July 2,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the summer has arrived . The Ridgewood Farmer’s Market is now open from June 24th to November 18, 2018
Sundays from 9:00am to 3:00pm (weather permitting)
Enjoy Farm to Table fresh Produce!
The Ridgewood Train Station Parking Lot West Side
For more information contact the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce Office at (201)445-2600 or email us at [email protected]
July 2,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the National Weather Service has issued an…AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 11 PM EDT MONDAY…
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has issued an Air Quality Action Day for the following counties…
Bergen…Essex…Passaic…Union…Hudson.
An Ozone Action Day has been declared! Ozone is forecast to reach the unhealthy for sensitive groups category state-wide due to light southerly winds, hot temperatures, and abundant sunshine. Sensitive individuals including the very young, the elderly, and persons with respiratory diseases such as asthma, should avoid strenuous outdoor activities during the afternoon and early evening hours.
There is also an …EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING…
This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northeast New Jersey and southeast New York.
PLANNING BOARD REORGANIZATION & PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE/AGENDA
Tuesday, July 3, 2018
Village Hall Court Room – 7:30 P.M.
(all timeframes and the order of agenda items below are approximate and subject to change)
1. 7:30 p.m. – Call to Order, Statement of Compliance, Flag Salute, Roll Call – In accordance with the provisions of Section 10:4-8d of the Open Public Meetings Act, the date, location, and time of the commencement of this meeting is reflected in a meeting notice, a copy of which schedule has been filed with the Village Manager and the Village Clerk, The Ridgewood News and The Record newspapers, and posted on the bulletin board in the entry lobby of the Village municipal offices at 131 North Maple Avenue, and on the Village website, all in accordance with the provisions of the Open Public Meetings Act.
2. 7:35 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – Reorganization of Planning Board
Appointment of Board Attorney
Swearing of Board Members
Election of Officers
Selection of Experts
Appointment of Board Committees and Designees
Resolution re: Open Public Meetings Act and Annual Meeting Schedule
3. 8:30 p.m. – 8:40 p.m. – Public Comments on Topics not Pending Before the Board
4. 8:40 p.m. – 8:50 p.m. – Committee/Commission/Professional Updates for Non Agenda Topics; Correspondence Received by the Board
5. 8:50 p.m. – 8:55 p.m. – Calbi, Minor Subdivision and Permit for not Abutting Street, 315 East Glen Avenue, Block 2106, Lot 20 – Adoption of Memorializing Resolution of Approval
6. 8:55 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. – Land Use Liability Seminar Presentation by the Planning Board Attorney
7. 9:30 p.m. – 9:35 p.m. – Approval of minutes from February 7, 2017
8. 9:35 p.m. – Executive Session (if needed)
9. Adjournment – In accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, all meetings of the Ridgewood Planning Board (i.e., official public meetings, work sessions, pre-meeting assemblies and special meetings) are public meetings, which are always open to members of the general public.
Members: Susan Knudsen, Jeff Voigt, Joel Torielli, Melanie McWilliams, David Scheibner, Richard Joel, Debbie Patire, Frances Barto, James Van Goor, Alysson Wesner, and Matthew Bandelt
Professional Staff: Christopher Martin, Esq., Board Attorney; Christopher J. Rutishauser, Village Engineer; Brigette Bogart, Planner; Michael Cafarelli, Board Secretary
July 1,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the new Village council move quickly on a $12,000,000 financing for the Hudson Street garage.
3650 – Bond Ordinance – Hudson Street Parking Garage
($12 million)- Appropriates this money for the design, management, construction, furnishing and equipping of the Hudson Street parking garage
3651 – 2018 NJDOT Grant – Hillcrest Road Capital Ordinance – Appropriates $215,000.00 for the Hillcrest Road Streetscape project, which will be reimbursed through a $215,000.00 grant from the NJ Department of Transportation
3652 – 2018 NJDOT Grant – North Pleasant Avenue Capital Ordinance – Appropriates $165,627.00 for the North Pleasant Avenue Streetscape project, which will be reimbursed through a $165,627.00 grant from the NJ Department of Transportation
24. RESOLUTIONS
THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS, NUMBERED 18-196 THROUGH 18-210 ARE TO BE ADOPTED BY A CONSENT AGENDA, WITH ONE VOTE BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL. THERE IS A BRIEF DESCRIPTION BESIDE EACH RESOLUTION TO BE CONSIDERED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. EACH RESOLUTION WILL BE READ BY TITLE ONLY:
18-196 Appoint Village Attorney (NTE $275,000) – Appoints Matthew Rogers as the Village Attorney under a no bid contract from for a term of 7/1/18-6/30/19. The required Pay to Play forms have been filed.
18-197 Appoint Village Bond Attorney (NTE $60,000) – Appoints McManimon, Scotland, and Baumann, L.L.C., 75 Livingston Avenue, 2nd Floor, Roseland, NJ as the Village Bond Attorney from 7/1/18-6/30/19 under a no-bid contract. The required Pay to Play forms have been filed.
18-198 Appoint Village Professional Planner (NTE $60,000) – Appoints Brigette Bogart or Brigette Bogart, Planning and Design Professionals, LLC, 648 Godwin Avenue, Suite 2, Midland Park, NJ as the Village Professional Planner from 7/1/18 – 6/30/19, under a no-bid contract. The required Pay to Play forms have been filed.
18-199 Appoint Professional Planning Consultant for Declaratory Judgment Litigation – Affordable Housing and Related Matters (NTE $65,000) – Appoints Elizabeth McManus, LEED, AP, PP, AICP and Clark, Caton and Hintz, 100 Barrack Street, Trenton, NJ as the Village Professional Planning Consultant from 7/1/18 through 6/30/19, under a no-bid contract. The required Pay to Play forms have been filed.
July 2,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood July 4th Committee invites you to “Support the Tradition” !
At 10AM (rain or shine) a Parade of bands and festive floats will march from the Westside of the Train Tracks ; down E. Ridgewood Avenue to N. Maple Ave., past Village Hall ending at Graydon Pool.
Fireworks will take place around 9PM on Veterans Field. The evening festivities start at 6PM with entrainment at the Kasschau Shell. Fireworks tickets are available in advance for $10 in Backyard Living, Hillmann electric, ConnectOne Bank, Bookends, Daily Treat, The Wine Seller, Goffle Brook Farm, Town & Country – and the Ridgewood Library – June 28 – 30 9am to 3pm. Fireworks tickets at the gate are $15 for adults and $$10 for children.
Information: 201/602-1922
July 1,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, congratulations to Susan and Mike on the big win . The Village Council Reorganization Meeting, was held today Sunday, July 1, 2018 at Noon in the Sydney V. Stoldt, Jr. Court Room. Susan Knudsen and Michael Sedon will be sworn . A special congratulations to Ramon Hache who was sworn in as the new Mayor of Ridgewood and Susan Knudsen who was sworn in as the Deputy Mayor .
In attendance was Father Ron , Congressmen Josh Gottheimer , Bergen County Executive James J. Tedesco, III , Bergen County Freeholder Tracy Zur and Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo .
The Village Council is the governing body of the Village of Ridgewood. There are five Council members who are elected at large, on a non-partisan basis. The Municipal Election for Village Council takes place on the second Tuesday in May, in even numbered years. The term of a Council member is four years. The Mayor is chosen by the Village Council every two years, after a Municipal Election. The Reorganization meeting,which is when the new Council members take office is held on July 1st.
Village Council members serve part-time, and most have full-time jobs. They appoint a Village Manager to oversee the day to day operations of the Village, to handle personnel, citizen inquiries and complaints, and to handle the administrative duties of the Village.
The Village Council passes local laws, makes appointments to various Boards and Committees, and awards various contracts for purchases of goods and services used by the Village.
They also review, amend, and adopt the annual budget for the Village prepared by the Village Manager and Chief Financial Officer.
July 1,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Glen Rock NJ, Glen Rock Mayor Bruce Packer had some choice words on his Facebook page for the Ridgewood Village Council and Ridgewood Water .
Packer states, ” The Ridgewood Village Council chose to ignore the facts set out by the expert hired by Glen Rock, Midland Park, and Wyckoff which made it clear that the Ridgewood Water rate increases of the past were not justified as previously pointed out by a judge and they have reinstated the rate increases that the judge had voided.
In short, your Ridgewood Water rates continue to reflect rate increases that a judge struck down because the Village decided that she was wrong. The Village was empowered by the judge to make this decision and, to me, this outcome is no surprise as they had a choice between admitting that money was historically misappropriated or not admitting that money was misappropriated. They chose the former as they continue to dispute clear facts that have now been laid out in court and during the rate hearing.
The meetings from 6/24 (7 hours long) and the one from a couple of days ago where the decision was made, are now on YouTube (see below).
Once I know our next steps, I will let you know.
**Please note that all views expressed in this post are solely my own.**”
https://www.youtube.com/c…/UC8BZwzy4YPgi_NgvSZ2q9wQ/featured
This is a great example of why this state is failing. The Federal government increases the pain we all feel by changing the property tax deduction which lowers our property values and the state increases the taxes on the decreasing value of our property. This in turn makes staying in NJ less viable, which again, lowers our property values. Instead of realizing that we need real structural changes in the state to bring the fiscal house in order, we are led by people that don’t know that eventually you run out of other people’s money.
“That said, Voigt will never ever get that honor because one must have respect of his or her colleagues to be voted in and Voigt has ZERO respect or credibility.”
Mr. Voigt deliberately forewent the possibility of gaining credibility or the respect of his colleagues when, mere months after his mid-2016 election to office, he embarked upon an incredibly cynical campaign to destroy the personal and political reputations of the mayor and deputy mayor (most particularly those of the mayor).
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And yes, this mini-campaign of his was absolutely intended to be a stepping stone on the way to Mr. Voigt becoming mayor himself. It was clear to those with eyes to see as early as December 2016 that Mr. Voigt intended with his cantankerous behavior and insulting words to bring about the replacement of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor with two new Voight-dependent lackeys willing to combine their votes with his, and thereby eventually (i.e., right about now) elevate him to the office of mayor.
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That’s how one becomes mayor of Ridgewood without bothering to gain any credibility or the respect of one’s Village Council colleagues.
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Don’t fool yourself, 11:14am. Mr. Voigt’s plan could have worked. And it certainly would have, absent the disinfecting action of copious amounts of sunshine to which he was exposed from December 2016 onward, courtesy of his unimpressed neighbors and TheRidgewoodBlog.net.
July 1st 2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Even a state shut down will not stop the Village reorganization meeting. The public is invited to the Village Council Reorganization Meeting, scheduled for Sunday, July 1, 2018 at Noon in the Sydney V. Stoldt, Jr. Court Room. Susan Knudsen and Michael Sedon will be sworn in for their new 4 year terms. Village Council members will vote to determine the offices of Mayor and Deputy Mayor for the new Village Council.
![dr-strangelove1[1]](https://theridgewoodblog.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/dr-strangelove11.jpg "Ridgewood Water does not add fluoride to your drinking water")
July 1,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Water does not add fluoride to your drinking water.Water hardness in our service area is 14 grains or 250ppm.
If your water is discolored, (gray, brown, yellow, orange) this is most likely due to minerals building up in our water mains. These minerals are harmless, but as more people start watering their lawns and turning on sprinkler systems, these minerals can loosen and end up in the water supply. This discoloration can also occur when Ridgewood Water does routine maintenance on it’s facilities that increases the velocity in the mains. Although it is aesthetically unappealing, it is safe to drink. We recommend avoiding doing laundry until discoloration clears.
If your water has a cloudy or milky appearance this is usually caused by air dissolved in the water. We recommend to take a glass of cold water from the tap and set it on a flat surface. If the water begins to clear from the bottom up within a few minutes, it can be concluded that dissolved air is the cause of the cloudiness. If the water does not clear up or you notice particles settling on the bottom of the glass please contact our treatment facility at 201-670-5526 and notify them of your issue.
If your water has a unusual taste or odor, please contact our treatment facility at 201-670-5526.
Ridgewood Water does not make recommendations as to water filters or softeners.
June 30,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, “The Wall is a richly illustrated visual story of America’s struggles for freedom, a visual walk through our country’s history and our fight to be free. Our goal is to capture and preserve the spirit, the sacrifices and rich history of the American people. We do this by honoring those men and women in uniformed service who have and are currently serving and protecting our way of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness both here and abroad.” (Quotation excerpted from www.spiritofamericasstory.com/) Courtesy of Stanley A. Kober .
The Wall is a visual timeline of every major conflict our country has ever faced and see the challenges our military had to overcome. Students of every age were impressed as well as the adults that viewed this display. They left with a clearer understanding of our history and a heartfelt response of patriotism. I cannot believe this group came to our school and did this for such a low cost. They were with us all day, presented to every group that dropped by and then stayed for our evening band concert and presented to all parents that attended. Very professional!” —Teacher
June 30,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, In the event of a potential state government shutdown, all NJ TRANSIT services will continue to operate on their regular schedules.
NJ TRANSIT will offer “early getaway’’ rail and bus service on Tuesday, July 3, for the benefit of customers leaving work early in anticipation of the Independence Day holiday on Wednesday, July 4. In addition, there will be service changes throughout the NJ TRANSIT system on July 4.
To help speed the getaway, customers are reminded that they can enjoy the convenience of purchasing tickets through the MyTix feature on the NJ TRANSIT mobile app.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Beverages of any kind, in any type of container, open or closed, will not be permitted on board train/bus/light rail cars. This policy will be strictly enforced. As a reminder, beverages of any kind are not permitted at any time on board buses regardless of the event.
On Tuesday, July 3:
Starting at approximately 1:00 p.m., extra outbound service will operate on the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast, Raritan Valley, Morris & Essex, Pascack Valley and Port Jervis lines to accommodate early customer departures. Visit www.njtransit.com for details.
Many bus lines will feature service adjustments throughout the day. Visit www.njtransit.com more information.
All light rail systems will operate on regular weekday schedules.
On Independence Day, Wednesday, July 4:
Trains will operate on a weekend/major holiday schedule on all lines, with these additions:
Additional Bay Head-Long Branch trains on the North Jersey Coast line (which began service 6/24); see NJCL timetable for details HERE.
An additional train departing Port Jervis at 4:09 p.m., which makes all stops to Suffern, then operates express to Secaucus Junction and Hoboken.
NJ TRANSIT will adjust Hudson-Bergen Light Rail (HBLR) for the Jersey City Freedom Fireworks Festival at Exchange Place.
Between 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
At the request of public safety officials, beginning at 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. light rail vehicles will travel through Exchange Place but will bypass the Exchange Place stop. Customers will not be able to board or exit light rail vehicles at Exchange Place during this time. Customers may use Essex St. or Harborside as alternates.
Beginning at 2:00 p.m.:
Tonnelle Avenue and Hoboken Terminal southbound trains will terminate at Harborside.
West Side Avenue and 8th Street northbound trains will terminate at Essex Street.
There will be no direct light rail service from 8th Street to Hoboken Terminal or from Tonnelle Avenue to West Side Avenue.
Normal HBLR service will resume when the New Jersey Transit Police Department determines it is safe to reopen Exchange Place to light rail traffic.
Newark Light Rail will operate on a Saturday schedule.
River Line will operate on a Sunday schedule.
Bus service levels will vary by line. Visit www.njtransit.com for more information.
June 30,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, on the Ridgewood blog yesterday several readers discussed the,” bike lane to nowhere for no-one” . A reader asked , “Speaking of the bike lane to nowhere, didn’t the police department recommend portions be removed and didn’t the Village Council pass a resolution to have the work done? Well, it’s still there.”
As far as we know the “bike lane to nowhere or the suicide bike lane” is still there and still leads to nowhere .
While another reader said , “Correction Rutishauser said he would do something and he didn’t. He’s in charge and he as usual, ignored what the residence demanded. And he ignored what the Council told him to do, he should be fired.”
Another reader asked , Please don’t remove the bike lane yet. After all these years, I want to see someone actually use it. Right now, it’s the bike lane to nowhere for no-one. ”
June 30, 2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Retail Food Establishments Q2 2018 Inspection Report . The Q2 report shows no restaurants in the Village with an unsatisfactory rating .
The retail food establishment operator shall post the most recent evaluation placard in a conspicuous place so the public may view the placard. The evaluation placard shall identify that the establishment is one of the following:
Satisfactory The establishment has been found to be operating in substantial compliance with N.J.A.C. 8:24 and Chapter 156 of Village Ordinances.
Conditionally Satisfactory The establishment has been found not to be operating in substantial compliance with N.J.A.C. 8:24 and Chapter 156 of Village Ordinances. Due to the nature of these violations, a re-inspection is required and will be conducted.
Unsatisfactory The establishment has been found to be operating in violation of N.J.A.C. 8:24 and Chapter 156 of Village Ordinances and the violation(s) constitute gross unsanitary or unsafe conditions which pose an imminent health hazard. The Health Department shall institute necessary measures provided by law to assure that the establishment does not prepare or serve food until the establishment is reevaluated and the conditions which warranted the unsatisfactory evaluation no longer exist.
Full report : https://www.ridgewoodnj.net/images/RIDGEWOOD_RETAIL_FOOD_ESTABLISHMENTS_Q2_2018.pdf
