KUSER FARM: A JOY FOREVER

I KNOW EDNA AND FRITZ KUSER ARE LOOKING DOWN ON THEIR BELOVED KUSER FARM HOME WITH VERY HAPPY SMILES AS ARE THEIR PREDECESSORS, FRED AND THERESA KUSER. THE EARLIEST CONTACT THE KUSERS HAD WITH THE TOWNSHIP ON THE POSSIBILITY OF GIVING UP THE FARM WAS WHEN DEMOCRAT EDNA KUSER APPROACHED FELLOW DEMOCRAT MAURICE PERILLI FOR ADVICE ON HOW BEST TO GO ABOUT DISPENSING OF THE FARM. THE EMERGENCE OF KUSER PARK IS A TRIBUTE TO THE ADMINISTRATIONS OF FORMER MAYORS MAURICE PERILLI AND JOHN RAFFERTY. THESE MEN KNEW THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING THE KUSER FAMILY'S "COUNTRY HOME."ON ONE OF MY LAST VISITS TO FRITZ AND EDNA KUSER IN THE EARLY 1970'S, THEY TOLD ME THEIR ADVANCING AGE AND OTHER FACTORS WERE BRINGING THEM TO THE CONCLUSION THAT IT WAS TIME TO GIVE UP THEIR BELOVED HOME. FRITZ KUSER HAD HOPES OF SELLING IT TO THE DIOCESE OF TRENTON AS A CONVENT. FAILING THAT, HE WANTED THE PROPERTY TO BE SOLD TO THE TOWNSHIP AS AN OPEN SPACE PARK TO SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC. THE REST IS HISTORY. THE TOWNSHIP IMPROVEMENTS WERE MADE DURING THE RAFFERTY AND GILMORE ADMINISTRATIONS, IMPROVING THE PARK UNTIL WE HAVE THE JEWEL WE TODAY KNOW AS KUSER FARM PARK."