Author: James

The Planning Board is out of it’s league and are scared of Valley’s Drill Sergeant lawyer

How does that head of the board live with himself? Allowing Valley’s lawyer “The Drill Sergeant” to act like he owns these meetings, while treating the residents who would like to speak so disrespectfully? He can’t even remember if it’s 2 questions or 3 questions that he allowing? Get a clue.

It is so obvious that our planning board needs some state or county aid in this decision. The Drill Sergeant is running these proceedings any way he wants. He claims he is going to object before anything is said. The Board is out of it’s league and are scared of him. Valley must be paying this “pit-bull” a fortune to represent their interests. They’re old lawyer sits there and yawns the whole meeting.

The meeting was petty and useless last night. The only real point that was mentioned several times by Mr. Speck, for CCR, was that the board has the power to do what ever they want to the H-Zone not what Valley is asking for!

I don’t think the board or council should give them another SF. Keep the existing H-Zone. This is not a hardship case. Valley can easily build at their Paramus location without even a fight. Shame on Valley for not doing so many years ago when they started this mess. Valley, should blame themselves for Pascack Valley re-opening!

Valley, started as a Community Hospital and should remain this way (Like Graydon). Fix broken limbs and deliver babies. No one is having serious surgery here ever.

The Master Plan and the H Zones are here to protect Ridgewood.

If a few elected people on the PB and Council now decide that they, and not the majority, want to change these existing protection policies then we are doomed.

It’s now about both Valley and the CBD. If either are approved then the other will be allowed. They are one in the same.

Why now? Why after years of no are these projects even being entertained? They should not be. There are lesser alternatives for all of these locations. We are getting hammered by all the people with the money. This country is suffering so a little town suffering at a few open spaces is miner. Let’s not sell our souls and our town for projects that will do such long term harm.

Logic today, will protect us all tomorrow

SHOULD THE BOE CHANGE THE SCHOOL ELECTION DATE FROM APRIL TO NOVEMBER?

Come to a public info session next Monday night, October 7, to learn about the law and give the Board input. The info session will be held as part of the Regular Public Meeting, at the Ed Center, 49 Cottage Place, starting at 7:30 p.m. Details can be found on the district’s website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us.

October is Ridgewood Schools Walk to School Month

IT’S OCTOBER, WHICH MEANS IT’S WALK-TOBER: Join the Ridgewood School community in celebrating Walk-tober Fest!

Take some time this month to promote health, safety and the environment by walking to school – or just simply taking a walk.

Keeping motorists away from school campuses will create a safer environment for students who choose to walk or ride their bikes to school. If you must drive your child to school try to drop them off a few blocks away from the campus.

Senate Dems reject formal talks with House to end shutdown
By Ramsey Cox – 10/01/13 10:01 AM ET

Senate Democrats on Tuesday rejected negotiating with the House on government funding, leaving no clear path for ending the federal shutdown that began overnight.

The Senate voted 54-46 to table a House request for a conference committee on a continuing resolution (CR), marking the third time that Democrats have voted down legislation from the lower chamber since Monday.

“The government is closed,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said. “All over America federal employees are getting furloughs this morning … because of the irrationality that is going on in the other side of the Capitol.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Democrats had been rooting for a shutdown all along.

“Democratic leaders in Congress finally have their prize — a government shutdown that no one seems to want but them,” McConnell said. “With just hours left to go Democrats voted again and again to reject reasonable legislation. … They don’t even want to talk about it.”

https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/325747-senate-dems-reject-formal-talks-with-house-to-end-shutdown

Former Bergen County Democratic leader Ferriero pleads not guilty in racketeering scheme
Monday September 30, 2013, 1:15 PM
BY  PETER J. SAMPSON
STAFF WRITER
The Record

Joseph A. Ferriero on Monday formally denied charges that he engaged in a series of bribery, kickback and shakedown schemes during his decade-long tenure as chairman of Bergen County’s Democratic Party.

Ferriero, 56, once among the state’s most powerful political leaders, made his initial appearance before U.S. District Judge Ester Salas in Newark and was arraigned on racketeering, conspiracy to promote bribery, mail fraud, wire fraud, and other charges.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/Former_Bergen_County_Democratic_leader_Ferriero_pleads_not_guilty_to_bribery_charges.html#sthash.CxoCsA9T.dpuf

Five Major Concerns with the Valley Hospital’s “Renewal.”

1.  The children passing through Travell, Somerville and Hawes will be the ones forced to endure Valley’s massive reconstruction, which will be ongoing alongside BF Middle School for nearly 10 years.

2.  During a six hour school day, construction trucks will drive back and forth past BF as many as 132 times on their way to and from the Valley construction site.

3.  Valley’s 94 foot tall North Building will stand just 40 feet from the BF property line and will literally shadow the school’s grounds.

4.  If you think Valley is already over-developed at 400,000 square feet, how will you feel when it’s “renewed” to 1,000,000 square feet?

5.  In Ridgewood, is anything more important than the education, health and safety of our children?

https://stop94.com/about/

www.fidelitylodge.com

DeMolay Membership Open House

Young Men’s Leadership Organization – ages 12 to 21

A Membership Open House will take place for DeMolay Leaders of Bergen County, a young men’s leadership organization for boys age 12 to 21. DeMolay members learn life-skills, responsibility, and cooperation by working together to plan and carry out their customized program of community service, social and sports activities. Come join over 3 million young men in the greatest youth organization ever! Everyone welcome. Additional information can be found at www.njdemolay.org. Dates: Wednesday, September 18; Wednesday, October 2; and Wednesday, October 16 Time: 7:30 pm Location: Fidelity Lodge #113 F&AM 99 S. Maple Avenue Ridgewood contact Advisor Dory Gasorek at 908-432-0800

file photo Senator Harry Reid

Senate Keeps its Exemption form Obamacare and opts to shut down government

Sense of surreal as Senate makes quick work of House bill
By Alexander Bolton – 09/30/13 09:23 PM ET

A sense of the absurd spread on the Senate floor as lawmakers voted a second time within hours to reject a House-passed funding stopgap shortly before a midnight deadline to avoid a government shutdown.

Senators defeated the House proposal along party lines, 54-46 There were no defections. The measure would have delayed the individual mandate, a core piece of the Affordable Care Act, and prevented congressional lawmakers and staff from receiving federal subsidies when they enter healthcare exchanges.

The situation appeared surreal to lawmakers as the clock ticked toward midnight and there appeared no evidence of progress or even negotiations between the two sides.

“Three and a half hours essentially until the government begins to shut down. Can you believe this?” said Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), the chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “We are the United States of America. We are a superpower. We’re supposed to be a nation governed by rule of law and we’re about to shut down.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) invoked Albert Einstein’s definition of insanity as performing the same action repeatedly and expecting a different result.

He panned the House-passed legislation for increasing the out-of-pocket healthcare costs of lawmakers and staffers.

“This time the House has attached a poison pill that would punish 16,000 congressional staff,” he said.

Senate Democrats left little doubt before the vote they would strike the amendments attached to a stopgap bill funding government through Dec. 15.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/325679-senate-quickly-rejects-house-latest-funding-measure#ixzz2gSs6O4zB

Ridgewood neighbors question PSE&G’s removal of stained soil
Monday September 30, 2013, 9:34 AM
BY  LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News

PSE&G’s decision to replace soil soaked with a wood preservative, which leaked from their new, controversial 65-foot utility poles, has drawn the ire of some residents and added to a growing list of qualms with the utility’s procedures.

The utility, however, contends that it was attempting to address residents’ concerns.

For Hope Street resident Alyssa Steinberger, the utility appeared to be acting in its own interest when it sent workers to remove contaminated soil from around the poles on Sept. 19.

“If this is PSE&G’s idea of a hazardous spill clean-up, I can’t wait for them to show up with their canisters of Glade Air Freshener to address the air contaminant problem,” Steinberger said last week, noting that “none of us [on Spring Avenue and Hope Street] ever complained about the ‘look’ of it.”

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/225793851_Ridgewood_neighbors_question_PSE.html#sthash.rFh473d6.dpuf

Ridgewood’s future not being decided by its residents
Friday, September 20, 2013
The Ridgewood News

Ridgewood’s future not being decided by its residents
by Amy Bourque
Citizens for a Better Ridgewood

To the editor:

What is it exactly that drives a community to change its Master Plan? Are changes made because a community is overwhelmingly in favor of change? Or are changes made due to overwhelming pressure from outside entities?

After sitting through dozens of meeting over the last seven months and listening in on the workings of our Planning Board, I have come to a sad conclusion: Change in our town is being driven by incredibly motivated applicants, not by the citizens who live here.

At the Sept. 17 Planning Board meeting, our village planner, Mr. Blais Brancheau, gave guidance as to how new zones should look that will accommodate high density housing in Ridgewood. Despite a major deficit in open space, a severe lack of parking, traffic and accidents that are out of control, and school populations that have reached critical mass with capped budget spending, why are we still allowing high density zones to be created at all? Why? Why? Why? This is a question all of us should be asking.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/opinions/224520041_Letter__Ridgewood_s_future_not_being_decided_by_its_residents.html#sthash

Consultant: Ridgewood neighborhood would be ‘severely affected’ by Valley Hospital expansion
Tuesday October 1, 2013, 6:49 AM
BY  BARBARA WILLIAMS
STAFF WRITER
The Record

RIDGEWOOD – Nearly 500 people flocked to a school auditorium Monday night to hear a professional planner explain how The Valley Hospital’s plan to expand will have a “major effect” on the neighborhood, and not in a good way.

CHRIS PEDOTA / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
The Valley Hospital

Peter Steck, a community planning consultant hired by the Concerned Residents of Ridgewood, told the board that the amendment to the village master plan that Valley is seeking is an “improper balance” between the hospital’s and community’s needs. Valley needs the master plan alteration to expand on its 15-acre site, seated in the middle of a residential community and next to a middle school.

Members of Concerned Residents, which is opposing the plan, have paid $100,000 to fight the project. They have been attending eight months of hearings but this is the first one where an expert has presented their side of the battle.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/ridgewood/Consultant_Ridgewood_neighborhood_would_be_severely_affected_by_Valley_Hospital_expansion.html#sthash.c4IUTcaw.dpuf

Readers says Planning Board is afraid of Valley’s Lawyer “The Drill Sargent”

Meeting seemed like such a waste of time tonight? I was so disappointed with the petty BS. Valley’s Lawyer “The Drill Sargent” has such an ego it doesn’t even fit into this building? He has no right to act like he does. The way the board allows him to act is a disgrace on their part. The entire board is scared of him and he is becoming the Judge , Jury, and Executioner! He must cost $500 an hour?

I think the only question that needs to be answered now is how much expansion are we going to give them? I heard 94 feet? 71 feet, 48 feet? This “Due” Process is pathetic and Valley should just get to re-do their structures based on the existing H-Zone. End this now. Enough is enough. Just say NO, based on the existing limits