitness in Hillsborough. The activities begin at noon and will feature fun physical fitness challenges for men and women.

Click on the images to view and print the flyer.

The playground - which has a price tag of $120,0000 - is an ongoing project of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Academy members and local volunteers construct the playgrounds in just one day. The playground is designed to be used together by disabled children and their typical peers.

Bringing the playground to Hillsborough was the idea of committeeman Anthony Ferrera who emphasizes that no taxpayer dollars will be used for the project.

Here is a video highlighting similar projects in Las Vegas, Orlando, and other locations.

Township Budget Still a Work in Progress

2010-06-08T21:52:00.016-04:00

The Hillsborough Township Committee recently introduced their budget for fiscal year 2010. Although taxes will rise $42 for a home assessed at the township average of $350,000, the $28 million budget is actually LESS that it was in 2009 by about $78,000. The last time spending actually decreased was in 1990 - twenty years ago.

The modest tax increase, as well as salary freezes and reductions by various unions and department heads, was used to offset a staggering loss in state aid of $840,000 and cover $750,000 in state-mandated increases.

There is just one piece of the budget puzzle left. Township officials are still negotiating with the PBA over how to cover reductions in the police budget. If some type of wage freeze or other concession is not found, some positions will likely be eliminated.

Given the concessions already made by every other township union and association to save the jobs of their members, it would be wonderful to report that the PBA has found some way to do the same.