Tag: Ridgewood Train Station

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NJ Transit has made the commute from Ridgewood a nightmare

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NJ Transit has made the commute from Ridgewood a nightmare

NJ Transit has made the commute from Ridgewood a nightmare. Express service pretty much cancelled — after a $40 million renovation just two years ago to build this big station, it is now no longer a key express stop per the schedule. Trains are so constantly overcroweded that there are fights (literally) over space to get on the trains. Emails, letters and calls go unanswered.

Now, we have large Advertisements for Empire Casino “decorating” the “RIDDGEWOOD” signs at this new station. I am all in favor of advertisements to reduce the financial strain on riders — but were these ad placements part of the drawings? I dont recall seeing them. Village officials never should have agreed to such a large expansion of the station and large advertisements for NY casinos without a committment from NJ Transit to maintain certain service levels. (BTW – why would a NJ based organization like NJ Transit agree to place large ads for a NY casino on its property when Atlantic City is suffering???) Hopefully this will serve as a warning to future Village leaders not to trust NJ Transit.

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Carve that Pumpkin for Halloween

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Carve that Pumpkin for Halloween

by William

 

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Ridgewood Train Station plaza parking lot is reopened a day ahead of schedule

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Photo from the Ridgewood Police Department

Ridgewood Train Station plaza parking lot is reopened a day ahead of schedule.

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“Town Garage” looks to make a comeback

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“Town Garage” looks to make a comeback
September 5, 2012
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, With the Village facing a “”Park-pocalypse” next week the Village council looks to continue discussions during the councils next work session on the recently proposed “Chamber of Commerce” parking plan for the Central Business District and a new plane for the you guessed it “Town Garage” property.

As previously reported members of the Ridgewood business community presented an elaborate, through expensive multifaceted plan last month that included not one but two parking structures and a new retail space as well as a strategy to fund the entire venture. This plan has become known as the “Chamber of Commerce” parking plan.

Criticism has centered on whether the plan can come in on budget to meet the very aggressive requirements to fund the parking complexes without risk to tax payers. A rosie scenario was presented but given the Villages past inability to meet construction budgets ie, the $2 million Village Hall that became a $9 million fiasco or the $400,000 ‘Golden Toilet” at Vets field that much chronicled on this blog leaves readers with doubts .

Tonight the “Town Garage” project is expected to be resurrected by the owners .Village Council members are expected discuss the plan at length. Past plans for the property have always been based on the socialized taxpayer financing with profits kept in the hands of the few. Taxpayers in Ridgewood up till now have been in no mood to finance someone else’s profits., but with the new regime the jury is still out.

There is also the issue of old fuel tanks , and soil contamination at the site if needed with no one really sure what the Village is on the hook for.

Microsoft Store

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Long-vacant “Town Garage” back on in the news again

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As previously reported in reader commentary  : Urbanization of Downtown Ridgewood is coming

Massive development set to take place in the Central Business District

https://theridgewoodblog.net/reader-urbanization-of-downtown-ridgewood-is-coming/

 

Long-vacant “Town Garage” back on in the news again

THURSDAY JULY 26, 2012, 1:49 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Village Council members are expected next month to resurrect a discussion initiated by the Ridgewood Planning Board, which has asked the governing body to review the stipulations and intentions of the North Walnut Street Redevelopment Area and Redevelopment Plan.

The Village Council will reopen discussions next month on what to do with the Town Garage property.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/163887616_Long-vacant_lot_in_Ridgewood_is_back_on_table_for_discussion.html

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Advertising placements at Ridgewood train station pitched

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Ridgewood NJ, Village officials remain on the fence about several aspects of New Jersey Transit’s (NJT) proposal to sell advertising space at the Ridgewood train station.

New Jersey Transit is proposing the placement of advertisements on platforms and the pedestrian underpass at the Ridgewood train station. Council members and other residents left last week’s work session meeting with a better understanding of NJT’s plan; however, many were not yet convinced that the initial ideas presented by NJT representatives are in the village’s best interest.

In addition, some council members suggested that the transportation corporation, which operates the country’s largest statewide public transit system, must completely fulfill the obligations of the recent $40 million renovation before moving forward with the advertising project.

As of early this week, NJT and its advertising contractor, Titan Outdoor, had hopes of working with the village to sell and install advertising placards at the train station. Transit officials are targeting spots on the platforms and the station building as well as the walls of the pedestrian underpass. The ultimate goal for both NJT and the village is an increase in revenue, transportation officials said.

 

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Ridgewood council discusses underpass upgrades at train station…again

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RidgewoodtranstationsigART theridgewoodblog.net

Photo by Boyd Loving

 

Ridgewood NJ, A conceptual plan to improve the pedestrian underpass at the Ridgewood train station has piqued interest among several council members, who last Wednesday expressed desire to meet with New Jersey Transit (NJT) officials and discuss the potential ideas.

NJT recently completed a $40 million renovation project at the station to make Ridgewood’s transit hub accessible to disabled passengers and more convenient for all riders. That project, however, did not include improvement work to the underpass.

In its current condition, the underground walkway shows deteriorated walls, exposed rebar and general disrepair. Though it is out of sight to many village residents, the passageway is an eyesore to those who use it.

 

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Mr. Bombace has been working directly with Paul Arohnson for the past 3 years to get a super majority of “like-minded” council persons

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Mr. Bombace has been working directly with Paul Arohnson for the past 3 years to get a super majority of “like-minded” council persons

Mr. Bombace has been working directly with Paul Arohnson for the past 3 years to get a super majority of “like-minded” council persons elected. At first it was the “Crowd” (Cronk and Dowd); now its Albert Puccarelli and Gwen Haulk.

The problem with allowing Paul Arohnson to control a super majority (who have been telling anyone who will listen; that they intend to elect him as Mayor) is that these three will jam their agenda through over and over again and the Village will be changed forever. It should be no suprise they have been having private (read: secret) meetings with various development partners to construct new retail, garages and apartments in various locations in downtown (this is the kind of stuff that leads to jail time, just look what happened in other urban areas around us these past few years).

The current Council is composed of five individuals, none having a lock on control and all having “independent”, not “like-minded” or “lock-step” thinking.

In this Tuesday’s election there will be three non aligned candidates; they are: Keith Killion, Jane Shinazoka and Russ Forenza. Anyone who knows these three; knows they are very different people with very different ideas, all respectful of eachother and the tax payer.

Please vote for independent condidates this year.

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Vincent Loncto is sworn in as Ridgewood schools trustee

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Vincent Loncto is sworn in as Ridgewood schools trustee

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2011
BY EVONNE COUTROS
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD

RIDGEWOOD – A former chief financial officer for major corporations was sworn in Monday night as the school district’s newest trustee.

Vincent Loncto took his seat as a trustee at Monday’s school board meeting at the district’s Education Center on Cottage Place.

The certified public accountant was one of six candidates interviewed for the trustee post after Charles Reilly resigned earlier this year.

“The school budget is in the process of being developed, so I’m coming in at the right time,” said Loncto, who retired earlier this year from a 40-year career in financial management.

“It has to be done collaboratively,” he said. “What we are talking about here is enhancing the quality of the school system under budgetary constraints. It is detail-intensive work.”

https://www.northjersey.com/news/Ridgewood_school_board_to_swear_in_new_member_tonight.html

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Letter: Former fire chief James Bombace corrects ‘misleading’ statement

Letter: Former fire chief James Bombace corrects ‘misleading’ statement

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2011
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Former chief: Manager should be in charge

To the editor:

At the last council meeting, Deputy Mayor Tom Riche stated: “When the Emergency Operations Center is activated … all command and control immediately goes to the Emergency Operations Center and the director of Emergency Management. So the village manager theoretically at that point is no longer in charge.”

Nothing, however, could be further from the truth.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/opinions/134100583_Letter__Former_fire_chief_corrects__misleading__statement.html

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Ridgewood school board interviews six candidates for open seat

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>Ridgewood school board interviews six candidates for open seat

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2011
BY JOSEPH CRAMER
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

The Board of Education (BOE) interviewed six candidates this week for the seat left vacant by trustee Charles Reilly’s departure last month.

Six candidates applied and were each questioned by board members on Monday night regarding their professional backgrounds, reasons for applying for the position, and goals as a potential BOE trustee. The decision on Reilly’s replacement will be announced at a public meeting on Nov. 7.

Among the candidates – James Morgan, Gwen Sullivan, B. Vincent Loncto, Janice Willet, Rei Shinozuka and Eric Gross – several themes were consistent across the six interviews. All expressed a desire to contribute to the reputation of the Ridgewood school district, which was a primary reason behind moving to the village for many of the candidates.

Issues of communication, whether relating to complex technical matters such as yearly budgets or simple instances of parent feedback, were also paramount in candidates’ responses.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/132699643_Ridgewood_school_board_interviews_six_candidates_for_open_seat.html

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Carve that Pumpkin for Halloween

>Carve that Pumpkin for Halloween

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carved by William Thomas
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Interviews will be held on Monday, October 24, 2011 for Vacant Board Seat

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>Interviews will be held on Monday, October 24, 2011 for Vacant Board Seat

APPLICATIONS RECEIVED FOR VACANT BOARD MEMBER POSITION
As of Friday, October 21, 2011, 4:00 p.m., the district has received applications for the vacant Board Member position from the following people:

Eric Gross
B. Vincent Loncto
James Morgan
Rei Shinozuka
Gwen Sullivan
Janice Willett

Interviews will be held starting at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, October 24, 2011, at the Regular Public Meeting, in the Board Room on the third floor of the Education Center.

 

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Ridgewood train station renovations to be finished this fall

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, New Jersey Transit (NJT) is wrapping up the last of its major renovations at the Ridgewood train station and putting the finishing touches on the project in anticipation of its expected fall completion date.

The extensive $41 million construction project, which began in early 2009, was undertaken with the intent of making the station accessible to disabled passengers and more convenient for all commuters. Since then, the station has seen a raised platform replace the previously existing one on the station’s west side, the installation of 350-foot canopies over the tracks, new stairs, parking improvements and renovations to the station’s restrooms and ticket booth.

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Village Budget : Taxpayers On The Hook for Cell Phone Bills of 102 Village Employees

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During a municipal budget review held on Wednesday April 14th, Dylan Hansen, the Village’s Network Administrator, publically revealed that 102 Village of Ridgewood employees are currently using cell phones that were paid for by Ridgewood taxpayers. Additionally, all monthly usages fees, in connection with business and/or personal calls, are also paid by Ridgewood taxpayers.

Clearly, the Village Manager and Village Council were either asleep at the switch or absent when cell phones were distributed at Village Hall. It is not possible that there are 102 Village employees whose positions warrant unlimited business and personal use of taxpayer provided cell phone service. This is simply an outrageous situation that must be brought to an immediate end.

The Fly has several questions for the Village Council:

1) What is the percentage of Village employees who have taxpayer provided cell phone service?
2) What is the formal approval process for obtaining taxpayer provided cell phone service?
3) When an employee retires, resigns, or is terminated, is someone checking to make certain that taxpayers aren’t continuing to provide the individual with cell phone service?
4) Is there a list kept of who has these phones or do we just know that 102 are out there? Is the list available for public viewing?
5) Is the value of cell phone service for personal use being reported as income on W2 forms?

The Fly suggests that now is the right time for Village Council members to hang up most of the Village issued cell phones.

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