Throughout Bergen County you see great high schools with fields and open spaces adjacent to them. In your vision we'll see a ShopRite, strip mall and another bank, with a field behind the retail stores. In my opinion, that sounds more like Hudson County than Bergen County.

We still have time to change the Master Plan now that COAH is in limbo, rezone this parcel of land as open space, and work with environmental groups to help purchase this land, tax free - that's where the field of dreams belongs. You could have put this on a referendum as I suggested in April 2011 meeting at the high school and let us decide for ourselves what goes there. Your vision of compromising with the developers will hurt the town forever and the WILL to not fight for what most people in town want, will change the landscape of the town indefinitely.

Learn from the governing body of Oradell that leads with its people. Oradell is planning on taking legal action against our town and you should compromise with them not the developers. Cedar Grove just one a ruling just like the one we may face and their officials fought on the side of the people.

I admire your dedicated service to New Milford, even if I disagree with you fine gentlemen. You still have time to side with most of your constituents. Please, keep hope alive and don't let us down.

First of all, a little honesty, please. SOD has not asked that you not ever rezone this property. We asked , and continue to ask, that you allow the current application to run its courrse in the BOA. By rezoning the property, you will make it easier for any developer to come in with a mixed use propsal. Secondly, I was at the meeting Monday night and I heard the mayor say that we still could meet our COAH obligation on this site. So, there goes that argument. This rezoning may have no effect whatsoever on the ultimate building of dwellings on the property. Thirdly, initially this mayor and council said the development was necessary for the ratables it would bring to New Milford. Now you're saying its all about not having to raise taxes. You never gave the voters a chance to decide whether they wanted to buy this proprety. You have never represented the people on this issue. If I sound angry, I am. You have all shown yourselves to care nothing about the negative impact this will have on this community. Instead of finding ways to avoid development, you have done everything you can to make it easier. You claim to have the best interests of our community at heart, when it seems to me you are standing in solidarity with the developer against those who elected you. Forvshame.

Thats Team Subrizi what is this a plea for votes?????

You will not be happily smiling come election day!

The fate of New Milford lies in the hands of ineptitude, incompetence, & cowardice!
How could you say that you toiled over this issue for months when from the onset it was already determined by the Mayor that development would occur at this property? How dare you say that you care for NM when from the onset, the MAYOR & COUNCIL DID NOT TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO EXPLORE ALL POSSIBLILITIES? Why did you not tell the public that the MAYOR & COUNCIL DROPPED THE BALL, & DID NOT EVEN TAKE A FORMAL VOTE ON THE MATTER TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY WHEN THE 4 MONTH WINDOW WAS PRESENTED TO NM BY UNITED WATER AS SPECIFIED IN THE CONTRACT OF SALE? Why is it that there was no formal letter/document sent by the Mayor & Council, or, the boro attorney advising UW of NM decision? Even if time had elapsed, a letter should have been drafted by the boro attorney as evidence that a final decision had been made. Did the M & C purposely avoid a paper trail? Why did you not tell the public that you voted against a special inquiry regarding the allegations by Councilwoman Grant? What do you have to hide/fear, or, whom are you trying to protect? WOUDN'T YOU WANT THE TRUTH TO BE REVEALED, OR, ARE YOU SO AFRAID THAT SOMEONE WILL ACTUALLY DISCOVER THE TRUTH?

These are the questions that you have curtsied & pranced around for way too long, and it is time that you PROVIDE NM WITH ANSWERS & WITH THE TRUTH!

We are not fools and we see through you!

newmilford1967, if what you wrote is true then apparently Councilwoman Randi Duffie is a Republican. Who knew.

I beg to differ! Coucilmen Robalino & Collucci have said that "This Council is well aware of the number one issue in this economy, taxes." Quite frankly, that is incorrect. The number one issue in this country is the economy Taxes is a sub-category ot the economy, and it is certainly a critical issue on the minds of most Americans; however, it is not the #1 sub-category issue. That honor goes to jobs.

Yes, Duffie voted in support of the writing of a new zoning ordinance and we won't forget that.

Really? I don't believe a word you are saying. You do not have the best interest of the residents in mind.

Call the FBI to keep them honest

I am amazed at the continuing missteps that this Mayor and Council continue to make. First: Missing the opportunity with the "right of first refusal" to purchase the United Water property. Second: The Riverkeeper literally was ready to write New Milford a check as down payment to keep this property as open-space. The Riverkeeper's offer was swept under the rug by the Mayor and Council President (Beiner) and the Boro attorney. Third: Now we are spending taxpayer money to hire a planner to rezone property that the residents DO NOT want developed because of the continued flooding and we are doing it at a time when we have the most "aggressive" application before the Board of Adjustment in New Milford's history!

The Mayor and Council should rezone this property to a "passive" use that would inherently benefit the residents and our high school students.

The "throw the bums out" approach by some the of the contributors here is calculated to try and get Mr. Ashley and DeBari's protégé elected. They could care less about the property. They see it as an opportunity. Don't let a good crisis go to waste - right boys.

I have a question for SOD if I may. How many members are there in this group?

Elected officials should be representing the wishes of their constituency. You were handed a petition signed by 1100 people. One after one, residents at your meetings have told you how they feel. How many have stood to tell you to rezone the property? I don't think I have heard one. You are supposed to represent your constituents, not vote your own agenda. It's too high a risk?? Show some backbone like the leaders of Cedar Grove. Represent US. Fight this tooth and nail like we asked of you. If you want what is best for this town, you will leave the zoning alone. Once that land is developed, it is gone forever. Do you want your legacy to be a ShopRite?

I have a question for you Pat if I may. How many council members are actually for this abomination? 3? Austin is not. Grant is not. Berner suddenly is not. Who does that leave? The two smiling creatures above who are smarter than all of NM?

Marginalize. Demonize. Smear. Some of those 1100 signatures felt pressured to do so and who could blame them the way some of the contributors here deal with those who don't agree with them.

Gordon, we had Republicans and Democratics on National nightout working side by side getting signatures, many of them friends of Subrizi and DeBari. Most people that signed that night came up to our table on their own. We're not pressuring anyone to sign as you're assuming. I agree sometimes our emotions gets the best of us and we could have strong opinions, I've lost it here too and I'd like to apologies to anyone I may have offended in the past. At the end of the day, we're seeking help to fight to this development in hopes to keep open space by our kids high school and along the river. It's really that simple.

Mary the ignorance lies with you and your perception that you are somehow superior to those you disagree with. People can disagree. Those who need to demonize others are just small and do a disservice to their cause. I believe their are good people involved in SOD but the vemon being sprayed on these pages lately paints everyone with a broad brush.

Pat SOD has over 200 members. To date we have distributed 300 signs. Gordon, are you kidding me? Pressuring people to sign petitions? What are you smoking?

SOD is a nonpartisan group that has come together to save the last tract of undeveloped land in New Milford. We actually have over 200 members. 200 represents the number of FAMILIES that have joined. There has never been pressure to sign a petition. We are trying to educate people to the detrimental effects that will be caused by developing the property. Flooding is only one issue and was raised by none other than United Water. Just 2 days ago I drove by there and there were two deer on the property. There are environmental and economic concerns. My problem with this decision by the Council is that it ignores the wishes of the majority of New Milford. If there was a large public outcry to rezone the property I could understand this decision. But the fact remains that the large public outcry has been to preserve this as open space.

Guess what, SOD or the NM M&C own this property. It is owned by a private entity who entered into a purchase and sale agreement with another private entity to buy the property. This is America, there are private property rights here that need to be respected, whether you like it or not. All I see are paranoid people, that talk out of both sides of thier mouths, point fingers and whine. This property use to be a sludge pool and now there is an application for development, and all the NIMBY's come out of the woodwork, claiming it will destroy the town, schools, air, water, sky, stars and moon. Guess what, something will be developed there, so you better snap out of it and get off your high horses. Rather then dreaming about buying this property with fantasy money, that somehow will not be tax payer dollars, rather then attacking the M&C, or the contract purchaser, or the seller, wake up and stop acting like fools. SOD does not make the rules, SOD does not control land use law in NM, SOD will be SLO when it is all said and done, if you don't wise up. The menu reads single family homes. The contract purchaser wants to go off menu and is asking for a special. Guess what, history is on their side. They will not get the eight course meal they have requested, but when it is all said and done, they will feast, and you will have to clean up the plates. If you want to fight, fight for a balanced project. Otherwise keep up the fantasy and it will be your fools folly in the end.

Mr. Tweed, other towns have fought overdevelopment. Look at our neighbors in Oradell they band together and stop developers all the time and guess what their homes are worth a lot more than ours because they do so. It's a standard of life we're trying to preserve. I respect your opinion and you're correct this a private sale but it can be stopped and I hope Oradell helps. If not, I feel, this town will start to look more like Hudson County and our homes will be worth even less than they are today.

Hey, Billy, you're right. The land is zoned for single family homes. There is an application before the zoning board. Let them make a decision on the application. Why jump the gun and rezone now? SOD does not make the rules. But our M&C were elected to carry out the wishes of their constituency. You're here on the Patch but I have not seen or heard you yet at a zoning board or council meeting. In fact, I have not heard anyone at those venues speak in favor of either the pending application or the rezoning. I have heard countless numbers of residents opposed. I know a petition with 1100 signatures was handed in opposing development. I haven't seen or heard of a petition supporting development. So if I have to go with following the wishes of the constituency, I would have to say that it is against development. The majority of residents are not only against the 221 apartments. They are against relocating ShopRite here and any commercial or retail development. And it's not a case of NIMBY. These are residents from all over New Milford. I do not live in the immediate vicinity but I live In New Milford. This is MY town and I care. You would be surprised to see how many people there are like me. That's why the SOD signs are all over town. You know what? I may lose this fight but at least I know I'm giving it all I've got. That's what we are asking of the M&C. Give it your best shot. But TRY. Don't throw in the towel. Cedar Grove won. We can too!

Messrs. Colucci and Robalino you state "This Council is well aware of the number one issue in this economy, taxes! Even a $75.00 tax increase can push a resident to financial strain."

Please explain to me, in cold, hard numbers, how much my taxes will increase (yearly) once the development begins. You know, after:

--we have to repair the roads surrounding this,
--after we pay the INCREASE IN SEWAGE USE,
--after we pay to hire the additional police that Chief Pappetro (sorry for the misspelling) will require including their benefits packages,
--the new fire equipment we will need including the NEW MUNICIPAL COMPLEX *** dream that this M&C has for the old ShopRite location.
--the increase in ambulance coverage from Holy Name Hospital
--the additions we will have to add to each school in the borough.

Let me know if I missed anything in the above list please. Also, maybe you two can explain all the comments about the new ratables will help to decrease my taxes.

Now for the snarky portion of my comments. When exactly did the two of you (and other members of the council) climb the mountain that led to all this wisdom about what's best for our town. And more importantly, did the taxpaying citizens of NM pay for that?

I'm sorry but I just feel the need to add one more thing: If Councilmen Robalino and Colucci are so concerned with saving the taxpayers $75/year, then why do they think it is OK to accept medical benefits from the borough at a cost of approximately $20,000 each? Last time I checked, they were both receiving these benefits. Many surrounding communities do not offer these benefits to their part time elected officials. They are right. Times are tough. But if I'm going to spend tax money, I believe it is much better spent on preserving open space than on providing these two gentlemen and their families medical coverage on our dime.

I don't understand why they want to rezone. Just buy the property. Save our town from further destruction by flooding!

That's a great point Lori. All Council members should drop their insurance coverage. That's approximately $27 they could save each taxpayer (6 member @ $20k = $120k, dived by approx. 4,400 homes = $27.27). That would offset Berner's $75 calculation they referenced above (it seems they've turned on Berner too). Show us the will to do what's right gentlemen and drop your coverage if you want to save us money or that doesn't count because it affects you?

I just don't get it. With all the opposition to this development how can the Mayor and some council members ignore what the people of NM are saying. It really makes you wonder if there are some under the table dealings going on. The recent posts by Berner, Colucci and Robalino are so transparent. Maybe the next logical step is to pursue a recall of those who continue to back this unpopular development. It is too long of a time to wait until they all come up for re-election.

Thanks for the information Lori. Just adds one more reason to vote them out.

the councilmen say: and we accepted the fact that the rightful owner is within its right to sell their property to the highest bidder. Yes, to sell the property under its current zonning, single family housing. Do I have the right to change my zoning to get the biggest buck?!!! NO. Maybe I want to put a luxury high-rise there. No, councilmen, you have been either duped, or you are intimidated by the rich and powerful wizzard of real estate.