Reader says I am a bit turned off by the whole astroturf the world thing
Jim is “always available”….except, we have learned, when it is time to vote in local elections….
I actually like the mayor and would want to support his choice but I just can’t pull the lever for someone who doesn’t bother to vote.
I am also a bit turned off by the whole astroturf the world thing. Enough already. So they play on grass and dirt. At least it produces oxygen and helps cool the earth instead of being just more pavement.
Reader says I don’t think anyone had to setup albano to make him look bad. he did a good job of that himself
There were lots of cards with questions and the league women pick out a handful to ask. So first knudson had to know the question would be selected and asked and then she had to know albano would lie so reynolds could come to the podium and ask albano to be clear on what hes saying and then knudson had to know albano would lie again. ah ha! i mean ah ha! you are probably fbi (fool bein ignorant)
Albano could have just told the truth. oh wait. no. he had to lie becuase that was the setup so reynolds could catch him in the lie. ah ha.
I don’t think anyone had to setup albano to make him look bad. he did a good job of that himself. knudson was the best last night of the three and sedon was next. i don’t think either of them had to participated in your big conspiracy. how old is albano’s grandmother again?
Ms. Knudsen and Mr. Sedon clearly do care about the Village
Fifteen years in town, with three children going through the schools, is not a newbie. Ms. Knudsen is vice chair of the Zoning Board and active on many fronts. Mr. Sedon wrote about Ridgewood for the Ridgewood News, learning more about the issues than 95% of longtime residents.
Mr. Albano has been busy “in the fields” but almost never voted in municipal elections and didn’t attend any meetings. Length of residency alone does not make a person knowledgeable.
The current mayor had lived in town for only a few years before joining the council. The difference is that he has never cared about the town or comprehended what used to make it great. He simply saw it as a steppingstone and continues to use it as such. In contrast, Ms. Knudsen and Mr. Sedon clearly do care.
MAY 2, 2014 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, MAY 2, 2014, 12:31 AM BY DARIUS AMOS STAFF WRITER
A standing-room only audience cramped into the Village Hall Court Room on Tuesday night, when the three candidates for Ridgewood Council debated publicly for the final time leading up to the May 13 municipal election.
Of the three candidates, Ridgewood’s electorate will be asked to select two to serve on the governing body for the next four years.
Candidates’ Night allowed Jim Albano, Susan Knudsen and Michael Sedon to answer specific questions raised by the event sponsor, the Ridgewood League of Women Voters (LWV), and address several unscripted inquiries from the public.
Similar to an event two weeks ago at the Ridgecrest Apartments, the candidates maintained cordial interaction with one another and the audience Tuesday night. Their focus differed, however, as each separated themselves and conveyed distinct messages.
Forum moderator Lucy Heller, who sits on the Northern Valley LWV, posed standard questions to the candidates, asking them for opinions on Ridgewood’s pressing issues: the Valley Hospital expansion plan, downtown housing proposals and Central Business District parking, among other topics.
Resident-submitted questions and issues, which were filtered by Heller, included the development of the former Schedler tract and future safeguarding of municipal funds, in light of the theft of $460,000 in parking meter coins. Several queries raised during an open public portion covered the candidates’ prior municipal voting history and time commitment and their stances on flooding concerns.
Candidates for Ridgewood Council air views at forum
MAY 1, 2014 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2014, 1:20 AM BY CHRIS HARRIS STAFF WRITER THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — Voters will select two new members to the Village Council in just two weeks, so they packed a forum to meet the three candidates hoping to earn their support.
It was standing room only in Village Hall for Tuesday’s event, which was organized and hosted by the League of Women Voters.
James Albano, Susan Knudsen and Michael Sedon aired their individual views on a variety of village issues, ranging from Ridgewood’s decades-long parking dearth to Valley Hospital’s proposed expansion.
“I believe the idea of a stacked parking deck [as part of the plans] is very troubling and concerning,” Knudsen said of Valley’s proposal to nearly double in size, providing 454 private rooms with 12-foot-high ceilings.
“It will forever change the charm and character of the neighborhood,” said Knudsen, vice chairwoman of Board of Adjustment, who has lived in Ridgewood for 15 years.
Knudsen said the village ordinance providing “interested parties” the freedom to request changes to Ridgewood’s master plan “must be repealed.”
Sedon, a freelance journalist who once worked at the Ridgewood News, said it “is not OK to ask too much of your neighbors and overburden them, and this expansion project is doing that.”
Sedon has lived in the village with his wife and three children since 2010.
Albano, who lives in the neighborhood surrounding Valley Hospital, said hospital and village officials “need to find common ground” on the proposal, but agreed the “neighbors’ concerns need to come first.”
Albano, a 42-year Ridgewood resident, serves as board president of the Ridgewood Baseball Softball Association.
Parking problems have persisted in Ridgewood since “there have been automobiles,” Sedon said, adding that he supports installing second tiers for parking above existing lots in Ridgewood rather than a large parking garage in town that “will concentrate all the cars, concentrate all the traffic, and create havoc.”
Knudsen also supports a “two-tier parking system,” but also advocated “reconfiguring existing parking to get more spots.”
Albano said he thinks a parking garage in the Central Business District would help keep downtown vibrant.
All three candidates placed an importance on stabilizing taxes while maintaining service levels, and agreed government should be both sensible and efficient.
All three also agreed that three high-density, multiple-unit housing projects before the Planning Board would negatively affect the village and fundamentally change Ridgewood’s character.
Earth Day Graydon Pool Memberships – Available to All Are Now on Sale
The Village Council and the Ridgewood Department of Parks and Recreation are excited to announce memberships are now on sale for the upcoming summer season and all are invited to join the Graydon Pool facility as season members for the 2014 summer season. Come enjoy fun in the sun so close to home! Opening day is Saturday, May 31st.
Pool features include a shaded playground, water play fountains, shade kites, Adirondack chairs, picnic area, sheltered pavilion, charcoal grills, and The Water’s Edge Café. Additional amenities include a lending library of reading books, volleyball, basketball, ping-pong tables, shuffleboard, four-squares and hop-scotch. Special programs include “Storytime Under a Tree” for the little ones and swim instruction for children and adults, as well as an adaptive swim class. The Graydon Swim Team welcomes youth members, ages 8 to 14.
Resident fees are $120 per adult, $110 per child (ages 2 through 15) and $30 for seniors. Non-resident adults will be charged $200 and children, ages 2 through 15, will be charged $175 for the13 week season.
Badges are now on sale and can be purchased from the comfort of home on Community Pass at www.ridgewoodnj.net/communitypass (Visa and MasterCard are accepted). In person registration assistance will be available Saturdays, May 10 and May 17, 10:00 am to 12 noon, at the Graydon Pool Badge Office (onsite at the pool), 259 North Maple Avenue. Badges may be purchased daily throughout the operating season, May 31st through Septemer 1st.
Details are available at www.ridgewoodnj.net/graydon or you may call the Recreation Office at 201-670-5560 with any questions or if special accommodations are needed.
Reader says Village Budget Time to Live within our means
While there has historically been a strong link between rising property prices and local property taxes, the link has broken down badly when property prices decline. Assessed property values in Ridgewood have declined from $802K in 2008 to $687K in 2013, or -3% per year, and yet the municipal budget grew +3.55% on average between 2008~2012 (2013 was 0%).
There are lots of reasons why our property taxes have grown despite declining assessed values (contractual promises, state mandates, cuts in state & federal aid, parking meter theft, etc), but shouldn’t we align our expenses with our revenues ? That’s what every responsible household does, why don’t we expect the same of our public officials ?
Village Council Special Public Budget Meeting – April 21 at 6:30PM
This meeting will be the Final Budget Meeting prior to the formal introduction of the 2014 Budget at the April 23rd Public Meeting. The April 21 meeting will be held at 6:30PM in the Village Hall Court Room.
The April 23 meeting will be held at 7:30PM in the Village Hall Court Room.
Reader says Mr. Albano is the Mayor’s hand picked candidate
Mr. Albano is the Mayor’s hand picked candidate. That means he’ll get his 90′ field only if Mr. Albano agrees to vote with Mr. Aronsohn, Mrs. Hauck and Mr. Pucciarelli on everything else for his entire term. This is the classic deal with the Devil. Don’t believe me? Look at the voting records of his 3 incumbent and soon to be team mates. Does anyone think it’s a good idea to give our Mayor and this team that much power?
I am a long time supporter of the RBSA and other sports organizations in town but absolutely cannot vote for Mr. Albano under these circumstances. Let’s hope that others in the “sports group” see through what’s going on here.
Candidates Night for Municipal Election – Tuesday, April 29th at 7:30PM
Meet the 3 candidates for Village Council and hear their views!
The League of Women Voters is holding Candidates Night for the Village Council on Tuesday, April 29 at The Village Hall , Fourth Floor, 131 North Maple Avenue at 7:30.. There are three candidates vying for two open Village Council seats: James Albano, Susan Knudsen and Michael Sedon. There will also be television coverage on Channel 77 for Cablevision users and Channel 34 for Fios users. The League of Women Voters of Ridgewood is a NON PARTISAN, yet political organization whose members become active and informed participants in government.
The Ridgewood Municipal Election will take place Tuesday, May 13.
Reader says Community volunteers are a wonderful asset yet the act of volunteering itself does not qualify one to sit on the Council.
There is a big difference between volunteering and knowing how to manage or even understand a municipal budget. Mrs. Hauck is a long time community volunteer that brings a passion for the Library . Unfortunatel, comments like this one shine a bright light on her lack of experience in making difficult budget decisions. Community volunteers are a wonderful asset yet the act of volunteering itself does not qualify one to sit on the Council.
Mr. Albano’s profile is very similar to Mrs. Hauck’s. He is a long time volunteer with a passion for a single organization but not much municipal experience beyond that. Please consider that on May 13.
Reader asks why no current member of the Council seems at all bothered by this subversion of the election process.
Funny that no current member of the Council seems at all bothered by this subversion of the election process. One would imagine that our elected leadership might want to maintain some level of integrity to the election process where those that seek public office aren’t personally harassed on the very day that their candidacy is certified. After all, this is the very same process that put them into office in the first place. One might imagine that as human beings they might have expressed some sympathy for what a bum deal this young man got for answering the call to public service.
Even the most cynical among us would expect at least a superficial statement from our elected officials condemning this brutally unfair and potentially illegal tactic, the timing of which is highly suspicious. So why the deafening silence?
Ridgewood NJ, April 9, 2014 – The Ridgewood blog was founded in March of 2006 by James J Foytlin aka PJ Blogger .[1] Mr. Foytlin was born and raised in Ridgewood ,New Jersey and is a graduate of Ridgewood High School .[2] [3]
After many years living in New York City[4] Mr Foytlin returned to Ridgewood after a divorce and the tragic events of 9/11 . Once he settled in he noticed a lack of sufficient news coverage of local events . One day a friend from Brazil[5] showed him her home town on the internet and to Mr. Foytlin’s great surprise when he tried to reciprocate he was utterly dismayed at the absolute lake coverage of his home town. After all Ridgewood is only 18 miles from midtown Manhattan[6] the media capitol of world and there was not a single picture of Ridgewood to be found . How could this be? Ridgewood is a picturesque upper middle class village of around 25,000 located in Bergen county in northern New Jersey[7] . Founded by Dutch settlers before it became an English colony[8] . The town or village as its called is steeped in rich history and tradition .Known for a large amount of Victorian era housing , a quality school system and a family friendly atmosphere.
Though busy getting reacquainted with his home town the fact that the Village of Ridgewood was so under represented on the internet continued to disturb Mr. Foytlin. Mr. Foytlin had been writing news letters for his job in financial services since the mid 1990’s . The popular flip, off beat investment strategy news letters had become email blasts with the advent of readily accessible internet.[9] By 2004 the email blasts were converted into blog format for the One Small Voice blog (https://onesmallvoice.blogspot.com/ ). [10]
Around that time the Village of Ridgewood had finally completed it’s much anticipated and long delayed renovation of the Village hall which has been flooded out due to Hurricane Floyd.[11] The renovation was marred by huge cost over runs and lengthy delays. In 2005 it opened with great fan fare , was once again flooded with the very first rain . Mr. Foytlin was more shocked by the abject lack of responsibility taken by elected officials than the fact that the $9 million dollar renovation had to some extent been a failure . That was the breaking point and Mr. Foytlin had had enough so he decided to give , citizen journalism a go and created the Ridgewood blog in March of 2006. [12]
The birth of PJ Blogger .By this time Blogging its seems had become quite the rage and mainstream news anchors such as Dan Rather had questioned the validity of information from non professionals sitting around in their Pajama’s blogging.[13] Mr. Foytlin not a fan of Dan Rather or any of the mainstream media decided to blog under the name PJ Blogger as a play on words and to plant himself firmly in the camp of the new digital media.
Innovations by the Ridgewood blog to citizen journalism.
“The Fly” is a column on the Ridgewood blog the originates from the expression ,”I’d like to be a fly on the wall “ . The idea is that every citizen has both a unique perspective and experience and these two factors can be used to gather news and opinions about local issues. Originally only of handful of people in town participated but with time the Ridgewood blog can now count on 30–50 semi regular contributors. These post are both anonymous and signed and are largely opinion as well a breaking news.[14]
The Ridgewood blog brings a free market lassie fare point of view to local issues . Mr. Foytlin aka PJ Blogger has stated that for local issues there are only two kinds of people ;the ones who say spend what every you want because I will not be around to pay the bill and the second group which are more focused on the ,”be careful this is my money your spending” . The Ridgewood blog is dedicated to the interplay of there two groups.[15]
[1][12] the Ridgewood blog website https://theridgewoodblog.blogspot.com/
[2] Birth Certificate born in Valley Hospital , Ridgewood 04/09/1962
[3] Ridgewood High School Class 1980
[4] 444 East 86th street ,530 East 72nd
[5] Monica Rocha
[6] Mapquest
[7] United States 2000 Census, the village population was 24,936.
[8] https://www.americantowns.com/nj/ridgewood/organization/vi…
[9] Fahnestock & Co. now Oppenheimer & Co.
[10] https://onesmallvoice.blogspot.com/
[11] https://www.ridgewoodlibrary.org/localhistory/lh_vh_pease.htm
[13] https://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110005611
[14] [15] James J Foytlin
APRIL 4, 2014 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2014, 12:31 AM
Outrage over email sent to candidate’s employer
Anne LaGrange Loving
To the Editor:
I was completely dismayed to learn that an anonymous coward sent an email to Village Council candidate Michael Sedon’s employer, in a blatant attempt to derail his run for public office.
Village Council Public 2014 Budget Hearings – March 27, April 7, 10
The Village Council has scheduled several Public Budget Hearings to take place in Village Hall, 131 N. Maple Avenue, Ridgewood.
Wednesday, March 19 from 5 – 7PM in the Court Room;
Friday, March 21 from 5 – 7PM in the Court Room;
Thursday, March 27 from 5 – 9:30PM in the Senior Center;
Monday, April 7 from 5 – 7PM in the Court Room;
Thursday, April 10 from 5 to 10PM in the Senior Center
Departments Hearings:
March 19 – Overview of Budget, Community Services – Building Dept; Zoining, Health Dept, Tax Assessor.
March 21 – 5PM Police Department; 5:45PM Fire Department; 6:30PM MIS
March 27 – 5PM Village Council, 5:15 PM Insurance & Debt Service, 5:45PM Engineering, 7:30PM Traffic & Signal, W.P.C.F., Property Maintenance, Parking, Utilities, 7:30PM Municipal Clerk & Elections, 8PM NWBCD
April 7 – 5PM Municipal Court & Public Defender, 5:30PM Emergency Services, 5:45PM Emergency Management, 6PM Library, 6:45PM Village Manager
April 10 – 5PM Parks & Recreation, Project Pride, Graydon Pool, 6PM Streets, Fleet Services, Recycling, Yard Waste Recycling, Solid Waste, 7PM Water Dept., 7:45PM Finance, Tax Collection, Village Attorney
Financial Advisory Committee Meeting – April 7
Notice: The Financial Advisory Committee (FAC) will meet on Monday, April 7 instead of their standard of the 2nd Monday of the month. the meeting will take place at 7:30PM in the Garden Room, Village Hall.
