the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The legal battle over Valley Hospital’s tax status just took a sharp turn, leaving the Village of Ridgewood facing a potential “windfall” that looks more like a financial crater. Here is the breakdown of Judge Nicholas Ostuni’s recent ruling and what it means for your tax dollars.
photo courtesy of Village Manager Keith Kazmark
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood, NJ.,On April 2nd, Mayor Paul Vagianos and Village Manager Keith Kazmark stepped up to the plate, joining an emergency summit of leaders from across Legislative District 40. Meeting face-to-face with Senator Kristin Corrado, Assemblyman Chris DePhillips, and Assemblyman Al Barlas, Ridgewood’s leadership made it clear: local taxpayers need relief, and they need it now.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
RIDGEWOOD, NJ — The Village of Ridgewood has officially introduced its 2026 municipal budget, navigating what officials describe as an “especially tough” fiscal year. Driven largely by a massive spike in healthcare costs and emergency snow removal, the proposed budget includes a 3.98% tax levy increase over 2025.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
RIDGEWOOD, NJ — The recent election results are sending shockwaves through Bergen County as 7,004 Ridgewood residents—nearly 63% of the local electorate—cast their ballots for Mikie Sherrill for Governor.
The lopsided victory has ignited a fierce debate among residents regarding the village’s future, specifically concerning the controversial Mt. Laurel doctrine and the looming threat of overdevelopment.
Continue reading Ridgewood’s 63% Vote for Mikie Sherrill: Is Overdevelopment Coming to the Village?
photos courtesy of Village Manger Keith Kazmark
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, great news for residents of Ridgewood, Midland Park, and Wyckoff! Ridgewood Water has successfully completed a critical infrastructure upgrade designed to eliminate those frustrating low water pressure situations.
photo courtesy of Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the Village of Ridgewood is moving forward with a major remediation project to remove vast amounts of contaminated soil and solid waste from the historic Zabriskie-Schedler House property on West Saddle River Road.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, in an effort to promote transparency and combat misinformation circulating online, Ridgewood Village Manager Keith Kazmark has released the second edition of “The Manager’s Fact Check Friday.” The latest update addresses three contentious issues currently dominating local discussions: flood mitigation at Village Hall, the environmental status of the Zabriskie-Schedler property, and the progress on a decades-old Green Acres issue.
the staff of the Ridewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood’s long-running saga over the Zabriskie-Schedler property has taken a dramatic turn. New details from official records, including explicit communications between the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and the Village’s engineering firm, strongly suggest that wetlands were confirmed on the site months before Village officials publicly minimized or denied their existence.
The core issue: Was the public deliberately misled about a crucial environmental factor while the Village Council signed off on contracts that explicitly referenced the wetlands?
photo courtesy of the Village Manager Keith Kazmark
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood is aggressively tackling its long-standing flooding issues. Last week, the Ridgewood Residential Flood Advisory Committee—a dedicated group of volunteer residents—toured the Village’s most flood-prone areas, visiting the Saddle River, the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook, and areas prone to stormwater system backups.
From ‘Fact Check’ to Failure: Why Government Attempts to Control the ‘Truth’ Backfire—Lessons from Ridgewood to 9/11
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
RIDGEWOOD, NJ – The best of intentions can sometimes lead to the most challenging outcomes when it comes to government communication. Ridgewood Village Manager Keith Kazmark’s initiative, “The Manager’s Fact Check Friday,” which launched with the stated goal of providing “good, accurate information—right from the source,” appears to have quietly been discontinued.
The initial rollout was framed as a necessary response to a “world where we question the accuracy and truthfulness of all types of information.” However, the cessation of the program raises a critical question: Does any governmental entity claiming the sole authority to “fact check” or define “truth” inevitably undermine the public trust it aims to build?
Ridgewood Village Hall Solar Panels Haven’t Worked for YEARS—And They’re About to Be Ripped Out.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood, NJ – The Ridgewood Village Council is ditching the solar panels on the roof of Village Hall. The decision, revealed by Village Manager Keith Kazmark on Wednesday night (July 2, 2025), has sparked concern and raised questions among taxpayers and local observers.
The primary reason for the removal? Citing pervasive “cable and conduit failures,” the Council determined that removing the panels is the logical step as part of an upcoming necessary roof replacement project.
I’m reaching out to request a correction to the article you published today concerning Keith Kazmark’s past.
In the piece, you mischaracterize Ron Arnau’s tenure on the town council and as municipal chair of the Woodland Park Democrats. To clarify: Ron’s service did not overlap with Mr. Kazmark’s. Ron was appointed to fill Tracy Kallert’s seat on the council, and any quotes attributed to him in the article were not made in reference to Mr. Kazmark or his tenure in Woodland Park politics.
We respect and support your commitment to producing free and independent local journalism. However, we ask that reporting remain accurate. As it stands, the article misrepresents both Ron’s statements and the political history of Woodland Park. We would greatly appreciate a correction.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, in June 2023, Keith Kazmark made a pivotal career shift, resigning as Woodland Park Mayor to take on the role of Village Manager in Ridgewood, New Jersey. With a resume that includes serving as clerk and administrator in Elmwood Park and administrator in Parsippany, Kazmark brought a wealth of experience to his new position.
Continue reading Village Manager of Ridgewood Issues Year End Memorandum
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood community is invited to “Meet the Manager” meeting on Monday, September 18th at Village Hall. All are invited to share ideas, concerns and opinions. Woodland Park Mayor Keith Kazmark resigned to become the new village manager of Ridgewood. Kazmark previously served as Elmwood Park clerk and administrator and as the administrator in Parsippany. In addition to his former mayoral duties, Kazmark also served as the administrator in Woodland Park.
