January 8th 2016
Boyd A. Loving
Ridgewood NJ, Despite the overwhelming negative feedback about the “Option A” ($12.3 million, cantilevered over Hudson Street) parking garage Village Council members received on Wednesday night, by a 4-1 vote, Council members introduced Ordinance 3519, which gives authorization for Village officials to begin negotiations with the County of Bergen to bond $12.3 million for a “Village of Ridgewood Parking Deck Project.”
I ask you; why would we be asking the County to bond $12.3 million if it was agreed that a MASSIVE garage isn’t suitable for Hudson Street? Am I the only one who heard a big “NO WAY” vote cast by the public in attendance at Wednesday’s meeting? What will it take to get those who sit on the dais to listen?
Paul only has 4.5 more months to do his damage.
He’s in a grand hurry to get the garage going, then add the high density housing in the CBD and make the developers happy and then close out the Schedler dea.
The Perfect Trifecta !
Am I the one who heard REPEATEDLY from our Mayor “we will get to your questions, we will answer all your questions at the end” . . . . only to have none of the questions answered, all of them ignored, and residents being yelled at, bullied, and threatened toward the end of the meeting.
The three amigos seem to think that if they are not making huge changes, then all is wrong. I think most residents like a quiet comfortable day, a peaceful life. Not everyone thinks that we have to stir the pot and have change change change constantly. Let’ build four huge residential buildings and an assisted living center and not one but two or three parking garages and let’s tear down all the trees at Schedler and let’s increase the traffic at Habernickel by 100’s of cars a day. Change . Yea.
Routing all that garage traffic down that block on reversed Hunson Half width strret will create huge traffic issues as traffic has to go west to make u turn or left on corner where alex Annie is. Block does not line up aside the bus depot and sounds like that park will become the new combat zone.folks returning to the upper west side across the train underpass will have quite a challenge to make that left even onto ridgewood avenue to U turn left to return to that congested side of town,poor planning Garage too big and misplaced..
Many have commented ( despite the VOR Politburos POSTION that the New Mega Garage was so beautiful and blends into the nearby building skylines) citizens voiced opinions that the Garage design resembles a prison / include corner Missle Silo Gunny tower .It will appear that like in Kansas -in the Wizard of Oz / that the Garage was Landed into the Middle of Hudson Street by the tornados of wisdom ;as to how This Boondoggle even came to being aside an Historic Church that was clearly planned and executed by careful forethought and RESPECT for their neighbors and other Users.
Hey Mount St Carmel…your worst Nightmare is at your Gates..time to
Rally your extensive Moral ,Legal and Financial resources to Stop this Attack on your Church ‘s peaceful and safe existence.You tried the Be nice approach ..it’s not working ..they are delaying your rightful crusade against this unsafe encroachment on your Community and Your Institution .Towns own Lawyer explained that Legally they site that Setbacks ordinances and blending need not apply to the Town leaders.They and the County now intend to take your peaceful future away from Your Church and our Community as a whole.Time for Actionis now,
Here’s how the council behaves when you ask them to talk about facts as Dana Glazer did: https://youtu.be/neb4TSJ4QsY?t=5h1m14s
I would vote for Hauck and Pucciarelli only if they were running against Hitler and Mussolini. Even then I would have to be pushed into the voting booth.
From the video Record On the BCIA VOTE 4/1 against
Ms Knudson clearly playing both sides of the street and Pandering while casting the critical 4 yes BCIA VOTE.,Mr Sedon clear position NO BCIA VOTE
was both consistent and honorable..like the others who at least took a position whether you agree at all with their vote . Whole thing is quite an embarrassment to hear those who say Rush is good and stating that no other agendas are in play despite the up oping Elections
Yes, Michael stood his ground for sure. But all Susan did was vote to introduce. Does not mean she will vote on the ordinance when it comes to the end of January. Fingers crossed she will do the right thing.
Unfortunately Dana Glazer did make the mistake of imputing up coming election motive rather than just stating his question..
A garage that will extend into Hudson street by 10 feet and dwarf Mount Carmel should not be built. All 3 options do just that. Also our mayor kept saying questions would be answered after all speakers made their statements. This did not happen. but of all the things that happened the worst and most frightening was Albert’s vcomplete loss of control directing his anger at Mr. Glazer. The gentleman was speaking from emotion as he had just witnessed the previous speaker who was voicing her concerns in a heartfelt manner. All totally acceptable. Mr. Glazer was at a loss as to why the council majority was pushing forward regardless of public opinion. He asked if this was due to the upcoming elections. We all think that this may be part of it. The deputy mayor was so angry, I actually thought the police might be called. It also sounded threatening and that is very serious. We’ have to hear about being civil and not applauding regularly. I truly am appalled that the mayor runs civility meetings. But to have an elected official be the biggest offender is most troubling. A public apology isn’t enough. He needs to step down.
9:17 AM, is “alex Annie” your smartphone’s “corrected” version of the Village Green restaurant??? I’d guess “Alexander’s” except that it was a tad larger and on Route 4 and it’s long gone.
While the reply by the deputy mayor may have been inappropriate, Mr. Glazer fired the first volley… but he had the cojones to do it in person… ahem….
Alex and Annie is a bracelet store next to Pancake house area
I watch all the meeting Paul Smith and I have never heard your announce yourself at the public fourm
Dear Paul, I like you post my name. They know what I think and I know they’re tiried of hearing it. I am always in touch and rarely get an answer so that is why I write open letters. In Civics 101, they tell you that the best way to get your thoughts across is to cc everyone. Politicians respond to numbers and comments heard by everyone. I have observed meetings for over 25 years and this is the first council with multiple issues that have struck a chord with the residents which havebrought many public responses at the microphone. I respect authority but I do not always agree. Thank god we live in a democracy and that our local government is supposedly non partisan. The people do have power . It just takes vigilance, tenacity and numbers!
5:59…Yes after one of the floods… and it’s meetings, plural… Mr. Glazer stood his ground and the deputy mayor shot back. So what’s your point.
Perhaps the Deputy Mayor is remembering another meeting where someone from Mr. Glazer’s family was involved in an embarrassingly inappropriate allegation made during an equally cringe-worthy public comment.
Linda…Whether I agree with you or not, I always respect your opinion as well as Mr Halaby’s due to the fact that the both you don’t hide when you speak your mind, whether on the blog or letters in the local paper. It’s easy to call the council “Paulie” or “Pooch” when hiding in cyberspace as well as other cheap shots. In this case I thought the deputy mayor deserved to fire a few volleys back.
:Paul Smith how do we know that your real name? With such a common last name there is not telling. For all we know you could be Mr. Halaby.
Paul Smith – you never come to meetings, unless your name is really Paul Aronsohn? Please note that every single person who comes to meetings and speaks at the mic is absolutely not anonymous, and they are on the front line. Some of these people get attacked verbally by people from the dais and also from other residents. You put what may or may not be a real name on these Blog posts and then get all superior about how non-anonymous you are. Super easy for to post here from the comfort and relative safety of your living room. Why don’t you come to some meetings and speak your piece at the microphone for all to see you and hear you? And you are dead wrong that the Deputy Mayor had the right to fire a few volleys back. Dana Glazer was polite and soft spoken. He did not accuse Albert of anything…..he made a general observation to all five council meetings that he could not understand what the rush was with this project, and he wondered aloud if the upcoming election was a factor. Albert in his great cloud of ego started shouting and making threats, it was horrible and it was frightening to behold. An elected official absolutely does not have the right to volley off threats from the dais, or for that matter at any time. Yes, elected officials should maintain their cool, as most do, most especially in the face of something as benign as Dana Glazer’s calm and thoughtful presentation. For sure they should not be issuing threats and accusing people of being stalkers
Whttps://www.olmcridgewood.com/images/pdf/bulletin.pdf
754 and 917- it is my name- keep on hiding-
Right Paul its your lie tell it anyway you want.
Paul Smith – keep on posting from the protection of your home and don’t ever show your actual face at a meeting, as over 100 people did on Wednesday.
And keep posting anonymously in the comfort of your home as well. I think it’s great that a lot of people showed up. And I think it’s great that people got to voice their opinions… in terms of 1029, the wording can be construed as a veiled threat (“don’t ever show your actual…”) which can have legal ramifications but keep on writing…
N.J.S.A. 2C:33-4.1… “threatens to inflict injury or physical harm to any person or the property of any person”
“Someone’s going to pay for this.” That is a threat.
That can be taken literally as in monetary… and it was done in the public domain…