Tag: Councilwoman Susan Knudsen

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An email riddled with inaccuracies about the status of the Valley Hospital vs Ridgewood lawsuits is being circulated by Brianna and Nick Scott

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An email riddled with inaccuracies about the status of the Valley Hospital lawsuits is being circulated by Brianna and Nick Scott.

The email was then forwarded to Councilwoman Susan Traina Knudsen by Lorraine Reynolds and this was her response:

Dear Lorraine,

I read Ms. Scott’s email and, as it pertains to VH, is inaccurate. Please understand the 2010 cannot be implemented since the PB has now settled with Valley by reducing the 2014 plan resulting in the 2016 plan. That plan was adopted by the Planning Board. The judge has not entered a decision in 2016 against either the PB or the VC. What the judge did (2015) was simply keep the Village in the lawsuit, largely for the purpose of seeing if the the parties would mediate a settlement. However, there’s no settlement. The VC is standing firmly behind its ordinance knowing that no court in NJ has ever forced development of this scale on any municipality. A ruling against the Village would be unprecedented. Also, many people fail to understand the the PB case is very different from the VC case. Don’t confuse issues.

The best strategy is for the Village to stay the course and prevail in court.

It’s always difficult to understand why anyone would send such misinformation out to the public. I’m especially disappointed to see the inaccuracies further circulated by other well known members of our Village community.

Finally, I’m only addressing the part of the message relating specifically to Valley since our earlier discussion only referred to same. I’ll review the remaining info later on.

Good seeing you this morning and enjoy this beautiful Mother’s Day!

Best,
Susan

Councilwoman Susan Knudsen
Village of Ridgewood
131 North Maple Avenue
Ridgewood, New Jersey 07450
201-670-5500

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Councilwoman Susan Knudsen asks to Have Bogus HPC Parking Garage Endorsement Removed from the Village Website

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Dear Mr. Aronsohn,

On Wednesday night October 28, Councilwoman Susan Knudsen asked that a letter which is posted on the Village of Ridgewood website be removed.  This letter, supporting the Hudson Street Garage project, indicates that it comes from an entire committee, which it turns out is not the case.  Councilwoman Knudsen’s polite request was summarily dismissed by you.

This leads me to ask:  Who controls the Village of Ridgewood website?  It is paid for by the taxpayers.  I am  not sure who asked and authorized that the letter (as well as another one supporting the Hudson Street Garage) be put on the VOR website in the first place, but all indications are that it was you, since you have been liberally quoting the letter as “another endorsement for our parking garage.”  The VOR website is not your personal website (again, it is being paid for by taxpayers), so if you choose as Mayor to have a letter posted to support a project that you endorse, then another Council member has an equal right to have the letter removed.  Last I checked, each councilperson has an equal say in matters of government and policy.

I personally do not believe that such letters have a place on the VOR website at all.  But, since you clearly disagree with me, then I respectfully request that you post Councilwoman Knudsen’s letter, which appears in The Ridgewood News today, on the VOR website immediately.  The entire community has a right to see all sides of the issue.  As Councilman Sedon emphatically stated on Wednesday, people should vote any way they wish.  Deputy Mayor Pucciarelli wrote similar sentiments in a published letter last week.  Enthusiasm for, or against, any project in the Village is the right and responsibility of our elected officials.  Overstepping the bounds of your one-vote authority is completely wrong.

For your convenience, I have pasted Councilwoman Knudsen’s letter below, and have also provided a hyperlink to it.  Failure to either remove the “endorsement” letters from the VOR website, or to post Councilwoman Knudsen’s letter alongside them, will clearly indicate that you place your judgment, position, and “power” above that of another elected official.

Thank you,

Anne LaGrange Loving

https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/ridgewood-news-letter-be-informed-before-you-vote-1.1444805

Ridgewood News Letter: Be informed before you vote

October 30, 2015

THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

To the editor:

Last Friday, readers of this newspaper may have been surprised to read a letter to the editor (“HPC supports parking garage”) from the chair of the Historic Preservation Commission stating that the HPC had endorsed a plan for a Hudson Street parking garage. Their instincts were correct: it’s not true.

In the letter, Vincent Parrillo asserted that the HPC “supports approval of the parking garage and encourages all residents to vote ‘yes’ for the Nov. 3 referendum.” Not so; in fact, Mr. Parrillo introduced the Oct. 8 HPC meeting (not Oct. 15, as the letter stated) as a “courtesy review” of garage drawings, stating the HPC does not vote on such approvals. I was there as council liaison.

The architectural firm selected by the council to prepare drawings showed components of a proposed design to HPC members, who asked questions and made suggestions. The meeting was entirely informational. HPC members did not approve the garage. At no time did the Village HPC discuss approval.

The letter, on official letterhead, has since been posted on the Village website. It was also published by The Ridgewood News in print and online. It’s been highlighted in the mayor’s communications, signed and sent by him through his personal email account, pressing voters to approve the garage.

Obtaining voter approval is the only reason for next Tuesday’s nonbinding referendum. Voters should therefore consider the following.

The proposed garage would occupy the entire 100-by-300-foot corner of Hudson Street, becoming the largest building in the Central Business District. At 50 to 66 feet high, it would tower over adjacent 25-foot buildings, meeting or exceeding the height of proposed multifamily housing that has been publicly repudiated as out of place in our historic downtown.

All existing on-street parking on Hudson would be eliminated, as would some spaces on South Broad. Traffic patterns on Hudson and nearby roads would be reversed. The garage would be cantilevered over 300 feet of the Hudson Street sidewalk with an additional two feet extending over the street. An additional 300-plus vehicles will be added to the already congested intersection.

To subsidize the project, the Village would increase meter rates throughout town and extend meter hours to 9 p.m. where they now end at 6 p.m. If Parking Utility revenues fell short, Ridgewood taxpayers would be held responsible for the bond and be sole guarantors of the principal and interest.

Voting “yes” would mean: “We 26,000 residents agree to pay lots more for parking, $15 million for a garage plus likely cost overruns, and maintenance and repairs forever.”

Voters harboring doubts about the wisdom of this project should consider carefully how they vote on Nov. 3. This is not a vote “for parking” but a choice about the height and mass of the proposed structure and whether Ridgewood taxpayers accept responsibility for being sole guarantors of a $15 million bond.

Be informed and vote.

Councilwoman Susan Knudsen
Village of Ridgewood

Dear Roberta,
Please immediately  remove the Historic Preservation Commission letter, dated 10/23/15, from the Village website. (reference:https://mods.ridgewoodnj.net/pdf/manager/2015HPCPGLStatement.pdf)

The letter does not accurately reflect the Historic Preservation Commission meeting held on October 8, 2015.  Minutes and audio are available from Michael Cafarelli or I can send a direct link to access.

Thank you,
Susan

Dear Susan,

As you know from the email we received today at 2:57 PM, Vince Parrillo stands by the letter and has affirmed through polling all of the HPC members today (one could not be reached) that they all agree that the letter truly reflects the HPC position.

Thanks, Roberta

Best regards,

Roberta

Roberta Sonenfeld
Village Manager
201-670-5500, ext. 203

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Ridgewood News Issues Correction on claims against Councilwoman Susan Knudsen

Councilwoman Knudsen

file photo by Boyd Loving

Delzio letter to the editor published on 10/2 by The Ridgewood News

Councilwoman has clear conflict

TO THE EDITOR:

Councilwoman Susan Knudsen acknowledged two weeks ago that she had recused herself from further council votes on Schedler Park. She did so through an opaque and nuanced explanation for the recusal and after she voted against the Schedler Park proposal at the Village Council meeting on Aug. 12. That’s a fact.
Councilwoman Knudsen’s conflict is simple; she failed to disclose a personal interest in property adjacent to Schedler Park. In her role as a council member, we expect Councilwoman Knudsen to be truthful and transparent, and not play games on issues that affect the future of our village.
Now that Councilwoman Knudsen has recused herself from any further Schedler discussion at the municipal level, she would better serve all citizens of the village by 1) dropping the deception and 2) assisting the Ridgewood Eastside Development group (RED) in its quest to preserve the Schedler house, which is part of the current Schedler Park development plan.

Finally, Councilwoman Knudsen’s father, Jack Traina, needlessly insulted the other members of the Village Council, see The Record, Aug. 24, at noon, amended at8:20 a.m., same day.
An apology by Susan to all involved is appropriate and warranted.
Don Delzio

COR­REC­TION

The Ridgewood News
October 9, 2015
In a letter to the editor written by Ridgewood resident Don Delzio and published in last week’s edition, Mr. Delzio wrote that Councilwoman Susan Knudsen stated during a public meeting that she would recuse herself from “further council votes” and “further Schedler discussion at the municipal level.”

Councilwoman Knudsen made no such statement. She stated that when the village attorney suggested that there might be a conflict that she heeded his advice until such time that the Local Finance Board responds to her inquiry.
The letter also stated that the councilwoman failed to disclose a personal interest in property adjacent to Schedler Park. Councilwoman Knudsen does not own any property adjacent to or near Schedler Park. The councilwoman stated at the meeting that her family member who lives in the vicinity of Schedler does not live in her household. Tax records reveal that her parents own property near Schedler.

The Ridgewood News regrets the errors and any embarrassment or distress it may have caused Councilwoman Knudsen.

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Councilwoman treated unfairly

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file photo by Boyd Loving

To the Editor:

Recent headlines reported on the Mahwah councilwoman who was so angry at her mayor that she cursed and gave an inappropriate gesture which was directed at him at a public meeting. As bad as that was, it was over in a moment and was nothing compared to the harassment Ridgewood Councilwoman Susan Knudsen was made to endure at the April 8 meeting.

Right before public comments, Mayor Paul Aronsohn invited the village labor attorney to the microphone to answer questions related to the ordinance to be voted on that evening. The attorney then proceeded to verbally attack Ms. Knudsen for 47 uninterrupted minutes. It was clear that the mayor was complicit in this outrage as no one intervened to stop her.

It was a terrible thing to watch and our tax dollars paid for this debacle. Ms. Knudsen was, as one resident said, “grace under fire.”

Later on, another resident stated that she had witnessed the mayor and the village manager screaming at Ms. Knudsen at the close of the previous meeting. They denied it even though another council member was present to hear it.

To add insult to injury, it appeared that an ethics violation was to be brought against Ms. Knudsen for responding to her attackers. While this did not happen, I question the motive for even putting it out there.

Ms. Knudsen’s crime seems to be that she sought more information regarding the proposed ordinance so that she could make a better informed decision. I don’t know if what happened at the meeting was illegal but it was certainly against any rules of order that decent people operate under.

I believe our mayor owes Ms. Knudsen a public apology at the very least and he must discontinue the town civility meetings immediately. It is the height of hypocrisy to hold these meetings and a clear case of the pot calling the kettle black.

Linda McNamara

Ridgewood

https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/letter-to-the-editor-ridgewood-councilwoman-treated-unfairly-1.1311632

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Ridgewood councilwoman wants residency rule change postponed

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April 4, 2015    Last updated: Saturday, April 4, 2015, 1:21 AM
By CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER |
The Record

RIDGEWOOD — A councilwoman is urging that a vote to revise a residency rule for hiring new employees should be indefinitely postponed.

Councilwoman Susan Knudsen wants the council’s Wednesday vote on the amendment deferred “so we make sure that we get this right” and to dispel “fundamental misunderstandings about the proposed change.”

Knudsen opposed the change during public talks last month.

The council voted in August to update its residency ordinance for civilian hires with a tier system, which the state has since determined is not permitted.

The system, which officials claim was developed to attract the best qualified candidates, was approved by the entire council.

It would have given preference for village openings to Bergen County military veterans, followed by all county residents, then residents of contiguous counties and lastly, all other state residents.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-urged-to-table-vote-on-hiring-rule-1.1302733

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BOMBSHELL REVELATION – Councilwoman claims information deliberately withheld from her

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BOMBSHELL REVELATION – Councilwoman claims information deliberately withheld from her

April 1 ,2015
Boyd A. Loving
11:15 PM

Ridgewood Nj, During Wednesday evening’s Village Council Work Session, Councilwoman Susan Knudsen revealed selected details of official correspondence related to the Village’s hiring practices, including a document in which a Village employee was reportedly directed (by an attorney employed by the Village) not to release publicly available information to Ms. Knudsen.

Councilwoman Knudsen also revealed that an unnamed employee or representative of the Village supposedly corresponded with the NJ State Civil Service Commission in February of this year to advise the Commission that several open positions (jobs) would not be filled until after Village Council members voted to change an ordinance related to preferential hiring treatment for Village residents (the plan is to remove any preferential hiring treatment for Village residents except applicants for public safety jobs – this ordinance change will be officially voted on during the Council’s April 8 Public Meeting).

According to Ms. Knudsen, Village Council members were reportedly never told that open positions (excluding pubic safety jobs) would not be filled until after the ordinance was changed.

Catch the full action/complete bombshell discussion beginning at 23 minutes 54 seconds into the linked broadcast below:

https://www.ustream.tv/recorded/60629688

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Ridgewood under fire for closed session

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file photo by Boyd Loving

Ridgewood under fire for closed session

MARCH 11, 2015, 11:59 AM    LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015, 12:10 PM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

RIDGEWOOD – A councilwoman with three sons in line for village police jobs claims several officials broke the law last month by meeting behind closed doors to discuss changes to Ridgewood’s residency requirement.

“This belonged in open session,” Councilwoman Susan Knudsen insisted at a recent council meeting, noting no specific village employee’s position was discussed during the closed-door meeting, but rather a policy relating to Ridgewood’s hiring practices.

“We did not follow the law,” Knudsen said. “That’s not an allegation, it’s a fact.”

But Village Attorney Matthew Rogers maintains officials acted appropriately, saying “the topic under discussion” by the council that evening “fit into the exceptions” outlined in the Open Public Meetings Act.

The village’s labor attorney also concluded the council did not violate the law.

“Generally, at the time the decision was made, it is my understanding there was reason to believe such discussions could impact upon the terms and conditions of employment of specific prospective employees or employee groups,” said Beth Hinsdale-Piller.

Knudsen opposes any change to the requirement.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-under-fire-for-closed-session-1.1286592

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Ridgewood panel to review master plan

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file photo Councilwoman Susan Knudsen

Ridgewood panel to review master plan

AUGUST 12, 2014    LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2014, 1:21 AM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD

RIDGEWOOD — The Village Council plans to create a committee of residents, business owners and officials who will be charged with taking a long, hard look at Ridgewood’s master plan.

The decision came during a lengthy discussion at a recent council meeting, spurred by Councilwoman Susan Knudsen’s suggestion that an ordinance — known as “3066” — be modified.

That ordinance requires that developers requesting changes to the village master plan cover the costs associated with those changes, including, for example, the retention of experts to testify on the proposed changes.

Residents opposed to three high-density, multifamily housing developments proposed for downtown contend the ordinance, adopted in 2007, has made it easier for developers to propose changes to the master plan. Some residents, who suggested the ordinance be repealed, said it limits master plan amendment requests to those who can afford to pay for the process.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-panel-to-review-master-plan-1.1066076#sthash.iuSs2ucD.dpuf