Ridgewood NJ , Ridgewood Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld has officially confirmed that illegally dumped materials were recently discovered at the Village’s Lakeview Drive compost site during a routine inspection conducted by a NJDEP employee. Sonenfeld’s confirmation came in the form of a statement read during the Village Council’s August 5 public Work Session.
According to Ms. Sonenfeld, the illegally dumped material consisted of asphalt and concrete block and was located at the site’s south end, dumped over a protective berm. It is believed the materials were dumped during the months of June or July, this according to Sonenfeld. Heavy equipment and an operator(s) from the Bergen County Mosquito Control Commission are now being deployed to assist in removing the debris.
The Village Manager concluded her remarks by emphatically stating that an “active investigation” is still underway regarding the incident. No date was mentioned regarding the availability of a final investigative report via the OPRA.
Many taxpayers are anxiously awaiting the outcome of this “active investigation” so we can learn exactly how the dumping was accomplished, who was responsible, who will be held accountable (if anyone) and what monetary liability, if any, taxpayers will be on the hook for.
Price tag for Bergen County DPW facility grows by a Staggering $5 million
This has “Ridgewood parking garage” written all over it
AUGUST 5, 2015, 9:39 PM LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 2015, 7:36 AM
BY JOHN C. ENSSLIN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
The new Bergen County public works maintenance facility in Paramus will cost at least $5 million more to build than originally estimated, County Executive James Tedesco told the freeholders Wednesday.
The project, which had been estimated to cost $16 million, has cost $21 million thus far, Tedesco said.
He also said the project, scheduled to open on Oct. 1, is about seven months behind schedule from it’s originated projected completion date in March.
Related: Cost of Bergen County Justice Center expected to grow by $1.3M
Tedesco has been saying for months that the facility was “underfunded.” But Wednesday marked the first time he specified how much more money it would cost.
The DPW facility is part of a larger multi-project $147-million bond issue that also includes a new Justice Center and parking deck and another DPW garage in Hackensack. Taken together, the work is the largest public works project in the county’s history.
Tedesco said the Justice Center and parking garage are close to coming in on budget. The five-story parking garage is set to open later this summer and the adjacent six-story Justice Center is about six weeks behind schedule, he said. The Hackensack DPW garage is completed.
The Paramus DPW facility, though, has undergone several changes in the last seven months that have added to the cost of that project, he said. For example, one building at the site was designed as a cold-storage garage, to store vehicles without providing any heat. But to allow for diesel-powered vehicles to be stored there, the county has added electric heating blocks to thaw them out in winter, Tedesco said.
He said the original design also did not call for the concrete in the maintenance garage to be sealed with epoxy. That change has added to the expense and the time required to install it, he said.
DPW Director Raymond Dressler said another change was related to how the current administration, which took over in January, plans to use the building. Dressler said one garage bay is getting a lift capable of raising large trucks, so that the county can offer heavy-equipment maintenance as a shared service to municipalities and fire departments. He said plans call for at least two shifts daily to work out of the building, rather than just one, which required reconfiguring the space.
Valley is a disgrace to Ridgewood with their actions. Why would anyone support Valley in this town anymore? I believe Hackensack is Top 5 in the country. The 10 minute extra drive is now worth it for me. This town has so many issues. A 3-2 Council, we’re the minority on this.
High Density housing, unreasonable size units we’re given. A 15 Million dollar parking garage? Are you insane? How much did the Town Hall cost in the flood zone. How many studies have we paid for? Let’s do another study. Steel beams and concrete..$15 million dollars, only in RichWood. Town is a disgrace and moving in the wrong direction. I just heard, needs to be confirmed, the Engineer is asking taxpayers sidewalks to be repaired? Take a look at the sidewalks in the CDB. Hint, the red bricks meeting concrete. Don’t ask others to do when you don’t! True
$542,000 in Ridgewood
MLS # 1521335
647 Ellington Rd, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath, C/C
Christopher Kaufman, Sales Associate
Keller Williams Village Square Realty
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 8/2
15
$589,000 in Ridgewood
MLS # 1524453
278 Cedarcroft Rd, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 1 Full Bath,
2 Half Bath, S/L
Denise Jarrett, Sales Associate
Prominent Properties Sotheby’s International Realty-Ridgewood
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 8/2
16
$649,000 in Ridgewood
MLS # 1530460
328 Marshall St, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
3 Bedroom, 1 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, Col
Anne Marangi, Sales Associate
Terrie O’Connor Realtors/UpSdRv
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 8/2
24
$675,000 in Ridgewood
MLS # 1529143
328 Jefferson St, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath, B/L
Jennifer Brito, Sales Associate
Gilsenan & Co.
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 8/2
15
$695,000 in Ridgewood
MLS # 1528010
531 N Monroe St, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, Col
Rocio Hernandez, Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker, Ridgewood
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 8/2
20
$699,000 in Ridgewood
MLS # 1529134
311 Downs St, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath, C/C
Joyce Albert, Sales Associate
Terrie O’Connor Realtors/Ridgewood
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 8/2
– See more at: https://www.njmls.com/NJ/BERGEN/RIDGEWOOD-open-houses#sthash.D1QAWIjf.Vl6puyrI.dpuf
$819,000 in Ridgewood
MLS # 1528348
317 N Pleasant Ave, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
5 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, Col
Lori Lettieri, Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker, Ridgewood
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 8/2
25
$849,000 in Ridgewood
MLS # 1512219
30 Circle Ave, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, Col
Michael E. Senchak, Sales Associate
RE/MAX Properties-Saddle River
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 8/2
20
$849,900 in Ridgewood
MLS # 1525838
256 Brookside Ave, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
3 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, Ranch
Laura French Spada, Sales Associate
Barbara French, Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker, Ridgewood
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 8/2
25
$875,000 in Ridgewood
MLS # 1519728
107 Liberty St, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath, Contp
Jane Ferlanti, Broker Associate
Coldwell Banker, Ridgewood
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 8/2
20
$1,025,000 in Ridgewood
MLS # 1525277
197 Lincoln Ave, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
5 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, Col
Mary E. Soriano, Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker, Saddle River
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 8/2
22
$1,149,000 in Ridgewood
MLS # 1522106
224 Lincoln Ave, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
6 Bedroom, 4 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, Col
Frances Ekblom, Sales Associate
Tarvin Realtors
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:30 P.M. Sun. 8/2
25
$1,450,000 in Ridgewood
MLS # 1521212
51 N Hillside Pl, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
5 Bedroom, 4 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, Col
Rose Hueneke, Broker Associate
Keller Williams Village Square Realty
Open House: 2:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. Sun. 8/2
25
$1,750,000 in Ridgewood
MLS # 1519573
371 Crest Rd, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
5 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, Col
Samira Cook, Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker, Ridgewood
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 8/2
25
$1,999,999 in Ridgewood
MLS # 1530103
298 Greenway Rd, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
6 Bedroom, 5 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, Col
Ellen Quinn, Sales Associate
Tarvin Realtors
Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:30 P.M. Sun. 8/2
– See more at: https://www.njmls.com/NJ/BERGEN/RIDGEWOOD-open-houses#sthash.D1QAWIjf.Vl6puyrI.dpuf
Request for Proposals – Design of a Multi-level Traditional Self-Parking Structure – Hudson St.
Click Here for Proposal Document
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Requests for Proposals (RFP’s) will be received by the Village of Ridgewood, in the Level 5 Village Manager’s office, at the Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey, on Thursday, August 27, 2015 at 10:00 a.m., prevailing time, then publicly opened and read aloud for:
“Request for Proposals
For
Professional Architectural/Engineering Services
For the
Design of a Multi-level Traditional Self-Parking Structure at the Hudson
Street Parking Lot, Lots 12 and 13, Block 3809”
The Village of Ridgewood is seeking proposals for professional architectural/engineering services to prepare plans and specifications for the construction of a multi-level traditional self-parking structure on the Hudson Street Parking Lot, a.k.a. Lots 12 and 13 of Block 3809 of the Village Tax Map.
The RFP package may be obtained from the Engineering Division Offices, Level 3, Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey 07450, (201) 670-5500, extension No. 238. Proposal packages may be examined or picked up in person between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., at 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey 07450, Monday through Friday. Prospective respondents requesting proposal documents be mailed to them shall be responsible for providing their own postage/delivery service remuneration. No proposal forms shall be given out after 4:00 p.m. on Monday, August 24, 2015.
All prices quoted in the proposal must be net and exclusive of all Federal, State and Local Sales and Excise Taxes. Proposals may be submitted in person or by mail prior to the proposal opening, addressed to the Office of the Village Clerk. The Village assumes no responsibility for loss or non-delivery of any proposal sent to it prior to the date and time stated for receipt of proposals.
Each proposal must be enclosed in a sealed envelope with the name of the respondent thereon and endorsed,
“Request for Proposals
For
Professional Architectural/Engineering Services
For the
Design of a Multi-level Traditional Self-Parking Structure at the Hudson Street Parking Lot,
Lots 12 and 13, Block 3809”.
All respondents shall present satisfactory evidence of being authorized to do business in the State of New Jersey. All respondents shall also provide a copy of their New Jersey Business Registration Certificate with their proposal. All respondents shall adhere to the requirements presented in the “Request for Proposals”. The Village of Ridgewood reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to waive any informality or to accept a proposal, which in its judgment best serves the interest of the Village.
” BIDDERS ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF N.J.S.A. 10:5-31 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 17:27). A complete statement as to these requirements is included in the Request for Proposals.
Village of Ridgewood E – Notice – Wednesday, July 29th
Dear Residents,
Hope that you are staying cool during this heat wave as well as enjoying the cooler days!
I have a couple of things on my mind that I would like to share with you.
Tax Bills –
First, I wanted to make you aware that Bergen County has set their 2015 tax levy. As you know, your total annual tax amount is made up of several components: notably School, Municipality, County, Library and Open Space taxes. This year’s County tax levy is 6.35% higher than 2014. Our 3rd quarter tax bill used a slightly lower rate for the County; therefore our 4th quarter tax bills will be slightly higher than the 3rd quarter, due August 1st .
Sprinkler Compliance –
On another topic, based on input we received from many of you, we are taking stricter measures to monitor and insure adherence to water restrictions; we will be issuing warnings starting this week to homeowners who are not in compliance. Please check our website https://water.ridgewoodnj.net for the current watering restrictions. Water conservation is very important to our community so all of us should play our part in supporting this program.
Building Department Amnesty Program Expires on August 21st –
The Building Department is offering an amnesty program for residential work that has been previously completed without the required permits. The main purpose is to ensure that any work that was completed without permits does not cause a safety hazard. The homeowners will still have to pay for permits as well as possible new tax assessments; only the fines will be waived through the amnesty period.
Lastly, a reminder to dog owners that license renewals with valid rabies certificate were due in June. In an effort to control the spread of rabies, the State of New Jersey requires local health departments to conduct a canvass for dogs. The program is underway and will continue through the end of the summer. Approximately 1072 dogs, have been renewed and licensed this year; with about 400 in need of renewal. Summons will be issued starting August 15th.
Wishing you and your family an enjoyable rest of the summer!
Ridgewood NJ, A police investigation of reported illegal dumping at the Village’s Compost Facility on Lakeview Drive is continuing according to several sources of The Ridgewood Blog. It is reported that a detective from the Ridgewood Police Department conducted additional interviews with Village employees during the past week.
The investigation is focused on determining when and how an as yet undetermined number of concrete blocks were dumped at the facility, and if any Village employee(s) had knowledge of the dumping prior to their recent discovery. Additional illegally dumped material is said to have been unearthed within the past several days.
Although previous reports received by The Ridgewood Blog indicated that a NJDEP inspector had uncovered the dumped material, no notice of such action currently appears on the NJDEP Enforcement & Compliance Division’s web page.
VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD MAYOR’S OFFICE HOURS FOR RESIDENTS -Saturday, August 1
Mayor Paul Aronsohn holds office hours for Ridgewood residents on Saturday’s every month. Mayor Aronsohn will meet with residents on Saturday, August 1 from 9AM to Noon in the Council Chambers (Sydney V. Stoldt, Jr. Court Room) on the fourth floor of Ridgewood Village Hall.
For an appointment to meet with the Mayor, please call the Village Clerk’s Office at 201-670-5500 ext. 206. You may come to the Mayor’s office hours without an appointment, but those with appointments will be given priority.
JULY 24, 2015, 4:42 PM LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2015, 4:51 PM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — The village library’s interior is being studied for a makeover that could cost an estimated $5 million.
The Ridgewood Library’s Board of Trustees has met with three architects this month to discuss potential upgrades to the high-traffic facility, according to the library’s director, Nancy Greene.
“We hope to make the library building more bright and welcoming in the busy central circulation area,” Greene said.
Any plans would “open up more inviting areas throughout the library, especially for teens and adult reading, study group projects and discussions,” she said.
The board also wants to expand the teen center at the library, and provide additional “reader seats with natural light,” Green said.
The Ridgewood Library’s trustees hope to have initial designs for the interior update this fall, along with concrete cost projections.
A recent estimate put the project’s potential cost at $5 million, to be paid for with a mix of private and public funding.
VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD RESIDENTIAL PERMIT AMNESTY PROGRAM – Ends August 21, 2015
PERMIT AMNESTY PROGRAM
The Building Department is offering an amnesty program for residential work that has been previously completed without the required permits from the Village of Ridgewood.
The purpose of the amnesty program is to ensure that any work that was completed without permits does not cause a safety hazard to our residents. The program will also give Village homeowners the opportunity to apply for these permits before they are subject to administrative action.
Construction permits are required for, but not limited to, decks, interior renovations, pools, mechanical equipment installations, generators, fire/burglar systems, electrical services and subpanels, additional light fixtures or receptacles and water and gas piping. The program requires that homeowners apply for all permits and securing all the necessary inspections during the amnesty period. A comprehensive list of permitted items can be found on the Village’s website at www.ridgewoodnj.net under The Department of Community Services.
To participate in the amnesty program, you must apply for the proper permits prior to any discovery by our inspectors. Violations will not be issued to any owner occupied dwelling provided the homeowner takes advantage of the amnesty program while the program is in effect from April 20, 2015 until the close of business on August 21, 2015.
Residents doing work without a permit and who do not take advantage of this program will be subjected to the normal administrative procedures mandated by the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code. Please note that if your property has zoning non-conformities, you will be required to obtain the proper zoning approval. This is an opportunity to ensure that should you consider selling your home, all the necessary paperwork will be in order and you will avoid any last minute delays.
The amnesty program does not exempt any zoning, engineering or any other required prior approval issues which must be satisfied prior to the issuance of any permits. Also, some work may have an impact on your property taxes.
Contractors and commercial properties are not eligible for the amnesty program.
Should you have any questions, please contact the Construction Department at 201-670-5500 extension 506.
JULY 24, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2015, 12:30 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Print
Process for HR position ‘broken’
To the Editor:
At a recent council meeting, Councilman Mike Sedon was chastised for saying that he was misled in the budget process because he had not received any information regarding a part-time HR position becoming a full-time one and that it was not brought to the council level for discussion and/or a vote as required by our own village code. Now we find that the title of this newly instituted position is confidential secretary.
Disregarding the notion that this sounds like a job right out of “Mad Men,” it seems that this title was a way to circumvent the Civil Service guidelines. Confidential secretary is not a competitive position and therefore need not be appropriately advertised, applicants tested and rated accordingly.
Two members of the council have further questioned the process and have publicly said that they had no opportunity to debate or to vote on this hiring. If 40 percent of our council was left out of the loop on purpose or inadvertently, then the process is broken as has been charged. Rather than an acknowledgement of this scenario from the village manager and/or the mayor, Mr. Sedon and Councilwoman Susan Knudsen have been treated with disrespect for voicing their concerns.
It now appears that the entire HR hiring was not in accordance with current village code, hence all the resolutions to change it (notably after the fact).
Some will say, “What’s the big deal, we needed an HR director.” The big deal is that this will be a permanent position with a salary of approximately $100,000. Council members vote on vehicle purchases, upgrades, etc., but not a newly created department head?
Also, we didn’t get an HR director, we got a confidential secretary.
Guidelines are in effect to protect the process and the people involved. They were not followed and now there is doubt about the integrity of our village hiring practices. This did not have to happen.
JULY 24, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2015, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
HR director job should be posted with Civil Service
To the Editor:
I attended the Ridgewood Council meeting on July 15, 2015, to hear the discussion regarding the changes in village government. I was most interested in the newly formed HR director position.
I am in agreement that an HR position is warranted. I am in disagreement with the process of hiring the current HR assistant and elevating her to a director without a change in job description. No one on the Village Council, as well as the village manager, could explain how this position goes from an assistant – actual title per Civil Service “Confidential Secretary to the Village Manager” — to a director without a change in the responsibilities. It is also being elevated to a full-time position with an enormous salary increase plus benefits.
The job was posted as an assistant position, which limited the pool of applicants looking for full-time work and with the credentials of director. If this position is now going to be a full-time director position, it should be reposted through Civil Service for all eligible applicants throughout the state to apply.
JULY 24, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
An ordinance to reflect structural changes made within the village government’s organization was passed last week, though not without dissenting opinions of some members of the council and public.
The alterations were adopted by a 3-2 vote and reflect internal changes being implemented by the village, including the establishment of standalone departments for Health and Building and Inspections. Previously, these departments were under the supervision of the Department of Community Services, which no longer exists.
The village has also added a Division of Assessments under the supervision of the Department of Finance and a secretary to the Department of Planning to perform various administrative functions. The new mandate also lists additional duties for the Division of Parking and Traffic.
However, much of the discussion on this ordinance in the past month has been centered on the establishment of a Human Resources Department and the appointment of its director, Sharyn Matthews, and that was the case again during last week’s public hearing.
Resident Anne Loving commented that she did not understand why the ordinance was being changed after decisions relating to the creation of new departments had been made.
“There’s some sort of salary and benefits package which will be recurring every single year,” Loving said. “That job used to be managed under the village manager, so I personally feel like the taxpayers are getting shafted on this.”
JULY 20, 2015 LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, JULY 20, 2015, 10:58 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Enhancing financial reports for village officials and establishing an audit committee were among the recommendations given to the Ridgewood Council earlier this month by the Financial Advisory Committee (FAC).
During its annual report to the governing body, the group of Ridgewood volunteers tasked with providing the village additional financial oversight presented its submission and fielded questions from council members.
FAC Chairwoman Nancy Johansen suggested that financial reports given to council members and management have a “profit and loss” section similar to what might be seen in a corporate environment. This would help the council track its budgetary expenditures throughout the year to see if the village is trending above or below its budget.
Johansen added the FAC would work with new Chief Financial Officer Bob Rooney on this particular project.
