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Reader says Harwin has shown she doesn’t have a grasp of the issues in the village

3 amigos

Harwin has shown she doesn’t have a grasp of the issues in the village. She shows by her alliance with Paul Aronsohn and her subsequent Facebook ads she is no more than a partisan extension of Paul’s betrayal of Ridgewood and the village taxpayers. That she embraces the actions of supporters Rurik Halaby and Jeff Voigt and their allergy to facts and decorum shows she supports their style, tactics, and deception. That her supporter Al Pucciarelli advocates a chilling proposal to ban video coverage of public meetings shows she is unqualified to preserve the rights of taxpayers. Her support and contradictory position on the money-losing garage proposal shows she has no comprehension of municipal budgets, fiscal planning, and tax burdens. That she proudly carries the loud support of ethically disgraced Roberta Sonnenfeld tells voters she is willing to break the rules when it serves her best.

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Bogus Nepotism Attacks Are Really Attacks on Competence and Quality of Ridgewood Police and Fire Departments

PSEG_FIRE6_theridgewoodblog

April 12,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, the continued bogus nepotism attacks on the Mayors sons are doing nothing but undermining the authority of both the Ridgewood Police Department and Ridgewood Fire Department . Ridgewood is a state of New Jersey Civil Service municipality, candidates are ranked based on standardized test results ,dispersions to the contrary are nothing more than attacks on members of Ridgewood PBA Local 20 and Ridgewood Professional Firefighters FMBA Local 47.

According to the “Bergen Record” Councilman Jeff Voigt wondered how a fire chief or police chief would be able to properly supervise the mayor’s kids, even if she is not directly involved in overseeing the department. It raises thorny issues, he said. And again letting Voigt make fallacious assertions , “That puts them in an uncomfortable situation,” he said. “They [the kids] may even get preferential treatment.”

So Jeff Voigt , Rurik Halaby, Don Delzio, Janice Willett, Alexandra Harwin and the rest of their band of misfits followers all think the Ridgewood Police and the Ridgewood Fire Department are failing to adequately protect the public?

And In effect saying that the Chief of Police Jacqueline Luthcke and Fire Chief James Van Goor can not properly supervise their staff?

 

 

 

 

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Rurik Halaby accused Mayor Susan Knudsen of personally orchestrating a web based smear campaign against his candidate Alexandra Harwin

Village Council -Halaby

file photo Boyd Loving

February 15,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, During last night’s Village Council meeting, Rurik Halaby accused Mayor Susan Knudsen of personally orchestrating a web based smear campaign against his candidate (Alexandra Harwin). Halaby alleged that The Ridgewood Blog was being used “headquarters” for this activity.

Mr. Halaby referred to the Ridgewood blog in the endearing terms that President Trump was alleged to use in referring to certain 3rd world countries, who Glen Rock Mayor Bruce Packer invited to move to Glen Rock . He also referred to his friends and neighbors who read this blog , stating he knows who they are (does that mean all 30,000 plus ) in the most derogatory terms .

As for Alexandra Harwin the new face of the 3 amigos , she moved to Ridgewood in 2014 , her husband is a Rabbi from Washington Township who was very involved in attacking Mayor Knudsen during the “gay flag” controversy and is a very active member of  Community Relations Advisory Board of Ridgewood and Glen Rock.

Alexandra is part of Emerge New Jersey a Democrat group that is involved in promoting liberal women and training them to run for office .

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An Open Letter to the Ridgewood Planning Board

Village Council -Halaby

An Open Letter to the Planning Board with cc to the Village Council and others:

Dear Mr. Joel, Planning Board Members, and Planning Board Professional Staff:

First let me state that I am not an attorney, let alone one with expertise in municipal law. And so, the views and opinions I express in this email are those of a layman. But a layman who has lived in Ridgewood for 48 years and one who cares deeply about our community. I should also state that I am a big supporter of building a garage on the Hudson St. site.

I understand that the Village Planner has been directed by the Village Council “to conduct a study for Redevelopment of the Hudson Street Municipal Parking Lot, allowing the Village more options moving forward with garage construction plans that could potentially save significant taxpayer dollars and build time.” I find the rationale for the directive to be misleading and incomplete.

According to an email I received from Mr. Matt Rogers, Village attorney, “The Local Redevelopment and Housing Law permits municipalities to consider property(ies) within its borders for redevelopment if the property meets certain criteria. The Statute was designed to promote the rehabilitation and/or the reconstruction of properties that have long gone without attention, particularly in commercial locations or areas. There is a process prescribed by the Statute that must be followed in order to take advantage of the statute’s benefits, which allows the municipality to avoid the public bidding process and negotiate directly with one or any entities that the municipality wants to consider for the project in mind. The Council can start the process by requesting the a (sic) study be performed by the Planner to determine if the property, in this case the Hudson Street parking lot, meets the criteria of the Statute. If it does and the process is completed, then the Village can negotiate directly with any contractor it so wishes. As you know, there has already been a presentation from PIKE at a Council meeting, where it became apparent that they can both provide a design and build the garage. The thought is that by utilizing the statute, the Village can avoid the time it takes to bid out design and then bid out to find a contractor to build the design. Additionally, it is the hope that by directly negotiating with the a (sic) contractor, the Village can also save money on the cost for several reasons. It will hopefully work and provide those benefits. If not, then the bidding process can always be utilized.”

There is no way the Hudson St. parking lot can be considered “long gone without attention.” It is obvious to me that this approach is being used by the Mayor to allow her to short circuit the process for her to be able to use Pike Construction, her chosen option. I don’t believe the Planning Board should allow itself to serve as an enabler.

As I mentioned earlier I am a big believer in the need to build a garage on the Hudson St. site. I supported the thorough, detailed, and transparent work the previous Council had undertaken in that regard, and was most disappointed when their plans were thwarted.

In contrast, for the past year the current Village Council has been totally opaque in its activities re the garage, excepting for a snippet here or there by the Mayor. I listened to the Village Council Meeting of 2017AUG02 and I was shocked to see that Councilmen Voigt and Walsh were totally out of the loop. My understanding is that the Mayor has limited her deliberations to Councilmen Hache and Sedon, and two Village Staff Members, the Village Manager and the CFO.

I personally do not like the Pike design. I find their design to be esthetically unattractive, and frankly insulting to the beautiful architecture we value in Ridgewood. As I mentioned in a Village Council meeting, the only thing lacking from the design is a neon sign that says “Welcome to Newark Airport.”

Before you expend any energy, resources, and public funds in carrying out the Mayor’s directive, I believe you should ask the Mayor to first undertake a transparent process that would fully and openly inform the Ridgewood Residents of her plans.

FYI, I understand the Mayor has recently written the Council concerning Parking Garage Options. I tried to OPRA a copy but was refused on account of its being “deliberative.” I will do all that I can to obtain a copy. We live in America not Soviet Russia!

Thank you,

Rurik Halaby

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He was for the Garage before he Was Against it ? An Open Letter to the Village Attorney

Village Council -Halaby

file photo by Boyd Loving

An open letter to Mr. Matt Rogers, the Village attorney:

Dear Mr. Rogers:

I could not attend the Village Council meeting of 2 August on account of my delayed flight back home. Fortunately my plane had WiFi and I was able to stream quite a bit of the meeting.

In response to a question by Councilman Voigt you described some procedure the Village Council was following to short circuit the process to hire Pike to build the garage. As a layman I was unable to follow your answer. Could you possibly tell me what is happening?

More importantly, the Mayor appears to have her mind made up on using Pike and it is damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead. Compared to the previous Village Council which held innumerable public meetings to present various plans to the community, the Mayor in typical fashion is playing her cards close to the chest. The Deputy Mayor and Councilman Hache seem to be in on her plans but I was shocked how uninformed Councilmen Voigt and Walsh are.

Comments by some of the mayor’s supporters in the social media seems to indicate that some in her circle are in the know, but not two of her colleagues.

(Side note to Councilmen Voigt and Walsh: By allowing yourselves to be shut out, you are failing miserably in executing your fiduciary to your constituency.)

Thank you,

Rurik Halaby

Village Attorney Matthew Rogers responds :
On Aug 4, 2017, at 13:42, Matthew Rogers <msr@mrogerslaw.com> wrote:

Rurik, 
There is nothing nefarious afoot. I’m responding to you, the
Council, present Village staff and your wife. You can always share with
whomever you’d like. 
The Local Redevelopment and Housing Law permits municipalities to
consider property(ies) within its borders for redevelopment if the property
meets certain criteria. The Statute was designed to promote the
rehabilitation and/or the reconstruction of properties that have long gone
without attention, particularly in commercial locations or areas. There is a
process prescribed by the Statute that must be followed in order to take
advantage of the statute’s benefits, which allows the municipality to avoid
the public bidding process and negotiate directly with one or any entities
that the municipality wants to consider for the project in mind. 
The Council can start the process by requesting the a study be
performed by the Planner to determine if the property, in this case the
Hudson Street parking lot, meets the criteria of the Statute. If it does
and the process is completed, then the Village can negotiate directly with
any contractor it so wishes. As you know, there has already been a
presentation from PIKE at a Council meeting, where it became apparent that
they can both provide a design and build the garage. The thought is that by
utilizing the statute, the Village can avoid the time it takes to bid out
design and then bid out to find a contractor to build the design.
Additionally, it is the hope that by directly negotiating with the a
contractor, the Village can also save money on the cost for several reasons.
It will hopefully work and provide those benefits. If not, then the bidding
process can always be utilized. 
This is the process that was used several years ago with
Kensington’s proposal for the development of Walnut Street garage and the
age restricted housing, which although extensively negotiated, the
contractor withdrew. 
I hope this answers your question and if not, please let me know. 

Matt 

Matthew S. Rogers, Esq.
Law Offices of Matthew S. Rogers, L.L.C.
123 Prospect Street
Ridgewood, New Jersey 07451

Phone (201) 857-3700
Fax: (201) 857-3699

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One Year Later same people/groups that spoon fed and pushed personal agendas are still at it in Ridgewood

Vote Ridgewood NJ

file photo by Dana Glazer

June 16,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog with a little help from our friends

Ridgewood NJ, a reader wrote us and said ,”I was cleaning up my posts and came across this Facebook thread from last year. It’s amazing that the same people/group that spoon fed and pushed personal agendas are still at it. Our current Mayor and Deputy Mayor remain under attack; false accusations, lies published in the local newspaper, public opinion letters etc.

Why would they still be at it? Answer: We have an election coming up next year. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor’s positions become available. Exactly two seats are needed for this group to resume block voting and to pick up where they left off. They are also desperately fighting the Council’s effort to review and restructure committees, which were previously formed and by them. Why? Answer: Establishing and enforcing committee Bylaws would greatly restrict pushing personal agendas and members would be appointed to these committees in a fair, term restricted, manner. Imagine the use of checks and balances, which doesn’t exist today. Their biggest threat, is loosing their self appointed positions or that these committees be dismantled. Why? Answer: They would loose their last public platform. Meaning, they would no longer have the same clout, wide reach or public accessibility. Note how every one of their publications lists their titles and positions served. Why? Because an official title or experience gives more weight.

Like Derek Schnure said, “the little guy is now able to counter the misinformation and party politics.” Residents beware and stay informed.

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Rurik Halaby Continues to Promote CRAB(Community Relations Advisory Board) and FAC (Finance Advisory Committee) at Wednesdays Council Meeting

Rurik Halaby

file photo by Boyd Loving

I made the following comments at last night’s Village Council meeting re the Mayor’s plan to turn CRAB (Community Relations Advisory Board) and FAC (Finance Advisory Committee) to ad hoc committees:

I will address three points, Ad Hoc Committees, CRAB and FAC.
The Mayor misuses the term Ad Hoc. An Ad Hoc Committee is by definition one that is created to serve a specific function for a limited period of time.

By their sheer function, CRAB and FAC cannot be Ad Hoc Committees.
Regarding CRAB, I have lived in the is country since 1958, and I have never seen the country so divided on so many issues. We are polarized along political, religious, social, economic, religious and gender lines.

 We need CRAB as we have never needed before, to help bring people together. And for CRAB to work it has to be populated by smart, strong, independently thinking individuals.

Regarding FAC, it is ironic that the reason we have a strong CFO is thanks to FAC and Roberta Sonenfeld. And let’s not forget that under Roberta’s predecessor, 16 tons of change flew out of the Village coffers.

And having a strong and active FAC is not a reflection on Bob Rooney’s capabilities. In fact, he should be the first to insist on a strong, independently minded FAC that will help him manage the financial affairs of the Village. We have a budget of some $50 million and if we were a corporation the CFO would work under the guidance of the Board’s finance committee.

I am tempted to comment on the Mayor’s motives in looking to neuter these two critically important committees but I will desist.
Thank you.Rurik Halaby

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Ridgewood Mayor puts an end to personal attacks during the pubic comment period

Village Council -Halaby

photo by Boyd Loving

May 4,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Mayor puts the hammer down on personal attacks during the pubic comment period . After a bitter attack by Rurik Halaby on the council praising former Mayor Paul Aronsohn and former Village manager Roberta Sonnefeld .Halaby called the council unprofessional amateurs at the same time praising the Financial Advisory Committee .Halaby questioned weather the FAC was invited into the village budget discussions.

Once the Ridgewood blog reminds you that in order for the Financial Advisory Committee to be an effective part of the Village governance the following criteria must be met:

Publish clear and realistic by-laws
Post agenda’s of all meetings
Post minutes of all meetings promptly
All members must sign Financial disclosure forms  
All members must sign NDA’s or non-disclosure forms

These are professional standards that are used and commonly accepted everywhere in the world.

In the real world this is how you run a financial decision body. It is also important to fill the committee with people who have some experience in finance, not failed or “wannabe” politicians who are promoting their own secret agenda.

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Rurik Halaby : An open letter to the Village Council re tonight’s VC Meeting

Rurik Halaby

file photo by Boyd Loving

An open letter to the Village Council re tonight’s VC Meeting. I cannot attend as I am on a business trip, but have written an open letter to the members of the Council. Please attend if you can, whether you agree with me or not. The key thing is for the Ridgewood Residents to be aware of all that is going on at the Council level and for their views to become known.

Dear VC Members:

I am traveling on business and so cannot attend. If there I would have made the following points:

1. Schedler: I would not spend a red cent on the Schedler house until you have some idea as to what we will be doing with it long-term. At what cost and for what use? What cost of operation and maintenance? As I have mentioned on numerous occasions, put together a committee of people knowledgeable about house restorations to advise if the house is worth saving. All this talk of a nationally recognized historic home is nonsense. What is the age of the house and what will it be restored as? Plus since Mayor Knudsen’s father lives across the street from the house, she should recuse herself from any consideration.

2. Parking garage: Has the VC no shame or sense of intellectual integrity? When will you get going on the Hudson St. Parking Deck? The idea of Mr. Sedon leading another study is laughable. Has he read the 10’s of thousands of pages of studies already undertaken, or are you using this as an excuse to do nothing? Shameful political cowardice!

3. Mayor Susan Knudsen’s new FB Page. Is this an official Village of Ridgewood page or the start of the Knudsen/Sedon 2018 reelection campaign. I would appreciate Mr. Matt Rogers’ input since the page uses the Village of Ridgewood logo.

This is being copied to the press and to Facebook. Let the sun shine in!

Thank you,

Rurik Halaby

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Rurik Halaby Still Promoting the Failed Aronsohn Vision for Ridgewood

Nazi's in Paris

Rurik Posted: I took this on a trip to Paris in 1969.  The Eiffel Tower is one of the most famous structures in the world and the symbol of Paris.  Millions visit it every year.  An interesting tale behind the building of the Tower.  When the the plans were announced in the 1880‘s a committee of 300 leading citizens of Paris issued the following statement, per Wikepedia:  “We, writers, painters, sculptors, architects and passionate devotees of the hitherto untouched beauty of Paris, protest with all our strength, with all our indignation in the name of slighted French taste, against the erection … of this useless and monstrous Eiffel Tower … To bring our arguments home, imagine for a moment a giddy, ridiculous tower dominating Paris like a gigantic black smokestack, crushing under its barbaric bulk Notre Dame, the Tour Saint-Jacques, the Louvre, the Dome of les Invalides, the Arc de Triomphe, all of our humiliated monuments will disappear in this ghastly dream. And for twenty years … we shall see stretching like a blot of ink the hateful shadow of the hateful column of bolted sheet metal.”  Makes you think of their present day Ridgewood descendants, the Vocalantis, those self absorbed fools who are unable to see past the tip of their noses.

this was posted on Facebook in the “it take a Ridgewood Village ” group on Monday December 19th.

While Mr Halaby attempts to use the Eiffel Tower as a symbol of what the rejection of Aronsohn’s flawed vision of Ridgewood could mean we suggest the Nazi occupation of Paris a more fitting symbol.

Here is a small history lesson:

Germans attacked France and quickly defeated the French army in 1940. The French government departed Paris on June 10, and the Germans occupied the city on June 14. During the Occupation, the French Government moved to Vichy, and Paris was governed by the German military and by French officials approved by the Germans.

For the Parisians, the Occupation was a series of frustrations, shortages and humiliations. A curfew was in effect from nine in the evening until five in the morning; at night, the city went dark. Rationing of food, tobacco, coal and clothing was imposed from September 1940. Every year the supplies grew more scarce and the prices higher. A million Parisians left the city for the provinces, where there was more food and fewer Germans. The French press and radio contained only German propaganda.

Jews in Paris were forced to wear the yellow Star of David badge, and were barred from certain professions and public places. On 16–17 July 1942, 13,152 Jews, including 4,115 children and 5.919 women, were rounded up by the French police, on orders of the Germans, and were sent to the Auschwitz concentration camp.

The first demonstration against the Occupation, by Paris students, took place on 11 November 1940. As the war continued, anti-German clandestine groups and networks were created, some loyal to the French Communist Party, others to General Charles de Gaulle in London. They wrote slogans on walls, organized an underground press, and sometimes attacked German officers. Reprisals by the Germans were swift and harsh.

Following the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, the French Resistance in Paris launched an uprising on August 19, 1944, seizing the police headquarters and other government buildings. The city was liberated by French and American troops on August 25, and General Charles de Gaulle led a triumphant parade down the Champs-Élysées on August 26, and organized a new government. In the following months, ten thousand Parisians who had collaborated with the Germans were arrested and tried, eight thousand convicted, and 116 executed. On 29 April and 13 May 1945, the first post-war municipal elections were held, in which French women voted for the first time.

 

 

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Rurik Halaby Continues His Diatribe on the Village of Ridgewood Council

Rurik Halaby

Following is an email I wrote tonight to the Village Council with commentary on the meeting of Wednesday 2 November.

Dear All:

To Bernie, I apologize profusely if my comment about Trump in any way reflected an intent to interfere in how various members may vote. You know how strongly I feel about the greatest of our rights as American citizens, and in no way would I ever do that. What I tried to say was how ironic it was with perhaps as many as three people on the VC being possibly Trump supporters and thus people speaking so loudly about how the country is being ruined with over regulations, here we have a VC that is regulating the town to death. Listening to your discourse on various matters, I could only think of a Soviet Politburo making plans.

To Jeff, you are one bright person, but unfortunately ,you continue to underestimate the intelligence of others. Including yours truly, with your answer about the garage. You made reference to the garage by itself not being a solution to the 1,000 space shortage. The garage with 350 spaces (?) would have made quite a dent, far more than whatever spaces you might achieve with your antics of repricing, Uber, etc.

To Susan, you would have made an unbelievably clever trial attorney. You are smart, articulate, and have an uncanny ability to come up with red herrings. You blame the lack of having a garage to the June elections, when in fact you did everything in your power to torpedo the garage from day zero. You seem to forget that if you had acted responsibly last year, the work on the garage would have started in November and it would have been done by now. The borrowing would have been at historically low interest rates, an opportunity we will not see for decades. History will not judge you well for that.

Lack of transparency in Village business. This opaqueness is reflective of the Mayor’s drive for total control of Village business. In 48 years of living here, I have not seen such a dictatorial attitude. Yes, welcome to the Soviet Republic of Ridgewood. I suggested you follow Mayor Aronsohn’s example of writing a monthly column on what is happening and why, but one of your enablers quickly came to your defense by stating this is unnecessary since the Ridgewood News reported on VC meetings. I don’t quite see that.

The Mayor’s style of governance is slowly beginning to impact our lives. Village Hall is closing on itself, after two years of a dynamic open operation under Roberta. Village employee morale is imploding! And it won’t be long before we go back to the bad old days of a bureaucratic non-responsive Village Hall. Also, many committee an board positions are going unfilled, as people get turned off with the Mayor’s antics. And to those misfits in the audience who cheered Roberta’s firing, just wait a few months.

Seeing the VC at work, I can only think of a puppet show of The Wizard of Oz. Easy to sort who’s who.

It is getting late. Cynthia comes to work with me tomorrow meaning we have to be at the station by 06:20. Otherwise no place to park.

I will be posting this letter on FB.

Cheers,

Rurik

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Rurik Halaby‎ alleges that Ridgewood Mayor and Deputy Mayor intend to impede your right to vote

VOTE_theridgewoodblog

November 2,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Rurik Halaby‎ alleges that Mayor Susan Knudsen and Deputy Mayor Mike Sedon intend to impede your right to vote and intimidate you at the voting both.

On the Facebook group “It Takes a Ridgewood Village”

Rurik Halaby‎ posted ,“Remember Ridgewood Citizens, we live in Ridgewood, NJ, and not Birmingham-in-Bergen. As a naturalized American Citizen I value my right to vote above every other right I have, and I will be damned if I am letting anyone impede that! Our Mayor and Deputy Mayor supposedly are registered as “Challengers.” What in the world does that mean, if you are not out to intimidate.”

While the Glen Rock Patch called it an, ” ‘Unprecedented’ Situation As Challengers Register To Be At Ridgewood Polling Locations” . Some of you should really vote more often ,challengers have been used at almost every election ,yes even in Ridgewood since I first voted in 1980 .

As a voter Mr. Halaby and others should familiarize with NJ Statute Title 19: ELECTIONS.

A “Challenger” is there to assure the integrity of the election . Challengers (AKA poll watchers) defend voter’s rights and their only interest is the conduct of a fair and honest election.

What a Challenger Can Do

Challengers must be seated near the board workers so that they may hear the names of the voters being processed.
Challengers can write down the names and address of voters.
Challengers can challenge a voter. This process must be done in accordance with state and federal laws.
Challengers may request the public counter numbers on the voting machine from the board workers. The board workers can give this information to the challengers provided they are not busy with voters or their other duties.
Challengers can be present at the close of the polls to witness the opening of the voting machines and hear the unofficial vote totals.

 
What a Challenger Cannot Do

Challengers cannot address the voters. They must inform the board workers when they wish to initiate a challenge.
Challengers cannot challenge a voter based on:

Their race, sex, creed, ethnic origin.
How they think they might vote.
The fact they live in a particular ward, housing complex or section of a municipality or county.

Challengers cannot stand behind the election tables or go near the voting machines.
Challengers cannot look over the shoulders of or sit with the board workers.
Challengers cannot touch the voting machines or registration books.
Challengers cannot use cellphones, blackberries, iPhones, laptops or any other electronic/wireless communicating device while in the polling location.
Challengers cannot wear any partisan/political buttons, pins, hats, clothing, signs, etc while in the polling location. They can only be identified by the county-issued badge and permit.
Challengers cannot campaign in the polling location.
Challengers cannot disturb the quiet and business-like atmosphere of the polling location.
Challengers cannot harass or intimidate any voters.

Perhaps Mr.Halaby could get some info from the League of Women Voters , after all,it has been recently infected by a whole host of former Mayor Paul Aronsohn supporters clearing looking to still hold some sway over Village of Ridgewood politics.

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Attention : Rurik Halaby will be unable to attend the Ridgewood Council meeting he will be on a business trip

Rurik Halaby

photo by Boyd Loving of Rurik Halaby the “William Jennings Bryan” of Ridgewood 

this was posted on Facebook early this morning

A letter I emailed this morning to the Village Council re this evening’s VC meeting.

Dear All:

I will be unable to attend as I will be on a business trip.

Two comments I would have made:

1. Shedler: I would not spend a penny on the place until you have put together a Committee that includes some hard-nosed non-romantics who would include at least one expert restoration consultant. I would determine the following:
Restore the house to what and as what
Cost of “restoration”
Use following such action
Cost of operation and maintenance
Whatever you do, Mayor Knudsen should recuse herself from any and all deliberations. Her father lives across the street from the property creating a conflict of interest.

2. Replacing Roberta
The silence as to how you are going about replacing Roberta is deafening. Knowing a thing or two about human nature, I say something is afoot. The new VC has been miserably opaque in its deliberation. Something I do not like at all. Have you hired a search firm or are you going to appoint one of your “friends?”

With kind regards,

Rurik Halaby

Sent from my iPad

and a follow up :

Open letter to the Village Council re E&K vs. Uber

A couple of thoughts on the subject.

1. The lack of interest in taxi companies bidding for the business may be indicative of the reputation the town is acquiring as a place that is impossible to do business in.
2. I would keep E&K but also encourage Uber to be more active. Nothing better than competition.
3. My only ax to grind is that I use E&K to transport me back and forth to the airport and I am very pleased with their service.
4. Along with the pathetic discussion you had a couple of meetings ago re parking meter pricing, the Uber discussion is all part of a barrage of red herrings all intended to divert people’s attention from the real problem in Ridgewood. We need a garage, and no sleight of hand by or Mayor will make up for that.

Thank you,

Rurik Halaby

Sent from my iPad

 

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Readers Not Fond of Ridgewood’s Sore Losers

jill-greenberg-crying-photoshopped-babies-end-times-17

September 20,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Reader says , “You know when Keith Killion lost by just 6 votes to that dimwit Gwenn Hauck, he exited with great grace and dignity. These three who were unelectable in any possible was are going out with absolutely no grace and no dignity. They are all so pissed off that their three replacement candidates were trounced and that their garage to save the world was voted into oblivion. Sore losers hardly describes their behavior. They should take a lesson from Keith, and other very fine council people who left office, and be classy about it.”
Definition of sore loser

:  a person who becomes very upset or angry when he or she loses a game, contest, etc.

I don’t remember Tony, Rurik, et al trashing Paul/Al/Gwenn during their tenure. Sore losers just throwing mud. And yes, Tony is petty because no one chose him to be part of ANOTHER team. If I remember correctly, he couldn’t play nice with the COC so he left to start the guild. Never thought that him as president of the guild would be a lifetime gig.

To be fair, PSEG has been a pain in the azz this summer. That said, Rurik is stirring the pot and is coming across as the latest village troll. TD is a triple sore loser with the garage being voted down, the 3 amigos no longer on the council and now, he can’t play “historian”. All very petty.

Fool us once…Let them just go away. They will never return despite them still hanging around? Chamber of Commerce etc. Sore Loserman ran and lost and they eventually went away. So will these 3. The new Council is awesome and out of the ordinary issues will be attributed to those 3….so we will overcome. They are already off to a great start repealing Pfundwood! Can we get rid of that Gyro Wall next? Tell the sidewalk Nazi he may be next after the wall fall…wasn’t he responsible for the $750,000 coin guy? People have to be held responsible. Thank you 1st amendment…

Aronsohn’s recent op ed piece in The Record and Pucciarelli’s letter to the editor in The Ridgewood News suggest that their plan is to lob hand grenades into the Knudsen administration’s agenda with the hopes of inflicting casualties of some sort. SORE LOSERS.

Clearly, he is the sorest of the sore losers. The two websites, his and Gwenn’s, are pitiful testaments to their longing for a return to power. Good riddance to bad rubbish, the both of them.

He is just an angry sore loser.He needs a hobby.

Clearly, the sore losers are now out in force trying their best to disrespect (got that Gwenn?) those who were able to successfully bring their 4 year reign of terror to an end.

What a bunch of sore losers. Where were all of you when the dirt bag mayor, nit wit Gwenn, fatso Roberta, and full of himself Albert thought nothing of calling Susan every derogatory name in the book? You’re a bunch of losers who just can’t let it go

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Readers say Not Everyone is Happy With the New Ridgewood Council

Rurik Halaby

Rurik Halaby photo by Boyd Loving

Week 1. Rubrik is already on Facebook questioning the council decisions.

He obviously doesn’t realize that he looks like a really big crank. He must think that he is going to command legions of dissatisfied residents in his own revolt. Meanwhile the old council members have moved on. Even Don, Tim and Ron have seen the writing on the wall and have kept a low profile.

The Village is ready for this change and we spoke at the polls. Rubrik is going to be that guy who attends council meetings just to hear his own voice. I wish that he ran for office so that he could have come in last. Probably would not have amassed the necessary signatures to get on the ballot.

Not all of the “old Council members” have moved on – Gwenn was sitting in the audience at last night’s Council meeting taking copious notes during the discussion about parking. She left the meeting shortly after that discussion ended, and was seen pow wowing with Rurik Halaby in the hallway.

Mr. Halaby needs to lick his wounds and go home. We simply don’t want to hear from him any more (and never did). Addressing council members as if your approval mattered was embarrassing.

Last night Mr. Halaby accursed Mayor Knudsen of “pandering to her base,” but he never blinked an eye when his buddy Paul Aronsohn did anything possible to please his buddies – property owners in the CBD and real estate developers.

You’ve gotta feel a bit sorry for Halaby. Two major election defeats within 45 days of each other and now when he speaks at Village Council meetings, no one on the dais gives a rat’s ass about anything he says, and the only person in the audience listening to him is his wife.