the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood residents Steve Kim and Saurabh Dani continue to point out on on the Facebook page “It takes a Ridgewood Village ” ,the lack of transparency of the Board of Education . They both have raised serious concerns over plans by both the Ridgewood Library and the Ridgewood Board of Education to borrow and spend taxpayer money with little to no input from taxpayers.
Under the pretense of “surveys” where both the institutions sample residents opinions , the Ridgewood Library and the Ridgewood Board of Education move forward with previously agreed plans to borrow and spend with no weight given to residents input. When questioned with the simple mathematics , both institutions fall back to name calling ,branding residents as negative ,trouble makers and dissidents. Even going as far to enlist other residents to try to silence their neighbors.
While the height of this despicable behavior took place under the Aronsohn Administration (the 3 amigos) and epic disaster that will have Village residents paying for more water,sewers ,police, fire , parking and of coarse schools for years to come. So say destroying the very reason people move to Ridgewood in the first place.
The 3 amigos were the first administration to top the Village Hall wreck-o-vation mess that ran hugely over budget and worse yet not fixing the very problem the renovation was established to fix ie… flooding the very first time it rained . Years later Village residents are still paying for disaster. You’d think someone would have learned something .
Village resident Steve Kim says,”What happens when elected people don’t play by the rules? They get to play house, and we get the perpetual baggage… Oh, and they ride into the sunset. (No, elected doesn’t necessarily mean most qualified.)
Loose management is taking place at the public school. No notes. No minutes. No disclosure on the planning of a massive referendum ($70 million plus) that, if passed as planned, could cause the school tax levy to go up by 7 percent or more in 2021. Unless the community demands more disclosure, there will be none.
For parents who have kids in the system – poor choices in borrowing will have negative long term consequences on the quality of education as higher debt service will crowd out invaluable operating financial wherewithal to meet the educational needs of your kids.
Unless we stay attentive and demand adherence to best practices that include disclosure of minutes and notes, and inculcation of rational decision processes, Ridgewood will go down the wrong and dark path yet again.”
Odd how none of you mention the current council who after years in office have done nothing to stop development or fix our services heck they can’t even get tree planting correct. The town garage is still there and an eyesore maybe even a health hazard. Their new fall back answer, well government works slow so not our fault. Now they have their hands in the BOE election when they can’t even mind their own store. This includes partnering with the CBD. Communication to the residents is nil except for the angry and nasty people that hang out on that sight you mention, who together bully the conversation. Those people you mention, never find good in people, rarely do any volunteer, never see them around town, do they even use the services for the school or library. Why don’t they either run for office if they think they know better or move or better yet, just help, be kind.
That is true we need to start helping people ,instead of hurting people.
There are many of us that need support and help, maybe because they’re in a certain position .
Those people are chronic complainers, and have no interest in volunteering. They’ll never run for anything, just hide under their anonymous names and make noise.
I have been flexible and have always been supportive.
I admit that there are a lot of complainers, as well as much to complain about with the continued secrecy and lack of listening to the residents. Everyone knows this–and it may well be the reason we aren’t getting any candidates for the school board. Most qualified people are either doing much volunteer work already or have too much pride to submit themselves to the constant criticism and even vulgarities that are thrown their way. We have to hope someone is able to step up because the job “should” be done.
Taxpayer – Mr. Dani does a lot of volunteer work and is definitely involved -I even saw him working the 4th of July Parade route when it was about 1000 degrees. He has a young family and is obviously genuinely concerned about Bd of Ed issues. I’ve never heard him be impolite when he speaks at the podium. Even if we disagree with his positions it would be unfair to say he isn’t involved.
Jane
Perhaps all of his volunteer time finding fault means he knows better, why doesn’t he apply for boe and really fix it. Why stay on the outside and poke holes. Make a real investment in the community. Perhaps that is why he was walking in the parade, perhaps it’s not too hot for him