Category: village of ridgewood

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Reader says Councilwoman Knudsen actions are an attempt to get to the bottom of this sordid affair

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file photo by Boyd Loving

Councilwoman Knudsen, if she really sits and thinks about it, will realize that she has the municipal equivalent of Legislative Privilege to shield her from negative repercussions from the actions she took in an attempt to get to the bottom of this sordid affair, and the public statements she made in attempting to articulate her impressions of the apparent suspicious misfeasance and unaccountable nonfeasance of many of those with whom she shares the local governmental stage. We should all pray for her that she not buckle or crumple under the combined weight of all the unfair attacks lodged against her in response to her probing questions (and they really do seem to be rolling out the big guns). If Ms. Knudsen backs off now the precedent will have been set and this set of circumstances will be repeated as necessary and ad nauseum until legitimate political opposition by the minority becomes a lost art in Ridgewood. On the other hand, if instead she stands her ground (as she absolutely should, since she has done absolutely nothing wrong, and so much that is so sweetly right) and manages to carry her point to its logical conclusion, we will be blessed with a shining, Patton-like example of courage which we can then use as a touchstone during future disputes with the sulphurous political element that has unfortunately surfaced in Ridgewood (and those disputes will come…).

BTW, there is no way a contracted labor attorney can go toe-to-toe with an elected member of the Village Council, regardless of the pure truth of the matter, when there the criticisms made against the former party has such a clear basis in publicly-confirmable fact.

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College coach from Ridgewood charged with dozens of sexual offenses involving players

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by Paul Milo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on April 09, 2015 at 10:24 PM, updated April 10, 2015 at 12:24 AM

A women’s college softball coach who lives in Ridgewood was charged Thursday with more than 90 counts of improper sexual contact and behavior, The Journal News of New York reported.

Kurt Ludwigsen, 43, worked as a coach at Nyack College between September and last month, when he was fired after the administration of the Christian school began to receive complaints from parents. Ludwigsen, also known as Kurt Vogner, is accused of behavior including harassment, kissing and unwanted sexual touching involving the 13 players he coached.

Ludwigsen has been charged with 44 misdemeanor counts of forcible touching, 49 misdemeanor counts of second-degree harassment, and one misdemeanor count of third-degree sexual abuse.

He was being held on $15,000 cash bail in the Rockland County jail.

https://www.nj.com/bergen/index.ssf/2015/04/college_coach_from_ridgewood_charged_with_dozens_o.html

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Reader says Village Council Meeting a disgrace

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The meeting was a disgrace. Go to villageofridgewood and follow them on ustream (upper right corner) there are 2 parts to the meeting. Click on the one that shows the black screen and not a person. Go to 15:25-that’s basically when the bashing of councilwoman Knudsen starts. It is beyond my comprehension that she asked for some information to help her understand an ordinance they were voting on. Knudsen still has not received all the information she asked for, And the mayor gets the labor attorney to come to the council meeting to blast Knudsen and threaten her under the guise of “she’s here to explain things”.
If the labor attorney wanted to explain things, she could have picked up the phone weeks ago to speak with Knudsen and not left her in the dark about things since Knudsen’s request of March 11th.
They should all be ashamed of themselves, but of course this is typical of Aronsohn, Pucciarelli and Hauck. The village manager is a hot head. She can barely control herself. You can tell when she gets angry. She can’t stop fidgeting. Scratching her head constantly, bouncing in her chair, turning red, fanning herself etc. Shame on Matt Rogers for allowing the bashing to continue. I thought his job is to represent the council. He certainly did not represent councilwoman Knudsen last night.

Village of Ridgewood Public Access (180:00)
Village of Ridgewood Public Access
Wednesday at 4:57pm
50 views
https://www.ustream.tv/recorded/60890176

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Ridgewood eases residency requirement

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APRIL 10, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

RIDGEWOOD – The Village Council, after hours of debate that included allegations of harassment, has voted to eliminate a residency requirement for most civilian hires.

The 3-2 vote at the Wednesday council meeting ended weeks of often contentious discussion on the change and opened up all municipal positions not affiliated with the police and fire departments to applicants statewide.

Councilwoman Susan Knudsen and Councilman Mike Sedon cast the two dissenting votes, arguing that village openings should be filled with qualified village residents.

“I have faith in our residents,” Sedon explained. “Getting rid of this [residency requirement] is a disservice to the town.”

Mayor Paul Aronsohn, Deputy Mayor Al Pucciarelli and Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck all insisted that the village would benefit most from hiring the best possible candidates for each position, regardless of their address.

https://theridgewoodblog.net/wp-admin/post.php?post=73630&action=edit

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Ridgewood faces tax increase under ‘recommended’ budget

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April 9, 2015    Last updated: Thursday, April 9, 2015, 4:02 PM
By Darius Amos
Staff Writer |
The Ridgewood News

Emphasizing an investment in personnel and the revitalization of village services, Ridgewood finance officials this week unveiled a “recommended” spending plan that would boost 2015 municipal taxes by 1.2 percent over last year.

For the typical Ridgewood household, this budget would increase tax bills by $46.72, based on the average assessed home value of $690,662.

The proposed $47.06 million budget was one of three spending scenarios presented by Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld during a special public meeting on Monday.

Each plan calls for a tax increase, a situation that the municipality avoided while crafting budgets during the previous two years.

Sonenfeld explained that keeping taxes flat while maintaining a high level of municipal services “is hard,” particularly during years when Ridgewood is obligated to pick up certain expenses, such as increases related to police and fire department contracts. This year was no exception, she said, noting that the police department budget will increase by more than $500,000 over last year’s actual amount spent.

“We took the message that the council gave us very seriously – with tax increases you would like to see service improvements and improvements in quality of life in the town. I think we all agree with that,” said Sonenfeld, who, along with treasurer Steve Sanzari, formulated the recommended budget using previously provided input from Ridgewood’s department leaders.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/recommended-plan-would-boost-tax-bills-by-46-1.1306062

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Dom, ” I have lost all confidence our Councilmen (for now) on the public behavior of these matters”

DomNizza005_theridgewoodblog

4-8-2015 Public meeting.

This my personal opinion on last nights public meeting.

1. A delay of almost 50 minutes before beginning the scheduled agenda to hear a “personal grievance”statement  by the employee labor attorney for the Village.
2. It was not on the agenda and a matter that should have first been discussed in a closed meeting.
3. Sadly, the Mayor permitted the “employee” to make her statement at the public Village meeting hoping to “clear the air” and be helpful. “which was a BIG mistake.
4. I have lost all confidence our Councilmen (for now) on the public behavior of these matters.

I have been a residence in Ridgewood since 1948 and have seen “many meetings” —  that one was the worse..

Respectfully,        Dominick Nizza ,Robert Street. Ridgewood

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Judge: Ridgewood doctor accused of stockpiling bomb-making materials can represent himself

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APRIL 8, 2015, 1:57 PM    LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2015, 5:19 PM

BY KIBRET MARKOS
STAFF WRITER |
ASSOCIATED PRESS

A Ridgewood doctor accused of stockpiling bomb-making materials and weapons at his home can represent himself in his upcoming trial, a judge in Hackensack ruled Wednesday.

Judge Edward Jerejian granted Roberto Rivera’s request to be his own lawyer, after a lengthy line of questioning to make sure that he understood the charges against him and that he was knowingly waiving his constitutional right to have an attorney.

Rivera, who has been represented by the Bergen County Public Defender’s Office since his arrest in 2012, had stated from the outset that he wanted to be his own attorney and has maintained his position despite being advised to get legal representation, said Ian Silvera, who has been Rivera’s attorney.

“I still take the position that it’s bad idea for a client in any criminal matter to represent themselves,” Silvera said at a hearing Wednesday.

Police said they went to Rivera’s home in November 2012 on a hazardous-material report and found large amounts of nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide, glycerin, sulfuric acid and other chemicals used for making explosives. They said they also found bomb detonators, two assault rifles, a .40 caliber handgun and a large-capacity magazine. Authorities did not say why Rivera was stockpiling the materials or whether he had any plans to use them.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/judge-ridgewood-doctor-accused-of-stockpiling-bomb-making-materials-can-represent-himself-1.1304765

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Here’s the Top Concern for Many Municipal Bond Market Analysts

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By Bill Lucia
April 7, 2015

Public pensions are one of the top issues confronting the municipal bond market, according to the vast majority of credit analysts responding to a survey released on Monday.

The survey asked 162 municipal bond credit analysts to name the five most important issues or trends currently facing the market. Of the respondents, 86 percent included matters related to pensions, such as funding levels and pension obligation bonds, on their top five list.

The second most-noted topic was Puerto Rico, which 50 percent of the analysts included as one of their top five issues or trends. The island commonwealth is currently mired in a debt crisis.

Tom Kozlik, a sell-side municipal credit analyst at the Philadelphia-based financial services firm Janney Montgomery Scott, LLC, conducted the survey.

While he emphasized that he was not speaking for all of the respondents, Kozlik said that, for him, public pensions are a key source of concern.

https://www.govexec.com/state-local/2015/04/public-pensions-municipal-bond-market/109510/?oref=state_and_local_nl

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Village Council and Village Board Meetings

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file photo by Boyd Loving

04/07/157:30PMPlanning Board Public Meeting – Village Hall Court RoomAvailable
04/08/158:00PMVillage Council Public MeetingAvailable
04/14/157:30PMBoard of Adjustment Public Meeting
04/21/157:30PMPlanning Board Public Meeting – Village Hall Court Room
04/22/157:30PMVillage Council Public Work Session
04/28/157:30PMBoard of Adjustment Public Work Session
05/05/157:30PMPlanning Board Public Meeting – Village Hall Court Room
05/06/157:30PMVillage Council Public Work Session
05/12/157:30PMBoard of Adjustment Public Meeting

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Reader says At this point, every agenda item that this Council majority brings to the table is worthy of a second look

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file photo by Boyd Loving

In a broader sense, this issue is like many others in that we have a Council majority that meets separately from the entire Council and outside the public eye. They come to each Council meeting with their own agenda and publicly humiliate any non-majority Council member that questions or disagrees with their agenda.

Whether these 3 violate the Sunshine laws is a topic for another post. Or maybe a special prosecutor. Regardless, the sad truth is that Ridgewood is being run by 3 individuals that think they know better than the rest of us. They preach transparency while they exclude their constituents and Council mates from the governing process. They preach civility as they engage in petty name calling and public condescension. They insult our intelligence by acting this way and thinking that nobody notices such blatant hypocrisy.

Let’s hope that Ms. Knudsen and Mr. Sedon have the courage to stand up to these 3 every step of the way. At this point, every agenda item that this Council majority brings to the table is worthy of a second look

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Reader says Does anyone thinks it’s a coincidence the human resource and village manager are both from Bergen leads and this residency requirement is being changed when the hr person isn’t from ridgewood?

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Does anyone thinks it’s a coincidence the human resource and village manager are both from Bergen leads and this residency requirement is being changed when the hr person isn’t from ridgewood. Old friends from the bergen county program . Ridgewood owes a debt of gratitude to councilwoman knudsen for standing up for ridgewood residents when aronsohn, pucc and hack don’t care about the people they represent. What’s wrong there’s no one from ridgewood to fill these jobs.

Regardless of what the law might become, the fact is that these people are not willing to hire anyone now under the current law. That is outrageous. Holding off on hiring until they can change the law. Sounds like a massive lawsuit to me.

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The proposed ordinance change that started the fire…..

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VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD NOTICE OF PENDING ORDINANCE ORDINANCE NO. 3470 The ordinance published herewith was introduced and passed upon first reading at a Regular Public Meeting of the Village Council of the Village of Ridgewood, in the County of Bergen, New Jersey held on March 11, 2015. It will be further considered for final passage, after public hearing thereon, at a Regular Public Meeting of said Village Council to be held in the Courtroom of the Ridgewood Village Hall 131 N. Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ on April 8, 2015 at 8:00 PM., and during the week prior to and up to and including the date of such meeting, copies of said ordinance will be made available at the Village Clerk’s Office in said Village Hall, 131 N. Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ to the members of the general public who shall request the same. Heather A. Mailander Village Clerk VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD ORDINANCE NO. 3470 AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 3, ARTICLE VIII OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD ENTITLED “RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS” BE IT ORDAINED by the Village Council of the Village of Ridgewood, County of Bergen, State of New Jersey that: Section 1. The Code of the Village of Ridgewood is hereby amended by changing the wording of Chapter 3, Article VIII, of the Code of the Village of Ridgewood entitled “Residency Requirements” as follows: ADD SECTION 3-57: REQUIRED RESIDENCY A. All officers and employees of the Village of
Ridgewood initially employed or appointed in the Police and Fire Departments with the entry-level titles of police officer and firefighter, from and after the effective date of this article, shall be bona fide residents of the Village of Ridgewood. B. Any officers and employees who are otherwise exempted by law or hold classified titles, which include both competitive and noncompetitive titles, other than the entry-level titles of police officer and firefighter, within the Police and Fire Departments, shall not be subject to this regulation. C. A “bona fide resident,” for the purposes of this article, is a person having a permanent domicile within the Village of Ridgewood which has not been adopted with the intention of again taking up or claiming a previous residence acquired outside of the Village of Ridgewood’s boundaries. SECTION 3-58: ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS Applicants eligible for appointment to an entry-level position of employment in the titles of police officer and firefighter in the Police and Fire Departments in the classified civil service shall be limited to residents of the Village of Ridgewood. SECTION 3-59: ALTERNATIVE HIRING A. Whenever the governing body or appointing authority shall determine that there cannot be recruited a sufficient number of qualified Ridgewood residents for the entry-level titles of police officer and firefighter in the Police and Fire Departments, the Village shall advertise for other qualified applicants. The Village or the hiring authority thereof shall thereupon classify all qualified applicants for such positions or employments so determined in the following manner: (1) Residents of Bergen County; (2) Residents of the State of New Jersey. B. In the case of classified titles, which include both competitive and noncompetitive titles and employments other than the entry-level titles of police officer and firefighter within the Police and Fire Departments, the Village shall advertise for qualified applicants. The Village shall open all classified titles (both competitive and non-competitive), other than the entry-level titles of police officer and firefighter, to residents of the State of New Jersey, with no other residency requirements. C. No current nonresident officer or employee shall be required to become a bona fide resident of the Village of Ridgewood as a condition of their continued employment. D. Employment in the Fire Department shall be governed specifically by the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-10.1a. Employment in the Department of Police shall be governed specifically by the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40A:14-123.1a. DELETE: SECTION 3-60: EXCEPTIONS Whenever the Village Council or the hiring authority of the Village shall determine that there are certain specific positions and employments requiring special talent or skills which are necessary for the operations of the Village and which are not likely to be found among the residents of the Village, such positions or employment so determined shall be filled without reference to residency. The criteria for employment pursuant to this section shall be established from time to time as the need arises by resolution of the Village Council. Section 2. This ordinance shall take effect immediately upon passage and publication as required by law.

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Ridgewood moves closer to municipal budget introduction

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April 6, 2015    Last updated: Monday, April 6, 2015, 9:34 AM
By Mark Krulish
Staff Writer |
The Ridgewood News

Budget season continued in Ridgewood with village officials gathering for the second of three public budget meetings on March 22 to resume discussion of departmental needs for the upcoming fiscal year.

Among the changes made in the weeks between the first and second budget meeting was a reduction in the capital budget of approximately $700,000, which brings the current number to $3,194,000.

These talks will be taken up again at 5 p.m. on April 6 in a third public budget meeting. Discussion will include more concrete numbers for each department as well as the revenue side of the budget, said Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld. The village is targeting April 22 as the date for introducing the budget.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-officials-detail-spending-plans-1.1303442

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Reader says There he is Chris Harris the Mayor Press Secretary

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There he is Chris Harris the Mayor Press Secretary / Record Reporter writing another article for the Mayor. I was wondering what was taking him so long.
Looks like Mr. Harris didn’t even have the courtesy, nor did he take the time, to contact Councilwoman Knudsen for her side of the story. The Record’s local news coverage is getting to be as big of a joke as the Village Council is.

The article by Harris is a disgrace since the councilwoman made it clear it’s all about civilian titles. Looks like Paulie’s lackey is willing to do anything for Aronsohn and we should all be sickened by it. It Harris wants to be a real reporter he should have the decency to be honest in his reporting. The change has nothing to do with the police or fire department. I don’t know much about all of this but is seems everyone on council agreed the change was to civilian titles and Mailander agreed. No one disputed Knudsnes statement it was about civilian jobs. The inferences Aronsohn makes are despicable Harris wants to be part of this lie he should be ashamed of himself and he should be fired.

We’ve seen lots of nepotism in the village and now we are seeing Schonenfeld’s cronyism. Schonenfeld should be fired because she said doesn’t understand the basics of the job she was hired to do.

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Reader wonders if the proposed change to the law is contemplated as part of a larger plan to politicize our system of local government

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So, based on the diligent detective work by Councilwoman Knudsen, we learn that the current hiring scheme provides that Ridgewood-based applicants are to be preferred when all of the top candidates are equally qualified. This sounds reasonable. Accordingly, the burden of persuasion on whether or not to change the law should be on those who are in favor of a change.

Up until now the proponents of change have been saying that according to the current hiring scheme, the Village has not been permitted to hire better qualified candidates who live outside of Ridgewood if at least one local applicant is deemed at least minimally qualified. Now we learn that was not true. In fact, it does not take an enormous leap of faith to conclude that we were being LIED TO.

It turns out the Village has only lacked the ability to hire candidates of the SAME qualifications who live outside of Ridgewood. In other words, they have lacked the ability to discriminate against (politically undesireable?) Ridgewood residents who have the same qualifications as the best (properly politically aligned?) candidates who live outside of Ridgewood.

Why should we change the law to facilitate such a hiring practice?

One wonders if the proposed change to the law is contemplated as part of a larger plan to politicize our system of local government, which by virtue of the Faulkner Act is supposed to be completely non-partisan.

Ah yes…politics. This has been the common denominator from day one when it comes to the behavior of the Three Amigos. Why should we expect these old dogs to learn new tricks when they continue to get such great mileage out of the old ones?