Sussex Borough, High Point Midget Football dispute use of Brookside Park
Sussex. A dispute over the use of Brookside Park has emerged between Sussex Borough and the High Point Midget Football program, with the borough council expected to revisit the matter at its Sept. 15 meeting.
Wantage /
| 08 Sep 2026 | 11:07
Brookside Park in Wantage.
Controversy arose last month when Sussex Borough informed the High Point Midget Football program that it is no longer allowed to use Brookside Park.
Borough attorney Francis McGovern of McGovern & Roseman wrote the following in an Aug. 17 letter to High Point Midget Football President Frank Crampton:
“The mayor and council request that you immediately remove all of the equipment and other belongings of the High Point Midget Football team from Brookside Park. At this time, the borough is not interested in allowing the use of Brookside Park for organized football.”
Shortly thereafter, the High Point Midget Football & Cheer Facebook page responded:
“Sussex [Borough] has kicked us out of Brookside Park, even after the park got destroyed and we helped find who destroyed it and after we have used this field for decades. They didn’t give us any reason. No conversation made. No warning. Nothing. Now I’m told by the mayor himself to come to a meeting Sept. 1 to speak with the mayor and council. Clearly, they do not support youth sports.”
At the Sept. 1 meeting, McGovern said he was instructed to notify Crampton of the decision during a discussion in an executive session of a past meeting. The council voted 4-2 not to allow the contents of that discussion to be made public at the Sept. 1 meeting, with Council President Frank Dykstra, Councilman Mario Poggi, Councilman Charles Fronheiser Jr. and Councilman Martin Koruda voting no and Councilman John Ross and Councilman Nick Southard voting yes.
During the Sept. 1 meeting, McGovern acknowledged his letter was sent to Crampton later than it should have been. Nobody from the borough contacted Crampton or anyone else with High Point Midget Football once the decision not to let football use the field had been made, regardless of when the letter went out.
Passions flared during the public comment portion of the meeting and, according to the council and McGovern, the matter will be discussed at the Sept. 15 council meeting once both parties lay out their issues and an agenda is created.
When contacted by Straus News after the meeting, Mayor Robert Holowach said he could not comment and suggested McGovern be contacted. A voicemail left for McGovern last week was not returned.
Attempts to reach Crampton were unsuccessful.