After observing early smear tactics I expected a preparatory scorched-earth policy to be followed by “and now see why we are better.” But all they did was to repeat a few false accusations in different media. Demonstrating relevant experience (civil rights attorney job is not relevant) or even superior character (hah!) was the next logical step after an unfortunate opening salvo, but it never happened and clearly won’t/can’t. Besmirching one’s opponents is not enough in itself. Challengers must also demonstrate why they would do a better job. If anything, these tactics, besides warning anyone with eyes and ears that the Aronsohn “hold no prisoners” philosophy had been applied with a vengeance, have turned people off in a big way. /We are not indifferent to, but frankly alarmed by, the possibility of handing over the village’s daily oversight to people who behave in this way and should clearly know better. Election night is often dreaded because of what it might bring, and sometimes has, but this time (as before) the landslide that will tell that crew to give up and, if possible, get out will be a tremendous relief.
While there is no law to my knowledge that sets out a minimum time that a candidate for Council needs to have lived in town, Ms. Harwin is a perfect example of someone who has just not lived here long enough to be considered qualified. From an issues standpoint, she did not experience the battle that Valley waged on the Village or the Village Hall construction fiasco. While she incorrectly blames the current Mayor and Deputy Mayor for our unsustainable tax increases, she didn’t even live here when the real problem started. Her very short tenure as a resident really shows through in her lack of familiarity with the issues. She didn’t live through the personal agenda driven rancor that the previous Council majority spewed for 4 year nor did she see how those agendas were voted down in the last election by a two thirds to one third majority. Funny that she talks about how we need change while campaigning on a platform that was in place for four years and was so roundly rejected just two years ago. Of course how can she be expected to know these things because she’s so new to town. I would suggest that she go to a couple of Council meetings before trying to sit on the dais. Sit in on a budget meeting or two as well. Mike Sedon, for example sat in on every Council and budget meeting for years before he ran. Our current Mayor is a long time resident who served on several committees before running for Council herself. All of Ms. Harwin’s mud slinging and misrepresentation of the truth aside, she’s just not nearly experienced enough to take on the job that she seeks.
Ridgewood NJ, according to Councilmen Ramon Hache on Wednesday, April 25, there will be a discussion and presentation regarding the design and plan for the Hudson Street Garage. The Village Council has concluded negotiations with various construction companies. The negotiations began in March, with the goal of selecting a final proposal that balances the best fit, value and functionality, while incorporating a design that fits within the existing lot. Designating the existing Hudson Street lot as an area in need of redevelopment in 2017, has allowed us the opportunity to negotiate directly with the construction companies, instead of simply accepting or rejecting bids. The Village Council will also be discussing and voting on a resolution to hire a financial adviser that will provide guidance on project financing options in addition to comprehensive financial analysis.
VOTE KNUDSEN & SEDON FOR VILLAGE COUNCIL, TUESDAY, MAY 8TH.
Dear Residents and RCRD/CBR Supporters:
Ridgewood Citizens for Reasonable Development (RCRD), formerly known as CBR (Citizens for a Better Ridgewood), proudly announces a strong endorsement for Mayor Susan Knudsen and Deputy Mayor Michael Sedon in their re-election to Village Council.
RCRD/CBR is committed to ensuring that Ridgewood thrives with fitting development and proper master planning. For many years, Susan and Mike’s positive words and actions have been closely aligned with our cause. Right now, they are spearheading Ridgewood’s first New Master Plan in over three decades. This long overdue, “real” Master Plan will include broad outreach to Residents ensuring that our voices are finally fully heard in the planning arena. Work on it begins this year.
That’s not all they’ve done. Promptly upon taking office, they repealed Ordinance #3066, the loophole that opened the floodgates for oversized development in Ridgewood. During the high-density crisis, they fought overdevelopment and spoke and voted with our interests at heart. It was never easy and the other side came at them relentlessly, and often wrongly. But they never backed down.
The high-density housing issue is far from over. Right now, outside forces are trying to impose high-density “overlay development zones” throughout Ridgewood, including in residential areas. This could open our Village to more oversized development in the future. We need Susan and Mike’s experience to limit this.
Susan and Mike have earned our support. There is a reason that other resident-focused groups, including C.R.R. (“the Valley group”) and Friends of Schedler, endorsed Susan and Mike as well. Susan and Mike look out for us, our Village and they wisely represent all Residents of Ridgewood. In our many meetings with them, we’ve found their only agenda is to put Ridgewood first. They promote positives, not negatives. We need more of that.
In just two years as Mayor and Deputy Mayor, Knudsen and Sedon have made Ridgewood a stronger and kinder community. So much of the division and negativity we experienced from the prior administration is gone. For a long time, RCRD/CBR had to mobilize supporters to attend every Planning Board and Village Council meeting to ensure that nothing unexpected could happen without notice to Residents. For the past two years we have been able to call off that guard. That’s because we know the Council is in such experienced, open and honest hands.
Please help Susan Knudsen and Mike Sedon finish the important job they started.
Ridgewood NJ, At all regular meetings, two opportunities are provided for citizens to make comments. The public comment periods will be scheduled after presentations and approximately 9:00 p.m. or just prior to the end of the meeting, whichever occurs first. The first opportunity may be limited by the presiding officer to conclude at about 8:00 p.m. in order for the Board to continue with its scheduled agenda. The second opportunity will occur at about 9:00 p.m. at the discretion of the presiding officer taking into consideration a break point in the agenda.
At every opportunity for public comment, citizens are invited to comment on subjects on the agenda or general topics.
At the discretion of the presiding officer, public comments may be permitted at other times.
Persons wishing to speak must, upon being recognized, rise, sign in, and state their names and addresses. Each speaker shall be limited to four minutes. The Board Recorder will note the time. A speaker who has not finished in the allotted time will be directed by the presiding officer to summarize quickly and relinquish the floor within 30 seconds.
Comments shall be limited to issues. If personal remarks or discourteous statements are made, the presiding officer shall require the speaker to stop. No person will be recognized for a second time until all others asking to speak have been heard.
The public is invited to attend the meeting, or watch it live on Fios channel 33, Optimum channel 77, or on the “Link in Live” tab of the district website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us.
April 23 2018 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM
Location Board Room, 3rd Floor, Education Center
All these comments on the Village Council and spending or saving money but not a word about the BOE. Remember 2/3 of your tax bill goes to them. I saw were a few post on the BOE budget. Nothing about the members of the BOED . They spend our money and run unopposed. I don’t understand it.
Whether or not mountains were moved with the council today I fear the mountains that will be built and collapse with Harwin who is supported by Aronsohn
The last 2 years were spent undoing a lot of damage left behind by Sonenfeld and the other 3. Now let’s give them the next 4 years to move forward and show us what they can do and promised to do
I would much prefer this option to the other…mud slinging is no way to run a campaign. If nothing else it showed poor judgement and a flawed character. So when I went into this with an open mind it was quickly tainted by the type of campaign Harwin chose to run with.
It was all too familiar. Mean spirited and uninformed
If you went to the council meetings, you could see Arohnson and Pucc always had chips on their shoulders about any one and everyone who were not like them or who didn’t kiss their butts. They presented themselves as a pair of self-loathing buffons who perpetually expressed the view that they were better than everyone else, even when you could see they are not comfortable in their own skins. That can be the worst combination in human nature.
Mike and Susan fought the Paul Aronsohn high rise apartments that are coming to the village every step of the way. Now Susan and Mike are closing the loophole that Pfund opened. Harwin runs with the FULL support of the apartment builders. Harwin runs with the FULL support of the special interests who would swamp Ridgewood with more density than we can handle. The density that will crush our roads, schools, and taxes. Stopping Harwin is simply a continuation of the last council vote, these people want you to pay so they will profit. HARWIN = ARONSOHN. That’s why she LIES about Susan and Mike’s voting record.
Still no word from Harwin and Willett about why they are either embracing or rejecting the hate filled Jurgen letter and the despicable supporters who spread those hate filled words. Its clear where they stand. Some civil rights lawyer! Some duo for inclusivity!! Its clear they are both a pair of disreputable frauds and phonies, along with their core supporters.
Trenton NJ, In his opening statement to the Senate Budget Committee, Acting Commissioner of Education Lamont Repollet said he recognizes the need for modernizing the school funding formula by addressing adjustment aid and growth caps. “I stand with the governor to work with this body to work on statutory adjustments to the school aid formula,” said Repollet.
But Senate Budget Committee Chairman Paul Sarlo (D-36) still wanted more detail.“Any reason why the [$37.4 billion] budget was introduced without a discussion of adjustment aid and growth caps?” A final budget will have to include reworking both, Sarlo said.
“Are you prepared to have these difficult conversations with these school districts that are receiving more than 100 percent in state aid?” the senator wanted to know.
Repollet responded to Sarlo by saying he and the Governor are willing to rework and begin to modernize the formula now.
“The governor’s committed to working with this legislative body,” the acting commissioner said. “A conversation is going on right now with the legislative leaders.”
You want Ridgewood to enter into a deal with politically corrupt Bergen County Government to save a few dollars ? Aronsohn is hip deep in Bergen County politics and you bash him ever chance you get but yet you want Ridgewood to enter into a deal with the very machine he is part of. You are a hypocrite.
When I call the Ridgewood Police for an emergency I don’t want to be put on hold because of a large incident thats is taken place in another town. Maybe Sedon should do a little more research into what has happen in the past with Bergen County Dispatch and not fall for a sales pitch from a representative from the County . There are just as many municipals that are not going with the County Dispatch. Maybe Sedon should ask them? We all know what happens when the Village hires the lowest bidder. You get what you pay for. Next time your having a medical procedure may you should as for the lowest bidder. Let me know if you fell safe doing that. Finally your comment ” By the way since it’s offered by the county we already do pay for it with our taxes.” This service is not. There are extra charges that go along with that service its not free.
People can be supported by people they like and trust only to learn that those people are not what they thought. That particular helper has fooled plenty of people before. It is to Susan’s credit that she recognized the truth and turned away. Isn’t this what blog posters have been begging Harwin to do from the beginning, on the assumption that as a newbie in town she didn’t realize whose claws she had fallen into? Yet weeks and weeks later, nothing has changed and that support has not been repudiated. One concludes that it’s all fine with her. This speaks volumes…
As a Ridgewood resident, how would we expect to be treated at public meetings under the Aronsohn-sponsored regime? The way we were treated when he was on the dais. With insults and hissy fits. And do not forget that if, heaven forbid, his protegees should win the election, “here comes the new village manager, just like the old village manager”–in fact, the same as the old village manager, Roberta Sonenfeld. With all those people in place Aronsohn can run the town from Trenton or Newark or wherever his new office will be. How he would love that.
This Village needs to come to the realization that the Harwin camp is not looking to better Ridgewood in any way, this candidate and her wannabe political groupies are looking to use this town as a stepping stone for what they think is the beginning of some pipe dream of a NJ political career. The math on the garage doesn’t add up and i’m surprised that a candidate that will drop her Ivy League education on anyone that will listen can not look at projected financials and figure that out. I’ve listened to council meetings where one pro Harwin supporter actually used the argument that a garage would result in less pedestrian / automobile accidents….this is the type of nonsensical argument that this group will throw out for effect. As is the similar argument the Harry Truman look alike threw out about the garage being the foundation for the future of Ridgewood. People, we need to use our brains…we need to vote in residents who are looking to better this town and effectively manage budgets so that the over taxation of residents does not lead to an exodus of the people from this town. The argument that since this parking debate has gone on for 20+ years so we should just build a garage makes no sense. We need to plan for the future by looking towards the future, not the past, as some residents would like. As someone that grew up in this town, I could care less that my parents generation wanted a garage, that belief doesn’t better this town or pay the bills. This garbage and slanderous platform that Harwin and her irrelevant, wannabe “political players” have launched should be beneath every resident in this town. They are not good for Ridgewood now and will not be good for this town in the future. The main problem we have is that this town’s majority have no idea about the weasle know nothings that are trying to change the core of Ridgewood. Get out and spread the word. The former mayor and his cronies are the past…..do not let these sub intelligent hacks dictate the future of this town.
![mudslinging[1]](https://theridgewoodblog.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/mudslinging1.gif "Reader says Harwin Knows Exactly What She is Involved With")
