Tag: Hudson County Machine

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October 4th,the Ridgewood Planning Board will be discussing the Conflict of Interest complaint

CBD high density housing

Like last Sept 30th – Your help is needed

Friends and Neighbors,

I can’t believe it was a year ago today that over 600 of us went to Village Hall to stop the Village Council from moving forward on the High Density Housing issue. It was truly a remarkable night that brought people together and made an incredibly clear statement: We do not want high density housing in our Village!

So, here we are, a year later and we need your help yet again.

As most of you know, last March the previous VC majority passed an ordinance allowing these massive multifamily dwellings to be built – and make no mistake – once the shovels go into the ground, our schools in particular will be impacted.

What many of us didn’t know then is that the Planning Board and then the Village Council process was riddled with possible conflicts of interest. A few weeks ago, several residents and I filed a formal complaint requesting that the current Planning Board cease their high density site plan process immediately and investigate.

On Tuesday, October 4th, at 7:30pm in Village Hall the Planning Board will be discussing this formal complaint. I would urge you, for the sake of our kids, to attend so that the Planning Board is encouraged to make the right choice. If you do plan to come, please email me to help better coordinate the evening.

Please also consider sending the following note to the Planning Board and our Mayor via email:

Dear Mayor Knudsen, Chairman Joel and Planning Board Members,

I am aware that a group of concerned residents delivered a Motion of Complaint to the Ridgewood Planning Board, under By Law Sections 2.13 and 7.21, dated September 16th. Their motion brings to light a series of conflicts of interest and unacceptable mistakes that impacted the high density housing votes. It spotlights the truly defective process by which these highly unpopular ordinances (3489, 3490, 3491 and 3493) were passed. It is not right for Ridgewood residents to have such important decisions made, and the future of our village impacted, by a forum influenced by potential personal conflicts and/or mistakes. Preventing such actions is clearly the intent of the Planning Board’s own By Laws.

Therefore, I fully support the motion made by these residents. I ask that the Board stop all current high density site plan reviews and promptly begin a complete review of the residents’ complaints. Should any conflicts or mistakes be found, the Ordinance votes and Ordinances themselves should be rescinded and reevaluated via a proper and untainted process.

Secretary Cafarelli, please forward/print this email to all Planning Board members.

Thanks for considering this request.

EMAIL TO:
Mayor Susan Knudsen, Mayor (sknudsen@ridgewoodnj.net) Michael Cafarelli, Planning Board Secretary (mcafarelli@ridgewoodnj.net)
My email address: (leeda325@gmail.com)

Thanks for doing your part to protect our Village and hope to see you Tuesday night!

Sincerely,

Dana

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Mayor Knudsen defending Historical Preservation and honoring Open Space/Green Acres is not a conflict of interest, it is her fiduciary and ethical obligation

Save Our Schedler Members & Friends at the Schedler House3

file photo by Boyd Loving

September 30,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog and posters

Ridgewood NJ, no surprise that some people in town are not concerned that possible fraud would seem to merit some investigation as well as possible violations of fiduciary responsibility and pay for play violations .Some people have even gone to jail for these things , some people …

“Should this even be newsworthy? This person is obviously a repeat complainer who would rather spend time harassing Village staff (and costing tax payers money) instead of being with their children. They don’t realize their townhouses at one point were full with trees and got bulldozed over with residential complaints. If we want to throw rocks, Susan should recuse herself from any Shedler discussions due to the fact her parents house is located directly across from the property. Yes, by the text of the law not defined as “conflict of interest”, however I do not believe she can make wise decisions without prejudice. Godforbid a RSA member connections was on the council, these same people would be crying, suing for their removal.”

Jackie Hone’s response…. 

“Dear 12:46, “Anonymous.” Seek to understand. Watching or attending the meeting would help correct your statement. I am not a repeat complainer, harassing Village staff. I filed one complaint, that is finally being addressed, with merit. Thanks to the new Village Council, my claims are being substantiated one by one. As for costing tax payers money…this compliant saved tax payers approximately 10 million dollars and avoided destruction of Green Acres, Open Space and US History (check the facts). Mayor Knudsen defending Historical Preservation and honoring Open Space/Green Acres is not a conflict of interest, it is her fiduciary and ethical obligation. Sorry, but you are wrong on this one too. Additionally, Mayor Knudsen’s parents owning a house, across the street from Schedler (by the way it’s down the road), is not a conflict of interest. That point was addressed, looked into, checked again, re-checked and sniffed one last time just in case. Each and every time, legal counsel said there is no conflict of interest. Lastly, despite your ill-spirited comment (rather spend time harassing Village staff…instead of being with their children”), I invite you to meet before a Village Council meeting so I/we can share more. I’m sure you’ve heard, I have a huge binder with all the proof. I passionately believe residents should be up to date and truly know what is going on in their community. Email me atjhone201@yahoo.com.”

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Reader says Get rid of Roberta and her cronies already. Let those who love Ridgewood RULE

Van Neste Ridgewood

I was just at Van Neste,12:30 on Friday, a veritable slice of heaven, with people on benches quietly eating what looked like bagged lunches., some people just sitting and looking, walkers along the path, some dressed as workers, others as exercisers. Super peaceful and beautiful and calm, with even a working bubbler, water fountain, that is all that is needed in the way of water. Ni big fountain, please. And please, no fences on Walnut. Why make it ugly. Does Vanianos and company envision alcohol fueled parties with loud metallica noise-muzac, going late into night, Does the village manager and company envision alcohol fueled events at Van Neste and drunken people falling off the edge. That makes me very angry. The field stone wall around the park on Walnut is all that is needed. Get rid of Roberta and her cronies already. Let those who love Ridgewood RULE.

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Reader asks Why Suddenly all these crazy irresponsible planning boondoggles in Ridgewood at Once ?

3 amigos

file photo by Boyd Loving

Why all of a sudden all these crazy irresponsible planning boondoggles..

This is a serious management issue in the Town of Ridgewood.All these oversized non conforming parking decks and MIS sited ball fields / With Light Incursions into an existing neighborhood have a common theme..

Our Town is out of control with some pushing own Agendas and telling homeowners to just move over and suck it up. Despite serious impact to property Rights and values as well as dangerous mis planning. Who will pay the lawsuits for injuries fatalities for misplaced expansion accidents.

 

boon·dog·gle
ˈbo͞onˌdäɡəl,-ˌdôɡəl/

NORTH AMERICAN  

informal
noun

1.
work or activity that is wasteful or pointless but gives the appearance of having value.
“writing off the cold fusion phenomenon as a boondoggle best buried in literature”

verb

1.
waste money or time on unnecessary or questionable projects.

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A Reminder from the Ridgewood blog : You get the Government you vote for

3 amigos in action Ridgewood NJ

You get the Government you vote for. So all you posters that voted for the 3 Amigos and now posting negative about them let me remind you what your vote did and how it screwed the rest of us. Yes Westside hows your leaf pick up coming along and the high density housing ?Yes Preserve Graydon Group hows the new ramp looking? Yes Shedler hows the house coming along and enjoy the 90X60 baseball field. We are all looking forward to the 5 story parking garage and increase in parking rates and hours. Let not forget the 0% tax increase for two years. Money taken from the emergency fund and the down grade of municipal services . Thank for that. Oh and I almost forgot. Thanks for the increase in the debt service which we will be paying for long after you 3 are gone.

ALBERT J PUCCIARELLI 2078 55.50%

KEITH KILLION 1711 45.70%

RUSSELL R FORENZA 817 21.82%

PAUL ARONSOHN 2479 66.21%

MARY JANE SHINOZUKA 1484 39.64%

GWENN H HAUCK 1727 46.13%

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Mayor and his Cronies Accused of Bad Mouthing Local Ridgewood Business’s that do not support their agenda

paul Aronsohn

November 30,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridewood NJ, Reader posts , “Paul Aronsohn – the same Paul Aronsohn that contacted one of my clients and tried to convince him not to stop using my services. All because I do not support Mr. Aronsohn’s policies. I ask you, what gives Mr. Aronsohn the right to interfere with my business operations? The answer is, he has no right to do so but he thinks because he is the mayor of Ridgewood and I’m a resident of Ridgewood, he can get into my personal business. Time to contact an attorney about Mr. Aronsohn’s big mouth.”

We have heard this story all to often , most are familiar with the attempt to derail Mike Sendon’s campaign with a despicable and cowardly email to his employer . And most are keenly aware that this was a third rate low life attempt to disenfranchise Ridgewood voters .

Advertises on this blog have been attacked and subtly threatened , fake blogs have been set up by local failures to attack this blog the list goes on and on.Playing favorites may not be a crime but it is terrible governance. Bringing Hudson County politics into Ridgewood is lowering the entire standing of this town and its residents . The bad news for the purveyors of this garbage is that  this isn’t Hudson County and its never going to be . Elections come and go but Ridgewood will always be Ridgewood .

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The “jig is up” on Ridgewood’s 3 Amigos

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October 2,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Finally, it has become abundantly clear, that the current Council majority totally disrespects the will and wishes of the taxpayers of Ridgewood. The Ridgewood “elite” has woken from their Pinot Noir induced stupor and seen and heard the arrogance of the three worst Council members of all time.

They are, by far, the most self-serving, small minded nit wits ever to grace the dais. The jig is up! Their back room dealing and campaign donor promises, at the expense and pain of the Ridgewood taxpayers, have come to light and people now have seen the three deceitful Council members as they truly are.

Let them know it’s time to pack their “carpet bags” and move on. Al can go back to his day job, Gwenn can get back to her regularly scheduled nail and hair appointments and Paul can move to Washington and help Hillary pack for prison.

By the way October 13  is the last day to Register to Vote in Nov. 3 Election. On Tuesday, October 13 from 8:30am to 4:30pm, voter registration forms are available in the Village Clerk’s Office on the 5th Floor of Village Hall.

On October 13 from 4:30pm to 9:00pm the Village Clerk will be in the Ridgewood Library Lobby with forms to assist residents with voter registration.

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the fly has leaned the Village is looking to hire some friends at a higher pay rate …

fly-on-wall

According to the Ridgewood News , last week, the Village Council discussed a possible change to an ordinance that would allow for the hiring of employees at a pay rate higher than the lowest salary possible on a case-by-case basis. ( https://www.northjersey.com/news/proposal-would-allow-higher-pay-rate-1.1412612 )Various excuses were made ,coupled with phony claims of looking to hire the “best”

But the real reasons seem clear to most residents they are looking to hire more of their friends at a higher rate. Its seems there was already an attempt  to bring cops in from the County but the problem was they had less then a year on and the County would not release them. So this is  good management? You try to save money so you bring people in at a higher step on the pay scale? Wow I must have missed this. I just want to ask you do you want an ex Paterson , Newark or Trenton cops patrolling the streets of Ridgewood?

Already we have seen the new HR supervisor is anything but personable.  She has a very disturbing personality and won’t acknowledge people she has a problem with including a council member. In her first appearance before the council, she couldn’t even hide her anger about being questioned.

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Hudson County Machine: U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez is not the first Hudson County politician to be charged with coruption

menednez_ridgewood trainstation_theridgewoodblog

file photo by Boyd Loving

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, the former Union City mayor, was indicted on charges that include conspiracy to commit bribery and wire fraud. Here’s a list of some Hudson County politicians and power brokers who were charged and convicted on corruption counts

More details:  https://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2015/04/hudson_county_politics_convicted_of_corruption_cha.html

Thomas Whelan, former Jersey City mayor, John V. Kenny, former Jersey City mayor and county power broker; and Thomas Flaherty, former Jersey City City Council president:

William V. Musto, former Union City mayor: Musto was sentenced to prison in 1982 for helping mobsters and contractors pocket public money

Robert Janiszewski, former Hudson County executive: “Bobby J” pleaded guilty in 2002 to taking more than $100,000 in bribes.

David Friedland, former assemblyman and state senator: Friedland was convicted on racketeering charges in 1980,

Paul Byrne, admitted bagman for Janiszewski: took bribes for his best friend, Janiszewski.

Joe Barry, real estate mogul: Barry paid illegal kickbacks to Janiszewski.

Anthony Russo, former Hoboken mayor. Russo admitted to taking thousands of dollars in bribes from city contractors .

Peter Cammarano, former mayor of Hoboken. He pleaded guilty in federal court to taking $25,000 in bribes

Dennis Elwell, former mayor of Secaucus. Elwell collected $10,000 in bribes as part of Bid Rig III sting.

Edward Cheatam, former Jersey City Housing Authority director: Cheatam pleaded guilty to extortion conspiracy

Leona Beldini, former Jersey City Deputy Mayor: She was convicted of collecting $20,000 in illegal campaign contributions

Mariano Vega, former Jersey City Council President: Vega took $30,000 in illegal contributions

Joseph Cardwell, Hudson County political operative and former Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority commissioner: Cardwell collected $30,000 bribe

Philip Kenny, former Jersey City councilman. Kenny pleaded guilty of taking $5,000 bribe.

Nidia Davila-Colon, former Hudson County freeholder. Davila-Colon was convicted of passing bribes in 1999 to Janiszewski,

Bill Braker, former Hudson County freeholder. Pleaded guilty to attempted extortion.

Peter Perez, former North Bergen commission: Perez pleaded guilty in 2002 to accepting $26,000 in home improvements

Angelo J. Sarubbi, former North Bergen mayor: Sarubbi pleaded guilty in 1976 to extorting a kickback

Michael DiGiovanni, former North Bergen commissioner:  pleaded guilty to bribery.

https://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2015/04/hudson_county_politics_convicted_of_corruption_cha.html

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The Gift that Keeps Giving: Four months on Hudson County payroll gets Jim McGreevey lifetime benefits

Jim_McGreevey_by_David_Shankbone_theridgewoodblog

County exec, mayor defend McGreevey, call for changes in system lol 

Jim McGreevey conman of the century 

Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise and Mayor Steve Fulop today defended former Gov. Jim McGreevey, one day after The Jersey Journal reported on McGreevey’s four-month stint as a county attorney that led to lifetime health benefits paid for by county taxpayers. Terrence T. McDonald, The Jersey Journal, Read more

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Residents See More than a bike lane they see the East West Divide in Ridgewood

20150823_130241_resized
August 25,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Bike lanes are still major concern for safety at the Ridgewood rail underpass. Most observers failed to see the logic from the beginning of of the construction  for changing from two lanes to one and adding extremely dangerous bike lanes under the trestle .

Like the ADA elevators to nowhere that proceeded it resident were quite skeptical at its introduction . Contrary to the elevators ,which seem good for a laugh , the bike lane presents a clear danger to bikers . Not to mention the slow down to emergency services through town .
Recent developments like the continued effort to fill the “east side” with sports fields  have refocused a light on what may have been the real purpose of the so called ‘ “traffic calming”.  Resident now speculate that it is another attempt to inhibit traffic into the west side of town making it more difficult for new residents living in the new high density housing to enter the west side . There also seems to be a movement growing to bus any new children to Hawes school and not to the select schools in the west side like Orchard and Willard  .
Residents again speculate that the bike lane is being used as an excuse to further divide the town like Englewood , giving certain types of politicians a voting block to ensure their perpetual election.
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Readers ask Why did Senator Menendez Pick the Ridgewood Train Station to to Launch a Mass Transit Policy Initiative?

3 amigos

photo by Boyd Loving

Why did he choose Ridgewood for this speech (flanked by his favorite union power brokers, btw)?
Odd choice since RW is not a major NJ transit hub…

Is it our “non-partisan” elections ?

Or perhaps it is another step towards politicizing the village and bringing Hudson county style Democrat political machinery into the village? (we are a tempting – rich, clueless – prize after all)

Maybe it is just something as simple as (yet another) attempt by Aronsohn to revive his political “career”.

who knows…

Ridgewood IS NOT one of NJ Transit’s busiest stations… its not even in the top 7 according to the 2014 “NJ Transit Facts at a Glance” sheet.
.
LINK: https://www.njtransit.com/pdf/FactsAtaGlance.pdf
.
Here is what NJ Transit lists as its top Seven:
.
Stations with the Highest Boarding Levels Avg. Weekday Boardings
Penn Station New York (Rail) ……………………………………………. 87,130
Port Authority Bus Terminal (Bus) ………………………………………. 78,014
Newark Penn Station (Rail) ……………………………………………….. 27,224
Frank R. Lautenberg Secaucus Junction (Rail)…………………..24,459
Hoboken Terminal (Rail) …………………………………………………… 14,444
Metropark Station (Rail) ……………………………………………………… 7,748
Princeton Junction (Rail) …………………………………………………….. 6,799
.
Ridgewood has 1,400 riders per day
LINK:
https://www.stantec.com/our-work/projects/united-states-projects/r/ridgewood-station-rehabilitation.html#.VastQWfbKpc
.
Menendez wouldn’t go to a 2nd rate train stop unless it served some other purpose for himself (or his political buddies in the village)

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Reader says Ridgewood’s Village government will be co-opted

Village _council_meeting_theridgewoodblog

As sure as you’re born, a parking garage erected by Ridgewood’s village government will be co-opted for use by out-of-town commuters in accordance with the preferences of those seeking to dismantle New Jersey’s deeply ingrained “home rule” tradition and replace it with a new oligarchical style of regional government. Imagine a regional, multi-county board of overseers populated by Gwen Hauck-type cloned hand-puppets easily manipulated by nameless, faceless third-party wealthy power brokers. That’s what many forward-thinking progressive statists see in their dreams. They don’t give a whit about mere business owners and their parking concerns…

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Reader says Mr. Aronsohn’s, Mr. Pucciarelli’s and Mrs. Hauck’s continue to behave as though “rules are for others”.

Healthywealthy

Reader says Mr. Aronsohn’s, Mr. Pucciarelli’s and Mrs. Hauck’s continue to behave as though “rules are for others”.

This is only the latest example of Mr. Aronsohn’s, Mr. Pucciarelli’s and Mrs. Hauck’s behaving as though “rules are for others”. They all accepted free tickets to Gov. Christie’s fundraiser from Mr. Saraceno in violation of the Council’s own gift acceptance policy. The 3 have also been caught meeting with developers in violation of the Sunshine Laws. Twice. Mrs. Hauck was allowed to cast her vote for Mayor from vacation but Mrs. Knudson was not able to vote remotely on another issue.

Just ask Mr. Richie, who these 3 tarred and feathered over the “perception of a conflict” when Mrs. Hauck publicly advocates for Valley Hospital’s expansion. Just ask our former Village Manager who was publicly ridiculed and dismissed over what these 3 considered to be his failure to follow the rules.

Never have I seen such blatant double standards. None of these 3 would ever have a shot at maintaining standards to which they hold their critics

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Outside Money and High-placed friends aided Bergen County Democrats

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Outside Money and High-placed friends aided Bergen County Democrats

NOVEMBER 8, 2014, 4:47 PM    LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2014, 12:01 AM
BY CHARLES STILE
RECORD COLUMNIST |
THE RECORD

A trio of Democrats launched a fierce and costly courtship of Bergen County Democratic Chairman Lou Stellato, whose blessing could make or break their bids to become the next New Jersey governor three years from now.

They arrived in Bergen County eager to demonstrate the depth of their loyalty. They brought their checkbooks. They brought their donors and operatives. And one brought an expensive “micro-targeting” guru to pinpoint Democratic votes.

Phillip Murphy is a former Goldman Sachs executive and a former U.S. ambassador to Germany.

Together they invested nearly $160,000 in Democrat James Tedesco’s defeat of Republican County Executive Kathleen Donovan on Tuesday and the reelection of Freeholders David Ganz and Joan Voss. The money represented nearly 18 percent of the Democratic campaign, state campaign finance records show.

But money told only part of the |story.

Senate President Stephen Sweeney, an officer of a South Jersey ironworkers local, used his influence to steer ironworker money into the state and helped prevent Donovan’s team from snapping up support from other trade unions.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/stile-high-placed-friends-aided-bergen-county-democrats-1.1129627