August 16,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, in a recent letter , “Don’t disband Ridgewood financial committee” https://www.northjersey.com/story/opinion/readers/2017/08/14/letter-dont-disband-ridgewood-financial-committee/564698001/ Evan Weitz former chair of the FAC lays out his reason why the Village should maintain the committee.
Beginning in January the Ridgewood blog published a host of articles starting with, the “Financial Advisory Committee Must Meet Professional Standards ” https://theridgewoodblog.net/financial-advisory-committee-must-meet-professional-standards/ , in that article we laid out the case that the absence of financial standards creates a legal liability for the Village.
We also accused the FAC of playing politics many times and questioned its relevance and professionalism .
Recent research into the FAC has opened a whole can of worms and here is just a summary of our findings:
We found Evan Weitz was WAY overstepping his boundaries; where Bob Rooney tried to remind him and others that the FAC was strictly advisory; where Evan wanted to get in on contract negotiations with the Police and Fire (for real?!>!?) and then of coarse is Nick Whitney’s resignation letter where he confirms all the Ridgewood blog claims as to the Ridgewood Financial Advisory Committee not meeting commonly accepted standards, over stepping its boundaries, leaving members open to significant legal liability as well as the Village and of coarse interjecting politics into the committee.
Whitney’s resignation letter confirmed our fears and spells out in no uncertain terms the damage the FAC did and could have done to the village and implies it was nothing more than a committee to push former mayor Paul Aronsohn’s agenda .
Weitz’ letter conveniently forgot to mention that Bob Rooney was hired subsequent to the FAC being formed, thus eliminating the need for the FAC.
Weitz had a failed (very failed) attempt to run for Village Council. Thankfully it was not successful. Hear he may run again. Bring it on, we will vote you down AGAIN.
reminder- FAC pushed through the 25% parking increase for commuters.
Yet another idiot with an axe to grind against Susan Knudsen who won’t shut up. Give it a rest Evan. You lost big time and no one cares what you think.
Evan is a mouthpiece for Voigt and Sonenfeld. The words from his mouth originate from them
You me no more tiger crew
This removes any possibility of checks and balances by people with actual financial backgrounds, against a Council whose spending and choices are amateurish and out of control. Let’s buy Elks Club for the Water Company to sit and push paper, or Town Garage for parking when we have already invested in Hudson plans. Let’s restrict watering to twice a week because our pumps can’t handle the volume, but not address the root infrastructure problem. Let’s paint blue lines in the street (illegally) and hire our children (not one, but two) for plum police jobs. Let’s allow a gazillion dollars in parking fees to be stolen without firing one manager. Let’s not maintain overgrown town trees, but force residents to apply for permits to remove theirs on private property and either replace them or pay fines. Let’s slip in a new Village Manager without communication or fanfare. Let’s encourage OPRA requests for frivolous reasons – instructions as to how to file an OPRA request is the first line on the Village Hall recording. And finally, let’s disband any committee that disagrees with this council. I think the Financial Advisory Committee was necessary, and if anyone was overstepping it was up to the Mayor and Council to control it. If they are going to start disbanding committees then they should disband all of them, not just the ones they don’t like.
Evan endorsed Paul and plans on starting FAC or may run again be aware