Ridgewood NJ, We just received a text from a reader that included photos taken off of Jeff Voigt’s Facebook page of theConservancy for Ridgewood Public Lands’ Butterfly Garden grand opening event. The event was held at The Stable (taxpayer owned property) on Thursday, 06/21.
NO VILLAGE COUNCIL MEMBERS OTHER THAN JEFF VOIGT WERE LISTED AS HAVING ATTENDED THE EVENT. THE STAFF OF THE RIDGEWOOD BLOG WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF ANY VILLAGE COUNCIL MEMBERS OTHER THAN COUNCILMAN VOIGT INVITED TO ATTEND. WHAT SAY YOU MRS. HALABY?
In attendance were, among others – Nancy Bigos, Heather Mailander, Tony Daminao, Janice Willett, Siobhan Winograd, Roberta Sonenfeld, Cynthia Halaby, Lauren Saraceno, Chris Raimondi, and Jeffrey Voigt.
Ridgewood NJ, the continued bogus nepotism attacks on the Mayors sons are doing nothing but undermining the authority of both the Ridgewood Police Department and Ridgewood Fire Department . Ridgewood is a state of New Jersey Civil Service municipality, candidates are ranked based on standardized test results ,dispersions to the contrary are nothing more than attacks on members of Ridgewood PBA Local 20 and Ridgewood Professional Firefighters FMBA Local 47.
According to the “Bergen Record” Councilman Jeff Voigt wondered how a fire chief or police chief would be able to properly supervise the mayor’s kids, even if she is not directly involved in overseeing the department. It raises thorny issues, he said. And again letting Voigt make fallacious assertions , “That puts them in an uncomfortable situation,” he said. “They [the kids] may even get preferential treatment.”
So Jeff Voigt , Rurik Halaby, Don Delzio, Janice Willett, Alexandra Harwin and the rest of their band of misfits followers all think the Ridgewood Police and the Ridgewood Fire Department are failing to adequately protect the public?
And In effect saying that the Chief of Police Jacqueline Luthcke and Fire Chief James Van Goor can not properly supervise their staff?
Ridgewood NJ, Village Council elections will be held on May 8th and there are 4 candidates competing for two village council seats. There are two challengers , Janice Willett and Alexandra Harwin
and two current incumbent council members Susan Knudsen and Mike Sedon.
Ridgewood Council candidates -Two four-year council seats
Ridgewood NJ, we have just learned that Janice Willett has been certified as a candidate for Village Council. Willett has run before and developer John Saraceno supported Richard Brooks, Evan Weitz, along with Janice Willett for Village Council .
Last time she ran the progress Ridgewood group ran an ad in the Ridgewood News saying Richard Brooks, Evan Weitz, along with Janice Willett will be at the candidates forum at Park West Loft on May 2nd. You can only go, if you signed the pledge. The pledge was the brain child of Paul Vagianos, see the Ridgewood blog below :
Ridgewood NJ, Why is the Mayor and his 3 Candidates fighting so hard to keep the Village Manager. Why are they getting so involved with this when the entire council Majority is not running for reelection. . Reminds me of the following definition :
“The lady doth protest too much, methinks” is a quotation from the 1599/ 1600 play Hamlet by William Shakespeare. It has been used as a figure of speech, in various phrasings, to describe someone’s too frequent and vehement attempts to convince others of some matter of which the opposite is true, thereby making themselves appear defensive, and insincere.
In rhetorical terms, the phrase can be thought of as indicating an unintentional apophasis—where the speaker who “protests too much” in favor of some assertion puts into others’ minds the idea that the assertion is false, something that they may not have considered before.
The Village Manager has no contact and serves at the pleasure of the Council. If the 3 amigos wanted to keep her so bad then maybe they should have run for re election.
In the Village Hall it was observed Roberta proudly displaying the full page advertisement that appears on page A-11 (about retaining her) of Fridays Ridgewood News to staff members gathered in the waiting area outside of her office.
How inappropriate was it of her to conduct a forced discussion about politics with her people who report to her.
By the way, that ad was paid for by the following families:
Richard & Carla Fels, 227 Sunset
Michael & Amy Greenstone, 122 Sunset
Sommer (first names & address unknown)
Taylor (first names & address unknown)
Peter & Allison Von Halle, 48 Clinton
Ridgewood NJ, A candidate for public office should not be signing a pledge from a special interest group. This is just wrong and I am surprised that candidates need to be told this.
If you support garage design D that is fine, just say it. This information is helpful to voters.
In NJ conflict of interest includes:
5) No State officer or employee or special State officer or employee should undertake any employment or service, whether compensated or not, which might reasonably be expected to impair his objectivity and independence of judgment in the exercise of his official duties.
(6) No State officer or employee or special State officer or employee should accept any gift, favor, service or other thing of value under circumstances from which it might be reasonably inferred that such gift, service or other thing of value was given or offered for the purpose of influencing him in the discharge of his official duties.
(7) No State officer or employee or special State officer or employee should knowingly act in any way that might reasonably be expected to create an impression or suspicion among the public having knowledge of his acts that he may be engaged in conduct violative of his trust as a State officer or employee or special State officer or employee.
#1. so here is a pic of Paul Vagianos’ invitation to his party at the “clubhouse”, with his fellow restaurants owners,
landlords, developers, investors and everyone else who stands to make a HUGE PROFIT off of the garage and multifamily housing.
#2 But you can only play with us “if you sign a pledge”
This is absurd.The three respectable candidates will absolutely not be signing this ridiculous pledge.
Thank you Jeff Voigt, Bernadette Coghlan-Walsh and Ramon Hache for pledging to represent the people of Ridgewood as independent candidates.
Paul Vagianos, landlord/restaurant owner – hanging up sign at KEN SMITH SITE, recently rezoned for high density housing at 35 units per acre – under the guidance of PLANNING BOARD ATTORNEY GAIL PRICE – wife of Rich Brooks, Village Council Candidate –
Sign endorses the Three New AMIGOS…slogan is Ridgewood 2020 A Clear Vision For Our Future .Shouldn’t RIDGEWOOD be thinking PROGRESS well past 2020?
#3 A sign supporting Richard Brooks, Evan Weitz, and Janice Willett for Village Council recently appeared in the window of the former Ken Smith Motors building, a property now managed by Onyx Equities, LLC. Ridgewood resident and local property developer John Saraceno is a principal of Onyx Equties, LLC.
Ridgewood NJ, Yes the debate was pretty mundane. No big shockers. Voight, Walsh and Hache all said the Valley compromise is too big, and a 3% reduction is no compromise. They will work to have it come to a better conclusion.
Both Weitz and Brooks both defended their support of the Valley expansion as if reading from the same script: “You know, Valley Hospital is our neighbor, too.”
They all spoke about the current divisiveness in the council, and that they could work with anyone.
Voigt had a lot of knowledge about many of the topics being discussed. He will dig beyond the surface of all of the issues.
Walsh showed she has the experience and knowledge to jump right in. Hache was confident, intelligent, and thoughtful in his responses.
There was no mention of Brooks being married to Gail Price (lawyer for the planning board that guided them to
a yes for Valley, and a yes to tripling Ridgewood’s density)
Evan Weitz has only lived here a few years. When asked why he hasn’t been seen at any council meetings, his response was
basically, “The council meetings are late, I have young kids, I have a day job, I watch on TV after they go to bed.” He has not voted in a municipal election since he moved here.
On a side note many readers felt Brooks looks just like radio’s Don Imus .
Best parts of the night: Rurik Haliby was told to sit down by the moderator, and was not allowed to ask a question.
Paul Aronsohn was up to ask a question, when the moderator called time. He was not allowed to speak! The crowd broke out into applause!
Reader gives their take of the League of Women Voters Candidates Night .
Not much fireworks tonight – but a few immediate take aways about the three candidates supported by the Mayor and the developers..
Weitz is too busy to have gone to Council meetings during the past two years. And, he was too busy to vote. How the heck is he going to fulfill his duties should he be elected?
Willet is happy with the housing density because she believes it is a good thing to bring more students into our Ridgewood school system. At the same time, she is going to hold down costs. Not quite sure how she is going to balance the two. She doesn’t quite seem balanced.
Brooks is in favor of nepotism rule, and apparently he does not think anyone should be deleted if they have a connection to someone holding a public position. He forgot to mention his wife is the planning board attorney so he did not explain how he is going to be able to vote on anything important that comes before the council in the next couple of years should he somehow be elected. Frankly, he seems a bit dull.
Many were very impressed with Hache, his honesty about what can and cannot be done in Ridgewood with regard to high density, not saying he will try to limit it, that means nothing. Hache did not pander for votes.
I thought he was right to leave option open about eminent domain on the toxic site of town garage. It’s vital that toxic site be cleaned up, if a private owner cannot be made to do it; taxpayers must pay for it.
The town should not sell our water facilities and lose control.
Hache stated most clearly on not wanting a large field at Schedler.
Rurik was out of order when he spoke; he had to be told to sit down, because he couldn’t stick to the issues. He had to beg Walsh for a personal clarification that she was not insulting his wife’s work at Twinney’s.
That’s what we need at council meetings. A presiding official to monitor those who insult others, like Rurik and to tell them to sit down immediately. Those who cannot stick to the issues.
Ridgewood NJ, The league of Women Voters will host the Ridgewood Council candidates night tonight at 7:30pm at the Village Hall.
Village of Ridgewood Candidates night format for the evening will include welcome from the president, flag salute, and an introduction of our esteemed moderator and the candidates. The moderator will then take over.
Opening statements 11/2minutes each
Questions # 1 2 3 1 1/2 minutes each question
Cross talk on each question 5 minutes in total each question
Questions from the public 40 minutes
Closing statements 1/1/2 minutes each
1. During the recent budget proceedings, Ridgewood Water outlined a six year, approximately 40 million dollar capital plan to
update the facility which serves not only Ridgewood but also Glen Rock, Midland Park and Wyckoff. Should the town invest the money
to update the facility or should we consider selling the utility and why?
2. We are looking at potential new development in Ridgewood , in the downtown area and the Central Business District (garage and
multi family housing at several locations). What measures would you propose to minimize disruption to traffic flow, local businesses and home owners and to ensure pedestrian safety?
3. Regarding the Town Garage location on Franklin Avenue and the adjacent municipal lots, the Department of Environmental Protection has cited these properties for remediation due to underground fuel tanks that are leaking diesel and hydraulic fuel into
the surrounding ground water. There has been talk of charging the cleanup to a potential developer or acquiring the garage site by
eminent domain and doing it ourselves. How do we address this problem in the most expedient manner so that no further
contamination occurs and serves the best interest of the village?
Ridgewood NJ, On Wednesday, April 20, the League of Women Voters of Ridgewood will hold a moderated forum for candidates who are running for Village Council in the May 10 Municipal Election. The forum will be held at Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue at 7:30.There are six challengers for three open seats on the Ridgewood Town Council: Richard Brooks, Ramon Hache, Jeffrey Voigt, Bernadette Coghlan-Walsh, Evan Weitz, and Janice Willett.
The candidates will each provide a background statement and will answer questions provided by the League. There will also be time for questions from the public.
Candidates Night will be televised live on Cablevision-Channel 77 and Fios-Channel 34.Ms Barbara King from the Fairlawn League of Women Voters will moderate the forum. If you have any questions about the forum or the League of Women Voters, please contact Joan Burns at 201-615-6614.
