Readers says Planning Board is afraid of Valley’s Lawyer “The Drill Sargent”
Meeting seemed like such a waste of time tonight? I was so disappointed with the petty BS. Valley’s Lawyer “The Drill Sargent” has such an ego it doesn’t even fit into this building? He has no right to act like he does. The way the board allows him to act is a disgrace on their part. The entire board is scared of him and he is becoming the Judge , Jury, and Executioner! He must cost $500 an hour?
I think the only question that needs to be answered now is how much expansion are we going to give them? I heard 94 feet? 71 feet, 48 feet? This “Due” Process is pathetic and Valley should just get to re-do their structures based on the existing H-Zone. End this now. Enough is enough. Just say NO, based on the existing limits
If he interrupts someone again, he should be fined by the Village. His behavior was deplorable!!
I was present at the meeting last night and thought the Valley Hospital’ attorney drill, intimidated Gail Price the PB lawyer and Charles Nalbanthian. Drill would interrupt and make rulings on the proceedings and Price and Nalbanthian deferred to Drill. Valley is running the show!
Drill should be HIB’d
We have to stand up and fight this ridiculous proposal. Remember what CRR Planner Steck warned us of: if Valley is permitted to build this time, nothing will stand in it’s way to do it again and again.
I sincerely believe we residents have a great deal of untapped power. Showing up to the meeting was a big step but we must do more. We must be vocal, vigilant and brave. The Planning Board has always leaned toward Valley – but if we show up in large numbers, they won’t be afraid of Drill anymore, they’ll be afraid of us!!!! We LIVE HERE, We PAY TAXES, THIS IS OUR VILLAGE!!!!!!!!!!
When someone like that is not stopped in the beginning it just emboldens him. The PB attorney should maintain control. It is a village meeting not a Valley meeting. Grow a pair.
I don’t think Gail Price is intimidated at all — she’s been trying to help Valley get this project for years now. Just look at how she set up the last Planning Board vote when they all felt compelled to vote yes because she told them they would be sued otherwise. We should be angry that she’s not working harder for the residents of this town.
It’s amazing – and mystifying – how skewed the PB is toward Valley. Everything is adjusted to make it easier for Valley. Even the PB “experts” are on the defensive, leaning toward making the expansion happen.
The PB should be protecting us – the residents/taxpayers – not the business concerns of Valley Hospital!!!
WE LIVE HERE
I hope you all are doing something other than complaining. Last night’s turnout was amazing, unfortunately the turnout over the last months has been paltry. Get Involved NOW! Attend every meeting, donate, talk about the issue to increase awareness.
However, people need to also be respectful of the meetings and stop the shouting, applause, etc. that occurred last night. I understand the feelings. Someone had a good idea that everyone should buy the stop valley bumper stickers and raise them in the air instead of shouting out.
Who is the planning board guy who went on a rant that was unintelligible? He should have been gaveled out of order by Nalbanthian. Sounds like he was pimping for Valley. So much for an open mind.
Agree with all comments. #9, yes, that was appalling, embarrassing…illegal? Regarding Drill, doesn’t Ridgewood have zero tolerance for bullying?
Yes, was very sad to see Nalbantian deferring to the Valley lawyer and Price. At one point, Nalbantian told the witness to answer the Valley shrill’s question yes or no as he asks, but then you can expand on your answer. When the witness did that, the Valley shrill then cut into his testimony and Nalbantian did nothing. Wasn’t suprized Price didn’t say anything, as she is clearly pro-Valley and anti-Village, but Chairman Nalbantian is a very level headed person whose agenda has always seemed to do what’s right for the Village as a whole.
And, yes, very sad to see the one Board member ramble on and on without any apparent clue as to what the issues are in front of the Board. He compared Valley’s residential neighborhood to Hackensack Hospital’s neighbor, calling them both “residential”. He seemed to complain that the expert would dare to find the Valley neighborhood as one consisting of single family homes. He seems like a very honest chap, but I got the sense he has some secret agenda or at least some misguided sense that Valley has to be allowed to “modernize” and the Board or Villagers have no right to question its judgment. Very sad indeed.
By the end of the night, I left feeling very discouraged. No one has articulated why it make sense for Valley to expand in the middle of town. The board seems terrified or at least pre-disposed to granting Valley’s demands. Price seems to keep pointing them in that direction, convincing them that is the only thing they can do.
We will be left with a monstrosity, that will only keep getting worse as variances are requested to change the use going forward.
I had to leave early so I wasn’t there for the ramblings of one of the board members, but I’m wondering if it happened to be Mr. Grant. Any meeting where I’ve heard him speak, he seems to be clueless and also very in favor of the expansion. To say that the neighborhood around Valley is like the one around Hackensack is ludicrous! I guess it will be soon, once they allow Valley to expand and for all the housing developments to be built. This place is turning into a horrible city.
Very simple: If this gets approved, no one who either resides here, or is thinking of moving here, will have no problem comparing Ridgewood to Hackensack, Englewood, etc.
I’ve resided in Bergen County for over 35 years. If the PB really wants to put this town in the same category as these towns, then you would be wise to”get out of Dodge,” as they say. It will definitely not be worth living here.
The neighborhoods around the hospital have already changed, folks – and no one has broken ground yet. There are more “for sale” signs, more rentals, more turnover, and our homes have already been devalued.
If the Valley idiocy has already caused these changes before anything has happened, think about what it will do to ALL of us, should Valley be permitted to expand?
THIS IS HAPPENING—GET INVOLVED!
When I started going to the PB meetings, I was actually surprised by the thoughtful and tough questions the PB members were asking. I did not attend any of the 2010 mtgs. Some of them may have their mind made up, but if so, they are at least asking the questions. Valley should be allowed to modernize within it’s existing height limitations and setback limitations. They should have started better planning back when the Town told them years and years ago to look into offsite facilities.
You are right #15, And why should we residents pay for the bad corporate decisions made by Valley years ago?
I too am disappointed that the PB wasn’t asking more probing questions. They seemed more neutral before, but now seem to lean heavily toward Valley; defensive with those of us who oppose the expansion
#12, Yes it was Mr Grant that went rambling on and on and on. This is not the first time he has been an embarrassment to the board. Back in April or May, he started one of his questions with something like “we all know Valley needs to expand”. He clearly did not come to these hearings with an open mind.
The PB member that went on and on was Mr. grant. For those of us who have been attending the meetings since they began you will remember his first comment about the expansion, ” Valley needs to expand”. So last night’s tirade was totally expected when there was thee first presentation that conflicted with his initial thoughts.
Also interesting was that Mr. May, the PB’s hired hospital planners tirade against Mr. Steck. This character hasn’t asked one question of any valley professional and he now gets all uppity with Steck. Who is he working for.
Nalbantian has voted for Valley every time he has had dealings with them. So don’t expect him to do anything to make the road easier for the residents.
The bottom line here is that Valley was told in the 80’s that this needed to be their last expansion and they ignored that advice then and Mr. Steck is right that no mater if they get everything they want now they will be back again and again to ask for more because they have the money and the might to do so. This is clearly an uphill battle for the residents of Ridgewood .
Mr. May is some kind of health consultant for Valley. You would never know it by the questions he asked. The only point he really made was that he was in the health field and did not understand Mr. Steck’s comments. Too bad since everyone else did.
All you have to do is walk around in a suit or dress, look semi-important, ask a question or two (maybe), and collect a paycheck from Valley. And the question(s) can even be dumb. What a joke these people are. Really an embarrassment to the business community.