May 15, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 17 Saddle River Valley Notes Board of education to meet The Upper Saddle River Board of Education will meet at 8 p.m. on Monday, May 20. The session will be held in the media center at Cavallini Middle School located at 392 West Saddle River Road in Upper Saddle River. Special needs baseball instruction offered The Upper Saddle River Baseball Association and USR Recreation Commission will sponsor a structured, small group baseball clinic for special needs children in kindergarten through grade six. The clinic is free of charge and Upper Saddle River residency is not required. During the program, attendees will warm up, run drills, and play a brief game. The clinic will include breaks and other accommodations. Each participant must have a parent shadow for all clinics. All players will receive a T-shirt. The program is free. former member of the board of trustees, and both he and his wife have been instrumental in developing displays used in several exhibits in the galleries of the Hermitage Education & Conference Center. They have served as docents, providing tours for visitors. Cathy has been involved in the Annual Gala, the major fundraiser for The Hermitage, for the past several years and has co-chaired the event on several occasions. She has also donated dollhouses that she built for displays and auctions. In addition to celebrating the honorees’ outstanding achievements, the gala will feature cocktails, dinner, and One-hour clinics will be held on Sundays at 11 a.m. at Lions Park. For more information, contact Joe Abbatiello at (917) 744-4415 or jabbatiello@verizon.net. Gardeners set meeting Pat Libutti will discuss flowers and herbs at the May 21 meeting of the Saddle River Garden Club. The group will meet at 7 p.m. at the Bishop House located at 176 East Saddle River Road in Saddle River. The public is welcome. dancing, a fundraising auction, and a souvenir journal. Proceeds from the Masked Ball will support the programs of the Hermitage Museum, which attracts thousands of individuals each year to tour the historic house and take part in the various educational activities provided by the professional staff. To purchase tickets to the 2013 Hermitage Gala: A Masked Ball, purchase an ad in the souvenir journal, or donate to the auction, call (201) 445-8311, extension 36, email info@thehermitage.org, or visit www.thehermitage. org. The Hermitage, a National Historic Landmark, is one of the nation’s outstanding examples of domestic Gothic Revival architecture. The historic house incorporates a stone structure that was visited during the Revolutionary War by George Washington and was the site where Aaron Burr met and married Theodosia Prevost. The house’s architectural appearance dates to the 1847 remodeling and enlargement designed by the architect William H. Ranlett. Today, the historic house’s furnishings reflect the late Victorian lifestyle of the Rosencrantz family. The museum collection is notable for its historic clothing and for personal items and papers related to the Rosencrantz family who owned and lived in the home from 1807 to 1970. The Friends of the Hermitage, Inc., a nonprofit membership organization, manages the Hermitage, a New Jersey State Park. The Friends offer tours of the house, exhibitions based on the collections, and diverse educational programs. For information about the Hermitage, contact Friends of the Hermitage by mail at 335 North Franklin Turnpike, HoHo-Kus, NJ 07423; by phone at (201) 445-8311, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday; or www.thehermitage.org. Hermitage Gala (continued from page 11) name just a few. They have also been named the “Best of Bergen” nursery for seven years in a row by (201) magazine. They are known for putting their customers first. The Volunteers of the Year are Catherine and Herb Cooke of Saddle River. The Cookes have been dedicated volunteers at The Hermitage for the past 12 years. Herb is a Letters to the Editor (continued from page 16) Local officials have directed Borough Planner Joseph Burgis to undertake a comprehensive review of the master plan, with careful consideration of the Mack-Cali property. The Borough of Upper Saddle River entertains every opportunity for “smart” development that is conducive to our community, beneficial to our residents, and consistent with our zoning regulations. In the past few months, companies as diverse as Diamond Manufacturing, Maserati, Manfrotto Distribution, Triangle Manufacturing, and others have announced their intention to locate, or increase their presence, in the borough. This is in sharp contrast to Mack-Cali’s approach, which is solely limited to the construction of apartment buildings on its nearly 50 acre property. Borough officials continue to believe that the corporate and commercial uses permitted in the Mack-Cali site remain appropriate and viable. These uses provide meaningful ratables without forever changing the character of our community. Officials at all levels stand ready, willing and able to work with the property owner to explore corporate and commercial uses for the property. Finally, in the event a development application is filed, Mayor Joanne Minichetti has recused herself from participating in the review of any proposal for development of the Mack-Cali property. Because the mayor’s home is within 200 feet of the property, the Municipal Land Use Law prohibits her participation in the matter. Mayor Minichetti is simply following the law. Should any resident have further questions concerning these issues, I encourage them to contact either myself or any member of the governing body. Roger B. De Berardine, Council President Upper Saddle River