Category: village of ridgewood

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Another Garage Letter that was not Printed by the Ridgewood News

3 amigos in action Ridgewood NJ

file photo by Boyd Loving , Council majority ie the 3 Amigos

Good morning-
Here is the Letter to the Editor Jim wrote that wasn’t printed this past wknd.

February 17, 2016

Letter to the Editor

What is really going on?

The Town Council voted 3-2 on February 10th to fund the Hudson Street Garage with the Bergen County Improvement Authority. Councilmembers Aronsohn, Pucciarelli and Hauck voted to turn the project over to the county.

Some questions to ponder:

If the goal is a functional, non-partisan government, WHY has our Mayor been off “forming a partnership” with the BCIA for 3 years?

If financial stewardship is important, WHY are we paying more to finance through the BCIA versus funding it ourselves?

If we are going to incur an obligation to the county of more than $10 million, WHY isn’t there a payment plan in place to pay off this obligation?

If we truly care about the look and feel of our historic downtown, WHY haven’t designs/renderings been shown to the taxpayers of Ridgewood?

If all 5 members of our Town Council are independent thinking stewards of our village, WHY haven’t Councilmembers Sedon and Knudsen been privy to all discussions and reports in a timely fashion?

If we want real informed input from our fellow residents, WHY was the Maser study, which showed the 12 feet encroachment into Hudson St., thereby narrowing Hudson to 18 feet, not made public until after the November referendum, when the Village Manager had it on her desk in October?

If the upcoming election isn’t a factor, WHY are Councilmembers Aronsohn, Pucciarelli and Hauck in such a rush to fund this with Bergen County?

Too many unanswered questions.
Lets make sure we have answers before it’s too late.

Respectfully submitted,

Jim McCarthy

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Taking the Village of Ridgewood back, No2BCIA Petition is on a roll and the signatures keep coming

BCIA petitiion olmc

OMLC  photo by Boyd Loving

February 21,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood Nj, The people are taking back the town. No2BCIA  ( https://www.no2bcia.com/ )  is on a roll. Keep the signatures coming, we need each and every one. This is a chance to save Ridgewood from a huge financial mistake. We will be able to bond in-town when all is said and done, we will not have a big fat county garage in the middle of town, and we will have full domain over the structure.

WP 20160221 08 49 30 Pro

Several reports came in that the mayor was reportedly observed looking at the Elks Club building while standing in a nearby parking lot talking on his cell phone.

No2BCIA Petition

OLMC – AFTER EACH MASS
HUDSON/PASSAIC/PROSPECT STREETS
SUN FEB 21ST

 

  • Charlie and Nancy Nowinski, 2 Betty Court, Sunday, Feb. 21, 1-5:30 PM
  • Anne Loving, call cell 201-723-8017 to make appt to sign.
  • Melanie McWilliams – 431 Bogert Ave: Feb19th Friday 9:15-12:15pm, call/text to confirm 201-675-8937
  • Ellen McNamara: 120 West Ridgewood Ave, text 201-874-0966 to let her know you’re coming by. Friday after 11am.

 

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Reader says that Mr. Sedon and Mrs. Knudsen are the only 2 on the Ridgewood Council actually doing their job

Village Council Meeting

file photo by Boyd Loving

I’m against the single super sized garage and how the Council plans to fund it through the County. However I understand why developers and the Chamber are in favor of it – they stand to profit from it’s construction and/or operation. Much as I disagree with them I at least understand their motives. What I can’t fathom however is that our Council majority seems so set in its ways on THIS design and THIS way of funding it. Why? Do they think that this is really the best solution for Ridgewood? It seems more like they have a bone to pick with their Council mates.

The Council’s job is to say to the developers and the Chamber that yes, we understand you’d like to make more money but this is not the best solution for the Village. It isn’t. What they’ve actually done is side with the developers to use all of their collective authority to ram this plan though as quickly as possible. Again, why? The Council majority is treating the results of a NON BINDING referendum as an electoral mandate when the only question they posed to us in the fall was essentially “do you think we need more parking?”. E-mails I received from the Mayor said that the design was not final (apparently it was) and made no mention of financing the project through the County. Just when I thought my intelligence couldn’t be any more insulted by these 3.

And to those that say that we could bond the garage through the Village if only Mr. Sedon and Mrs. Knudsen would agree with the developers, I’d say that Mr. Sedon and Mrs. Knudsen are the only 2 on the Council actually doing their job. They, like many of us, feel that while we need a parking solution, there are better ways to go about it. And the rush to get this done now in the face of growing doubt and opposition only raises questions about the Council majority’s motives.

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BCIA Financing Gives County position of power over the Village of Ridgewood decisions

Ridgewood_-Village_Hall_theridgewoodblog

February 21,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood Nj, If you read the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce’s ad in TRN, one of the big bullet points is that the bond would not count against Ridgewood’s bond rating. This is horrible for several reasons: 1) It’s similar to a child using their parent’s credit card. That lets the child run up more credit on their own. 2) The BCIA has a position of power over the Village’s decisions 3) The bonding through the BCIA is a political nod to Aronsohn’s Democrat buddies for future personal political advancement. 4) The actual cost to own the building outright is significantly higher. This deal stinks to the high heavens. Mr. Vagianos, please go back to being a restaurateur and serve all the people – not just the ones who’ll build you a garage a block from your business.

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PLANNING BOARD AMENDMENT TO MEETING SCHEDULE SPECIAL MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

Clock CBD

February 22, 2016 Executive Session – 7 PM

In accordance with the provisions of the “Open Public Meetings Act,” please be advised that the Planning Board will hold a special meeting for the purpose of conducting an executive session at 7:00 p.m. in the 5thfloor conference room of Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss ongoing litigation.

With the exception of executive sessions, all meetings of the Ridgewood Planning Board (i.e., official public meetings, work session meetings and special meetings) are public meetings which are always open to members of the general public.

Michael Cafarelli

Secretary to the Boar

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Vatican back peddles on Trump remarks

Pope Francis

Vatican: Pope Francis’ Comments About Donald Trump Not ‘Personal Attack or Instruction on How to Vote’

by THOMAS D. WILLIAMS, PH.D.19 Feb 20165,343

The Vatican spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi, has issued aclarification regarding the Pope’s remarks to journalists Thursday, when he said, in answer to a question about Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, that a person who only thinks of building walls and not about building bridges is no Christian.

Aboard the plane returning from Mexico to Rome, the Pope answered Reuters reporter Phil Pullella by saying, “I would only say: if he said these things, this man is no Christian. But we’d have to see whether he said these things. And in this matter, I would give him the benefit of the doubt.”

Since news reports bore headlines suggesting that the Pope had denied Trump’s Christianity, and other comments by the Pope had also caused some confusion, the papal spokesman released a statement Friday in an effort to clarify what the Pope was trying to say.

Lombardi said that Pope-watchers know that Francis is always repeating that we should not build walls but bridges. “He repeats this over and over, constantly, and he has also said it many times regarding the issue of migration in Europe,” he said. “So it is not a specific issue, limited to this case” but part of his general attitude, consistent with “following the Gospel directives of welcome and solidarity.”

The spokesman also insisted that the Pope was not intending a personal judgment on Trump, or trying to tell Catholics how to vote at the upcoming election.

“This case drew a lot of attention,” Lombardi said, “but he never intended it to be in any way a personal attack or an instruction on how to vote. The Pope has made it clear that he would not meddle in the voting issues in the election campaign of the United States.”

The priest said that media reports often overlooked that the Pope had said that his words “depended on the accuracy and truth of what he had been told regarding the Republican candidate’s positions, thus also giving him the benefit of the doubt.”

https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/02/19/vatican-pope-on-trump-not-meant-as-a-personal-attack-or-an-instruction-on-how-to-vote/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social

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Petition signing event at Ridgewood Elks Club

petition signing event at Elks Club

February 20,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, sign the petition and get the question on the ballot. Let the people decide which way to fund. What are the petition opposers afraid of?

PETITION SIGNING LOCATIONS
ELKS CLUB
(111 Maple Ave-next to library-across from Kings)
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 20TH
11:00AM-4:00PM

DSCF7839

OLMC – AFTER EACH MASS
HUDSON/PASSAIC/PROSPECT STREETS
SAT FEB 20TH / SUN FEB 21ST

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Friday Night ,Heavy Accident Near Old Paramus Reformed Church

ridgewood accident
photo courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page
Friday Night Marred by Heavy Accident New Old Paramus Reformed Church 
February 20,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The adult male driver of a Cadillac STX was handcuffed and taken into custody by Ridgewood PD patrol officers following a single vehicle crash near 660 East Glen Avenue, near Old Paramus Reformed Church in RIdgewood during the evening of Friday, 02/19.
The heavily damaged Cadillac was removed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck. The driver was suspected of DUI.
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Aronsohn connection with the Ridgewood News goes deep

civility

February 20th ,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, readers question, ” How dare the newspaper try to squelch letters from anyone on any side of the story, as long as they are respectful?! What the people are doing who are trying to stop the funding via the BCIA is completely legal and they are well within their rights. A grass roots effort like this stopped the turf field in Glen Rock. Citizens of this country have a right to act in accordance with the law. Clearly the triumvirate is very, very nervous because they are being outsmarted by honest, energetic and very intelligent individuals.”

Aronsohn connection with the Ridgewood News goes deep.. This is not the first time letters have not been published right Linda. Lets see who are owners of the Ridgewood News NorthJersey Media AKA The Record and who is the owners of the Record North Jersey Media Group (NJMG) is an independent, family-owned media company providing local news, information and services to the residents of northern New Jersey. The company is headquartered in Woodland Park (formerly West Paterson) and is best known for its daily newspaper, The Record. Stephen A. Borg Yes the same Stephen Borg that was the key speaker at one of our Mayors civility meeting. Let not forget the ex reported for the Record aka Aronsohn Press Officer. Get real poster what you read is being manipulated

Readers also Voice Concern on the Mayors Overly Cozy Relationship Stephen Borg, Publisher and President, North Jersey Media Group
https://theridgewoodblog.net/readers-also-voice-concern-on-the-mayors-overly-cozy-relationship-stephen-borg-publisher-and-president-north-jersey-media-group/

Readers feel the Mission of the “Civility Forums” is nothing more than Censorship and Control political speech of Village residents.
https://theridgewoodblog.net/reader-feel-the-mission-of-the-civility-forums-is-nothing-more-than-censorship-and-control-political-speech-of-village-residents/

Civility forum moves forward to squelch public dissent
https://theridgewoodblog.net/civility-forum-moves-forward-to-squelch-public-dissent/

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Reject the lease/purchase agreement with the Bergen County Improvement Authority (BCIA) to fund the Hudson Street garage

garage new design

To the Editor,

I am writing to urge my friends and neighbors to let our council know we reject entering into a lease/purchase agreement with the Bergen County Improvement Authority (BCIA) to fund the Hudson Street garage.

Our referendum vote shows that the majority of Villagers support funding a garage on Hudson street. We enjoy a triple AAA rating, and do not need Bergen County for funding. The only reason to go to the BCIA is because our own Council can not agree on the design, and the Council majority believes they and only they know best.

If funding through Bergen County, the likely results will be a garage controlled by the county. All Bergen County residents, including out of town commuters, will have the same access and fee structure as Ridgewood residents. Ridgewood’s general parking fund, which has been used to absorb budgetary overages will no longer be allowed to do so, which most likely will impact our taxes.

We elect our Council with the expectation that they will work together to represent the best interests of our Village. I would like to think they wouldn’t make decisions for our Village that they wouldn’t make in their own personal lives. Yet they approved change orders and are pushing forward with a plan to have the BCIA fund the garage when the public and the Council haven’t received photo simulations, rough site plan with footprint, details of how on street parking will be impacted etc. Would you approve funds for work on your own home without knowing what it would look like? Would you build into the street and not let your neighbors know? if you did so would you expect them to be upset?

Council members Sedon and Knudsen have stated that they would support a garage that fits on the lot, fits within the streetscape, and when their is a clear financial plan in place. Councilwoman Knudsen has repeatedly said she would like to have photo simulations to bring to the church and neighbors for their input. Isn’t that what we would desire from our neighbors? Councilman Sedon has expressed interest in having the specific financial plan in place. Again, this is a very reasonable request. We know the garage is not self funding and meter rates will rise but it has not been determined how much and what the impact will be on local businesses. Would you be willing to pay $.75-$1.00 for a coffee in town or to mail a package or might you visit Glen Rock or Midland Park instead?

I believe when all these details are known, we can achieve a 5-0 vote in favor of a garage we can all be happy with. Please email your council and ask them to work together and say no to the BCIA.

Paul Aronsohn – [email protected]
Albert Pucciarelli – [email protected]
Gwenn Hauck – [email protected]
Susan Knudsen – [email protected]
Michael Sedon – [email protected]

Thank you,

Carrie Giordano

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Reader says Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce faces back lash over ad promoting BCIA deal

Ridgewood_Chamber_of_Commerce_theridgewoodblog

I am outraged at the Chamber’s Ad in the Ridgewood News today. They lied from the beginning with the say “yes” and negotiate size later when there is no negotiation. You try and negotiate and they go around you. We are not a small, rogue, nameless group! Most of us speak at meetings, write letters and emails, and stand on the streets with clipboards. So the paper lets them continue to write lies with no rebuttals?

There was an email floating around today suggesting keeping this transaction off the balance sheet will allow Ridgewood to bond more projects. First, what other massive projects are they planning?? Second, anyone who believes in off balance sheet financing needs a lesson in finance. It is still debt, it needs to be paid back and ratings agencies will still recognize it as leverage.

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Paul Vagianos’ he was against the BCIA involvement in Ridgewood before he was for it

Vagianos & Ordway sign now in violation

 

February 20,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Paul Vagianos’ has a letter in The Ridgewood News in which he supports BCIA involvement.
https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/ridgewood-letter-parking-deck-will-be-good-for-ridgewood-1.1514746
Attached is a clip from his comments at the 1/27/2016 VC meeting at which he repeatedly said “don’t go to the BCIA.”
When the letter is available on line tomorrow, can you run the letter along with the clip so people can see how he’s flip flopped, changed sides like a Gemini?
Thanks.
https://www.tubechop.com/watch/7706122

 

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N.J. won’t get federal funds to improve safety on rail lines carrying oil tankers

Tanker Train

BY SCOTT FALLON
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

Despite the millions of gallons of volatile crude being transported through the state by train, New Jersey will receive none of the $10 million awarded by the federal government Thursday to improve safety conditions on rail lines carrying the oil.

million awarded by the federal government Thursday to improve safety conditions on rail lines carrying the oil.

The Christie administration was among 34 applicants seeking a portion of the funds set aside by the Federal Railroad Administration to upgrade rail crossings along lines that have experienced an exponential increase in crude shipments. The oil, from the recent oil boom in North Dakota’s Bakken rock formation, has been involved in several fiery derailments, including one in Canada that killed 43 people three years ago.

Steve Schapiro, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, said agency officials were disappointed in not receiving any funds but understands the process was competitive.

Related:  Oil train bridges targeted in study; group says span over Passaic River decaying

Bergenfield Mayor Norman Schmelz was less diplomatic, saying the funding was inadequate to begin with. An estimated 15 to 30 trains, each carrying as much as 3 million gallons of crude, pass through his town each week. Like many communities in New Jersey, Bergenfield has homes, businesses, schools and government buildings within feet of the rail line.

“Ten million dollars probably wouldn’t be enough for Bergen County let alone the whole United States,” said Schmelz, whose emergency managers are preparing a response plan in case of a derailment. “I can’t believe there would be places in the country that are in more of a dire situation than here.”

Grants were awarded Thursday to transportation departments in Washington state, California, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Arkansas and Louisiana.

Federal Railroad Administration officials said they received requests totaling $50.8 million, more than five times the money available. “In short, there is more need than funding available and a lot of strong applications,” said Marc Willis, an agency spokesman. Neither state nor federal officials provided details Thursday about New Jersey’s application.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/n-j-won-t-get-federal-funds-to-improve-safety-on-rail-lines-carrying-oil-tankers-1.1514369

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Three scouts from Ridgewood soar to top rank

60-eagle_badge_clip_color

BY DIANA OLIVEIRA
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

RIDGEWOOD – When he first began Boy Scouts, Christian Seremetis already had an ultimate goal in mind: to become an Eagle Scout.

“My dad was really the spark that started the fire,” explained the 16-year-old. “My dad was an Eagle Scout, so I need to be an Eagle Scout.”

He was awarded that rank last month — along with his two fellow scouts from Ridgewood’s Boy Scout Troop 5, Brendan Cherrey and Dylan Hansen — at an Eagle Court of Honor ceremony in front of a crowd of family members, younger scouts and local dignitaries at First Presbyterian Church, the troop’s sponsor. Seremetis explained why he decided to pursue the hardest and highest advancement in Boy Scouts — a rank accomplished by only 7 percent of scouts nationwide.

“It wasn’t pressure as much as it was my own interest in doing it,” said Seremetis. “I’m the youngest of three kids. When you’re the youngest kid, when anyone older than you does something, you want to [match that]. In this case, it’s my dad.”

https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/clubs-and-service-organizations/boys-soar-to-top-rank-1.1514743

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Ridgewood Building Owner Hit by New PSE&G Phone Scam

phone-scam

New PSE&G Phone Scam

February 18,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, On 2/9/16 a building owner received a call from a person who stated they were from Public Service Electric and Gas and that a service crew was on their way to replace their gas meter. The caller gave accurate account information and an 800 number similar to the PSE&G number for him to call back. The caller advised the building owner go to a retail store in Midland Park and pay for the meter upgrade or gas would be shut off at the building. Although the caller sounded convincing patrol contacted PSE&G directly and confirmed that it was a scam. PSE&G offers a variety of payment options, and would never require a customer to use one specific type of payment. PSE&G customers scheduled for disconnection due to nonpayment receive written notice on their bill at least 10 days in advance.

Any customer who has doubts about the legitimacy of a call from PSE&G — especially one in which payment is requested — should call them directly at 1-800-436-PSEG (7734).