From the issue of Dec. 1, 2005.
Holiday dampened by football games
To the editor:
So here I sit, the Saturday after Thanksgiving; listening, for a second day in a row, to a football game at Hillsborough High School’s state-of-the-art artificial turf field.
Yesterday I got to listen to an overly exuberant announcer from approximately 8 a.m. to at least 8 p.m. Mind you, this was all from comfort of my living room.
The Board of Education, under the tutelage and guidance of then-School Superintendent Robert Gulick, just had to have this field for "the children."
It seemed to me, at the time and now, that the field was more for Coach Rick Mantz and our illustrious Board of Education than for any of "the children."
I had written another letter to the editor at the time that the gift was being given to the Board of Education from the newly and serendipitously-created Hillsborough Athletic Foundation. In the letter I stated that if the Board of Education was teaching the students anything, it was that you should do whatever it takes to get what you want.
I want to congratulate the board for supplying such a wonderful and morally upstanding example for "the children" of Hillsborough to observe and, hopefully, emulate. Hmm … maybe the board can have Kenneth Lay, former chairman and CEO of Enron as a guest speaker with a speech titled "Business Ethics" for the school’s next assembly.
After all, wasn’t it Hillsborough High School Principal George Poye who said, in response to a request from a neighboring homeowners associating to not have band practice so early on Saturday mornings, "we were here first."
I sometimes sit and wonder how long it took him to come up with such a well thought out response.
While further pondering the question I wondered what response we would get from Mr. Poye if my homeowner’s association were to send a request to the high school to not ruin the community’s entire Thanksgiving weekend for 2006.
I was thinking the response might be something on the order of: "Your mother wears army boots." But I digress.
Saturday’s festivities turned out to last until 9 p.m., a night which will live in infamy for the sleepy (or sleepless) community in which I live. But that isn’t the end of the story, on Sunday at 9 a.m. I wake up to hear yet another loud football game.
Normally one would have to pay good money to get to experience three whole days of football. Oh yeah, I forgot, I do pay good money. I’m one of the not so few, not so proud, taxpayers.
So much for the Board of Education’s attempt to be good neighbors; I don’t recall being asked if I minded being annoyed all of Thanksgiving weekend.
In fact, I don’t recall ever being asked if I minded losing my quality of life. It was just assumed that I wouldn’t mind doing it for "the children."
Oh well, I can only guess as to how late the festivities will last tonight .. .
Louis Bernard
Bradovra Court
Gordon says thanks to voters
To the editor:
Thank you to the 5,477 residents of Hillsborough who voted for me for Township Committee.
The election was very close only 128 votes separated me from my opponent out of more than 11,000 votes. Thank you to my neighbors, friends, business associates, and colleagues in civic organizations for your support throughout the campaign.
The election of my running mate, Sonya Martin, is still pending with only four votes separating her from her Republican opponent. This election demonstrates that every vote does indeed count.
I will continue to stay active in the community and speak out for the things so many of us feel are important, such as controlling the development in town and preserving our shrinking and valuable open space areas. I will also continue to support a change in Hillsborough’s form of government.
Although the referendum did not pass, a question on a charter study will be on the ballot next November. I encourage you to stay informed about this and the other important issues our township faces.
Again, thank you for your support over the past months. I wish you all an enjoyable holiday season and healthy New Year.
Dale Gordon
Willow Road
Assemblyman thanks supportive voters
To the editor:
I would like to thank the voters of the 16th Legislative District for returning Pete Biondi and myself to Trenton.
As your Assemblyman, we will continue to fight for property tax relief and ethics reform. I appreciate your continued support and vote of confidence.
Kip Bateman
Assemblyman, R-16

