photo courtesy of 1010wins
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, in a July 16 email to parents, Ridgewood YMCA President and CEO Ernest Lamour said authorities were notified and the staff member was escorted off the premises of Camp Bernie and no longer has contact with any children. Telling parents to contact him or Julie Jester, the branch executive director, if a child reported any contact or behavior considered inappropriate.
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Ridgewood YMCA President and CEO Ernest Lamour commented to the press that a staff member at Camp Bernie “acted inappropriately with children at the camp.”
When camp officials learned of the allegations, police and families were notified, and the staffer — who has not been identified — was placed on leave.
“Until these allegations are resolved, he is not allowed back on site,” Lamour said in an email. “While we have few details at this time, we are taking the matter very seriously and cooperating fully with the investigation.”
Lebanon Township Police Chief Jason Cronce confirmed that the department was aware of an incident at Camp Bernie but that the investigation had been turned over to the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office and any questions would be referred to them.
Captain Paul Approvato, a spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office, declined to comment, including if any arrests had been made due to the active investigation. He said if any parents believe that their child was victimized, they are urged to contact his office and Lebanon Township Police.
Lamour told lehighvalleylive.com that the staffer passed all of the YMCA’s background checks, including checks of the National Sex Offender Registry, state and county criminal records, and inmate and criminal record, arrest and booking records.
“All of the checks we conducted on this person came back clean — he had no previous record or any other cause for concern in his background, nor has he had any disciplinary issues while working for Ridgewood YMCA and YMCA Camp Bernie,” he added.
It isn’t clear as to whether the suspended employee ever worked st the Y’s Ridgewood facility. Anyone know?
No. Camp Bernie is a sleep away camp and counselors are not from the Ridgewood YMCA
Not surprised. That place is a dump.
Supposed to be a place where a young man can go…you can get a good meal..you can do whatever you feel! It’s fun to stay at the YMCA, it’s fun to stay at the YMCA.
This may or may not be a false allegation.
Lamour is a little obsessed with such things. Pre-pandemic, he introduced draconian background checks for all Y members. It was like the Spanish Inquisition all of a sudden, and without there having been any prior incident.
A case in point is that I’m not blessed with the looks or youthful genes that my wife is. Consequently, she still looks college age, whereas I look like I’ve been around the block a few time.
One fine day at the RW Y, I was in the weight room with my wife across the room. Lamour was the only other person there. I started cracking the odd joke to my wife, to which she giggled.
Lamour suddenly turned to me and looked me up and down, slowly, with such a look of disgust on his face. Accusatory disgust. Kept looking at me as he left the room.
I just assumed he was an oddball. Until a female staff member suddenly appeared, approached my wife, and was asked if everything was OK, and whether she knew “that man”, meaning me!
There’s something amiss with lamour in my opinion. Just saying.
Didn’t Lamour fire Melanie?
Only because Ramon told him to.
Melanie was fire because she was UNFIT for the position
Who said, Ron?
Ramon? Or someone Ramon told lies to to slander her? He thinks it doesn’t get around all the nonsense he’s involved in behind the scenes. Lots of stuff coming out in the wash on that one.
Politically motivated and really truly disgraceful was the only reason. My wife and I used to Ramon. Now that we know the truth? Not a chance.
Don’t worry. I have a feeling we will all find out soon.
I heard she quit the Y because she was running for the Village Council
Sounds like Lamour did the right thing. It doesn’t sound like it was obvious you two knew each other
Hey dude,
It sounds to me like Ernie was helping your wife. Nothing amiss with that.
That might have been his smartest move or a politically inspired act? He’s tight with Hache and happy to attack local leaders when so prompted. That said, at his core, I believe he’s a good person who is being manipulated by others.
Good people usually aren’t that easily manipulated. People who want something from others or are looking to climb some ladder definitely are.
Lamour is bad business. He’s created drama and nonsense there since he arrived.
The place which was already run in to the ground is just getting worse. The camp is a shabby relic.
He fires a LOT of people- particularly women. Look. Just look back. And he’s another one just doing what Ramon tells him. So the Bergen county dems are running the Y? And firing people for political reasons is illegal. Remember that.
He had bad ending with several people in his past. People just need to look.