Category: village of ridgewood

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Ridgewood council plans two votes on Schedler property

zabriskieschedler_theridgewoodblog

AUGUST 7, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

A looming grant deadline has stirred the mostly dormant discussion on the future of the Schedler property, specifically the east side estate’s historic, 200-year-old house, and an upcoming vote might determine how the conversation moves forward.

The Ridgewood Council is expected to vote next week on two resolutions directly related to the 7-acre, wooded tract of land and home.

The first resolution calls for the governing body to endorse the Ridgewood Open Space Committee’s 2010 recommendation to consider the property for “passive and active recreational development.” The committee’s recommendation has already been supported by several Ridgewood civic organizations.

A second resolution, as discussed at this week’s council work session, would permit Ridgewood to apply for a Bergen County Historic Trust Fund matching grant. The grant would be used to stabilize the Schedler house, which has fallen into disrepair following years of weathering and neglect.

“The house is in dire need of help. The roof is failing, and mold is present inside the house,” said Isabella Altano, a member of residents’ group Ridgewood Eastside Development (RED). The grassroots organization has been petitioning for the preservation of the historic home for several years.

This week, she appealed to the council for its support of the grant application and detailed the group’s work thus far. According to Altano, the residents have opened an escrow account at a local bank and already secured $45,000 or “50 percent of the $90,000 needed to stabilize the house” under the name “Friends of the Historic Zabriskie-Schedler House.”

The $45,000, she said, has been procured through an anonymous donation.

“Once the application is submitted by the village and approved by the county, [the group] will organize a 501(c)(3) in order to receive tax-deductible donations,” Altano said.

The county has established a Sept. 3 deadline for grant application submission.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/council-planstwo-votes-as-deadline-looms-1.1388223

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Ridgewood Water Announces Stage II Water restrictions

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E – Notice – Water Restrictions – Stage ll – August 6th

Dear Resident,

The hot weather and limited rainfall has led to a big increase in water use for irrigating. The Stage I restrictions that we have had in place have not moderated the demand enough to maintain reserves for firefighting and other emergencies so we need to immediately implement Stage II restrictions which limits the use of water for irrigation to two days per week. If your street address is an odd number, you may irrigate on Tuesdays and Saturdays only. If your address is an even number, you may irrigate on Wednesdays and Sundays only. Hand held hoses may be used at any time.

We appreciate your cooperation. I know that we have communicated several times about enforcement and compliance and we have stepped up our monitoring in this area. In order for us to address this issue, we must do so together – I think we would all want to avoid going to Stage III restrictions and we can go a long way in that goal by abiding by these conservation measures.

As usual, please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Best,

Roberta Sonenfeld
Village Manager
201-670-5500, ext. 203
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Ridgewood False Alarms Endanger Lives

Ridgewood_Police_theridgewoodblog
file photo by Boyd Loving
August 6,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police report that on Thursday July 30, 2015 a North West Central Bergen Dispatch received a box alarm of fire from the area of Lenox and Ackerman Avenues. Responding officers were unable to locate a fire and the actor who had pulled the alarm had left the scene. A short time later when North West Bergen Central Dispatch received a second alarm in the area of Melrose Place and Godwin Avenue.
Patrolman Jeffrey Kay observed a male actor running from the area. Nycheem P. Gatling (20) of Paterson was subsequently arrested and charged with two counts of 2C:33-3a, causing a false public alarm. Mr. Gatling was released pending a first appearance before the Ridgewood Municipal Court.
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Schedler House shenanigans, as expected

gwenn hauck

August 6,2015
Boyd A. Loving

Ridgewood NJ,  During what could only be described as one of the most bizarre Village Council meetings I’ve attended in quite some time, Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck publicly accused the “Friends of the Schedler House” organization of turning down a $45k donation from an unnamed individual.

However, according to an officer of “Friends of the Schedler House,” no $45k donation was ever offered by the “unnamed individual.”  What did happen was during a recent meeting between members of the organization and selected Village officials, Councilwoman Hauck merely suggested that a particular individual might be willing to donate the sum.

As you might expect, even though she was publicly corrected, Councilwoman Hauck offered no public apology for her erroneous accusation.

UPDATE: Village Council predicted to vote 3-2 on 8/12 to demolish Schedler House to facilitate construction of a 90 foot baseball field with concession stand.

Despite voting in support of spending up to $500k in “preliminary costs” for the design of a parking garage with a currently unknown shape, size, and final cost,  Aronsohn and Hauck object to spending $45k to save the Schedler House. Pucciarelli is on his honeymoon, so he wasn’t there to make a fool of himself too.

So there you have it folks. The Three Stooges will have one of the most historic buildings in Northwest Bergen County demolished just to secure the Sports Council votes next year.

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N.J. judge says parents can’t be made to pay for kids’ bullying

Dunce-cap

AUGUST 5, 2015, 11:26 AM    LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 2015, 12:00 PM
ASSOCIATED PRESS

SOMERVILLE — A New Jersey judge has ruled that the parents of alleged bullies cannot be held financially liable for their children’s actions.

The ruling came Monday in a lawsuit against the Flemington-Raritan and Central Regional School Districts by the family of a boy who claims to have been bullied by others, saying the schools did not do enough to stop it despite years of complaints.

The school districts attempted to have the parents of 13 alleged bullies held responsible for negligence, arguing that parents share responsibility for their children’s actions even when they’re at school.

Their children are accused of making fun of the boy’s weight, using anti-gay slurs, throwing pasta at him and pulling down his pants. The lawsuit from the alleged victim, now a teenager, did not seek to hold individual classmates responsible.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/n-j-judge-says-parents-can-t-be-made-to-pay-for-kids-bullying-1.1386495

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Village Council digs in its heels at public meetings

Paul_Aronsohn_theridgewood blog

August 5,2015

Boyd A. Loving

Ridgewood NJ, Faced with an ever increasing number of meeting attendees who publicly disagree with his administration’s policies, Mayor Paul Aronsohn has invoked a protocol of accepting “comments only” from certain meeting attendees.  If the Mayor doesn’t like your comment/question, no response is offered, and you are asked to leave the podium and return to your seat.

Long gone are the days when a taxpayer could go to the microphone during a public meeting of the Village Council and engage in meaningful dialog with a Council member or members, regardless of your support for the “Council majority” or the issue at hand.  When asked why the new protocol was being instituted, Aronsohn said only that he’d “received complaints” about the interactive nature of the meetings’ public comment segment.  He did not say who had “complained.”

Here’s a comment for you Mr. Mayor – If you can’t stand the heat, don’t change the rules, just get out of the fire.

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After deaths at Hard Summer, experts push for new approaches to festival drug use

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By AUGUST BROWNcontact the reporter

After two drug-related deaths on the opening night of Hard Summer music festival at the Fairplex in Pomona this weekend, festival organizers, city officials and dance music fans continue to debate the best ways to prevent such tragedies.

As major festivals like Hard Summer grow — this year, the two-day event expanded from 40,000 to 65,000 fans for each night — County Supervisor Hilda Solis has called for a temporary ban of raves on county property, a move that echoes the ban on raves at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum after a teenage girl’s drug death in 2010.

Solis said that clearly the board action back then was insufficient and that further stronger action is needed.

“We will be doing our due diligence,” she said. “Obviously this is of great concern and very tragic,  and I cannot underscore how distraught it is to know two young women are going out to a concert and have to lose their lives thinking they are going to be enjoying themselves.”

“What passed on the board in 2010 may have been OK then. Things have changed now. Now we need to take a very serious look. … I will venture to say I will be doing that.”

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-after-deaths-at-hard-summer-experts-push-for-new-approaches-to-festival-drug-use-20150803-story.html#page=1

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Saab collides with a pickup truck at the intersection of South Van Dien Avenue and Grove Street in Ridgewood

Auto accident Van Dien

photo courtesy of Boyd Lovings Facebook
Saab collides with a pickup truck at the intersection of South Van Dien Avenue and Grove Street in Ridgewood
Augusr 3,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, A 4-door Saab collided with a pickup truck at the intersection of South Van Dien Avenue and Grove Street shortly before 1 PM on Monday, 08/03, pushing the truck up onto a curb, and knocking its bed cap to the ground. No one was injured in the crash, but the pickup was heavily damaged and removed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck. Ridgewood PD Patrol Officer Patrick Elwood investigated the incident.

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Discussion of Schedler Property and House MUST BE AN ELECTION YEAR COMING UP

zabriskieschedler_theridgewoodblog

THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE COUNCIL’S
PUBLIC WORKSHOP AGENDA
AUGUST 5, 2015

1.         7:30 pm – Call to Order – Mayor
2.         Statement of Compliance with Open Public Meeting Act
Mayor:  “Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by a posting on the bulletin             board in Village Hall, by mail to the Ridgewood News, The Record, and by submission to all persons entitled to same as provided by law of a schedule including the date and           time of this meeting.”
3.         Roll Call – Village Clerk
4.         Flag Salute/Moment of Silence
5.         Public Comments (Not to Exceed 5 Minutes per Person)
6.         Presentations
a.         Senior Citizen Needs Assessment Survey
b.         June Year-to-Date Financial Review

7.         Discussion
a.         Parking
1.         Hudson Street Parking Garage Update
2.         Proposed 15 Minute Parking Spot

b.         Budget
1.            Capital Ordinance – Funding for Grant – Handicap Ramp at Graydon Pool
2.            Award Contract – F150 Pickup for Parking Enforcement
3.            Award of Contract Under State Contract – Purchase & Servicing of Firefighting            Equipment and Supplies
4.            Award Contract Under State Contract – Snow Plows
5.            Award Partial Contract – Siding Repairs to Traffic and Signal Building
6.            Award Contract – Maintenance Agreement for SCADA System and Software Support
7.            Authorize Change Order – Emergency Service Repair to Water Pollution Control          Facility SCADA System
8.            Authorize Change Order – Benjamin Franklin Middle School Drop-Off
9.            Award Contract – Printing Services – Ridgewood Water
10.        Award Contract – Consulting Engineering Services – Ridgewood Water
11.        Award Contract – Emergency Laboratory Services – Water Department

b.         Budget (continued)

12.        Award Contract – Lead and Copper and Water Quality Parameter Testing &   Compliance Services – Ridgewood Water
13.        Award Contract – Groundwater Under the Direct Influence of Surface Water –             Ridgewood Water
14.        Award Contract – Emergency Repairs of Graydon Pool Well
15.        Approve Agreement with Washington Township – Paving and Curbs – Hampshire Road and Standish Road
16.        Approve Shared Services Agreement – Fuel – Ridgewood Board of Education

c.         Operations

1.                  2016 Village Council Meeting Dates
2.                  Establish Deposit Fees for Use of Village Barricades

d.         Policy
1.         Discussion of Schedler Property and House
2.         Middlesex Regional Education Services Commission Cooperative Pricing                                              Agreement
3.         Green Business Recognition Program

8.         Review of August 12, 2015 Public Meeting Agenda
9.         Manager’s Report
10.       Council Reports
11.       Public Comments (Not to Exceed 5 Minutes per Person)
12.       Resolution to go into Closed Session
13.       Closed Session
A.        Legal – Valley Hospital
B.         Personnel – Human Resources Position
14.       Adjournment

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The Ridgewood Guild Presents 2015 Movies in the Park

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The Ridgewood Guild Presents 2015 Movies in the Park Schedule

All movies are on Wednesdays and start at sundown (approximately 9pm in June and July and 8:30pm in August). In case of rain movies will be shown the following day (Thursday). Follow-us on Facebook for the latest information.

June 10: Star Wars
June 24: Citizen Kane
July 8: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
July 22: Momma Mia!*
August 5: Murder on the Orient Express
August 19: Harry Potter and the Sorcer’s Stone*

*Join us for an event with food, music and more!

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Picky eaters more likely to suffer anxiety and depression

picky eaters

Fussy eating in children signals a higher chance they will go on to suffer from mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, research suggests

By Laura Donnelly, Health Editor
6:00AM BST 03 Aug 2015

Picky eating in small children may be a sign of serious mental problems that should not be ignored, say experts.

Parents and doctors who view food fussiness as a passing phase could be making a grave mistake, a study suggests.

Even “moderate” pickiness was associated with significantly increased levels of depression and anxiety in a population of more than 3,000 children aged two to six.

Those with highly selective eating habits were more than twice as likely as normal eaters to have a diagnosis of depression.

Lead researcher Dr Nancy Zucker, director of the Duke Centre for Eating Disorders in the US, said: “The question for many parents and physicians is: when is picky eating truly a problem?

“The children we’re talking about are not just misbehaving kids who refuse to eat their broccoli.”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/11778893/Picky-eaters-more-likely-to-suffer-anxiety-and-depression.html

 

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Fallen tree blocks busy through street in Ridgewood

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Photo credit:   Boyd A. Loving

Fallen tree blocks busy through street in Ridgewood
August 03,2015
Boyd A. Loving

Ridgewood NJ, Tree crews from the Village of Ridgewood Parks Department work to remove a fallen tree that completely blocked Lincoln Avenue in Ridgewood on Monday morning, 08/03.  The fallen tree was reported at approximately 8:15 AM and affected the roadway between Rock Road and Highland Avenue.

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No injuries were reported, nor were there any reported disruptions to utility services in the area.  The roadway was reopened for traffic at approximately 9:45 AM. Uniformed patrol officers from Ridgewood and Glen Rock provided traffic control while crews were busy at work.

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Reader says Town is moving in the wrong direction

clock_cbd_theridgewoodblog

Valley is a disgrace to Ridgewood with their actions. Why would anyone support Valley in this town anymore? I believe Hackensack is Top 5 in the country. The 10 minute extra drive is now worth it for me. This town has so many issues. A 3-2 Council, we’re the minority on this.

High Density housing, unreasonable size units we’re given. A 15 Million dollar parking garage? Are you insane? How much did the Town Hall cost in the flood zone. How many studies have we paid for? Let’s do another study. Steel beams and concrete..$15 million dollars, only in RichWood. Town is a disgrace and moving in the wrong direction. I just heard, needs to be confirmed, the Engineer is asking taxpayers sidewalks to be repaired? Take a look at the sidewalks in the CDB. Hint, the red bricks meeting concrete. Don’t ask others to do when you don’t! True

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Reader says Retirement Crisis hits Village Police Department

Ridgewood-_Police_cars_theridgewoodblog
file photo by Boyd Loving
we have six to seven police officers retiring this year and are any of them being replaced soon. all across this town we lost so many workers in the last five years, and they come back and say the village don’t have the money to replace workers, but in the school ‘s they get over a 100,mill. this is not right. something needs to be done. because down the road ,o we are at the end of the road now. we are in big trouble as in work force.
They’re retiring this year because they get 65% of their final comp if they retire by 2016… it’s not because the Village hasn’t been hiring new officers, that’s BS. PFRS member’s special retirement benefit after 2016 will be 60% of final compensation, plus 1% of final compensation multiplied by the number of years of creditable service over 25 but not over 30, instead of the current benefit of 65% of final compensation plus 1% for each year of service over 25 but not over 30. That’s for anyone who didn’t have 20 years of service as of 2011, so it’s in their interest to retire now.
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Reader says Apps on phone are the most vulnerable to hackers

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.Apps on phone are the most vulnerable to hackers. This is according recent to PBS newshour segment So why would I want a parking App and only make myself more vulnerable to hackers and also pay more for parking

What Roberta is not saying: Teaneck is contemplating going from free parking to metered parking with parking meters. If parking meters are becoming obsolete why would Teaneck be considering them.

The GREAT ALL KNOWING Roberta is either wrong about parking meters becoming obsolete or she is purposely not telling us the truth and pretending to us that they are becoming obsolete when in fact they are not. Witness all the towns across the U.S. that use them.

If Ridgewood is so great on community why can’t Roberta and town staff find someone honest to collect quarters. I don’t believe that honest people don’t exist, they do.

What doesn’t exist are smart managers who know how to hire honest people. Roberta, are you reading this?