Tag: Ridgewood Art Institute

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Time for Random Drug Testing at Ridgewood Schools

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December 16,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, In a letter to Hopewell Valley Central High School parents this week, district Superintendent Thomas Smith spelled out his intention to propose a random drug-testing program for students next school year.

Given the events of the last few months some observers think it would be prudent for the Ridgewood School district to follow suit.

According to NJ.COM , The proposed plan comes after officials at the Hopewell Valley Central High School saw an increase in students under the influence of marijuana, prescription drugs and alcohol, he said. Smith also said the district has discovered middle school students under the influence.

During the 2015-16 school year, seven students violated the substance abuse policy, and in the 2016-17 year, the number rose to 24.

Under the proposed policy, a student who tests positive under the random test would not receive the current academic suspension, “but rather alternatives that focus on prevention such as meeting with the Student Assistance Counselor (SAC) and attending and completing an Early Intervention Program,” Smith wrote.

Superintendent Thomas Smith claimed that no test results would initiate criminal charges or an investigation. The district will not share test results with any law enforcement agency.

The policy would apply to all students in grades 9-12 who are in any extra-curricular or co-curricular activities, or any student who holds a permit to park on school property.It will also apply to any student who voluntarily elects to the program with parental consent.

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Ridgewood Estate Card offers Rewards to Local Shoppers With Property Tax Savings

Christmas Tree Village of Ridgewood

December 16,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood has a new property tax savings program that aims to encourage residents to think and shop locally in exchange for a break on their tax bill. Property taxes in Ridgewood, New Jersey are among the highest in the state.

The Village of Ridgewood is now offering prepaid debit cards and instead of points or miles, you get property tax relief. The new program is called the Estate Card. It’s run by Municipal Cards, LLC.

Every time you are out and about in the Village you can save money. Debit Cardholders add money every month to their accounts to receive a base .25 percent on purchases towards their property taxes plus as much as an additional 30% at participating national retailers like Walmart, and local merchants like Trattoria La Bocca.

Traditionally businesses are usually charged a fee for swiping a credit card, but with the Estate Card this fee, in part, is rebated back to the customer towards their third quarter property taxes.

Businesses hope it will lure shoppers in to the central business district and for the Village it comes with an added advantage of revenue coming in sooner.
For consumers there is no monthly cost, spending requirement, or limit on the cards. The more you shop, the more tax dollars you save. The Estate Card is also available in other New Jersey towns such as Bridgewater, East Brunswick and South Plainfield.

 

Village of Ridgewood Estate card :

https://ridgewoodestatecard.com/

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Former Village Manager Takes the Heat for One Sided ParkMobile Contract in Ridgewood

Roberta Sonenfeld

file photo by Boyd Loving

December 16,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The Village Council voted to terminate its contract with Parkmobile this week, after it was discovered that the Village had incurred huge service fees with the parking app they have used since 2015.

park mobile

The Fee issue was first raised publicly during an October meeting when CFO Robert Rooney told the council that the parking utility loses about 30 cents on the dollar every time the smartphone app is used. He said that since signing its contract with Parkmobile in February 2015, the village has paid $140,000 in service fees to the company.

Resolution 15-52 , the resolutions granting ParkMobile a 2 year contract ,clearly states that the Village will incur no additional service fees or contract fees .

Most of the blame has fallen on Roberta Sonenfeld who was the Village Manager, although she thought she was an elected official. The fact is she should never EVER have signed that contract when she was only authorized by resolution to sign a contract with NO ADDITIONAL FEES.

Reader stated , “that She bragged about her business prowess and being a Six Sigma expert. Based on her acrimonious, arrogant and ignorant behavior, she proved to be a Five Phi Failure!”

 

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Reader says the former Village Manager really thinks that by stating outright lies it will somehow make them come true.

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Hahaha, read the Ridgewood News today that Ms. Sonenfeld says (and I quote)….
“The misinformation currently circulating about the Parkmobile contract is curious at best. No Village money goes to Parkmobile.” So speaks Ms. Roberta Sonenfeld.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is one of the many reasons why Ms. Sonenfeld was poison to our Village. Yes, Roberta, Village money DOES got to Parkmobile. Did you even read the contract you signed in March of 2015? Fifteen cents on each transaction goes to Parkmobile. So does 3% of the total transaction paid by the user (which includes the 35 cent fee the user pays, so Parkmobile collects twice). It has amounted to a TON of money over the past 2+ years.
Shaking my head. She really thinks that by stating outright lies it will somehow make them come true.

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Reader says Financial Advisory Committee was Aronsohn’s breeding ground for his little puppets

Village Council election signs

Miss Willett is in the same bitter school as Evan Weitz,and Roberta Sonenfeld from the failed FAC. That FAC was Aronsohn’s breeding ground for his little puppets. Sonenfeld got a hefty 6-figure job out of her tenure on the Financial Advisory Committee, Wow, that was a huge error for our village. She cannot get out from behind her own mathmatical errors. Evan Weitz and Janice Willett, two nasty failed candidates for Village Council who we all hope will run again because they will lose again.

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Village of Ridgewood Manager announces additional leaf pick up period

leaf3 pickup theridgewoodblog.net

photos courtesy of Boyd Loving

December 15,2017

by the staff of The Ridgewood Blog

Ridgewood NJ, An additional leaf pick up period for all “areas” of the Village was announced by Village Manager Heather Mailander during the Village Council’s 12/13/2017 Public Meeting.

From December 23, 2017 through and including January 1, 2018, residents of any “area” may deposit leaves at the curb for pick up. Per Ms. Mailander, Village crews will begin picking up leaves on January 2, 2018.

LAST CHANCE FOR LOOSE LEAF PLACEMENT AT THE CURB: December 23, 2017 through and including January 1, 2018.

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Reader says Roberta Sonenfeld was the Village Manager

park mobile

Janice is trying to say that the “blame game” is useless and we should just move forward and forget this. Really. I’m sorry Ms. willet, but there is a lot of money that was recklessly sent to Park Mobile when it should never have been, and one person is responsible for this. Roberta Sonenfeld was the Village Manager, although she thought she was an elected official. She should never EVER have signed that contract when she was only authorized by resolution to sign a contract with NO ADDITIONAL FEES

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Reader says the Former Village Manager did not follow the standard procedures and signed a contract without proper approval from the Village Council

Village_Manager_Roberta_Sonenfeld_theridgewoodblog

I too read the minutes from the March 2015 minutes. I got a completely different take on the iissue than Ms. Willet. It is clear from the transcript that Roberta was pushing for the deal,with ParkMobile. Boyd Loving’s comments and concerns were stated at that meeting and Roberta was extremely dismissive. As VM/ CFO she was responsible for the process and failed miserably as the Council was not made aware ,not to mention the public , of the overall cost of this contract with the village. Where was the resolution that talked of the additional credit card fees? This should have come before the council. Where was the FAC? It is not playing the blame game when tax dollars are spent with an absence of a financial analysis of the expenditure in question is not included as part of the final decision. She did not follow the standard procedures and signed a contract without proper approval from the VC.

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Who Pays for Veterans Field Helicopter Landings

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December 14,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, as the Ridgewood blog reported earlier today the Ridgewood Police, Fire Department , and Emergency Services personnel responded to assist at a medical transport helicopter landing on Wednesday, 12/13 at Veterans Field.
At Wednesdays council meeting resident Boyd Loving stated that lately these “courtesy transfers ”  from Valley Hospital  seem to be a frequent reoccurring event . He made the point that the use of Village services for courtesy transfers should not be paid for by Village taxpayers . Significant Village resources are being deployed and occupied by these transfers .
Loving stated that the Village should pass an ordinance requiring Valley to pay for the use of Village assets with the transport of patients outbound from The Valley Hospital to other facilities.
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Potential Village Council Candidate says Don’t Play the Blame Game on ParkMobile

janice willett

December 14,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ , Janice Willett sounded like she was running for council at Wednesday nights council meeting when she attempted to defend the unethical , gross incompetent and perhaps criminal behavior of he Village’s former manager Roberta Sonenfeld. In her comments she said she was “concerned we are playing the blame game ” . Willett did make a good point pointing out the ridiculousness of pretending no one had previously recognized the fee schemes imposed by ParkMobile and referred to a council meeting on March 11th  where the fees were discussed by the then council and questioned by residents . Willett’s point was that instead of trying to blame one person we should just admit it was a collective drop of the ball .

Nice try while some of her argument makes sense , the fact is the people who were being paid to manage Village finances were once again not doing their job . Making excuses is like making excuses for the previous “meter thief” episode when $800,000 or so of quarters walked out of the Village hall in 50lb bags and “no one saw nothing”.

A reader commented ,” it sounded to me like Janice Willett is planning to run. It also sounded like she was defending Roberta Sonenfeld. Not a good plan. Anyone who defends Roberta does not deserve to be in office. Come on people. Roberta was a disaster.”

While Willetts comments go a long way to blaming the entire previous council ,led by so called the “3 amigos” , who used themselves used the blame game on many occasions .

Like the meter thief as the facts present themselves and it becomes harder and harder to believe that there was just one person involved in this latest scam of Village tax payers.

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Expect Light Snow for the Morning Commute

snow day

December 14,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood

Ridgewood NJ, Light snow will continue to fall during the morning commute.Around 1 to potentially 2 inches of snow is forecast. Roadways may
become snow covered which would create slippery conditions.Motorists are urged to use extra caution while traveling this morning.

Light snow will continue through the morning commute. Around 1 to potentially 2 inches of snow is forecast

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Readers Continue to Comment on the Flagrant Abuse of Power of the Previous Administration in Ridgewood

Ridgewood 3 amigos

So first Roberta and Paul use public funds illegally to influence their stupid parking garage vote. Then we find out that Roberta, under the reign of Paul, has signed a contract that is in direct conflict with the resolution, costing us (according to the CFO last week) upwards of $200,000. Wow, Roberta, you were aces. Thank you so much for the breath of fresh air that you left on our fair town.

Active “vote yes” promotion of the parking garage by elected office holders and village employees was always wrong, wrong, wrong, and NOBODY should be criticized for complaining. Whether they live in Ridgewood or not. This was a thumb in the eye of village residents and a flagrant abuse of the reins of government. The fact that we have neighbors willing go on record with complaints against such behavior is a blessing we don’t always deserve.

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Valley Hospital patient transported out by medical transport helicopter

ridgewood police

photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook Page

December 14,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police, Fire Department , and Emergency Services personnel responded to assist at a medical transport helicopter landing on Wednesday, 12/13 at Veterans Field, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood. The transport involved a patient outbound from The Valley Hospital to an out of state facility.

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GOP leaders cut a deal Wednesday on a sweeping overhaul of the nation’s tax laws

1040taxirs_010415getty

December 14,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Washington DC, House and Senate GOP leaders cut a deal Wednesday on a sweeping overhaul of the nation’s tax laws, paving the way for final votes next week to slash taxes for businesses and give many Americans modest tax cuts starting next year. While some deduction were eliminated or curtailed , the standard deduction was doubled .

Here is what we know so far , the agreement would set the top individual rate at 37 percent, down from today’s 39.6 percent. The corporate rate would come down to 21% down from the highest in the world 35 % and would take effect in 2018.The deal is also expected to eliminate the alternative minimum tax for corporations.

House and Senate negotiators finally agreed to expand the deduction for state and local taxes and to allow individuals to deduct $10,000 in property taxes. A change important to residents in high-tax states like New York, New Jersey ,California and Connecticut, but probably not enough to offset other cuts for certain types of wage earnings and will adversely impact towns like Ridgewood.

Among the other tax breaks, negotiators also agreed to let homeowners retain some of the mortgage interest deduction on the first $750,000 of a new mortgage, down from the current limit of $1 million.

From what we see so far it appears the changes favor entrepreneurs over wage slaves .

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Ridgewood Art Institute Hosts their Annual Member’s Holiday Show and Sale

Ridewood Art Institute

photo courtesy of the RAI

Tue, December 19, 2017
Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Location: Ridgewood Art Institute, 12 East Glen Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450

Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Art Institute is home to many talented artists. We welcome you to visit us and view our Annual Members’ Holiday Show and Sale, usually featuring over 150 pieces of beautiful artwork. In addition, this year we are also including a Small Works Fundraising Exhibition with pieces priced at $150, all proceeds benefit The Ridgewood Art Institute.

What better way to kick off the Holiday Season, than to meet our artists and other art enthusiasts in a festive setting? Please join us for our opening reception on Sunday, November 19, 2017 from 1-4 pm. Work will be on view daily from 11am-3pm till December 24th, 2017.

Art makes a unique gift that can be treasured for a lifetime. Also, your gift helps support this fine institution, which is a gift to so many.

Members are invited to enter two original works to be exhibited in a festive holiday setting.

The Holiday show will include a special Small Works Fundraising Exhibition**.

Members are invited to donate a framed 8” x 10” painting. All proceeds will go to support RAI.

Receiving: Monday – Tuesday, November 13th- 14th

Pick-Up: Monday – Thursday, January 2nd – 5th, 2018

** Receiving/hanging/pick-up dates are same

for Small Works and Members’ Holiday Show