Tag: Ridgewood Village Manager Sonenfeld

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Sonenfeld fails to deposit $100k check made out to Village of Ridgewood

Village_Manager_Roberta_Sonenfeld_theridgewoodblog

file photo by Boyd Loving

September 9,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, During Wednesday evening’s Village Council Work Session, Deputy Mayor Michael Sedon confirmed that former Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld had failed to adhere to NJSA 5:31-3.1 when she chose not to deposit a check for $100k from the Ridgewood Baseball Softball Association (RBSA), made out to the Village of Ridgewood.  According to Mr. Sedon, Sonenfeld put the check in either a “safe or drawer,” where it remained for an undisclosed period of time (likely weeks or months) before being returned to the RBSA.

It is believed the $100k was intended to serve as a donation for construction of a then planned 90 foot baseball field on the Schedler property.  However, despite the submission of an Open Public Records Act request, no official documents were ever produced in connection with the donation, its subsequent return, nor any stipulations associated with it.

Receipt of the check was mentioned during at least one (1) open public meeting of the Council, but there was never any open discussion about why NJSA 5:31-3.1 (funds to be deposited in authority’s legal depository within 48 hours of receipt) wasn’t being followed, nor why the check was being returned.

So the mystery continues . . .

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Reader asks Does the entire town of Ridgewood have to look like a German bunker?

Village of Ridgewood : Van Neste Memorial Park "Revival" project

file photo by Boyd Loving

Apparently they are quietly going to pull up the bricks with donors’ names on them from when the park was fixed up as a resident project and move them somewhere so they can put more concrete down so they can put more lighting up. Do people even know this is happening? Does the entire town have to look like a German bunker? I like the bricks and for all these years have enjoyed showing friends my name on one of them. I don’t want them moved

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Paul Aronsohn Allies Push to Curtail Public Comment at Ridgewood Village Council Meetings

3 amigos
August 11,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, an odd occurrence at the Village Council meeting last night  Siobhan Crann Winograd who has recently joined the League of Women Voters along with some other notables including Paul Aronsohn. Asked to curtail public comment at Village Council meetings . Given the former mayor and his cronies tried engineer the turning the Village into Union City despite the public out cry . The 3 amigos were famous for presenting done deals to residents then ignoring both their questions and objections. Siobhan who was involved with the horrible “civility committee ” also spoke in praise of Roberta as well as Rurik Halaby.
Jim Griffith also spoke about the garage and some ambiguities in Susan’s position but the new mayor handled it very well.  One other thing of particular interest was when the council was going over bills and the one for the garage video came up Mike and Susan both stated that they had never been informed of the decision to pay for the video and voiced real discomfort about. Jeff Voigt also voiced his concern and Bernie abstained from voting without comment. It was 4 yeses and one abstain but with vocal criticism.
Anne Loving asked whether the authorization of this video should be investigated and that those responsible should foot the bill.  Boyd Loving also spoke about not reducing public comment.
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Reader says The bike lane was a complete waste of money and it failed

bike path way ridgewood train station

The bike lane to nowhere was was an idiotic attempt by Roberta to show she could do something, ,anything , constructive and it turned into a nightmare, It was a complete waste of money and it failed to achieve the goals of increased safety and increased vehicle thru-put that were touted by Village Management as a major goal. The fact is this project turned into a giant waste of taxpayer money with no identifiable benefit to the Village, All who were involved in planning ,executing, managing and promoting this stupid project should be let go immediately. We need smart people to solve our problrms not idiots who have no idea what they are doing.

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Ridgewood Village Manager Sonenfeld: Do as we say, not as we do

Village_Manager_Roberta_Sonenfeld_theridgewoodblog
file photo by Boyd Loving
April 12,2016
Boyd A Loving
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?