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the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the recent events at the Ridgewood Y are eerily reminiscent of Deputy Mayor Mike Sedon initial run for Ridgewood Council . Sedon was forced to resign from his then reporter job after he entered the council race. It was claimed the resignation occurred after an anonymous email was sent to Sedon’s employer . It became known as the Mike Sedon Email Incident , speculation ensued and Sedon was elected to the council.
Re-elect Knudsen & Sedon for Village Council
Dear friends, supporters, and fellow Ridgewood residents,
We are humbled by the outpouring of support that you sent our way throughout the Village Council election campaign. The last few weeks were difficult, even painful, in some ways, although also positive as we geared up for our big win. We hope that future council candidates will recognize and embrace our shared values of honesty, decency, and commitment to what is best for our community and will gear their campaign materials to their own plans and accomplishments rather than to denigrating their opponents. We can proudly state that despite being goaded, we refused to travel that route.
Thank you to the hundreds of residents who signed nominating petitions in February and March and to the many residents who helped in March, April, and early May with coffees and “meet-and-greets,” lawn sign distribution and pickup, canvassing, phone banks, train station presence, website upkeep, emailing and texting, letter writing, chauffeuring, editing and proofreading, financial donations (it’s getting increasingly expensive to run for council), cooking and baking, and even wardrobe consultation (that pink blouse).
If you did something that we have omitted here, thank you for that, too. We recognize the countless hours you spent away from your families and other responsibilities and activities that you are just catching up with now. We appreciated every work hour, every positive message, every hug, the cards and flowers. In short, we are deeply grateful for everything our wonderful fellow residents did to help us win re-election. We thank the thousands of Ridgewood residents who believed in us enough to vote for us.
We all love this special Village we call home, Ridgewood 07450-07451!
With sincere gratitude,
Susan and Mike
Mayor Susan Knudsen and Deputy Mayor Mike Sedon
Dear Neighbors:
Friends of Schedler is proud to endorse Mayor Susan Knudsen and Deputy Mayor Mike Sedon for reelection to the Village Council.
When selecting a candidate for council, experience matters. Mayor Knudsen and Deputy Mayor Sedon have a dedicated track record of service through their role on the Village Council, as well as the various committees and boards that they have served on over the years. Susan and Mike have made significant improvements to the Village, including controlling overdevelopment, achieving a positive outcome with Valley Hospital and working towards a compromise for building a garage and for developing the Schedler property.
Susan and Mike govern responsibly and are always respectful of the concerns of residents. All too often interest groups either ignore or fail to recognize the many different neighborhoods that comprise the Village of Ridgewood. Susan and Mike have demonstrated a government of inclusion, providing residents from all areas of Ridgewood the opportunity to be heard.
Susan and Mike have demonstrated their integrity by undertaking a positive campaign, focusing on their achievements and plans for the future. Friends of Schedler urges all residents to go to the polls on May 8 and cast your vote for Susan Knudsen and Mike Sedon.
Village Council – Election 2018 – Nominating Petitions & Campaign Donations
o ARRANGE FOR PICKUP from your home by texting or calling me at 201-394-0666. Include your name and street address.
To help even more, please forward this message to friends and neighbors and share printouts of both forms.
To make sure yours count:
Nominating petitions must be signed precisely as the signer’s name appears in the official voter
registration listings—including middle initials, if any. Village Hall officials (not the Council!)
will carefully compare the format of all petition signatures against the voting rolls.
Any discrepancy will invalidate the petition. Hundreds are tossed in every council election.You can see how you’re listed at this state website: https://www.njelections.org/
Click on “Am I Registered?” Then enter your name and birth month and year. That’s it.
If you are not a registered voter: Please become one, but do not sign these forms until you do.
Because 2 spots on the Council—ours—are open this time, each voter may sign up to 2 nominating
petitions for this election. Any additional petitions would be disallowed.In a few weeks, as campaign season kicks off, we will describe our many accomplishments and reveal
our goals and objectives, including the new Village of Ridgewood Master Plan!
For now, campaign contributions are welcome and appreciated. Kindly make checks payable to:
Knudsen-Sedon for Village Council and send to 120 Circle Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
or via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/cgi-
** note: A contribution which is more than $300 in the aggregate from one source in an election will be detailed to NJ ELEC campaign filings.
Feel free to call me at 201-394-0666 with comments or questions.
In gratitude,
Mayor Susan Knudsen
Request petitions for Mike and Susan email VoteKnudsen@gmail.com
file photo by Boyd Loving
December 31,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the staff of the Ridgewood blog has assembled the biggest winners and the biggest losers in Ridgewood for 2016.Now for the Village winners;
The biggest winner this year was the Village of Ridgewood’s new Mayor Susan Knudsen and Deputy Mayor Mike Sedon. After years of constant abuse from the “3 amigos”, the two came out victorious with the sweeping victory of Jeffrey Voigt, Bernadette Coghlan-Walsh and Ramon M Hache in the Village Municipal elections. While Jeff Voigt has so far been a bit of a disappointment the new council has full plate attempting to fix the mess of the previous administration.
The other major winner this year were the Village residents who put together the petitions to stop and shut down Garagezilla . The residents mobilized when their voices were ignored and took back the town. As we have learned since motivations for building Garagezilla had little to do with parking for shop owners in the CBD but more for housing development, commuter parking, certain restaurants, schools and of course an “arts center”.
The Ridgewood School system was a big winner with its much pushed for Full-day Kindergarten referendum. While the merits for children remain dubious, it certainly takes a lot of pressure off parents with more convenient hours.
We couldn’t finish the list without this one; Doug Bunza, a 22-year-old village resident who set up a go fund me page to help when his favorite Pizza place La Bella Pizza when it burned down. To the Ridgewood blog thats what Ridgewood is all about ,neighbors stepping up and taking charge. I know this is not the only good deed for the year but this one stuck out in everyone’s minds. It showed us that anyone can make a difference and we all make a difference to someone .
Our final pick this year for the biggest winner is a bit unorthodox, we decided to give it Village employees.Despite turmoil with Village leadership Village employees did a pretty good job at whatever they were doing, I don’t remember the last time no one complained about the police or fire departments for a whole year? We seemed to have no major scandal ie the meter thief and when services were not up to par it was always a management issue.
November 2,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Rurik Halaby alleges that Mayor Susan Knudsen and Deputy Mayor Mike Sedon intend to impede your right to vote and intimidate you at the voting both.
On the Facebook group “It Takes a Ridgewood Village”
Rurik Halaby posted ,“Remember Ridgewood Citizens, we live in Ridgewood, NJ, and not Birmingham-in-Bergen. As a naturalized American Citizen I value my right to vote above every other right I have, and I will be damned if I am letting anyone impede that! Our Mayor and Deputy Mayor supposedly are registered as “Challengers.” What in the world does that mean, if you are not out to intimidate.”
While the Glen Rock Patch called it an, ” ‘Unprecedented’ Situation As Challengers Register To Be At Ridgewood Polling Locations” . Some of you should really vote more often ,challengers have been used at almost every election ,yes even in Ridgewood since I first voted in 1980 .
As a voter Mr. Halaby and others should familiarize with NJ Statute Title 19: ELECTIONS.
A “Challenger” is there to assure the integrity of the election . Challengers (AKA poll watchers) defend voter’s rights and their only interest is the conduct of a fair and honest election.
What a Challenger Can Do
Challengers must be seated near the board workers so that they may hear the names of the voters being processed.
Challengers can write down the names and address of voters.
Challengers can challenge a voter. This process must be done in accordance with state and federal laws.
Challengers may request the public counter numbers on the voting machine from the board workers. The board workers can give this information to the challengers provided they are not busy with voters or their other duties.
Challengers can be present at the close of the polls to witness the opening of the voting machines and hear the unofficial vote totals.
What a Challenger Cannot Do
Challengers cannot address the voters. They must inform the board workers when they wish to initiate a challenge.
Challengers cannot challenge a voter based on:
Their race, sex, creed, ethnic origin.
How they think they might vote.
The fact they live in a particular ward, housing complex or section of a municipality or county.
Challengers cannot stand behind the election tables or go near the voting machines.
Challengers cannot look over the shoulders of or sit with the board workers.
Challengers cannot touch the voting machines or registration books.
Challengers cannot use cellphones, blackberries, iPhones, laptops or any other electronic/wireless communicating device while in the polling location.
Challengers cannot wear any partisan/political buttons, pins, hats, clothing, signs, etc while in the polling location. They can only be identified by the county-issued badge and permit.
Challengers cannot campaign in the polling location.
Challengers cannot disturb the quiet and business-like atmosphere of the polling location.
Challengers cannot harass or intimidate any voters.
Perhaps Mr.Halaby could get some info from the League of Women Voters , after all,it has been recently infected by a whole host of former Mayor Paul Aronsohn supporters clearing looking to still hold some sway over Village of Ridgewood politics.
file photo by Boyd Loving
LIST OF COUNCIL LIAISONS TO BOARDS/COMMITTEES FOR VILLAGE
Click here for the List of Council Liasions to the Board/Committees for the Village.
The Council repealed 3066
Kings Pond will get a fix
Jackie Hone will be vindicated
Parking problems will be remediated
People at the mic are respected
Our Mayor is smart and educated
The best of the best were elected
All and all we’re feeling elated!
by Linda McNamara
July 21,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The council meeting was business like and everyone was respected. People are now allowed to ask questions and the new council actually answered. It is amazingly difference from when Aronsohn ruled and they all stared at the speakers or, worse yet, they attacked the speakers.
A couple of people spoke happily about 3066 being repealed. It will not be finally repealed until the August public meeting.
A man spoke about fixing Kings Pond and it sounds like that will happen . Susan has already put money in the budget to finance that. Saurabh asked and asked about the supposed $60,000 spent by Stacy Antine at Health Barn. Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld waffled on providing info and Boyd blasted her for this.
The swearing in of Chief Luthke was wonderful and the high point of the night The room was packed standing room only. There was much applause and John Ward came and pinned his own stars on Jackie’s epaulets. The whole thing was very moving. The female chief from Bergenfield was in attendance as were three freeholders.
The only blemish on the event was that the unelected village manager as usual planted herself in the midst of the swearing in, where she has no right to be. Someone needs to remind Ms. Sonenfeld that she needs to stay up on the dais as the other unelected members (Heather and Matt) do for proclamations and swearing-ins.
