The following was posted yesterday at https://www.tipsfromtown.com/why-and-how-rhs-students-are-joining-the-walkout/:
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After the Parkland shooting, a number of students approached Dr. Thomas Gorman (Principal of Ridgewood High School) with the intent of taking action against gun violence. I had spoken to my parents about how I really wanted to be involved with making change, so I was one of the students who spoke to Dr. Gorman. There was a large meeting where we all voiced our opinions and ideas for how victims of gun violence should be honored while still pushing for change. A few days prior, I had gotten in contact with other students … we formed a club called Students Demand Action We spoke to Mr. Michael Yannone about being our faculty advisor, and he agreed.
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We had two meetings a week, where we decided on our message for the walkout. While we are passionate about gun violence and creating change, we were still mindful this is an event that would happen during school. We made a conscious effort to steer away from a strict political standpoint, so we could include as many people as possible. At the meetings, we talked about how feeling safe in schools should not be a privilege — it should be a right. We also talked about how although we are anti-gun violence, we are not anti-guns. We want school to be a place where we should be able learn and grow without worrying about whether our safety is at risk. Once we decided on our message, we divided into groups. The groups ranged from communicating via social media, hanging flyers up around school, and working with teachers to get student photographers to cover the walkout. We’ve been incredibly lucky because we’ve had the support of the administration on our side. Without their support, it would not have been possible to make the walkout as successful, organized, or safe.
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Students Demand Action acknowledges and respects the students who do not wish to participate.
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Tomorrow, we walk. At 10 am, students will gather together on the front lawn of Ridgewood High School. Student speakers will present their speeches about how they have been affected and their demands for school safety. After 17 minutes, there will be a moment of silence for victims of gun violence, this number symbolic of the 17 victims of the Parkland shooting. Although it is strictly a school event, it will be streamed via Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for the other Ridgewood schools and the Ridgewood community to watch.
Village Council Public Meeting
VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE COUNCIL REGULAR PUBLIC MEETING MARCH 14, 2018
8:00 P.M.
Call to Order – Mayor
Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act
Roll Call – Village Clerk
Flag Salute and Moment of Silence
Acceptance of Financial Reports
Approval of Minutes
Proclamations
Declare March Red Cross Month
Declare March Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month8. Swearing-in of Fire Fighter Ryan Romero9. Swearing-in of Fire Lieutenant Joseph Ferraro10. Swearing-in of Fire Lieutenant Jason Kane11. Swearing-in of Fire Lieutenant Vincent Krug12. Swearing-in of Fire Captain Brendan Corcoran13. Comments from the Public (Not to exceed 3 minutes per person – 40 minutes in total)14. Village Manager’s Report15. Village Council Reports16. ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION – RIDGEWOOD WATER3636 – Re-establish Water Rates and Fees – 2010-2017 – Re-establishes the water rates and fees charged by Ridgewood Water, for the years 2010-2017 18-78 Award Contract – Supply and Maintain Cold Water Meters (NTE $169,255) – Awards the second year of a two-year contract to the lowest responsible bidder, Rio Supply, Inc., 100 Allied Parkway, Sicklerville, NJ18-80 Award Contract Under State Contract – Miscellaneous Materials and Supplies (NTE $50,000) – Awards a contract under State Contract for materials and supplies to W.W. Grainger, Inc., 55 Jackson Drive, Cranford, NJ 18-82 Award Professional Services Contract – Additional Services for Water Rate Study for Ridgewood Water, Years 2013-2017 (NTE $30,000) – Awards a Professional Services Contract to Howard J. Woods & Associates, 40 Overhill Road, East Brunswick, NJ. The required Pay to Play forms have been submitted to the Village Clerk’s Office. 3639 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Temporary Skatepark – Establishes the annual badge fees for the temporary skatepark at $25 for residents and $50 for non-residents3641 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Fees for Use of Village Facilities – Establishes fees for use of the Level One rooms in Village Hall 3634 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Significant Sewer Discharger Fees 18-86 Award Contract – Coach Bus Transportation Services – H.I.L.T. (NTE $9,260) – Awards a contract to the second lowest bidder, Panorama Tours, Inc., 45 Somerset Place, Clifton, NJ. The Village of Ridgewood has had various customer service issues with the lowest bidder; therefore, the contract will be awarded to the second lowest bidder. 18-88 Award Contract – Concession Refreshment Services – Graydon Pool – Awards a contract to the sole proposal by Michael Sims, Mellsworth Foods, Inc., 102 East Main Street, Ramsey, NJ which will pay the Village $9,300 for the summer season18-90 Award Contract – Paving and Resurfacing (NTE $1,900,000) – Awards a contract to the lowest responsible bidder, J.A. Alexander, Inc., 130-158 John F. Kennedy Drive North, Bloomfield, NJ18-92 Award Contract – Concession Refreshment Services – Graydon Pool – Awards a contract to the sole proposal by Michael Sims, Mellsworth Foods, Inc., 102 East Main Street, Ramsey, NJ which will pay the Village $9,300 for the 2018 summer season 18-93 Award Professional Engineering Services Contract – Upgrade and Maintain SCADA System – Water Pollution Control Facility (NTE $25,000) – Awards a Professional Services Contract under a no-bid contract to Keystone Engineering Group, 590 Lancaster Avenue, Suite 200, Frazer, PA. The required Pay to Play forms have been filed with the Village Clerk’s Office.18-95 Declare Property Surplus – John Deere Loader – Streets Department – Declares a John Deere Loader surplus and authorizes the Village Manager to dispose of said property 18-97 Declare Various Property Surplus – Fire Department Equipment – Declares various property of the Fire Department surplus and authorizes the Village Manager to dispose of said property 18-99 Grant Major Soil Moving Permit – KS Broad Street, LLC – Ken Smith II – Grants a Major Soil Moving Permit for KS Broad Street, LLC (Ken Smith II), for a project located at 76 and 80 Chestnut Street and 9-17 and 25-27 Franklin Avenue, which has already been approved by the Planning Board. This approval is granted, subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Village Planning Board’s resolution and those contained in the Village Council’s resolution, with the requirements in the Village Council’s resolution taking precedence.18-101 Approve Budget Reserve Transfers – Annual resolution which transfers money in the 2017 budget from departments which have excess funds to those departments which do not have adequate funds18-103 Correct Resolution #17-111 – Accept Partial Donations – Portable Fuel Cell Trailer – Parks and Recreation – This resolution corrects and replaces Resolution #17-111, adopted April 12, 2017. The best quote for18-104 Support Preservation of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program – Supports the preservation of the CDBG Program in the FY 2018 Federal Budget at funding levels at least equal to funding in FY 2017 18-107 Appoint Members to Planning Board
24. Adjournment
23. Comments from the Public (Not to Exceed 5 minutes per person)
18-108 Appoint Member to Parks, Recreation and Conservation Board
18-106 Award Contract – Repair and Purchase of Emergency Equipment and Radios for Police Cars (NTE $20,000) – Awards the second year of a two-year contract to Regional Communications, 64 East Midland Avenue, Paramus, NJ
18-105 Title 59 Approval – Approves the plans and specifications for , prepared by the Police Department, pursuant to Title 59
the Portable Fuel Cell Trailer was incorrectly listed in Resolution #17-111 as $5,478. This resolution correctly states the cost of the Portable Fuel Cell Trailer at $5,748.
18-102 Oppose Legislation for H.R. 38 and S. 446 – Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 and the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 – Opposes the legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate which would force every State in the United States to recognize the concealed carry standards of every other State in the United States regardless of the standards, or lack thereof, of that State
18-100 Increase 2017 Deferred School Taxes – Increases deferred school taxes from $46,515,256.62 to $47,392,648.62, an increase of $877,392 from 12/31/16 to 12/31/17
18-98 Grant Major Soil Moving Permit – 257 Ridgewood Avenue, LLC – The Enclave – Grants a Major Soil Moving Permit for 257 Ridgewood Avenue, LLC (The Enclave), for a project located at 253-257 East Ridgewood Avenue, 48 North Maple Avenue, and 248 Franklin Avenue, which has already been approved by the Planning Board. This approval is granted, subject to compliance with the terms and conditions of the Village Planning Board’s resolution and those contained in the Village Council’s resolution, with the requirements in the Village Council’s resolution taking precedence.
18-96 Declare Property Surplus – Ford F250 Pickup Truck – Parks Department – Declares this property surplus and authorizes the Village Manager to dispose of said property
18-94 Authorize Shared Services Agreement – Vehicle Maintenance and Repairs (Washington Township) – Authorizes a Shared Services Agreement for Washington Township to bring certain vehicles to the Village of Ridgewood’s Fleet Services for maintenance and repair
18-91 Award Contract – Printing for 2018 Municipal Election (NTE $19,800) – Awards a contract to the sole quote from Royal Printing Service, 441 51st Street, West New York, NJ
18-89 Title 59 Approval – Paving and Resurfacing – Approves the plans and specifications for 2018 Road Resurfacing and Repair of Various Street in the Village of Ridgewood, prepared by the Ridgewood Engineering Division, pursuant to Title 59
18-87 Title 59 Approval – Concession Refreshment Services – Graydon Pool – Approves the plans and specifications for Concession Refreshment Services – 2017, 2018, The Water’s Edge Café, Graydon Pool prepared by the Department of Parks and Recreation, pursuant to Title 59
18-85 Title 59 Approval – Coach Bus Transportation Services – Approves the plans and specifications for Supply of Coach Bus Transportation Services prepared by the Department of Parks and Recreation, pursuant to Title 59
18-84 Endorse Submission of Recycling Tonnage Grant – Annual resolution which endorses the submission of the Municipal Recycling Tonnage Grant Application to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and designates Daniel M. Kiely, Recycling Coordinator, to ensure that the application is properly filed
22. RESOLUTIONS
3625 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Allow Certain Illuminated Interior Signs in the Central Business District
21. ORDINANCES – CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING
3635 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Sewers and Sewage Disposal – Connection Fee for Residential and Non-Residential Development
3633 – Amendment to Municipal Complex Parking
20. ORDINANCES – PUBLIC HEARING
3642 – Bond Ordinance – Replacement of Maple Park Turf Field ($500,000)
3640 – Establish Policies for Use of Level One Rooms – Village Hall – Establishes policies for the use of The Garden Room, the Annie Zusy Youth Center, and the Patrick A. Mancuso Senior Center on level one of Village Hall
3638 – Amend Chapter 212 – Parks and Recreation – Establish Rules and Regulations for Temporary Skatepark – Establishes rules of conduct and regulations for use of the temporary skatepark located at the Ridgewood Roller Hockey rink from mid-April through mid-October
19. ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION
18-83 Award Professional Services Contract – Design and Administration of Improvements at the Southside Reservoir (NTE $52,000) – Awards a Professional Services Contract to D.J. Egarian & Associates, Inc., Route 46 West, Suite G-208, Fairfield, NJ. The required Pay to Play forms have been submitted to the Village Clerk’s Office.
18-81 Award Contract – Installation of Water Mains (NTE $480,529.61) – Awards a contract to the lowest responsible bidder, Ferreira Construction Company, Inc., 31 Tannery Road, Branchburg, NJ
18-79 Award Contract Under State Contract – 2018 Ford Super Duty F350 with 8 Foot Box ($67,914.46) – Awards a contract under State Contract to Beyer Ford, 170 Ridgedale Avenue, Morristown, NJ
18-77 Title 59 Approval – Supply and Maintain Cold Water Meters – Approves the plans and specifications for Cold Water Meters and Supplies prepared by Ridgewood Water, pursuant to Title 59
18. RESOLUTIONS – RIDGEWOOD WATER
NONE
17. ORDINANCES – PUBLIC HEARING – RIDGEWOOD WATER
3637 – Amend Water Rates and Fees – 2018 – Revises the water rates and fees charged by Ridgewood Water in 2018
Public info: Due to the excess of snow closings, schools will be OPEN on Friday, April 13. Read Dr. Fishbein’s letter: https://tinyurl.com/DFletter31218 March 12, 2018 Dear Ridgewood Public Schools Community, Today I am writing to inform you that based on the number of emergency closing days we have used so far this year, students will have a regular school day on Friday April 13, 2018. Any additional emergency closing days will be further taken from Spring Recess week, starting with Thursday, April 12 and working backwards. By way of explanation, we have exceeded the two emergency closing days that the Ridgewood Board of Education builds into the school calendar. To date, we have had three weather-related closings. Please take a look at the 2017/2018 calendar adopted by the Ridgewood Board of Education on March 7, 2016 for the proviso stating that additional weather-related closings will be made up using Spring Recess. As we know from the recent storm, winter is not yet over. The good news is that spring is just around the corner. I can see the tulips pushing through, and the days are getting longer with a hint of warmer weather in the air. Sincerely yours, Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D Superintendent of Schools
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Mayor Susan Knudsen meet with a group of students after school on Friday. The mayor called them an “extraordinary and thoughtful group of RHS students came to Village Hall (with a chaperone) to discuss the logistics of having a smaller March 24 “March for Our Lives” type event in Ridgewood. Village Manager Heather Mailander, Police Chief Luthcke and I met with the students to better understand the best venue to accommodate RHS students who wanted to hold a more local event within our the Village community. Additionally, the students wanted to remain focused on preventing school violence without being political. ”
While they had an idea to hold an event at either a Village park or BFMS, money remained an obstacle. Significant funds are required to pay for insurance, police costs, permits, etc. Working diligently to get organized they quickly setup a GoFundMe page. My understanding is if they don’t raise the needed funds by the deadline for a 3/24 event they’ll simply regroup and reschedule. I hope they do. If not, perhaps they’ll donate to a good cause or use for future programming. Either way, they will have my full support.
The mayor said, “These young people deserve our thanks and encouragement; they were poised, respectful, polite, caring and honest! Please consider helping by donating now and sharing my post forward!”
Nice to see the kids are looking out for the taxpayers ,but are we the only one who finds this who thing very disingenuous? Or are helicopter parent funded protests the norm now? There is simple no such thing as a “Government Sanctioned Protests ” . lets see its sanctioned by the schools, , the mayor , the teachers union , and the Democrat party . Does not sound like much of a protest to me .
Real protests are not clean and neat and get out of control very fast , is there no concern the some parents may be unwittingly putting their children in danger ? This is not a protest this is promoting an agenda .
Ridgewood NJ, the Village council has decided to take a look at using Ridgewood Open Space funds to restore and repair Maple Turf Field. The Council debated on funding to fix the field , the $600,000 of open space funds have been sitting for some time , and the Village manager pushed the idea of raiding the unused open space funds then bonding afterward. Councilmen Hache said there were some grant options and councilwomen Walsh focused on the shared responsibility to maintain the field.
The council will look to sports groups for regular maintenance funds and to enforce rules that extend the life of the fields.
While the Ridgewood blog and others warned about the fiscal dangers of installing a turf field in a flood plain , the fact is the field is there ,it can not be currently used in its present condition and the money is available . Sorry its a little late to cry over open space funds for turf fields and it would be better for the Village to deal with the reality we presently have than fantasizing about what could or would have been.
Once again this is a learning experience on how voters are stuck with the long term consequences of their actions. Like the high density housing the Turf Field is part of the Village and must be maintained as such and again you can not blame the present council for the mess that others created.
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Water told the council that they need to raise water rates. The utility has not raised rates in over 3 years . The utility used the Woods study which concluded that Ridgewood Water charges were low and the distribution of the charges were inefficient. Fixed charges for 5/8 meters, the meters most common in Ridgewood Households should bring in 20% of utility expenses and currently they were bringing in 16% .The increase to about 18,000 or so customers effected will be about $7.41 per quarter increase .
As many readers know in July of 2017 Superior Court Judge Perez Friscia ordered Ridgewood’s water-rate ordinance invalid and that the matter be remanded to the village so the rates could be recalculated. The ruling came after Glen Rock, Wyckoff and Midland Park, sued the utility, claiming in a class action lawsuit that Ridgewood Water inflated its costs, by comingling Village expenses and unlawfully raised its rates.
Glen Rock, Wyckoff and Midland Park sued Ridgewood Water over a 31-percent rate increase from 2010 to 2012.The suit, filed on behalf of ratepayers in 2011 . Ridgewood representatives claimed the increase was necessary for the utility to stay solvent.
In a court-ordered report that the utility had a revenue shortfall of more than $400,000 from 2010 to 2012.The report concluded that the rate charged by the village’s water utility undercharged ratepayers for 2010 and 2011.
While the report was called ridiculous and self serving .The ruling left the plaintiffs to pay their massive legal fees .
photo , one click and 4000 were notified that Alexandra Harwin was running for office
They changed the title of the campaign – Earlier it was “walkout-movement-funds” which is still the URL – but now the title says – “Student Activism Club Funds”.
lauren and john saraceno – $100. Is this a backdoor fundraising for upcoming council elections?
Supporting Harwin, from Voigt to Aronsohn, Pucciarelli, Sonenfeld, Hauck, HalabyX2…..does any right-minded person think she would be good for the town?????
Isn’t Harwin the one all over Facebook that took private e mails from 15 year olds during school hours to push her agenda? That is sneaky and scary to me. I have children in that school and do not need that kind of agendas being pushed!! Unethical!
In addition to collecting the home addresses of minors who attended her presentation, she also collected their e-mail addresses. What is going to be done with this data? Who will these e-mails be passed along to?
Wasn’t Ms. Harwin’s spouse, Rabbi Noah Fabricant, collecting the e-mail addresses of Jewish children in Ridgewood, allegedly to notify them of bias incidents?
Both spouses collecting the e-mail addresses of minors? Something doesn’t seem quite right with this.
Ms Harwin has removed her membership from a Facebook Page that was asking legitimate questions about her appearance at RHS yesterday. She does not want to see what people are saying. She does not want to respond to people’s concerns. What a gal. She surely does not think she can represent the entire village if she is only willing to hear what her supporters have to say.
It has come to my attention that there is a news article that was posted that speaks of an incident that occurred after hours at Hawes last week. This letter explains the situation.
On Friday, February 28, at about 7:45 p.m., a man entered the lobby of Hawes while a recreational sporting event was taking place in the gym. The man seemed to be looking for directions. A parent, who also happens to be district employee, addressed the person and asked him to leave the building. The man complied. Since the man appeared in distress, the employee called the police who were on the scene immediately.
Based on reports from the police to both Dr. Fishbein and myself, there was no danger involved in this incident. The stranger did not enter the building while school was in session, nor was he on the property or vicinity during school hours. He was cooperative and followed the district employee’s directions.
As has been shared previously, we take the safety of the school, the students, and the staff very seriously. At Hawes, all of the doors are locked and closed during school hours. There is no access to the building during the school day except through buzzing the main office. As any who have come to the school in recent weeks know, before our secretaries give permission to enter the building, they ask for the person’s name and the reason for wishing to enter.
The safety and security of our students and staff are always our main priority.
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood parent group pushes financial support for “student led ” protest or walkout . According to a Facebook post , “Since the Village would rather that parents not be present to support our students, we can support them financially (so what else is new???). If you would like to stand in solidarity with our students, join them in one of the marches on March 24th.”
On the gofundme page it says, “These funds are needed for the Students Demand Action high school club. We are Ridgewood High School students from Ridgewood, NJ and are comprised of over 100 diverse students, who have come together and are determined to make a change after one of the most recent school shootings in Parkland, Florida. Although most of us are not directly related to the victims of the shooting, we, just like the students in Parkland are just that. Students. Kids. Teens. We want to be able to go to school and feel safe- we do not want to have to constantly worried that our family or our friends or even us could be gone in a heartbeat just because the wrong person has a gun. We are planning a rally for the 24th of March and need to reach our goal of $5,000 as soon as possible. These funds will be used to ensure a safe rally with police and canine presence as well as to help pay for the venue, insurances, permits, food, advertising, technology (speakers, lights, etc.), and anything else that may come up. When this money is withdrawed it will go to paying these expenses and any money left over will be either used for a future rally or donated to a Victim’s Fund. We have already received such an outstanding amount of support from our teachers, district, and town hall, and to reach our goal would help us make great strides in the school safety movement and lead to a safer tomorrow. For everyone. ”
So what exactly is this group , Students Demand Action high school club going to do with the $5,000 ? While some suggest , “Maybe they are trying to get money to pay for the cops and fireman. This march/rally has nothing to do with curriculum. Why should taxpayers pay for this? What a mess this is and the roots go back to the 3 Amigos and their politics. ”
Montclair, 8-7 M-Sat, 1.00 per hour street, .75 per hour off street
Millburn, ?-6 M-Sat, .50 per hour
Summit, 8-6 M-Sat, .50 per hour
Westfield, 10-6 M-Sat, .50 per hour
Red Bank, 9-6 M-Sat, 1.00 per hour street, .50 per hour off street
Princeton, 8-7 M-Sat, 1.25 per hour
Morristown, complex plan – depends upon where in City
My kid is in HS and doesn’t feel like she wants to go for the walkout. However she asked me what she should do as she is concerned that peers and teachers will look at her differently if she stays in classroom. See what happens? What am I supposed to tell her? I want her to follow her heart but I am also concerned that she may be subject to repercussions. This walkout shouldn’t happen during school hours. Either after hours or weekends. This way kids would be free to act as they wish without concerns of being watched. This administration is ruining the kids with political siding.
Ridgewood NJ, recently we have had a spat of emails and comments voicing concern over councilmen Ramon Hache changing his positions on key issues affecting the Village of Ridgewood . So the Ridgewood blog investigated if the criticism was valid or not and came to the conclusion is was not .
Ramon was against the oversized garage that was proposed by the “3 Amigos” . That garage over flowed the property line into the street a fact well hidden by the former administration.
Ridgewood NJ, Village Council elections will be held on May 8th and there are 4 candidates competing for two village council seats. There are two challengers , Janice Willett and Alexandra Harwin
and two current incumbent council members Susan Knudsen and Mike Sedon.
Ridgewood Council candidates -Two four-year council seats
We are aware that many RHS students will be participating in the student-led national walkout on the one-month anniversary of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. On March 14 at 10:00 A.M., students will assemble on the front lawn of the high school to participate in speeches, songs, and a moment of silence. After 17 minutes, they will return to the building to resume class. The event is organized by Students Demand Action, a newly formed club at RHS. The students will pay tribute to the victims of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and express their desire for safer schools.
Simultaneously, another newly formed student-led group will assemble in the Campus Center to advocate for safer schools and Second Amendment rights.
If a student does not wish to participate in these assemblies, he or she may remain in class with the teacher or, if on a free period, in the building with designated faculty members.
Is Boyd Loving available to record this event?
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The police and fire department personnel Principal Gorman is summoning “to ensure everyone’s safety and have security measures in place for this day”. Will they be used solely to assemble barricades and prevent public access?
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What is the name of the faculty member assigned to supervise this newly-formed “Students Demand Action” club?
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What trustees of the Board of Education, what district administrators, what members of the faculty, what members of the Village Council, police or fire department brass will be in attendance, given that ordinary members of the public are specifically banned?
![students-protest-guns-nra-1-gty-thg-180307_12x5_992[1]](https://theridgewoodblog.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/students-protest-guns-nra-1-gty-thg-180307_12x5_9921.jpg "Ridgewood Parents Raise Money for \"Student led Walkout\" ?")
