Ridgewood NJ, A dump truck became entangled in several utility wires on Thursday afternoon, 09/08 after its bed accidentally raised up while traveling eastbound on Grove Street near Stevens Avenue in Ridgewood. Cable TV, electric, and telephone services were interrupted to many nearby residences in the process. Two (2) passengers in the truck were trapped until firefighters and a PSE&G trouble shooter were able to confirm that their exit from the passenger compartment would present no life hazard. The truck’s driver had safely exited prior to the arrival of emergency responders. Grove Street was closed in both directions between South Pleasant Avenue and South Van Dien Avenue for several hours following the crash. The truck was able to drive away on its own power after cables were removed by cable TV, electric, and telephone company technicians. No injuries were reported in the incident. Ridgewood PD issued eight (8) summonses in connection with the mishap.
Ridgewood NJ, several readers have asked “What we’re all these comments in the council meeting about a raffle at Mt Carmel with a $25k prize. Those comments were perplexing.
It seemed to be implied by Mr. Halaby that there was a fix in and that is why the Mayor won the raffle.
The fact is the church was in Glen Rock, not Mt. Carmel. And the suggestion by Mr. Halaby that the raffle was rigged was pathetic and highly insulting to the church. What by the way did that have to do with anything? Just reaching for something ridiculous to attack the Mayor, and attack the church while he was at it.
Perhaps the opposition should take there own advice and behave civilly or maybe the council should morve to ban several residents from speaking at Village council meetings for “trolling”.
Ridgewood NJ, “PissedOff” writes from Starbucks perhaps :
“I wonder why there is so much hate and criticism. The role of the manager is to act as a spokesperson for the Village employees and be a part of the council. The council is elected to be a fair judge between the village government and the residents. Now, there is no way everyone would agree with the way things were handled and they certainly will not be 100% in support of going forward. It’s amusing to see how this blog is becoming a podium for people to anonymously shame, disrespect and disregard others. Bible says that the person who did no sin shall throw the first stone, and yet here we are. I would love to see the blog writers to put their energy into somethings more productive and help the community in a better way rather than just trying to creat a controversy. Paying taxes doesn’t mean we own people. This blog needs to be reported Since it’s acting as a platform for stirring hate and making the collar environment so toxic. SHAME AND DISGUSTING, THIS IS A PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR REPORTING.”
Glen Rock NJ, A crew working for PSE&G that was setting new utility poles on Lincoln Avenue in Glen Rock struck and ruptured a water main near Cornelia Place on Tuesday afternoon, 09/06. Traffic on Lincoln Avenue in both directions was disrupted while personnel from Ridgewood Water repaired the leak and the utility company resumed work setting poles. No injuries were reported in the incident. Hawthorne PD officers provided traffic control during the disruption.
Dear Nattering nabobs of negativism,
Although Stage 2 watering restrictions will continue to be in effect, Ridgewood Water will begin to consider waivers beginning on September 6th.
The following guidelines are the basis for granting individual exceptions to restrictions on outdoor water use:
New trees, shrubs, and perennials – Waivers may be granted, but will be limited to use of soaker hoses or drip irrigation on Tuesday,Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday only. No automatic irrigation will be allowed for this purpose.
New lawns (sod or seed) – Waivers may be granted for automatic irrigation on Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday only.
Applications are available on the Ridgewood Water website atwater.ridgewoodnj.net. Your completed application and documentation may be submitted in the following ways:
Village Hall
131 N. Maple Ave.
Fifth Floor
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Waivers cannot be guaranteed and are subject to cancellation if conditions worsen. Residents are still urged to postpone landscape installations when weather conditions are unfavorable.
Thank you for your support and cooperation. By working together we have been successful in avoiding more stringent restrictions this year.
Have a great Labor Day weekend,
Roberta Sonenfeld
Village Manager 201-670-5500, ext. 203
Ridgewood NJ, a reader reminds us that sprinkler controls can be reset as of midnight next Wednesday (or just after your last “sprinkle” occurs before then): “Stage I will be in effect each year starting on June 1st and will continue through August 31st.”
The September 1 square on this year’s village calendar states that restrictions end that day. (This year’s calendar omitted a start date altogether after getting it wrong for at least a couple of years, stating that it was May 1. “Janet Fricke IS the village calendar.” –R. Sonenfeld at a recent council meeting. Maybe not something to be proud of?)
The reader goes on to say , “Water Dept or Village Manager could conceivably extend the end date, but if so, I believe it would be for the first time in history.”
Reader says , “At the council meeting it was explained that (although this makes no sense, since computers work a 168-hour week) it can take days for an online payment for a water bill to be registered as paid. Therefore, paying online on or near the due date does not automatically count as having paid on time. This is what happens when machines are allowed to take over the world. Interestingly, the time interval is similar to what people who mail a check have to plan for, if not more so.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is eBill?
eBill is an Electronic Bill Payment Service which allows Bill Payers an easy and secure method to pay bills online.
How does eBill work?
Ridgewood Water sends bill information to MCC where it is processed and made available for you to pay your bills.You will receive an email notifying you when your payment has been posted to Ridgewood Water. You can also view the current status and payment history of all eBill payments.All information is on an encrypted, secure server and is not sold or released for any reason other than to complete a transaction.
How Do I Register?
Registering is easy and requires minimal information from you.
Create your account by filling out your email address and password.
You will receive an email with your Activation Number for accessing eBill for the first time.
Click the link in the email or return to the eBill home page and login with your email address, Password, and when prompted, your Activation number*. You are ready to pay bills on eBill.
*If you clicked the activation link you will not be required to enter an Activation number.
Is my information secure?
eBill accepts payments using a secure, 256-bit SSL encrypted webpage. This is the highest standard in Internet security. All information is stored in a secured database to prevent unauthorized access to the data. All information is kept private, and is not shared.
Why haven’t I received an email with my Login Information and Activation Number?
The security settings on your email may not allow an Activation Number to be sent to you.Before completing this Registration, please check the settings on your email system to ensure that email can be accepted from [email protected] If you do not receive an email with your Activation Number within 8 hours, please contact us at [email protected]
What forms of payment can be used on ebill?
eBill currently accepts payments using MasterCard®, Discover®, and American Express®. You may also pay using electronic check (ACH) from a checking or savings account.
Which Bills Can I Pay?
You may only pay Ridgewood Water bills.
Can I make a scheduled payment for a future date?
Yes. You can schedule a payment for a future date up to the cut-off-date.
What information is needed to complete an eBill payment?
The only information needed to complete a payment on eBill is your current bill and valid bank account or credit card information.
It’s that easy! After your first payment, your bill will be added to the My eBills section, making future payments even easier!
When can I pay?
eBill is available for payments 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
What are the costs for using eBill?
There are no signup costs or subscription fees for using eBill.
Can I use a Credit Card to pay my bill(s)?
Below are the Credit Cards Ridgewood Water currently accepts:
American Express, MasterCard, Discover.
Visa® is not accepted at this time.
The non-refundable convenience fee when using credit cards is a percentage-based fee that varies depending on the card you use. The convenience fee is automatically calculated based upon the type of credit card used and the dollar amount of the bill being paid. A complete listing of fees can be viewed below:
Can I use ACH transfer (electronic check) to pay my bill(s)?
You can use an ACH transfer (electronic check) as a payment method using your checking or savings account.
Will I receive a confirmation number after paying my bill?
Yes, you will receive a confirmation number after your transaction is recorded (and authorized, in the case of credit card transactions). Please keep this number as a confirmation of your payment. Your confirmation number can also be used to track your Express Pay payment.
Can I use more than one payment method per transaction?
You may choose to use either a credit card or electronic check (ACH transfer) as a payment method for each bill in your payment cart and submit your transactions.
When paying by credit card, how does my payment appear on my statement?
You will find two transactions on your Credit Card statement; one amount covering the costs of the bill for Ridgewood Water, and one amount covering the cost of the transaction using eBill.
When paying by ACH transfer (electronic check), how does my payment appear on my bank statement?
You will find two transactions on your bank statement; one amount covering the costs of the bill for Ridgewood Water, and one amount covering the cost of the transaction using eBill.
Can I check if Ridgewood Water has posted my payment?.
Yes, log into eBill and choose Payment History found under My Account. Information will be displayed for each payment made under eBill.
Get a Copy of your Bill online:
Residents can get a copy of their mailed paper bill online. Simply log into your eBill account and search for your bill to view and print a copy of your bill. We suggest you save a copy of this bill to your computer for your records.
Can I opt for paperless bills?
Ridgewood Water is offering residents the option to Go Green! Sign up for this eco-friendly feature from your eBill account, under the My eBills tab. Residents can chose to discontinue receiving a paper bill in the mail. An electronic copy of the bill will be available under your eBill account. An email notification will be sent to you when a new bill is made available under your eBill account.
Is Auto Pay offered?
eBill Auto Pay is an easy and convenient way to pay your Ridgewood Water bills. This feature allows you to setup and make an electronic check (ACH) or debit/credit card payment automatically each time a bill is due. This option can be setup and managed from the My eBill tab.
Can I receive a text notification when a new bill is available to pay on eBill?
Yes, you can sign up to receive a text notification from the My eBill page. When a new bill is made available online by Ridgewood Water a text notification will be sent to the mobile number you have enter into eBill. You may update your mobile number from the My Account page.
If I have forgotten my password, how can I retrieve it?
If you happen to have misplaced your password, there is a Forgot Password link located right on the Secure Account Login page. Upon clicking on it, you will be prompted to enter your email address, and a link to reset your password will be emailed to you. Additionally, always feel free to email [email protected] for a password reset.
Can I edit my MCC login information?
You can edit your personal information at any time. This can be done within your account by selecting My Account.
Can I cancel an online payment made through MCC?
Cancellation options vary depending on when a payment is scheduled to process. Credit Card payments can be cancelled until the end of the day it was submitted. ACH payments can be cancelled until 6AM on a business day. For example, if a payment was submitted at 4AM, you have until 6AM that same day to cancel the payment. Another example, if you were to submit your payment at 10AM, you have until the next day at 6AM to cancel your payment. If you schedule a future payment, whether via a credit card or ACH transfer (electronic check), you have up until that day to cancel the payment. Cancellations can be completed by selecting My Account, then Payment History, and clicking on the CANCEL icon located next to your payment.
Ridgewood NJ, readers are asking residents to check your water bill. Many have noticed that they were charged a small “interest” fee on there bill. The reader insisted they were an “on time payer” and had a zero balance after the last payment.
From the Facebook group it takes a Ridgewood Village a writer commented , “I called water today and said I have never paid my bill late and she said she will “look into it”. I am paying bills today and that was not acceptable. It is only .84 cents but it’s the principle, I am not paying for something that I do not owe.”Check your water bills very carefully to see if you were charged interest. If there is a computer glitch, they need to be held accountable for fixing it.
Reader have as in the past debated the accuracy of their water bills and the ability of consumers to test and monitor their own water usage .
BY KRISTIE CATTAFI
STAFF WRITER |
THE GAZETTE (HAWTHORNE EDITION)
A water supply contract between the borough and Ridgewood was postponed until Aug. 17 until additional information could be found per a councilman’s request.
Hawthorne is currently one of Ridgewood’s water suppliers. They currently have a contract, but the Department of Environmental Protection has requested that Ridgewood extend the contract for 10 years.
Ridgewood NJ, the Village of Ridgewood Council will have its regular public meeting at 8pm tonight with a couple of interesting things on the agenda .
First Ridgewood Water ;
16-233 Authorize Compensation for Participants in Lead and Copper Sampling and Testing Program – Authorizes Ridgewood Water to credit $25 to the water service accounts of the participants in the lead and copper sampling and testing program
16-234 Amend Agreement for Online Credit Card and Bank Account Debit Payment of Water Bills – Elimination of Convenience Fee for Customers – Amends the existing agreement with Metropolitan Communications, LLC for the processing of credit card and bank account debit payments for water bills so that Ridgewood Water will be charged the $.25 convenience fee instead of the customer being charged.
Then there is parking ;
3542 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic – Violations and Penalties – Increase Parking Ticket Fines
3545 – Amend Chapter 249 – Streets and Sidewalks – Increase Fines for Paving Moratorium Violations
3546 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Sewers and Sewage Disposal Fees – Increase Annual Service Charge for Out of Village Dischargers
And of coarse land use ;
3540 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Regulations for Political Signs and Temporary Signs
3541 – Repeal Ordinance 3066
and a few interesting tidbits :
3547 – Ban Puppy Mills
Resolutions:
16-246 Amendment to Central Business District Advisory Committee Resolution – Terms of Members
16-249 Authorize Ridgewood Wildscape Association to Fund Treatment of Noxious Weeds at Kings Pond Park
16-250 Declare Property Surplus – Street Sweepers – Declares two street sweepers surplus property and authorizes the Village Manager to dispose of said property
I , Diane Palacios , am the writer of the original post. I bumped into Councilman Hache in the supermarket yesterday and he said the weed that is invading the pond is Japanese Knotweed and that it is sprayed away twice a year , in the spring and the fall.
I also sent an e-mail to Mayor Knudsen and Deputy Mayor Sedon. Whatever the reason, I am very saddened by the mess there. I have lived here since 1978, and have walked there over the years including last year.
This is the worst that I have seen it.
I purposely did not contact Councilwoman Walsh. She lives next door and she obviously sees it and doesn’t care. I fear she would give me an excuse that wouldn’t mean anything and that wouldn’t remedy the problem. People in power that don’t care about something have those sorts of excuses like Hache’s excuse. And his was the only sign I had in front of my house during the election. If it were up to me I would do whatever it takes to keep the pond in good condition. The pond should NEVER have been left to get in that deplorable condition. As far as I am concerned keeping that pond in beautiful natural condition is of prime importance, more important than overbuilding an already developed CBD.
Let’s face it very few people care a damn about the beauty and health of nature and the environment and if you do care you are called a Communist.
I miss the tadpoles too. I am very sad about this.
Wow Diane you are so wrong about Bernie Walsh. She’s been an advocate for Twinneys for years. I will call her and let her know about your complaint. And I agree the village needs to dredge it.
Hey Diane Palacios before you besmirch Council Walsh maybe you read this article from north jersey .com. Why don’t you try getting your hand dirty. No,you rather just bitch about thing
We have the Girls Scouts and so many members of Ridgewood Wildscape Association helping out. They help clean the park every year because so many kids come here and skate when it’s frozen,” said Bernadette Walsh, a Ridgewood council member, Girl Scout leader and Red Birch Court resident.
Walsh helped spearhead this year’s cleanup effort, and recruited her children and brought a few landscaping tools from her garage to help with the project.
Diane, here is a suggestion if you would like to learn more and get involved please contact Bergen SWAN (Save the Watershed Action Network). It is a wonderful non-profit organization based in the Pascack Valley area. It often runs seminars about invasive species, wildlife, etc. Lori Charkey is co-founder of the organization and extremely knowledgeable about nature and has been a pioneer in preserving what little wild space is left in Bergen County. I’m impressed that Ramon knew about Japanese Knotweed!
The cause: Twinney is also the location of a Ridgewood Water Pump and Filter Facility. The large facility is located directly behind the pond (now you know where Ridgewood Water gets “their” water). Since the facility’s construction; systematic pumping from under the kettle pond has destroyed the original ecology (no fish any longer and many new invasive plants). The facility typically runs the pond full dry several times each year. Interviews of local long time residents indicate the pond “had” a bubbling spring and a sand bottom. A local school boy from the 1800’s described it as an oasis and historically the pond served the local native population for millenia. All of that goodness is now hidden under 40 years of black silt caused by running the pond dry.
Councilwoman Bernadette Walsh lives two doors from Twinney. She has been active with Girl Scouts in an annual cleanup there. Perhaps the post writer would wish to contact her directly [email protected] and ask what’s up. A cc: to the Ridgewood Wildscape Association at [email protected] could be useful.
It was horrible when the town sold the land surrounding that tiny park to a developer. We’re just giving it away and we will never get it back. NO NEW HOMES. MORE NATURE.
Ridgewood Water Consumer Forum Tuesday, August 2 at 7:00 pm in
the Youth Center of Ridgewood Village Hall. Village Hall is located at 131 N. Maple Ave.,
Ridgewood. Space is limited, so please register by contacting Donna Omelianuk,
Ridgewood Water, at 201-670-5500 ext. 271 or by email at [email protected]
Water Questions!
by Linda McNamara
After talking to many people and watching council meetings when the issues of Ridgewood Water have been discussed ( planning to attend tomorrow night’s meeting!) I was wondering if a card could go out to all the residents in the village as well as to the other towns who use Ridgewood Water with a list of things a home owner can/ should do in order to achieve the best quality of water for home use. I have talked to the water department directly and have received good in formation but a lot of us are still uncertain about what we should be doing. The following are concerns/ questions that have been brought to my attention:
1. How do I find out if my pipes are in need of replacement? I have heard that
there are still many houses with intake pipes that are targeted for replacement
but many of these people are unaware of this. Who pays for this?
2. Better advertisement of how you can get your water tested and the ability to
buy a kit at Village Hall with directions about how to complete the process.
3. I have read in the paper that charcoal filters are recommended for everyone
and if this is the case, what does that involve and what is it removing?
4. How long are we supposed to run our water before use? I have heard
any where from 30 seconds up to 20 minutes. An employee at the water
department suggested filling one’s bath tub and turning on the outside
faucet for several minutes.
5. Many residents are purchasing reverse osmosis units. Is this recommended
and what is this protecting us from?
6. Many residents are concerned about the high levels of chlorine in the water.
Can this be explained and is it permanent?
My biggest concern is that while the town is good about getting information out, unless it is sent to every resident and user of Ridgewood Water, there are many who will never see this information. I have heard concerns from people who actually are the most informed and they are unsure. Quality water is so important to every individual and a simple fact sheet( possibly something we could put on our refrigerator door!) would be of great service to all users of Ridgewood Water. Thank you so much for your attention to this important matter.
Click HERE to view the corrected 2016 Consumer Confidence Report.
July 28,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, You should have received the 2016 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report that was mailed to you on June 30, 2016 (ClickHERE to view). We hope you have had an opportunity to read the report and learn about the water quality parameters that we monitor and the contaminants we test for.
Ridgewood Water is a complex water supply system and our Annual Report is similarly complex. This year’s report may be even more challenging to understand because the pages appear in a different order than was intended. Please be assured that all of the information has been included and nothing was omitted.
There are two corrections to the report, however, that you should know about. On the first page of the Report, under “BACKGROUND INFORMATION,” the following sentences appear, “In 2015, Ridgewood Water exceeded the 15 ppb Action Level for Lead of which you were previously notified. We are still working with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to correct this Issue.” The year referred to is incorrect. The lead exceedance occurred in 2012. The treatment plan proposed by Ridgewood Water to correct this issue was approved by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and has been fully implemented.
In the section labelled “Unregulated Contaminants for Which EPA Requires Monitoring” the level detected for Perflourooctanic acid – PFOA and Perflourooctane sulfonic acid – PFOS are reversed. The PFOA Range should be ND-0.04 and the PFOS Range should be ND-0.06.
To help consumers better understand the Annual Drinking Water Quality Report and to provide a special opportunity to ask questions and seek clarification, Ridgewood Water is sponsoring a daytime forum on July 27 at 9:00am in the Courtroom of Village Hall and an evening forum on August 2 at 7:00pm in the Youth Center of Village Hall. Consumers from all of the municipalities served by Ridgewood Water are invited to attend either forum. Space is limited, so please register by contacting Donna Omelianuk, Ridgewood Water, at 201-670-5500 x271 or by email at [email protected]. Recordings of the forums will be made available online for those unable to attend.
Dear nattering nabobs of negativism,
Recently you received in the mail our Consumer Confidence Report. We would like to have an opportunity to explain this report to you as well as to answer any of your questions regarding Ridgewood Water.
We have scheduled two forums – Wednesday July 27 at 9:00 A.M. in the Courtroom at Village Hall and Tuesday, August 2 at 7:00 P.M. in the Youth Center at Village Hall. We have sent mailers to each household announcing these forums but I thought that it would also be fitting to send an e-notice.
Space is limited so please register by contacting Donna Omelianuk at 201-670-5500 ext 271 or by email at [email protected]. We will also be videotaping a session and will subsequently have it available on our website.
I would also like to take this opportunity to provide you with an update on our collective water conservation efforts. In terms of usage, we have seen a significant drop on days we are not allowed to water to about 10 million gallons. Just for your information, water usage in months where we are not watering our lawns averages about 5 million gallons; this dramatically increases to about 15 million gallons per day in lawn watering season. If we can continue to keep this usage lower, we should be able to sustain Stage 2 for the remainder of the season unless we have continual hot/dry weather or a mechanical failure.
I want to thank each of you who have taken this seriously. We continue on heightened enforcement but I am really happy to see so many of our friends and neighbors doing their part for our community.
P.S. There is a heat advisory in effect for today from noon to 7 P.M. with the heat index reaching 100 degrees. The forecast is for hot weather to continue throughout the weekend. Please look out for yourself and your neighbors. Please make sure your vehicles are locked so that children cannot climb in on their own. Please note that Bergen County has opened cooling centers with the closest being at NW Bergen Senior Center at 46 Center Street Midland Park (201-445-5690). Also remember that our library is available seven days per week (201-670-5600).
YOU ARE INVITED TO RIDGEWOOD WATER CONSUMER FORUMS TO BE HELD JULY 27 & AUGUST 2
You are invited… Ridgewood Water consumers are invited to attend two public forums for information and explanation of the recently mailed Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). The first event will take place on Wednesday, July 27 at 9:00 am in the Courtroom of Ridgewood Village Hall. The second event will take place on Tuesday, August 2 at 7:00 pm in the Youth Center of Ridgewood Village Hall. Village Hall is located at 131 N. Maple Ave., Ridgewood. Space is limited, so please register by contacting Donna Omelianuk, Ridgewood Water, at 201-670-5500 ext. 271 or by email at [email protected]. The CCR that was mailed contains minor errors that have been corrected in the online version available at water.ridgewoodnj.net. Any questions on this issue or Ridgewood Water will be answered at the forums.
