As Mountainside BOE member Bill Dillon remarked at the June BOE meeting, “we are still no closer to a turf field.” Those words have proved to not only be true, but mum’s been the word from the Recreation Commission and the Township.

As I previously reported, the Recreation Commission had an unadvertised special meeting to hear from a single turf vendor on June 2, 2025. Although the Township Administrator cried “technology issue,” this meeting was not made public until just hours before the meeting, and when I brought it to the attention of those running (the show) in Berkeley Heights, I was told that a second meeting with advance public notice could be scheduled for August.

As of today , the minutes from this meeting are not available on the Township website. The next published Recreation Commission meeting is scheduled for September 18.

With the known infrastructure problems in Berkeley Heights and the damage sustained from the July rainstorm, why isn’t anyone speaking publicly (or possibly at all) about looking at what the effects of installing a turf field will have on our Township? Has anyone even discussed going with a grass field instead?

The runoff from any non-porous surface at Lower Columbia will run off into the Passaic River, behind Princeton Avenue, and onto Forest Avenue.

During the recent storm, the westwardly homes on Princeton had backyard flooding, and Forest Avenue was impassable and underwater.

I have to keep going back to the near-harassment-level pressure and deception by Council, Mayor, and Township Administration to acquire the land, who are now silent on what the plans are for the field.

Add to what I’ve already been side-eyeing as suspicious – the fact that over a month ago I emailed every elected official about the legality of the land lease citing state regulations and received a response from Dr. Foregger and Councilman Couto. Mr. Couto indicated he would be sending my email to the town attorney and getting back to me, but neither he, the Mayor nor anyone else on the Council has made the time to respond to me.

I sent the Council, Mayor, and BOE a follow-up email today.

I hope I’m given the respect of a response by our elected officials who claim to be “too busy with summer,” yet have the time to show up and smile for the camera when their friends and political allies are receiving an honor (they created) or the media spotlight.

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