Ridgewood NJ, Is there some reason that Paul Aronsohn and Gwenn Hauck both continue to maintain their respective ego driven, pretentious, outdated web sites?
In his recent article in the always Democratic machine friendly Bergen Record former Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn engages in what can only be categorized as an attempt to set the stage for a political comeback though historical revisionism ,blatant dishonesty and a subtle attempt to undermine the current council.
The former mayor clearly still does not understand Ridgewood ,where it has always been considered very bad form for previous council members to criticize current new council members before they get a chance to get their seats warm.
Aronsohn’s term as mayor can be best described as contentious ,dishonest, controversial and to many the worst and most ineffective mayor in recent history. Rivaling the darkest days of Jane Reilly and the abject stupidity of the Village Hall reconstruction.
Aronsohn needs to face facts that Hudson County Machine Politics do not belong or according to the last election will be tolerated the Village of Ridgewood .
As we read through Aronsohn’s opinion piece it felt like we had heard all this before. Phases like “Ridgewood at a crossroads “, “Progress and Tradition “, “Kick the can down the road “and “Need to move forward ” all sounded eerily familiar. And yes they are these very words are the words of Councilmen Ramon Hache in the Ridgewood blog on March 9th (https://theridgewoodblog.net/ramon-m-hache-announces-candidacy-for-ridgewood-village-council/)
So it seems the the former Mayor found in necessary to praise himself while plagiarizing from Councilmen Hache’s campaign.
Perhaps former mayor Aronsohn’s time would be better spent gracefully retiring to a life of gardening and back yard barbecues.
THE VILLAGE of Ridgewood is at a crossroads. For the first time in recent memory, our community has been discussing, debating and even deciding some of the big issues that have long simmered just beneath the surface — issues such as taxes and government services, multifamily housing, parking and, of course, the Valley Hospital. Rather than play it safe and continue to “kick the can down the road,” we have sought to resolve issues that have long eluded us.
YOU ARE INVITED TO RIDGEWOOD WATER CONSUMER FORUMS TO BE HELD JULY 27 & AUGUST 2
You are invited… Ridgewood Water consumers are invited to attend two public forums for information and explanation of the recently mailed Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). The first event will take place on Wednesday, July 27 at 9:00 am in the Courtroom of Ridgewood Village Hall. The second event will take place on Tuesday, August 2 at 7:00 pm in the Youth Center of Ridgewood Village Hall. Village Hall is located at 131 N. Maple Ave., Ridgewood. Space is limited, so please register by contacting Donna Omelianuk, Ridgewood Water, at 201-670-5500 ext. 271 or by email at [email protected]. The CCR that was mailed contains minor errors that have been corrected in the online version available at water.ridgewoodnj.net. Any questions on this issue or Ridgewood Water will be answered at the forums.
A reader told us that ,”On my walk this morning at 6am the Ridgewood Fire Dept was taking pictures of houses that had their sprinklers running that shouldn’t have been…. Reminder follow the stage 2 restrictions.”
But seem to think its going a bit over board , “What is going on in this town? There are employees going around issuing summonses for watering, sidewalks and “suspected” unlicensed pets.”
Another reader said they , “actual had a court date because I didn’t register my imaginary dog. When I called and asked why they thought I had a dog, they said a neighbor informed them!!”
One reader said they heard a neighbor got a warning because they ,” had a child’s wooden play house in the yard. It was very large. They said it was a dog house. “.
“The pet one is insane. I feel like I live in North Korea.”
The median HOUSEHOLD incomes in Ridgewood are $138,000… teachers work for 10 months a year with tenure in many cases, so if you annualize teacher pay for 12 months work, they get paid paid the same as an entire household at the median in Ridgewood, i.e. $118,000 for 10 months = $136,000 for 12 months, with the added safety of tenured job security. Add in:
1) taxpayer subsidized $28,000 annual family “platinum” health benefit plan, which is much better than the average private sector employer plan (equivalent to “bronze”), and has much lower premiums, $5-10 co-pays, and covers up to 96% of all billable costs; as well as,
2) defined benefit pension plans for life which TPAF members contribute less than 7.5% of their annual wages towards (still!) and start drawing at an average age of 62 in NJ which can be worth over $2 million if the retiree lives to average US lifespan; and,
3) sick leave which gets carried over year after year instead of the “use it or lose it” sick leave offered by private sector employers
It becomes very clear that teachers have a MUCH better deal than the median Ridgewood household, which pays much higher health plan co-pays and deductibles for less health benefit coverage (on average, private sector plans only cover 84% of medical expenses), loses unused sick leave that cannot be carried over, runs the risk of job loss, and contributes up to 16% of their annual wages towards defined contribution pension plans, i.e. 401(k) plans. Combined teacher benefits are already too high even for well qualified, experienced, certified, professionals… which, by the way, is not what we got from the REA in the 2015/16 academic year. We got petulant, greedy, bad faith, so-called professionals who let our kids and schools down in a multitude of ways, from recommendation letters, to after school programs and activities, to community outreach. Notice the lack of signs supporting teachers in Ridgewood; we’ve had enough.
It doesn’t make sense that a village manager is announcing what a tenant has spent for their own personal gain at a public meeting? And then when the village manager is asked to provide facts about the information she put out there she is unable. How can a town like Ridgewood let this manager get away with this. If the information is said at a meeting then it should be available to the public at that moment. What is this healthbarn and what does it have to do with Ridgewood and the village manager? Seems a lot of time is spent on the subject. And a lot of the tax payers dollars are being used to help a business. I heard on one hand it is a partnership but then I heard that all Ridgewood is collecting is the same rent the tenant before paid. Any info is welcome
Ridgewood NJ, One (1) summons was issued by Ridgewood PD in connection with a Monday morning, 07/18 rollover crash at the intersection of Kenilworth Road and Spring Avenue in Ridgewood. The driver of a Toyota Camry allegedly ran a stop sign and hit a Hyundai Santa Fe, which then rolled over on its side. A retired Ridgewood firefighter assisted the Hyundai’s driver from the vehicle by kicking out the windshield; he suffered a minor cut to his leg in the process, but refused to be transported to a hospital. Both vehicles were removed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck. Ridgewood FD personnel attended to a minor crash related fluid spill. Spring Avenue was closed in both directions between Circle and South Pleasant Avenues while the crash scene was being cleared.
The committee members who signed those advertisements and letters to the editor should also resign. As citizens they have a right to free speech. They signed those letters as advisory committee members going.
They were never an independent voice. Their mission should be defined, their minutes should be public. Otherwise they are political hacks.
All boards should have by laws and minutes.
The FAC seems like a tool of the council and not an independent body. They did not help to dispel this image when two members ran for council supported by the current council majority. Their letters to the editor in support of the council majority causes showed that they did not exercise good judgment.
“The third section details capital investments that Health Barn has made at Habernickel. Health Barn has already exceeded its $60,000 capital commitment.”
ZERO FACTS to support this statement, and despite numerous e-mail requests made to Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld for backup details, NO INFORMATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO DATE.
In fact, in response to several e-mails from residents, Sonefeld replied in writing that “Stacey Antine is currently out of the country . . . ” (i.e., currently unable to provide the requested details) – however, within hours of Sonefeld’s e-mail being sent, Ms. Antine was observed walking to her car at 1057 Hillcrest Road, Ridgewood, NJ USA. Huh?
Leading many residents to wonder if the ” . . . already exceeded its $60,000 capital commitment” is a BOGUS statement (i.e., a lie).
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Blog received a tip that one of the boats pictured here was moved to another piece of Village owned property. Our tipster also reported that employees of the Village’s Street Department assisted in moving the watercraft. It is not know whether the boat was towed there by a Village owned vehicle.
We will not reveal where the boat supposedly is, but will tell you that will the cooperation of a resident who lives near the main entrance to the facility, we have installed well disguised web accessible night vision video camera and are now videotaping all movements in and out of that facility. Additionally, we now have access to a camera equipped drone and will obtain aerial photographs of the property shortly.
Outdoor storage. The following regulations shall govern outdoor storage within the Village:
(1)
In the R-125, R-110, R-1, R-2 and R-3 Residential Zones, and in other zones where a legal one-family or two-family dwelling exists, outdoor storage shall be permitted only as an accessory use to a one-family detached or two-family dwelling and shall be limited to private camping trailers, boats and boat trailers, garden tractors and implements, automobiles, motorcycles and motorbikes, except as otherwise provided below. Such storage shall comply with the following requirements:
(a)
Outdoor storage shall be permitted in the side and rear yard.
(b)
The item as stored shall not exceed six feet in height.
(c)
The item shall be screened with a fence or screening hedge so that such item is not visible from any abutting residential property or street.
(d)
Any items stored in the side yard shall not be permitted closer to the side lot line than the side yard setback requirements for a principal building on the same lot.
(e)
Any of the permitted items enumerated in § 190-124E(1) that exceed a height of six feet, as well as any pickup or panel truck, mobile home, bus, van used for commercial purposes or recreation vehicle, may be stored on any residential lot only if such item shall be kept in an enclosed garage on such lot; provided, however, that the parking of any recreational vehicle outside a garage for up to five separate or consecutive days during a calendar year shall be permitted.
(2)
Outdoor storage of any kind is prohibited in the R-1A, R-2A, R-4 and R-5 and R-7 Zones, except for a legal one-family detached or two-family dwelling.
[Amended 8-9-2006 by Ord. No. 3015]
(3)
Nothing contained herein shall be construed as prohibiting parking of passenger vehicles used by the occupant for day-to-day activities, provided that such vehicles have side windows and are parked on the driveway. Trucks parked overnight shall be garaged.
(4)
In all nonresidential zones, no article, equipment, vehicle, supplies or material shall be kept, stored or displayed outside the confines of any building unless and until the following regulations are complied with, except that outdoor cafes licensed by the Village and permitted by this chapter shall be exempt from the following requirements to the extent such exception is required to carry out the outdoor cafe business:
(a)
Outdoor storage is only permitted in the side and rear yards.
(b)
Any items stored in the side yard shall not be permitted closer to the side lot line than the side yard setback requirements for a principal building on the same lot.
(c)
Outdoor storage shall be screened by special planting or fencing, maintained in good condition, so that items being stored shall not be visible from any adjacent property or public street.
[Amended 4-7-2010 by Ord. No. 3242]
(d)
Any fence required to screen the outdoor storage of flammable material otherwise permitted by this chapter shall not be closer than 20 feet to any property line of the lot upon which it is erected.
(5)
Where otherwise permitted by this chapter, the display of new and used motor vehicles for retail sales as a permitted accessory use in the B-2 and C Zone Districts shall not be required to be screened by a planting or fence, except where the premises for such permitted use abuts or faces any premises situated in any residential zone.
(6)
Motor vehicles, recreational vehicles, boats and trailers parked or stored within the Village shall not be used for sleeping, bathing, toilet functions or the preparation of food, on either a permanent or temporary basis.
[Added 4-9-2008 by Ord. No. 3114]
(7)
Motor vehicles, recreational vehicles, boats and trailers parked or stored in the Village shall not be used for the storage of items or materials. Exempted from this prohibition is the storage of items or materials in such vehicles or equipment that are designed for this purpose, when such vehicles or equipment are accessory and incidental to the principal use on the property and are not prohibited by other regulations. By way of example, but not limitation, this subsection shall be interpreted to prohibit the storage of items or materials in a commercial vehicle or commercial trailer on a residential property, unless such commercial vehicle or trailer is permitted to be located on the property by other regulations of the Village.
[Added 4-9-2008 by Ord. No. 3114]
(8)
The storage of flammable, toxic or hazardous materials on property or in vehicles shall comply with all applicable regulations, including but not limited to the regulations of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the Village’s Department of Health and the Fire Department.
[Added 4-9-2008 by Ord. No. 3114]
In fact, remembering the details of a meeting well enough to approve or question them is only possible within a very short time. Not to mention that just getting it out of the way immediately is the only sane way to proceed.
There are rules (laws?) about this, which the previous council broke constantly. And this has happened before, with previous councils approving months and months of meeting minutes all at once just before some of them stepped down from the dais for the last time. Hearing them approve many months of minutes that they couldn’t possibly have read through was proof positive, if we needed it, that they were hiding everything they could from the public and press and spending time only on issues from which they would benefit personally. Or at the very least, they were comfortable flouting the law and making things much harder for residents as well as others, including attorneys, researchers, developers, etc., seeking meeting minutes.
Ridgewood NJ, Is the new council really planning to approve minutes from the last meeting this Wednesday. We noticed an agenda line item for July 20th meeting which says :
6. Approval of Minutes
If the new council is planning to approve the minutes from July 13th meeting on July 20th, that will be a surprising change for the village residents.
The previous administration had stopped releasing meeting minutes for almost 2 years while they went on to approve multi family housing and garage issues. They had forced residents to watch long video recordings which could take hours instead of quick text searches in the meeting minutes.
Here is a short video of how they approved 2 years worth of meeting minutes on their last day in the office.
https://www.tubechop.com/watch/8188452
Although surprising, this will be a good change for the village of Ridgewood.
Ridgewood NJ, Two (2) individuals injured during a rear end crash at the intersection of Franklin Avenue and Cottage Place on Saturday evening, 07/16, refused to be transported to a hospital for medical treatment and left the scene via means other than an ambulance. Both vehicles involved, a Subaru and a Honda, were towed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck. RIdgewood FD personnel attended to a minor crash related fluid spill. Ridgewood PD and EMS personnel were also present at the crash.
BOE Meets on July 18 at 5 p.m.
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Board of Education will hold a Regular Public Meeting on Monday, July 18, 2016 at 5:00 p.m.The meeting will be held in the Board Room at the Education Center, 49 Cottage Place. The public is invited to attend the meeting or view it live via the district website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us using the “Live BOE Meeting” tab on the district website, or on Fios tv channel 33 or Optimum 77.
Click here to view the agenda for the July 18, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.
Click here to view the 2016-2017 Budget presented at the May 2, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.
Click here to view the Full Day Kindergarten Recommendation presented to the Board at their March 7, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.
Like most actions by the former mayor, this group was created for his personal purposes, in this case at least two: to rubber-stamp his decisions with a faux economic rationale (e.g., the largest garage drawing) and as a feeder group to provide a credential for placing people loyal to him in various positions that he intended to fill with sycophants (village manager, two council candidates). We have a highly paid CFO who should be doing all this work and making these recommendations. (We also have a well-paid planner, but he’s useless and should be replaced.) The two defeated council candidates, with unknown continuing ties to the outgoing council members who endorsed them, remain on the committee; disbanding it would remove them from an advisory position to the council without having to “fire” them individually. And by the way, the FAC was originally going to be a board, not a committee, which would have had more clout; the other boards are Planning and Zoning. When establishing this group was under discussion, then-councilman Tom Riche voted against it, stating that the requirements for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest were insufficient. He was right. In addition, giving a bunch of barely vetted residents access to confidential financial and other information that only the council should see just because they work in banking or whatever is another creepy-crawly. Just dump it.
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood PD, FD, and EMS personnel rushed to save the life of an adult male who was found unresponsive and not breathing on a bench at the Ridgewood train station early Saturday afternoon, 06/18. A paramedic team from The Valley Hospital arrived on the scene as the man was being loaded onto a stretcher for removal from the train platform. The victim was transported by ambulance to The Valley Hospital in grave condition.
