Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Blog has just learned that employees of the Village’s Streets and Parks Departments have been ordered to remove any campaign signs, specifically those belonging to Ramon Hache, found erected on Village owned properties.
This bizarre directive comes just months after many Village owned properties were literally plastered with “Vote Yes For Parking” signs and Village Attorney Matthew S. Rogers indicated that there was NO LOCAL ORDINANCE that prohibited the erection of election related signage on Village owned properties.
So Ms. Sonenfeld, if there is NO LOCAL ORDINANCE THAT PROHIBITS THEM FROM BEING ON VILLAGE OWNED PROPERTIES, why are Mr. Hache’s campaign signs being torn town by Village employees?
Ridgewood NJ, The League of Women Voters will sponsor a Candidates’ Night for those running for Village Council . The Candidates’ Night will take place in the Village Hall Court Room, Wednesday, April 20th from 7:30PM to 9:30PM. All are invited to attend to learn positions on local issues.
Reader says the election is less than a month away and I don’t know where any of the candidates stand on important issues.
Do they have websites? Is there any campaign material? If the Ridgewood News were truely an unbiased local paper they would send questions to the candidates for answers and publish all responses.
I know that the League of Women Voters will have a forum but I expected more. What if the forum does not adress my questions?
What do you think the village should do about parking in the CBD? Do you think that we even have a parking problem?
Do you think that the housing density should be 25 units per acre? Do you think that it should be higher or lower?
How many high density projects can the congested downtown absorb?
Will you challenge the latest Valley Hospital Plan and ask for more concessions?
What can be done to end the cycle of empty-nesters fleeing the town because of high taxes? Do you think that there is a benefit to offer a tax break to stabilize the demographics and prevent an overflow of students in our schools?
Will you ask that all council and committee members disclose all conflicts of interest – perhaps without being asked by an angry and skeptical public?
Location: Ridgewood Public Library, 125 N. Maple Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Ridgewood NJ, Summer is just around the corner! Come and see the new Fashion Trends and colors that would be most beautiful on you.
Please note that on any purchase, you are giving back 10 percent to WEST BERGEN MENTAL HEALTHCARE.
For more than 50 years, West Bergen has provided counselling and psychiatric services to youngsters, families and individuals in need.
In support of Autism Awareness Month, We invite you to…
Come and see the new Fashion Trends and colors that would be most beautiful on you.
Fashions by: W by Worth will be presented by Christina DeCarlo
For a preview, visit wbyworth.com/christina-decarlo
West Bergen Mental Healthcare will receive 10% of any items purchased that day.
West Bergen is a leading provider of mental health services and programs for youngsters and adults on the Autism Spectrum.
Ridgewood NJ, Fears are growing in New Jersey over how much lead is in school water. Ever since Newark, the state’s largest district, revealed that half its buildings contained lead-tainted water.
While many school districts across North Jersey are rushing to test their drinking water for lead. Experts say lead poising can stunt learning and cause impulsive behavior in children.
Lead has been found in 30 schools in Newark. Other New Jersey towns and cities including Paterson. On Friday, Pascack Hills and Pascack Valley high schools shut down fountains after high levels of lead were found in seven locations and over the weekend lead was detected in water at 2 Hamilton elementary schools.
At the end of March Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D. Superintendent of Ridgewood Schools issued the following statement :
Dear Parent or Guardian:
Recently there has been much in the press about the quality of drinking water and contamination. I am sure that you are aware of this news, especially regarding the presence of lead in the water in some New Jersey schools, as well as in Flint, Michigan. While there was no reason to believe that there is an issue with the quality of the drinking water in our Ridgewood schools, in response to some email concerns I received, I thought it prudent to have the water tested. I am happy to report that we do not have any issues with the quality of the drinking water in our buildings. Listed below is a link that will provide the testing reports for all of our schools. This report may also be found on the district website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us. https://tinyurl.com/WaterAnalysis3-16
Sincerely yours,
Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools
In 2014 Ridgewood Water exceeded the Action Level for Lead in Ridgewood’s water supply . In January 2015 ,Ridgewood Water said, “The water supply by Ridgewood Water does not have lead in it”
According to Ridgewood Water ,” Lead contamination can occur when water is in contact with plumbing materials containing lead for several hours undisturbed. Corrosion control is the treatment process in which small amounts of phosphates are added to the water in order to prevent lead contamination. The phosphates create a thin coating on the inside of plumbing materials, effectively preventing the corrosion of lead into the water. The implementation of this treatment is nearly complete and we are already detecting the phosphate at all sampling locations. Even though this treatment is highly effective in preventing lead contamination, we recommend that you let the faucet run for several seconds before drawing water for drinking or cooking.”
Ridgewood Water offers discount water test kits . Please call 201-670-5520 or visit Village Hall at 131 N. Maple Ave. Ridgewood, NJ 07450 for more information.
Monday, April 18 – Film Festival Launch Party at Fish
Tuesday, April 19 – Festival Kickoff at the Ridgewood Public Library
Wednesday, April 20 – Festival Night 2 at Bow Tie Cinemas
Thursday, April 21 – Final Festival Night at Bow Tie Cinemas
Congratulations to our youngest filmmaker for being accepted into our festival!!!! The Waiting Room will screen on Wed. April 20 at approximately 7:30.
Congratulations Cat London…The Garden State Film Festival’s choice for best Home Grown Music Video, “The Right Way.” See Cat’s live performance of The Right Way at The Ridgewood Guild’s 6th Annual International Film Festival, Thurs. April 21.
Screening at The Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival on Wed. April 20. Two nostalgic entries on the iconic theme park…Palisades
Location: Memorial Park at Van Neste Square, E Ridgewood Ave and Oak St
Ridgewood NJ, This year we will celebrate Earth Day on Sunday, April 17, 2016. Conservancy for Ridgewood Public Lands will join with REAC for a Daffodil Festival and Earth day celebration.The Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee and the Conservancy for Ridgewood Public Lands will be holding combined Earth Day and Daffodil Festival celebrations. Our theme is: “Butterflies, Bees, & Bats – Save Our Pollinators” Our community will hopefully be in full bloom with the 19,000 daffodil bulbs planted by the Conservancy.
We invite Ridgewood businesses to celebrate with us by highlighting their “green” practices. We will provide the public with environmentally focused vendors and organizations. We will also include a “Daffy Dog” parade, plant sale, music and multiple activities for children including nature themed arts and crafts and educational displays.For more information please contact Nancy Bigos at nbigos@ridgewoodnj.net or at 201.670.5560.
Ridgewood Nj, Today (Sunday, April 10th) at 1:00pm local Author, PHIL ROSS, will sign his new book: Survival Strong ($19.95).
Master Philip G. Ross was the National Amateur Kickboxing Champion, an eight-time NJ State Gold Medalist, a National Greco-Roman Wrestling silver medalist, is a member of three Martial Arts Halls of Fame
Appearing authors will only autograph books purchased at Bookends and must have valid Bookends Receipt.
Availability & pricing for all autographed books subject to change.
First In Line Certificate use is the the discretion of Bookends. Blackout dates may apply.
Bookends cannot guarantee that the books that are Autographed will always be First Printings.
Autographed books purchased at Bookends are non-returnable.
While we try to ensure that all customers coming to Bookends’ signings will meet authors and get their books signed, we cannot guarantee that all attendees will meet the author or that all books will be signed. We cannot control inclement weather, author travel schedules or authors who leave prematurely.
Bookends, 211 E. Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 201-445-0726
Ridgewood Nj, Based on the 2016 H zone Master Plan amendment being passed by the planning board – where does this leave Valley in the view of the Village residents? Many view Valley as a very bad neighbor – it pays no property taxes, doesn’t tell us its long term intentions, and filed a lawsuit against the planning boardand town council in order to achieve its expansion aims. Valley certainly has a public relations problem which it needs to address. So what can Valley do to improve its image and commitment to the Village of Ridgewood?
Here are some suggestions:
In a recent conversation I had with Jim Griffith, Village resident, Jim suggested that Valley should start investing more $$$ in the Village. This could be done potentially with the new NJ requirement for Valley to pay property taxes (even though they are a non-profit). However,rather than just giving the Village the tax dollars, Valley should make known to all residents its financial commitment to issues important to the Village such as Parks and Recreation. While Ipartially agree with Jim, I would also content that Valley is a very profitable non-profit hospital (see their December 31, 2014 financials on line; Baker Tilly, auditor’s report). Therefore as a“good neighbor” Valley should pay their fair share of property taxes. This would have amounted to $4.5 million based on their 15.5 acre campus (based on the Village tax assessor estimates). Recent suits in NJ have opened the door for non-profits to pay their fair share of taxes; as perabove. It would also be nice however, if Valley would become more involved in the Village’s interests, above and beyond paying its fair share of taxes.
Valley might consider having a Village resident on its board of Trustees (ideally a voting member), who in turn could report back to the Village on Valley. There are several committed Village residents who would do a really good job at this. This person(s) would serve the interests of the Village and help in building a partnership with Valley.
Valley should have a Village resident intimately involved in the planning and implementation of the hospital expansion/construction. Again there are several people in our Village, living near Valley, who would be great candidates for this.
Valley could develop a series of educational programs such as “good health programs” for the schools and teach them. These might include nutrition, healthy living/lifestyles, exercise programs, etc.
The key for Valley in all of this is to become a better neighbor and; to demonstrate its commitment to the Village by working with its residents.
RIDGEWOOD , NJ, On Thursday, April 21st, Alex and Ani of Ridgewood will be hosting a Charity by Design event that will benefit Spectrum for Living. 15% of all sales between the hours of 6P.M. and 8P.M. will go directly to Spectrum for Living to help continue to provide services and care for adults with developmental disabilities.
“CEO, Founder and Creative Director of Alex and Ani, Carolyn Rafaelian, created Charity by Design, which serves as a unique division focused solely on giving and making the dreams of charitable organizations come true. Charity by Design empowers non-profit organizations both on a national and local scale to reach their goals by sharing their mission through the power of positive energy and creative design.” (www.alexandani.com)
Can’t make it on April 21st? Everyone is welcomed to begin their shopping today. Please note that all orders placed before the fundraising event will be held and available for pickup after April 21st, 2016.
Currently, Spectrum for Living facilities and services touch the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities in over 100 New Jersey communities. Spectrum for Living is one of New Jersey’s most respected and recognized not-for-profit organizations assisting adults with developmental disabilities in Bergen, Passaic, Middlesex and Monmouth counties.
Spectrum provides a wide array of housing, medical, clinical, habilitative, social and educational services to more than 200 residential consumers and hundreds of community clients.
For more information, please contact Spectrum for Living at (201) 358-8000 or at kcurl@spectrumforliving.org.
Ridgewood NJ, This past Tuesday’s vote by the planning board sent a clear message to the Village of Ridgewood residents; that healthcare trumps the health and well-being of a community. Pete McKenna of the Concerned Residents of Ridgewood said it best back in May 2014: The Village will be inextricably burdened in providing a benefit to the region. Is this fair?
The planning board majority (6 in total out of 9; Aronsohn, Nalbantian, Reilly, Joel, Abdalla, Thurston) who voted in favor of the settlement stated that the Village runs the risk of losing a further lawsuit and as well, if the Village loses the lawsuit would keep in effect the 2010 Master plan H zone, a more egregious plan. However, in the settlement that was negotiated between the planning board and Valley, the terms appeared to fall squarely in favor of Valley, with Valley reducing its size (bulk) by only 3% (and gaining most of what it wanted – to the detriment of the health and well-being of the Village). The total floor area is now going from 562,000 sq ft. (of hospital above grade structures) to over 1,024,500 square ft. of above grade structures which includes: 653,500 sq ft. for the hospital; 95,000 sq ft. for enclosed rooftop areas; 245,000 sq ft. for parking decks; and 31,400 sq ft. for atriums and courtyards. I will get back to this.
The term inherently beneficial was used frequently throughout the Whispering Woods hearings (4 in total) and was used as a “stick” by Valley in gaining the expansion approval by the Planning Board. It is unclear to many whether the concept of inherently beneficial applies to zoning or planning (including me). However, it was used generously through-out these hearings. An inherently beneficial use of land serves the public good and promotes the general welfare. As many may know, courts view hospitals under a more favorable light than other types of development (because it is an inherently beneficial use) and due to this, Village concerns about the size of the development may be discounted. However, courts also view schools as an inherently beneficial used of land. This was lost in the sauce but mentioned by Lorraine Reynolds back in May 2014. So a question becomes: Does healthcare trump
education? The negotiating team lead by Charles Nalbantian (Chairman of the Village Planning Board), who developed the terms of this agreement, thought so.
The Village’s Master Plan has suffered significantly in this process and; as well with other issues that have faced the Village including high density housing. The primary objective as stated in Ridgewood’s Master Plan is the preservation of Village residential in residential neighborhoods. Further, as defined in the Master Plan, building should continue to respect the neighborhood character and the rights of adjacent property owners. These rights (while not explicitly stated in the plan) likely include quality of life, safety, security and a sense of belonging to a community. Interestingly, these rights affect one’s health and healthcare. These rights have been violated by developers and by Valley.
John Hersperger, Village resident, at the 4/5 Whispering Woods hearing stated the following: Developers through the use of Ordinance 3066 have ripped the Ridgewood Master Plan to shreds for the purpose of their own self- interests and not the Villages. Developers as a group, petitioned the planning board at the same time and turned what should have been zoning issues into planning issues. I would agree with John. This Ordinance needs to be modified significantly or repealed. The Valley decision by the planning board could not have come at a worse time for Valley and the Village because of this.
The 3 dissenting views on the planning board by Susan Knudsen, Wendy Dockray, and Debbie Patire all concluded the same thing – the Valley decision does irreparable harm to our Master Plan; calls into question what really is beneficial and; whether a hospital interests should trump the well-being of a Village.
Wendy also stated that the Planning board on behalf of the Village should stand up and fight for what is right, despite the risks. If we go on to a lawsuit, there likely would be other opportunities to negotiate terms which would benefit both parties.
I was frankly surprised, with having several lawyers on the planning board, that no case law was cited. A recent NJ Supreme Court case in Princeton called into question the concept of an inherently beneficial use of land by a hospital and whether functions in a hospital such as administration, billing, and marketing should be considered inherently beneficial. If these are not inherently beneficial, they could be moved to other locations. If this “concept” were applied to Valley it might lessen the bulk of the Valley expansion in a meaningful way.
Here is what I would do if elected to the council: 1) Propose modification to or repeal of Ordinance 3066; 2) Work with Valley and the CRR (if possible, as there is a 5/9 court date on the second count of the lawsuit – Valley v Village Council and the council may not have any ability to negotiate based on the results of this case) in crafting a fair and equitable resolution to the Valley expansion.
A follow on blog will address the issue of how Valley might improve its image with the Village.
Bizarro World (with apologies to Seinfeld) by Anne Loving
So tonight at the Village Council Meeting two very strange things happened.
1. Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld stated that she has started going around to parking lots to check on availability and has found ample available spots in the Cottage Place lot as well as in the N. Walnut lot. First of all, why is she doing an informal unscientific study of available parking when countless dollars have been spent on actual parking studies? Second, so many people have stated that there are always available spots if one is willing to walk a couple of blocks, so this is not news. And, of course, most bizarre of all is why in the heck is Roberta reporting about all this available parking when she is spearheading the gigantic garage that is supposedly so necessary?
2. Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck issued a parental reprimand to those who use social media (she being a major contributor herself). She said that before anyone posts, they should do a “gut check” (I think that was her term) and ask themselves if what they are about to post is something they would put in a national newspaper. Wait a minute, this is coming from the person who has called residents various unflattering (and highly inaccurate) names including “stalker,” “creepy,” and “terrorist.” And this same councilwoman kept dead silent when a member of the public called an entire group of fellow citizens “fornicators.” Huh? Might one suggest that the good Councilwoman gut-check her own language, and control the council meetings when members of the public use vulgar language.
SHRED DAY – RIDGEWOOD RECYCLING CENTER – SATURDAY, APRIL 9
Saturday, April 9th from 9am to 12:30pm, rain or shine, at Ridgewood Recycling Center , behind the Fire House, 201 E. Glen Avenue – unwanted documents and papers will be safely recycled for free. You can watch on camera as documents are securley shredded. There is a limit of five (5) file size boxes per vehicle.
Place items in a paper bag or cardboard box only. No plastic bags. FREE to all Ridgewood residents and Ridgewood businesses.
This is an opportunity to to safely dispose of cancelled checks, computer printouts, envelopes, letterhead, etc.
Valley Hospital is a tier 2 Hospital resulting in higher co pays
By Susan K. Livio | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on April 04, 2016 at 7:44 PM
TRENTON — Lawmakers took action on a package of bills that would impose tougher state regulations on tiered health plans Monday, sparked by a backlash against Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey’s new OMNIA products that steer cost-conscious patients to select hospitals.
The Assembly Regulatory Oversight Committee approved four bills that would require more disclosure on how hospitals and doctors are chosen to join tiered networks. State regulators would have to insure hospitals that serve low-income people are included in these networks, which offer consumers the choice of paying less if they use hospitals and doctors in the preferred tier.
When Horizon last fall debuted the two-tiered OMNIA plans and the cost-cutting arrangement it had struck with 36 “tier 1” hospitals, it instantly generated outrage among the hospitals relegated to “tier 2” status. Patients could still use them but would pay higher co-pays and have to meet higher deductibles to do so.
Ridgewood NJ, The meeting got off to a poor start as the PB chairman announced to the crowd they would be going into closed session before public comment! Thankfully the people waited to be heard and they were back out in about 50 minutes.The speakers were great. Their statements were diverse, intelligent and heartfelt. It is hard to imagine what the counter argument could be though we know there is one.
There were about 30 speakers at the PB meeting. It was good to see that we are not just a small vocal group. They are allowing more public comments tomorrow. Please come to the next PB meeting and let them know what you think. It’s at 7:30 in the Town Hall
The Valley mediation proceedings resulted in a win for Valley and nothing for Ridgewood except how they will mitigate the damages.
The Valley expansion is too big for the 15 acres it sits on and too big for the neighborhood even if there wasn’t a school adjacent to it.
Ridgewood needs our planning board and council to look out for the village and it’s residents.
Valley will continue to thrive and grow. They have purchased numerous properties for off site facilities and can certainly modernize the Ridgewood location and not destroy the Master Plan in doing so.
Ridgewood Nj, a reader says ,”The (Elks)club membership is dealing with over zealous state reps ( in very fancy tuxedos mind you) who have been gunning for the lodge for years. It’s not business, it’s personnel. The membership has retained councel who will defend their interests. This includes the building that does NOT belong to ANYONE other than the clubs membership via a holding corporation to protect it from situations just like this. So forget your theory’s , forget about the library and forget about ANYONE getting anything that belongs to the lodge.”
