Planning Board Amended Meeting Schedule – March 18, 31
PLANNING BOARD
AMENDMENT TO MEETING SCHEDULE
Special Public Meetings:March 18, March 31
In accordance with the provisions of the “Open Public Meetings Act,” please be advised that the Planning Board has scheduled special public meetings for:
• Tuesday, March 18, 2014, at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium at the Benjamin Franklin Middle School, 335 North Van Dien Ave., Ridgewood, NJ, at which time the Board will continue the public hearing on the proposed H-Hospital Zone amendment to the Master Plan and have discussion regarding the North Walnut Street Redevelopment Plan.
• Monday, March 31, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium at the Benjamin Franklin Middle School, 335 North Van Dien Ave., Ridgewood, NJ, at which time the Board will continue the public hearing on the proposed H-Hospital Zone amendment to the Master Plan.
The Board may take official action during these Work and Public Meetings.
All meetings of the Ridgewood Planning Board (i.e., official public meetings, work session meetings, pre-meeting assemblies and special meetings) are public meetings which are always open to members of the general public.
Village Council and Village Boards Meeting Schedule 03/18/147:30PMPlanning Board Public Meeting H Zone Hearing at BFMS
03/25/147:30PMBoard of Adjustment Regular Public Meeting
03/26/147:30PMVillage Council Public Work Session
03/31/147:30PMPlanning Board Special Public Meeting – H-Zone BFMS
04/01/147:30PMPlanning Board Public Meeting
04/02/147:30PMVillage Council Public Work Session
04/08/147:30PMBoard of Adjustment Regular Public Meeting
Three Ridgewood residents to run for two seats on Village Council
MONDAY MARCH 10, 2014, 6:57 PM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Three candidates have entered this year’s race for Ridgewood Council, which has two vacancies in May’s municipal election.
Residents James Albano, Susan Knudsen and Michael Sedon each filed for candidacy by Monday’s deadline, according to acting Village Manager Heather Mailander, and will vie for a seat on the non-partisan council. Each spot carries a four-year term.
Deadline for filing completed nominating petitions for Village Council is March 10, 2014.
Nominating Packets Available for Ridgewood Village Council
Nominating packets are available for Ridgewood residents who are registered voters and wish to run for and serve on the Ridgewood Village Council. They may be picked up at the Village Clerk’s Office in Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue, during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except legal holidays. The deadline for filing completed nominating petitions is March 10, 2014.
This year, there are two positions, with four-year terms, to serve on the non-partisan Village Council which will be voted on at the May 13, 2014 Municipal Election. The newly elected Councilmembers will be sworn in and take office on July 1, 2014.
Any questions concerning the Municipal Election should be directed to the Village Clerk’s Office at 201-670-5500 ext. 205 or by email to: [email protected] or [email protected]
Readers play the blame game with higher taxes and less services
I’m not sure how linking a property tax increase to snow removal is a good idea ? Will that tax increase be rescinded if we have a mild winter next year ? Permanently raising the property tax base should be for long term cost increases, not to pay for snow removal in one of the snowiest winters in recent memory.
For those who’ve read their Village Budget Newsletters over the past five years, they will have noticed that all of the growth in our taxes has gone to pay for higher wages, pensions & healthcare. That’s despite a 10% cut in the Village workforce by our previous Village Manager, agreed to by the the previous Council. That has gutted our ability to respond to an Arctic vortex. Maybe if the previous Council hadn’t agreed to a retroactive 12% wage increase in 2011 for the previous Manager, or maybe if we hadn’t handed out 4% annual wage increases from 2010-2014 to some of our highest paid municipal employees – again, agreed to by the previous Council – then we wouldn’t be in this mess ?
Agreed though that we need better leadership – what about shared snow removal services ? If Glenrock, Waldwick, Midland Paqrk and Ho-Ho Kus can do a better job of snow removal, pay them a fee to help us as part of a shared service. That’s where the current Village leadership has let us down. But the wheels of budget cuts for snow removal were put in place in 2010 and 2011.
Reader says There is a limit to what property owners will pay, and we are there now.
I have run many businesses in my long career with tens of thousands of employees. Thanks for the compliment, but the Village manager job’s compensation wouldn’t cover my expense account for a month.
Having said that, when a business (or municipality in this case) is overburdened by generous compensations (=pay for you pinheads) and generous benefits (health insurance and retirement), the ONLY way to be able to continue paying these employees their increases is to ‘raise prices’ and ‘raise profit margins’.
In ‘simple speak’ so y’all can comprehend (=understand), that means raising property taxes. The residents are not about to stand for a property tax increase that can be avoided by outsourcing the services that can be accomplished by anyone with a pulse.
I saw in the paper that the Village advertised a position for an equipment operator that was grossly above what a private sector employee would command (what they would GET for pay)
So maybe you simpletons can understand. EVERYONE is replaceable. Your union contract can easily be converted to toilet paper. Do yourself a favor, if you expect job security, make some recommendations for increased productivity (=work harder and do more). Whining and complaining will make your jobs disappear.
In the real world, when wages become uncompetitive, we move manufacturing to states without unions, such as South Carolina and Alabama. The unions lose members, and the lackey politicians in the Northeast lose a taxpayer, which just shifts the burden (=amount of taxes) to other who are unfortunate enough to still live here.
There is a limit to what property owners will pay, and we are there now.
Reader says Responsibility of Village Governance lies with the Village Council
If we were a Faulkner Act (N.J.S.A. § 40:69A-1, et seq.) municipality then proposed ordinances could be introduced directly with the signatures of 10% of the registered voters who turned out in the last election in an odd numbered year. However, in Ridgewood it looks like all ordinances and resolutions need to be prepared for the consideration of the Council by the Village Attorney upon written request of any member of the Council or of the Manager. They then need to be introduced and sponsored by a member of the Council, then called up for action on motion of a member of the Council. Finally, no ordinance may be adopted without the affirmative vote of a majority of all the members of the Council or such greater number of affirmative votes as the Charter may require.
Reader says Increasing taxes is not the answer – finding better leadership is
People it’s time to learn how to do more with less – just like the rest of the economy has since the recession. The Mayor and his team have failed miserably at providing basic services. Walk around today and witness icy streets and abandoned trash strewn in snow banks that still protrude into intersections. Increasing taxes is not the answer – finding better leadership is.
How about the overpaid employees learn to do more with less.
Pay your own health care.
Pay your own 401K.
Take a pay cut.
Amend your union contracts.
Don’t like the above? Get replaced by contractors. Low bidder gets the job. (its not rocket science to plow snow, fill potholes, push leaves, or pick up garbage).
file photo Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck as Vice President of the Valley Auxiliary
Readers ask One question for Valley and its supporters: How is the Valley expansion good for the tax payers of Ridgewood?
So who works for who here? Valley pays no taxes, benefits from all of Ridgewood’s municipal services and taxes our infrastructure with patients and employees coming in from surrounding towns. Yet THEY drive the agenda at hearings about THEIR expansion that will use even more municipal services and tax our infrastructure even further. For still no taxes.
While Valley is Ridgewood’s largest employer, less than 10% of its employees live in town. Similarly less than 10% of Valley’s patients are Ridgewood residents. Valley’s plan is clearly to draw from surrounding towns for both employees and patients which is great for surrounding towns but terrible for Ridgewood. We get a 7 year construction project followed by traffic, over taxed infrastructure and a lower quality of life.
Valley does, on the other hand throw a great party so its socialite supporters can see their picture in the Ridgewood News and 201 Magazine.
One question for Valley and its supporters: How is the Valley expansion good for the tax payers of Ridgewood? Maybe Mrs. Hauck can tweet the answer…
Nominating packets can be picked up for Ridgewood Council seats
Thursday February 13, 2014, 11:03 AM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News
Nominating packets are now available for pickup by residents interested in running for Ridgewood Council this spring.
Two seats on the village’s governing body, each carrying a four-year term, will be up for grabs during the municipal election in May.
The Ridgewood Council is a non-partisan, five-member body that carries out the municipality’s legislative functions, including the passage of new ordinances and the approval of bills and payments, among other responsibilities. Council members, who receive an annual stipend, hold open public meetings at least twice a month and also serve on other village boards and committees.
Ridgewood’s chief executive, the village manager, is directed by the municipal council.
Residency as well as a completed nominating petition is requisite to run for council, and individuals have until March 10 to file their petitions at Village Hall.
The election will be conducted on May 13, and the two winners will be sworn into office on July 1.
Tom Riche, who is serving his second non-concurrent term with the Village Council, has not publicly expressed his decision to seek reelection. On Tuesday, he told The Ridgewood News that he was still undecided about another term, saying he is “keeping my options open.”
Councilwoman Bernadette Walsh announced in December that she will not seek reelection, choosing instead to focus on winning a bid as a Republican nominee for Bergen County freeholder. The Bergen County GOP will select its two party representatives in March, and the freeholder election takes place in November.
Readers says Council Meetings run smother without the Mayor
Its just an observation. I have watched or attend all most every Council meeting and I have noticed that the few times that the mayor is not presiding over the meeting it run smooth .It is my opinion that the Mayor is the one that fuels the situations for his own agenda. What ever that is. I believe that Mr. PUCCIARELL just get caught up in these unfortunate incidents because of some kind of loyalty to our Mayor. Just a bit of advice. The Mayor has no friends, he will do what ever it take to further his cause. Ms Hauck the same goes for you.
Readers comment on Council’s Turn around on Police Recruit Hiring
Yes there was a meeting…. Unfortunately it won’t make the Amigo control news, can’t be printing retractions or acknowledging council actually to blame for mistake. it was very interesting to see the council do such a total 180 from last week. They were actually civil for a change. Maybe because one of the amigos didn’t make it there until the very end.. Residents came forward in unanimous support for Chief Ward slamming several of the council for their conduct towards the chief, for blaming him when it was their mistake and asking for the council to not punish the two young men who are the actual victim’s in this mess.
Even the lone opposition from last week was back peddling from his accusations and called for the two young men to hired.
Thank you Bernie Walsh for acknowledging the mistake was on the part of the council.
The Council agreed in principle to change the Ordinance. The Mayor came in 5 min before the end of the meeting. Nothing concrete said about reissuing the promise of employment to the two young men. As mention at the meeting the Village sent letters to the two candidates residing the promise of employment early this week. So I guess they fix have the problem but the candidates are sill in limbo.
02/11/14 7:30PM Board of Adjustment Regular Public Meeting 02/18/14 7:30PM Planning Board Public Meeting 02/19/14 8:00PM Village Council Public Meeting 02/25/14 7:30PM Board of Adjustment Regular Public Meeting 02/26/14 7:30PM Village Council Public Work Session 03/04/14 7:30PM Planning Board Public Meeting 03/05/14 7:30PM Village Council Public Work Session
BOE MEETING RESCHEDULED TO NEXT MONDAY, FEB. 10
Due to Monday’s inclement weather, the Board of Education will hold their Regular Public Meeting, originally scheduled on Monday, February 3, 2014 at 7:30 p.m., on Monday, February 10, 2014 at 7:30 p.m.
Board of Education meetings are held on the third floor of the Education Center, 49 Cottage Place, Ridgewood, NJ. The public is welcome to attend, or to watch live via the district website’s “Link in Live” tab. Live streaming is also available on FiOS channel 33 and Optimum channel 77.
Police Recruit Scandal : Reader says Village Council showed a shear lack of ethics
Its not that simple. It not just like getting a regular job… you have a certain window of time that if they miss will jeopardize them getting the job at all.
Also the most important thing…. the offered them a promise of employment… they left …lost health care…. they went through extensive testing and purchased equipment all at the taxpayers expense. All of which the vc approved… that dosnt bother you?
Even if you could care less about the two kids. Your no appalled by the shear lack of ethics and responsibility the Village Council showed by doing this?
Reader says this Council instead on focusing on running this town engage in petty bickering, retaliation and furthering their own personal agendas
Yes the departments are all understaffed and our taxes are still obscenely high. You are correct about our current Council – they are all pushing their own pet projects without at all acknowledging that at some point taxes alone will crush the value of our homes. Who will ever buy your house if the taxes are $40,000 a year?
Mrs. Hauck wants to double the size of Valley but clearly has not considered the impact of a facility that size on the town’s neighborhoods and infrastructure. Valley pays no taxes yet their drain on Village resources will also double with this project. You think departments are understaffed now?
And how about Mr. Pucciarelli and building up the CBD? Has anyone done any math on the impact on our tax base? I’ll tell you right now they would be shouting it at every meeting if ONE PERSON thought that building apartments in town would make our taxes go down. Instead they choose to tell us that traffic will improve and only 4 new kids will enter the school system.
I’m shocked at how out to lunch this Council is in the face of such a crisis. Look at this weekend alone – Super Bowl parties at the bank and a big skating party at Graydon. Then on to having lunch with the elderly, and banning smoking outside. Maybe they should Google Stockton, CA for a glimpse into our future when they have a minute.
Oh yea, and don’t forget to put your garbage out on the curb tonight….
