Tag: Ridgewood residents

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Reverend Jan Philips accuses Ridgewood residents who were about to speak as GRANDSTANDING

Village Council Meeting

file photo by Boyd Loving Ridgewood Residents Grandstanding 

What was shocking to me was when Reverend Jan Philips at the beginning of the public comment session accused the Ridgewood residents who were about to speak as GRANDSTANDING.

My God, Reverend Philips, And you head the Civility Meetings.

The residents who attended and spoke had heartfelt concerns. They love Ridgewood and have a vision for Ridgewood and wanted to make that vision known.

They want to preserve the charming character of Ridgewood. So they took time out of their busy lives to stand in line for hours for the opportunity to express themselves. For the allotted time of FIVE MINUTES.

Jan Philips you accused the residents of not engaging in diaglogue. Please tell me Reverened what you meant by that. Residents are given five minutes to pour their heart out.

What should they do? Tell me. Tell me. Knock on the doors of the council people’s homes and demand a long discussion.

Jan Philips you are a disgrace to organized religion. You make people WANT TO leave the church. And they do.

But believe me MS. Philips, we still believe in God, and the love and tolerance God wants us to have for our fellow beings, the civility that God wants us to show to our neighbors. In spite of you.

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PSE&G Offers Ridgewood Residents Tips to Stay Warm, Control Energy Costs

cold-weather_medium

January 5,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

 

Ridgewood NJ,  Frigid weather is here, and heating systems are working extra hard. With three months of bill credits this winter, PSE&G residential customers will pay about 30 percent less for gas this season. But there are simple ways to lower bills even more:

Lower your thermostat by just one degree, which may reduce your heating bill by up to 3 percent. Save even more by lowering your thermostat 2 degrees during the day when you are home, and 5 to 10 degrees when you are away and at bedtime, if health conditions permit.
Close fireplace dampers when not in use.
Close and latch your windows.
Set your hot water heater to no more than 120 degrees.
Move furniture and drapes away from heating registers, radiators, and baseboard element covers. Open any register or baseboard dampers.
Remove or cover window air conditioners to reduce drafts. Install insulated or lined drapes on your windows.
Open your curtains and blinds that face the sun on sunny days to warm your home, and close them at night to keep the warm air inside.
Use weather stripping or caulk to seal up cracks and prevent drafts in windows and doorframes. Beneath doors, install draft guards available at hardware stores.
Use a shrink film insulation kit, commonly available at home improvement centers, on drafty windows or make one yourself from plastic sheeting and double-faced tape.
Seal wall switches and electrical outlets on exterior walls of your home with small foam gaskets available from home improvement centers and hardware stores. Remove the cover plate, insert the gasket, and screw the cover plate back in place.
 Keep your garage door closed if the garage is attached to the house.
 If your budget permits, install (or have installed) a programmable thermostat that you can set to automatically lower room temperatures when rooms are not in use and at bedtime, if health conditions permit.
Check for sufficient water levels in the sight glass for steam heating systems to ensure maximum efficiency. Clean or replace the furnace filter on hot air heating systems.
Visit PSE&G’s Home Energy Toolkit at www.pseg.com/toolkit. You can calculate the energy efficiency of your home and find out how to save energy and money on appliances and heating systems.

When making home improvements, always wear the appropriate safety equipment such as eye protection, gloves and a mask to protect against dust; and remember to check your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors for proper operation and replace their batteries at least once every year.

More energy saving tips and tools are available at www.pseg.com/saveenergy.

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Citizens for a Better Ridgewood Says 5pm Special Public Meeting Substantially eliminates the ability of most Residents from being able to attend

village council meeting

file photo by Boyd Loving

SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING – MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING

There will be a Village Council Special Public Meeting held on Friday, January 8, 2016 @ 5PM in the Court Room at Village Hall.  Various Consultants will be presenting proposals for the 4 Multi-Family Housing Studies covering; fiscal impact, traffic, education & municipal infrastructure

Dear Councilwoman Knudsen, Village Council and Village Manager:

On behalf of the Supporters of Citizens for a Better Ridgewood (CBR), I request that the Village Council promptly review and change the date of the Multifamily Housing Impact Study Presentations, which are apparently set for Friday, January 8th at 5pm.  This meeting MUST be scheduled at a time that will encourage Resident input and attendance… after all it is called a “Special PUBLIC Meeting.”  The current scheduling has the direct and true effect of substantially eliminating the ability of many (or most)  Residents from being able to attend.  We recognize you are working hard to expedite these presentations, but nevertheless, the serious public attendance issues with a Friday 1/8, 5pm timeslot should have been evident and understood as a given before making this problematic change.  This issue and this meeting are too important to your Resdients.  Beyond the fact that Fridays are generally an inopportune time for such events, the 5pm timing eliminates most Residents with school age children (as this is their dinnertime), as well as the majority of our workers and commuters, who will not be home in time to attend.  Given this, who then, is this “Public” meeting planned for?

While I am sure this was not intended, leaving the meeting set for such a difficult time, creates the divisive appearance that the Village Council is seeking to bypass or avoid public attendance and input.  That is most certainly not what our Council, or our Village needs at this time.  Our Mayor has been a vocal advocate of finding ways to improve the tenor of public discourse.  Providing an “inaccessible” meeting time, for such an important event, will raise the level of frustration, Resident-exclusion and act as a setback to those noble intents.

The timing of this meeting is wrong for Ridgewood.  Please reschedule at a time that encourages public attendance.

Thank you in advance.

Regards,

Dave Slomin

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Ridgewood Residents Reach Out to Neighbor with Multiple Sclerosis

lesley linker
December 22,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Support Lesley Ellis Linker

The friends of Lesley Ellis Linker, a 45-year-old Ridgewood, NJ mother of young children who is unable to work due to advanced Multiple Sclerosis and who has been devastated by the breakdown of her family, are seeking your help.

Lesley was diagnosed with MS at age 33, when she had almost no symptoms.  She married and had two children, now 6 and 10.  Over the past 5 years Lesley’s disease has progressed to where she is a prisoner in her own body.  She can no longer walk or stand, or see well enough to read regular print.  She is confined to a wheelchair.

Despite her hardships, Lesley has been able to parent her children consistently and lovingly.  She oversees all aspects of the children’s upbringing including dinners together, homework help, bedtime stories and most importantly, Lesley comforts them during trying times and provides them with unconditional love at all times.

In January 2015, Lesley’s husband moved out of the family home.

Despite Medicare and Social Security disability payments, the costs associated with Lesley’s care have become staggering.  Lesley’s around-the-clock home health aide alone costs over $5,000 per month, which is not covered by insurance, any governmental agency or other organization.  Lesley, her soon-to-be ex-husband, her retired schoolteacher parents, and her brother are struggling to cover these costs.  The financial and emotional strain on them is severe and cannot be sustained.

Lesley’s pre-owned handicapped-accessible van has been breaking down and cannot be repaired.  It will cost at least $55,000 to replace.  A safe mode of transportation for her and her children is critical to Lesley’s peace of mind and sense of independence, yet this cost is out of the family’s reach.

Just as important for the children, as they’ve witnessed their mother lose the ability to walk and as they’ve had to come to terms with their parents’ separation and impending divorce, is the continuity of their public school, friends and neighbors.  Yet Lesley and the children may not be able to afford to stay in their modest home in Ridgewood.   An exhausting and often very upsetting 16-month search for an even more modest wheelchair accessible apartment or other accommodation in Ridgewood has yielded nothing thus far.

Through all of the heartbreak of recent years, Lesley has been incredibly grateful to help her babies grow and has worked hard to maintain an optimistic outlook for them.  With your support, we can work to alleviate her outsized share of unfairness, sadness, humiliation and struggle.  Monies raised in this campaign will go directly toward replacing Lesley’s lift van, and any surplus will be use to defray the cost of her home health aide as well as start a fund for Lesley’s living costs.  Please help us to keep Lesley and the children safe and help restore their quality of life by contributing to this campaign.  Thank you.

Please note that donations will not be tax-deductible to the donor.  Thank you again.

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Ridgewood Residents will have an opportunity to chime in on the parking garage design on December 2nd

parking garage cbd

Hudson Street Parking Deck – Message from the Village Manager

Click Here

Ridgewood NJ, According to Village Hall residents will have an opportunity to chime in on the parking garage design on December 2nd.  The three designs presented included the original structure, as depicted on Villlage of Ridgewood (VOR) site,  with 405 spaces (130,000sq ft), a modified version with 355 stalls (120,000sq ft) and the lowest profile version with 305 stalls (109,000 sq ft). The cost per stall decreases for each added level:

405 stalls @ $28,000 = 11.5 mil

355 stalls @ $29,300 = 10.4 mil

305 stalls @ $31,000 = 9.5 mil

You can see the higher you go the more efficient the project becomes IF, of course,  those spaces  are utilized.
As far as the design, it is exactly as shown at the informal meetings. The 355 version indicates a  lower profile along Hudson St but  retains the same height along Broad. The 305 version includes

the lower profile on both Broad and Hudson. For some reason I didn’t include the heights in my notes  but will ask Roberta for those details. Each version includes cantilevering over the entire Hudson St sidewalk with an additional 20″ cantilever extending over the street. The cantilevers were depicted in the original design and, I believe cannot be eliminated due to the lot width.

Also Mayor Aronsohn sent an email (personal email) to residents regarding the three garage designs and process moving forward.  His letter indicates surprise ,surprise higher cost for each version likely based on factoring in  the original  $500,000 bond.

Please share your thoughts and questions with us regarding the deck so that your feedback can be considered by the Council as they deliberate on this important issue at the December 2nd Council Meeting……please also consider coming to that meeting to share your opinions. You can email me at rsonenfeld@ridgewoodnj.net or call 201-670-5500, ext. 203.

 

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Ridgewood Residents Get Their Chance to Speak out on the CBD Parking Garage Design

parking garage cbd

November 24,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, According to Village Hall residents will have an opportunity to chime in on the parking garage design on December 2nd. The three designs presented included the original structure, as depicted on Villlage of Ridgewood (VOR) site, with 405 spaces (130,000sq ft), a modified version with 355 stalls (120,000sq ft) and the lowest profile version with 305 stalls (109,000 sq ft). The cost per stall decreases for each added level:

405 stalls @ $28,000 = 11.5 mil

355 stalls @ $29,300 = 10.4 mil

305 stalls @ $31,000 = 9.5 mil

You can see the higher you go the more efficient the project becomes IF, of course, those spaces are utilized.

As far as the design, it is exactly as shown at the informal meetings. The 355 version indicates a lower profile along Hudson St but retains the same height along Broad. The 305 version includes the lower profile on both Broad and Hudson. For some reason I didn’t include the heights in my notes but will ask Roberta for those details. Each version includes cantilevering over the entire Hudson St sidewalk with an additional 20″ cantilever extending over the street. The cantilevers were depicted in the original design and, I believe cannot be eliminated due to the lot width.

Also Mayor Aronsohn sent an email (personal email) to residents regarding the three garage designs and process moving forward. His letter indicates surprise ,surprise higher cost for each version likely based on factoring in the original $500,000 bond.

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Ridgewood Residents Voice Concerns over administrative expenditures at Village Hall

Village_Manager_Roberta_Sonenfeld_theridgewoodblog

file photo by Boyd Loving

Ridgewood Residents Voice Concerns over administrative increases in the expenditures at Village Hall
November 20,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, residents continue to voice concern over administrative staff increases at Village hall,  specifically the hiring of a full time HR manager.  As many remember rightfully or wrongfully that one of the reasons, Gwenn and Albert were elected was because many were unhappy with the compensation package offered to Ken Gabbert, our former Village Manager.

But now with the addition of a full time HR manager we are spending much more money surprise ,surprise.   In addition the 95K we are paying, there is also the cost of benefits. Councilman Sedon asked this question in a public meeting.  He questioned whether the salary of the Village Manager would be reduced accordingly to compensate for the addition of a new position that encompases what was, previously, part of the Village Manager’s job.  The response to Councilman Sedon was pretty much a reprimand for having asked this in the first place.

Its being going to look more and more like the whole “Gabbert” hulabaloo was a well staged coup to replace their guy with your guy .

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Ridgewood Residents feel input ignored on Garage Discussions

Hudson Garage

file photo by Boyd LOving
November 20,2015
th staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The Village of Ridgewood is pushing three options for the parking garage design . Village manager Roberta Sonenfeld claims in a recent email to Village Residents that ,”We have already confirmed the economics by commissioning an independent consulting firm whose work was studied and endorsed by the Financial Advisory Committee.”

Sonenfeld went on , “The Council selected an architectural/engineering firm to work with us in designing the deck and putting together the construction bid documents. We are currently in the design phase of building the deck, and have held numerous meetings where input from the community has been received and incorporated into the design. We continue to seek input from you regarding the design, particularly as it relates to the size and height. Below you will find three options for you to peruse and comment upon. Each has pros and cons.”  https://mods.ridgewoodnj.net/pdf/manager/hudson/20151119-PDwPV1.pdf

Many residents however see things differently , “Since the vote, there has been no council meeting with an agenda to discuss the parking garage. The discussion should be at a council meeting. Put it on the record and for all the public to hear. As I said below, it appears that things are being done backwards and in private yet again. You say you want public input. You say you want communication. You say you want transparency. You said, “vote yes to parking, and then negotiate the size and design.” I see none of that.”, Lorraine Reynolds

Ellen McNamara said , “I attended the second of 2 informal forums and I was the only person not on a committee, who had had prior opportunity to review the garage plans at length. I did not have an opportunity to speak publicly, ask questions on the record, or be heard by anyone other than Gwen Hauck, Fire Chief Jim VanGoor, the architect (forgetting his name at the moment), and Nancy Johannsen from the financial committee – only in private conversations initiated by me. I did not feel as though my input was “gathered.” In fact, I was lead to believe the design and size of the garage were still being worked out, and many of my questions had been asked and answered already, so not to worry. I have worried every second since casting my vote for the garage referendum.”

The Village Manager has once again assured everyone that on the December 2nd meeting residents will have an opportunity to ask questions

 

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Ridgewood Police Continue to Report Incidents of Identity Theft

Ridgewood _police_theridgewoodblog
file photo by Boyd Loving
November 7,2015

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood Police reported several incidents or identity theft last week , on October 29, 2015, a Bogert Avenue resident reported fraudulent charges had been made on his/her credit card. It is extremely important that if you become the victim of identity theft, you make proper notifications to help prevent further victimization, starting with a report to your local police department. Information is available at the police desk concerning reporting and prevention of identity theft incidents.

On Tuesday, November 3, 2015, a South Van Dien resident reported that he/she had received a letter from the United States Social Security Administration advising him/her that someone had changed his/her direct deposit account information with that agency. Fortunately, the fraudulent account change was discovered before the victim’s social security account could be compromised.

Once again, be aware that information is available at the police desk concerning reporting and prevention of identity theft incidents.

What to do if you think you have been subject to identity fraud (https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/identity-theft-stolen-checklist-29691.html )

1. Start a log. As you make phone calls or send letters, keep notes of your conversations and correspondence with authorities and financial institutions, including dates, names, and phone numbers. Also keep track of all time spent and expenses you incur; you can deduct theft-related expenses on your income tax return, assuming you itemize deductions, and you may be able to seek compensation if you are ever able to sue the thief. (https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/identity-theft-stolen-checklist-29691.html )

2. Contact the credit bureaus. Call or visit the websites of the three major credit bureaus and ask that they issue a fraud alert and attach a statement to your credit report.

Equifax: 800-525-6285 or www.equifax.com
Experian: 888-397-3742 or www.experian.com
TransUnion: 800-680-7289 or www.transunion.com

Also, get copies of your credit report from each of the credit bureaus. Look for all possible signs of trouble: accounts you didnt open, inquiries you didnt initiate, and defaults and delinquencies you didn’t cause. Also check your identifying information carefully.

3. Review your credit reports. After you receive your credit reports from the three credit bureaus, review them thoroughly. Make sure that all your personal information, including name, address, and Social Security number, is correct and that there are no fraudulent accounts or inquiries. Look for accounts that you didn’t apply for or open, inquiries that you didn’t initiate, and defaults and delinquencies that you didn’t cause. Immediately report any suspicious information or activity to the credit bureau that issued the credit report.

4. Call the Ridgewood police. File a report of the crime with your local police department. Provide as much evidence as you can, and ask the officer to list all fraudulently accessed accounts that you know about on the police report. Be sure to get copies of the police report, because creditors will probably ask to see them. Remember to log the phone numbers and names of all the law enforcement agents that you speak to; creditors may want this information.

5. Fill out an Identity Theft Victim’s Complaint and Affidavit. The form is available from the Federal Trade Commission atwww.ftc.gov/idtheft. Creditors may accept this affidavit when you claim that you are not responsible for a new account or for transactions on an existing account. The information that you provide will enable the creditor to investigate your claim. (The creditor may require you to submit additional information or a different form.) This affidavit also will be useful if you request copies of the thief’s application and transaction records . Follow the instructions that accompany the form. (https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/identity-theft-stolen-checklist-29691.html )

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Ridgewood Residents can plant daffodil bulbs

spring_time_Daffodil theridgewoodblog

file photo by ArtChick

OCTOBER 2, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2015, 8:52 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

A daffodil for every resident

To the Editor:

The Conservancy for Ridgewood Public Lands is looking forward to spring! We are pleased to announce our 2015 campaign: “25,000 Village Residents = 25,000 Daffodils.” Our goal is to plant one daffodil bulb for each village resident.

Three years ago, the conservancy began the fall bulb planting project. To date, 14,000 bulbs were purchased and planted by residents, including Boys and Girls Scout troops, the Ridgewood Public School System and several local social service agencies.

Please join us on Sunday, Oct. 18 at the Stable between the hours of 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to help us kick off this exciting event. As we keep working on our various park improvement projects, we also look forward to celebrating our Third Annual Daffodil Festival on Sunday, April 17, 2016.

Please visit our conservancy website at cfrpl.org for ways to participate, and for additional information. We thank our community for their continued support.

Cynthia Halaby

President

Conservancy for Ridgewood Public Lands

 

https://www.northjersey.com/opinion/opinion-letters-to-the-editor/ridgewood-news-letter-residents-can-plant-daffodil-bulbs-1.1423990

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Mayor Paul Aronsohn will hold office hours for Ridgewood residents on Saturday October 3rd 2015

Paul_Aronsohn_dunking_theridgewoodblog

Mayor’s Office Hours for Residents – October 3rd, 2015

Mayor Paul Aronsohn holds office hours for Ridgewood residents on Saturday’s every month. Mayor Aronsohn will meet with residents on Saturday, October 3rd from 9AM to Noon in the Council Chambers (Sydney V. Stoldt, Jr. Court Room) on the fourth floor of Ridgewood Village Hall.

For an appointment to meet with the Mayor, please call the Village Clerk’s Office at 201-670-5500 ext. 206. You may come to the Mayor’s office hours without an appointment, but those with appointments will be given priority.

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Seeking Ridgewood Residents to Volunteer for Planning Board and Shade Tree Commission

clock_cbd_theridgewoodblog

The Village Council is looking for residents who are interested in volunteering to serve on the Planning Board or the Shade Tree Commission.

The Planning Board reviews site plans and subdivision applications; prepares, adopts, and amends the Master Plan; makes recommendations to the Village Council regarding amendments to developmental regulations and the official map.

The Shade Tree Commission works closely with the Parks and Recreation Department, the Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee, and the Green Team to promote awareness and education of the residents as well as advise and provide recommendations to the Village Council in promoting and sustaining a safe and productive shade tree resource. Members will preferably have forestry or tree backgrounds or hold the designation of a certified Arborist.

All interested residents should fill out a Citizen Volunteer Leadership form (found on the Village website), and send it along with a cover letter indicating on which board(s) the resident wishes to serve, and a biography or resume to:

Heather Mailander, Village Clerk
Village of Ridgewood
131 North Maple Avenue
Ridgewood, NJ 07451

Deadline for submissions is September 10, 2015.

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Ridgewood Residents Secure Spots Days Ahead Of 4th Of July Parade

4thjulychairs theridgewoodblog

RIDGEWOOD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — Hundreds of lawn chairs are already lined up in strategic spots inRidgewood, New Jersey, in advance of the town’s big Fourth of July parade.

Some residents started setting out their lawn chairs along the mile-long parade route on Maple Avenue as much as 13 days ago, 1010 WINS’ Glenn Schuck reported.

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/07/01/ridgewood-4th-of-july-parade-chairs/

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Village of Ridgewood :Meet the Mayor Saturday July 11th

Paul_Aronsohn_theridgewood blog

file photo Boyd Loving

MAYOR’S OFFICE HOURS FOR RESIDENTS -Saturday, July 11

Mayor Paul Aronsohn holds office hours for Ridgewood residents on Saturday’s every month. Mayor Aronsohn will meet with residents on Saturday, July 11th from 9AM to Noon in the Council Chambers (Sydney V. Stoldt, Jr. Court Room) on the fourth floor of Ridgewood Village Hall.

For an appointment to meet with the Mayor, please call the Village Clerk’s Office at 201-670-5500 ext. 206. You may come to the Mayor’s office hours without an appointment, but those with appointments will be given priority.

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Mayor Paul Aronsohn holds office hours for Ridgewood residents Saturday June 6th

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MAYOR’S OFFICE HOURS FOR RESIDENTS -Saturday, June 6

Mayor Paul Aronsohn holds office hours for Ridgewood residents the first Saturday of every month. Mayor Aronsohn will meet with residents on Saturday, June 6 from 9AM to Noon in the Council Chambers (Sydney V. Stoldt, Jr. Court Room) on the fourth floor of Ridgewood Village Hall.

For an appointment to meet with the Mayor, please call the Village Clerk’s Office at 201-670-5500 ext. 206. You may come to the Mayor’s office hours without an appointment, but those with appointments will be given priority.