Tag: Ridgewood Schools

>08/02/06
7:30pm
Village Council Work Session

08/09/06
8:00pm
Village Council Public Meeting

09/06/06
7:30pm
Village Council Work Session

09/13/06
8:00pm
Village Council Public Meeting

09/27/06
7:30pm
Village Council Work Session

>Ridgewood Water – Consumer Confidence ReportFederal regulations require that water utilities report specific information about the quality of the water they supply to their consumers and the general public. Ridgewood Water has published and mailed the report for 2006 to all of its customers. Copies of the report are also available at the public libraries and municipal buildings within the service area. To read the report, Click Here

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Stage II Water Restrictions Now in ForceDue to high temperatures and lack of sufficient rain, Ridgewood Water has imposed Stage 2 mandatory water restrictions. Irrigation of properties with odd-numbered addresses is allowed on odd-numbered dates, and irrigation of properties with even-numbered addresses is allowed on even-numbered dates. No irrigation of any kind is allowed on Mondays. Irrigation using a hand held hose is allowed on any day except Mondays.

Some would suggest there is a leaky pipe somewhere perhaps running near Linwood Ave. across the Ho Ho Kus brooke …well they say just another mess from Floyd…dont fool with mother nature..

>Citing their desire to avoid the commonplace delays & cost overruns associated with municipal construction projects (lesson learned with the Village Hall fiasco, thankfully), Village Council members last night informally approved plans to have a private corporation build and operate the proposed downtown parking garage.

An as yet to be created municipally managed redevelopment agency would designate the area intended for garage construction, and take whatever steps are necessary to acquire needed property (hint: eminent domain). Following the assembly of all required parcels, the designated private corporation would build and operate the garage. Funding/leasing arrangements have not been finalized.

At this time, Village Council members want the garage constructed on the west side of Walnut Street, between Franklin and Ridgewood Avenues. Property said to be under consideration for “redevelopment” includes lots occupied by The Town Garage, Just Our Shoes, and a strip of land behind stores along the east side of Oak Street.

>I ask, would it not be better for the Village Council along with the Chamber of Commerce to encourage and lobby merchants to move into town instead of spending all this time money and energy trying to prohibit and chase business out of town. The whole thing seems somewhat convoluted to me. Given the empty stores and the amount of merchants in town that never seem to be opened it would appear that Ridgewood would be a very good place to do business unless the Village Council continues to attempt to run other people business the way they renovated the Village Hall. I know this idea doesn’t cost very much and we won’t have to hire up a bunch of people but it would be a simple solution and would enhance the quality of the shopping in the Village.

readers speak out:

Despite overwhelming public condemnation of the “no banks” and “change of use” ordinances, Mayor David T. Pfund has continued to push for their adoption, in one form or another. Perhaps the Mayor’s persistence can be best explained by comments he made during a recent public hearing regarding the “change of use” ordinance.When asked if he ever had the opportunity to present before either Ridgewood’s Board of Adjustment or Planning Board, Mayor Pfund replied: “No; as a member of Council I am prohibited from doing so. However, I wish I could because I’d make a lot of money.”In actuality, the question posed to our Mayor was done so with the intent of determining whether he had ever presented to one of the aforementioned Boards as a property owner, not as the attorney for a property owner. But, his answer was extremely revealing.That is, Mr. Pfund is clearly aware of the convoluted and burdensome nature of building & zoning regulations in Ridgewood. Very few property owners go forth without hiring an attorney and/or professional planner. Clearly, attorneys and planners benefit the most from complex and arduous regulations.Now, what does Mayor Pfund do for a living? Oh, that’s right – he’s an attorney. Duh! Thus the explanation of why he continues to push for the adoption of “no banks” and “change of use” ordinances. Remember his line: “I could make a lot of money.” Perhaps he has friends who are either planners or attorneys and they all want to make a lot of money too?

>Council members gave tacit approval for an additional $150K in funds to turf Maple Park. Projected costs are now $710K. An additional $100K was requested by the Ridgewood Sports Council; i.e., capital required to complete this project could eventually exceed $800K. Costs for the turf at Maple Park were to be provided entirely by grants and Sports Council raised monies. However, only $110K of Sports Council funds are on deposit as of now; grant funds authorized to date total $100K. Thus, taxpayers are currently at risk for $500K, with the possibility of this number reaching $600K.

Only one bid was received to lease the top floor of Pease Library. Wells Associates, an architectural firm now based in Oradell, submitted a proposal to provide all professional services, labor, and materials necessary to restore the building in lieu of making rent payments for 10 years. That’s right, no rent for 10 years if they restore the building to its 1920’s condition. Council members agreed to consider the proposal.

Citing concerns over costs to erect fencing required for display purposes, the Council rejected a request made by the Ridgewood Cultural Council to conduct art exhibits at the Ridgewood train station on days when the Farmer’s Market is in operation.

The purchase of two new 8-cylinder police vehicles was approved. Three police vehicles will be retired, resulting in a drop of the Village’s overall fleet size by one.

Mayor David T. Pfund requested that revised versions of the recently defeated “Change of Use” and “No Downtown Financial Institutions” ordinances be drafted by Village Attorney Matthew S. Rogers and presented to Council members for discussion.

A bandstand/gazebo will be constructed on the Walnut Street side of Van Neste Park. It will be similar in appearance to one located near the train station in Westwood. Funding will be provided by private donations.

Costs to construct a comfort station/concession stand at Vets Field are now estimated to be in the ballpark (no pun intended) of $550K. Council members asked that the project be advertised for bid immediately. A portion of the $550K will be provided by private donations.

$42K was authorized for the development of a comprehensive “Parks & Recreation Master Plan.” A public hearing on this “Special Emergency Appropriation” will take place at the Council’s 7/19/06 public meeting.

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INVITATION :

Free Seminar July 11, Tuesday 6 – 8 pm

“Invest In New Jersey”

At the Renaissnance Plaza located in Flemington ,On Route 12 next to Liberty Square .>>off the Flemington Circle<<

Refreshments and Free Handouts!

Invited speakers from Capital Mortgage, James Foytlin Horwitz Associates (Ridgewood) and RE/MAX Signature Properties present strategies and other investment possibilities for home buyers, small business, retirees and other investors. Learn how today’s interest rates (cost of money), the marketplace trading of equities (stock market) and real estate (purchasing “real” property) together affect financial decisions when and how to invest.

FREE REGISTRATION:

https://www.hunterdoncountyhome.com/

call Kathleen Paige, Realtor 908 730-8282 ext 20.

>Ridgewood Police Department detectives were called out twice so far this
weekend to investigate burglaries in the Village’s Old Country Club area. A
burglary took place in the 300 block of Mountain Avenue on Saturday night,
and a resident returning Sunday to a home in the 100 block of Lincoln Avenue
on Sunday reported missing jewelry. An alarm was triggered at the Mountain
Avenue home, but the perpetrators escaped prior to the arrival of police
officers. A dog from the Bergen County Police Department was brought in to
search the area of Mountain Avenue, but no trace of the burglars was found.

If you have any information that might help lead to the capture of these burglars, please call Ridgewood Police Capitan of Detectives Keith Killion at 201-251-4535 immediately.

>Note form the Editor :

The recent debate in the comment section has once again brought to center stage the large budget of the BOE and the small size of the school board .It was noted the Mr. Bombase and Ms Gilman were not present with the rest of the BOE members during the 4th of July parade and that the burdens of work and life make it very hard for board members to meet all there various duties. Let’s face it the Board members need the help and perhaps it is time to enlarge the size of the school board there by spreading out the work load. I think it would also be invaluable by adding new talent and different points of view. What do you think?

>The Ridgewood Blog wants to add restaurant reviews, so if you find a spot in the Village to your particular liking please feel free to mention it the us and we will run with it and see if your neighbors agree or disagree.

7/17/2006 Latour in Ridgewood was wonderful. The food was excellent, service was spectacular and the decor was very cute.Chef was very nice and came out and spoke to each customer

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>Al GoreMonday, July 17th – 8:00pm
Former Vice President Al Gore will make a special visit to sign his NY Times Best Seller; An Inconvenient Truth. Don’t miss this great opportunity to meet the former VP to Bill Clinton and expert on Global Warming!

Readers Speakout :

Professor Bob Carter of the Marine Geophysical Laboratory at James Cook University, in Australia gives what, for many Canadians, is a surprising assessment: “Gore’s circumstantial arguments are so weak that they are pathetic. It is simply incredible that they, and his film, are commanding public attention.”

Appearing before the Commons Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development last year, Carleton University paleoclimatologist Professor Tim Patterson testified, “There is no meaningful correlation between CO2 levels and Earth’s temperature over this [geologic] time frame. In fact, when CO2 levels were over ten times higher than they are now, about 450 million years ago, the planet was in the depths of the absolute coldest period in the last half billion years.” Patterson asked the committee, “On the basis of this evidence, how could anyone still believe that the recent relatively small increase in CO2 levels would be the major cause of the past century’s modest warming?”

“During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet. I took the initiative in moving forward a whole range of initiatives that have proven to be important to our country’s economic growth and environmental protection, improvements in our educational system. ” al gore

The earth is actually COOLER now than it was in the 13th century. Greenland was named ‘Greenland’ by the Vikings because it actually WAS green at that time, at least along the shores. There were vinyards in England during the same period. The melting of free floating ice, such as the ice shelf along the coast of Antarctica, would not raise the sea level. In fact it could even lead to a lower sea level. This seems to defy common sense but is none the less true. Water has its greatest density at 39 deg F. Even the melting of glacial ice on land does not have the dramatic effect that is predicted. As the weight of ice is decreased the land mass actually rises. The increased water mass in the ocean also deforms the crust, pushing the seabed lower. The earth’s crust is plastic, changes in one area effect every other area. It is not the simple zero sum game assumed by global warming alarmists. Global warming is a mixture of fuzzy math, irrespronsible extrapolation of short term data, and politicly motivated antigrowth green party bullshit.

We urge the United States government to reject the global warming agreement that was written in Kyoto, Japan in December, 1997, and any other similar proposals. The proposed limits on greenhouse gases would harm the environment, hinder the advance of science and technology, and damage the health and welfare of mankind. There is no convincing scientific evidence that human release of carbon dioxide, methane, or other greenhouse gasses is causing or will, in the foreseeable future, cause catastrophic heating of the Earth’s atmosphere and disruption of the Earth’s climate. Moreover, there is substantial scientific evidence that increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide produce many beneficial effects upon the natural plant and animal environments of the Earth.from the Petition Project at https://www.oism.org/pproject/s33p37.htm.