Tag: Ridgewood Public Library

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Ridgewood Has a New Labor Contract with It’s “Blue and White Collar “Unions

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July 6,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, at Wednesday’s council meeting Heather Mailander  confirmed that Ridgewood has settled with its “blue and white collar” unions . They have been out of contract since January 2016. 4 year agreements have been reached from January 16th to December 2019.

Highlights include :
Workers working between 35-40 hours will no longer get time and a half, the new contract requires working over 40 .
Workers can no longer build up “compensatory time ”  for over time work and must take time and now must take time and half eliminating build up of huge vacation blocks.
Vacations are capped at 25 days for all new hires , 30 days for existing hires any employees over 30 years with the Village will be grandfathered in and will no longer accrue time off
2 new dental options for employees which the Village only pays $25 per month
New employees hired after July 1st will receive half of their accumulated sick leave with a cap at $15,000. Employees can buy back up to 7 days of sick leave per year and will be paid the first 45 days of the following year .
2016 anyone hired before November 1st 2013 will receive a 1.5% bump up lump sum and adjust all salary scales December 31st.
Salary increases will increase in 2017 1.5%, in 2018 1.75% and 2019 2%.
Anyone hired after November 1st 2013 there is now an eleven step scale  ,2016 1% lump sum payment 2017 1%.2018 1.5%,and 2019 is 2%. Step increases will now be either January 1st or July 1st only.
Unions have also agreed to a time keeping agreement with a time clock and all employees will be issued an ID Badge.
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Ridgewood Police Respond to an individual found unresponsive near backyard swimming pool

Ridgewood Police,Respond , individual found unresponsive , backyard swimming pool

photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page

July 6,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood Nj, Several Ridgewood PD patrol cars, an ambulance, a paramedic unit, and two (2) fire department vehicles responded to a single family home on Wyndemere Avenue, Ridgewood shortly after 9 PM on Wednesday evening, 07/05. Unconfirmed reports were that an individual was found unresponsive in or near a backyard swimming pool and was later pronounced dead at the scene. Police officers were observed marking the property with yellow crime scene tape as ambulance and fire department personnel left the location. A response team from the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Criminal Identification arrived at the scene between 10:45 PM and 11:00 PM.

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Jamboree Scholarship Fund rewarded a record 40 need-based scholarships to RHS seniors

Jamboree 2017

July 6,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The Jamboree Board would like to congratulate the Ridgewood High School Class of 2017, and thank all citizens and local business that gave so generously to benefit students of our town.

This year, the Jamboree Scholarship Fund rewarded a record 40 need-based scholarships to RHS seniors. This would not have been possible without all the hard work of RHS parent Jamboree volunteers. College costs have skyrocketed over the past years, and these scholarships can make a real difference to the recipients – so your contributions make a positive impact!

Please consider donating next year, and support our local businesses that support Jamboree and our incredibly talented students.

So thanks again to all our Jamboree contributors and volunteers. Congratulations RHS grads!

Jamboree Scholarship Fund, Inc, a 501(c )(3) charitable organization

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Reader says its time for Regionalization of the Police Departments and School Systems in Bergen County

ridgewood police

file photo by Boyd Loving

I don’t think that the police department touches the lives of residents the same way that our teachers and administrators do. A regional board of ed could lead to our children traveling further to school, no more local control and less parental input.

I do not feel the same about RPD. the officer patrolling does not know me and I do not know him/her. It really does not matter. When I visit other towns and cities their school system does not matter to me. They have police departments protecting and serving. As in Ridgewood, I do not know the oficers and it does not matter when they do their job.

Regionalization would allow a more efficient use of police officers and less administration.would save money. New Jersey has hundreds of towns and police departments.

A regional school system would save money too. Education is personal, teachers touch the lives of every child. Once a successful merger of police departments is achieved we could look to see what practices could be applied to schools.

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Crowds Turn Out To Honor Those Who Serve At Ridgewood, N.J. 4th Of July Parade

4th of july 2017

photo by Michele Talamo‎ of NJTPC
July 4, 2017 5:35 PM

RIDGEWOOD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — Ridgewood, New Jerseyhonored first responders in its Fourth of July parade Tuesday.

As CBS2’s Scott Rapoport reported, this Independence Day marked the 107th such celebration in Ridgewood. Pride and patriotism were on display, replete with marching bands, military and honor guards flying the flag.

It is a parade that people in Ridgewood look forward to all year long. Some put their chairs out along the parade route days or even weeks in advance to get a good viewing spot.

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2017/07/04/ridgewood-n-j-4th-of-july-parade/

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Readers thought Travell School knocked it out of the park again this year with the best float

Travell School knocked it out of the park again this year with the best float

photo by Travell Home & School Association

Travell School knocked it out of the park again this year with the best float by far in the parade.
They are always very creative and have a large contingent of students and parents marching.
Great school spirit. Great float.

(and for the record, I DO NOT have any affiliation with Travell school. I just admire their school and community spirit)

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NJ Department of Environmental Protection’s Historic Preservation Office declared the Zabriskie-Schedler house eligible for New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places

Zabriskie-Schedler_house_themridgewoodblog

FACTS about the Schedler House:

NJ Department of Environmental Protection’s Historic Preservation Office declared the Zabriskie-Schedler house eligible for New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places. It’s an 1830s-style Dutch wood frame house. Located on the 7-acre wooded tract between West Saddle River Road and Route 17 North in Ridgewood NJ. The four separate parcels at the Schedler tract were also the site to a Revolutionary War battle and have yielded artifacts from that time.

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Reader says infamous bike path should be a cautionary and oft-repeated tale

Bike Lane Traffic Easing Ridgewood

The passing of the infamous bike path should be a cautionary and oft-repeated tale.

The bike path is a prime example of why Aronson dragged us down into the place where we are now. He wanted to “improve” the Village to suit his own myopic view of what a modern day town should look like. He neither sought nor obtained consensus, merely a chorus of well meaning but unbalanced followers who likened what Aronson was doing to the Seventeen Century rebuilding of France.

Don’t get me wrong, bike paths and accessibility are great ideas, but when you build a bike path, you should base it on the needs of the bike rider, not simply the whimsical fancy of a transient politician. When you do the former and not the latter, you end up exactly as we have ended up with a path to nowhere.

As someone observed, the bike path fiasco will be repaired.. The cost of this boon google is the hundreds of thousands of dollars of tax money spent on the project, the hundreds of hours of school and work commuters’ time spent on the Ridgewood avenue back ups, and the constant risk to public health and safety.

On the other hand, Aronson’s other pet projects inflict injury that might never be repaired.

Now, we face the same ills presented by the mutti-family apartment projects pushed through by Aronson. The addition of hundreds of new families downtown concentrated on two streets running along the train tracks and the train station, will increase our tax burden, strain our administrative resources and risk the health and safety of our school children and elderly pedestrians. All to satisfy the whims of a wanna-be politician and the motives of profit-driven developers. As with the bike path, we have the toxic blend of poor planning and mis-guided intentions. Sadly, the monstrosities about to be built will not be fixed as easily as a bike path.

The garage under consideration by the present council is similarly ill-advised , No one has really articulated why we need it, other than to whine about the need to drive around looking for a weekend space or to spout the fantasy that a parking garage will “save” our downtown. Yet, the current council seems inclined to go build for building sake – – exactly the same approach taken by the prior Council..

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THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE COUNCIL’S PUBLIC WORKSHOP AGENDA FOR JULY 5

Ridgewood Village Council

20170705 VILLAGE COUNCIL WORKSHOP AGENDA

THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE COUNCIL’S PUBLIC WORKSHOP AGENDA FOR JULY 5

JULY 5, 2017

7:30 P.M.

7:30 pm – Call to Order – Mayor
Statement of Compliance with Open Public Meeting Act

Mayor: “Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by a posting on the bulletin    board in Village Hall, by mail to the Ridgewood News, The Record, and by submission       to all persons entitled to same as provided by law of a schedule including the date and           time of this meeting.”

Roll Call – Village Clerk
Flag Salute/Moment of Silence
Public Comments (Not to Exceed 3 Minutes per Person – 40 Minutes in Total)
Discussion
Ridgewood Water
Award of Contract – Lafayette Reservoir Improvements
Award of Professional Services Contract – Cedar Hill Reservoir Improvements

Parking

Train Station Parking
Municipal Complex Parking Lot

Budget

Authorize Release of Cash Bond
Acceptance of Donation – Board of Education – Stigma Free Initiative
Acquisition of Property
Blue & White Collar Salary Ordinances
Amendments to Salary Ordinances

Policy

Report on Ridge School Traffic Solutions
Enrollment of Unlawful Students in Ridgewood Schools
Fee for Use of Parks

Operations

Major Soil Permit – Chestnut Village7.         Review of July 12, 2017 Regular Public Meeting Agenda9.         Council Reports11.       Resolution to go into Closed Session            A. Legal – COAH; Valley Hospital
13.       Adjournment
B. Personnel –
12.       Closed Session
10.       Public Comments (Not to Exceed 5 Minutes per Person)
8.         Manager’s Report

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Ridgewood Police Respond to Physical Altercation at Dim Sum Dynasty Restaurant

Ridgewood Police Respond to Physical Altercation at Dim Sum Dynasty Restaurant

photos courtesy of Boyd Lovings Facebook

July 5 2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Shortly before 9 PM on Monday, 07/03, all on duty Ridgewood PD units were dispatched to a physical altercation taking place inside of the Dim Sum Dynasty Restaurant, 75 Franklin Avenue Ridgewood. The first arriving units quickly located an adult male who was in need of immediate medical attention, having sustained an extremely serious eye injury. The victim was transported by a Ridgewood EMS ambulance to Hackensack University Medical Center’s main campus with paramedic assistance from The Valley Hospital. One (1) adult male was observed being handcuffed at the scene and placed into the rear of a marked RIdgewood PD unit. Initial reports were that the altercation did not involve any employees of the restaurant, only patrons.

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RIDGEWOOD JULY 4TH SCHEDULE

Ridgewood Fireworks 2016

file photo by Boyd Loving

July 4th 2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The 2017 theme for the Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration is “Honoring Those Who Serve.” The parade will be held, rain or shine, on Tuesday, July 4, 2017. The day’s full festivities include:

Flag Raising: 9:00AM

Wilsey Square (Ridgewood train station parking lot)

Short program followed by traditional flag raising: Although the parade and firework portions of the day have on occasion been cancelled, the flag raising has occurred without interruption since the start of the committee in 1910.

Parade: Beings at 10:00AM (rain or shine)

Parade runs along Godwin Ave and onto Ridgewood Ave through downtown, turning right on Maple Ave past the grand stand at Village Hall and ends at Leuning Park Follow the line of chairs set up by residents securing their spot. Don’tmiss the competitive elementary school float competition and the Grand Marshal for this year, Bob Paoli, American Legion Post 53 Commander.

Evening Entertainment and Fireworks: Gates open at 6:00PM

Veterans Field (on the corner of Maple Ave and Linwood)

The field is the ideal place to see the fireworks, which have been named the best in Bergen County by 201 Magazine for 11 years running. Bands and food/beverage vendors keep you entertained until dusk. Tickets are sold in advance at various local stores for $10, tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children 6-12 at the gate. Children five years and under are admitted for free. NEW this year –tickets available for sale online. Check the website for more details, rules and regulations.

About the Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration

The Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration is organized by the Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration, Inc., an all-volunteer, non-profit community group. All aspects of this annual celebration including fireworks, bands, evening performers, insurance, police and fire personnel are funded by voluntary contributions from local businesses and individuals. The Committee continues to require the generous donations from the community to keep the tradition alive. The Ridgewood tradition began in 1910 when the local papers, the civic section of the Woman’s Club and the Ridgewood Fire Department joined forces to create a “safe and sane” holiday with an emphasis on Patriotism.

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The Ridgewood Police Department (RPD) has recommended converting a significant portion of the two (2) dedicated (green paint) bike lanes to “shared use” lanes (no green paint)

bike lane

photo by Boyd Loving

July 3,2017

by Boyd Loving

Ridgewood NJ, Bike Lane Update: The Ridgewood Police Department (RPD) has recommended converting a significant portion of the two (2) dedicated (green paint) bike lanes connecting the intersection of North Broad Street and Franklin Avenue with the intersection of Garber Square and West Ridgewood Avenue to “shared use” lanes (no green paint). This would permit motor vehicle traffic to use space now reserved only for bicyclists. The recommendation came in the form of a presentation delivered by RPD Patrol Supervisor John Chuck and Patrol Officer Raymond Tarino during a Village Council Work Session held on Wednesday, June 28.

Specifically, the police department suggests that the westbound “shared use” lane begin shortly after vehicles round the bend prior to the Pease Library’s northern most property line, and the eastbound “shared use” lane begin just after vehicles round the bend prior to going under the train trestle. Supervisor Chuck and Officer Tarino believe that traffic backups would be significantly decreased if this plan were implemented as two (2) to three (3) additional passenger vehicles could be added into the turning que.

No action/decision regarding the matter was reached by Council Members following the presentation.

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No Specific or Credible Threats to New Jersey It Is Important to Reinforce the Need to be Aware of our Surroundings and Report Suspicious Activity

ridgewood6_fireworks_3014_theridgewoodblog

A Message From Acting Director Jared Maples

Dear New Jersey Residents and Visitors,
As we celebrate the anniversary of our nation’s independence this week, it is important to reinforce the need to be aware of our surroundings and report suspicious activity.
While there are no specific or credible threats to New Jersey at this time, we continue to emphasize the public’s role in maintaining the state’s safety and security. It is often your observations and reports that initiate investigations and thwart potential attacks.
You can report suspicious activity directly to our Counterterrorism Watch desk at any time by calling 1-866-4-SAFE-NJ (1-866-472-3365) or e-mailing to tips@njohsp.gov.
On behalf of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, I would like to wish all of you a happy Fourth of July. Please enjoy this time with your friends and family, and have a safe and happy holiday!
Thank you,

Jared Maples
Acting Director
New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness

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Dead Body Found Franklin Avenue Construction Site in Ridgewood

Dead Body Found Franklin Avenue Construction Site in Ridgewood

photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook

July 3,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police Department uniformed and plainclothes officers, along with members of the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Criminal Identification, conferring at the scene of a reported dead body found in the rear of 121 Franklin Avenue, Ridgewood on Monday morning, 07/03. The address is an active construction site for a new Starbucks drive through.

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Ridgewood Tree Ordinance Invalid Needs Re-vote by Council

New Tree Ordinance in Ridgewood

UPDATE: Due to an inadvertent omission of required information from the legal notice associated with Ordinance #3599 (the “tree ordinance”), the ordinance is invalid and a new ordinance will need to be voted on by Village Council members in July (likely to take effect in August). This was announced by Village Manager Heather Mailander during this past week’s meeting.