Ridgewood NJ, as previously reported a Habernickel Park residents reported that on Saturday night January 14, at 1:30 AM (so by then it was early Sunday morning) loud talking, trucks, and snow blowing was taking place in Habernickel Park. As we all know, it was a light dusting of powdery snow, not a snow storm by any stretch. Most of us got by with doing no shoveling at all, since it was warm today and melted. At best a little salt on the sidewalks at Habernickel would have done the trick, spread by one quiet employee. This could have been done Sunday morning after 6 AM, long before anyone might be walking in the park. Two trucks, two men, loud and obnoxious when people were sleeping. How much did this cost in overtime on a Saturday night??? Could this have been some kind of retribution for the complaints that have come from neighborhood residents over the past year or so regarding Health Barn, safety issues, etc?
Ridgewood NJ, A resident up by Habernickel Park reported that on Saturday night January 14, at 1:30 AM (so by then it was early Sunday morning) loud talking, trucks, and snow blowing was taking place in Habernickel Park. As we all know, it was a light dusting of powdery snow, not a snow storm by any stretch. Most of us got by with doing no shoveling at all, since it was warm today and melted. At best a little salt on the sidewalks at Habernickel would have done the trick, spread by one quiet employee. This could have been done Sunday morning after 6 AM, long before anyone might be walking in the park. Two trucks, two men, loud and obnoxious when people were sleeping. How much did this cost in overtime on a Saturday night??? Could this have been some kind of retribution for the complaints that have come from neighborhood residents over the past year or so regarding Health Barn, safety issues, etc?
It took over 8 months to get a fence repaired up there, even though it was reported repeatedly. Surely that was more urgent (and more of a safety issue) than a dusting of snow at 1:30 in the morning
Ridgewood NJ, Funny how if you watch the 5 minute clip Tim Cronin announces no new lights on the home or park. 8 months later there are several new spot lights on the home, barn and now 2 commercial poles with footings and very bright lights in a parking lot in a park that closes at dusk and STAY on ALL night.
Also maybe because the speaker said no one uses the lot and very happily did Roberta agree, this is why this business was GIVEN 12 parking spots of her own for her business with no additional charge!
Sorry baseball families you are moved to the street. Just what the neighbors didn’t want…fishy!!!
Ridgewood NJ, Dogs are permitted at Habenickel. According to ordinance 212-29, dogs are only prohibited at Citizens Park, Graydon Park, Maple Park, Pleasant Park, Twinney Pond Park, Van Neste Park and Vets Field. Of course the RWD News had a photo of someone with a dog in Van Neste a week or two ago. And Aronsohn and Hauck had their dogs at Van Neste for some dog parade thing. So the rules are broken all the time. Was the kid badly hurt at Health Barn? Dog bite wounds can be very nasty. Dogs who bite are nasty.
You are correct that the dogs are permitted at Habernickel – but watch this how Paul, Roberta, Albert everyone laughed at a neighbor in front of over 100 residents and told her that she was breaking the law by walking her dog in that park.
Roberta flip-flops more than GW Bush. When the neighbor complaint that permitting kids in the passive area will affect her dog walking, they laughed at her because that suited them at that time to silence her. When HealthBarn wanted to install a dog feeding station for their marketing, Roberta allowed her, and they responded to a resident that “read the code, dogs are allowed”.
It doesn’t make sense that a village manager is announcing what a tenant has spent for their own personal gain at a public meeting? And then when the village manager is asked to provide facts about the information she put out there she is unable. How can a town like Ridgewood let this manager get away with this. If the information is said at a meeting then it should be available to the public at that moment. What is this healthbarn and what does it have to do with Ridgewood and the village manager? Seems a lot of time is spent on the subject. And a lot of the tax payers dollars are being used to help a business. I heard on one hand it is a partnership but then I heard that all Ridgewood is collecting is the same rent the tenant before paid. Any info is welcome
“The third section details capital investments that Health Barn has made at Habernickel. Health Barn has already exceeded its $60,000 capital commitment.”
ZERO FACTS to support this statement, and despite numerous e-mail requests made to Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld for backup details, NO INFORMATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO DATE.
In fact, in response to several e-mails from residents, Sonefeld replied in writing that “Stacey Antine is currently out of the country . . . ” (i.e., currently unable to provide the requested details) – however, within hours of Sonefeld’s e-mail being sent, Ms. Antine was observed walking to her car at 1057 Hillcrest Road, Ridgewood, NJ USA. Huh?
Leading many residents to wonder if the ” . . . already exceeded its $60,000 capital commitment” is a BOGUS statement (i.e., a lie).
Ridgewood NJ, Click Here for the Quarterly Health Barn Report. The report is divided into a couple of sections. On-site programs are delineated in the first section including number of students and percentage of Ridgewood students.
Section 2 speaks to field trip visits. The details of these are in the separately attached bus report.
The third section details capital investments that Health Barn has made at Habernickel. Health Barn has already exceeded its $60,000 capital commitment.
The fourth section lists other community outreach, partnerships and sponsorships.
And, finally the fifth section speaks to any relevant issues.
Ridgewood NJ , in April Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld responded to an email voicing safety concerns over the facility.
Neighbors say that the business Healthbarn USA Inc. was put before the safety of the residents of the community i.e. painted crosswalks as promised and signage for parking on one side of the street is astounding. Yet amazingly all of the work was done by the town for this business’s 4/1 start date.
The Village has now added lighting in a park that closes at dusk is another issue along with the fact the Ridgewood Water has been there 3 days in a row working to get the business Heathbarn USA a sprinkler for her garden. A garden that is on Green acres property but not for public use to my understanding.
Residents wonder how classes are approved to go until 9:00 when Ridgewood parks close at dusk. I understand that the lights were in the original plan 6 or so years ago, but the fact that they were never needed and are coming at this time seems more than coincidental.
Residents questions remained unanswered ,what is the current pricing for the lights ? Who paid for the village water to be tapped into for the business’s personal needs of water for her private garden? and who will be paying that water bill? Will this business follow water restrictions when in effect?
Soccer and baseball have started we are already seeing the effect of this large business be given 12 parking spots. This is causing Ridgewood tax payers to have no choice but to park on the street since the lot is now being taken away. There are no designated spots for Healthbarn, therefore these private clients are and will continue to utilize the entire parking lot. Residents of Ridgewood and the teams they are hosting for sports are being pushed into the street.
What is the effect of this commotion with 25 plus kids in a small home and 25 plus cars an hour will do to the natural habitat green acres is suppose to protect. Will not the lights deter the natural habitat that the owls maintain there at dusk.
Finally residents are demanding to know what is the percentage of Ridgewood children paying to attend this business? and again how is it a benefit to our town? Since the Village stated over and over at meetings “this would be a tremendous benefit to Ridgewood” Tax payers deserve an explanation of why this is a good thing?
Many neighbors actually feel as it is an imposition and very destructive to the neighborhood and to the park itself. The $3700.00 rent that this business is paying ( as did a family who were the tenants before paid ) does not seem like a fair trade off for all that is being taken away from the community and neighborhood.
Dear All,
I would like to clarify, address and correct the details in some of the recent correspondences regarding the Health Barn at Habernickel Park.
SPRINKLER SYSTEM: Let me start with the claim that a sprinkler system has been installed by the Village for the use of the Health Barn. This is not true. No sprinkler system has been or will be installed. Health Barn will be paying for any water that it uses. We have their usage metered separately. They will also be required to follow any watering restrictions that Ridgewood Water implements.
SUMMER SCHOOL BUSING: Ms. Rubin mentions that Health Barn is advertising on their website that they will be providing busing for children in the summer day camp program. We cannot find any reference to this on Health Barn’s website at all norwill this be occurring. Please provide the back-up for this claim.
RIDGEWOOD ATTANDANCE IN THE PROGRAMS: As far as the details surrounding the residences of the children in Health Barn’s classes, Ms. Antine is required by the lease to provide quarterly reporting that will be reviewed by Parks and Rec. This report is not due until June 30, 2016. I can provide some recent experiences with regard to where the children live that frequent her classes. Thursday’s seedlings class consisted of 12 children, all of whom were Ridgewood residents. Yesterday, there was a seedlings class of 6 young children – they were all from Ridgewood from the Hillcrest neighborhood. Also yesterday I observed an older children’s class of about 8 children none of whom were Ridgewood residents. As of yesterday morning, the enrollment for next week’s school break camp has 15 children, 9 of whom are Ridgewood residents.
As a reminder, by Green Acres rules, this is a park that is open to all, not just Ridgewood residents.
LIGHTING: Another issue mentioned was the lighting. Ms. Vellis is correct that the downward facing lights were in the original plans for Habernickel. They are in fact a safety feature that should be there regardless of Health Barn. As with other Village properties, these lights will be on from dusk to dawn.
HOURS OF OPERATION: The Gate House hours at Habernickel are in line with other Village buildings particularly the Stable; this is distinct from park hours. Ms Antine’s latest class ends at 9:00PM and then cleanup is required. The Stable, as an example, is open until 11PM.
OWLS:
We appreciate and celebrate owls in our parks. We cannot move their nests nor do we want to. We don’t see any issue with the various park activities at Habernickel and the well-being of the owl.
OUTSIDE THE PROPERTY:
As far as the changes regarding no parking signs, striping, etc. The no parking signs have been installed on the south side of Hillcrest. Striping cannot be done until the weather warms up – as soon as that occurs, our Signal Department will stripe.
In Closing:
In speaking with Stacy, she has always been steadfast in her resolve to be a good neighbor and to listen to the neighbors around her. In that spirit of cooperation, she would like to invite the neighbors to the Gate House so that you can see firsthand the significant improvements to the interior as well as discuss the programs and any other questions you may have. Please let Janet and myself know if this is of interest to you and we can make this offer to others in the neighborhood….and also let me know if you have any other questions.
Best, Roberta
Best regards,
Roberta
Roberta Sonenfeld Village Manager 201-670-5500, ext. 203
Ridgewood NJ, More data on who was harassing the people across from Habernickel that complained about Health Barn USA.
The Village Hall caught again attacking residents who question the council majority’s decisions .
Once again the Village Hall is caught bullying neighbors .
Although one page indicates that an “anonymous phone call” triggered the NJDEP inspection, another page in the report specifically identifies Christopher Rutishauser as the complainant. A recent OPRA request offers proof positive Rutishauser call led to the complaint.
file photo of the Council Majority …ie the 3 amigos
February 26,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, ,it does appear from recent OPRA requests that the Village harassed a resident who objected to Health Barn USA plan by calling DEP on them and conducting numerous property maintenance inspections.
The attached documents, obtained late Friday afternoon, February 26, 2016, in response to an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request dated February 3, 2016, clearly identify who it was that “dropped a dime” on your family.
It’s all public information available to anyone who submits an OPRA request. You may wish to share this with your friends and neighbors.
We have also filed an OPRA request with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection just to see if anything additional turns up.
It certainly is a shame that your speaking out in opposition to an irrational plan proposed by the Village Council “majority” triggered what appears to be nothing more than a vindictive series of trumped up code enforcement actions directed at your property.
