Reader says village should REQUIRE their own independent expert on Valley Expansion
It seems to me that the village should REQUIRE their own independent expert to review the BS the valley experts are spinning.
Valley’s “experts” should be ashamed of themselves. No effect on traffic, air, children, property values? Somebody with authority–a real expert–must call them on this.
If you ask 5 “experts” about anything, you’re likely to get 3-5 different answers, so why should they just take valleys experts at their word?
Every consultant I’ve ever seen in action found out what answer the bill payer wanted and found a way to reach that conclusion.
I doubt Valley would hire any expert who didn’t fully support their expansion. Why would they?
After the presentation last night by someone with a B.S. in Management from Montclair State(Gee, did he minor in construction ?) I would not even qualify this guy as an “expert.” When you have to refer to your notes for basic answers, don’t even know what your trucks have and don’t have, and have to keep emphasizing the importance of protecting children(really), you have a big time credibility issue. But I guess that’s why Mr.Collins has stepped up.
Agreed. The Village is not meeting its responsibilities if it simply accepts the “expert” opinion of someone hired by Valley. This is a huge project with huge potential impact on the community. In fact, it would be grossly neglegent for the Village to proceed without getting a truly independent expert opinion.
You can be sure that Valley will object to the CRR’s bringing in an independent planner. You can also be sure that Gail Price will side with Valley. When things get dicey, Valley always attempts to suppress the voices of anyone that opposes them. Remember residents chanting from outside GW when they were shut out in June 2010?
Gail Price is out for herself, and therefore Valley.
Thed.
#4 residents were shut out due to over crowding and no other reason get your facts straight.
Shut out because seats were held aside for Valley supporters who came by bus. The taxpayers were at a disadvantage for admission to the room.
I am late to the party and last night was my first meeting (I know shame on me). But even I was rolling my eyes and the stuff this expert said, esp. the constant saying how important it is to protect the children. I don’t know the Board members yet, but most seemed to ask good questions, including ones I had.
Who are the experts in the audience that were called on after the PB members asked their questions? That is when I had to leave. DId they get to public questions?
#6 Valley stuffed GW with “supporters” from out if town that arrived hours before the meeting started. I was there. Face facts.
The public gets to ask questions first thing tonight. There were too many to start the process last night.
I was at the meeting in question working for the police dept. assigned to crowd control. The facts were that the meeting location was changed from bf to gw because of a schedule conflict with high school graduation. The pro valley faction was more organized and got their people there early, at no time were seats held in any way shape or form. The people from the anti valley faction were caught with their pants down and screamed foul. I am not a supporter of the valley expansion, but if the anti valley faction is going to take on goliath you better bring your A game cause valley is going to bring theirs. Both factions had adequate notice of venue change those who
I was at the meeting in question and I am not a valley supporter but at no time were seats held for anyone. What happened was a change in venue due to high school graduation at bf moved the meeting to gw this was posted for at least 10 days. The pro valley faction beat the anti valley faction to the punch and got their people to the meeting early period seats were first come first serve period. Shame on the anti valley faction. You got beat own up to it and don’t let it happen again. I was working crowd control the night of this meeting the people who got there late tantrumed because the fire and police would not go over the state regulated occupancy,
Wait a second. I was at the meeting in question that night as well. Or I should say I was locked out of the meeting in question. I arrived there at 7PM, after working all day in the city. I parked at the train station and walked to G.W. because I the Village clerk had posted on the town website that there was no parking at the West Side Church lot due to an event. This was not true. I arrived at the school, only to find out that Valley had bussed their employees over at 5PM to take seats. There was an ambulance parked outside the building with water and towels to provide for the comfort of their guests (mostly hospital employees) who were taking seats from village residents inside. I was absolutely speechless. I could not believe that the planning board – our fellow residents, let the meeting continue under these circumstances. But they had to – Dave Pfund only had a few more days left on the Council and planning board, and there was no way he was going to let Valley down. It is the collusion and corruption of the process that is the biggest reason that I am against Valley’s expansion. If they put half the energy into meeting with their neighbors and addressing their very real and valid concerns that they put into spinning and trying to game the political system to get every single thing they want – maybe they would have renewed by now.
The fact is, Valley tried to pull a fast one and it blew up in their face. This was a critical meeting where the final vote was being taken and Ridgewood residents were shut out. Valley bussed in people from out of town with the premeditated strategy of keeping its opponents out of the meeting. Period – now get YOUR facts straight.
If Valley truly had this great idea, they would have done everything in their power to have that meeting at the largest available venue to accommodate as many people as possible to hear their grand plan. Instead, like the rest of the 2010 process, it was done as quickly and as secretively as possible. Thank God a handful of residents organized as quickly as they did to counteract Valley’s closed door tactics. Look at history folks. Any time you try to suppress the voices and opinions of your detractors, bad things happen.
As for the police, I think that calling in units from 3 or 4 other towns that night was an over reaction as was dragging the old guy away in handcuffs for getting too close to the front door. I’m generally a big fan of the Ridgewood PD, but this was not your finest hour.
And that”s what really happened !
I was at that meeting as well. I stood directly next to Megan Frazier as she handpicked her friends from the throng outside GW, beckoning them to come in while the others were shut out. I had saved a seat for my husband who was trying to join me, but he was not permitted to enter the building. His seat, and others, remained empty. Valley completely misbehaved that evening—busing in their out-of-town friends and their kids to the event, in order to pack the room. Those of us who oppose the Valley expansion were told there would be no parking, so many of us walked to the meeting—only to find an empty parking lot at Westside Pres. and Valley’s refreshment truck…The whole thing was an utter disgrace on the part of Valley Hospital
And the town of Ridgewood…