Yes, indeed Derek Schnure! Aronsohn, Pucciarelli, and Hauck HATE the Blog and complain endlessly about anonymous bloggers. Of course then we find out that Hauck’s husband was posting nasty comments about two of Gwenn’s colleagues on the council, and that Albert and Paul were posting anonymously all the time as was Roberta.
The Blog enables people to say what they really think, to air grievances, to reveal hidden secrets, all without fear of retribution. Pucciarelli vilified the blog all the time, but he was obvioulsy one of the big anonymous posters. Hauck told everyone to be very careful what they put on social media, and then she blasted people viciously on facebook while her husband was doing so on the blog. Aronsohn touted transparency but then fed total BS to the news outlets, who were too lazy to get the facts and just printed his falsehoods.
The Blog and other forms of social media are amazing tools for the little people. Seems that the VOCAL MINORITY that Aronsohn and Halaby always talked about weren’t so minority after all.
We are simply fortunate that this is a educated town for the most part and that the public serves as checks and balances. Think it is healthy that there was a housecleaning of the council because there was obviously mistrust whether warranted or not. Certain issues can now be looked at with a relatively clean slate. though some large issues like Valley will still carry forward. On that matter, I hope Ridgewood will stand its ground and not accept any cave in and also follow what other communities are doing as far as challenging the farcical tax exempt status From experience , local govt isnt easy especially for newcomers who are usually idealistic before realities set in. NJ govt excesses and obligations to an over sized public sector has impacted all municipalities .
I can say that no one should come in to local politics with a personal agenda unless it is to serve their community. Shouldnt be a stepping stone to better and greater things. Ridgewood doesnt need career politicians but civilans that fight for their townspeople at every turn. Unfortunately influence peddlers muddy the waters so much that which was once a clear vision become foggy. It can be difficult to stand against the self interests of the influential when you become influential enough to be in those circles.Others simply make mistakes out of good intent.
I wish this new council the best and hope that they remember that they were elected to serve their community first and foremost. This isnt about them but the overriding wishes of the majority. Best advice I can give is to listen to your citizenry and communicate with them with honesty. Never gonna make all happy but Ii people respect your reasoning then they can accept even if they cant embrace
Ridgewood NJ, An employee’s conduct is subject to the laws of the state and the regulations of the employing agency. With respect to those jurisdictions operating under Title 11A of the the New Jersey Civil Service Act, the following provisions apply: “a person holding a position in the career service or senior executive service shall not directly use or seek to use the position to control or affect the political action of another person or engage in political activity during working hours.” N.J.S.A. 11A:2-23
MAYOR’S OFFICE HOURS – SATURDAY, JUNE 4 – 9AM TO NOON
June 4,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood
Ridgewood Nj, this may be your last chance to say your goodbyes . Mayor Paul Aronsohn will hold his monthly office hours in the Village Hall Court Room, Saturday, June 4 from 9am to Noon. All residents are invited to meet with the mayor. Residents are encouraged to make an appointment through the Clerk’s Office (201/670-5500 x205) or to stop by during the hours of 9am to Noon.
Ridgewood NJ, “Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld will be available for her monthly ‘Meet the Manager’ session in the Village Hall Court Room on Saturday, May 14th from 9am to 12 Noon. You may make an appointment by calling 201/670-5500 x203.”
Anybody who works in H.R. could give her some tips on job hunting. Is it too soon for a farewell party?
…the fly has learned that after the “Get Acquainted Luncheon at Village Hall”, Mayor Aronsohn went off the rails yelling campaigner Dana Glazer outside the event . Attendees say the mayor, went from pleasantly serving lunch a little while earlier, to being belligerent like he was a completely different person. While the Village event was suppose to be a non partisan affair , all three of the Council majority were in attendance , till council person Susan Knudsen arrived and the deputy mayor quickly departed . It does seem the mayors attempts to politicize the meeting were foiled …
Ridgewood NJ, The league of Women Voters will host the Ridgewood Council candidates night tonight at 7:30pm at the Village Hall.
Village of Ridgewood Candidates night format for the evening will include welcome from the president, flag salute, and an introduction of our esteemed moderator and the candidates. The moderator will then take over.
Opening statements 11/2minutes each
Questions # 1 2 3 1 1/2 minutes each question
Cross talk on each question 5 minutes in total each question
Questions from the public 40 minutes
Closing statements 1/1/2 minutes each
1. During the recent budget proceedings, Ridgewood Water outlined a six year, approximately 40 million dollar capital plan to
update the facility which serves not only Ridgewood but also Glen Rock, Midland Park and Wyckoff. Should the town invest the money
to update the facility or should we consider selling the utility and why?
2. We are looking at potential new development in Ridgewood , in the downtown area and the Central Business District (garage and
multi family housing at several locations). What measures would you propose to minimize disruption to traffic flow, local businesses and home owners and to ensure pedestrian safety?
3. Regarding the Town Garage location on Franklin Avenue and the adjacent municipal lots, the Department of Environmental Protection has cited these properties for remediation due to underground fuel tanks that are leaking diesel and hydraulic fuel into
the surrounding ground water. There has been talk of charging the cleanup to a potential developer or acquiring the garage site by
eminent domain and doing it ourselves. How do we address this problem in the most expedient manner so that no further
contamination occurs and serves the best interest of the village?
Over a year ago we embarked upon a multifaceted effort to revitalize and improve the operations and customer service of the Building Department. This effort was based on making significant changes with respect to people/organizational structure, process and technology.
We successfully implemented a new technology platform last year called Spatial Data Logic, and now I am delighted to tell you that we have rolled out a new capability for our residents to use called the Citizen Permit and Inspection Portal. The Portal allows residents, from their homes or offices or anywhere, to schedule an inspection, look up property information, view the status of a permit and more. Residents will need to register and create a user profile to be able to be a part of this new technology. I would encourage you to try it out and provide us with your feedback.
If you have dealt with the Building Department in the last several months, I hope you have noted improvement. The new technology coupled with staffing reassignments has resulted in a significant streamlining of overall operations and more effective delivery of services. Based on resident and contractor input, we are now open for business earlier (8 A.M.). We have also implemented a one page permit application counter form thereby streamlining this process and making it more customer–friendly. The new Building Department Director Thomas Yotka also has held open forums with the public and will continue to do so.
This is not in any way to suggest that we do not have more improvements to make……and for this, as you know, we rely on your input.
In the future the new Citizens Portal will be expanded to other services. More to come on this!
Best,
Roberta Sonenfeld
Village Manager
201-670-5500, ext. 203
Bizarro World (with apologies to Seinfeld) by Anne Loving
So tonight at the Village Council Meeting two very strange things happened.
1. Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld stated that she has started going around to parking lots to check on availability and has found ample available spots in the Cottage Place lot as well as in the N. Walnut lot. First of all, why is she doing an informal unscientific study of available parking when countless dollars have been spent on actual parking studies? Second, so many people have stated that there are always available spots if one is willing to walk a couple of blocks, so this is not news. And, of course, most bizarre of all is why in the heck is Roberta reporting about all this available parking when she is spearheading the gigantic garage that is supposedly so necessary?
2. Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck issued a parental reprimand to those who use social media (she being a major contributor herself). She said that before anyone posts, they should do a “gut check” (I think that was her term) and ask themselves if what they are about to post is something they would put in a national newspaper. Wait a minute, this is coming from the person who has called residents various unflattering (and highly inaccurate) names including “stalker,” “creepy,” and “terrorist.” And this same councilwoman kept dead silent when a member of the public called an entire group of fellow citizens “fornicators.” Huh? Might one suggest that the good Councilwoman gut-check her own language, and control the council meetings when members of the public use vulgar language.
Ridgewood NJ, On Friday, February 12 at 9:00 AM and again on Friday, February 26 at 6:44 AM, e-mail messages supporting the re-election campaign of Village of Ridgewood Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck (originating from the domain www.gwennhauck.com), were sent to selected Ridgewood residents/voters.
Clearly, both messages were purely political in nature and substance. That is, they were not intended to communicate any official Village of Ridgewood matters to the selected recipients.
Included within the body of both messages was this information:
“Our mailing address is:
Gwenn Hauck – Village of Ridgewood Council
131 North Maple Ave.
Ridgewood, NJ 07450”
131 North Maple Ave, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 is the address of Village Hall, a building paid for by Ridgewood’s taxpayers and staffed only by employees of the Village of Ridgewood (whose salaries are paid for by taxpayers).
I am flabbergasted that Ms. Hauck could believe her status as a sitting member of the current Village Council would entitle her to use taxpayer funded facilities & services in connection with the receipt and handling of mail related to her re-election campaign.
Perhaps this practice MAY be lawful, but it certainly seems completely unethical, disrespectful, arrogant, and downright STUPID.
Let’s hope that Ms. Hauck just didn’t know any better as opposed to it being a deliberate effort to thumb her nose at us all.
The use an official Village of Ridgewood mailing address for Ms. Hauck’s re-election campaign must cease immediately.
As you are aware, in recent years, your Residents have voiced ongoing concerns with the “process” by which many important matters facing the Village are undertaken. Included in our concerns are handling of the High-Density Housing Ordinances, Schedler redevelopment, Habernickel house leasing/parking, and, of course, the Parking Garage designs and rushed BCIA Bonding for construction.
The Agenda set for this Wednesday, January 27’s Council meeting,https://www.ridgewoodnj.net/…/480-20160127-village-council-p…, is further evidence that our Village government is still not handling “process” in the well-planned, open and Resident-focused manner we have requested time and again. We need you to do the right thing, from the get-go, without the now routine changes that follow the constant, but fully valid and sadly necessary, complaints from your Residents.
For example, justifiable Resident complaint led to changes in the problematic scheduling of: (1) the original high-density ordinance public comment and vote, set for a single meeting on a night shared with 3-4 back-to-school nights, and (2) the recent “special public meeting” for high-density housing impact studies at the prohibitive time of Friday evening at 5pm.
We should not be Ridgewood’s guardians. That’s the Council’s job. But once again, your Agenda for this Wednesday’s meeting forces our hand. Why? Here’s why:
1. DANGEROUSLY RUSHED GARAGE BONDING WITH BERGEN COUNTY: Firstly, this Special Meeting is set to review the Bergen County Improvement Authority (BCIA) application and bonding, despite the fact that we don’t even have a finalized garage plan. In effect, we don’t know what we’re buying, but are still applying for the loan! It doesn’t take a financial genius to see the problem with that. At the 1/6/16 garage meeting, you committed to working on a new garage redesign that (1) fits on the lot, (2) does not cut Hudson Street in half, and (3) tries to address the concerns of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. So far, Residents have yet to be fully presented with any formal revised designs that we can use to either support or question the ordinance. We need to see these plans. What we do know is that the revised draft still does not fit within the Hudson Street lot and takes over several feet of Hudson Street itself. Based on the wording of the Referendum and the commitments of the 1/6/16 Council meeting, that is unacceptable and requires correction. Remember, several Councilmembers specifically told residents to “Vote Yes to Parking… and then Negotiate the size, scale and design of the garage later.” As such, based on your commitment to us, we ask that – as promised – you allow us to be a “real” part of the process. So let’s see the new plans before you write any checks.
2. FAILURE TO ADDRESS CONCERNS RAISED IN YOUR OWN TRAFFIC STUDY (by Maser): Beyond design, size and scale issues, Ridgewood must address and resolve the recommendations of its own Maser Traffic Study, which not only mandated further study of ‘at-capacity’ intersections at Broad/Ridgewood and Broad/Franklin, but also raised questions about the need for such a large garage at that location. In prior years, even the Mayor himself, in a very smart December 2008 essay on parking, stated that “I am not convinced that we need a large, potentially expensive garage… in fact, the more I learn about the situation, the more I believe that a garage now would be a big mistake” (https://www.paularonsohn.com/writ…/time-for-action-on-parking). The Mayor then wisely added some cost-effective recommendations, he called “Quick, Smart Fixes,” including enhanced signage for current parking lots (something that still hasn’t been done, but is a GREAT idea) and repainting existing lines to gain spaces. Many residents have voiced agreement with Mr. Aronsohn, circa-2008… let’s try other let costly (and maybe more effective) options first.
While you can legally take POLITICAL action towards bonding, you cannot take RIGHTFUL action towards bonding, in any manner, unless you let your Residents know exactly what you are bonding for, and give us a real opportunity to weigh-in and approve. Ultimately, Residents will pay this bill, either as parkers or through real estate taxes.
3. SCHEDLER DISCUSSIONS NEED TO HAVE THEIR OWN NIGHT, OR AT LEAST EARLIER PLACEMENT AT T A LATER MEETING: Lastly, but of similar importance, it appears you have scheduled a meaningful discussion on the Schedler Redevelopment matter at the tail end of this meeting, after what may be a lengthy parking review. Schedler is too important to too many Residents, and to the Village itself, to be given such short shrift. By the time the Schedler discussion occurs on 1/27, so late on the agenda, many or most of the concerned Residents who need to be there, will be gone. And even Councilmembers have complained of trying to make important decisions at late hours. Whether intended or not, this will continue to raise the specter of this Council’s legacy of problematic scheduling and “process.” This specter hurts your ability to be trusted by Residents and to be effective as leaders at a time you need to be the most effective. Please give this some real thought. According to many empty-nesters and seniors I’ve spoken with, Ridgewood has not seen so much government distrust and community group outrage in decades. Only you can fix this… and here’s a quick way to start:
Please do the following:
1. Put off the BCIA discussion and vote until we have answers to the Maser Traffic Study questions and until we know what parking plan we are bonding for.
2. Reschedule the Schedler discussion to a future meeting out of respect to your concerned Residents and to the import of the matter itself.
As always, while frustrated, we hope that you will do the right thing in the handling of both these related requests.
JANUARY 22, 2016 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016, 12:31 AM
BY EILEEN LA FORGIA
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
The walls of Ridgewood’s Village Hall are filled with artwork donated by residents, and the entire community is invited to celebrate.
The official launch of the Ridgewood Arts Council (RAC) and a ribbon-cutting celebration of the art installation of “Ridgewood Art at Village Hall” will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 30.
“This is our flagship endeavor not only to put a stamp on the fact that the Ridgewood Arts Council is revived, but also to celebrate the breadth of artistic talent here in Ridgewood, past and present,” said Linda Bradley, the group’s chair.
Currently there are more than 80 pieces of fine art, photography and sculpture. It’s a permanent collection – artwork donated by Ridgewood residents and those with a Ridgewood connection. The collection of art started six months ago, and will continue to be accepted to cover the remaining areas at Village Hall.
“Mayor Aronsohn and I both campaigned with the promise to revive the Arts Council,” said Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli. “The purpose is to pull together the wealth of artistic endeavors in the village under one volunteer organization that would promote art and artistic education.”
Pucciarelli believes that art has a humanizing effect and that residents in the New York metropolitan area are fortunate to live in the midst of so much wonderful art of all kinds.
Visit the official launch of the Ridgewood Arts Council (RAC) and a ribbon-cutting celebration of the art installation of “Ridgewood Art at Village Hall”. Currently there are more than 80 pieces of fine art, photography and sculpture. It’s a permanent collection – artwork donated by Ridgewood residents and those with a Ridgewood connection. The mission of the RAC is to promote and support the vital part all arts play in enriching the lives of children and the community.
We, at Village Hall, have been closely monitoring the weather forecasts over the last several days. While not definitive as yet, there does appear to be a growing consensus that we will experience a significant snow event from Saturday morning into Sundaymorning with accumulations between 4-8 inches. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch.
It’s been a while since our last snow event, so I wanted to take this opportunity to not just assure you that we are on top of this, but also to provide some information that will help us work together to safely handle this event.
First of all, safety of our residents is the primary concern – so please stay off of the roads and drive only if absolutely necessary; this storm may not just be a snow event – there is a likelihood of high winds so blowing and drifting snow may be an issue.
To stay informed, please check our Village website (www.ridgewoodnj.net), our information phone number 201-444-1776, Channels 34 or 77…….. and if you are not already signed up for Emergency Notifications please do so on our website.
Residents should call 911 only for life threatening emergencies. Please call our Police Line (201-652-3900) to report downed power lines, trees, etc. Please call PSE&G directly(800-436-7734) to report loss of power.
Please keep fire hydrants free of debris and do not deposit snow into the streets. Additionally, vehicles should not be parked on the streets as it affects our ability to clear the street of snow. As a reminder, snow must be cleared off of the sidewalks within 24 hours of the storm’s end.
We are starting our brining operation (liquid solution of water and salt) today and will work through tomorrow to coat all of our streets. Depending upon the amount and texture of the snow as well as the temperature, brining can be an effective snow accumulation deterrent that also can reduce the amount of salt we apply and the amount of plowing we need to do.
Please be reminded that our snow removal is prioritized according to emergency routes, main roads, hills and Central Business District. After these areas are cleared, plowing begins on secondary roads. Please use caution when approaching Village vehicles that are salting and plowing.
Thanks to everyone for their cooperation and stay safe,
Roberta Sonenfeld
Village Manager
201-670-5500, ext. 203
Village Hall and The Stable will be closed on Monday, January 18, 2016 in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. There will be no garbage or recycling pickup on that day, and the Recycling Center will also be closed. Village Hall and The Stable will reopen on Tuesday, January 19, 2016
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