Meet the Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld – Today Tuesday, February 24th 5:00pm 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 5:00pm 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.
Location: Christ Church, 105 Cottage Place (Corner of Franklin Avenue), Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Event Description
Friday, March 6th/11am-8pm
Saturday, March 7th/10am-5pm
The 70th Annual Antiques Show & Sale features over 35 dealers from around the tri-state area; Christ Church Cafe offers gourmet food for lunch and dinner; Music performance by Bruce Hector, versatile jazz guitarist, on Friday evening. Free parking and shuttle service from Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 155 Linwood Ave., Ridgewood, NJ.
Upcoming meeting will explore ways to raise the tone of public discourse
Why can’t we all just get along?
The rabbis have been asking that question for years, particularly in late summer, around the time of Tisha B’Av, when sermons inevitably wrap around the themes of baseless hatred and intolerance.
But our secular community — especially as political discourse turns ever more hostile and bullying pervades both our schools and our social media — has been asking that as well, and at least one town has decided to do something about it.
According to Ridgewood’s Mayor Paul Aronsohn, the town began its civility initiative last year. With a core group including Rabbi David Fine of the town’s Temple Israel and Jewish Community Center, Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck, the Rev. Jan Phillips of the Religious Society of Friends, and Mr. Aronsohn, the town already has held two roundtable discussions on the issue, seeking to identify the problem and locate the line between disagreement and incivility.
“It’s not only what you say, but how you say it,” Mr. Aronsohn said, noting that any discussion must include both content and attitude. “It’s good and fine to disagree, but we should be able to disagree without being disagreeable.”
Ridgewood Arts Council plans exhibit at Village Hall
February 20, 2015 Last updated: Friday, February 20, 2015, 12:31 AM
By Darius Amos
STAFF WRITER |
The Ridgewood News
Less than a year after the village breathed new life into the Ridgewood Arts Council, RAC members are ready to return the favor.
The municipality’s official organization for the arts has set its sights on an ambitious but achievable goal, one that will end with the installation of a permanent public art display throughout Village Hall.
Titled “Ridgewood Art at Village Hall,” the idea for the permanent art exhibit comes on the heels of the success of Ridgewood High School’s Learning Commons display. Resident Linda Bradley was one of the volunteers who played an instrumental role in the RHS project.
“I was curating art for the Learning Commons. The art I was amassing was from Ridgewood residents,” Bradley said. “I got pulled over to be a part of the [RAC] because there was a lot of interest in the Learning Commons. We wanted to continue that visibility and celebration of the arts.”
Ridgewood Sanitation Services During Snow and Icy Weather
Dear E-Notice Residents,
Due to the recent snow and ice conditions we are requiring that for the foreseeable future your sanitation containers have to be placed on the curb, by the driveway, for pick up. Last week we tried a hybrid approach in telling residents that we would continue rear yard pick-up if the driveways were free and clear of snow and ice. Unfortunately this caused some confusion. We also had four accidents last week of our staff falling and two needing to go to the hospital.
I know that for me personally this morning there was snow and ice on my driveway which was not there last evening. We placed our garbage out by the curb. The sanitation workers come around early during the coldest portion of the day. There are municipalities that suspend rear yard pick-up for the entire season for this reason. We would prefer to keep the services at a normal level whenever possible.
Once we resume normal pick-up we will send E-Notices as well as post to our website.
Lisa’s Mediterranean Cuisine Celebrates Eight Years in Ridgewood
(RIDGEWOOD, NJ, February 16, 2015) — Lisa’s Mediterranean Cuisine is pleased to announce eight years of service to the Ridgewood, New Jersey community. Formerly named Lisa’s Turkish Kitchen, in 2012, owner Lisa Mayisoglu relocated the restaurant one block east to Oak Street,rebranded the name and expanded the menu to appeal to a wider audience. With the current space has come a new partnership; younger sister Selma Sozen is Co-Owner and General Manager, and Ms. Mayisoglu has assumed the role as Chef.
To commemorate the anniversary, Chef Lisa has created a list of specials inspired by her days growing up in Ankara, Turkey. Said Mayisoglu, “It’s such an honor to share our cuisine and culture with the local community. To know my customers enjoy food that’s not only healthy but also delicious, brings a smile to my face. My work is truly a labor of love.” Highlights of the celebratory specials include:
Erin B Photography
Grilled Calamari (Appetizer) – tossed with lemon, olive oil and oregano, served sizzling in a cast iron skillet
Lamb Shank – slowly braised in Lisa’s signature tomato sauce, infused with warming Turkish spices, served with chickpea and rice pilaf
Ali Nazik Kebab – tender skewered chicken or lamb, charr-grilled, served over a bed of slow-
roasted eggplant and yogurt puree, drizzled with an aromatic tomato reduction
Vegetable Pave – layers of sliced roasted root vegetables, drizzled with a cranberry-beet sauce
Salmon Dolmas – grilled Turkish grape leaves filled with white wine and dill-marinated salmon,served with honey mustard roasted potatoes and a mixed salad
The specials will be offered daily beginning February 23rd, throughout the end of March.
In other news, soon patrons can enjoy the exotic flavors of Lisa’s Mediterranean Cuisine at home or work, when the restaurant begins delivering to the Ridgewood-area in the spring.
Lisa’s Mediterranean Cuisine is located at 28 Oak Street in Ridgewood, New Jersey, and open daily from 11:30AM-9:30PM. Telephone 201.251.8686 www.lisasmediterraneancuisine.net,www.facebook.com/LisasMediterraneanCuisine, www.twitter.com/LisasMediterran
Reader asks can we prevent our town from becoming the new Northern New Jersey hotbed of progressive political posturing.
Will village council members Knudsen and Sedon attend the Sunshine Law – Open Public Meetings presentation by the League of Women Voters? More importantly, if they wished to do so, M’s Knudsen and Sedon should declare their intention to attend in their official capacity the ‘civility roundtable’ discussions that have become the mayor’s fetish, and thereby force him to adhere to all of the Sunshine Act formalities in advance of and in the wake of each such meeting. In this way the ambiguous, morphing nature of this ongoing series of quasi-public meetings seemingly steeped in issues of great public import will be eliminated, the participation and influence and of non-resident speakers (such as the arguably irrelevant ‘Englewood Councilwoman’ Lynne Algrant, ‘North Jersey Media Group Publisher and President’ Stephen Borg, and ‘Public Affairs Executive and Jersey City Official’ Robert Sommer) will be appropriately limited or regulated, and as a salutary side-effect, we will prevent our town from becoming the new Northern New Jersey hotbed of progressive political posturing.
Sunshine Law – Open Public Meetings Act Presentation League of Women Voters Program – All are Welcome
The League of Women Voters of Ridgewood is proud to present a program on the “Sunshine Law” – the Open Public Meetings Act. Walter Luers, Esq., President of the New Jersey Foundation for Open Government (NJFOG) will explain the details of the Open Public Meetings Act, as well as the Open Public Records Act. NJFOG is a well-respected authority on the Sunshine Law, and Mr. Luers was recognized as one of ten “Lawyers of the Year” for his work on the Open Public Records Act.
When: Wednesday, February 18, 2015 at 7:00 PM Where: Ridgewood Village Hall, 131 N. Maple Ave, Ridgewood NJ, Senior Center Lounge, First Floor There will be ample time for questions after the presentation. All are welcome, and refreshments will be served. The guiding principle of the LWV is the informed and active participation of citizens in government. For more information: [email protected]
Sanitation and Recycling Adjusted Schedule Due to Weather
Sanitation/Bulk Pick-Up: We announced last week that we would be doing bulk pick up on both east and west sides this Wednesday. We are going to add curbside garbage pick-up on the west side to the bulk pick-up already planned for Wednesday. This will make up for those on the west side who did not get their garbage collected today – please place your garbage at the end of your driveway with your bulk items in order that it may be picked up.
For today east side garbage pick-up, please place your garbage at the end of your driveway for guaranteed pick-up. If the path to the refuse containers are free of snow and ice, we will attempt rear yard pick-up. Recycling: Yesterday recycling area 5 is currently underway with a skeletal crew so please be prepared for delays but our intention is to get it all picked up. Early reports from our crews indicate that many homes have not put out their recycling. Recycling area 6 should be business as usual today.
Meet the Manager – Saturday, January 24th 9:00am to 12 Noon
Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld will hold office hours for Ridgewood residents and business owners on Saturday, January 24th between the hours of 9:00am to 12 Noon. 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.
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER/DIRECTOR OF PARKING UTILITY
Village of Ridgewood, Bergen County is searching for a position of Chief Financial Officer/Director of Parking Utility. The successful candidate shall have a minimum of 5 years’ experience as a New Jersey municipal CFO, a Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance from an accredited college and must possess a valid certification as a Chief Municipal Financial Officer issued by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. In addition, in overseeing the Parking Utility, will be responsible for strategic planning; cost/revenue optimization and working with a changing paradigm of parking in the Village, resulting in improved controls and increased resident, business, and visitor satisfaction. Send cover letter detailing experience and qualifications, resume and salary history to: Sharyn Matthews, Senior Human Resources Professional, Village of Ridgewood, 131 North Maple Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 07451; or email to [email protected].
Village Hall Offices will be Closed January 19, 2015 in Observance of Martin Luther King Day.
All offices at Village Hall and The Stable will be closed on January 19, 2015 in observance of Martin Luther King Day. Sanitation and Recycling services will be suspended on January 19, 2015.
Reader says the Council Only Loves Free Speech when you agree with them
Oh, this is hilarious. Je suis Paulie, Je suis Pooch, Je suis the Hawk. Yeah, they all advocate free speech unless the person at the microphone is saying something they do not want to hear. Then that person is interrupted or yelled at or given the brush off. Remember the woman who was so determined about Graydon and they started screaming at her? Remember when the hotheaded DM went nuts on Ellie Gruber? You are not allowed to ask any direct questions of any member of the council, yep this is free speech.
Je suis Paulie. Whoever coined that deserves and award.<br
Group fills in details as Ridgewood shade tree policy takes root
JANUARY 13, 2015 LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015, 10:34 AM
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
While cultivating its new policy, the Shade Tree Commission is also sprouting an informative webpage on the village website for residents interested in planting shade trees in their grassy medians in fall 2015.
According to Councilman Michael Sedon, the commission will have a better sense of the specifics of its now-bare policy after its next meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m. (appropriately) in Village Hall’s Garden Room. Sedon serves as the council’s liaison to the commission.
JANUARY 8, 2015, 7:29 PM LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 2015, 7:33 PM
BY PETER J. SAMPSON
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
An appeals court Thursday ordered a new trial in a wrongful-death case in which the Village of Ridgewood was hit with a multimillion-dollar verdict after a jury found negligent supervision at Graydon Pool led to a 13-year-old boy’s drowning in 2008.
Soo Hyeon Park, his sister and parents had just arrived from South Korea and were visiting with friends in Ridgewood when they decided to go to the pool on July 15, 2008. While swimming out to a dock in the deep end with the two sons of his host, the boy began struggling to stay afloat and went under. None of the nine lifeguards on the stands around the pool that day saw the boy while he was in distress.
The jury found the village was negligent in its supervision and scanning of the patrons in the water and that the negligence contributed to Soo’s death. It awarded $10 million in damages: $4 million for the pain and suffering the boy endured as he drowned, $5 million to his parents and sister for their emotional distress and $1 million on the wrongful death claim as compensation for his parents’ and sister’s loss of Soo’s guidance, support and services, the appellate decision said.
In a post-verdict ruling, the trial judge accepted Ridgewood’s argument that the family was not entitled to damages for their pain and suffering because they failed to meet a medical expenses threshold of $3,600 under the Tort Claims Act, and the judge vacated the jury’s $5-million award on the emotional-distress claims.
