Absolutely there should be a more professional search process…. However, when talking about government related, other factors are involved. It’s not the private sector. Yes there may be SOME nepotism in RWood but it’s a LOT worse elsewhere and the ones that people bring up aka some certain police officers, the requirements, tests and training ensure that the brightest and best are hired, even though some local town cranks don’t believe it…. the other part is that there are a number of residents who will make a lot of noise and whine when an outside hire is not “attuned” to issues in our “quaint village”. Plus spending our precious tax dollars for professional recruitment will bring howls of protest as well. But yeah, the idea is a good one.
While it sounds good on paper and given the experience with former Village manager who had zero experience as a town manager and little experience in finance sounds like a very good idea . Long time residents will recall the “Marty Brooks fiasco” , for which the Ridgewood Schools District paid a significant sum of money to attract and hire a deeply flawed candidate , Marty Brooks of TERC math fame . Fortunately Brooks declined and the Village and the School system dodged a bullet on that one and was saved .
I know that taking away islands is Knudsen’s idea. I mean that she is working in the spirit of Aronsohn and gang, continuing their work so to speak. Therefore Aronshon and gang get a bonus, a reward. Aronsohn and gang overdeveloped the town as much as possible, but didn’t think of islands at train station. Knudsen did think of it, continuing to tear away at what provides safety and attractiveness to the town. A narrow path at train station makes it virtually impossible for shoppers at farmers market to traverse the area. Commuters will find it much more dangerous to get to their parked cars.
. If CBD is sometimes too crowded to park , so is Westfield Garden State Plaza. And so is Paramus Park Mall and Fashion Center sometimes too crowded. Hey, this is Bergen County. One million people live here.
Hudson St. is the worst possible intersection for a parking garage. Too congested,creating a traffic mess. The garage will never pay for itself; raising parking meter rates to one dollar will keep people away.
Ridgewood NJ, On Dec. 6, the faithful commemorated a bishop in the early church who was known for generosity and love of children. Born in Lycia in Asia Minor , modern day Turkey around the late third or fourth century, St. Nicholas of Myra is more than just the inspiration for the modern day Santa Claus .
St. Nicholas, the original person behind the Santa Claus legend. Known as Nicholas of Myra .The bishop was noted for his unbridled generosity .
Interestingly enough, he played a role in a key event in Christian history, as he answered a request in 325 by the Roman emperor Constantine and took part in the First Council of Nicaea. During that council, leaders of the early Christian church including Nicholas approved the Nicene Creed and settled on a date for the Easter celebration.
St. Nicholas became associated with Christmas because of the tradition that he had of giving secret gifts to children. It is also conjectured that the saint, who was known to wear red robes and have a long white beard, was culturally converted into the large man with a reindeer-drawn sled full of toys because in German, his name is “San Nikolaus” which almost sounds like “Santa Claus.”
Interesting enough, letters weren’t sent to Nicholas until long after his death. While he was recognized as a saint, “letters to santa “didn’t start coming from children until more than 900 years later. They were not seen as toy requests as much as written prayers. The St. Nicholas Center records the first letter as being sent by a little girl at some period after the year 1200.
Well, the previous council and their committees got everything they wanted. That is the reality.
Multi family housing, parking garage, athletic filed at Schedler and to boot a bonus prize for hard work…. tearing away the lovely islands at the train station and putting in a narrow pathway and calling it just as attractive. Aronsohn and his gang must be laughing hard at that one while they sip their champagne. They got an unexpected reward!! Even they would never have suggested tearing away that lovely greenery. Clunk heads , the current council, clunk heads.
or maybe no….
well we do not have a parking garage and we might not ever. The proposed field at Schedler is way smaller than Don Delzio and his denizens proposed. The train station parking lot re-furb will be way WAY better than a gargantuan garage.
Aronsohn and his gang are meeting with lawyers and spending lots of money trying to figure out how to save the remains of their reputations from ethics charges, charges of lying about parking-app contracts, etc. Not a lot of champagne flowing there.
The current council has put bids in for a garage design. They are determined. The field at Schedler with parking spaces and bathrooms will take away enough trees to reduce all wildlife, like the eagles and make the place ugly and full of pollution. The cost of the field and golden bathrooms and parking spaces will be gargantuan. Sedon said he doesn’t care HOW MUCH IT COSTS THE TAXPAYERS. Sedon said it will be done over a period of years and budgeted little by little.. That is cheaters talk. It will still cost taxpayers the same, big raise in taxes overall.
As for those lovely islands at the train station.
” Refurbish” is another SUBURBAN euphemism that means destroy nature for a perceived financial gain. that will make an environment, ugly, polluted, dangerous. By golly, oh jolly let the people who live in the rain forests and lands where wild animals dwell , chop down trees, poach for ivory and sell skins of wild animals. They are POOR and trying to SURVIVE. What example are we rich folds showing them. We can’t save a measly seven acres. When eagles are threatened and leave their nest they die. WHO CARES A CRAP about that.
This town is about as good as it gets when it comes to attracting these chancers and crooks to our political process.
1. It’s wealthy
2. It’s mostly disconnected from the goings-on being that many of the adults work long Wall St hours and the wealthy wives are far too preoccupied with lunches and social activities.
3. It’s a very transient population. People move in so that their kids go through the schools – then move on.
4. The majority are Democrat and have a macro view of Democrat politics, having no clue as to the small town crookery that exists in local politics.
Ridgewood NJ, Village Manager Heather Mailander sent out an email with a list of Year-End News from the Village of Ridgewood starting with the Sale of 2018 Ridgewood Parking Permits (RPP), Final Leaf Collection, Public Valet in Central Business District, Winter Reminders, and Village Hall Holiday Hours.
SALE OF 2018 ANNUAL RIDGEWOOD PARKING PERMITS (RPP)
The 2018 Annual Commuter (Ridgewood Parking Permits – RPP) will go on sale December 18, 2017 at 8:30 a.m., at the Reception Desk in the lobby of Village Hall. All applicants must bring their driver’s license and vehicle registration(s) for car(s) they wish to list on their permits, as the RPPs allow up to 3 cars on each hang tag. The RPPs allow commuters to park in designated Ridgewood parking lots without having to pay the parking meters. The following is a summary of the Ridgewood Parking Permits (RPPs) and their prices:
Premium RPP – $1,000 annual fee – allows Ridgewood residents to park in the Train Station lot, Hudson Street lot, Prospect Street lot, and all Ridgewood lots, including Route 17 Park and Ride lot. A maximum of 210 Premium RPPs will be sold, on a first come, first served basis.
Non-Premium RPP – $750 annual fee – allows Ridgewood residents to park in Chestnut Street lot, North Walnut Street lot, Cottage Place lot, and Route 17 Park and Ride lot.
Park and Ride RPP – $750 annual fee – this price is for both Ridgewood residents and non-residents, and allows parking in the Route 17 Park and Ride lot.
Non-resident RPP in Central Business District – $1,500 annual fee – allows non-residents to park in the Cottage Place lot.
Ridgewood Resident Sticker – Free – All Ridgewood resident commuters who wish to park at the train station must bring in their driver’s license and vehicle registration(s) to obtain a free Ridgewood Resident sticker. Free Ridgewood Resident stickers will also be issued to all Ridgewood residents purchasing RPPs.
The Village will accept checks, cash, or credit cards (with a 3% transaction fee to the user) for payment.
There are also Central Business District (CBD) Employee stickers and hang tags that may be purchased by those who work in the CBD and allows parking at designated meters in the North Walnut Street and Cottage Place lots.
For more information, please visit our website: www.ridgewoodnj.net.
FINAL LEAF COLLECTION
The Village is currently picking up leaves in Section D, and that section should be finished by Christmas, weather permitting. The final leaf placement dates for the entire Village will be December 23rd through January 1st. After January 1st, do not place any more leaves into the street, along the curbline. Our leaf crews will pick up the leaves, beginning January 2nd. After January 1st, residents having additional leaves to dispose of must keep them on their property, until the spring.
PUBLIC VALET IN CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT
The Village Council has funded a Public Valet in the Central Business District on Friday and Saturday nights, from 6:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., throughDecember 30th. The location is Van Neste Square, by the park, and the cost is $5 per vehicle. Come and enjoy a night in the Central Business District with family and friends, during this holiday season, with easy parking through the Public Valet.
WINTER REMINDERS
We have already experienced a couple of snowfalls this month. As a reminder, when it snows or is icy, please place your garbage cans at the end of your driveway for collection. We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our Village employees safe.
All sidewalks in residential districts must be cleared within 24 hours of the snow falling. Please do not place snow into the street; instead, place it back onto your own property. In addition, if you have a fire hydrant on your property, please clear it of any snow accumulation.
HOLIDAY HOURS
All Village offices will be closed on December 25th, December 26th, and January 1st, in observance of the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
Wishing you and yours a joyous holiday season and a happy and healthy New Year!
Ridgewood NJ, Annually the Ridgewood Arts Foundation honors two organizations in the Village that contribute to artistic appreciation and accessibility to artistic programs.
For 2018 the Honorees are:
Reel Voices Film Festival at The Rdgiewood Public Library
Tic Toc (To Introduce Culture to Our Children)
Ridgewood NJ, In a letter to Hopewell Valley Central High School parents this week, district Superintendent Thomas Smith spelled out his intention to propose a random drug-testing program for students next school year.
Given the events of the last few months some observers think it would be prudent for the Ridgewood School district to follow suit.
According to NJ.COM , The proposed plan comes after officials at the Hopewell Valley Central High School saw an increase in students under the influence of marijuana, prescription drugs and alcohol, he said. Smith also said the district has discovered middle school students under the influence.
During the 2015-16 school year, seven students violated the substance abuse policy, and in the 2016-17 year, the number rose to 24.
Under the proposed policy, a student who tests positive under the random test would not receive the current academic suspension, “but rather alternatives that focus on prevention such as meeting with the Student Assistance Counselor (SAC) and attending and completing an Early Intervention Program,” Smith wrote.
Superintendent Thomas Smith claimed that no test results would initiate criminal charges or an investigation. The district will not share test results with any law enforcement agency.
The policy would apply to all students in grades 9-12 who are in any extra-curricular or co-curricular activities, or any student who holds a permit to park on school property.It will also apply to any student who voluntarily elects to the program with parental consent.
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood has a new property tax savings program that aims to encourage residents to think and shop locally in exchange for a break on their tax bill. Property taxes in Ridgewood, New Jersey are among the highest in the state.
The Village of Ridgewood is now offering prepaid debit cards and instead of points or miles, you get property tax relief. The new program is called the Estate Card. It’s run by Municipal Cards, LLC.
Every time you are out and about in the Village you can save money. Debit Cardholders add money every month to their accounts to receive a base .25 percent on purchases towards their property taxes plus as much as an additional 30% at participating national retailers like Walmart, and local merchants like Trattoria La Bocca.
Traditionally businesses are usually charged a fee for swiping a credit card, but with the Estate Card this fee, in part, is rebated back to the customer towards their third quarter property taxes.
Businesses hope it will lure shoppers in to the central business district and for the Village it comes with an added advantage of revenue coming in sooner.
For consumers there is no monthly cost, spending requirement, or limit on the cards. The more you shop, the more tax dollars you save. The Estate Card is also available in other New Jersey towns such as Bridgewater, East Brunswick and South Plainfield.
Ridgewood NJ, The Village Council voted to terminate its contract with Parkmobile this week, after it was discovered that the Village had incurred huge service fees with the parking app they have used since 2015.
The Fee issue was first raised publicly during an October meeting when CFO Robert Rooney told the council that the parking utility loses about 30 cents on the dollar every time the smartphone app is used. He said that since signing its contract with Parkmobile in February 2015, the village has paid $140,000 in service fees to the company.
Resolution 15-52 , the resolutions granting ParkMobile a 2 year contract ,clearly states that the Village will incur no additional service fees or contract fees .
Most of the blame has fallen on Roberta Sonenfeld who was the Village Manager, although she thought she was an elected official. The fact is she should never EVER have signed that contract when she was only authorized by resolution to sign a contract with NO ADDITIONAL FEES.
Reader stated , “that She bragged about her business prowess and being a Six Sigma expert. Based on her acrimonious, arrogant and ignorant behavior, she proved to be a Five Phi Failure!”
Hahaha, read the Ridgewood News today that Ms. Sonenfeld says (and I quote)….
“The misinformation currently circulating about the Parkmobile contract is curious at best. No Village money goes to Parkmobile.” So speaks Ms. Roberta Sonenfeld.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is one of the many reasons why Ms. Sonenfeld was poison to our Village. Yes, Roberta, Village money DOES got to Parkmobile. Did you even read the contract you signed in March of 2015? Fifteen cents on each transaction goes to Parkmobile. So does 3% of the total transaction paid by the user (which includes the 35 cent fee the user pays, so Parkmobile collects twice). It has amounted to a TON of money over the past 2+ years.
Shaking my head. She really thinks that by stating outright lies it will somehow make them come true.
Miss Willett is in the same bitter school as Evan Weitz,and Roberta Sonenfeld from the failed FAC. That FAC was Aronsohn’s breeding ground for his little puppets. Sonenfeld got a hefty 6-figure job out of her tenure on the Financial Advisory Committee, Wow, that was a huge error for our village. She cannot get out from behind her own mathmatical errors. Evan Weitz and Janice Willett, two nasty failed candidates for Village Council who we all hope will run again because they will lose again.
Ridgewood NJ, An additional leaf pick up period for all “areas” of the Village was announced by Village Manager Heather Mailander during the Village Council’s 12/13/2017 Public Meeting.
From December 23, 2017 through and including January 1, 2018, residents of any “area” may deposit leaves at the curb for pick up. Per Ms. Mailander, Village crews will begin picking up leaves on January 2, 2018.
LAST CHANCE FOR LOOSE LEAF PLACEMENT AT THE CURB: December 23, 2017 through and including January 1, 2018.
Janice is trying to say that the “blame game” is useless and we should just move forward and forget this. Really. I’m sorry Ms. willet, but there is a lot of money that was recklessly sent to Park Mobile when it should never have been, and one person is responsible for this. Roberta Sonenfeld was the Village Manager, although she thought she was an elected official. She should never EVER have signed that contract when she was only authorized by resolution to sign a contract with NO ADDITIONAL FEES
