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Village Council Candidates Wietz , Brooks, Willett and their supporters play the “Gabbert Card”

Paul_Aronsohn_theridgewood blog

May 8,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Mayor Paul Aronsohn  and his coalition Village council candidates Wietz , Brooks, Willett  are trying to play the “Gabbert Card”once again but don’t be fooled.
Mayor Paul Aronsohn voted yes to every single budget from the day he got on the council until now. And was there during Tom Rica theft and never noticed parking utility discrepancies until then.

While Bernie Walsh’s record is far more thoughtfull, she didn’t vote in 2011 and voted no in 2012. Voted yes in 2013 and no to operating budget but yes to Capital budget in 2014.

During Bernie’s tenure the Police contract was renegotiated saving Ridgewood $250K for the lifetime of each new officer hired. and the Village reduced to one Captain and two Lieutenants.

The Ridgewood news reported that the Village Council at a special public meeting on Monday will lower the starting salary for officers coming into the department after Dec. 1 to $32,000, down from the previous starting salary of $49,273, according to the ordinance.

By the way unlike some current candidates and council members Mayor Killion ,do to a “30-year distinguished career” in the Ridgewood police department,recused himeself from all police contract negotiations .

And if they really want to play the Gabbert card maybe they should remember how many new people Queen Bee Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld hired  help her do her job such as the HR person for about hundred thousand and that not counting her platinum health care and pension. In hind sight Gabbert’s raise does not bad compared hiring a new HR person. It is important to note that even after Gabberts raise he still made far less than his predecessor and far less that the new combo of Village Manager plus HR person .

According to the Kelly Ebbels of the Ridgewood News an article Paul has on his own website , the “Incentive bonuses can be awarded from a total pool of more than $80,000, Gabbert said. He estimated that the change from automatic raises to incentive bonuses could yield more than $40,000 a year in savings”, which then Councilman Paul Aronsohn voted against the proposal.