Posted on

Reader says, Paul, Al , Gwen and later Roberta. They forced the high density ordinances

Village Council Tables Vote on High Density Housing

“It was Paul, Al , Gwen and later Roberta. They forced the high density ordinances and were pushing an even larger garage on Hudson. The current structure is a compromise. I hate it too but was around for the big fight and attended the meetings.”

3 amigos in action Ridgewood NJ

Posted on

New Jersey Local Finance Board Finds Against Village of Ridgewood’s former Mayor and former Village manager in Ethics Complaint

Paul_Aronsohn_theridgewood blog

file photo by Boyd Loving

November 28,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, On November 13, 2017, the New Jersey Local Finance Board (LFB) issued Notices of Violation to the Village of Ridgewood’s former Mayor and former Village manager for authorizing and appearing in a video that advocated only one side of a referendum question that was pending before Village voters.

The ethics complaint was filed on June 13,2016 by the New Jersey Libertarian Party’s Open Government Advocacy Project with the Local Finance Board–the agency that enforces the Local Government Ethics Law.

The complaint alleged , “Mayor Aronsohn’s statement in the video that its purpose is to educate and inform the public about this issue, the video goes well beyond providing neutral facts. Rather, the video is clearly an advocacy piece intended to persuade Village residents to vote “yes” on the proposal. For example Mayor Aronsohn made the following statements at the noted times in the video.”

The Notices of Violation, issued against former Mayor Paul Arohnson and former Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld, both arose out of a June 21, 2016 referendum question which sought $11,500,000 in bonds or notes to finance the cost of constructing a new parking deck. Under New Jersey law, government officials may use public resources to educate ,but not to persuade voters on public issues.

The LFB concurred and found that the one sided video was persuasive and not purely educational because it advocated only one side of the question and “urg[ed] citizens to vote ‘yes.'” Using public resources to persuade voters to vote “yes” on a referendum is unfair because the referendum’s opponents do not have access to those resources and have to use private resources to distribute their message.

Arohnson and Sonenfeld, by supporting and appearing in the video, were found to have “attempt[ed] to use [their] official position[s] to secure unwarranted privileges or advantages for [themselves] or others in violation of N.J.S.A. 40A:9-22.5(c).”

 

Posted on

INDEPENDENCE DAY COMES EARLY FOR RIDGEWOOD

Ridgewood 3 amigos

file photo by Boyd Loving

June 30,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Tomorrow, July 1st will establish a new “Independence Day” for the Village of Ridgewood. The tyranny of the worst three individuals to ever serve the Village will thankfully come to an end. Never in the history of our Village have three people created such a toxic environment. Their playbook, much like the playbook of Hudson County and Washington politics of the past, was to attack all that disagreed with anything they said. They created their puppet Kingdom of followers by establishing a financial panel with self-serving interests and seating a Village Manager who considers herself the “sixth Council member”. They attempted to personally discredit and ruin the reputation of decent people. What were their accomplishments??? Absolutely nothing!!! They spent all of their elected tenure spewing vitriol and promoting failed project after failed project. Finally, the residents woke up and saw how our Village was being compromised. It is usually the custom to thank those who have served and given of themselves, however in this case there appears to be nothing to be thankful for…other than their departure. July 1 2016…Ridgewood’s NEW INDEPENDENCE DAY!!

Posted on

I think we need to vote NO, I personally don’t trust what is going on regarding the Ridgewood garage project

3 amigos

file photo by Boyd Loving, the 3 amigos

I think we need to vote NO, I personally don’t trust what is going on regarding the garage project. I think we need to have the incoming council with the help of our residents and town professionals ie engineer and superintendent take a step back and come up with a plan that is acceptable to our residents. The vote that elected new council members basically was an outcry from our residents that enough is enough and we need a council that works together.

I went to many town council meeting over the last year and could not believe how Susan and Michael were not given information regarding the Garage. If they were given info it was hours before the meeting while the 3 amigos had all the information way ahead of the meetings. IT is apparent by the 2015 vote for a new garage our town wants additional parking, I say let’s let the new Council resolve this issue. I have lived in this town 26 years and can wait another 6 months to resolve this problem.

Charlie Nowinski

Ridgewood Nj
Posted on

Readers say Ridgewood vote on June 21 is completely tainted

Vote No Ridgewood

This vote is completely tainted. The Board of Elections needs to come to Ridgewood and shut down the process. No vote on June 21. The vote should not take place. How do we make this happen?

The election needs to be stopped. This is grossly illegal that government money was used to finance a campaign telling residents how to vote. That website is paid for by all of us. Those employees who were busy being videotaped should have been working instead of making a propaganda tape. Mayor Aronsohn may be walked out of Village Hall in handcuffs before this is over. Well, wouldn’t that make a fun video for Dana’s go-pro!!!

Posted on

This is the Hudson Street lot at 9:20 Friday morning in Ridgewood

hudson street Ridgewood
June 10,2016
by Anne LaGrange Loving

Ridgewood NJ, This is the Hudson Street lot at 9:20 Friday morning. I do not know how many Village Council meetings I have attended at which members of the Chamber of Commerce stated that this lot is filled to capacity first thing in the morning every morning with commuters and restaurant workers. My crummy little camera does not show the scope of how empty the lot was. Please vote NO on June 21. We might (operative word is “might”) need a small increase in parking, but we certainly do not need the gigantic garage that Aronsohn, Roberta, Hauck and Pucciarelli are continuing to promote in the waning days of their time in “power.”

Posted on

Reader says , “Paul Arohnson, just leave – you have been self serving and a disaster for this village”

Paul_Aronsohn_dunking_theridgewoodblog

I have been a Ridgewood Resident for the last 22 years and bought into the town because of the schools and quaintness of the village.

I would like to know why Rich Brooks and Gail Price have not openly discussed how they plan on handling what is an obvious Conflict of Interest of being married and the effect if will have on decisions for the town.

Secondly, Evan Weitz has only lived in town for around 3-4 years but manages to become the Chair of the Financial Advisory Committee without even serving previous time on the committee? That makes no sense to me except that he was put there for political purposes.

With regards to parking. The height of the current Plan D eliminates much of the parking on Hudson Street. Maybe if the parking stayed with the original estimates as were expressed to the voters before being voted on in November our community would not be going crazy over the height and girth of the current Plan D. It should be the current size of the footprint and Hudson street should stay the same as it currently is designed.

I believe one of the worst offenses is that all of this seems to be coming from politicians in town who seek higher offices in Bergen County. They take their lead from the Democratic Chairperson, Lou Stellato, who is a Lyndhurst resident. So I ask you, why is it we would ever want a Lyndhurst resident influencing our town. Follow the political trail and make your own decision.

As far as Roberta is concerned her allowing 600 tickets to be handed out for leaves in the street is ridiculous. Also her involvement in the local politics of the garage should never be tolerated by town counsel or our residents. She should be reprimanded or asked to leave. It is not the town according to Roberta!

And as for Paul Arohnson, just leave – you have been self serving and a disaster for this village.