Tag: 3 amigos

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Readers say the new council has not gone far enough to come to grips with the damage done by the prior Aronsohn council majority

3 amigos in action Ridgewood NJ

file photo by Boyd Loving

I don’t think this council has gone far enough to come to grips with the damage done by the prior council majority and what needs to be done to right that damage. No one wants to beat a dead horse. But we need to acknowledge the damage that was done in order to move on and in order to prevent the revisionists from painting the wrong picture. Pure and simple, the Aronsohn regime was riddled with bad decisions and actions. Let’s identify them, correct the problems and then move forward. But it does us no good to stick our head in the sand out of some misguided sense of gentility.

Roberta continued to work there because she had to put in some time to build a case to then be able to sue the village. She resigned, in writing, as of Sept 6th, yet all her supporters (Weitz, Pucciarell, Halaby) are assisting in building her case with terms and fake outrage on how she was pushed out, mushandled, ‘unjustly removed’, “abrupt firing’, ‘offer to resign’. This has been the plan all along since they lost the election. Another sleazy move by the ‘wrong side’.

Her dislike for some some council members was displayed in public. Her disagreement with the vision of the new council was public.

I was surprised that she did not resign the day after the election. Why would she continue to work there? The “contentious” environment was of her making.

The fact that it was reported in the Record that she sited a “contentious” environment is enough reason for her to be removed. No professional resigns with a letter accusing anger in her environment. Of course the thought would be she might steal confidential files or even worse…,,,,

I think Roberta wanted to be escorted out. Who knows she may have feared losing control. Knudsen performed the right, safe, professional action.

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Reader says Roberta was a time bomb waiting to explode left behind by the Aronsohn conglomerate

Village_Manager_Roberta_Sonenfeld_theridgewoodblog

file photo by Boyd Loving

Roberta was a time bomb waiting to explode left behind by the Aronsohn conglomerate. Good she’s gone. She sealed her own coffin by submitting a nasty letter of resignation, and then behaving badly immediately following its submission. No supervisor in their right mind would have let her stay on. Mr. Pucciarelli wrote in her defense only because he’s one of those who hired her. He’s only trying to save his own face.

The outgoing (gone) Village Manager, the right thing to do is tell the counsel that you think they’d be better served by someone else, and that you’d be happy to stay on and enable a smooth transition to the new Manager. If she was asked to leave anyway, then at least she looks professional. Instead, she took a figurative dump on her boss’ desks, then started emailing around the office to tell people about it. So she was escorted from the building! Think about it. How else is that scenario going to play out? How high in the corporate world could she have risen, really? I’m genuinely curious.

Albert Pucciarelli letter was just plain ridiculous.

Let’s talk reality, not nonsense:

Show me a leader/manager who would allow any employee who submitted a letter of resignation in which he/she expressed his/her utter dissatisfaction (in writing) with working conditions, and also plainly acknowledged (in writing) a complete disagreement with management’s philosophies, to continue his/her employment with complete access to the employer’s computer network, telephone system, accounting data, and confidential personnel files, and I will show you a leader/manager who is a big a-hole.

Susan Knudsen did the right thing by forcing that condescending bitch with the fat ass out of her office and out of the building.

Good riddance to bad rubbish!

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Reader says supporters of the former Village Manager are no better, their display of loyalty to the dishonest, lack of integrity regime that is gone is pretty pathetic

3 amigos in action Ridgewood NJ

What’s really concerning is that these supporters of Roberta, et al is their acceptance of government that proclaims transparency yet goes to great lengths to lie and trick residents. Regardless if you really want a garage or high density apartments, tolerating the lies, deception and trickery makes you compliant. Actually, many of these supporters went to great lengths to assist Roberta, Paul, etc. because they wanted to ‘win’ the garage issue, etc. These supporters are no better, and their display of loyalty to the dishonest, lack of integrity regime that is gone is pretty pathetic. Thank goodness the majority of people are not like these supporters. Good prevails.

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Sonenfeld fails to deposit $100k check made out to Village of Ridgewood

Village_Manager_Roberta_Sonenfeld_theridgewoodblog

file photo by Boyd Loving

September 9,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, During Wednesday evening’s Village Council Work Session, Deputy Mayor Michael Sedon confirmed that former Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld had failed to adhere to NJSA 5:31-3.1 when she chose not to deposit a check for $100k from the Ridgewood Baseball Softball Association (RBSA), made out to the Village of Ridgewood.  According to Mr. Sedon, Sonenfeld put the check in either a “safe or drawer,” where it remained for an undisclosed period of time (likely weeks or months) before being returned to the RBSA.

It is believed the $100k was intended to serve as a donation for construction of a then planned 90 foot baseball field on the Schedler property.  However, despite the submission of an Open Public Records Act request, no official documents were ever produced in connection with the donation, its subsequent return, nor any stipulations associated with it.

Receipt of the check was mentioned during at least one (1) open public meeting of the Council, but there was never any open discussion about why NJSA 5:31-3.1 (funds to be deposited in authority’s legal depository within 48 hours of receipt) wasn’t being followed, nor why the check was being returned.

So the mystery continues . . .

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Amazing Without Aronsohn, Pucciarelli, and Hauck and now Roberta the New Ridgewood Council accomplished volumes

3 amigos in action Ridgewood NJ
September 8,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood bog
Ridgewood NJ, Aronsohn, Pucciarelli, and Hauck often referred to Roberta as a “breath of fresh air,” even though clearly the air around her became increasingly foul as her (thankfully) short time in the job progressed.  Now that she has resigned and been escorted out of Village Hall, things are really running well.  We have Heather Mailander in the manager’s seat.  She is so capable, so professional, and she does her job without interjecting her opinion as if she were a 6th council member and without looking at Chris R and Janet F for affirmation every time she speaks.

We have a five-person council who are all independent thinkers, are polite, considerate, and they don’t interrupt each other at meetings.  They are actually prepared for meetings (well, Susan and Mike always were, but now they are joined by three more who are equally informed and have done their homework).  Now more nonsense like we used to have with Albert pontificating about anything and everything just to hear himself speak, and Gwenn reading from her ipad something that someone else wrote, and Paul furiously texting with Paul Vaggianos (yes, we witnessed this many times) during meetings and then giving us the doe-in-the-headlights look while saying “transparency, transparency, transparency.”

This new Council has been in place just since July 1, but so far they have accomplished volumes including that they:

1. are going to lengthen the time for public comments.

2. are respectful of members of the public who come to speak

3. overturned the much-hated Ordinance 3066

4. stopped the ridiculous Van Neste proposal

5. are going to prevent puppy-mill and kitten-mill animals from being sold in Ridgewood

6. are looking at many (and reasonable) ways to improve and increase the parking

7. are saving the Schedler House

8. will be putting grant money (hopefully) towards remediating Kings Pond

9. will be repealing the illegal ordinance that tried to prevent people from videotaping public meetings (put in place because hot-headed Aronsohn got caught getting nasty at an HPC meeting)

10. have hired a new Planning Board attorney (ok, so the VC didn’t do this, but it is yet another wonderful new development)

11. will be lowering the overkill lighting at Habernickel Park to be consistent with other parks and in response to the neighbors’ legitimate concerns about this ridiculous flood lighting

12. discovered that the extraordinarily cumbersome and confusing leaf collection process that Roberta put in place was based, in part, on a 7-day rule that has not been effective for a couple of years.  So now they are putting a smooth and simple leaf collection schedule up and we can stop hearing about “no leaf left behind.”

13. will be revising the prohibition of parking on Pomander Walk, which is discriminatory and was put in place to serve Gwenn’s friends on that street.

Wow, how much has been accomplished and all with a pleasant and civil atmosphere.  Way to go Susan, Mike, Ramon, Jeff and Bernie!!!
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Reader says Sonenfeld was incompetent, defensive, “attitude” prone, disrespectful of council members and the public, all too willing to do the former mayor’s bidding

Village_Manager_Roberta_Sonenfeld_theridgewoodblog

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.)

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Reader asks what happened to the concrete dumped at the Lakeview leaf recycling center in Ridgewood ?

DPW illegal dumping

file photo by Boyd Loving

Here is another one to the list. Just about a year ago tons of concrete from Village sidewalk projects were dumped at the Lakeview leaf recycling center. It was found by a DEP inspector and the Village was ordered to remove it. So how dumped it? What did it cost the TAXPAYERS to remove it? Was the Village fined for this illegal dumping and how much? The last report the Village Manager told the 3 Amigos that the police were investigation the incident. So Roberta blew off the the taxpayers again or are the police are still investigating this incident for over a year now.

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Feds Spend $499,571 to ‘Combat Online Trolling’

troll

Project could help combat ‘troll armies’  

BY: Elizabeth Harrington
September 2, 2016 5:00 am

The National Science Foundation is spending roughly half a million dollars to combat “online trolling.”

A joint project by Northwestern and Northeastern universities is examining how to create “trolling-free environments” on the Internet. The researchers define online trolls as those who try to influence public opinion by boosting “misleading” and “inauthentic comments.”

“Today, almost every browsing click that users make is collected by numerous trackers associated with a variety of online services (e.g., advertising networks, online social networks, e-commerce platforms),” a grant for the project states. “Users have often expressed concern about the lack of privacy and control over their personal data. Nonetheless, despite a substantial effort to expose and control this prevalent behavior, the reality is that users keep accepting updated online privacy policies, which in turn grant the gathering of more personal data.”

https://freebeacon.com/issues/feds-spend-499571-combat-online-trolling/

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Reader says the sky is not falling in Ridgewood

Ridgewood Village Council

file photo by Boyd Loving

This just in: the sky is falling!!!!!

Ridgewood schools are still ranked highly, and even are ranked above Tenafly by several organizations. Niche.com also rates the entire Ridgewood public school district as 7th best in the state (Tenafly is 15).

As far as the real estate market goes, I am certainly no realtor, but I can tell you that homes around $1M in the Upper Ridgewood area (near Willard School) are still going in bidding wars and for above asking price. I have several friends who recently purchased in the area and some who are currently looking for a larger house within Ridgewood, and these are the stories I hear. In some cases I have heard that 20% down isn’t even enough for houses $1M+.

Some countervailing thoughts:
1. Wall St/Finance mostly drives the top of the market. That end is definitely soft and will remain that way. One might argue that the huge bonuses created a market segment that is inherently unsustainable. The 4k-5k sq ft homes are definitely going to be hard to sell. If you are around the $1MM mark there remains a robust market
2. A home should not be viewed as a real estate investment. Historically, residential real estate keeps pace with inflation over time (decades). In the short term there are of course peaks and valleys. I have been in Ridgewood for almost 40 years, so I have seen dramatic increases and long flat periods. that’s real estate.
3. School system is in decline? Based on these arbitrary metrics from magazines trying to sell copy? I don’t see it.
4. Taxes in Ridgewood have always been high. This is not a new development.
5. I am an early baby boomer. I am still here. When and if I leave Ridgewood it will have nothing to do with the real estate market or the school system–it will be a lifestyle decision.
6. Apart from the unpleasant crew (Aronsohn et al) that recently tried to disrupt the fabric and culture of this village, this has been a very nice place to live and raise kids for many years. It will continue to be. Take the long view–don’t plan your life around the ups and downs of the real estate cycle.

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Reader says Get rid of Roberta and her cronies already. Let those who love Ridgewood RULE

Van Neste Ridgewood

I was just at Van Neste,12:30 on Friday, a veritable slice of heaven, with people on benches quietly eating what looked like bagged lunches., some people just sitting and looking, walkers along the path, some dressed as workers, others as exercisers. Super peaceful and beautiful and calm, with even a working bubbler, water fountain, that is all that is needed in the way of water. Ni big fountain, please. And please, no fences on Walnut. Why make it ugly. Does Vanianos and company envision alcohol fueled parties with loud metallica noise-muzac, going late into night, Does the village manager and company envision alcohol fueled events at Van Neste and drunken people falling off the edge. That makes me very angry. The field stone wall around the park on Walnut is all that is needed. Get rid of Roberta and her cronies already. Let those who love Ridgewood RULE.

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Reader says What happened to peace and quiet? You can’t even just sit on a park bench any more without acres of concrete?

Village of Ridgewood

Park is SMALL. Stop filling everything up. A stage when not in use (i.e., 99% of the time) would co-opt open space. We need more of it, not less. Everybody seems to think their kids are future Broadway stars. Get with the program–amateur performances are for the performers. Noise in the middle of town would just drive people away. What happened to peace and quiet? You can’t even just sit on a park bench any more without acres of concrete? Even sitting in the dark on a summer night is nice. No need for Klieg lights. How about Strobes?

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Reader says We should memorialize Hudson Garage caper with a village plaque to hubris and for the future generations

Village of Ridgewood : Van Neste Memorial Park "Revival" project

We should memorialize this caper with a village plaque to hubris and for the future generations to Trust but first Verify.Could have turned out quite differently without the hard and determined efforts to overcome those developers and some whom they called to dance to their opportunistic tune.

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Readers Analyse Ridgewood “Garage Vote”

pro garage signs 2

 

The first election was presumably simply for a parking garage. Many of us voted “yes” because we do need a garage. When Aronson and crew decided that we voters “really meant” to vote “yes” on that monstrosity that he wanted, a second vote was held. On that we voted “No” because it was supposed to be “Did we want to bond money for ‘A’ garage” but Aronson inserted the amount for the largest garage that he wanted. He also set the vote on the earliest possible date, while he was still in office so he could presumably still break the ground for his dream. And yes, our new Council members did say they wanted a garage but not “that” garage. So, to me, what the voters wanted was still a garage, but not something of that size. And they wanted the new Council to handle the details with input from the residents of Ridgewood.

DSCF4131

file photo by Boyd Loving

We voted against the monster garage.People were duped into voting for the monster garage in November. We were reassured that we were voting for A garage, not any specific design.
Then some hard working residents started a petition drive against the monster garage. No one ever said that they were against building a garage. They just want the right size in the right location.
Council members who were elected said that they would look into a redesign/relocation. No one running said that they were against a garage. There will be a garage.

DSCF2054

file photo by Boyd Loving

One current council member admitted publicly during the campaign in the spring that he had been among those bamboozled by lies and omissions about the garage (he did not put it quite that way) and voted yes in the November referendum. He was among many. Had a true depiction and description been made available, including the fact that the thing was going to Occupy Hudson Street, and if it had been explained, as was the case, that a “yes” vote was not for a concept, but for the largest drawing–formally “approved,” by mayoral fiat, by the Historic Preservation Commission’s relatively new chair (appointed by the then-mayor), without checking with the members, and by the mayor’s personally created and hand-picked Financial Advisory Committee–how many residents would have agreed to it? Only those with something to gain, those who pay no attention, and those whose finger slipped in the voting booth. I think the “yes” votes would have amounted to about 150, including mistakes.

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Reader says I feel sick about the endless pathetic attempts to manipulate and deceive Ridgewood by Aronsohn and his minions

3 amigos

Does anybody actually believe the kid had anything to do with that letter? A show of hands, please. Letter ends, “Let’s get it done”–has a teenage boy ever said or written that sentence, especially about a parking garage? Comical idea. But mostly, I feel sick about the endless pathetic attempts to manipulate and deceive us. Are Aronsohn’s minions being treated to the marketing programs of White Horse Strategies? They’re working so hard to fleece us. More important, could all these selfish, destructive, impossibly contemptuous people please shut up and go away or become honest? Either will do. Tired of identifying their ploys and rejecting them.

the letter: https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/ridgewood-news-letter-new-driver-frustrated-by-lack-of-village-parking-1.1640429

 

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Readers say , Roberta will be telling us it is a CRISIS, Van Neste is falling apart, Follow the Money!

Village_Manager_Roberta_Sonenfeld_theridgewoodblog

file photo by Boyd Loving

It was Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld’s excitement in describing this horrific and unnecessary new construction that gave me pause. She sounded just the same when talking about creating the H.R. job (which quickly and quietly segued from part time to full time) for her friend and essentially giving Habernickel Park to her other friend who runs the now-hated Health Barn. The Village Manager should not be so happy about these projects and in each case she had a personal stake in them (not financially, presumably). More and more and more expensive and disruptive construction, partly subsidized by grants to take the sting off (but not nearly enough, if you study the final numbers), was the theme under the Aronsohn years. She remains under his thumb and must be removed, as must Health Barn and the H.R. position, if we are to return to any level of benign stasis.

They lost the election ..we voted for change..time to take control over these boondoggle projects..leave that park surface alone..clean up the benches and spend some money on fall minor tree trimming and some
light cleaning of the monument areas and any grass refurbishment,leave the bricks alone,

Roberta will be telling us it is a CRISIS, Van Neste is falling apart I tell you it is a CRISIS.Follow the money. Someone stands to make big money. Who is doing the ugly concrete sidewalks? Who is doing the $40,000 cheesy fence? Who will build the Vagiannos Pavilion aka the gazebo?Roberta is all wound up about the is project because promises were made. Follow the money!