April 16th 2015
https://theridgewoodblog.net/readers-says-valley-hospital-a-community-hospital-that-sues-the-community-it-is-serving/Ridgewood NJ, One can only wonder ,how could such a well financed hospital so poorly execute on its expansion plans and fall pry to one PR disaster after another? Did someone whisper in the ear of the trustees to make them think that at the end of the day Valleys political friends would come through . After all since Valley began pursuing its expansion , HUMC has purchased Pascack Valley , expanded dramatically its foot print and made deals with many of Valleys competitors ?
It all started with the so called Pfund’s Folly, i.e. Ordinance 3066 !!! In the very least repeal the Chapter § 190-143 ( here https://ecode360.com/6694062 ) that allow for applications to amend the Master Plan. Application to Village Council or Planning Board.Any interested party may request that an amendment or amendments be made to the Village Master Plan or development regulations. The request(s) shall be made to the Village Council and/or the Village Planning Board.
This ordinance that was adopted by our Village elected officials, Pfund at the helm, was designed exclusively for Valley Hospital to pursue its expansion goals.https://theridgewoodblog.net/the-ordinance-that-was-adopted-by-our-village-elected-officials-pfund-at-the-helm-was-designed-exclusively-for-valley-hospital-to-pursue-its-expansion-goals/
As we now know Mayor Pfund was a personal donor to Valley Hospital until 2006, his law firm (Reiseman, Rosenberg & Pfund, LLP) listed Valley hospital as one of its clients on their website until the listing mysteriously disappeared, Pfund’s father has willed part of his estate to Valley after he dies! Yet Pfund has not rescued himself from the considering the H-Zone issue? Others on the Planning Board have for less association.” https://theridgewoodblog.net/because-this-comes-up-over-and-over/
Whats seems odd to most readers is that after a thorough review and denial the previous council Mayor Aronsohn pledged over and over that he would once again .
Aronsohn played both sides of every issue in the election. He promised CRR he’d stop the Valley expansion so they supported him. Then he “aligned himself” with pro-development, pro Valley hospital expansion candidates. He got votes from both sides of the issue! https://theridgewoodblog.net/aronsohns-election-win-is-looking-more-and-more-disingenuous/
Even the Ridgewood News commented , “Last Tuesday’s non-partisan election that ousted one of two Village Council incumbents has left residents questioning what the new mix of leaders will bring to the table regarding The Valley Hospital’s proposed expansion plan — an issue considered dormant since last year. Mayor Keith Killion, who voted against the $750 million plan to double the size of the hospital, lost his bid on Tuesday for one of three four-year seats up for grabs on the council. The new council could revisit the vote, because a change in the master plan that could permit the expansion still exists.https://www.northjersey.com/topstories/ridgewood/151331565_Election_opens_questions_on_hospital_plan.html
Which led to Valley resubmitting the expansion plan with no changes from the previous submission.
So what is the case have our political leaders willingly mislead Valley in the hopes of reaping benefits from Valley’s support or has Valley controlled the narrative or as some would say undermined the political process to continue to push its highly unpopular agenda ?
I could be wrong but I believe that when our Mayor was running for re-election he stated numerous times that we should repeal 3066
Yes, don’t think Mayor Aronson played both sides on this one as much as he took an even handed approach.
But, I do miss Mayor Keith. we wouldn’t be having half the issues we have now had we kept him in office.
Not sure anyone misses Mayor Pfund.
This is all just heresay and false accusations PJ. Valley re-submitted their proposal to the Planning board which they were allowed to do under 3066 which we all agree should be repealed. To claim any other back room dealing is just hysterical BS from people who clearly have no knowledge of the process.
no claim of back room dealing , the point is perhaps they have been misled , resubmitting the exact same proposal seems to boarder on stupidity or extreme arrogance ,a feet even NJ Transit managed to avoid with the train station , so one is left to ask the obvious question was there an implication it would pass ?
When you look at the first push, you have a successful hospital that has great financials, and even though people may hate her, a very successful CEO who runs a good enterprise…the fact that they did not gauge public opinion, had the shrill pr team advertising the majority of residents want the expansion and then the “victory party” prior to the CEO’s frantic plea at the high noon village meeting, I find it hard to believe that the Valley execs were that tone deaf… I’m not a conspiracy nut but it just doesn’t make sense that they tried to steamroll this too big expansion… there was something in the mix that made these successful execs think this was a done deal…
It’s clear that the Concerned Residents of Ridgewood successfully derailed what Valley thought was a “done deal.” Let’s hope that the Citizens for a Better Ridgewood have the same resolve and success with the developers and their friends on our Village Council. Back room meetings have long been the norm in this town and one need look no farther than the current Council majority to see that. The difference is, these 3 have already been caught a couple of times with comedic results.
The current plan to increase density in Ridgewood from 12 units per acre to 50 units per acres smells just like Valley and their million square feet. It’ll probably sail past our Planning Board so please, CBR stick to your guns. Oh yea and you better be prepared to fight dirty because that’s how this Council rolls.
I for one do not believe the arrogance of VH management can be over-estimated. their choice of counsel to represent them before the PB speaks volumes about how tone deaf they were about pursuing their plans. Their proposal was fundamentally flawed and their strategy for pursuing it was even worse.
5:53.. I hear ya, drill is a tool so to speak, but how could they be THAT tone deaf… and the PR shreiker was a joke… theres something else… I cant believe they’re that tone deaf and arrogant…
5:51.. CRR definitely played a critical role but when you look at the whole approach, it just doesn’t click unless the end result was telegraphed (yeah I’m old)… look at the bios of the powers in place at Valley… the governing body could not have been that blind… I’m not making accusations but when you look at the past several years of this mess, how could they have thought they can just ram this through?
If you go back and look over the myriad of posts you will see that many of the bloggers felt the “fix” was in because of the way things were proceeding and how the valley rep’s handled themselves
Uh, 5:51, the Mayor has now voted down Valley’s plans 2x so I don’t see how he’s been setting up “done deals” in a back room somewhere next to the Planning board meetings. Maybe Audrey and her board are just too arrogant and tone deaf?