Statement of Compliance with Open Public Meeting Act
Mayor: “Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by a posting on the bulletin board in Village Hall, by mail to the Ridgewood News, The Record, and by submission to all persons entitled to same as provided by law of a schedule including the date and time of this meeting.”
Ridgewood Nj, according to Mayor Ramon Hache , the Village Council tackled a broad range of issues during 2018. I will list just a few of our accomplishments and then provide an update on issues that are still pending a final resolution. During 2018, the Village Council:
“Self-serving people there for personal gain” defines our Councils of the past decade or more. Riche with his no bid telecoms contracts with the Village, the definition of conflict of interest. Whatever the hell Ahronson, Pooch and Gwen wanted, none of it seemingly any good for the rest of us. Knudsen getting her boys on the RPD and RFD with some nifty maneuvering around the hiring requirements, and protecting the dilapidated Schedler above all other interests because it’s across the street from her dad’s house… the list goes on and on.
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police Department’s newest uniformed Patrol Officer, Patrick Daly, was sworn in by Mayor Ramon Hache during Wednesday nights meeting of the Ridgewood Village Council .
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
Jamboree Days
Swearing-in of Police Officer Patrick Daly
Comments from the Public (Not to exceed 3 minutes per person – 40 minutes in total)
Village Manager’s Report
Village Council Reports
RESOLUTION
THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION, NUMBERED 19-02, WILL BE ADOPTED BY A CONSENT AGENDA, WITH ONE VOTE BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL. THERE IS A BRIEF DESCRIPTION BESIDE THIS RESOLUTION AND IT WILL BE READ BY TITLE ONLY:
19-02 Authorize Temporary Capital Budget – Approves a temporary Capital Budget to appropriate money for the down payment for the general capital bond ordinance for the 2019 road paving and streetscape program and the purchase of the Senior Bus
ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION – RIDGEWOOD WATER
NONE
ORDINANCES – PUBLIC HEARING – RIDGEWOOD WATER
NONE
RESOLUTIONS – RIDGEWOOD WATER
THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS, NUMBERED 19-03 THROUGH 19-19 ARE TO BE ADOPTED BY A CONSENT AGENDA, WITH ONE VOTE BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL. THERE IS A BRIEF DESCRIPTION BESIDE EACH RESOLUTION TO BE CONSIDERED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. EACH RESOLUTION WILL BE READ BY TITLE ONLY:
19-03 Title 59 Approval – Landscaping Services – Approves the plans and specifications for Landscaping Services prepared by Ridgewood Water, pursuant to Title 59
19-04 Award Contract – Landscaping Services
(NTE $61,000) – Awards the second year of a two-year contract to the lowest responsible bidder, LTI, Inc., 122 Main Road, Montville, NJ
19-05 Title 59 Approval – Line Stop and Valve Insertion Services – Approves the plans and specifications for Line Stop and Valve Insertion Services prepared by the Ridgewood Water Department, pursuant to Title 59
19-06 Award Contract – Line Stop and Valve Insertion Services (NTE $100,000) – Awards the second year of a two-year contract to the lowest responsible bidder, Carner Brothers, 10 Steel Court, Roseland, NJ
19-07 Title 59 Approval – Servicing and Repair of Electric Source – Approves the plans and specifications for Servicing and Repairing of Electric Source prepared by the Village of Ridgewood Water Department, pursuant to Title 59
19-08 Award Contract – Servicing and Repair of Electric Source (NTE $250,000) – Awards the second year of a two-year contract to the lowest responsible bidder, Vanore Electric, 145 Lexington Avenue, Hackensack, NJ
19-09 Title 59 Approval – Furnishing and Delivering Sodium Hypochlorite Solution – Approves the plans and specifications for Furnishing and Delivering of Sodium Hypochlorite Solution prepared by the Ridgewood Water Department, pursuant to Title 59
19-10 Award Contract – Furnishing and Delivering Sodium Hypochlorite Solution (NTE $135,000) – Awards the second year of a two-year contract to the lowest responsible bidder, Miracle Chemical Company, 1151B Highway 33, Farmingdale, NJ
19-11 Title 59 Approval – Laboratory Analysis Services – Approves the plans and specifications for Laboratory Analysis Services, prepared by the Ridgewood Water Department, pursuant to Title 59
19-12 Award Contract – Laboratory Analysis Services (NTE $128,460) – Awards the second year of a two-year contract to the lowest responsible bidder, Aqua Pro-Tech Labs, 1275 Bloomfield Avenue, Bldg. 6, Fairfield, NJ
19-13 Title 59 Approval – Water Billing and Data Collection Services – Approves the plans and specifications for Water Billing and Data Collection Services prepared by the Ridgewood Water Department, pursuant to Title 59
19-14 Award Contract – Water Billing and Data Collection Services (NTE $237,395) – Awards the second year of a two-year contract to the sole responsible bidder, Computil, Inc., 30 Controls Drive, Shelton, CT
19-15 Title 59 Approval – Servicing and Repair of Potable Water Pumping Facilities – Approves the plans and specifications for Servicing and Repair of Potable Water Storage Tanks, prepared by Ridgewood Water, pursuant to Title 59
19-16 Award Contract – Servicing and Repair of Potable Water Pumping Facilities (NTE $250,000) – Awards a contract to the sole responsible bidder, William Stothoff Company, Inc., 110 River Road, Flemington, NJ
19-17 Award Contract – Eastside Reservoir Improvements (NTE $246,600) – Awards a contract to the lowest responsible bidder, Ray Palmer Associates, 95 King Street, Dover, NJ
19-18 Award Professional Services Contract – Per- and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances Planning and Treatment Study (NTE $168,600) – Awards a Professional Services Contract to Mott MacDonald, 111 Wood Avenue South, Iselin, NJ. The required Pay to Play forms have been filed with the Village Clerk’s Office.
19-19 Award Emergency Contract – Boiler Replacement – Glen Avenue Water Facility (NTE $33,800) – Awards an Emergency Contract to Generation III Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning, 30 West Prospect Street, Waldwick, NJ
ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION
3698 – Bond Ordinance – Street Paving and Streetscape, Purchase of Senior Bus ($2,137,000) – Appropriates this money for the 2019 road paving and streetscape program and for purchasing a bus for the Senior Citizen transportation services provided by the Village
3699 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic – Parking at Train Station Lot after 6:00 p.m. – Amends this chapter to allow all vehicles to be parked at the Ridgewood train station after 6:00 p.m., without the necessity of having a Ridgewood resident sticker and/or a Ridgewood Parking Permit
3700 – Amend Chapter 156 – Food and Food Handling Establishments – Outdoor Café Regulations – Amends this chapter for new regulations for outdoor cafes, including specifying particular types, heights, and locations of barriers, establishing dates when outdoor cafes may operate, and
3701 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Outdoor Cafes – Amends the fees to be charged for outdoor cafes, based on the number of benches or tables and chairs used by each business
3702 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic – Ridgewood Premium Parking Permit for Hudson Street Parking Lot and Use of Rideshare Arrangement – Establishes the Hudson Street Parking Lot permit, which permits resident commuters to park only in this lot with this particular permit, and guarantees these commuters a parking space in the Hudson Street Parking Lot. It also establishes the fact that those who purchase the Hudson Street Parking Lot permit will participate in a rideshare program, at no additional cost, once the Hudson Street parking lot is closed for the construction of the Hudson Street parking garage. It also requires those who have a 2019 Hudson Street Parking Lot permit to purchase a 2020 Hudson Street Parking Lot permit in order to continue with the rideshare program until the Hudson Street parking garage is completed.
3703 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Ridgewood Parking Permit for Hudson Street Lot – Establishes the fee for the parking permit for the Hudson Street lot only at $1,300
ORDINANCES – PUBLIC HEARING
3694 – Amend Chapter 145 Fees – Adopt a Tree and Memorial Benches
3695 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Establish Regulations for Temporary Storage Containers
3688 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Graydon Pool Membership Fees and Tennis Membership Fees
RESOLUTIONS
THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS, NUMBERED 19-20 THROUGH 19-36 ARE TO BE ADOPTED BY A CONSENT AGENDA, WITH ONE VOTE BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL. THERE IS A BRIEF DESCRIPTION BESIDE EACH RESOLUTION TO BE CONSIDERED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. EACH RESOLUTION WILL BE READ BY TITLE ONLY:
19-20 Authorize Tax Assessor/Tax Collector to File Appeals and/or Settlement Stipulations – Authorizes the Tax Assessor and/or Tax Collector to file tax appeals and/or settlement stipulations with the Bergen County Board of Taxation for the purpose of correcting assessment errors for the year 2018. This resolution also authorizes the Assessor, in conjunction with the Village Attorney, to conduct settlement negotiations in matters pending before the Tax Court of New Jersey in 2019.
19-21 Title 59 Approval – Landfill Disposal of Solid Waste – Approves the plans and specifications for Landfill Disposal of Solid Waste, prepared by the Ridgewood Water Department, pursuant to Title 59
19-22 Award Contract – Landfill Disposal of Solid Waste (NT# $66.95/ton) – Awards the second year of a two-year contract to the lowest responsible bidder, IWS Transfer Systems of NJ, Inc., 375 Routes 1 & 9, Jersey City, NJ
19-23 Title 59 Approval – 2019 Recreational Program Instruction – Approves the plans and specifications for Recreational Program Instruction with the Department of Parks and Recreation, Contract Year 2019, prepared by the Ridgewood Recreation Department, pursuant to Title 59
19-24 Award Contracts – 2019 Recreational Program Instruction – Awards contracts to various vendors for 2019 recreation programs offered by the Village of Ridgewood’s Department of Parks and Recreation. These contracts are paid through user fees.
19-25 Approve Shared Services Agreement – School Resource Officer (Ridgewood Board of Education – NTE $100,000) – Approves a Shared Services Agreement with the Ridgewood Board of Education, whereby the Village and the Board of Education will each pay $100,000/year for funding a School Resource Officer
19-26 Approve Shared Services Agreement – Bergen County Police Chiefs Association Mutual Aid Plan and Rapid Deployment Force – Authorizes the Ridgewood Police Department to participate in a County-wide Mutual Aid Plan and Rapid Deployment Force to be used in times of emergency
19-27 Declare Property Surplus – Parks Department Logs – Declares the stockpile of uncut lengths of logs, which are remnants from tree work performed by the Parks Department, as surplus property and authorizes the Village Manager to dispose of this property
19-28 Declare Property Surplus – Various Vehicles – Declares vehicles from various departments, which are no longer viable for the Village’s use, and authorizes the Village Manager to dispose of this property
19-29 Certify Compliance with Federal Civil Rights Requirements – Certifies that the Village of Ridgewood’s hiring practices comply with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s “Enforcement Guidance on the Consideration of Arrest and Conviction Records in Employment Decisions Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964”, as amended, pertaining to the consideration of an individual’s criminal history. This is required under P.L. 2017, c. 183 which requires that this be certified prior to the Village submitting its approved annual budget to the NJ Division of Local Government Services.
19-30 Authorize Release of Escrow Funds – 143 & 147 West Glen Avenue – Authorizes the release of the remaining escrow funds for this project, in the amount of $12,348, since the Village Engineer has deemed the project complete
19-31 Endorse Application for Community Development Block Grant – Care Plus, NJ, Inc. – Client Transportation Assistance – Confirms endorsement of a $43,680 CDB grant. This resolution does not obligate the financial resources of the Village but will expedite the expenditure of Community Development funds.
19-32 Approve Place to Place Transfer of Liquor License – 54 East Ridgewood Landmark, LLC – Expansion of Licensed Premises – Approves a place to place transfer for 54 East Ridgewood Landmark, LLC t/a Filena Restaurant to expand their licensed premises to include all floors within the building, as well as the rooftop
19-33 Authorize Bond Sale for Funding Hudson Street Parking Garage – Authorizes the form and requirements for the bond sale for the Hudson Street parking garage
19-34 Appoint Member to Zoning Board of Adjustment – Appoints Matthew Bandelt as Alternate #2 on the Zoning Board of Adjustment, which term shall begin immediately and expire on 6/30/2020
19-35 Appoint Members to Library Board – Appoints Janis Fuhrman, Rocco Orlando, and Rei Shinozuka to terms that shall begin immediately and expire on 12/31/2023
19-36 Appoint Members to Community Center Advisory Board – Updates the appointment of members of the Community Center Advisory Board as follows, effective immediately and ending on 6/30/2019: Donald Liebreich and Bill Carbone – Senior Citizen Residents; Helen Leonard and Beth Abbott – Adult Residents; Nancy Friedman – Adult Resident (children in Ridgewood school system); Tom Lillis – Ridgewood Highs School Student; Emily Schmitt – George Washington Middle School Student; Chief Jacqueline Luthcke or designee – Ridgewood Police Dept. Liaison; Deanna Schablik – Parks & Recreation Dept. Representative; Sheila Brogan – Ridgewood Board of Education Liaison
Comments from the Public (Not to Exceed 5 minutes per person)
Ridgewood NJ,the Ridgewood School Board and the Village Council have come to terms funding a School Resource Officer .After beginning the 2018-2019 school year at odds over who should pay for the new school resource officer(SRO), the Ridgewood Board of Education has finally agreed to a co-funding agreement.
In September, Village Council members claimed school district officials had reneged on good faith negotiations to co-fund the salary 50-50 for the school resource officer. Municipal officials claimed the Board of Education was asked to contribute $100,000 for their fiscal year. Board members asserted they made it clear from the start that funding for the SRO was not in the 2018-2019 district budget and the village’s 2018 operating budget covered the expense.
In December after serious public pressure and a disastrous election defeat by the sitting school board president the Ridgewood Board of Education unanimously voted to contribute up to $100,000 towards the SRO, prorated and effective Jan. 1, through a shared services agreement with the village.
THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE COUNCIL’S PUBLIC WORKSHOP AGENDA
JANUARY 9, 2019
7:30 P.M.
7:30 pm – Call to Order – Mayor
Statement of Compliance with Open Public Meeting Act
Mayor: “Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by a posting on the bulletin board in Village Hall, by mail to the Ridgewood News, The Record, and by submission to all persons entitled to same as provided by law of a schedule including the date and time of this meeting.”
Roll Call – Village Clerk
Flag Salute/Moment of Silence
Public Comments (Not to Exceed 3 Minutes per Person – 40 Minutes in Total)
Manager’s Report
Council Reports
Discussion
Ridgewood Water
Award Contract – Eastside Reservoir Improvements
Award Second Year Contract – Landscaping Services
Award Second Year Contract – Line Stop and Valve Insertion
Award Second Year Contract – Servicing and Repairing of Electric Source
Award Second Year Contract – Water Billing and Data Collection Services
Award Second Year Contract – Furnishing and Delivering Sodium
Hypochlorite Solution
Award Contract – Servicing and Repair of Potable Water Pumping
Facilities
Award Professional Services Contract – Per-and Poly-Fluoroalkly
Substances Planning and Treatment Study
Award Contract – Asbestos Abatement and Boiler Replacement
Award Second Year Contract – Laboratory Analysis Services
Parking
Parking in Train Station Lot after 6:00 P.M.
Maturity Schedule for Funding the Hudson Street Parking Garage
Amend Parking Permit Ordinance – Hudson Street Parking Lot Permit
Budget
Award Second Year Contract – Landfill Disposal of Solid Waste
Declare Property Surplus – Parks Department Log Pile
Declare Property Surplus – Various Vehicles
Authorize Release of Escrow Funds – 143 and 147 West Glen Avenue
Award Contract – Recreation Program Instruction for 2019
Approve Shared Services Agreement – School Resource Officer
Graydon Pool Membership Fees
2019 Bond Ordinance – Various Capital Improvements
Resolution to Amend Temporary Capital Budget
Policy
Amendments to Outdoor Café Ordinance
Amendments for Regulations for Dumpsters on Private Property
Operations
Confirm Endorsement of Application for Community
Development Block Grant – Care Plus NJ, Inc.
Place to Place Liquor License Transfer – 54 East Ridgewood Landmark
Review of January 16, 2019 Public Meeting Agenda
Public Comments (Not to Exceed 5 Minutes per Person)
Closed Session
Legal – Board of Education Elections, Ridgewood Water Rate Litigation
The village council has shown no regard for rising taxes and in fact has only acted to ensure they will continue to go up. The garage will eventually need property taxes to pay the million dollar annual gap between expense and parking revenue. With high density housing our schools will be overloaded forever and that budget will only grow by large numbers. $15 min wage will crush all CBD businesses and that will lower tax receipts there, a gap higher local property taxes will have to cover. As housing sales on the highest property tax homes in town see price erosion the lower assessments will get covered by…higher local property taxes. Meanwhile, the village spends like fools and hikes fees everywhere.
Hey, ‘OMG guy/gal’…it’s not the garage as much as it is the a) wrong location and b) being built for the wrong reason. We’re going to shoe-horn a ginormus building in a tiny area with one-ways and narrow streets? Dumb. Financially, it’s a disaster that’s being foisted on the Ridgewood taxpayer at the behest of the shopowners who want people to buy their crappy, overpriced items after walking 5 blocks. One only needs to see the big smile on the mayor’s face when he stood net to Josh at the tree lighting. Perfect photo op time to build his Democrat resume.
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Village Council has finalized the purchase of the old Elks lodge by Ridgewood Water on North Maple next to Ridgewood Public Library and Village Hall . This ends a long saga involving the sad demise of the Ridgewood Elks . The Elks lodge was closed in 2016 and was contested by the local Elks leadership which in the end failed to resurrect the lodge.
Given SALT deductions are now limited to $10,000 for property taxes, shouldn’t the Council and BOE be aware that the vast majority of Ridgewood residents have seen an effective tax INCREASE and be looking for ways to reduce the burden? Realized sales values suggest home values will need to decline in the next assessment, so unless they jack up the mill rate, municipal tax revenue levels are unsustainable?
We can complain about the total inability of our current Council to do ANYTHING but spend until we are blue in the face. The fact is THEY DON’T CARE! I, personally can’t believe that they would stoop so low as to sell their votes, but the money trail leads directly from them outwards to all the useless, unnecessary and unfair monetary decisions they have made. Raising everyone’s parking rate to build a garage to support the housing that should never be being built. Ignoring the fact that the neighboring towns have been meeting to find some way to reduce their assessments to meet the court’s decision. Do you think they are really satisfied with Ridgewood’s decision to hire a “water expert” to tell them they actually underpaid? But we have to rush quickly to spend THEIR money on our new water building? Are the majority of our council members actually insane or are they trying to pretend insanity so they can’t be held responsible for any decisions they make to throw money away? I am truly beginning to wonder.
Hahaha, here is a definition of an ombudsman: “someone whose job is to deal with complaints that people make about an organization or particular type of business” Oh my god, so Paul Aronsohn is taking complaints and dealing with them, what the heck? He is the most insensitive, nasty man ever, remember how he was for our 8 years of hell when he was on the council, sniping at people, writing nasty emails, screaming at Bernadette Walsh and Tom Riche, then at Susan, remember how he tried to kill Mike Sedon’s candidacy by contacting his employer, oh man, the list goes on and on. What the heck was Murphy thinking putting THIS man in charge of helping anyone, most especially those with disabilities.
