file photo by Boyd Loving
November 10,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Highlights from the Village of Ridgewood Council Public meeting on November 9th.
1. As always, meeting minutes are prepared and approved in a timely manner, unlike the previous administration, under which minutes were aged for months and in some cases years.
2. Acting village manager Heather Mailander named all employees who are veterans and thanked them for their service during this Veterans’ Day holiday week. It is so wonderful to have a manager who is pleasant, supportive, and a champion of employees. Hoping this will be the model when a permanent manager is hired.
3. Parking was discussed, including a long-since dismissed garage plan that actually would fit on the Hudson St. lot. Really. The garage was voted down by a massive margin. So they are back at it? Also, central valet was mentioned again, an excellent idea. A discussion of changing times and fees for various parking lots was so confusing that even the council members seemed to not understand what they were aiming for, and an error in their paperwork indicated that the meters would go until 10 PM.
4. Mayor Knudsen will hold office hours quarterly, joined by one of her council colleagues. This Saturday November 13 she will meet with residents from 11-1 in the 4th floor conference room. Call Heather’s office for an appointment.
5. Three ordinances regarding salaries were introduced. Titles are being updated. Some are being deleted. Notably the Human Resources Manager position is not scheduled for deletion at least not in this round. Sharyn Matthews is gone, as is her mother hen Roberta Sonenfeld. Possibly the HR position will be eliminated for good once the new manager is hired.
6. The public hearing on Ordinance 3556 Parking Restrictions on Pomander Walk was held. Many residents from The Walk pleaded to keep the street as a zero parking zone. This prevailed. The street remains a no parking street. This is a street that is paid for by public tax money but the public cannot park on it. OK. This seems unfair.
7. They authorized studying the feasibility of an Uber Pilot Program. This may help ease parking around the train station.
8. The Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) Grant application was approved. It was made clear that there will be NO BIKE LANES included in this project, if the grant is awarded. Nope, no bike lanes along very busy thoroughfares, thank God. The jackass project presented a few weeks ago by a bike-lane advocate and a surly village engineer was scrapped. The Grant, if approved, will just include new sidewalks and curb cuts.
9. As always the five elected officials were pleasant, professional, and held productive and meaningful discussions for all to hear. Residents’ questions and concerns were heard and answered with respect and even humor. Total transparency with total civility. The absence of Tony Damiano and Rurik Halaby meant that there was not a single dark cloud in the room.
And Melanie McWilliams was made a permanent member of,the planning board, thank you! Excellent move. Sorry she did not run for VC, but maybe next time…….
It’s a pleasure to watch the council meetings. No more personal agendas like our last mayor. Keep up the good work and thank you.
Yes, agree Melanie would have been great. She took one for the team to make sure that those other three were history.
Mother hen Sonenfeld is clucking to herself these days.
I get annoyed when a car drives on my street. Can I get no parking here at all, except of course for me and my cars. That Pomander decision is messed up
Less than two years until the next council election. She can replace the weakest link.
I am beyond disappointed with the Pomander decision. It is completely unbalanced and lacks all perspective. That street is probably one of the LEAST driven streets in this whole town. It was done pretty much to punish a local business and I do not understand why the four voted the way they did. We all have problems on our streets, we all deal with safety issues with cars driving too fast creating unsafe conditions for our children. Why are we not all treated equally? And to rub it in, they do not follow the rules so they receive all the benefit and share 0 of the burden. There were no fewer than 4 cars parked on the street this morning. Susan had it exactly right, as usual.
corrupt county democrats are slowly taking control of this council too. Sad but true.
Rest assured Melanie will run and soon. I think the decision to take one for the team but continue to offer her volunteerism was a good one. I’m sure there’s a reason and a plan.