Ridgewood NJ, Why is the Mayor and his 3 Candidates fighting so hard to keep the Village Manager. Why are they getting so involved with this when the entire council Majority is not running for reelection. . Reminds me of the following definition :
“The lady doth protest too much, methinks” is a quotation from the 1599/ 1600 play Hamlet by William Shakespeare. It has been used as a figure of speech, in various phrasings, to describe someone’s too frequent and vehement attempts to convince others of some matter of which the opposite is true, thereby making themselves appear defensive, and insincere.
In rhetorical terms, the phrase can be thought of as indicating an unintentional apophasis—where the speaker who “protests too much” in favor of some assertion puts into others’ minds the idea that the assertion is false, something that they may not have considered before.
The Village Manager has no contact and serves at the pleasure of the Council. If the 3 amigos wanted to keep her so bad then maybe they should have run for re election.
In the Village Hall it was observed Roberta proudly displaying the full page advertisement that appears on page A-11 (about retaining her) of Fridays Ridgewood News to staff members gathered in the waiting area outside of her office.
How inappropriate was it of her to conduct a forced discussion about politics with her people who report to her.
By the way, that ad was paid for by the following families:
Richard & Carla Fels, 227 Sunset
Michael & Amy Greenstone, 122 Sunset
Sommer (first names & address unknown)
Taylor (first names & address unknown)
Peter & Allison Von Halle, 48 Clinton
Viewing trees helps people become less stressed – and the effect increases the more trees are visible.
A new study by researchers at University of Illinois has confirmed the long-held understanding that natural scenery can be a useful tool in helping reduce psychological stress.
The research team, led by Dr Bin Jiang, subjected 158 volunteers to mildly stressful scenarios, including preparing a speech and delivering it to a group of people, after which they were asked to perform a subtraction task in front of judges and a video camera.
After undertaking the stress-inducing activities, the volunteers used a VR headset to view one of a selection of six-minute 360-degree videos featuring urban areas with variable amounts of visible tree canopy coverage.
The participants’ levels of stress were measured by self-reported questionnaire – and the results revealed a positive, linear association between the density of trees and recovery from stress recovery
“These findings suggest that viewing tree canopy in communities can significantly aid stress recovery and that every tree matters,” researchers said.
The study is only the latest in a body of research that has demonstrated the positive psychological benefits of spending time in natural environments.
Ridgewood NJ,The Valley Hospital has been named one of the top hospitals in New Jersey by doctors and patients as reported by Inside Jersey magazine. The list appears in the magazine’s April issue.
The magazine joined with Castle Connolly, a healthcare research and information company, to ask New Jersey doctors to name the top hospitals for overall care and for specific conditions. Inside Jersey also worked with IPRO, an independent not-for-profit health care consulting organization, to present post-discharge ratings of New Jersey hospitals by patients.
Among hospitals with more than 350 beds, Valley was named by doctors as among the top five in the state in the following categories:
· Top Hospitals Overall
· Top Hospitals for the Treatment of Breast Cancer
· Top Hospitals for the Treatment of Prostate Cancer
· Top Hospitals for Bypass Surgery
· Top Hospitals for Hip and Knee Repairs
· Top Hospitals for the Treatment of Congestive Heart Failure
· Top Hospitals for the Treatment of Strokes
· Top Hospitals for High-risk Pregnancies
· Top Hospitals for Pain Management
Valley was also listed among the Top Hospitals for the treatment of Neurological Disorders, ranking 6th in the state.
Inside Jersey also reported that among hospitals with more than 350 beds, New Jersey patients ranked The Valley Hospital as No. 1 in the state for communication with doctors, and No. 2 for overall patient satisfaction, cleanliness and communication with nurses.
“I am delighted that physicians and our patients gave us such high marks,” said Audrey Meyers, Valley’s President and CEO. “It’s a testament to the priority Valley staff and physicians place on achieving the highest-quality clinical outcomes, while delivering the most compassionate care.”
…the fly has learned that after the “Get Acquainted Luncheon at Village Hall”, Mayor Aronsohn went off the rails yelling campaigner Dana Glazer outside the event . Attendees say the mayor, went from pleasantly serving lunch a little while earlier, to being belligerent like he was a completely different person. While the Village event was suppose to be a non partisan affair , all three of the Council majority were in attendance , till council person Susan Knudsen arrived and the deputy mayor quickly departed . It does seem the mayors attempts to politicize the meeting were foiled …
file photo of Village Manager, Roberta Sonenfeld interfering with petitioners in the CBD
May 6,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood blog has uncovered an email going around from a resident named Cornelie Ladd regarding the retention of the Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld , It seems the Brooks, Willlett, and Weitz is already conceding defeat and are making one last desperate plea to maintain the mayors ie..developers power grip on the Village of Ridgewood . The May 10 election is about candidates and the candidates vision for future direction of Ridgewood .
the email :
Dear neighbors, friends, and friends of neighbors,Without wishing to interrupt dinner / game / bath time, it’s time to find a moment to contemplate the electoral landscape ahead of the impending municipal elections next Tuesday, May 10th.
As many among us are probably aware, although elections for Village Council in Ridgewood are non-partisan by tradition and by nature, it is becoming increasingly apparent that, not unlike our national politics, this year’s elections have become polarized to a rather exponential degree.
As a consequence, although typically individual candidates are running for individual seats, this year’s candidates have coagulated into two slates of three: Brooks, Willlett, and Weitz versus Hache, Voigt, and Walsh.
I am writing to urge you to consider that, beyond the hot-button issues, there is only one slate, the one of Brooks, Weitz, and Willis, that will offer steady support to the excellent work of our Village Manager, Roberta Sonenfeld. If you value the labors of a responsive, responsible and accountable Village Manager, I ask that you support her by voting Brooks, Weitz, and Willis. You will find the positions of Brooks, Weitz, and WIllis articulated on Ridgewood2020.com.
According to the grapevine (which never lies … !) the other slate will seek to replace the Village Manager.
If, after having done your due diligence, you find that you subscribe to the views of this message, please share the gist of it among your friends and neighbors (and encourage them to go to the polls!).
Thank you for your consideration, with best wishes for a vibrant Ridgewood, Cornelie Ladd
Village Council Candidate Ramon Hache Responds
Hi All,
Thank you for sharing this. I did see the Mayor’s letter to the editor. Based on the email from your neighbor, it seems that Mayor Aronsohn is now pushing this idea through residents as well. There really is no basis. Neither Jeff, Bernie nor I have ever gone on the record to say that we have any plans of replacing the Village Manager. I have now attended a few “coffees” with Bernie and Jeff, including the one on Wednesday night (coincidentally next door to Ms. Sonenfeld’s home) and there was no mention by us of Ms. Sonenfeld in a negative light.I will share my personal view. I have an enormous amount of respect for the position of Village Manager. It is a very demanding job. The Village Manager is under constant scrutiny while dealing with a wide range of issues on a daily basis. I see the Village Manager as a direct extension of the Council. If I am elected, I plan on sitting down with key Village employees, including the Village Manager, to evaluate them in their current role. This is no different than what a new CEO would do at a company in the private sector. As with the way I have always treated my employees, I plan on conducting a fair and objective review. It is incumbent upon the Council to ensure that key positions in our Village, paid for by your tax dollars, are filled with the most competent and qualified people available to us. I do not know Ms. Sonenfeld personally. I think for any candidate to make a determination regarding her retention, whether pro or against, is extremely premature at this time. That would not be fair to either the Village Manager nor residents.
Unfortunately, this ugly rumor seems to stem from some political angle. Unfounded rumors such as this one only add to the divisiveness in our community. It is very unfortunate. Thank you for sharing your concern. I will certainly pass it along to Jeff and Bernie for their views since I cannot speak on their behalf. I would be more than happy to speak to your neighbor and answer any of her questions. Thank you also for your continued support.
Sent: Tuesday, October 06, 2015 2:49 PM To: Matt Rogers; Heather Mailander; Donna Jackson Cc: Roberta Sonenfeld; Janet Fricke Subject: Re: Notice of Complaint Village of Ridgewood
Sent from my iPhone
On Oct 6, 2015, at 2:45 PM, Matthew Rogers <[email protected]> wrote:
This should be shared with Heather/Donna because of the allegations of improper notice of the meetings.
From: Paul Aronsohn [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, October 6, 2015 1:52 PM To: Roberta Sonenfeld; Matt Rogers; Janet Fricke Subject: FW: Notice of Complaint Village of Ridgewood
Roberta, Janet, Matt —
FYI
Paul
Paul S. Aronsohn, Mayor
Village of Ridgewood
@paularonsohn
From: Jacqueline Hone <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 6, 2015 1:48 PM
To: Gwenn Hauck; Paul Aronsohn; Susan Knudsen; Michael Sedon; Albert Pucciarelli
Subject: Notice of Complaint Village of Ridgewood
Mayor and Council Members:
In regards to the Schedler Park Project, I would like to file a complaint and draw your attention to the following for scrutiny and disciplinary action.
On 9/8/15 and 9/16/15 it was brought to your attention, that the applications used to obtain approximately $2 million in Open Space grants, were completed with intentional omission, false and misleading information, without municipal endorsement, and without public notification as required.
Village Manager and Counsel quickly diverted attention and dismissed the matter saying submissions of incomplete applications, to Bergen County, is acceptable and common practice. This is not a matter of submitting incomplete applications. The applications are fraudulent and were submitted with the intent to receive funds. If the facts were known, the site plan for Schedler would be in violation of County and State provisions. Thus, the Village should not proceed with the Schedler plan as is.
1) Village Manager, Roberta Sonenfeld, submitted an application, on or about 9/1/15, seeking $100,000 of Bergen County Open Space Funds. This application was submitted with blatant, intentional, false and misleading information, without Council endorsement and public notification as mandated. The application shows the Village Manager committed $100k of municipal funds (tax payer’s money) without Council approval. What authority, if any, does the Village Manager have to authorize and commit tax payer’s money without Council approval? Under what authority was this done?
When confronted about the allocation of municipal funds, Village Manager stated the 100k would eventually come from the Ridgewood Baseball Association (RBSA) via gift donation. However, since the RBSA money was yet to be received, municipal funds were allocated in its place. Once the gift is received, it will be moved into the municipal funds account. What authority does the Village Manager have to front tax payer’s money and act as a temporary lender to the RBSA? This accounting practice is suspect and I believe also constitutes commingling of funds, which is prohibited. If this was done for the RBSA, why wasn’t this preferential treatment extended to the Friends of the Historic Zabriskie House.
2) Land Use Restriction: The State and County have strict provisions regarding Open Space, Green Space, Historic Preservation and full disclosure of threatened wildlife, vegetation and environmental impacts. As such, development at Schedler would have strict limitations, regulated land use and mandated historic, wildlife and vegetation preservation.
-Site Plan: The initial Open Space application, used to acquire the Schedler property, stated the land would be used for 60/40 active/recreation use and no lights. It was under this plan that the Village was granted Open Space funds. Violating the County Deed of Conservation Easement, the Village of Ridgewood revised and adopted a new plan showing 70/30 active/passive recreation area, lights, and a two-story concession building with recreation hall.
-Revenue/Profit: This park will generate a substantial amount of money…concession stand, hall rental, field time, uniforms, player enrollment fees, membership fees, field rentals etc. Additionally, site plan includes two-story building. Full second floor to be used as meeting room or rented for sports related functions (possible discrimination). RBSA involvement is an arguable breach of contract with the County and in violation of Open Space and Green Space guidelines.
-Historic Structure/Features /Elements:Historic house, features and elements were not fully disclosed to County. In some circumstances they were completely omitted. The preservation of the home and parcel was abandoned by the Village. Proper disclosure would mean strict preservation and limitations of park development and use. (See attached NJ DEP National Register of Historic Places, 2009, 2015 grant application).
– Environmental/Wildlife/Vegetation: Adverse environmental factors, threatened wildlife and threatened vegetation were not disclosed on applications. Full disclosure would mandate preservation and impose strict site limitations. This omission is how the Village is proceeding with Phase 1, demolition and clear-cutting of the last green acre parcel in our area (7 acres), which will expose hundreds of residents and wildlife to noise, pollution, Route 17, high volume traffic, dangerous conditions and irreversible damage.
– State and County Clearance: This property, directly on Rt. 17. North, within feet of an interstate commuter Park & Ride, is the last green space in the area. All this is being done without expert studies and without notification to or clearance from Bergen County, New Jersey Department of Transportation and Environmental Protection Historic Preservation.
3) Public Meeting Notifications: The Village has demonstrated a pattern of questionable omission and secrecy (see attached). Now, out of the blue, a meeting has been scheduled (10/7) to accept a second 100k donation form the RBSA and to present another revision of the Schedler Park plan. The agenda was just posted to the Village website. The general public has not been notified these matters will be discussed on this date. As such, again residents are being robbed of their right to participate, review the process, verify gifts and prepare for public comments/questions prior to the meeting. This matter must be tabled until all of the above is addressed. County Open Space Guidelines States:
As part of the application submission, the municipality shall hold a Public Hearing on a proposed park development project before it submits its application. The applicant shall publish a notice of the public hearing in the official newspaper of the municipality. The hearing must be advertised as a display ad at least 15 days before the hearing. The hearing notice must specifically reference the proposed Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund Municipal Program Park Improvement application. The public hearing must be held in the evening, and may be held as part of a public meeting, as long as the hearing is properly advertised.
Council has a fiduciary obligation to cease and desist the Schedler Park Project, until this matter is investigated and cleared of wrong doing. Continued dismissal of the above, is gross negligence and an act against public good. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. Failure to act and proceeding with Phase 1, intentionally permits irreversible damage to public health, safety, general welfare, public land and historic/vegetation preservation.
I believe State/County provisions and the Deed of Conservation Easement prohibits most of everything the Village is proposing at Schedler. We want due process, expert studies and a park which represents the true needs and desires of our neighborhood residents. Please allow us to present the facts before it’s too late.
We look forward to hearing from you and moving forward in the right direction. In the meantime, thank you so much for your attention.
May 4, 2016
Customer Care
The Ridgewood News
1 Garret Mountain Plaza
Woodland Park, NJ 07424-0471
To whom it may concern,
Please consider this note an official cancellation of my Ridgewood News subscription. I have received the Ridgewood News every Friday for the past 16 years, when I first moved to Ridgewood. I am canceling now because it has become very clear that the paper, and those who run it, are no longer attempting to be objective, as a true work of journalism should be. The paper is nothing but a one-sided promoter of very controversial issues in town at the moment. It’s unfortunate, because these issues will resolve themselves in time, but the Ridgewood News will forever be remembered for the way the paper “reported” them, be it the parking garage, the petition, high density housing, the campaign for Village Council. Our local paper comes out on one side every time. That side, it just so happens, is closely aligned with “big business” here in Ridgewood. I’m referring to developers, not Mango Jam, It’s Greek to Me, and the rest of our small shops and restaurants, although they’ve been drawn into the fight as well. Often the preference for the “big wigs” is subtle – the placement of an ad on the very page the opposition was told was “never used for ads.”
I don’t need “reporting” like this. I will miss the photos of my friends and their kids, the special events in town, the letters to the editor, which, when balanced, offer a much better perspective on what’s going on in town than your journalists are permitted to. I always thought the paper presented a kind of Mayberry, unrealistic, pollyanna shot of Ridgewood. Now I’m seeing how dark that approach can become. I will not be renewing my subscrition any time soon. I will let you know if I hear the Ridgewood News has decided to tell the truth, as objectively as possible.
Sincerely yours,
Ridgewood NJ, A physical altercation between an employer and employee generated multiple 911 calls for assistance to Ridgewood PD on the morning of Wednesday, 05/04. The incident occurred at a single family home under renovation on Heights Road in Ridgewood. One (1) person sustained a serious head injury and was transported to The Valley Hospital by a Ridgewood EMS ambulance. Ridgewood FD also responded to assist the ambulance. An officer from Glen Rock PD provided assistance in language translation. No arrests at the scene were apparent.
…the fly has observed at the home of Mary Beth Lane, who sold her house and is moving out of the area. She is blowing town, not going to be around, but still putting her two cents in on who should run the town? Some suggest real-estate agents using the fear of development as scare tactic creating opportunities for new listings . Others have noticed a preponderance of Wietz signs on empty or for sale properties in the Village suggesting agents are helping out….
this blog post echos a lot of sentiment now in Ridgewood
from the
THE MUSEUM OF PERIPHERAL ART blog
by Drew Martin
Never in my life did I expect to put political signs outside my house, but there they are: Voigt, Walsh, Hache. I have always been withdrawn from politics but what changed me very recently was having attended a public meeting over urban-scale development in our small town where I have lived with my family the past 16 years.
Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood Police report that on Saturday, April 30, patrol responded to Kings Supermarket for the report of a wallet stolen from a purse. The victim reported that she was distracted by a man who started asking her questions. When she asked the man to reach for a product from the top shelf, he reached into her purse and removed her wallet. The man left the Ridgewod store prior to patrols arrival. The Detective Bureau is investigating.
We would like to remind people of some simple tips to avoid being a victim of these crimes:
Don’t leave your purse in your grocery cart as you shop. The first photo shows the actors hand in the victims purse
Don’t hang your purse on the back of your chair at restaurants. Keep it between your feet.
Use handbags that have a zipper or a flap that latches. Carry it with the flap side towards you.
Carry your purse in front of you.
Don’t hang your purse on the hook on the bathroom stall door and don’t sit it on the floor within arm’s reach. Set your purse at your feet or on a shelf that is midway up the stall wall.
Ridgewood NJ, the May 4th work session Gary Cirillo of Project Pride proposed an idea for an ordinance that would keep campaign signs 15-25 feet from the curb and out of the planters: if the village owns the property, you can’t use it in the CBD. Aronsohn supporter Jim Griffith said,” signs are an inexpensive expression of our rights.” They don’t crush flowers in planters when there are no flowers planted.”
A special public work session was called to discuss minute changes in closed session meetings that Ms. Knuden felt were important to better address some statements that didn’t fully express the intended sentiment. This all came up due to an OPRA request. Albert recused himself, and so Paul and Gwenn tried to make an issue out of it. In the end the vote was 2to2 as was expected and it was up to Matt Rogers who advised the council to allow the amended minutes to be released as the unofficial minutes. The vote this time was 3 to 1 with Paul being the dissenting vote.
Next on the agenda was a request from members of the Chamber of Commerce to allow A Frame signs in front of businesses. Ed Sullivan, past president of the Chamber of Commerce and present member of board of trustees stood in front of the Council tonight and made his pitch of A frame signs or billboard to be allowed in the CBD Although there is a long standing ordinance on the books preventing them, enforcement seemed to begin as of April 1st. There is a good case for their value in attracting walking shoppers to come into the stores which is good for business. The council is currently looking at a Princeton ordinance and it was decided that at the next public meeting, enforcement would be rescinded for a period of time while the council discussed a new ordinance and businesses could continue the practice of A Frame signs for advertisement. It seems an easy way to help our CBD.
The down side is now not only do he have signs post on ever corner with the stores name we have vote for the parking garage , political signs and A-frame signs in front of the stores. Will the sidewalks in the Central Business District now be turned into a obstacle course. Is this ABA complaint ? Will the Village be liable if some should fall into one of these signs because it is the Village right of way. People can just about walk on the sidewalk now with all the tables and let not forget the Greek to Me planters.What is the right balance between promoting access and quality of life? Residents remain skeptical this council majority can come a proper resolution.
For many, the most interesting part of the meeting came in closing Public Comment when resident Jackie Hone came to the mic to state all the inconsistencies in Roberta Sonenfeld’s manager’s report regarding Schedler Park. Jackie spoke of all the emails many of which were published on this blog that she has sent to the council and village manager to discuss her findings that went unanswered. Roberta’s recollection of recent meetings with the Bergen County Trust Fund Staff were a bit misleading. The council majority may not have been required to take action, and by not they are clearing hindering the process of historical preservation. One can obey the law and still not do the right thing. Case in point: the Bergen County Historic Preservation Society has stated that the Schedler/ Zabriskie house is eligible for registry but no steps have been made by the village to request the forms to register the house.
Infrastructure was next and there were a few water facility expenses reported on and about a disintegrating pipe on Dayton Street which was releasing sludge.
For many decades, busy Ridgewood residents could safely ignore municipal elections, if they chose (and many always have), confident that whoever won would govern appropriately and benignly. Too many elections; why bother?
But “politics as usual” has been redefined over the past four years.
Our direction has been forcefully pushed toward overdevelopment and fundamental changes that would forever alter our landscape and quality of life. Developers are gaining an increasingly strong foothold, as they push projects through, encouraged by a specific ordinance introduced by former mayor (now municipal judge, appointed by the current mayor) David Pfund, a willing “council majority,” and board, committee, and commission members appointed to promulgate their views. We are watching the results of a carefully orchestrated long-term plan come to fruition, and we are appalled.
What happens to the voices of residents when a majority platform follows a clearly articulated mandate to vote in tandem on every issue, especially on downtown housing and other building, regardless of increasingly vocal citizen alarm? In a democracy, with citizen participation, consensus moves government forward. In contrast, predetermined, preemptive voting blocs such as the outgoing council trio’s can destroy towns like ours. They have already turned neighbor against neighbor, perhaps part of the grand plan, while fomenting an unprecedentedly toxic atmosphere.
Unless three independent voices join the two continuing council members’, next Tuesdaycould mark our last chance to redeem our village. That may sound hyperbolic, but it’s not. We are on a precipice.
The stakes in this election are higher than ever because of the potential tremendous financial gain of developers who support the trio bloc and their would-be replacements at the ultimate expense of and detriment to Ridgewood and its residents. Our opportunity to protect the value of our town and our votes is waning. If we fail to act now, we will face higher taxes, overcrowded schools, endless construction with accompanying disruption, and a condensed high-rise downtown with worsened traffic and loss of our village context.
With a dearth of buildable space, developers here and throughout the state are pressing for higher density in towns such as Ridgewood. The benefit would accrue to them, not to the taxpayer, who would provide their clients with the amenities of a lovely low-scale village (as long as it lasts). This is “progress”?
We must consider the consequences of development on every aspect of our community, not focus on retailers who understandably crave more sales and diners. Our economy is downsizing, not expanding; retail malls are waning; online retail is growing. All this makes our small-town feel all the more appealing and rare. We are lucky to have it; why destroy it now?
If you are among the countless residents who feel powerful affection for the Village and wish to retain its small-town atmosphere, please make your voice heard by voting in next week’s municipal election.
As council members Paul Aronsohn, Albert Pucciarelli, and Gwenn Hauck step down, three candidates are being groomed to take their place as the new “council majority.” The sponsored candidates are openly running as a team, with a shared group name and branding created by a professional campaign consultant.
They are supported by developers and by outgoing council members, two of whom published separate signed letters of endorsement in last Friday’s Ridgewood News. They are not supported by any grassroots groups in town.
Do we want another four years of watching three council members make almost every decision, elbowing out the other two?
Some residents feel fatalistic and burned out. They assume we’re doomed to face a Valley Hospital nearly doubled in size…an enormous parking garage and rampant high-density housing that exacerbate congestion in our streets and crowding in our schools…and more.
These things may happen, but they are not inevitable—depending in part on who wins the council election next Tuesday.
Valley Hospital:
The Planning Board recently agreed to a reduction by only 3% in Valley Hospital’s proposed expansion. But as many do not realize, Valley sued not only the Planning Board, but also the Village Council, in a separate lawsuit. (One of the two council members appointed to a mediation team by Mayor Paul Aronsohn was former Valley Auxiliary Vice President Gwenn Hauck.) The next council will make many decisions related to this. They could rescind the legal appeal, for example, and revert to Valley’s previous (2010), larger expansion plan, or resist and demand more concessions. Which would you prefer?
We must remain vigilant for Graydon:
Comments on Facebook and elsewhere suggest that keeping Graydon natural is never a “given.” The park must not be used for new building, such as apartments or a school, because of underlying natural springs, severe area flooding, and many other reasons. But LET’S JUST NOT GO THERE. Coghlan-Walsh, Hache, and Voigt would not argue “fiscal responsibility” to harm Graydon.
GarageMahal:
The group supporting the other three candidates has made support for a specific parking garage design their rallying cry. It should not be such a big deal, but they’re making it one. What’s neglected is that “our” candidates all support building a garage at Hudson and Broad. They just don’t want it to be so enormous and expensive.
On Monday, those promoting the new voting bloc held a “rally” for their chosen candidates in the room of a local restaurant in a building partly owned by a developer. This get-together was originally called a “candidates forum.” The terminology shifted when only the three developer-/council-majority-sanctioned candidates signed up to attend.
Reason: The quid pro quo for attendance was to sign a pledge to approve, “immediately,” a certain version of the parking garage and its funding, even though the garage will be the subject of a referendum in a special election on June 21. Click here for details about the “pledge.” Among the email invitations to the renamed “rally” were those issued on Saturday by our deputy mayor over his law firm’s logo.
The three candidates endorsed by us and by Concerned Residents of Ridgewood, Citizens for a Better Ridgewood, Friends of Schedler, and (new!) the Ridgewood Chinese American Association and the Ridgewood Blog had no intention of running together, and are not a “team.” Coghlan-Walsh, Hache, and Voigt retain their independent views and share no logo, tag line, or predetermined plan or alliances. 30-second video by resident Dana Glazer
I can’t stand by and let the old voting bloc be replaced by the new voting bloc without saying anything. Ramon Hache, Bernadette Coghlan-Walsh, and Jeff Voigt are intelligent, honest, and most important, independent thinkers. They are not running mates, although it might seem that way, since the three other candidates have been lashed together by themselves and others as a “team.” I know how the “team” story ends, as do many other residents. That’s why I fully support Ramon, Bernadette, and Jeff in the May 10th election. They will respect and listen to all residents, as good stewards of the Village should.
Michael Sedon
Councilman, Village of Ridgewood
To preserve and protect Ridgewood, moving forward cautiously and thoughtfully toward a well-planned short-term and long-term future, please vote onTuesday, May 10, for:
ROW 1 Jeffrey VOIGT
ROW 4 Bernadette COGHLAN-WALSH
ROW 6 Ramon M. HACHE
Polls will be open from 6 AM to 8 PM.
MEMORY JOGGER: Vote for the 3 candidates with tiny slogans in three languages above their names on the ballot. You can vote to protect Ridgewood’s future even if you can’t remember their names!
State Legislation Needed to Close Loopholes in Pay-to-Play Laws
Government purchasing agents from throughout the State gathered in Atlantic City last week for a conference sponsored by the Rutgers Center for Government Services. Jeff Brindle, PolitickerNJ Read more
Two companies sanctioned by state officials to operate under their own rules have come to dominate a growing and lucrative industry in New Jersey, collecting nearly $1 million in fees last year after arranging online auctions for municipalities selling off their residents’ tax liens, according to a report released Tuesday. Salvador Rizzo, The Record Read more
