Those who have been waiting to witness the long-anticipated land swap between the Borough of Haddonfield and the Board of Education will have to wait a little bit longer.
On Tuesday, March 10, Mayor Neal Rochford told the Sun that the deal — set to be completed later that evening prior to the regularly-scheduled public Board of Commissioners meeting — would be postponed due to scheduling concerns.
“It was just a timing issue. We wanted to have a press conference at either Radnor or outside Borough Hall or (Haddonfield Memorial) High School. Wanted to get past board members and commissioners invited,” Rochford said in an email.
At the board of education’s Feb. 27 public session, board vice president David Siedell revealed to those in attendance the original date and time of the swap, which Borough Administrator Sharon McCullough then confirmed at a March 6 work session.
At its core, the land swap would allow the borough to purchase Scout and Radnor Fields from the BOE using Green Acres funds with Radnor preserved and protected from development. The board would purchase the Hopkins tract next to Haddonfield Memorial High School, creating additional space for expansion of the high school or J.F. Tatem Elementary School, if ever needed.
Both the school district and borough governance have said they will keep the public informed when a new date and time can be agreed upon by all parties involved.
