The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
BY STEVE JANOSKI
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — The public’s overwhelming rejection Tuesday of a bond ordinance that would have financed a municipal parking garage on Hudson Street has many residents wondering what the next proposed solution will be to the village’s perpetual parking woes.
The question is difficult to answer for several reasons, including uncertainties.
https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/town-government/path-after-bond-defeat-unclear-1.1622848
Speaking for only myself, I agree about the improper use of the town website to promote a yes vote, especially since the Village Council is not in agreement and since, as you state, no info is given about the project or the alternatives. It is clearly a political use of public resources. Sending this type of political message via email using the village alert system or via regular mail on village letterhead or at public expense would also be wrong.
This seems unethical to me. It may also improperly interfere with a fair election. As to what can be done, I’m not sure, short of the dissenting Council members demanding the website post be taken down. This raises the question about what the process is for review and approval before anything is posted to the village website. Perhaps the Village attorney should be notified of the incident and can direct the webmaster to take down the post. Perhaps you should copy the State Local Finance Board (which reviews ethics complaints) and ELEC (Re the election faux pas).
Just throwing some thoughts out there, and maybe others copied can add more. NJFOG administrators are copied as well as a few other board members who may be knowledgeable about this matter.
Here’s one other thought, if you have no luck. My understanding is that elected council members have equal access to a town’s public information officer and may issue press releases via that route. Perhaps the dissenting council members can utilize that route to get their own message out. Of course, they would have to be careful to provide information and alternatives rather than to just say ‘Vote this way or that’.
Hope this helps.
Linda Baum
NJFOG Secretary
www.njfog.org
www.facebook.com/njfog
www.twitter.com/newjerseyfog
JUNE 5, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — The council is considering adding a non-binding referendum to the November ballot to gauge support for a parking garage downtown.
For more than a year, Ridgewood officials have been working on ways to provide additional parking in the central business district.
At previous meetings on parking, business leaders agreed with the council’s notion that a garage would lure more dollars to the village.
This year, Ridgewood’s council has approved financing for three different studies of the garage’s proposed site along Hudson Street.
The referendum was the brainchild of Mayor Paul Aronsohn, who said adding the issue to this fall’s ballot will cost the village nothing.
Deputy Mayor Al Pucciarelli, Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck, and Councilman Mike Sedon all supported Aronsohn’s suggestion to get feedback from voters.
The referendum’s results would have no bearing on the future of the parking garage project, which Ridgewood officials hope they can break ground on next spring.
Aronsohn’s idea was not well-received by Councilwoman Susan Knudsen, who urged that a “more comprehensive study” be undertaken of the village’s need for a garage as well as its potential impact on downtown businesses.
https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-council-considers-adding-garage-referendum-1.1349792
