Category: village of ridgewood

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Reader says public matters are being discussed, and decisions made, by a majority of the council in advance of the public meeting in clear Violation of the Sunshine Law

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First Councilwoman Susan Knudsen was told to recuse herself from a closed meeting on this subject at the suggestion of the Village Manager and now information was withheld from her about this same subject.What the hell is going on in Village Hall. Who is the employee that contact Civil Service and who directed this employee to do this, Why can’t Councilwoman Susan Knudsen have that information. Why didn’t the attorney contact the Councilwoman and speak to her about this issue instead of directing another Village employee to withhold the information. WHO IS RUNNIG THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD.?

The circumstance described by Ms. Knudsen demonstrates that public matters are being discussed, and decisions made, by a majority of the council in advance of the public meeting during which the discussions and decisions are supposed to take place on the record. This reduces the public meeting to the status of a charade, because the result desired by the majority has already been determined in advance! As we all had suspected, it now appears clear that the Sunshine Law has been violated. Violations of the Sunshine Law don’t just happen–they are usually undertaken when the majority wants to avoid scrutiny for something they wish to do that the public might find odious. We all owe Ms. Knudsen a debt of gratitude for sticking to her guns and airing this issue out publicly.

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Former Ridgewood YMCA bookkeeper indicted in theft

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MARCH 31, 2015, 7:12 PM    LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2015, 7:12 PM
BY JIM NORMAN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

A former bookkeeper at the Ridgewood YMCA who was arrested last April on charges of stealing from her employer in a variety of ways was formally indicted on those charges Tuesday, accused of a seven-year scheme to divert at least $80,000 in credit card charges and stolen property to her own benefit, Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said.

Catherine Easer, 55, who lived in Mahwah when she was arrested, was named in a five-count indictment charging her with two counts of second-degree theft and three counts of third-degree theft.

The indictment accuses her of fraudulently using credit cards issued by The Home Depot, Exxon Mobil and Staples in the name of the YMCA, of using a computer to advance a fraud scheme to deprive the YMCA of more than $5,000 worth of goods, services, information and money, and of taking more than $75,000 worth of property from the YMCA.

The precise nature of her alleged actions was not spelled out in the indictment. However, the three-page document said the actions involving the misuse of computers started in April 2007 and ran until January 2014. The alleged misuse of the Home Depot and Exxon Mobil credit cards ran from May 2009 to December 2014, and the misuse of the Staples card allegedly started in December 2010 and ended in January 2014, the indictment said.

The most serious count of the indictment said the alleged thefts of $75,000 worth of property from the YMCA started in May 2009 and continued until January 2014.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/former-ridgewood-ymca-bookkeeper-indicted-in-theft-1.1299635

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BOMBSHELL REVELATION – Councilwoman claims information deliberately withheld from her

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BOMBSHELL REVELATION – Councilwoman claims information deliberately withheld from her

April 1 ,2015
Boyd A. Loving
11:15 PM

Ridgewood Nj, During Wednesday evening’s Village Council Work Session, Councilwoman Susan Knudsen revealed selected details of official correspondence related to the Village’s hiring practices, including a document in which a Village employee was reportedly directed (by an attorney employed by the Village) not to release publicly available information to Ms. Knudsen.

Councilwoman Knudsen also revealed that an unnamed employee or representative of the Village supposedly corresponded with the NJ State Civil Service Commission in February of this year to advise the Commission that several open positions (jobs) would not be filled until after Village Council members voted to change an ordinance related to preferential hiring treatment for Village residents (the plan is to remove any preferential hiring treatment for Village residents except applicants for public safety jobs – this ordinance change will be officially voted on during the Council’s April 8 Public Meeting).

According to Ms. Knudsen, Village Council members were reportedly never told that open positions (excluding pubic safety jobs) would not be filled until after the ordinance was changed.

Catch the full action/complete bombshell discussion beginning at 23 minutes 54 seconds into the linked broadcast below:

https://www.ustream.tv/recorded/60629688

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Host families in Ridgewood are a breath of fresh air

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MARCH 27, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015, 8:25 AM

Host families are breath of fresh air

To the Editor:

National Volunteer Week marks a special time of the year for The Fresh Air Fund, and I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere thanks to our wonderful Fresh Air volunteers, hosts and supporters in the Hudson Highlands. Their continued dedication to our New York City children is exemplary for all community members and truly embodies the spirit of the 2015 National Volunteer Week, which is from April 12 to 18.

Fresh Air volunteers work in several capacities throughout the year in 13 states from Virginia to Maine and Canada to help make The Fresh Air Fund’s programs possible. Fresh Air host families open their hearts and homes, and share the everyday joys of summertime with their Fresh Air friends. Our local volunteer leaders – many of whom are also hosts – serve on our local committees, plan summer activities, publicize the program, and interview prospective host families. Additionally, individuals and local businesses give generously of their time and resources to make The Fresh Air Fund’s Volunteer Host Family Program throughout this area a great success each summer.

The Fresh Air Fund, an independent, not-for-profit agency, has provided free summer experiences to more than 1.8 million New York City children since 1877. For more information on how to help to continue this tradition of volunteering, call The Fresh Air Fund at 800-367-0003 or visit freshair.org.

Jenny Morgenthau
Executive Director
The Fresh Air Fund

https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/letter-to-the-editor-host-families-in-ridgewood-are-a-breath-of-fresh-air-1.1297339

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Village Fees continue to Increase

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March 31,2015

the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Hourly meter rates in all Village lots and streets are now $.50 per hour from 10AM to 6PM,
Monday through Saturday.

Ridgewood Nj,  First it was parking with hourly meter rates in all Village lots and streets jumping to $.50 per hour from 10AM to 6PM,Monday through Saturday.

Then there was an increase in Ridgewood Parking Permits provides ‘coinless’ with annual permits issued for a calendar year coasting residents $750.  RPP are issued to Non Residents at a fee of $1,500 and require parking in the Cottage Place or Rt. 17 Park & Ride Lots.

Now the Village is moving to increase Building Department Fees .At the March 25, 2015 Village Council Meeting the proposed Building Department Fees was discussed.

Whats next garage sales, parking tickets , keeping the tax increase flat add some layers of supervisors and the spend the reserve .
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April Fools’ Day 2015 Facts, Trivia, Myths, History: Why We Celebrate This International Day Of Pranks And Jokes

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file photo by Boyd Loving

By  Elizabeth Whitman @elizabethwhitty [email protected] onMarch 31 2015 10:46 AM EDT

April Fools’ Day began in the year 1582, according to one legend, when Pope Gregory XIII (after whom the Gregorian calendar is named) moved the start of the new year from the end of March to the beginning of January. The change was made public, but not everyone got the memo, and those who didn’t and thus continued to celebrate New Year’s Day on April 1 were laughed at. “Because they were seen as foolish, [they were] called April Fools,” medieval historian Ginger Smoak has explained, according to the Huffington Post.

Another myth is based on the same idea but suggests the change in the New Year happened at a slightly different time and place. It attributes the calendar change to France in 1564 — rather than to the pope — and when people celebrated the wrong New Year, others would paste paper fish on their backs, which explains why in France, the day is known as April Fish.

https://www.ibtimes.com/april-fools-day-2015-facts-trivia-myths-history-why-we-celebrate-international-day-1864126

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Why Children Need Chores

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Why Children Need Chores

Doing household chores has many benefits—academically, emotionally and even professionally.

By Jennifer Breheny Wallace
March 13, 2015 12:04 p.m. ET

Today’s demands for measurable childhood success—from the Common Core to college placement—have chased household chores from the to-do lists of many young people. In a survey of 1,001 U.S. adults released last fall by Braun Research, 82% reported having regular chores growing up, but only 28% said that they require their own children to do them. With students under pressure to learn Mandarin, run the chess club or get a varsity letter, chores have fallen victim to the imperatives of resume-building—though it is hardly clear that such activities are a better use of their time.

“Parents today want their kids spending time on things that can bring them success, but ironically, we’ve stopped doing one thing that’s actually been a proven predictor of success—and that’s household chores,” says Richard Rende, a developmental psychologist in Paradise Valley, Ariz., and co-author of the forthcoming book “Raising Can-Do Kids.” Decades of studies show the benefits of chores—academically, emotionally and even professionally.

https://reason.com/blog/2015/03/30/you-know-who-else-thought-the-nsa-mass-m

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Bergen utilities converting sewage into valuable energy source

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Bergen utilities converting sewage into valuable energy source

MARCH 29, 2015, 11:33 PM    LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, MARCH 29, 2015, 11:40 PM
BY JAMES M. O’NEILL
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

The bright orange flame that routinely danced from a pipe on the roof of Ridgewood’s sewage treatment plant did not exactly serve as a welcome beacon for Christopher Rutishauser, Ridgewood’s public works director. Instead, it became a nagging reminder of lost opportunity.

The facility was flaring off methane, a greenhouse gas created when bacteria break down sewage.

“I’m cheap,” Rutishauser said. “I saw the flame and saw money being wasted. I thought there had to be a way to reuse the methane.”

Rutishauser and Bob Gillow, the plant supervisor, researched the issue and came up with a plan to capture the methane and use it as fuel for a generator that produces electricity. The facility covers its own energy needs and has excess electricity to sell to the grid.

At wastewater treatment plants in New Jersey and across the country, the methane once flared off as waste is being used to produce electricity. Sewage has become a money-making resource. And following the success of these pioneers, other agencies are starting to take a look as well.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/bergen-utilities-converting-sewage-into-valuable-energy-source-1.1298646

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Prevent Fire In Your Home By Following A Few Sample Steps

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With read some recent very unfortunate news about a family with seven kids that died in a fire in Brooklyn.  Statistics show that there are 3 major fire hazards in your home:

  • Heating System – Furnace – boiler – hot water heater
  • Fireplaces and other open flames like oven or range
  • Electrical shorts

To prevent fires, please pay attention to the following points and keep a household fire extinguisher at home.:

  1. Do not store any flammable material near a furnace or in the furnace room.
  2. Make sure your furnace is clean, with no dust or lint build up, a cleaning  can be as simple as using a vacuum machine or damp cloth.Safety Tips When Using Your Heating System
  3. If your home or building has a hot forced air system (central heating or air conditioning) make sure your filters are clean.  We recommend that you check the filters once a month.
  4. In case you have a heating problem, and the heat is off, do not use an open flame from the oven or stove, in many cases a fire can start right there.
  5. Schedule a visual inspection by a technician at least once a year, just to check that everything is working properly.  A heating company should be able to tell and recognize signs that you cannot see.  For example, the color of the flame in the pilot of the furnace should always be blue and never red.
  6. Do not use an extension cord for any appliances, especially for heating units.  Extension cords are forbidden by the code and in many cases as a result of using an extension cord wires will overheat and a fire can result.
  7. Keep children and all flammable items at least 3 feet away from any heating device.
  8. Make sure you have smoke detectors and even more than one in the furnace room just in case of a failure and fire extinguishers available and handy.  Smoke detectors should be tested often and fire extinguishers need to be in operating conditioning-the verification bar needs to be in the green area.
  9. We highly recommend that you have at least one fire extinguisher in the furnace room, one in the kitchen and one next to your bar-b-q as those area are known to have an open flame  so you want to make sure your fire extinguisher will be available immediately if needed.

If you need any furnace maintenance or check up feel free to contact us and we would be happy to help and advise. Have a wonderful day.

www.questplumbingnj.com               201-399-2160   24 Hour Plumbing, Heating & Colling

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Graydon Pool may have revenue shortfall due to early school opening

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file photo by ArtChick Photography

Graydon Pool may have revenue shortfall due to early school opening
March 26,2015
Boyd A. Loving

Just when you though you’d heard everything –

Ridgewood NJ, It appears as though the scheduled September 2, 2015 opening of the Ridgewood Public Schools may seriously impact Graydon Pool revenues this summer.  Graydon Pool is currently scheduled to remain open until Labor Day, Monday, September 7, 2015.

Village Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck, liaison to the Parks, Recreation & Conservation Board, stated that the last operating week of Graydon Pool (just prior to and including Labor Day) traditionally generates a significant amount of revenue. If  the Pool is forced to change its schedule and close earlier in the season than Labor Day [due to the unavailability of lifeguards (students) and supervisory staff (teachers)], the Pool may experience a significant revenue loss.

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Orpheus Club Men’s Chorus Special Spring Concerts in Ridgewood

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Orpheus Club Men’s Chorus Special Spring Concerts in Ridgewood
March 25,2015

Ridgewood Nj, The Orpheus Club Men’s Chorus will present its annual spring concerts on Saturday, April 18, 2015 at 7:30 pm, and on Sunday, April 19, 2015 at 4:00 pm at the Ridgewood United Methodist Church, 100 Dayton Street, in downtown Ridgewood, NJ.

This year’s concerts are entitled “Celebrating Americana in Song.” The concerts feature a diverse selection songs to delight every age and interest. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War’s end, the Chorus will offer America the Beautiful, Johnny Comes Marching Home, Camptown Races, Workin’ for the Dawn, and Battle Hymn of the Republic.  Orpheus will  celebrate Frank Sinatra’s 100th birthday as well with Come Fly With Me  and New York, New York. The concerts will feature a special celebration John Palatucci’s 25th anniversary as musical director of the Chorus with music written specially for this event, Hymn of Triumph. Rounding out the program,  the Orpheus Doo Woppers will perform their rendition of Come Go With Me,  and so much more.

Tickets for the concert are $15 in advance and $25 at the door. Advance purchase may be made  online at the Orpheus Club Men’s Chorus website www.ridgewoodorpheusclub.org  and at any of the following local businesses: Daily Treat Restaurant, Wine Seller and Town and Country Apothecary in Ridgewood; Lewis Drug in Westwood; Perry’s Florist and Rock Ridge Pharmacy in Glen Rock; Wine and Spirit World in Ho-Ho-Kus; and Benny’s Luncheonette in Fair Lawn.

Seniors and students under 17 years of age may purchase tickets at the door for $18.The Orpheus Club Men’s Chorus has been a keystone of the cultural life of the tri-state region for 110 years. Founded in 1905, it is the oldest cultural institution in all of Bergen County. Now over 50 voices strong, it is directed by John Palatucci and accompanied by pianist Ron Levy.

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Ridgewood cancer patient seeks donor match

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Ridgewood cancer patient seeks donor match

MARCH 24, 2015    LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2015, 11:51 AM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

RIDGEWOOD — Anthony Daniels still needs a miracle.

With any luck, that miracle will come April 18, when another donor drive will be held in Hillsdale, aimed at finding possible matches for the 23-year-old Ridgewood man, who has been battling an aggressive form of Hodgkin’s lymphoma for several years.

The drive is being organized by Delete Blood Cancer — the U.S. unit of the German Bone Marrow Donor Center.

During the drive, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Hillsdale’s Veterans Park, healthy people ages 18 to 44 will undergo a cheek swab. Volunteers must be willing to donate to any patient.

A match could mean a lifesaving bone marrow stem cell transplant for Daniels, a former Fordham University business student and onetime Ridgewood High School hockey player who was 20 when he was diagnosed with the immune system cancer.

A number of drives were held last year to help find Daniels a donor. His search for a match continues, since less than 1 percent of the population has his same DNA markers.

Inexplicably, Daniels’ two brothers are a match for each other but not for him.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-cancer-patient-seeks-donor-match-1.1294305

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Village Council, and Board Meetings

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file photo by Boyd Loving
Village Council, and Board Meetings 

03/24/157:30PMBoard of Adjustment Work SessionAvailable
03/25/157:30PMVillage Council Public Work SessionAvailable
03/25/157:30PMVillage Council Special Public MeetingAvailable
03/31/157:30PMBoard of Adjustment Public Meeting
04/01/157:30PMVillage Council Public Work Session
04/07/157:30PMPlanning Board Public Meeting – Village Hall Court Room
04/08/158:00PMVillage Council Public Meeting
04/14/157:30PMBoard of Adjustment Public Meeting

Meet the Manager – Tuesday, March 24th 4:30pm to 7:30pm

Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld will hold office hours for Ridgewood residents and business owners on Tuesday, February 24th between the hours of 4:30pm 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 Council Chambers on the 4th Floor 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.

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Reader , Whats with the Attacks on Bernie Walsh ?

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Reader , Whats with the Attacks on Bernie Walsh ?
you sound for all the world like a desperate current officeholder sweating their re-election chances. You uncivilly bad mouth our esteemed former Councilwoman Bernadette Walsh as if she were a current candidate vying to replace you on the Council. (We should be so lucky. You should keep your powder dry if in fact you anticipate facing her as a future electoral opponent!) You further hypocritically introduce party politics into your discussion regarding Ms. Walsh, as if she ever allowed her already well-known political affiliation to affect the way she conducted herself as a (successful) candidate for Ridgewood council, or as a (successful) sitting Councilwoman. (Which, of course, she never did, having full and complete respect for the clear strictures imposed by the Faulkner Act.) Finally, you blithely and coldly use the word ‘failed’ when discussing Ms. Walsh’s bid for a county-wide position. This is a transparently malicious bid to paint her as some kind of sad sack candidate, a characterization no right-thinking Ridgewood resident who knows her at all would ever accept, particularly coming from an individual clearly clutching at so many straws to defend an incumbent who was himself a ‘failed candidate’ for US Congress. Would do us all a favor and slink back into the humble roadside hole you came out of, Mr. Mudslinger?
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VILLAGE COUNCIL SPECIAL PUBLIC BUDGET MEETING

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Rum-Truck_theridgewoodblog.net

AGENDA

VILLAGE COUNCIL SPECIAL PUBLIC BUDGET MEETING

MARCH 22, 2015

12:00 NOON

1.   Call to Order

2.   Statement of Compliance with the 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 and Moment of Silence

5.    Public Comments (Not to exceed 5 minutes per person)

6.    Discussion Items

a.   Review of Departmental/Utility/Other Accounts Budgets

1.    Parking Utility

2.   Tax Assessor

3.   Village Clerk/Elections

4.   Planning Board/Historic Preservation Commission

5.   Emergency Services

6.   Municipal Court

7.   Attorney Fees

8.   Finance/Tax Collection

9.   Debt Service

10.  Terminal Leave

11.  Trust Funds and Surplus

12.  Electric and Gas

13.  Library

Review of Departmental Budgets (continued)

14.  Village Manager

15.  DEP Fines and Fees

16.  Village Council

17.  Water Department

18.  Office of Emergency Management

b.   Wrap-up of the Day and Next Steps

7.    Public Comments (Not to exceed 5 minutes per person)

8.   Adjournment