Tag: Ridgewood Art Institute

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VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE COUNCIL REGULAR PUBLIC MEETING FEBRUARY 14, 2018

New Ridgewood Village Council

20180214 – Village Council Regular Public Meeting
VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE COUNCIL REGULAR PUBLIC MEETING FEBRUARY 14, 2018
8:00 P.M.
Call to Order – Mayor
Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act
Roll Call – Village Clerk
Flag Salute and Moment of Silence
Acceptance of Financial Reports
Approval of Minutes
Proclamation
Dad’s Night Days – Hawes School and Somerville School
Read Across America Day
Comments from the Public (Not to exceed 3 minutes per person – 40 minutes in total)
Village Manager’s Report
Village Council Reports
ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION – RIDGEWOOD WATER
NONE
ORDINANCES – PUBLIC HEARING – RIDGEWOOD WATER
#3631 – Bond Ordinance – Granular Activated Carbon Treatment System – Carr Well Field ($3,570,000)
RESOLUTIONS – RIDGEWOOD WATER

THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS, NUMBERED 18-34 THROUGH 18-40 ARE TO BE ADOPTED BY A CONSENT AGENDA, WITH ONE VOTE BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL. THERE IS A BRIEF DESCRIPTION BESIDE EACH RESOLUTION TO BE CONSIDERED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. EACH RESOLUTION WILL BE READ BY TITLE ONLY:

18-34 Title 59 – Pipe, Appurtenances, and Service Materials
18-35 Award Contract – Pipe, Appurtenances, and Service Materials (NTE $225,000)
18-36 Title 59 Approval – Tree Maintenance Service
18-37 Award Contract – Tree Maintenance Service (NTE $40,000)
18-38 Award Contract – Sole Provider – Furnish Corrosion Inhibitor (NTE $170,000)-
18-39 Award Professional Services Contract – Surveying of Elks Club Property -(NTE $2,200.00)
18-40 Authorize Signing of Water Utility Easement Agreements

THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS, NUMBERED 18-41 THROUGH
18-42, WILL BE CONSIDERED SEPARATELY AND READ IN FULL:

18-41 Title 59 – Customer Billing Portal, Communications and Consumption Analytics Software
18-42 Award Contract – Customer Billing Portal, Communications and Consumption Analytics Software (NTE $157,840)

ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION
3633 – Amendment to Municipal Complex Parking
3634 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Significant Sewer Discharger Fees
3635 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Sewers and Sewage Disposal – Connection Fee for Residential and Non-Residential Development

ORDINANCES – PUBLIC HEARING

3632 – Bond Ordinance – Street Paving and Streetscape ($2,160,000)

ORDINANCES – CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING
3625 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Allow Certain Illuminated Interior Signs in the Central Business District

RESOLUTIONS
THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS, NUMBERED 18-43 THROUGH 18-67 ARE TO BE ADOPTED BY A CONSENT AGENDA, WITH ONE VOTE BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL. THERE IS A BRIEF DESCRIPTION BESIDE EACH RESOLUTION TO BE CONSIDERED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. EACH RESOLUTION WILL BE READ BY TITLE ONLY:
18-43 Approve Budget Reserve Transfers

18-44 Approve Bergen County Concept Plan – Improvements to Intersections/Traffic Signals
18-45 Title 59 Approval– Horticultural Supplies
18-46 Award Contract – Horticultural Supplies (NTE $45,000)
18-47 Award Contract under State Contract – 2018 Parts and Related Services (NTE $55,000)
18-48 Award Professional Services Contract – On- Call Traffic Engineering Services (NTE $10,000)
18-49 Award Professional Services Contract – Land Surveying Services – Upgrade of Intersections/Traffic Signals (NTE $17,100)
18-50 Award Professional Services Contract – 2018 Land Surveying Services Retainer for Preparation of Tax Assessment Map (NTE $1,700)
18-51 Approve Shared Services Agreement – Bergen County Police Chiefs Association Mutual Aid Plan and Rapid Deployment Force
18-52 Declare Building Department Vehicle Surplus Property
18-53 Accept Donation for Community Center from North Jersey Masters
18-54 Accept Donation – Windscreens – Somerville Tennis Courts
18-55 Authorize Increase of Petty Cash Account for Fleet Services
18-56 Authorize 2018 Prepaid Property Tax Refunds
18-57 Authorize Application for Sustainable Jersey PSE&G Grant
18-58 Designate Acting Municipal Court
Administrator (NTE $35/hour)
18-59 Approve Transfer of Liquor License – FISH Ridgewood to Oak Street Liquors
18-60 Appoint Members to Library Board of Trustees
18-61 Appoint Members to Open Space Committee
18-62 Appoint Members to Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee
18-63 Appoint Member to Ridgewood Shade Tree Commission
18-64 Appoint Members to Ridgewood Green Team Advisory Committee
18-65 Appoint Members to Citizens Safety Advisory Committee
18-66 Appoint Members to Historic Preservation Commission
18-67 Authorize Release of Bid Bond for Public Valet Parking

THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION, NUMBERED 18-68, WILL BE CONSIDERED SEPARATELY AND READ IN FULL:
18-68 Authorize Execution of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Treatment Works Approval (TWA) for Multi-Family Housing Projects
Comments from the Public (Not to Exceed 5 minutes per person)
Resolution to go into Closed Session
Closed Session
Personnel – Appointments to Boards and Committees
Adjournment

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The Village Council will interview the four companies who responded to the RFP for the Hudson Street parking garage

Hudson garage

file photo by Boyd Loving

February 14,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The Village Council will be interviewing the four companies who responded to the RFP for the Hudson Street parking garage on February 21, 2018, beginning at 7:00 p.m. This meeting will be held in the Sydney V. Stoldt, Jr. Court Room on the fourth floor of Village Hall, and will also be televised on the Public Access channel. Each company will summarize their proposals and will present their concept plan(s).

The deadline for the RFPs (Requests For Proposal) for the construction of the garage was January 19 at 10:00 am.  Seventeen potential bidders picked up packets in late 2017, and four submitted proposals.

These were the proposals received, listed from lowest to highest overall:

1. Pike Company Inc:
$9,464,666

2. Terminal Construction Corp:
Version 3 – $10,100,000
Version 2 – $10,900,000
Version 1 – $11,480,000

3. Epic Management Inc:
$12,340,666 to $12,573,738

4. Prismatic Development Corp:
$14,399,000

*compiled by Councilman Ramon M. Hache

 

 

 

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Iconic Sycamore Will be Removed February 19, 2018

Ridgewood's Iconic Sycamore Tree on the island at Graydon Pool is dying

file photo by Boyd Loving

REMOVAL OF SYCAMORE TREE ON ISLAND AT GRAYDON POOL

February 14,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The Village arborist and an independent arborist have both determined that the sycamore tree, on the island at Graydon Pool, must be removed due to the fact that a major portion of the trunk of the tree is hollow and poses a safety concern. Residents who would like to photograph the tree or visit the tree, prior to it being removed, may do so through February 19, 2018.

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Kilwins Valentine’s Day Selection of Yummy Treats and Special Hours

Kilwins

Kilwins Valentine’s Day Selection of Yummy Treats and Special Hours
Tue, February 13, 2018 – Wed, February 14, 2018
Time: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Location: Kilwin’s Ridgewood, 121 E. Ridgewood Ave, Ridgwood, NJ 07450

February 13,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Valentine’s Day is coming, and Kilwin’s Ridgewood is ready with a wide variety of your gift giving needs!!
Our fresh strawberries are a big yummy hit!
Juicy and Hand-dipped in our very own milk, dark, and white KILWINS HERITAGE CHOCOLATE!!
Whether you want a big box to share or just a few for someone special, we are currently accepting pre-orders for fast and easy in-store pick up and guaranteed selection of your favorites.
Please call us at 201-445-4837, email [email protected], or come in to our store.
Open 7 days a week.
SPECIAL VALENTINE’S HOURS TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY 2/13-2/14 9:00 AM-9:00 PM

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Any Interior and Exterior changes at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood Must be done within the Current Footprint

Valley Hospital

February 13,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood

Ridgewood NJ, councilmen Ramon Hache gave us an update on the Valley Hospital Litigation and what it means for the Village of Ridgewood . According to the councilmen , “On December 29, 2017, the New Jersey Department of Health granted The Valley Hospital a Certificate of Need to relocate its acute care and inpatient facility from Ridgewood to Paramus. The Village Council did not receive a copy of the Department of Health letter via email until January 22, 2018. The granting of the Certificate of Need now puts into play certain factors of the settlement agreement pertaining to the existing Ridgewood campus.”

Hache goes on , “During the 120 days that follow, the Village Planning Board will be working to adopt an amendment to the H zone ordinance that will make the existing Ridgewood facility conforming as to the existing bulk dimensions and size of the current facility to satisfy the terms of the settlement agreement. Simply put, this will allow interior and exterior changes to be made to the existing Ridgewood facility buildings as long as no additional square footage or height is added to the existing buildings. A copy of the settlement agreement is available upon request to the Village. “

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Reader questions Shared services when Ridgewood Has a Paid Fire Department

ridgewood fire department theridgewoodblog.net 1

file photo by Boyd Loving

Shared services? You mean the fact that we allow our Fire Department, EMS to respond to Glen Rock free of charge while we bill our own residents?

Continue reading Reader questions Shared services when Ridgewood Has a Paid Fire Department

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Treasury Secretary Calls individuals looking to skirt new limits on deducting state and local taxes “ridiculous,”

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin

February 13,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Washington DC, The idea that individuals will skirt new limits on deducting state and local taxes is “ridiculous,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in January, highlighting concerns that people might be able to pay property taxes and claim them as a charitable deduction.

The Secretary continued ,“Let me just say again from a Treasury standpoint and IRS, I don’t want to speculate on what people will do, but I think it’s one of the more ridiculous comments to think you can take a real estate tax that you are required to make and dress that up as a charitable contribution,”

Mnuchin told reporters at the daily White House press briefing. “I hope that the states are more focused on cutting their budgets and giving tax cuts to their people in their states than they are in trying to evade the law.”

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Tips to weather a storm

snowstorm_theridgewoodblog

February 12,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, we lifted these tips from the Wyckoff Police Department Facebook page and thought they were god advice given that the ground hog saw his shadow .

Tips to weather a storm:

• Maintain a distance of at least 50 feet from downed wires and anything they are in contact with including puddles of water and fences. Supervise your children so that they are not in the vicinity of the downed wire and keep pets on a leash. Assume all downed wires are live and that touching them poses a risk of serious injury or death.

• If a fallen wire is draped over a car, do not approach the car to make rescue attempts. Remain a safe distance away, and try to keep the occupant of the vehicle calm. If possible, emergency personnel should handle the situation.

• Stock up on non-perishable food, bottled water, manual can opener, baby supplies and pet food. Set your refrigerator and freezer controls to their coldest settings. Fill the bathtub with water.

• Have emergency equipment within reach — portable radio, flashlights, spare batteries, first aid kit, cell phone and important medications. Update your personal list of emergency phone numbers.

• If you experience a power outage, don’t assume that the power company automatically knows about it or that someone else will report it. The more information you can provide, the more it can help.

• Remember: if the base station of your cordless phone plugs into the wall, your phone will be unusable during a power outage.

• If a family member relies on electrically operated medical devices, secure a portable generator or make alternate arrangements for care.

• Keep at least a half-tank of gas in your car. Consider having extra cash on-hand, in case ATM machines don’t work.

• Learn how to manually open and close any electrically powered garage door, security door or gate.

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All Village offices will be closed on February 12, 2018 in observance of Lincoln’s Birthday

Abraham_Lincoln_seated,_Feb_9,_1864

Village Office Closed – February 12, 2018

February 12,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, All Village offices will be closed on February 12, 2018 in observance of Lincoln’s Birthday. There will be no garbage or recycling pickup on this day, and the Recycling Center will also be closed. All Village offices will open on February 13, 2018 at 8:30 a.m. As always, the Police Department, on the second floor of Village Hall, will be open on this Holiday.

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Reader says Ridgewood has obviously been using the water department as a favorable placement for all their patronage appointments

RidgewoodWaterLogo_061912_rn_tif_

Ridgewood has obviously been using the water department as a favorable placement for all their patronage appointments. Unfortunately, none of their patronage appointments know the first thing about managing a water utility. We set ourselves up for a justified suit, and when we lose we scurry rapidly to find someone who hopefully has a brain. If the council actually thinks that not only are the other towns going to happily withdraw their suits and may even be forced to pay more because “Sorry, we made yet another mistake.” I have a bridge I can sell you. Council members don’t run on their expertise. As a result, the Village should hire people who do have the expertise. And that is a major failing. The idea that the town can save money by letting unqualified people without the proper backgrounds and ability run things has cost us a fortune in the past. It’s time to put a stop to it before it costs us fortunes in the future. (Saving the Schedler house is an example. Very little, if any, of that house is original and fixing all it’s deficits would be a financial nightmare .)

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Tub grinder “system” jointly owned by Glen Rock and Ridgewood has been Out of Service Since July 2017

tub grinder

file photo

February 12,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Glen Rock and Ridgewood share use of a tub grinder. We have heard that the tub grinder has been broken for quite some time now and Ridgewood is responsible for fixing it.

Our source has informed us that the tub grinder “system” is jointly owned by Glen Rock and Ridgewood. Glen Rock owns the tractor and Ridgewood owns the trailer (the tub grinder itself). The “system” can be transported back and forth between Glen Rock’s composting location and Ridgewood’s composting location.

The trailer (tub grinder apparatus) hasn’t been functioning properly since July of 2017. Several attempts were made to fix the device, but no fix lasted for any significant length of time. As of now, it’s out of service, that’s why an outside contractor was called in to grind leaves. Collected leaves can’t sit until the machine is back in service because the NJDEP has rules that limit the time collected leaves can remain in place prior to processing.

Our source also indicated that in all likelihood, the tub grinder is beyond repair and will need to be replaced by a new machine. No bid specifications have yet been advertised for a replacement.

 

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Reader asks Where’s the humanity?

hit and Run

It always amazes me when someone who has hit someone with a car, presumably by accident, drives away. Everybody knows that’s a crime. Maybe drivers who have been drinking, using drugs, or even texting are too scared that they will get in trouble. But to leave the person lying in the street is almost unimaginable. In this case the driver “stopped to check on the victim” but didn’t wait for emergency help to arrive before departing. Where’s the humanity?

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Local Underdog Puts in Valiant Effort for United States Soccer Federation President Election

Courtesy of Michael Winograd

February 11,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Saturday was a big day for the future of American soccer and the United States Soccer Federation. Yesterday the federation selected its next president at its Annual General Meeting in Orlando, bringing an end to an a very public campaign process that has seen a great deal more attention than in past years.

Status Quo candidate Carlos Cordeiro, was elected as the new president of U.S. Soccer on Saturday after three rounds of voting and a historic and contentious eight-candidate campaign.

An unprecedented eight candidates stood for election and none of them are the incumbent Sunil Gulati, who has held the position unopposed since 2006 and declined to run for office.

Less than an hour before the Cordeiro election, fellow candidate Hope Solo blasted the federation for its faults, and criticized two candidates who, in her opinion, were complicit – two candidates who represented the status quo , Carlos Cordeiro and Kathy Carter.

Solo entered the race for United States Soccer Federation president less than a week before the nomination deadline back in December. Throughout the past two months, she has been outspoken in her criticism of the federation and the two establishment candidates.

Among the eight candidates was Ridgewood Resident Michael Winograd . Winograd was considered a blend of previous soccer experience and organizational talents. He played college soccer at Lafayette College and was a pro in Israel. He was also a coach and founder of a short-lived professional franchise, serves on the board of his local soccer organization and has a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

He was not considered as radical as some of the candidates, but he wanted to reform the structure of youth development on a state-by-state basis. He also has a plan for implementing promotion and relegation in American soccer that would also allow current MLS teams to remain in the top flight in perpetuity.

As the Cordeiro victory seemed imminent , Winograd withdrew after the second round as did several others.

Mike’s wife Siobhan Crann Winograd, said in a Facebook post, “Mike did a great job. Ran a honest, sincere, impressive campaign that we are all so proud of. His platform was bold, focused and raised a lot of the key issues ( especially the inequality for women). Without a doubt he was a major influencer.”

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Reader calls Murphy’s plan to make voluntary contributions to pay for local services a tax avoidance scheme

irs

In other words, Gov. Murphy wants you to participate in a transparent tax avoidance scheme that will certainly result in you getting fined out of your wazoo by the IRS. How can people justify their vote for this obvious disaster-in-advance? Christie was a complete jerk, but electing someone who will outdo Corzine, McGreevey and him and as a joke is no solution.

 

see https://theridgewoodblog.net/governor-murphy-mobilizes-mayors-to-implement-policies-providing-tax-relief-in-their-municipalities/

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Reader Says Ridgewood Water Needs to Get real leadership to make tough decisions

RidgewoodWaterLogo_061912_rn_tif_

Can we please address the numerous Ridgewood Water issues? How could we have approved new housing and then find out the water infrastructure is wholly inadequate. This was not a surprise and completely ignored by the council. Why are we allowing money to be spent on a new building for the water department and new software that will do nothing to,address the underlying capacity issues? The issue is not a drought or supply, rather storage and delivery. When will we get leaders that idenify and resolve real problems? The solution is not restrictions or penalities This requires real leadership to stop spending on useless projects and get a real plan and solution for now and the future.
Get real leadership to make tough decision