file photo by Boyd Loving
September 8,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, by all accounts last nights council meeting was very productive . In a major development Mayor Susan Knudsen publicly announced that the controversial proposed “revitalization” of Van Neste Memorial Park project has been suspended as of August 27,2016.
September 7, 2016
A message from the New Jersey State Police
It’s Not #CreepyClowns that Parents Should be Worried About
There’s been a lot of talk about creepy clown sightings these days. It’s true. Recently in both North and South Carolina, there have been reported sightings of, for lack of a better term, creepy clowns prowling around neighborhoods, scaring children. Some reports claim that these clowns could be a publicity stunt while others claim that these people have a much more sinister intent, which is supported by reports of some attempting to lure kids closer with money.
Well, we know that there are a lot of good, hard-working clowns right here in Jersey. Heck, you might even work with one or two (wink). Of course, it’s probably their part-time job, unless you all work for a circus. With that being said, we’re happy to report no suspicious or creepy clown activity here in Jersey
But these recent event gives us an opportunity to talk about safety tips that you can give your kids. After all, the kids are back in school, which means many are walking to and from home. You see, a scary-looking clown beckoning children closer may be all that is needed to have your child do the right thing, which is to walk in the other direction. It’s the unassuming person, man or woman, who your child should be wary of. Here are some tips:
*Talk to your kids
*Tell them who they can expect to come and get them in an emergency (family member or close friend)
*When walking to school, there is strength in numbers—walk in a group
*Never get into a stranger’s car
*Keep a safe distance from strangers asking for directions or help
*Tell your kids to yell, scream and kick if grabbed by a stranger
*Look around, stop looking for Pokemon—be aware of your surroundings
*If a stranger claims to be a cop but is not in uniform, kids should find a trusted adult
Let’s talk about that last tip for a minute. Are your kids familiar with the faces of the local police? Don’t just rely on the cops visiting schools. Drop by a station anytime to have your kids meet the troops or local police who patrol your area! It’s a great way get to know the troops and for the troops to get to know you and your kids!
For all of the coulrophobics out there, we apologize for the pic, but it was necessary. Sadly, at the end of the day, if all of the bad people out there stuck out as much as a person dressed as a clown, we wouldn’t have write posts like this.
Be safe, people!
file photo by Boyd Loving
She exhibited several episodes of unprofessionalism and inappropriate behavior to be our village manager. Her classless, drama-filled exit yesterday; interfering with citizen’s right to petition and most importantly spending over $200,000 of taxpayer money on a highly contested, questionable outcome of the garage. She signed construction documents committing to a floor plan for the garage BEFORE the November vote. She did not seem to understand that she reported to a 5 member council, that all 5 members represent residents. Her treatment towards 2 council members and residents was horrible and several displays of arrogant, disrespectful treatment not only displayed bad judgment but her incapability to manage effectively. I think all 5 council members should meet with each department again to reevaluate and understand what’s been going on (Roberta led meetings with new council members but her presence thwarted full disclosure from employees).
I heard she was a competent administrator, but the few times I spoke with her, I had the sense she did not understand numbers, so I never formed an impression of her abilities one way or the other. At the same time, I believe she too strongly pushed Paul Aronsohn’s self-promotion and political agenda, by, for instance urging people not to sign the parking petition. I also thought her letter to the editor a few weeks back regarding Schedler was completely off the mark and bizarre. Having politicized her position and made it personal, she created her own fate.
Perhaps it is her method of leaving that most reveals her true character and ability. Arrive on Tuesday to announce you are leaving a CEO role on Friday and then send emails to staff saying its all too hostile for you to stay on??? A person in that position – – someone who signed up to promote and preserve the health, safety and welfare of 25,000 people – – should have the fortitude and wherewithal to give adequate notice, ensure a smooth transition and go out with head held high. Instead, we get more drama.
VILLAGE COUNCIL
SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING
SEPTEMBER 7, 2016
7:30 P.M.
1. Call to Order – Mayor
2. Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meeting Act
MAYOR: “Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by a posting on the bulletin board in Village Hall, by mail to the Ridgewood News, The Record, and by submission to all persons entitled to same as provided by law of a schedule including the date and time of this meeting.”
3. Roll Call
4. ORDINANCES – CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING
3540 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Regulations for Political Signs and Temporary Signs
3541 – Repeal Ordinance 3066
5. Resolution #16-254 – Confirm Endorsement of Community Development Block Grant – SHARE, Inc. – 130 Prospect Street – Emergency Repair of Hot Water Heating Boiler – Confirms endorsement of a $15,000 CDB grant. This resolution does not obligate the financial resources of the Village but will expedite the expenditure of Community Development funds.
6. Adjournment
THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE COUNCIL’S
PUBLIC WORKSHOP AGENDA
SEPTEMBER 7, 2016
1. 7:30 pm – Call to Order – Mayor
2. Statement of Compliance with Open Public Meeting Act
Mayor: “Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by a posting on the bulletin board in Village Hall, by mail to the Ridgewood News, The Record, and by submission to all persons entitled to same as provided by law of a schedule including the date and time of this meeting.”
3. Roll Call – Village Clerk
4. Flag Salute/Moment of Silence
5. Public Comments (Not to Exceed 5 Minutes per Person – 30 Minutes in Total)
6. Discussion
a. Community Development Block Grant – SHARE, INC.
7. Motion to Suspend Work Session and Convene Special Public Meeting
8. Special Public Meeting – See Attached Agenda
9. Motion to Adjourn Special Public Meeting and Reconvene Work Session
10. Presentation
Update on Lead in Water
Friends of Schedler
11. Discussion
Ridgewood Water
Award Contract – Two Jeep Patriot Vehicles – Water Department
Award Contract – Feasibility Study for Removing PFCs at the Carr Treatment
Facility
Award Contract – Design and Construction Administrative Services for Various Improvements at Booster and Transfer Stations
b. Parking
Valet Parking – Chestnut Street
Traffic Calming Project Near Travell School
Sherman Place, Stanley Place and Pomander Walk Parking Issues
Amendment to Parking Regulations for Brookside Avenue
Regulations on Broken Meters
c. Budget
Award Contract – Ford F350 Pickup Truck – Traffic & Signal Department
Award Contract – Ford F350 Pickup Truck – Traffic & Signal Department
Award Contract – Purchase of Brush Chipper – Parks Department
Award Contract – Two Stump Grinders – Parks Department
Award Contract – Second Year – Laboratory Analysis Services – Graydon Pool & Water Pollution Control Facility
Award Contract – Second Year – Sodium Bisulfite Solution and Sodium Hypochlorite Solution – Water Pollution Control Facility
Award Contract – Elgin Street Sweeper – Streets Department
Award Contract – Electronic Equipment, Software and Computer Upgrades
Award Contract – Property Maintenance Services for Derelict Properties
EUS – Blower Motor – Water Pollution Control Facility
Authorize Extension of Leasing Maintenance Program – Police Cars
Surplus of Dump Truck – Parks Department
Ridgewood Senior Citizen Housing Corporation Pilot
Amend Capital Budget for Northwest Bergen Central Dispatch
Shared Service Agreement – Child Health Clinic to Include Fair Lawn
Reject Bid – Janitorial Services
d. Policy
Letter to Planning Board on Revisiting Master Plan for AH-2, B-3-R, and C-R Zones
General Lighting Policy at Village Parks and Lots
Amend Ordinance #3547 – Sale of Dogs and Cats
Ribbons for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Transportation Alternatives Program Grant
Amend Chapter 275 – Yard Waste
Discussion of Ord. 3532 – Regulations of Audio/Video Recordings at Public Meetings
Historic Preservation Grant – Schedler House
Discussion of Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund Grant – Kings Pond Park
Policy on Public Comment
e. Operations
Authorize Property Maintenance Violation Service at 505 Fairway Road
Cleanup of Gypsy Pond/Kings Pond Area
12. Review of September 14, 2016 Regular Public Meeting Agenda
13. Manager’s Report
14. Council Reports
15. Public Comments (Not to Exceed 5 Minutes per Person)
16. Resolution to go into Closed Session
17. Closed Session
a. Legal – Valley Hospital Litigation; HealthBarn
b. Personnel – Village Clerk’s Office, Village Manager’s Office
18. Adjournment
BOE – stay strong. The teachers are unreasonable. Might not have this opinion if it was a different town but Ridgewood has always been very supportive of teachers and education as illustrated by the pay scale. We just can’t and don’t want to afford to indulge them any more. Note: Rankings are slipping … time to reconsider a lot when it comes to our schools. Some new blood might be a very good thing. Please move on if you are not happy with what our BOE is offering you.
Teachers remain completely unreasonable and are not negotiating with our volunteer BOE in good faith. Time for higher pension contributions, higher copays, and salaries growing less than the 2% property tax cap. It’s time to wake up to the reality faced by all residents of Ridgewood, not just your “la-la fantasy world” union rose tinted glasses greed.
It is time for teachers and there arrogant union leaders to step in to the twenty first century and stop livening as though it was the 1950’s where you did not have great pay and benefits. BOE say no to these people the taxpayer is fed up.
file photo by Boyd Loving
You can keep someone around with a less-than-great attitude if they’re highly competent, experienced, and brilliant. Maybe you can keep someone around who’s less than great, but their sunshine makes everybody happy and they get things done. People kept saying that at least she wasn’t an alcoholic like previous managers. Can you imagine hearing someone say that about yourself in your job? Talk about faint praise.
She worked hard–many hours–we know this because she mentioned it a lot. But what was she doing? Working on projects behind some council members’ backs and intended to foil the wishes of residents. Determinedly following through on Aronsohn’s plans. This woman was a hiring disaster except for the person who hired her. Unqualified for many important Village Manager tasks, requiring expensive outsourcing and in one case, the excuse for creating an HR position for a friend that quickly morphed from part time to full time. Let’s get rid of that person and that position soon.
Sonenfeld was incompetent, defensive, “attitude” prone, disrespectful of council members and the public, all too willing to do the former mayor’s bidding. Shockingly, did not hesitate to chew out council members–totally unacceptable. Expressed far more personal opinions than a manager should.
Waster of money, pusher of projects we didn’t need–most recently the digging up and overhauling of Van Neste, which fortunately was caught in time. Cashed in her favor-chips with that HR job and giving her Health Barn friend part of a municipal park (let’s rip up that contract asap). Never learned the true role of a village manager. We will be far better off without her. Aronsohn’s legacy is now diminished in the most significant way since the council election. CLEAN HOUSE. (Judge Pfund needs to go, too.)
PLANNING BOARD AGENDA – SEPTEMBER 6, 2016
PLANNING BOARD PUBLIC MEETING AGENDA
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Village Hall Court Room– 7:30 P.M.
(all timeframes and the order of agenda items below are approximate and subject to change)
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.
Roll call: Knudsen, Voigt, Altano, Joel, Reilly, Patire, Thurston, Scheibner, Torielli, McWilliams
7:35 p.m. – 7:40 p.m. – Public Comments on Topics not Pending Before the Board
7:40 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. – Committee/Commission/Professional Updates for Non Agenda Topics, Correspondence Received by the Board
7:45 p.m. – 7:55 p.m. – Resolutions re: Appointment of Planning Board Counsel
7:55 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – Riverside Medical Group Minor Site Plan and Variances, 74 Oak Street, Block 2009, Lot 6
9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. – Ridgewood Dayton, LLC Preliminary and Final Major Site Plan, 100 & 152 South Broad Street, Block 3707, Lot 5.01 and Block 3905, Lot 1.01
11:00 p.m. – 11:05 p.m. – Adoption of Minutes: August 23, 2016
11:05 p.m. – Executive Session (if necessary)
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, Kevin Reilly, David Thurston, Isabella Altano, Debbie Patire
Professional Staff: Blais L. Brancheau, Planner; Christopher J. Rutishauser, Village Engineer; Michael Cafarelli, Board Secretary
September 6,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Breaking Update : (8:17 pm)the Ridgewood blog has learned that the now former Village manager was escorted out the building after misusing her Village email by sending out misinformation about her departure.
Ridgewood NJ, various sources have confirmed as of 9:17 am this morning Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld as tendered her resignation . Her last official day is Friday . We are not sure if she will be at the Council meeting tomorrow night . Heather Mailander will take over temporary manager duties.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Beth McGovern, R.N., Clinical Practice Specialist in Women’s & Children’s Services and Coordinator of the Simulation Program at The Valley Hospital, has been named a 2016 Nurse.com GEM Award Finalist in the category of “Education and Mentoring”.
The Nurse.com GEM Award program publicly recognizes and celebrates nursing excellence. The GEM Award for Education and Mentoring recognizes a nurse who has shared knowledge with other nurses through formal nursing education, skills training or continuing education, and who has demonstrated, supported or influenced nurses’ career development in meaningful, measurable ways.
McGovern was specifically nominated for her leadership with the Simulation Program at The Valley Hospital. As the Coordinator of the Simulation Program, McGovern coordinates all of the simulation activities in the hospital at the present time. She was the lead in getting $4 million in funding from The Valley Foundation, and she also secured a women and health grant for $120,000 based on her presentation of the program.
“Beth McGovern has truly become a champion of the Simulation Program and its growth,” said Paul Quinn, Director, Inpatient Women & Children’s Services, The Valley Hospital. “Additionally, her day-to-day mentoring of staff, her development of protocols for nurses and staff, and her clinical expertise in daily rounds and coordination of treatment plans for complex patients has made her invaluable to Valley.”
The Valley Simulation Program started about four years ago with one female simulator and has expanded to also have an adult male simulator, a pediatric simulator, and a newborn simulator. The simulators are programed to simulate heart attacks, strokes, cardiac arrests and much more; it is based on the identified needs of particular units. So far, the simulators have been used by emergency room staff, in the Operating Room, the OB, The Center For Childbirth, the ICU and at Luckow. Simulation is recognized as most effective way to teach skill and team training in the healthcare environment, as it bridges the gap between classroom learning and real-life situations.
McGovern will be honored at a GEM Finalists gala in early September. Regional winners will be selected in November, and the 2016 Nurse.com GEM Awards national winners will be announced in early 2017. Finalists are chosen following nominations by their nursing colleagues.
Photo caption: Beth McGovern, R.N., Clinical Practice Specialist at The Valley Hospital, has been named a 2016 Nurse.com GEM Award Finalist for her leadership with Valley’s Simulation Program.
The teachers should realize that the current lack of signs means very few support the teachers. Where do we get a sign supporting the Board? The teachers ARE going to cut out writing letters and any extra time w/the students. The Board and the parents are going to have to take a stance and not give the teachers a thing. This has been how the teachers have always won their demands in the past. Parents have to support the Board for once. The teachers have more under their old contract than most communities. And contrary to their theory that they are the cause of Ridgewood’s supposed “Excellence”, they are not. And our rankings, contrary to what many people think, have gone quite a long ways down in the time we have lived here (over 40 years). We long ago reached the point that, unfortunately, a child will get a better education in the private schools–which most of us can’t pay for. A friend sent her daughter to IHA for 9th grade and then had to return her to Ridgewood for the following three. The child basically repeated her entire 9th grade year while she was actually in the 10th. And this was years ago–imagine the differential now!
photos by Boyd Loving
September 6th 2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewoood NJ, Graydon Pool closes out the season with a little music and the lifeguards participating in closing ceremony .
Youtube of lifeguards participating in closing ceremony for 2016 swim season https://youtu.be/zEpz3J80Vhw
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page
September 6,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, A late afternoon Sunday, 09/04 bicyclist vs. pedestrian crash on the Saddle River Area Bike Path in Ridgewood sent the adult male cyclist involved in the collision on a short ambulance ride to The Valley Hospital with multiple injuries. Ridgewood PD and EMS responded along with a unit from the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division. The pedestrian involved in the crash refused transport to the hospital after being evaluated on the scene by Ridgewood EMS EMTs.
Congressmen Scott Garrett promoting pet adoption
September 4,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, If you have room in your home and heart, they will have 30 shelters and rescue groups with 300 pets for adoption. Experience the joy of unconditional love. Someone is waiting for you. . .
Ridgewood Veterinary Hospital hosts Adopt A Pet Day
Sunday, September 18, 2016 from 11:00 AM until 4:00 Pm
Ridgewood Veterinary Hospital, 320 E. Ridgewood Ave., Ridgewood
