In all seriousness I drive past this protest, and for the safety of my children, I see the points SOD stand for. And I listened to the elder man who came to my door saying the same. But Over 100 residents that group gathered did not make, nor was that the voice of what 15,000+ residents represented.

I have a job, not my career I was educated and trained to do. That career downsized me years ago. I have high taxes and 4 mouths to feed, clothe, protect.

I moved to New Milf from a less-wealthy area and hoped to be here forever. I may not be if my taxes continue to increase.

Maybe i have alot to learn but one thing is true. If this property doesn't come free and add the cost to taxpayers for a new field of dreams if that passes i will be forced to leave. Will the 80 or so people protesting yesterday come help my wife and children and me pack up our once dream?

Not ALL of New Milfird can afford this. And my vote will be used properly.

Maybe the fields need serious repair, but they are still better from where I moved my family. And right now I can't afford the taxes to increase. Or the increased taxes if our town purchases this property. I wish I could.

Am I the only struggling breadwinner in town that feels like this?

Good Morning, New Milford. Here is the first of three SOD protest videos featuring an interview with Miriam Pickett. Your voice will be heard by simply watching. Viewers equals Supporters. Please share the link and show our Mayor and council that 100's of demonstators = hundreds more who could not attend. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ppS0N6-WK8&feature=youtu.be

NewMilfDadMakinEndsMeet, there was more than 80 people there and 1,100 signatures have signed a petition asking the mayor & council to not rezone this property to commercial. We, SOD, asked the Mayor to meet with an environmental group than can help purchase this land. She's finally meeting with them and is bringing along Councilwoman Grant and Councilman Berner. I hope something good comes out of this.

NewMilfDadMakinEndsMeet, if this proposed development is approved any perceived rateables will be vastly outweighed by the cost in increased services. Your taxes will increase to pay for additional Teachers, Firefighters, EMT, DPW workers, and Police Officers. As well as building or at least expanding our schools, remodeling our firehouses and maintaining our roads. You should be praying SOD achieves its goal, because if doesn't and this proposed development is approved we will all be trapped into paying exorbitant taxes.

NewMilfDadMakinEndsMeet, I am a resident of New Milford also and my wife and I have two small children. We do not wish to leave the town either, however, the quality of life has to be an issue also...not just whether or not your taxes will increase. I agree with Mr. Camacho's statements above that rezoning to allow commercial building does not automatically mean that your taxes will not increase. You mentioned protection of your children in your statement. There are many parents in New Milford who are seriously concerned about the prospect of buidling a supermarket next to the high school. This will mean increased traffic and safety hazards.

Our job is to make New Milford better.....as it is the same people with inappropriate comments, consider New Milford a "poor town". So why do conduct business in other affluent towns? because it is not here..you should support your town, the business in town, not dine elsewhere, or shop.....etc.

James Ulises & Atty Camacho thank you for your comments. I do appreciate learning process. Mildred Pierce you misread what I wrote. I moved to NM to make a BETTER life for my family FROM A less-wealthy area in NY. The rest of your comments presumably for me are irrelivant. I do shop/dine & support our town. I am VERY proud to be a first generation man in my family who owns his own home. Mr. Murphy thank you as well. I am so concerned about the health of my family & the financial health as well. I want to see this property purchased by our town but not at taxpayer expense. I know I am making an uninformed statement here but is there really no option that will not cause either development or taxpayers to pay the pricetag for buying it? The DEO field is a great thought.I just see us taxed from all sides to all happen. I should go to the meetings & ask my questions & did not last night. But if anyone can answer me: Am I correct in thinking the referendum for election day is going to ask me if I agree to pay into a field for XX amount of years? & if the HS property owned by the water co doesn't get developed & gets purchased by the town won't tax payers end up footing that bill also? & is it possible that both of these tax increases can come along with an additional 2% capped increase? I'm educated to know that my taxes will not go down EVER but my concern is how quickly & how much they could go up. I need to have this very real concern because right now my income is fixed.

as I said before why doesn't berner "use my skills as a CPA" to find a way to REDUCE taxes rather than this grand scheme to save New Milford from this project? If the field of dreams makes a difference how can the High school team be undefeated, ranked in the County standings when they play on such a poor area now?
top DreAming and use your heads! foreclosures are sky high and still rising.. all you want to do is drive more people into the poor house and out of town

The referendum field will add to our taxes. The united water land will add to our taxes but the amount depends on wether it gets developed or not. Developed land will require more taxes than undeveloped land. And If we can get the county or state to buy the land and take over its care then it is zero cost to us.

In addition, the united water land was used to hold the toxins from the water purification process. I recommend that we leave it as open space to prevent cancer from exposure to this contaminated land. The experts say it is clean, they said the same about the twin tower area, now people are dying from cancer.

Good points Barbara. Do you know anything about whether or not two fields will be maintained? I still want the answer to that question. Also why aren't we testing or better yet having the testing done so that we can see if the toxins will affect our citizens.

I would like to know some of these numbers you guys are talking about. What additional resources will be needed? I don't see how moving a Shoprite from on area to another is going to cause all this havoc in town and need us to spend all this additional monies. I am not looking to start a fight, I would just like to see SOD show some info to back the statements. We will see the police chief ask for more cops with or without the development, after all the promotions made recently, he needs more patrolmen. What additional expenses will the fire department incur? EMS? DPW? The fire department is looking to upgrade the firehouses as it is and has nothing to do with the possible shoprite. I do see some small traffic issues, however they can widen the 2 block stretch of river road, and even require them to widen the area in front of the HS to ease that traffic also. Again not arguing, but I would like to be persuaded to agree. I will also say, assume there will not be 221 apartments involved, as I am sure there will not be, and if rezoned accordingly won't be. I would like to debate these ideas.

How do you figure twice the number of customers?
When I was in high school (I've lived here since 1958) the water company was sending truck in and out of that area all day. Shop Rite does not get a daily delivery, and when thet do get a delivery, there is one tractor -trailer from Wakefern, just like the delivery they get at the present location. As far as more DPW and EMS, huh? Public works has nothing to do with private property

The current shoprite earns 600 to 700 thousand a week. The projected revenues for the new shoprite is 2 million a week. It is more than twice the revenues. To me that is a whole bunch of customers!

If the average weekly customer bill is $250 (700k /250) there is 2,800 people visiting the current store weekly.
The new store will have 8,000 people weekly (2mil / 250)
That is a 35% increase in customers! More than double! Holy cow!!!!

There is no way that area of town can hold up to that kind of traffic.

Someone else mentioned DPW and I have no idea why since that would be handled privately. However, you can't say that other departments wouldn't be utilized should something occur at the new development. In 1958 most households had one car and the traffic was not what it is today.

I have lived in New Milford for over thirty six years and unfortunately have seen this lovely little town start to go downhill rapidly. We have enough stores and restaurants in a town this size. The traffic on River Road is already unbearable starting at three o'clock on till about seven at night. The very last thing we need is more traffic being brought on by a hugh supermarket or any other kind of development on that property. Taxes are already high we are paying close to what some more influential towns are paying and not getting the same service. Lets keep N.M. clean for the sake of all the residents in this town and a safe place for our children and grandchildren to grow up in and be happy. Not more traffic and pollution from cars,trucks and buildings.

Mary I guess you have missed my replies on why I haven't attended the meetings. I won't get into them now but you can look for them in other post and hopefully understand that this is one of the reasons I read the Patch. What you stated does answer my question about all sports since I do think track and field are sports and they were never mentioned. I also find it odd that the terrible conditions at the preset fields wouldn't apply to track and field events. Plus it seems that for some reason that same field can generate revenue. I question the cost of maintaining both fields because I do not believe it will be the same amount of man hours as now. As you said you are making the fields useful but there will be a cost to the taxpayers to make this field of dreams and that cost hasn't been determined as yet has it?

Pat, if you would like to know more about why SOD opposes this development, got to our website www.sodnow.org. All our objections to the development are clearly discussed. I would like to add, however, that losing open space in this already overcrowded area would be a very sad thing for all of us. ShopRite has all the variances it needs to rebuild on its current site. It is centrally located and would not cause disruption to a residential neighborhood.

If I remember correctly, nobody wanted Shoprite to rebuild on its current site back then. People were worried about being crowded out, the parking lot over extended and excessive traffic.

Vote No for the field of dreams! Yes, our taxes will go up! And on top of that, the only people who really want the field are the people whose kids actually "play" and not just stand on the sidelines during every game. Funny I've always heard from people in other towns that when you're in 8th grade and playing football and have been on the football team for many years that you would be on the A team but that's just not the case in New Milford. Try attending a senior level town football game sometime. You'll see...it's a disgrace watching all those children standing on the sidelines waiting for a chance to play...just one big disgrace! This coach should be ashamed of himself! And this poor coaching has gone on way too long! Yep, and those are the people fighting so hard for this field, so there 12 kids can play on a turf field. Vote No on election day!

Steven, but it is ok to increase traffic volume right next to a middle school and surrounded by a residential neighborhood full of young children? Vote No for field of dreams!!!

I don't know... maybe I'm crazy... but isn't NJ one of the most populated states? The way all the sod people talk it seems like they think this is some well to do town. BIG NEWSFLASH... IT'S NOT!!! If You don't want overdevelopment move to Montana!!!

Hello all, for all who would like to profess an educated opinion, please attend your town meetings esp. the zoning board meeting this thursday at 7pm. I am an ordinary resident, attempting to do the EXTRODINARY!!!! Do you all not realize if ANYTHING is built on the Hekemian/UW property, what it will do to the floosing situation in this town...over 200 trees are to be cut down and concrete poured over acres of land...this will add to the number of houses in New Milford that already flood....if you wonder why your property values are going down .(.not alone the economy) but because there are houses currently in New Milford that are not inhabitable since our last flood and some in foreclosure as a result. The map that is being used to justify building is over 30 years old(hint some now flooded homes are not even on it!!!) Imagine where all this water will go when it rains, you think you have problems paying your taxes, havin 4 kids etc....that is NOTHING compared to seeing your life float down the street...please I implore you before you try to take a stance, come to a meeting and see...hear what is REALLY going on.....

Yes, Mizz Flanagan I hear what you are saying. However, won't putting an athletic field in there be the same thing as cutting down trees and putting some substance on the ground?

Trying to post this message on today's article, "SOD To Mayor & Council- No To Rezoning", but there seems to be a glitch:
"Good Morning New Milford videos have almost 200 viewers in one day, proof that we have your interest & support. Hear Miriam Pickett speak as protesters march down River Road http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ppS0N6-WK8&feature=plcp
and hear Lori Barton as she addresses the crowd at Borough Hall http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHK_7aPrdLI&feature=plcp
Please share these links on social network and get the word out to other concerned citizens if you are a SOD supporter".

Ms. Pierce - you have no idea what families are experiencing - and I start my blame at the top. Obama! Then it trickles down from there. I do work, and I am not complaining. I will do ANY work to keep my family safe. I don't feel it's fair that New Milf families are going to be hit with potentially higher taxes for a) a new FOD that not everyone wants -- does anyone care about the homeowners over in that area? b) increased taxes at the water co property -- they will increase either way! If nothing is developed and NM purchases the property, or if it does get developed in increased infrastructure needs. Whatever taxes are collected will be evened out. Grants must be matched by TAXPAYER money? no?

Unless some Fairygodfather/mother falls out of billionaire-ville, and offers UW a ton of money, we, the PEOPLE, are screwed.

Who is responsible for this fiasco at the UW property anyway? My family is new to this town for only a few years. Was it the current council? board of adjustment? that allowed the PEOPLE of NM to be in this miserable place? If so, shame on them. Where did it initiate? Who's idea was this? Are those people still in office?

Open space, green space add to your property values and your wellness. Google it. Ms. Pierce, if you welcome additional traffic, pollution, higher taxes, overcrowded schools, etc, then perhaps you should relocate to Hudson County. Me, I would rather stay here in New Milford where I have lived for 34 years. Yes, things have changed but that doesn't mean we have to sit by and do nothing while our "leaders" try to sell us out to the highest bidder. Grant money is out there to preserve this as open space. The cost of maintaining open space is far less than the cost of development. You can google that, too. The facts are out there. If you choose to not believe the facts, that is your prerogative. But SOD does not make up findings. We deal in the truth.

then move on, there is is always something somewhere. Just be possitive.

Ms. Pierce: stores do pay taxes, but frequently their costs to the municipality outweigh their taxes (increased costs in police and court costs). And commercial properties depreciate over time, not due to improper maintenance, just because they do. These facts are easily checked (Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions.) As they depreciate, the residential taxpayers begin to absorb more and more of the tax burden. Why should we try to think positively about this development? Why don't YOU think positively about maintaining open space? It's far healthier and less expensive, too!

Mildred, ok, you say stores will increase tax revenue....our current shoprite is already approved to be expanded to 60,000 sq ft...the new one is proposed at 70,000 sq ft, you think an extra 10,000 square feet is going to save the taxpayers SOoooooo much money, think again...also for a town this size, have you ever counted the number of banks in this town? I count SIX!!!! You really think we need another bank in this town??? How many parks are there in this town...how many children??? Hmmmmm........

Well said John, James, Robin, newmilfdadmakinends, Shirley, and Mildred, our taxes are going up whether the Shoprite goes up or not. If you want to live in a populated state then there needs to be places for people to shop. And Lori, while green space may add to ones property value, it certainly does NOT in New Milford. Have you looked at how many homes are for sale currently and the price of those homes? Clearly the price of homes is down do to the horrible economy not due to a Shoprite that is not even built yet. We are not living in Upper Saddle River here, we are living in a working class town, where there are real people just trying to pay their bills and feed their children. We don't need a field of dreams that will definitely raise our taxes! Oh and Steven give me a break! You clearly did say that! And if you read current news you would know that Heikmann scratched the 221 unit low income apartment. And for the record look where they want to build the Shoprite...are there homes surrounding the location? No there are not! But there are homes surrounding DEOMS. And as far as me letting you know my identity...it's none of your business!

Oh and one more thing...I recall one of the sod residents in the past telling me to move to Hackensack if I wanted overdevelopment. Boy... aren't we a little bit full of ourselves? Mocking on where other people live? Where other human beings are just trying to do the best for their families. Shame on you! A town or city should not define who we are as people, some people can only afford to live in low income areas, who are we to think that we are better then anyone. I personally know many people who live in low income areas and they are beautiful people on the inside and out...not superficial like many people in New Milford! Get over yourselves already! VOTE NO ON ELECTION DAY!!!

If you think there are lots of homes for sale now, just wait to see what it will be like if this development is approved. And if my taxes are going to go up, I would rather have them go up to support open space, not a supermarket at that location. The approvals have been granted to rebuild Shoprite bigger and better right where it is. What is wrong with that? It is not in a flood zone, it is already commercial property, and it is on a section of River Rd wide enough to handle the traffic. Building on the UW property is good for Inserra but bad for New Milford. And please, please stop confusing the UW property and the Middle School field. They are two totally different things and have absolutely nothing to do with each other. We will all have our say on election day concerning the Middle School field. That is democracy. None of us has had our say on the UW property. That is a dictatorship.

Mary, I actually have volunteered at clean up days in the past and who are you to question that? And come on Mary...most people know the truth about the football program in town...If the kids dads are friends with the head coach then your kids play! And if you can't see that you should get your eyes checked!

I agree with you James, we don't need another football field in this town at the taxpayers expense and certainly not one in the middle of a residential area.

CRT I believe you aren't reading me correctly. I agree with SOD regarding the development on the UW property. I do not want anything built there now that I know the facts. BUT I also do not want the FoD.
Steven Meyers check your facts he can't collect his pension but his ex-wife is suing for half which is a nice clump of change a month. Also, Hackensack is not all low income. Check out their real estate one day.

Mary, I'm guessing based on your denial of the bad coaching in upper level town football in NM that your children are the ones playing. And i'm glad that you teach your children to work hard, but do you think the parents of chilldren who don't play are not teaching their children a hard work ethic? The difference between you and I is the fact that I can recognize the nepotism that comes with ones child playing sports in this town. You can't because I'm sure your kids must be the ones playing, and how terrible would it be if someone took your child's position? And as far as children needing to learn about nepotism you're absolutely right, but the only children who are learning it are the ones not playing! Oh and Mary I'm not putting the parents down because they are the ones telling me how bad the football program is! See Mary my children are adults now but things haven't changed with regard to team sports in New Milford. See Mary, this has been going on for years and you just can't recognize it because it doesn't affect you! But why don't you sit back and think about what it is doing to all those young boys standing on the sidelines. Also, i don't know what you're talking about when you say that every boy gets to play each week, because there are not B games every week. And even when there are, how do you think the players feel when the so called A team rarely shows up to support them? The cheerleaders aren't cheering for them? Pretty bad I'm sure!

Steven, I never said you were the one who said it, but it was said by one if the sod members.

i want to say that it is my personal opinion that those of you who put your true feelings on this blog and leave your full name are wonderful individuals. whether i agree or dis-agree with you the fact that you state your true feelings and state your name is awesome. i have noticed that most of the people who talk all kinds of crap on here are afraid to state their identity. in my opinion this is a cowardly act.

Steven, I don't even know if that's your real name and really I could care less if it is . And for those like myself who choose to remain private...that is not cowardly that is smart! I have been to some council meetings and have watched people insulted and attacked for speaking their mind. I personally am not willing to subject myself or my family to that type ignorant verbal abuse.

It's my personal opinion that some people need to protect their identity for one reason or another. Reading some post you might think there are immature people with anger issues. Did you not write the below? What are the odds I or CRT would like to bump into you at the local store? This is distracting from the real issues though and I wish SOD good luck. I hope the FoD is voted down and that those in charge will recognize that they will be voted out for not listening to the residents of this town. I have a question for the younger families who are debating these issues also. IF you were looking for a home right now would NM be on your list of towns? For those of you who have been around for 30 plus years who have adult children who were raised in NM would you recommend NM as a town to settle in? Think about those answers before you vote for FoD and join SOD.

how old are you? do you have alzhiemers or just trouble comprehending what you read? were you a straight d student in school? you need to review the comments. you obviously have comprehension problems.

Steven..you wrote this not I. I copied and pasted it from your response to CRT.

how old are you? do you have alzhiemers or just trouble comprehending what you read? were you a straight d student in school? you need to review the comments. you obviously have comprehension problems.

Mildred, if you see Bonita, say "hi!".

Agree with Tommy below. Plus we already have quite a few commercial spaces available. They have been empty for a long time so why rent in a new and possibly more expensive retail area. We really do not need more stores in NM. JMO

Copied and pasted:
"you know, stores, will pay taxes, why put an apartment complex with more people. NM, needs money, it can be generated by stores. Don't be so negative. Stay positive."--Mildred Pierce

There are better ways to make money than pimping yourself out to a developer like Heikemian.

Also Mildred, in 1958....,people CARED about their neighbors!!!!! I grew up on the other side of town (by Ascension Church) but I respect my hometown and its inhabitants ....interesting our Mayor lives in part of town that does not flood either and is supossed to be our neighbor too.......

Attend tonight's Zoning Board meeting at Boro Hall, 7 PM, and ask the tough questions to the paid expert witnesses, who are justifying why this Mega ShoRite Strip Mall & Bank (without traffic lights - no need as there traffic expert stated) is beneficial to NM.

There is a lot of animosity, people talking senseless,threats, insults, why? and these are neighbors?

How dare you disagree with the SOD people? They own the town and will gang up on you such as the bullies they are. Glad I don't live there.