Ridgewood Nj, Only the terms of the mediated settlement between Valley Hospital and the Planning Board is known at this moment and Ms. Hauck had nothing to do with that negotiation. It was PB Chairman Nalbantian and Vice Chairman Joel.
Ms Hauck and Ms. Knudsen are the two VC members negotiating Valley Hospital’s suit against the Village Council. We understand that a court date is set for early May. At that time we will know more about that case.
In the meantime, CRR has not stopped their efforts and are encouraging people to show up to Monday’s PB meeting. They are also working on educating a whole new group of younger parents that are less familiar with this issue. If you would like to help, contact [email protected] or[email protected]
Can we start a thread on the Financial Advisory Committee?
What is their mission? Are they supposed to be a nonpolitical group? Is it the bull pen for council positions?
How did the committee get so big? Who appointed them?
Will their job ever be complete or will they hang around forever?
We sincerely hope that the current Village Council will have the wisdom and
courage to act, thereby avoiding the urgency for another “independent” review of the Vil
lage budget and management process in the future.
Our committee focused only on the municipal budget and practices, not the Board of Education (BOE). Since
the BOE budget represents 64% of the property tax burden in Ridgewood, we hope that this report wi
ll also serve as a template for the BOE to establish a similar process for cost and efficiency improvements
.
Given the time and resource constraints mentioned earlier, the report is not an exhaustive study, but attempts to raise
issues and make actionable recommendations for the Village Council’s immediate attention and further
consideration. We held almost 50 hours of meetings, including with current and past Village representatives
and various Village constituents. We met with consultants in municipal government operational efficiency and
studied all of the Village’s collective bargaining agreements.
Finally, we carefully reviewed the Village’s budget trends over the past 10 years to understand key budget influences and, more importantly, what they tell us about Ridgewood’s future liabilities. Collectively, our Committee devoted hundreds of hours in an
effort to deliver recommendations that we hope will have great value for Ridgewood taxpayers.
While our committee has no authority to enact any of our recommendations, we appreciate and are honored
to have the opportunity to serve our community in this manner. We took the responsibility of Mayor
Aronsohn’s mandate seriously. We respectfully submit the following recommendations to the Village Council
with the hope that you will make every effort to act on them fully and expeditiously. We wish to be clear that
these recommendations do not, necessarily, represent the unanimous opinion of all members of our
committee. However, they do represent the consensus of the committee. It is the opinion of the committee that the consequences of failing to act on these recommendations have never been more momentous or urgent for the sustainability of our Village, as we know it, and for the rising fiscal burden on Village taxpayers.
The Members of the 2012 Financial Advisory Committee (alphabetically)
Rich Barclay
Bayard DeI\/Iallie
Ed Feldsott
Nancy Johansen *
Charlie Kime
John Maxwell
Jim McCarthy
David Sabath
Jim Schimmei
Fran Shovlìn
Roberta Sonenfeld *
Bob Zeller
Nothing above gives the FAC authority to submit letters to the editor and promote the agenda of the mayor.
That was the 2012 roster. Are they all still on? Some of them are just wanna-bees. No real financial expertise. A couple have oversized egos but can’t even manage their personal finances
Reader says , Security for parking lots seems to be getting a lot of press lately. If you look at the statistics, roughly 80% of the criminal acts at shopping centers, strip malls and business offices occur in the parking lot. Lawyers make a good living off liability cases based on a lack of sufficient security measures or not taking “reasonable care” in the protection of employees and customers against criminal threats. The lawsuits often revolve around lack of sufficient lighting, surveillance and response. Once crime takes a foothold in an area it is difficult to break the trend, but there are some things you can do that can improve security, deter crime, reduce potential liability and make your customers feel safer. It’s interesting to note that where parking lot security has been implemented, customer use has actually increased because they feel safer. Increased customer use means increased profit which can be used to justify the increased cost related to any security improvements.
There are some general problems inherent in parking facilities that make the security of patrons and employees challenging. A criminal’s vehicle most likely will not be noticed in a parking facility. Also, parked vehicles provide a hiding place for a criminal and can block the distribution of lighting to the area that a criminal may be located. Security is more problematic for parking garages. Parking garages allow more vehicles to be parked on the same amount of land. The ability to see and be seen in one’s surroundings, known as natural surveillance, is reduced in parking garages. This is because parking garages can be partially or fully enclosed, elevated above ground, having multiple levels, or have ramps that provide access to the multiple floors of the facility.
Not every parking lot or garage is the same, nor do any have the same needs to mitigate risks.
It all boils down to a fundamental but complex word that underlies most all security mitigation and litigation: reasonable.
Did the building owner, facility manager, parking firm, chief security officer, security director or loss prevention manager provide a reasonable level of protection at parking lots and garages in the light of the history of incidents; type of business; history of clientele; physical location; application of procedures, policies, people and technology; and regarding immediate response and follow up reaction to situations that arise and alarm?
The details and the devil are both in “what is reasonable,” which can vary among types of businesses served by the parking facility, typical levels of security around the location, past actions taken, history of crime at that location as well as other hard and soft factors.
In addition to cameras placed within the garage footprint for safety, several 360-degree pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) units were installed on the top of the exterior stair towers. Not only does parking management have access to the feeds at will, but the external video feed is shared with the police department, explains Gray. It allows them to take advantage of the view from one of the taller structures in the vicinity as well as eliminate a dead spot at a busy intersection.
Don’t overlook the human element of surveillance either. “Parking attendants are another indirect security measure,” Gray observes. “Having someone there 24/7 adds another level of comfort.” You can also tap them to pull double duty and monitor video between clients.
If your garage or lot is unattended, try scheduling frequent patrols, particularly in the evening. If you have contract security, you can also have guards available to escort occupants back to their vehicles.
Bloomberg More Americans are finding jobs at retail stores, but they aren’t getting the kind of pay and hours they’d like.
The number of able-bodied Americans entering the labor force has surged since last fall. But in a marked change from earlier in the recovery, more of them are finding jobs right away instead of just looking for work.
What’s going on? It’s hard to say for sure, but circumstantial evidence in the latest U.S. jobs report suggests many of these newly employed workers have found part-time work with mediocre pay.
The participation rate hit a two-year high of 63% in March, climbing from a 38-year low of 62.4% in September, the government said Friday. A person is considered part of the labor force if he finds or job or is actively searching for one.
file photo Scott Garrett sinking the crony driven Ex Im bank
Garrett Statement on SIFI Designation Struck Down by Courts
Mar 30, 2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05), Chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored Enterprises, issued the following statement after a federal judge struck down a systemically important financial institution (SIFI) designation by the Financial Stability Oversight Council for the first time ever today.
“FSOC’s ( Financial Stability Oversight Council ) perfect storm of secrecy and intimidation has created a shadow regulatory system that concentrates power in Washington at the expense of hardworking Americans, and I’m pleased to see the judicial branch took a stand for the Constitution with their decision. Now that the courts have spoken, it’s time for Congress to step in and pull back the curtain on FSOC so the American people can see what this secretive body is really up to.”
Garrett has led the call for much-needed transparency and accountability at the FSOC. He is the author of H.R. 3557, the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) Transparency and Accountability Act. This bill passed the Financial Services Committee in November.
H.R. 3557 would:
Subject the FSOC to the Government in the Sunshine Act
Subject the FSOC to the Federal Advisory Committee Act
At all FSOC meetings, allow for the participation of all members of the Commissions and Boards represented
Require that any vote taken by the principal of a Commission or Board represented must first be taken by that Commission or Board and the principal must then in turn vote that same decision at the Council
Allow for Members of Congress on the Congressional oversight committees of FSOC to be able to attend all FSOC meetings
Garrett has made enemies by his unrelenting disapproval of Dodd-Frank which has codified the disastrous “too big to fail” policy and mega Wall Street bail outs . “Garrett says , “the Dodd-Frank Act has stifled economic growth, made it more difficult for Main Street businesses to obtain credit, and increased the likelihood that taxpayers will be on the hook for additional Wall Street bailouts. Most importantly, this law has and has made it harder for Americans to find a job, buy a home, and save money for their family’s future. ” Garrett went on , “Despite creating new bureaucracies that have imposed thousands of pages of rigid, invasive, and unworkable regulations, Dodd-Frank did nothing to reform the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, whose actions caused the 2008 financial crisis.
While Garrett’s Democrat challenger Josh Gottheimer is a champion of more big government , more corporate welfare ,and more wall street bailouts.
Ridgewood NJ, YWCA Bergen County is offering its Vacation Day program for children in grades K-6 on April 11th through 15th from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Trips and activities include Bowling, FunPlex, Jump On In, Planet 301 and Movies. Transportation and lunch is included. For complete details, please visit https://www.ywcabergencounty.org/programs/youth-services/vacation-day-program/.
The YWCA Vacation Day program provides full day care from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on designated school holidays. Based at the YWCA’s 112 Oak Street, Ridgewood facility, the program is supervised by the YWCA’s trained child care staff. The fee is $65 per child per day for families that are current YWCA members, and $85 for non-members. Advance registration is required by Tuesday, April 5, 2016.
Forms not received by deadline cannot be guaranteed and will be charged a late fee of $25. To register call Mary Agnello at 201-444-5600, ext. 352 or visit www.ywcabergencounty.org for details and registration forms.
YWCA Before and After School Programs are offered at schools in seven Bergen County districts: Allendale, Cresskill, Dumont, Old Tappan, Oradell, Ridgewood, and Westwood. All programs are licensed by the State of New Jersey, Department of Children & Families.
Sun, April 10, 2016 – Fri, May 06, 2016
Time: 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location: Art Barn, 12 East Glen Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Cost: $275 per person
Become a Sponsor and Take Home a Beautiful Original Framed Painting. Every Sponsor goes home with a painting.
Reception: Sunday, April 10th, 2016 2-4pm
Exhibition Dates: Saturday, April 2nd-Thursday, May 5th, 2016
Gala Drawing: Friday, May 6th, 2016 8pm
The Sponsor Show is our most popular annual event at the Ridgewood Art Institute, providing sponsors an opportunity to acquire a beautifully framed original painting, from the collection donated by our outstanding artists and instructors. In addition to wonderful landscapes and still lifes, several of our professional artists offer the chance to commission a portrait or pet painting. On the night of the Gala Drawing, the name of each sponsor is randomly called to choose their favorite painting. For only $275, become a sponsor and begin creating your painting “wish list” at our Opening Reception, or anytime during the exhibition dates. Proceeds from the show go directly toward the Institute’s efforts to promote fine arts in our community.
Once again we are offering gift certificates. You can become a sponsor yourself, and you can purchase a gift certificate for a friend or family member to join you as a sponsor. A personally selected painting is a wonderful gift for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, weddings, or any special occasion.
A limited number of sponsorship’s are sold each year, so don’t miss out on this exciting event! Sponsorships can be purchased on line at www.ridgewoodartinstitute.org. For more information , visit our website www.ridgewoodartinstitute.org and click “Art Exhibits”.
YARD WASTE COLLECTION BEGINS APRIL 11 – PLEASE ADHERE TO SCHEDULE
Ridgewood NJ, Its that time of the year again , “Yard Waste” season will start on April 11th in Area A. Please do not place any yard waste (branches or twigs) at the curb until your date for yard waste collection begins. The schedule is printed in the 2016 Village Calendar. The Village is divided into four areas and collection takes place at the curb following that schedule. The Recycling Center on E. Glen Avenue will take yard waste now if you want to drop it off. For further questions, please call 201/670-5585.
Randy Gaugler & Ary Faraji
Center for Vector Biology – Rutgers University / NJAES
Zika virus is not a new disease. Zika virus has been largely confined to equatorial Africa in the tropics where it circulated predominately between forest dwelling mosquitoes and wild primates. The virus was actually discovered from a sentinel monkey that had been placed in a cage in the Zika forest of Uganda in 1947. But the virus rarely spilled over into human populations even in highly endemic areas of Africa. The explosive reemergence we are current witnessing is truly extraordinary. Human activities are the greatest factor attributing to this spread because of rapid changes in land use and globalization leading to rapid increases in the movement of goods and people.
Zika is a pandemic because the virus is no longer confined to Africa but has spread to Asia, the Pacific Islands, and now the Americas where the World Health Organization is predicting several million infections and classifying Zika a ‘global health emergency’. The virus is not continent-hopping via the spread of mosquitoes, but because of the frequency and rapidity of air travel by humans. An individual can be bitten by an infected mosquito where the virus is circulating, and then fly long distances within a short span of time. Since the incubation period in humans usually lasts several days, if that infected individual is bitten by a local mosquito that can replicate and transmit the virus (i.e. vector competency in the host mosquito), then local infections in a new area may occur. However, only a handful of Aedes mosquitoes are vector competent for Zika virus. The primary vector is the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti; a highly invasive urban species. Their eggs may remain dormant for months in small containers, which contribute to a wide geographical distribution. Not coincidentally, these mosquitoes are abundant in the areas where Zika virus is currently circulating in the Americas. In short, humans are responsible for the transportation of Zika virus, whereas mosquitoes are responsible for transmission of the virus to humans.
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Police Department has announced the 3rd annual Chief Michael Feeney, Jr. Police Academy scheduled from Thursday June 23rd to Friday July 1st. The academy is open to Ridgewood Residents entering 6th 7th and 8th grades in the fall of 2016.
Last year’s academy featured demonstrations from The Ridgewood Police Department, Bergen County Sheriff’s Department K-9 and Bomb Squad, Police Motorcycles, Ridgewood Emergency Services, FBI, Ridgewood Fire Department, Helicopter landing as well as demonstrations from various other agencies. A field trip to the Bergen County Law and Public Safety Complex in Mahwah is also scheduled.
Applications are available April 1st 2016 at the Ridgewood Police Station 2nd floor police desk. The deadline for applications is Wednesday June 1st 2016. The fee for the Academy is $50 per student which includes two shirts per student a baseball hat a string bag and transportation to our field trip.
According to the Ridgewood Police, “The Junior Police Academy has proven to be a valuable experience for all involved and has provided a vital link between the Police Department and the youth of Ridgewood. Further, the Junior Police Academy has afforded students a deeper understanding of the Police function as well as an increased ability to see what the Police and the community can do to serve the Village. The overwhelming success of our Junior Police Academy class has far exceeded the expectations of everyone involved. This program attracts a highly motivated group of recruits, and the Instructors thoroughly enjoy their interaction with these young people. We look forward to another great class.”
MLS # 1612213
223 Steilen Ave, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
3 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, Col William Bankos, Broker Owner Bergen Realty & Investments
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 4/3
9
MLS # 1535930
456 E Saddle River Rd, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
3 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, Ranch Thomas Panso, Sales Associate Keller Williams Valley Realty
Ridgewood NJ, On Wednesday, April 20, the League of Women Voters of Ridgewood will hold a moderated forum for candidates who are running for Village Council in the May 10 Municipal Election. The forum will be held at Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue at 7:30.There are six challengers for three open seats on the Ridgewood Town Council: Richard Brooks, Ramon Hache, Jeffrey Voigt, Bernadette Coghlan-Walsh, Evan Weitz, and Janice Willett.
The candidates will each provide a background statement and will answer questions provided by the League. There will also be time for questions from the public.
Candidates Night will be televised live on Cablevision-Channel 77 and Fios-Channel 34.Ms Barbara King from the Fairlawn League of Women Voters will moderate the forum. If you have any questions about the forum or the League of Women Voters, please contact Joan Burns at 201-615-6614.
photo courtesy of “it takes a village” group on Facebook
April 3,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ , the Attached please find a picture of a typical Saturday at BF. middle school. Students from across the county participating in track and field events OUTSIDE. Hundreds of kids use the field on a regular basis .
Valley construction will involve noise , and dust
Whats will be the impact on out door activities at Middle school during the long construction phase at Valley Hospital
The full page ad from the Garage Cabal was an insult. It had Roberta’s exasperated catch phrase “enough is enough”. Well, I am fed up to, but I am fed up with our local government. Look at the list of signers in the ad. I recognize many of the names of business owners and residents who make their living working for these businesses (architect, PR guy). We also have some Financial Advisory Committee and Historic Preservation members. And then there are the hangers-on Don, Tim and Rurick. They did not make the list alphabetical because you would be able to see that entire families signed the petition just to make it look like a ground swell of supporters.
We are on the cusp of overdevelopment and everyone is grabbing for what they can get. The businesses care only about themselves. If business was not profitable they would have moved on to another town. They stay because they make a buck – good for them. I did not move to Ridgewood 27 years ago for the restaurants and banking opportunities. I moved because I liked the community as a whole.
Build the right-sized garage in downtown Ridgewood and limit high density housing. Thankfully we will soon have a new council and I hope that they can slow things down. I am not against change. Planned development can be a good thing. We are a community first, not a shopping center.
Look carefully at those running for a seat on the council. Two are FAC members (we need a separate thread just about this group – what exactly is their function?) who supported the garage in its original form. A third person seems to have nothing to do with the garage/development issue (The Manchurian Candidate). He is bff with Vaggianos and would like to help out his friend on the development side.
That leaves us with three other candidates. They have posted things on this site and social media. They are explaining their positions. I am listening carefully. We don’t want Englewood and Montclair as our models for a downtown. We have something unique here and we have to be careful not to destroy it.
There’s been a lot of misinformation regarding this new Its2Big petition and so, to set the record straight, we’ve created a short video which should paint a clearer picture about why it’s so important that you should sign it. Please share it with everyone you know. Too many folks in town have been given misinformation regarding the petition and the local media is not presenting a balanced account about it.
As an addendum, if there was any question regarding the fact that this petition will be put on the ballot in November, unless our Village Council chooses otherwise, please read this statement.
