* ACCUMULATIONS…SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 6 TO 12 INCHES…ALONG
WITH UP TO A QUARTER OF AN INCH OF ICE.
* WINDS…NORTH 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH.
* TEMPERATURES…IN THE LOWER 30S.
* VISIBILITIES…ONE QUARTER MILE OR LESS AT TIMES.
* TIMING…FRIDAY AFTERNOON INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING.
* IMPACTS…HEAVY SNOW AND FREEZING RAIN WILL MAKE FOR DANGEROUS
DRIVING CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION…THE HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG
WINDS COULD RESULT IN NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS…BRING DOWN SOME
TREE LIMBS…AND CA– USE SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
SNOW…SLEET…OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL.
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.
Retired Ridgewood Police Officer Louis Lembo died at 91
Ridgewood NJ, Louis Lembo, age 91, formerly of Ridgewood died Jan 30 2013. Lou was a WWll Navy veteran. He served as a police officer in Ridgewood for thirty years retiring in 1980. In retirement, he work as security for Valley Hospital. Survived by two sons: Donald and his wife Susan Lembo of Suffern, NY, Stephen and his wife Robbin Lembo of West Milford, NJ, and three grandchildren.
A Mass was held Tuesday, Feb 5, 2013 at 10:45 AM at Our Lady of Mount Carmel R.C. Church, 1 Passaic St., Ridgewood. Friends may call 5-8 PM, Monday at the C.C. Van Emburgh Funeral Home, 306 E Ridgewood Ave, Ridgewood. (www.vanemburgh.com) Burial will be in the George Washington Memorial Park.Paramus NJ.
Assistant Superintendent Angelo DeSimone gives a status report on the 2014 Budget
Volume 9, Number 13
February 5, 2013
Ridgewood NJ, 2014 budget preparations. Most recently, the Board was given all details on contractual salaries, benefits and out-of-district tuition, bringing the total information to 75%. The remainder of budget information will be sent to the Board this week. Once the budget is prepared, the Board will host a series of public information workshops.
April 16 Annual School Election business:
The Board approved Wednesday, March 6 at 3:30 p.m. as the date and time to hold the drawing of candidate names for ballot position in the annual School Election. The drawing will take place at the Education Center, 49 Cottage Place, in the office of the Assistant Superintendent for Business/Board Secretary.
The Board approved the list of the polling locations and hours for the April 16 Annual School Election, listed below. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
POLLING LOCATIONS FOR THE ANNUAL SCHOOL ELECTION DATE: TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2013 HOURS: 7:00 A.M. – 9:00 P.M.
DISTRICT LOCATION
1 Willard School, Auditorium, 601 Morningside Road
2 Willard School, Auditorium, 601 Morningside Road
3 Willard School, Auditorium, 601 Morningside Road
4 George Washington Middle School, Gym, 155 Washington Place
5 Orchard School, Cafetorium, 230 Demarest Street
6 Orchard School, Cafetorium, 230 Demarest Street
7 George Washington Middle School, Gym, 155 Washington Place
8 Travell School, Small Multi-purpose Room, 340 Bogert Avenue
9 The Ridgewood Public Library, Auditorium, 125 N. Maple Avenue
10 Orchard School, Cafetorium, 230 Demarest Street
11 Travell School, Small Multi-purpose Room, 340 Bogert Avenue
12 Ridgewood High School, Gym #1, 627 E. Ridgewood Avenue
13 Ridgewood High School, Gym #1, 627 E. Ridgewood Avenue
14 Glen School, Multi-purpose Room, 865 E. Glen Avenue
15 Benjamin Franklin Middle School, Auditorium, 335 N. Van Dien Ave.
16 Benjamin Franklin Middle School, Auditorium, 335 N. Van Dien Ave.
17 Somerville School, Gym, 45 S. Pleasant Avenue
18 Somerville School, Gym, 45 S. Pleasant Avenue
19 Hawes School, Cafetorium, 531 Stevens Avenue
Main, Bergen County & Pascack Valley Lines: Face Fare Increase EffectiveMarch 1, 2013
February 06, 2013
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, just weeks after NJT was nearly shut down by Hurricane Sandy ,NJT announces that some stations on the Main Line , Bergen County Line and Pascack Valley lines.
NJ TRANSIT fares are influenced by Metro-North fares in New York State. At times when NJ TRANSIT fares would otherwise be higher than Metro-North fares, an automatic agreement is triggered that “holds down” NJ TRANSIT fares, with Metro-North reimbursing NJ TRANSIT for the difference.
This agreement keeps ticket prices consistent with distance traveled, and ensures that revenue is collected by the appropriate railroad. Currently, fares at selected stations on the Main, Bergen County and Pascack Valley lines are lower than trips of similar distance on other NJ TRANSIT rail lines.
On Friday, March 1, 2013, Metro-North fares will increase, automatically triggering an adjustment to NJ TRANSIT fares at stations where a “hold down” has been in effect.
Check out your fare : https://www.njtransit.com/AdminTemp/fareincrease2013.pd
Cenergistic consultant acknowledged that the Ridgewood Public Schools has done much already to lower energy consumption and costs
February 5,2013
Ridgewood NJ, The BOE consulted to energy conservation company Cenergistic . A company representative presented information on its savings program, which promises financial relief to the district through a reduction in energy use.
The program relies on various energy-saving initiatives that include the implementation of best practices in the K-12 environment through behavior and equipment modifications. The goal would be to achieve a 30% cost savings over 10 years. The consultant acknowledged that the Ridgewood Public Schools has done much already to lower energy consumption and costs.
Cenergistic builds customized, comprehensive energy conservation programs that help organizations reduce their consumption of electricity, natural gas, fuel oil, and water, delivering financial savings that can be invested in the lives of the people our clients serve, not utility companies.
Clients include school districts, institutions of higher education, large churches, healthcare institutions and other organizations that share a commitment to fiscal and social responsibility and the wise use of limited financial and environmental resources.
They partner with clients to transform them into self-sufficient, energy-efficient organizations. By leveraging our data- and technology-powered energy conservation program, our clients are able to achieve their most ambitious goals, whether it’s hiring new staff or just reducing their overhead.
Christie: National Flood Insurance Program a ‘disgrace’
1:30p.m. EST February 5, 2013
Gov. Chris Christie said he is asking New Jersey’s congressional delegation to pressure FEMA to improve the performance of the flood insurance program.
UNION BEACH, N.J. (AP) – Gov. Chris Christie said Tuesday the National Flood Insurance Program’s handling of claims in New Jersey has been “a disgrace,” complaining that the program has been far too slow to resolve claims from Superstorm Sandy, with 70% of cases unresolved three months after the disaster.
The Republican governor said excessive paperwork, inadequate staffing, cumbersome audits and the threat of financial penalties to carriers and adjusters is interfering with the issuance of payments and prolonging the suffering of the thousands of New Jerseyans hurt by Sandy.
“I’ve been as patient as I’m going to be with the National Flood Insurance Program,” Christie said. “They need to get more people into New Jersey. They need to get to work. They need to get to processing these things. People need to know how much money they’re going to have.”
February 6, 2013 7:41 AM
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ– The U.S. Postal Service has announced that it will stop delivering mail on Saturdays but continue to deliver packages six days a week under a plan aimed at saving about $2 billion, the financially struggling agency says. Saturday mail cutback would not begin until August.
The move allows the USPS to focus on package delivery which has increased by 14% since 2010, At the same time technology which aids in package delivery has caught up with the delivery of letters and other mail declining significantly with the ever increasing use of email and other Internet based technologies. .
Under the new plan, mail would still be delivered to post office boxes on Saturdays. and Post offices now open on Saturdays would remain open on Saturdays.
The Postal Service for some time has advocated shifting to a five-day delivery schedule for mail and packages . The US Postal Service is an independent agency that gets no tax dollars for its day-to-day operations but is subject to congressional control.
The agency would need congressional approval to make the change and It was not immediately if that would be forth coming or even necessary.
Patrick R. Donahoe, postmaster general , says Postal Service market research and other research has indicated that nearly 7 in 10 Americans support the switch to five-day delivery as a way for the Postal Service to reduce costs.
The third annual Tastefully British Fish & Chips dinner
Christ Episcopal Church – All are Invited!
The third annual Tastefully British Fish & Chips dinner will be Wednesday, February 27th, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. in the Great Hall. In addition to Fish & Chips, a Chicken Tenders & Chips option will also be available. Come and enjoy an evening of great food and fellowship with our special musical guests, the Clan Na Vale Pipe and Drum Band. Dine in or take out. Tickets are $13; discounted tickets for seniors and children under 12 are $10. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
Tickets are available for purchase after Sunday services and at the church office. Invite your family and friends to this great event! We can take debit or credit card purchases. Christ Episcopal Church is located at 105 Cottage Place, Ridgewood. Stop by or call (201.652.2350) for more information on any of these events or visit our web site at www.christchurchridgewood.org.
RHS junior Jake Sabatini won the Alan Wedemeier Award for Outstanding Male Athlete
Ridgewood NJ,RHS junior Jake Sabatini won the Alan Wedemeier Award for Outstanding Male Athlete on January 28 during the Bergen County Relays at the Armory Track in Manhattan.
An accomplished sprinter, he ran a 50.8 on Monday to anchor Ridgewood’s 4×400 relay to lead the team to a come-from-behind victory. Sabatini is the second RHS athlete to win the Wedemeier Award in the past three years.
Ridgewood High School Learning Commons gains steam
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER
The Record
RIDGEWOOD — Fundraising efforts for Ridgewood High School’s new library are continuing, with demolition and construction slated to begin at the end of the current school year, officials said.
It will cost nearly $1 million to raze the high school’s 50-year-old library and replace it with “The Ridgewood High School Learning Commons.” But an additional $200,000 is needed for technology upgrades, officials said.
The fundraising effort, being overseen by the district’s Home and School Association executive board, was launched after the district received a $500,000 grant — including $400,000 from the Ridgewood Board of Education — for the project. “The library is outdated and hasn’t been renovated in 50 years; we needed something more 21st century to help our students succeed,” Principal Thomas Gorman said.
Work will begin after finals and continue through the summer, with the new library slated to open in September, Gorman said.
Sunshine Law Violations at the center of the Controversy
Tensions rise at Ridgewood council meeting
Tuesday February 5, 2013, 3:36 PM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER
The Record
RIDGEWOOD — Festering tensions between village council members exploded during a recent meeting with a flurry of accusations that ranged from parking ticket fixing to secret meetings.
The meeting, which included more than an hour of heated exchanges between Councilwoman Bernadette Walsh and Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli, caused several council members to comment on the contentious atmosphere in village hall. Mayor Paul Aronsohn even jumped into the fray when he alleged Walsh tried to have a ticket expunged.
Aronsohn criticized Walsh for emailing a parking ticket she received to the village manager and police chief because she believed it was given inappropriately, calling it a misuse of staff.
Walsh defended the move, saying she wanted officials in the village to know that the police were issuing tickets to cars with permits. Walsh also said she paid the ticket.
Pucciarelli, who had traded barbs with Walsh earlier in the meeting, then suggested all citizens “send an email to Village Manager Ken Gabbert if you get a ticket.” Walsh said the deputy mayor was acting “ridiculous.”
“You are the one who sent us down this dark road,” Pucciarelli said, before telling the governing body that residents watching the meeting at home through the village website were texting him, asking, “Please put an end to it [the bickering].”
The allegations erupted following a lengthy discussion last week on this year’s budget. Walsh was inquiring into several meetings last year about development in the village that were attended by some members of the governing body.
Donovan calls on utility authority appointee Kenneth Gabbert to resign, citing stipend
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
BY CHRIS HARRIS AND JUSTO BAUTISTA
STAFF WRITERS
The Record
Saying he betrayed the taxpayers’ trust, Bergen County Executive Kathleen Donovan on Tuesday called on Ridgewood’s embattled village manager, Kenneth Gabbert, to resign immediately from the Northwest Bergen County Utilities Authority
The move comes as Gabbert also finds his job in jeopardy in Ridgewood, where administration sources said three officials plan to ask him to resign Wednesday as village manager.
He could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.
Donovan fired off a letter to Gabbert on Tuesday expressing her disappointment that he is accepting a $5,000-a-year stipend as a part-time authority commissioner after his “personal agreement” that he would not accept a stipend.
Donovan’s letter was the latest salvo in her yearlong effort to stop some of the authority commissioners from continuing to collect the stipends and medical benefits. Donovan told Gabbert, whom she appointed to the authority last year, that she was disappointed by the disclosure in January that he had accepted the stipend, saying it “violated the trust” she had placed in him.
“I was elected to break up the status quo and institute an era of good government built on a foundation of taxpayer-friendly public policy,” Donovan, a Republican, said in her letter. “It was a government of which I thought you wanted to be a part of.”
She said Gabbert’s letter requesting an appointment ended with the words “wherever you need an ally for service.”
The PD manpower is very low, there are several employees eligable to retire at anytime. Minimum manpower on patrol is down to 4 patrol man and 1 supervisor to cover the entire town, that’s from Goffle and rock north to goffle and lake st all the way to the Paramus and Washington twp border near immaculate heart.and down into the lawns by Hawes school including the easternmost area east of Van Emburg. Pretty thin don’t you think? 1 domestic dispute and your down to one person on the road and do not be bamboozeled by the response “you got lots of inside people” they aren’t there any more,they have been eliminated through attrition, retirements, and a firing. 4 men assigned to the bureau, who don’t work 24/7 . The town needs to hire police officers now.
That depends on who does the staffing plan. People with no law enforcement experience, bean counters who work in the corporate world have no business dictating or recommending police staffing levels, there are actual facts, the state police ucr staffing report, which recommends 56 officers for Ridgewood the matrix report which say 44 officers as a minimum staffing level, and that came from a company that was hired by a previous coucil, also the department roster level of the rest of the PD’s in Bergen county, last check had Ridgewood at the lowest officer per resident rate in Bergen. The collective bargaining agreement has already been modified thru PBA cooperation to reduce starting salaries, and lower longevity payment, and lower capped sick time accumulation for new hires, yet the town has failed to take action and rehire. Who is the tiger tean and what are their qualifications to make recommendations as to how many police are necessary to protect the village.
If that is correct, it will be confirmed when a long-term staffing evaluation/plan is done. Right now, we have no actual facts to support whether we are under-staffed or over-staffed in a particular department. By creating efficiencies through other ideas proposed in the report, we may find that historical staffing needs no longer apply. We should get this comprehensive evaluation completed quickly to understand our actual staffing needs in the future. When employees retire, we definitely need to proceed with caution before deciding to hire a replacement.
Last i looked the village had 44 police officers, what do they all do?
The police department may be properly staffed. The staffing plan that the tiger team recommended does not appear to be about reducing staffing arbitrarily. From what I read, they recommended getting an understanding of pending retirements and what the necessary staffing levels in all departments should be. I don’t think they are suggesting that they should perform that evaluation. It stands to reason that any evaluation would need to involve input from appropriate personnel from the each department, who understand the needs. Of course, in the case of the police, the state UCR report is probably not the definitive reference for staffing needs in Ridgewood. I think it offers more of a guideline based on historical practices, which may or may not reflect the specific needs in Ridgewood. Nor does it take into account the long term cost of its staffing guidelines in a particular municipality, which is the most important consideration. It is quite possible that existing contracts can create a cost structure that limits potential staffing options.
The bottom line is that there are about 275 employees in town and the police are only 16% of them. Rather than laying off newer employees (as Gabbert’s budget proposes) to cut expenses, the Village should try to take advantage of normal attrition (retirement) to reduce costs according to a thoughtful plan. If a department is properly staffed or understaffed, then such a plan should have no impact or may even point to increased staffing in that department. Accordingly, this is something that employees should encourage, not resist.
Super Bowl power outage puts Christie on the phone with PSEG
February 6, 2013, 4:30 PM
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, According to the Associated Press Gov. Chris Christie says watching live as the lights went out during the Super Bowl in New Orleans taught him about the many challenges of hosting pro football’s championship game.
Gov. Chris Christie was at Sunday’s Superbowl game as a guest of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell when in the second half the Super Dome lost power the third-quarter, halting play for more than a half-hour.
The 2014 Super Bowl will be played at the Met Life stadium shared by the Giants and Jets. Met life Stadium is no stranger to power outages ,suffering several when the stadium originally opened .Christie says his staff was on the phone with PSE&G during the outage saying, “you see this, we don’t want this.
Study: Many N.J. teachers wary of new evaluations
Tuesday, February 5, 2013 Last updated: Tuesday February 5, 2013, 5:15 PM
Associated Press
TRENTON — School administrators in New Jersey districts that tested a new ways to evaluate teachers are bullish on the changes, but teachers remain skeptical, according to a report from Rutgers University.
The state Education Department released the results Tuesday from a study it commissioned on the changes. It also released a second study of the same districts from an advisory committee.
In a statement, Education Commissioner Christopher Cerf said there are good signs and lessons from the reports, particularly that participating schools developed a culture where teachers and administrators wanted to improve.
“While we never expected the first year of the pilot to be perfect, we are motivated by the finding that educators are having more meaningful conversations than ever before about effective teaching, which of course is the first step to helping continuously improve student outcomes,” he said.
