-- Winter 2005 Edition --

Five Radburn Residents   Below, five Radburn residents with different perspectives shared their thoughts with Fair Lawn News about Daly Field, the Radburn's Board of Trustees and the  Citizen's Association.   - Eugene Gerlants: computer professional. immigrant from Ukraine   - Barbara Gremillot: 43 year resident of Radburn, active in CCRF  - Ellen Glassett: outgoing Treasurer of the Citizen's Assocation  - Phyllis Weglein: former Radburn Trustee member  - John Radice: elected as Vice President of the Citizen's Association      Eugene Gerlants:  Computer professional, grandfather and immigrant from Ukraine.   When I talk with other Russian people about how the Board of Trustees controls power, they understand it immediately.  Some Americans are naïve about it.  We are more sensitive to it, because we saw how a small group of people took power in Russia.   There are many people from the former Soviet Union who live in Radburn.   They are intelligent people with a good education.  What happened here, we saw in Russia, only here it’s worse.  We know that some changes need to be made.   It is not right that the Board of Trustees chooses its own candidates for the Board.  When we vote, there is no way for us to choose who we want.  This is not democracy.   Everybody who lives here loves Radburn.   When my children and grandchildren come visit me here, they think Radburn is like a country club.   If we sell Daly Field, we will have overcrowded parks and pools.  Radburn is a great area with great people.  I want to make it even better.    Barbara Gremillot:  Grandmother, 43 year resident of Radburn, and active in CCRF.   I never realized that we had no say in the government of Radburn, until after we found out about the sale of Daly Field.   We called around and found out many people were equally incensed.  Something is very wrong when an important decision like selling Daly Field wasn’t discussed with the residents, but was done secretly.   My husband and I could retire anywhere we desire, but we love it here.  There's a wonderful sense of community and we love the people.  When we moved here, we bought into a concept.  We lived on a small piece of property, but felt that the parkland belonged to all of us.  Selling Daly Field is taking part of our heritage away from us.   Since we moved here in 1960, we have been complacent.  This has lit a spark.   When, I went to the Grange to vote and saw all the people waiting on line, it was electrifying.  I felt like the founding fathers during colonial times.  We have a voice and we want to be heard.    For the recent election of two open seats on the Board of Trustees, CCRF gave the Board of Trustees a list of fifteen people who were interested in serving on the Board.  Not one of them was nominated, so we couldn’t vote for them.  When the ballot was mailed to our home, my husband and I wrote in the names of people who we wanted, but we know they will not be counted.  The only people nominated for the open seats on the Board were those who supported the sale of Daly Field.  Voting for the Board of Trustees is really a selection, not an election.  The trustees did not nominate any candidates from the south side of Radburn and the south side will be directly affected by the sale of Daly Field.   The manager of the Radburn Association is dividing the community.  It’s very sad.  She is my friend and always will be my friend.   She allows many non-Radburn groups to meet at Radburn’s Grange Hall, but, she would not allow CCRF to use the Grange for our meetings, even though we all pay dues to the Association.  June Meyerson, the Citizen’s Association president-elect (and now a trustee), was not invited to the annual trustee dinner—the first time that this has happened in 70 years.  It is time for the manager and the Trustees to extend an olive branch.   We are not the enemy. We are paying the manager’s salary.  This breach can be repaired.  After all, the vast majority of Radburn residents are against building on Daly Field.   Ellen Glassett, outgoing Treasurer of the Citizens' Association who was opposed and defeated in the recent election by the CCRF candidate (Barbara Gremillot):   To begin with I believe that everyone involved loves Radburn. Everyone loves living here and most can't imagine living anywhere else. I think everybody is doing what they believe is the right thing. This is everybody's home and they just want to protect it.   The Trustees are no exception to this. They are all volunteers, with jobs and families who give a lot of time, effort and energy. In arranging the sale of Daly field they were acting in what they believed was the best interest of Radburn. Whether or not you agree with their actions, their motivation was honorable. There is a tremendous amount of misunderstanding about what the Board of Trustees is and what is its function.   Radburn is not a democracy, it is not a homeowners association, it is a corporation and it is run that way. Radburn has thrived for 75 years, and it's been an amazing place to live and even better to grow up in. You know that by the number of people who return to raise their own families.   At the moment some people are upset about changing the face of the neighborhood. I would hate to see an exclusive focus on this issue distract from the other matters that keep the community functioning on a day to day basis.   The current situation has divided us, however I don't believe there are only two sides of the issue. Among people I have spoken to who are sympathetic to CCRF there are a lot of varying positions regarding Daly Field.   Some believe it should remain a park or open space. Some who prefer that the south side (R Park) remain the secluded haven it is and are concerned that more residents will mean traffic and over-crowding. Quite a few have no problem with residential development, but are unsure of the proposed 170 units. I have even heard from people who would prefer a supermarket be built on the site. There is no doubt in my mind that many involved are angry and confused about the internal workings of Radburn and the role of the Board of Trustees and the Citizens' Association.   I personally would love to see more people have the opportunity to live here and enjoy the benefits of Radburn life.  Although, in my view the proposed 170 units is daunting, selling and developing the land would bring in to Radburn a lot of money that could be used to enhance existing programs and fund some exciting new ones enhancing the vitality of our community for everyone. One major benefit of the Landmark proposal is that it will provide an alternative within Radburn for many of our senior citizens who might find it difficult to remain in their current homes. As to the recent elections, there is no doubt that the slate of candidates for the CCRF had very strong feelings with regards to the Citizens' Association. They truly believed they were on a mission to 'save Radburn'.  They worked tirelessly to get out the vote and campaigned hard on their issues and many, many residents responded.   However, I hope that this new level of interest in the Citizens' Association will be combined with a better understanding of what it is and what it does.   Many of the voters at the recent election commented that they "hadn't been to the Grange for years" or had never attended a Citizens meeting. Many of the people who I have spoken to who voted in the recent election told me that they were motivated by the Board's decisions and Daly Field.   While those issues are important, I do not want the independent role of the Citizens' Association to be lost in the process.  The role of the Citizens' Association has traditionally been to serve as a forum for discussion of matters of community interest and to foster community life. Practically, this has taken the form of holding regular meetings to hear citizens' views and concerns. Our primary function has been producing the events such as family day, holiday parties and other get-togethers that enhance the Radburn experience and make it so unique.   I want people to understand that the Citizens' Association has always been an independent democratic institution; its executive committee is elected by the residents and not selected by the Board or Manager. In fact, historically, the committee was made up of the few who were willing to make the commitment and put in the hours necessary to fulfill the Citizens' Associations functions. The meetings have always been open to any resident who wishes to take an active interest and participate constructively.   I have been an active member of the Citizens' Association for four years and I have spent many hours at meetings that have been sparsely populated. I hope this will change.  The non-CCRF candidates in the recent election were the primary volunteers who produced the events and activities that were enjoyed by so many over the past few years. I do not think this means that people do not appreciate those efforts, but rather that they were primarily focused on protesting the Board of Trustee's decisions. I think it is very important that Radburn Citizens do participate and develop an understanding of the very different roles of the Board of Trustees and Citizens' Association. Both are critical to Radburn's character.   Phyllis Weglein, former Radburn Trustee member, said:   In contracting to sell acres of Daly Field without first advising Radburn residents what they were going to do, the board acted wrongly.  Their actions affect all of Fair Lawn not just Radburn.  The problem is not the Board of Trustees concept.  The problem is with the attitude of the Board.    In recent years, the president, the manager, some longtime members and the legal counsel for more than 30 years have treated the people of Radburn with contempt. Input is greeted with disdain and disrespect.  They run the whole organization as though it were their own personal fiefdom.  What is needed is a manager and Board of Trustees who are willing to adhere to the principles on which Radburn was founded and by being conscientious caretakers who respect the residents.       John Radice (elected as Vice President of the Citizen's Association) said:   I don’t see the community as being polarized.  I think the community is waking up.  People have given up hours of their time, to help bring people together.  All our efforts will lead to even more community activities.     I am the most energetic person you’ll ever meet. I coach my daughter’s soccer, softball and basketball teams.  As the new Vice President of the Citizen's Association, I'm hoping to bring energy and new ideas.  I want to try to expand some existing programs, like expanding the pool hours with volunteer lifeguards.    I would also like to see movies in the park.  All you need is a projector, DVD players, portable stero system, some piping, and either canvas or sheetrock.   We can show movies at A Park, B Park, R Park and Daly Field.   I would also like to start flag football games, volleyball games, and softball games.  We could restore Daly Field's baseball field, enhance the basketball court, and then organize kids and adults to use it.   We are a very kid family community.  The main thing is bring people together.  I’m good at recruiting; I’ll be recruiting right and left.   You don’t even have to try to socialize in Radburn; people are so friendly.  I just love it here.