She exhibited several episodes of unprofessionalism and inappropriate behavior to be our village manager. Her classless, drama-filled exit yesterday; interfering with citizen’s right to petition and most importantly spending over $200,000 of taxpayer money on a highly contested, questionable outcome of the garage. She signed construction documents committing to a floor plan for the garage BEFORE the November vote. She did not seem to understand that she reported to a 5 member council, that all 5 members represent residents. Her treatment towards 2 council members and residents was horrible and several displays of arrogant, disrespectful treatment not only displayed bad judgment but her incapability to manage effectively. I think all 5 council members should meet with each department again to reevaluate and understand what’s been going on (Roberta led meetings with new council members but her presence thwarted full disclosure from employees).
I heard she was a competent administrator, but the few times I spoke with her, I had the sense she did not understand numbers, so I never formed an impression of her abilities one way or the other. At the same time, I believe she too strongly pushed Paul Aronsohn’s self-promotion and political agenda, by, for instance urging people not to sign the parking petition. I also thought her letter to the editor a few weeks back regarding Schedler was completely off the mark and bizarre. Having politicized her position and made it personal, she created her own fate.
Perhaps it is her method of leaving that most reveals her true character and ability. Arrive on Tuesday to announce you are leaving a CEO role on Friday and then send emails to staff saying its all too hostile for you to stay on??? A person in that position – – someone who signed up to promote and preserve the health, safety and welfare of 25,000 people – – should have the fortitude and wherewithal to give adequate notice, ensure a smooth transition and go out with head held high. Instead, we get more drama.
2. Statement of Compliance with the 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.”
3. Roll Call
4. ORDINANCES – CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING
3540 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Regulations for Political Signs and Temporary Signs
3541 – Repeal Ordinance 3066
5. Resolution #16-254 – Confirm Endorsement of Community Development Block Grant – SHARE, Inc. – 130 Prospect Street – Emergency Repair of Hot Water Heating Boiler – Confirms endorsement of a $15,000 CDB grant. This resolution does not obligate the financial resources of the Village but will expedite the expenditure of Community Development funds.
6. Adjournment
THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE COUNCIL’S
PUBLIC WORKSHOP AGENDA
SEPTEMBER 7, 2016
1. 7:30 pm – Call to Order – Mayor
2. 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.”
3. Roll Call – Village Clerk
4. Flag Salute/Moment of Silence
5. Public Comments (Not to Exceed 5 Minutes per Person – 30 Minutes in Total)
6. Discussion
a. Community Development Block Grant – SHARE, INC.
7. Motion to Suspend Work Session and Convene Special Public Meeting
8. Special Public Meeting – See Attached Agenda
9. Motion to Adjourn Special Public Meeting and Reconvene Work Session
10. Presentation
Update on Lead in Water
Friends of Schedler
11. Discussion
Ridgewood Water
Award Contract – Two Jeep Patriot Vehicles – Water Department
Award Contract – Feasibility Study for Removing PFCs at the Carr Treatment
Facility
Award Contract – Design and Construction Administrative Services for Various Improvements at Booster and Transfer Stations
b. Parking
Valet Parking – Chestnut Street
Traffic Calming Project Near Travell School
Sherman Place, Stanley Place and Pomander Walk Parking Issues
Amendment to Parking Regulations for Brookside Avenue
Regulations on Broken Meters
c. Budget
Award Contract – Ford F350 Pickup Truck – Traffic & Signal Department
Award Contract – Ford F350 Pickup Truck – Traffic & Signal Department
Award Contract – Purchase of Brush Chipper – Parks Department
Award Contract – Two Stump Grinders – Parks Department
Award Contract – Second Year – Laboratory Analysis Services – Graydon Pool & Water Pollution Control Facility
Award Contract – Second Year – Sodium Bisulfite Solution and Sodium Hypochlorite Solution – Water Pollution Control Facility
Award Contract – Elgin Street Sweeper – Streets Department
Award Contract – Electronic Equipment, Software and Computer Upgrades
Award Contract – Property Maintenance Services for Derelict Properties
EUS – Blower Motor – Water Pollution Control Facility
Authorize Extension of Leasing Maintenance Program – Police Cars
Surplus of Dump Truck – Parks Department
Ridgewood Senior Citizen Housing Corporation Pilot
Amend Capital Budget for Northwest Bergen Central Dispatch
Shared Service Agreement – Child Health Clinic to Include Fair Lawn
Reject Bid – Janitorial Services
d. Policy
Letter to Planning Board on Revisiting Master Plan for AH-2, B-3-R, and C-R Zones
General Lighting Policy at Village Parks and Lots
Amend Ordinance #3547 – Sale of Dogs and Cats
Ribbons for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Transportation Alternatives Program Grant
Amend Chapter 275 – Yard Waste
Discussion of Ord. 3532 – Regulations of Audio/Video Recordings at Public Meetings
Historic Preservation Grant – Schedler House
Discussion of Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund Grant – Kings Pond Park
Policy on Public Comment
e. Operations
Authorize Property Maintenance Violation Service at 505 Fairway Road
Cleanup of Gypsy Pond/Kings Pond Area
12. Review of September 14, 2016 Regular Public Meeting Agenda
13. Manager’s Report
14. Council Reports
15. Public Comments (Not to Exceed 5 Minutes per Person)
16. Resolution to go into Closed Session
17. Closed Session
a. Legal – Valley Hospital Litigation; HealthBarn
b. Personnel – Village Clerk’s Office, Village Manager’s Office
Public MeetingWednesday, September 14, 2016 8:00PM Special Public MeetingWednesday, September 14, 2016 7:30PM Board of Adjustment Public MeetingTuesday, September 13, 2016 7:30PM Public Work SessionWednesday, September 07, 2016 7:30PM Planning Board Public MeetingTuesday, September 06, 2016 7:30PM Board of Adjustment Public MeetingTuesday, August 30, 2016 7:30PM Board of Adjustment Public MeetingTuesday, August 23, 2016 7:30PM
Ridgewood NJ, Siobhan Winograd, self-appointed Mistress of Niceness, went to the podium and started whining about why can’t everyone be nice and how people’s comments are not pleasant and then she suggested that people’s comments should be cut to three minutes from five. Said she had done a bunch of research about other towns and we have more time allowed than many towns. And then she went on past the buzzer for more than five minutes.
Mayor Knudsen stated that she was trying to think of how to accommodate MORE speakers, not fewer. She was considering one possibility of shortening each speaker’s time but lengthening the time slot to 40 minutes. Clearly the Mayor is an advocate for the people and wants to hear from all of us.
The meeting went really smoothly and was very business like. Even residents who had frustrations to air were treated respectfully. All the former moaning and groaning about CIVILITY was completely unnecessary because really all we had to do was get rid of Aronsohn-Pucciarelli-Hauck and the air in the room cleared instantly.
Having been around forever and remembering all the long battles to increase opportunities for public comment both at the council level and at the Board of Education, I would like to make an observation . Public comment only becomes a bit unwieldy when there are hot button issues. Years can go by when the only people at the mic are the regulars. I can’t remember a time like these last several months when there were so many controversial issues on the agenda at the same time: housing density ordinances, Schedler, Parking Garage, Habernickel Park to name a few. Everyone and there brother had an opinion and felt the necessity to voice it. Limiting public comment in situations like this only leaves people more frustrated and when that happens the tone of a meeting can alter. It was like ” The Perfect Storm”.
I think the council does a great job in allowing multiple opportunities to speak. I would hate to see that change because of the past several months. The council can always allow for more public comment or curtail it due to the late hour or hold special meetings when necessary.If someone becomes somewhat contentious or too personal, that person can be asked to refrain from that behavior. Last, Marcia Ringle made a great point regarding the location of the speakers podium. Many of us have commented that having it directly in the center aisle makes it difficult for those attending the meeting to hear and also for the home viewers. That simple change to place it back on the side wouldn’t cost a penny. How rare! A cheap fix! Thank you to all for your service both at the dais and attendance at meetings.
Sincerely,
Ridgewood NJ, Readers accuse Ridgewood’s Village manager of continuing to push the agenda of the former Village council known as the 3 amigos . During Wednesday’s council meeting Village Manager Roberta Sonnefeld was taken to task over her actions on Schedler Park and Health Barn at Habernickle Park . The theme was an old theme of ignoring residents and continuing to push the out dated failed agenda of the former council .
“The biggest news from the meeting – Mayor Knudsen publicly apologized to a resident who was the subject of a very nasty and inappropriate letter to the editor of The Ridgewood News written by Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld. Sonenfeld offered no apology herself, however.”
Reader report , “Several people came down hard on Roberta Sonenfeld, and all had very specific reasons. I hope the council is listening to them. They have to get rid of her.”
While others say , “She will never resign from her “dream job” (her words). Big bucks, big power. Resigning would be an admission that she had actively followed Aronsohn’s personal instructions. That’s the truth, but she can’t admit it. And we have no way of knowing whether she has continued to do the same, only receiving his orders other than from the dais. Well, lots of those orders were given out of public view. However, if the council is wise, as several residents asked them to do in the public comments last night, she’ll be gone in a puff of smoke, ideally by Labor Day, no resignation required.”
Another reader reminded us that , “Paul Aronsohn blew a trumped up fit at our prior VM. Why? Because his formal political affiliation was notoriously out-of-phase with Aronsohn’s. Aronsohn swept out the old and ushered in someone he thought would be beholden to him. But Ridgewood has now moved on, back to a proper non-partisan VC. For anyone currently in village management publicly to defy the new councilmembers and the new mayor seems foolish. Maybe they are dead set on acting ideologically. Maybe they have become partisan hacks. Either way they need to get a clue, and fast.”
In fact, remembering the details of a meeting well enough to approve or question them is only possible within a very short time. Not to mention that just getting it out of the way immediately is the only sane way to proceed.
There are rules (laws?) about this, which the previous council broke constantly. And this has happened before, with previous councils approving months and months of meeting minutes all at once just before some of them stepped down from the dais for the last time. Hearing them approve many months of minutes that they couldn’t possibly have read through was proof positive, if we needed it, that they were hiding everything they could from the public and press and spending time only on issues from which they would benefit personally. Or at the very least, they were comfortable flouting the law and making things much harder for residents as well as others, including attorneys, researchers, developers, etc., seeking meeting minutes.
Like most actions by the former mayor, this group was created for his personal purposes, in this case at least two: to rubber-stamp his decisions with a faux economic rationale (e.g., the largest garage drawing) and as a feeder group to provide a credential for placing people loyal to him in various positions that he intended to fill with sycophants (village manager, two council candidates). We have a highly paid CFO who should be doing all this work and making these recommendations. (We also have a well-paid planner, but he’s useless and should be replaced.) The two defeated council candidates, with unknown continuing ties to the outgoing council members who endorsed them, remain on the committee; disbanding it would remove them from an advisory position to the council without having to “fire” them individually. And by the way, the FAC was originally going to be a board, not a committee, which would have had more clout; the other boards are Planning and Zoning. When establishing this group was under discussion, then-councilman Tom Riche voted against it, stating that the requirements for disclosure of potential conflicts of interest were insufficient. He was right. In addition, giving a bunch of barely vetted residents access to confidential financial and other information that only the council should see just because they work in banking or whatever is another creepy-crawly. Just dump it.
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.
Firstly, I wanted to compliment you all on an open and thoughtful first meeting as the newly constructed Council. For the first time in years, Residents heard truly open discourse between Council Members and real discussion on the topics before the board. That was so refreshing. Thank you.
I am writing today, as one agenda item put before you is cause for great concern: the request to dissolve Ridgewood’s in-house Construction Board of Appeals so that any relevant cases in the future will be heard by the County’s board. When this request was made, many Residents in the audience thought: “Oh no, here we go again.” In light of this request it felt clear that Residents, and the Council, will have to remain very tuned-in and vigilant even with the prior Council’s voting block gone, as elements of their agenda may remain.
There is no way that Ridgewood should dissolve the Construction Board of Appeals (CBOA) at a time when so much potential construction, and construction related reviews, disputes, and potentially even litigation, may stand before the Village. I was surprised that our Village Manager did not catch this and even appeared to support the request. The CBOA representative who requested the dissolution indicated that this board hasn’t had much to do for several years and so may not be needed. One of the reasons they have not had much to do is that many of the construction projects proposed in Ridgewood are of such a controversial nature that they’ve been held up for years. However, at least four of these construction projects filed site plans last month and hope to have construction permits asap. Despite the passage of the recent high density multifamily ordinances, promoted by the prior Mayor and Deputy Mayor, these ordinances and the related applicant construction projects remain controversial, due to their size, scale and density being at odds with the majority of Residents’ desires, as well as issue with the process by which they were passed.
Given this, Ridgewood absolutely cannot turn over any governance and or construction review to outside entities or boards. Ridgewood needs to control its own destiny and we are lucky to have so many Residents with the smarts, talents and experience to do that.
As such, please, do not dissolve our Construction Board of Appeals right at the time it may be needed the most.
Below are two articles, from today’s WSJ and Bergen Record, on Monday’simportant NJ Appeals Court ruling on Affordable Housing (AH) that will: (1) substantially lower the overall number of AH units required by municipalities under AH laws, and (2) may cause further delay in defining the actual obligations of municipalities under AH laws. In the Record article, even Kevin Walsh, the Fair Share Housing advocate (whose threatening of “hearsay” letter was wrongly permitted to be read into the Planning Board’s record by attorney, Gail Price – as if it represented a legal determination – scaring some Board Members and improperly influencing votes) indicated the forthcoming delays from this ruling, saying: “it requires further studies.”
In short, this ruling and these articles support what I, and other members of CBR, tried to convey to the Planning Board and Village Council during the past couple of years of overstated AH ‘threats’ proffered by Mrs. Price: that the Affordable Housing/COAH matter is, despite her puzzling advice, very unsettled and will continue to lack real clarity, potentially for years to come. It’s been that way since the 80s. No Legislature wants to fully effect the laws because they recognize their often impossible demands on NJ’s municipalities. However, conversely, no legislature, or legislator (other than Christie), has effectively sought to rework them or strike them down due to the obvious political implications.
These laws are just too flawed, resulting in the tumult and dysfunction of the past several decades. Fact is: there are no clearly defined AH numbers for Ridgewood right now. And there’s a chance there may never be. Given this, our representatives need to govern planning based on “what is right for Ridgewood now and in the future” and not “what minimizes builder’s remedy lawsuits.”
I firmly believe Mrs. Price wrongly influenced the Planning Board decision on the Multifamily Ordinances by alleging that a “Yes” vote was needed on the Master Plan changes, enabling development at the excessive levels sought by developers, to avoid potential developer lawsuits based on recent AH court rulings. As many anticipated, these rulings have now been lessened, and to some degree, called into question. Unfortunately, Mrs. Price never properly educated the Board on how dysfunctional the AH/COAH laws and politics have been (and very well will be), and that until such time as an unlikely final verdict is delivered, they should be wary reacting too quickly to threats from developers.
The implications of Monday’s ruling serves to underscore the unwise, biased and, unacceptable for Ridgewood, process undertaken by the prior Planning Board and Council. While we can and should promote fitting and proper development (and proper “development process”) in Ridgewood, which does add affordable units to our housing base, we should never have done this in the manner – fraught with bias and influence – that occurred over the past four years.
Beyond this, I believe there are certainly other ways Ridgewood can more properly and proactively plan to meet future AF/COAH requirements. These ways may be more creative and better for both Ridgewood and those truly needing AH than those put forth by the developers. I look forward to discussing my thoughts on them with you. I have been in the multifamily business for two decades, have managed many properties with affordable and moderately priced units, and am happy to share my experience.
Lastly, it is important to note that if members of the prior Planning Board and Village Council voted out of fear of lawsuits, they already got one: and sadly it’s from their own Residents, the very people they were elected or selected to properly represent. It’s a suit that alleges decisions based upon conflict of interest, outside influence, and improper representation and, most importantly, seeks to correct the serious mistakes in planning, representation and judgement made by the prior Council and Planning Board.
While the AH/COAH laws truly lack clarity, what is clear is that Ridgewood’s Residents demand proper planning and process. There is a much better route than the one taken by the prior Planning Board and Council.
Best Regards,
Dave Slomin, Resident
Follow up _________________________________________________________________
July 13,2016
Dear Mayor, Council and Village Attorney Rogers,
My July 12th email provoked feedback from a good number of fellow Residents and representatives various Ridgewood citizen groups, including responses to my letter and the linked articles with concern that pro-development attorneys may contend the appellate decision does not “change anything.” As the agenda indicates tonight’s Council meeting will address litigation in closed session, I wanted to make sure my comments were placed in the proper context, asMonday’s ruling does impact things here in Ridgewood.
My point is that the ruling exemplifies the significant dysfunction and lack of clarity that continues to exist (as it has for several decades) in the Affordable Housing definitions and determinations at the State level. This highlights the Planning Board attorney’s failure to properly advise the Board on how to address these issues. Mrs. Price, as a professional land use attorney, was well aware of this dysfunction and should never have counseled our Planning Board as she did. By proceeding as if the now reversed lower court decision was new “scripture,” and by either misunderstanding and/or misapplying other standards, the Planning Board attorney wrongly influenced the public debate and Board members’ votes. Necessarily, therefore, the Village Council proceeded under a flawed process and construct.
I do understand that whether State rulings ultimately determine that Ridgewood owes 50, or 100, or 500, or 1,000, or 100,000,000 affordable units, we are well short of that number and need to provide some additional AH units. From that singular perspective the ruling has a more limited impact. However, that is not the issue at hand. Rather, the issue is the defective and conflicted process in our municipal governance effecting the passage of recent pro-development ordinances. As such, what the appellate court’s decision signifies to me – as a multifamily real estate professional, with several decades of experience – is that the law has been and will be in a state of flux for some time to come. That no one can predict with certainty what will happen should definitely have been strongly conveyed to the Planning Board and Village Council prior to their votes. It was not. That is why the willingness of the prior majorities on the Council and Planning Board to side with those speculating with our downtown is so particularly egregious. Rather than react and surrender to an imagined obligations, or cave to the potential of developer lawsuits, Ridgewood should have performed correct and proper master planning with proper construct and counsel. There were so many things wrong and biased in their failed excuse for “planning.” You have the opportunity to begin the process of correcting this and protect Ridgewood from reckless overbuilding now and in the future.
Thus, I urge the newly constituted Council to address all pending litigation in view of the voters’ mandate. And you do have a clear cut mandate. Mayor Knudsen and Deputy Mayor Sedon both won their council seats in a landslide two years ago. And in the recent election, not only did Councilmembers Voigt, Hache and Walsh win in another landslide, but they routed the candidates heavily promoted by Aronsohn, Pucciarelli and Hauck to promote furtherance of development at the excessive scale and density recently passed. Then, subsequent to these elections, Residents next defeated the oversized garage by a vote of 2 to 1. These were not just victories. They were repudiations. They represent the voices and the clarity with which Ridgewood Residents speak and vote once we know the truth. Residents have spoken. You know very well what your constituents want. The recent votes leave no questions whatsoever. Your actions need to reflect the mandate we gave you.
Now is the perfect opportunity for the Village to move forward in acknowledgement of the serious issues raised by litigation in the housing and hospital lawsuits. With these suits, along with the garage referendum matter, you need to rectify Ridgewood’s core problems. Let’s show progress by first openly acknowledging that serious mistakes were made by the prior Council and Board Members. We all know it… our votes showed it. A perfect starting point for that is to recognize the legitimacy of the issues raised by our fellow citizens’ lawsuits, and settle those lawsuits as strong representatives of your constituents and not as officials fearful of outside interests. Then, let’s redirect the Village’s resources to focus on the developers with either settlement talks or continuing litigation, whatever is required to do what is truly right for Ridgewood. If you do what’s right, you will have our endless support. If any shortcuts are taken, Ridgewood’s divisions will sadly remain. And it’s time to end our divisions.
Lastly, please note I am including Mayor Knudsen in this email, as I entered her email incorrectly in my email of 7/12.
First, thank you for your vote of confidence during the recent election. I am humbled by that confidence and committed to working towards solutions that are in the best interests of the Village.
Most especially, I would like to thank my campaign team: Sergio Alegre, Chad Chadwick, Wendy Dockray, Carol and Kevin Mattessich, Bill McCabe and Ann Spalckhaver. They are a great group of people who care deeply about Ridgewood. I would also like to thank many of you in the audience for your help during my campaign. It was a blast to work with you and I look forward to doing so moving forward.
We have a number of issues facing us over the coming years – a few of them 800 pound gorillas that are all too obvious. The solutions to these issues actually lie within this room with those who have influence over our Village – and I am talking most specifically about those in the audience. I sincerely hope this energizes you as; you are going to be asked to help in solving these issues. This also includes those with opposing views as; we need your inputs and help in this. They say that listening to, understanding, and incorporating opposing views and differences of opinion make for better decisions. I could not agree more. Let’s work together.
It is important that in these solutions we do what is best for our Village. These solutions can result in making our Village more user friendly, accessible, attractive to others, affordable and; a better place to live for us all. We as a community can do this if we keep this this in mind – namely in doing what is best for our Village.
Let’s also try and figure out solutions through less expensive and time consuming means such as compromise – meaning opposing sides sit down with each other and give to get and; in turn win in the end.
My goals over the coming 4 years are to work with you in solving these issues for the betterment of the Village and its residents. In touring our Village infrastructure with Roberta Sonenfeld, our Village Manager, I was struck by the fact we have a number of under-utilized assets that we can take advantage of for increased revenue generation – potentially marketing these services to other municipalities/businesses. These additional $$$ can be used for numerous initiatives, including lowering our taxes. We are going to look at maximizing these assets to increase our revenue streams with the committees I will be working on.
Job one, however, and I believe as well for my colleagues on the dais, is to solve our parking issue downtown, with a focus on a re-alignment of parking spaces and streets, a smaller Hudson St garage, and with innovative pricing – while simultaneously making our downtown more accessible, user friendly, and safer.
With innovative pricing, the parking utility can be a more significant revenue and surplus generator for the Village – helping to defray other costs. Let’s also re-think high density housing downtown in a way that makes sense, fits with, and actually enhances the character of our Village. Additionally, Valley Hospital needs to be a better neighbor and come up with solutions that actually make sense for our neighbors in the surrounding Valley area. Having relevant expertise in the field of healthcare, I am confident Valley can work towards this and in turn thrive in this rapidly evolving healthcare market. With these and other initiatives, I plan to reach out to all relevant constituencies whether they be developers, Valley, the chamber of commerce, and the residents to keep the dialogue going in order to work towards viable solutions.
Not surprisingly, some of these issues have been hotly contested with the outgoing council majority – Mayor Paul Aronsohn, Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli, and Councilwoman Gwen Hauck. I have to thank them for teeing up a number of them. It can safely be said that there was never a dull moment in
Village Hall with you on the council. One of my concerns is that future council meetings may not be as entertaining as they have been in the recent past.
Interestingly, by your making us keenly aware of these issues it may make the path towards resolution easier. Let’s use any momentum that has been gained through this process in putting some of these issues to bed.
I look forward to working with the residents and various boards and committees on these and other initiatives. We have many committed, smart, and talentedcitizens on our boards and committees and in our Village who can help in figuring out how to make this a better place to live. This is what I am actually looking forward to most – in working with you to accomplish this. My commitment is to work hand and hand with you and; in ensuring those who do the work, get the credit and recognition.
I also look forward to working with the new council – Susan Knudsen, Bernie Walsh, Ramon Hache, and Mike Sedon. You the residents have voted in 5 independently minded people and now the fun begins.
They say what you put into something is what you get out of it. I wholeheartedly agree. This is going to be my second full time job and I am confident it will be time well spent and extremely gratifying.
Lastly, I would like to thank my family – my wife Patty and my children, Ryan, Kevin, and Emily. We have lived here for over 23 years and call Ridgewood home. It is a great place to raise a family and live the rest of your life in. Patty and I plan on doing so and in calling many of you our friends and neighbors over the coming years.
Let’s all work towards making Ridgewood an even better place to live than it
Ridgewood NJ, After what has been called by some as the “Reign of Terror” , the newly elected Village of Ridgewood Council opened on Friday with the election of its two remaining council members to the position of mayor and deputy mayor.
A celebratory atmosphere greeted the new council in what can only be characterized as a triumph of the people .
Councilwomen Susan Knudsen, who was elected to the council in 2014, was unanimously voted in as mayor and Councilmen Michael Sedon also elected in 2014 was then named deputy mayor by the same 5-0 vote.
Over the last several years Knudsen and Sedon made up the council minority often voting against their former colleagues . For their efforts they were often ostracized but continued to fight for sanity in a Village government driven by bullying tactics ,special interest and machine politics.
The pair is joined by newly-elected Ramon Hache and Jeffrey Voigt and former Councilwoman Bernadette Coghlan-Walsh to form the Village Council for the next two years.
