Category: village of ridgewood

Posted on by — 22 Comments

Village manager deserves apology

Village_Manager_Roberta_Sonenfeld_theridgewoodblog

file photo Boyd Loving

Letter to the Editor: Ridgewood manager deserve apology

JUNE 19, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2015, 9:28 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Village manager deserves apology

To the Editor:

I feel very strongly that Councilman Michael Sedon should apologize publicly to Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld. By telling her she misled him regarding the budgeting of the HR person, he is basically telling her, and publicly so, that she lied to him. To mislead is to lie.

If he can prove that Ms. Sonenfeld lied, then she should be summarily dismissed for it is a horrible breach of her position to lie to the council. Knowing Ms. Sonenfeld’s integrity and business acumen, I will bet my last dollar she was totally transparent in the budget deliberations.

So either Mr. Sedon was in above his head when the budget was discussed, or he was being willfully disingenuous to accomplish some political point. If either of these two possibilities is true, then Mr. Sedon should resign.

The third alternative is to put all of this behind us with Mr. Sedon apologizing gracefully and publicly to Ms. Sonenfeld. He owes it to her, considering this gratuitous insult. Considering the abject polarization of Ridgewood politics and Mr. Sedon’s proclivity to pander to his base, I don’t think I will live long enough to see this happen.

Rurik Halaby

Ridgewood

https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/letter-to-the-editor-ridgewood-manager-deserve-apology-1.1359401

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Matt Letscher’s ‘One and Done’ to be screened in Ridgewood

One_and_Done_theridgewoodblog

“One and Done” centers around a reunited high school basketball team.Matt Letscher is the co-creator, lead actor and director.Marin Hinkle played Judith on “Two and a Half Men.”Actor Michael Gladis is from “Mad Men.”The “boys” are back on the court.

JUNE 19, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY AIMEE LA FOUNTAIN
CORRESPONDENT |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

An exclusive screening of the digital series “One and Done” will take place at Bow Tie Cinemas on June 25.

“One and Done” is a comedy about four middle-aged men who reunite their high school basketball team.

“It’s a brand-new series that tells the story of middle-age through comedy on the basketball court,” said executive producer and Ridgewood resident Aaron Letscher. “The format of the show pushes the boundaries of both traditional TV and movies, which will make for a truly unique viewing experience.”

The storyline was inspired by the lives of writers Matt Letscher and Nipper Knapp, who also appear in the series. Both played on basketball leagues while in their 20s.

“Now in their mid-40s, the thought of playing competitive basketball is both exciting and daunting,” Letscher said. “‘One and Done’ really came from their experiences and what happens to both your body and mind once you hit a certain age.”

https://www.northjersey.com/arts-and-entertainment/entertainment-news/digital-comedy-shows-for-good-causes-1.1358946

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Exhibit in Ridgewood features book illustrations

Johnny J

JUNE 19, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2015, 9:52 AM
BY BY EILEEN LA FORGIA
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

The gallery at West Side Presbyterian Church in Ridgewood is featuring an exhibit by Johnny J. Keane, a painter and illustrator.

The show is primarily about Keane’s illustrations for the book “Zoe Bowie Sings, Despite All Sad Things” written by Jamie Tripp Utitus.

There are 21 large illustrations from the book as well as the rough draft showing the sketching process. Also on display are small portraits in both ink and pencil.

Johnny Keane met Jamie Tripp 10 years ago, and the fellow teachers became friends.

https://www.northjersey.com/arts-and-entertainment/art/artist-illustrates-friend-s-book-in-whimsical-way-1.1358955

Posted on by — 2 Comments

Ridgewood forum focuses on parking , parking and more parking

parking_CBD_theridgewoodblog

JUNE 18, 2015    LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015, 2:04 PM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

The sixth in a series of Central Business District (CBD) forums took place on Wednesday night.

Residents and local business owners gathered to hear a comprehensive overview on the parking changes that have been made over the past few months, as well as a review of the current progress on the potential parking garage projects downtown.

One of the most noticeable changes made to the parking process in the CBD is the implementation of ParkMobile, which went live in the second week of May. ParkMobile is a pay-by-phone application and is currently in use at the downtown parking lots. It is also exclusively in use at the Chestnut Street lot and Route 17 Park & Ride.

Village officials expect to add this service to street meters no later than July 1, according to Janet Fricke, assistant to the village manager.

The village has also overhauled its hourly parking rates as well as the options for parking available to residents and non-residents during the first half of 2015.

The Ridgewood Parking Permit (RPP) is available for all Ridgewood residents and gives them unlimited parking in all lots at a cost of $750 per year, prorated monthly depending upon the point during the year in which it is purchased. Non-residents can purchase unlimited parking at either Cottage Place or the Park & Ride for $1,500 per year.

Employees working in the CBD can purchase a permit for $80 per month or $40 for half of a month. These permits are interchangeable among employees if they wish to split the cost. The pass must be displayed in the windshield and can be used at either Cottage Place or the Ken Smith property.

Eight hour parking has also become available at Cottage Place for 75 cents per hour, using coins or ParkMobile. Metered times are 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

 

https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/ridgewood-forum-focuses-on-parking-1.1358689

Posted on by — 13 Comments

HR addition spurs debate in Ridgewood

Village_Manager_Roberta_Sonenfeld_theridgewoodblog

file photo by Boyd Loving

JUNE 19, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Ordinances were introduced last week by the Village Council reflecting changes in the organizational structure of Village Hall, a cleanup of salary ranges for village employees and elimination of unused titles.

The new ordinance institutes a Human Resources department and creates a free-standing Department of Health, moving it out from under the umbrella of the Department of Community Services, which was eliminated. The Division of Assessments was moved to the Finance Department and a director title was created in the Building Department to accurately reflect recent hires.

“This is both a cleanup and reflects some strategic moves we’ve made with both the Building Department and with the Department of Human Resources,” said Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld.

Discussion of the ordinances took place at a June 3 meeting, where Sonenfeld explained the Human Resources department would also assume supervisory roles in the Employee Benefits and Payroll Administration functions of the government.

Councilman Michael Sedon, who voted against the introduction of the ordinances, said the first time he heard there would be a full-time Human Resources department was at the first budget hearing in February. Sedon said he did not have an opportunity to give input on such a service, which he believed was already being provided.

 

 

https://www.northjersey.com/news/hr-addition-spurs-debate-1.1358917

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Village of Ridgewood 2015 Kasschau Shell Schedule

Band Shell 3 Easy chairs

Village of Ridgewood 2015 Kasschau Shell Schedule

Here is the schedule for you to make plans for the upcoming 2015 Entertainment Under the Stars at the Kasschau Shell on Vet’s Field in Ridgewood. All programs are free. Just bring a chair or blanket and enjoy the music!

Click Here for 2015 Season Schedule.

Posted on by — 2 Comments

Tonight , the Village of Ridgewood 6th Central Business District Forum

parking_enforcement_theridgewoodblog

Village of Ridgewood 6th Central Business District Forum – Parking – Wednesday, June 17th 7:30pm – 9:00pm

The 6th Central Business District Forum will take place on Wednesday, June 17, 7:30 to 9:00 PM in the Courtroom in the Village Hall. An open mic will be available until 8:00 PM for anyone with ideas, comments and suggestions concerning the CBD. Then Bob Rooney, Director of the Parking Utility, Janet Fricke, our Assistant to the Village Manager and Charley DeBow of Park Mobile will conduct a seminar on using Park Mobile, review the new parking rules and times in the CBD and discuss the proposal for a parking garage on Hudson and Broad Streets. We are especially interested in hearing from commuters and welcome everyone who has not yet tried Park Mobile. Please join us.

Posted on by — 2 Comments

Verizon withdraws application to build cell site at Ridgewood cemetery

temp_cell_tower_theridgewoodblog

file photo by Boyd Loving

JUNE 16, 2015    LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 2015, 8:56 AM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Verizon Wireless has withdrawn its application seeking variances and waivers to construct a cellular telecommunications facility on Valleau Cemetery property, according to Board of Adjustment Chairman Joel Torielli.

Torielli announced Verizon’s withdrawal during the June 9 zoning board meeting.

During the same meeting, at which Verizon representatives were not present, the board chairman also announced the continuation of the company’s application to install a cellular antenna on top of the cross at West Side Presbyterian Church. The public hearing for that application has been rescheduled to resume July 14.

Earlier this year, Verizon filed an application to build a cellular facility at the cemetery, but company officials did not have the opportunity to present the plans to the Board of Adjustment. The board, meanwhile, had approved AT&T’s request to maintain a temporary cell tower along Route 17 as the firm prepared to upgrade its nearby permanent monopole.

Judy Fairweather, attorney for AT&T, revealed last month that Verizon officials approached her and her company and sought permission to build on the permanent Route 17 tower. As a result of the collocation along the highway, use of the Valleau site by Verizon is no longer needed.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/verizon-pulls-application-to-build-cell-site-on-cemetery-1.1356453

Posted on by — 13 Comments

Readers suggest maybe we don’t really need a parking garage ?

20150611_111743_resized

It’s certainly not needed like it once was. Maybe if we keep talking about it we will never need it. Outside of inconveniencing  a few restaurant goers on Saturday nights, Ridgewood Sales Days, and Christmas shopping, what the hell is the point in spending $10 million on this thing ?

Dont build for max capacity at peak useage. Bad business reasoning. This is Eco 101

It’s horiffic.. Where are the residents of Ridgewood when the council meets? a huge parking garage will cause huge congestion in that small street as cars line up to park and get out of garage. Will they charge in the garage after 6 p.m.

How much to park in the garage during daytime? It will change character of town. Will look monstrous; but fit in with high buildings of new high density housing.

What a laugh. No one really cares.

Posted on by — 5 Comments

Ridgewood mandate to ease parking concerns near Hawes School

dead-end

JUNE 15, 2015    LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2015, 9:40 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

The Village Council unanimously adopted an ordinance at its June 10 meeting to limit parking on Corella Court to one side of the street, but officials pledged to make adjustments as necessary as they continue to monitor the situation.

The new mandate will affect parking on the north side of Corella Court from the centerline of the pedestrian bridge easement at the end of the cul-de-sac northward along the curb line, then to the west side gutter line of Stevens Avenue. A stop sign will also be placed on the south side of the street at its intersection with Stevens Avenue.

The need for the ordinance arose from an influx of cars being parked on Corella Court after an addition was built at Hawes School in recent years, which eliminated some of the staff parking. Officials have noted there was no room for emergency vehicles to travel the street, presenting a safety issue for the village.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/mandate-will-ease-parking-concerns-near-school-1.1356027

Posted on by — 7 Comments

Meet the Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld

Village_Manager_Roberta_Sonenfeld_theridgewoodblog

File Photo by Boyd Loving

Meet the Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld – Monday, June 29th 4:30 – 7:30PM

Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld will hold office hours for Ridgewood residents and business owners on Monday, June 29 between the hours of 4:30 to 7:30PM. This is an opportunity to share your thoughts and provide input to Roberta. These sessions will be scheduled at 15 minute intervals and will be held in the Court Room – on the Fourth Level of Ridgewood Village Hall. Please contact Beth Spinato at 201-670-5500, ext. 203 to make an appointment. Walk-ins are welcome but should realize that the schedule may already be booked. We will announce the schedule for these meetings on a monthly basis.

Posted on by — 15 Comments

NYCGMC to perform Tyler’s Suite in Ridgewood, NJ – June 27

ap_tyler_clementi_dm_111212_wmain

New York City Gay Men’s Chorus presents two opportunities to hear Tyler’s Suite, a new collection of songs honoring the life of Tyler Clementi, the Rutgers freshman whose 2010 suicide brought national attention to the issue of cyberbullying. Tickets to both concerts available below.

“TYLER’S SUITE” features new music from composers Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin); John Bucchino (A Catered Affair); Ann Hampton Callaway (Swing!); Craig Carnelia (Sweet Smell of Success); John Corigliano (Academy Award winner for The Red Violin); Nolan Gasser; and Jake Heggie (Dead Man Walking); and lyricists Lance Horne and Pamela Stewart.

A Concert for Tyler
featuring the NJ premiere of Tyler’s Suite
Saturday, June 27    7:30pm
West Side Presbyterian Church
6 South Monroe Street
Ridgewood, NJ
Click here to purchase tickets

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Ridgewood Police Officers make their mark in 2015 Law Enforcement torch run to raise money for New Jersey Special Olympics

Ridgewood_police_touch_run_theridgwoodblog

June 13,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood  NJ , Onn Friday June 12  Ridgewood Police Officers participated in the 2015 Law Enforcement torch run sponsored by Ridgewood PBA Local 20 to raise money for New Jersey Special Olympics. Pictured from left to right Officer Thomas, Detective Henky, Sergeant Bolten, Officer Donnelly and Officer C.Mormino.

The Special Olympics is the world’s largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 4.4 million athletes in 170 countries.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

RIDGEWOOD SUMMER DAY CAMP – DEADLINE TO SIGN UP JUNE 15

ridgewood_summer_camp_theridgewoodblog

RIDGEWOOD SUMMER DAY CAMP – DEADLINE FOR ENROLLMENT IS MONDAY, JUNE 15TH

Registration is ongoing for Ridgewood Summer Day Camp, with the deadline for acceptance on Monday, June 15th. After that time campers will be waitlisted and accepted as space allows.

The camp is best described as days filled with fresh air, sunshine, new friends, fun, games, and special memories. Favorite annual events include a talent show, Graydon Pool splash party, carnival and special theme days. New events will include a visit from EquiShare/PonyShare, complete with pony stations to learn about grooming and feeding, with introduction to instructional riding. U.S. Sports Institute will offer a fun olympic event, Total Golf Adventures will provide golfing instruction, UnderGround Skateshop will provide exciting skateboard demonstrations, and we will offer a Day Camp Movie Night on the Beach at Graydon (free to all campers and their families).

The 2015 summer season will begin on Tuesday, June 30th, and run for six weeks through Friday, August 7th. Village children entering grades 1 through 6 will enjoy arts and crafts, organized games, swimming, special events and optional trips. Camp will be held at The Stable, Graydon Pool, Maple Park, Veteran’s Field, the Community Center at Village Hall and Leuning Park, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Children are to bring/purchase* a lunch and beverage. Bus transportation from Village locations is available to all. Locate the Parent Manual on our Recreation homepage at www.ridgewoodnj.net/recreation. This important source of information should be reviewed with your child to avoid confusion and concerns children may have.

*New this year, a variety of healthy sack lunches will be available for purchase from the Water’s Edge Café at Graydon Pool with daily delivery to camp. MUST PRE-ORDER. Visit the Recreation homepage referenced above to view details on how to order, as well as the variety of lunches offered.

The registration fee for camp is $525.00, which includes two camp T-shirts and optional bus transportation. Off-site trips are optional with limited space; prices vary and registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. All campers must possess a 2015 Graydon Pool membership badge. Visit www.ridgewoodnj.net/graydon to purchase online via Community Pass.

Don’t wait as camp is filling quickly. You may register online at www.ridgewoodnj.net/communitypass (payment by Visa/Mastercard). For registration assistance and/or special needs, please visit the Recreation Office at The Stable, 259 North Maple Avenue, or call the office at 201-670-5560.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Ridgewood Businesses Report Suspicious Phone Calls threatening Collections

phone-scam

June 12,2015

the staff of the Ridgewood blog, the Ridgewood Police and PSE&G

Ridgewoood NJ, Ridgewood Police report that on Friday June 5, 2015, a business in Ridgewood received (4) suspicious telephone calls from a party identifying themselves as a representative of Public Service Electric and Gas. The caller informed the business owner that they were delinquent paying their bill and threatened to turn off the service to that address if they failed to provide them with MoneyPak cards valued at $569.00. Upon verifying that the call was fraudulent the business owner notified the Ridgewood Police Department. This type of fraudulent call has been on the upswing with the calls frequently originating from outside of the United States. Homeowners and business owners alike should beware of suspicious callers and know that Public Service and other local utilities do not collect unpaid bills in this manner.

PSE&G warns customers about such scams :

Beware of suspicious activity and trust your instincts. If you think you may have been the victim of a scam, please call our 24-hour customer service center at 1-800-436-PSEG (7734). You may also contact your local police department.

Phone scams
Residential and small business customers have reported receiving deceptive phone calls from individuals pretending to be PSE&G employees. The callers demand that customers make a payment within hours using a Green Dot Money Pak, a type of pre-paid card available at pharmacies and convenience stores. PSE&G does not accept these cards.

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 us directly at 1-800-436-PSEG (7734).

Email scams
A PSE&G customer has reported receiving a fraudulent email that looked like a bill from the utility. A number of other utilities, including PSEG Long Island, have reported similar scams. The emails contain a link that when clicked infect the customer’s computer with a virus or malware.

The utility is urging its customers to be wary of these types of suspicious emails. Bills sent by PSE&G to our customers via email would be sent from [email protected]. PSE&G would not ask its customers to provide personal information online without first logging into MyAccount.

If you receive this type of email, do not provide any personal information, do not download any attachments, and do not click on any links in the email.

Imposters at your door
Residential customers have reported incidents of strangers posing as PSE&G employees to gain access to their home or to lure them out of their house.
Ask for identification from anyone who comes to your door looking like a PSE&G employee. If you are not satisfied, don’t let the person into your house. Call 911 if you feel intimidated or threatened.

All PSE&G employees — meter readers, servicewomen and men, and office workers — always wear a badge that tells you who we are. The badge, or identification card (ID for short), should look like the ID pictured above. It has the employee’s name, photograph and the PSE&G logo on it.

If you are not sure of an employee’s identity or have difficulty with the badges, call us at 1-800-436-PSEG (7734). A service representative can verify that an employee has been dispatched to your premises.