photo courtesy of Jeff Voigt’s Facebook
Jeff Voigt Secures Ballot Position For Upcoming May Ridgewood Council Election
March 7,2016
By staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood, NJ – Longtime Village of Ridgewood resident Jeff Voigt todayannounced he is a candidate for the Ridgewood Village Council. Voigt received more than 300 signed petitions to appear on the May 10th ballot.
“This is a pivotal year for Ridgewood. There are many forces at play with the potential to completely change the character of our Village,” said Voigt. “I bring decision-making, critical-thinking, and consensus building to the Council table, along with 23 years of living
in Ridgewood and contributing to its economic, social, and religious fabric. It is time to improve the interaction and trust between residents and the council, in order to enhance our local way of life. This outcome lies at the heart of my candidacy.”
Voigt has been a member of the Ridgewood Board of Adjustment since 2011. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Vermont, a Master of Public Health from Columbia, and a Master of Business Administration from Wharton School, University of
Pennsylvania.
A consummate civic leader, Voigt is running for one of the three open Council seats. His platform focuses on three main issues he views as most critical to Ridgewood’s future:
Development that holds a line on appropriate density and reflects the character of the Village and the concerns of its neighborhoods including
parking;
Fiscal responsibility which includes taxes;
Environmental issues including the need for open and recreational space in
the community; and health issues including water quality and the presence of the chemical PFOA
“I am in favor of pragmatic, sensible development that does not threaten our existing quality of life or increase our tax burden,” Voigt said. “I believe we should pursue solutions to our problems within the village, work together, embrace diversity of opinion,
compromise, and not look to other entities for answers, funding, or other supports. I am also extremely concerned about the need to clean up the water quality and toxic waste in the middle of downtown.”
Voigt is married, with three adult children. He is a Commentator and Lector at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Ridgewood, a member of the Ridgewood Knights of Columbus, and an Eagle Scout. He recently served as President of the Wharton Healthcare Management Alumni Association (WHCMAA) and was a member of the WHCMAA Board from 2010-2015. Jeff’s other board memberships include: Leonard Davis Institute Executive Advisory Board, University of Pennsylvania (a leading US health policy think tank) and Columbia University School of Public Health Alumni Board.
A regular Tuesday host of the national Wharton Business School radio program The Business of Healthcare on SIRIUSXM 111, Voigt also publishes frequently in peer reviewed journals on U.S. healthcare policy and practice. His work has been referenced hundreds of times. Prior to launching Medical Device Consultants of Ridgewood in 2003, he helped build several companies from startups into very profitable entities.
“I want a Council which is resolved to think through issues from the vantage point of the neighborhoods most affected,” said Voigt. “”What needs to change is the character of the current council. Private agendas are getting in the way. I have no hidden agendas; want to give back to a place that has given so much to my family and me, and to preserve the character of our village, in the truest sense of the word.”
“My campaign team and I are launching the ‘Voigt for Our Village’ campaign.” said Voigt. “We have a great team of involved and concerned Village residents who understand the issues. I look forward to talking with individuals from every part of this community in the weeks ahead to learn more about their concerns and the solutions they favor. I am confident that Ridgewood’s best days lie ahead.”For more information about the Jeff Voigt campaign, contact: Campaign Manager: Sergio Alege, sergioalegre@yahoo.com.
Is he endorsed by Lorraine, Anne, Gail, etc.?
Ok thats one. Who else?
Maybe Lorraine, Anne and Gail are running for all three seats.
Sounds like he could be a good choice but in response to 8:09, if he is I’m thinking twice.
Does he Genuinely want the best for Ridgewood; or is he made of Teflon? (PFOA) I think Lorraine etc. Better Ridgewood does endorse him, but I want to know specifically how much development IF ANY he believes is right for Schedler.
Exactly how many units and how many properties for high density he endorses. How does he feel about putting Kensington here.
I have drunk the water here for decades ; I feel confident that Ridgewood will solve any negative issues with water regardless of who is in council;
I personally am concerned with the need for more undeveloped space in Ridgewood. With the town’s limited resources how does Voight plan to divy up any new property or existing property between recreational and open, undeveloped. We have recreational space; we have hardly any open space.
What about the proposed parking garage size?
What is a CONSUMMATE CIVIC LEADER?. His write-up sounds artificial , full of buzz words.
But don’t mind me. I am only one vote.
Don’t know him or the “campaign manager”….who’s backing him, Valley ? The Rec Committee…??
Wharton is mentioned 3 x….okay, we get it…..
Recreational space is a marker…this guy is probably one of the candidates being backed by the Rec Committee like Albano was.
Fellow post lets not speculate. Let see what his message is as well as the others. Do your research and then vote .
What kind of research are we supposed to do? His write-up isn’t specific? And that is a big warning no-no sign.
The guy hired a campaign manager and came up with a boilerplate recommendation.
Tell him to be more specific.
Bernie Walsh at that big council public meeting on multi family housing last fall said “What Saraceno wants is good for Ridgewood…or something like that.
Saraceno gets real mad whenever residents say they don’t want the max. on multi family housing.
Maybe he has Walsh frightened.
Well, I don’t want a frightened candidate either.
I am a long time resident and OLMC parishioner and I have never heard of him.
That explains why I was not asked to sign his petition.
Voight should run for president of the United States. He has more formal education than Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders and he belongs to more organizations than they do.
But in order to run for council and get my vote I want to know about his heart and soul. . I want to know if he loves Ridgewood like I do.
This man has lived here for 23 years and he doesn’t tell me what he loves about Ridgewood. What he wants or does not want to preserve in Ridgewood in the 23 years he has lived here.
Does he love Graydon pool; or does he want to build a concrete pool instead.
Does he want Valley Hospital to expand at North Van Dien on that lot.
Is he concerned with eagle building nests in Schedler. Does he want to “cleanup” Schedler. Does he know what a cleanup means. It means getting rid of the dead fallen wood where insects are found and birds feast on..Leaving dead wood with insects promote bird habitats. Does he care?
Did he approve of the bicycle lanes under the train station? Does he think those lanes are safe for bicycles during rush hour and other busy times. Does he think they should be preserved. Do they make the road too narrow for cars. Does he think about that. Does he care.
Right on, Diane….
Bernie never said that Diane Palcios. What is something that mean? Stop with the bull.
Why not ask him Diane and then post his answers. Im sure ever candidate would like to hear from you..
Diane – why don’t you ask him?
We all know Diane that Gwenn is your candidate. You said so at one of the meeting or something like that.
She also said that she loves Paul and Albert. She said so a some meeting or something that.
I don’t know Diane but she uses the word “love” freely.
Run Bernie Run!!
For more information contact “xyz”?
We have had one politician. Enough. We need people who are giving away their cell phone numbers to ask questions to them directly and who will be available to us directly.
I never said I go along with Paul and Albert. I am against large parking garage, high density development beyond 12 units per acre and I am against building assisted living here because of extra traffic it would entail. I am against any development for schedler. Bergen County as a whole including Ridgewood is already overdeveloped. There is no such thing as compromising anymore about open space. There is no open space in Ridgewood; there is wetlands like Twinney and KIng’s Pond.
I have written letters to the Ridgewood News and spoken at town meetings on all of these issues. I do not want Valley Hospital Expanded on that site.
I hate HATE the bike lanes under the train trestle. I HATE the idea of Schedler being developed at all. I HATE the idea of a garage on one place rather than Dave Slomin’s ideas of spreading the pain around the CBD.
12:34 I never said that Gwenn is my candidate. I have two candidates. Mike Sedon and Susan Knudsen. People like that I will vote for, or I will not vote.
Genuine people who really care about Ridgewood.
Run Bernie Run!!! Help us on the way!
I am going to ask only one question to all the candidates. Why do we need a CFO? Can we not get by with an accountant?
What decisions are made by the CFO, which require a hefty pay check? May be we just need an accountant? Any candidate who can answer that question can take my vote.
Oh come on Diane Palcios we all know that your a closet lover of Paul Albert and Gween. Your just trying to hide it.
Well I hear that the shenanigans are starting and poster will be surprised who the puppet masters are. Yes there are more then one. I can’t wait for this to come out. Believe me PJ and poster you will never believe the maneuvering thats going on.
Now 2:49 I don’t want you to jump all over me but I believe that the states requires CFO’s to have certain certificates from NJ .
Diane, calm down! He is just announcing his candidacy and giving a little background. We’ll get to the details and where the candidates stand on issues, etc.
Diane. Wasn’t that your house that I saw Elect Paul Albert and Gwenn sign a few years back.
“Diane, calm down” Thats a Oxymoron
all we know is we need people that are going to make ridge wood great like it was in the past. these bums made the village go down . we need to replace workers who do all the work that needs to be done. and keep this place nice. we are not replacing workers who leave the job, this is not a good thing. we pay taxes for services and the work is not being done. in the parks dep’t they are down to just 4 workers from 10. in streets they are down to 8 from 28.In the fleet dep’t they are down to 3 from 6. my god what the hell is going on. ware is the tax money going. what he hell is going on.
That tax money they are saving 6:22 is going to pay for the parking garage.
O YEAH, that can be. they are something else. my god. what a shame.
Jeff is the one who has openly challenged the three amigo’s and saraceno on the overdevelopment. He gathered signatures on the garage. He’s a fiscal moderate who wants to preserve our way of life.
He’s got my vote – – but we need to stop the destructive votes that are about to be made in the council.
To Diane Palacios:
Happy to talk with you at your convenience. I am available at: 201-251-8204(w). As well, please note that my campaign team are all volunteers – no one is paid for anything, including my campaign Manager, Sergio Alegre, who sits on the zoning board with me. They are all very committed to doing what is right for our Village as well as me.
Jeff Voigt
Candidate for Village Council.
Jeff, What is your position on Valley ?
Looks like McWilliams endorsed Voight and Walsh in a Facebook posting announcing she is droping out of this race (and running in two years.)
Bill H – happy to discuss my position on Valley over the phone or in person.
Please call me: 201-251-8204(w)
Jeff