
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 . . .