McGrath is a Graduate of NJIT
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the Village of Ridgewood has officially turned the page on a long chapter of administrative tension. Sources confirm that James McGrath, a seasoned infrastructure expert and the current Municipal Engineer for the City of Paterson, has been selected as the new Village Engineer.
McGrath steps into the role to replace Christopher Rutishauser, whose long tenure was frequently marked by local controversy. With a deep background in both municipal government and private consulting, McGrath is being tapped to bring technical precision and a “fresh start” to Ridgewood’s engineering department.
Who is James McGrath? A Deep Dive into Ridgewood’s New Engineer
James McGrath isn’t just a career bureaucrat; he is a highly technical civil engineer with a massive portfolio of complex projects. Coming from the City of Paterson, New Jersey’s third-largest city, McGrath is accustomed to managing high-stakes infrastructure in a fast-paced environment.
Technical Expertise & Background:
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Geotechnical Specialist: Before entering public service, McGrath honed his skills at elite firms like SESI Consulting Engineers, Langan, and Matrix New World Engineering.
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Infrastructure Management: His experience ranges from designing dynamic compaction programs and retaining walls to overseeing large-scale wastewater engineering projects.
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Master of Civil Engineering: McGrath holds both a Bachelor’s and a Master of Science from the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), one of the region’s top engineering programs.
🔄 Replacing a Controversial Legacy
The departure of Christopher Rutishauser marks a significant shift for Ridgewood. For years, residents and local bloggers have scrutinized the department’s handling of village projects, from paving schedules to major infrastructure decisions.
By hiring McGrath, the Village Council appears to be prioritizing regulatory compliance and site assessment expertise. His background in “software development lifecycles” and “project oversight” suggests a modernized, data-driven approach to the village’s aging infrastructure.
🚦 What This Means for Ridgewood Residents
As McGrath takes the helm, several key village priorities will be under his microscope:
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Paving & Road Maintenance: Expect a renewed focus on soil and asphalt compaction testing—specialties McGrath mastered during his time at SESI.
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Regulatory Compliance: His role in Paterson involved strict adherence to local and state regulations, a skill that will be vital for Ridgewood’s ongoing environmental and zoning projects.
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Contractor Oversight: McGrath has a documented history of overseeing contractors for subgrade preparation and excavation, which could lead to better accountability for village-funded construction.
Meet the Engineer: James McGrath at a Glance
| Feature | Professional Background |
| Education | M.S. & B.S. in Engineering, NJIT |
| Previous Role | Municipal Engineer, City of Paterson |
| Private Sector | SESI, Langan, Hatch Mott MacDonald |
| Core Skills | Geotechnical Analysis, AutoCAD, Site Assessment |
| Key Priority | Infrastructure Development & Maintenance |
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How many former Paterson personnel are now on school and town positions?
And how many contracts have been awarded in Ridgewood that formerly had or still have contracts in Paterson?
It’s just prior experience. Don’t overthink it
This may not be an attractive job for a lot of engineers. Be grateful
That’s a good question.
The new business administrator has replaced all major contracts.
Follow the money!!
Nationwide searches often result in selections from the next county…….
Hopefully, the new engineer is not another “Paterson palms” closet bigot.
Rude. Give the guy a chance.
“Replacing a Controversial Legacy” is an understatement to say the least. It was an absolute shit show.
It is, everything starts at the top!!
Nothing left to steal in Paterson. Moving onto the easy marks in Ridgewood. Going to turn the village into a 15 minute city by the train station.
Well, at least they hired somebody from the outside, because there was rumors that an individual from in-house was going to take his position. Thank God that didn’t happen because that position is way over his head. Doesn’t have the credentials or their experience. That’s the problem. We have individuals and positions to have no test score. They just put into the position. Do as I say not as I tell you will be my puppet. Well, now they have a new hit puppet to answer to. Enjoy the rest. Because I see it happening already whose hair is turning gray, who’s losing hair, who’s gaining a tremendous amount of weight. Oh Yes happy new year. Remember what they say. Be careful what you wish for.
Exactly what Spano did with you, Dave.
There was talk that Chris is staying on in until April, I guess that was a rumor
Does the guy have experience building dead end bike lanes, dumping dirty free soil and going out and writing summons for yard signs? Asking for a friend.
Post of the day !
The party is over for some. Employees that have been ass kissing the gimp , what are you going to do now. You fools. Now you will have to start over.
Pucker up!
Everyone better get to work on time, restart at 7 o’clock, not 730 or 745 supervision should be at their worksite at least 15 minutes before 7 o’clock. This all shit will stop immediately. My eyes are on you.
The guy seems very well educated, when is he starting. We would love to sit down with him and go over a few things regarding hidden secrets.
He doesn’t know who you are and doesn’t care.
Dollars to donuts he has some link to KK…..
One word, Matrix.
Enough said
This should happen five years ago then the village wouldn’t be in this position. And it’s amazing how some individuals are putting thumbs down on getting to work on time. We got your number we know who you are. It’s going to stop. We cannot have supervision in one department coming to work 15 minutes before the workers clock in, and that another department we have employees wondering around until supervision strolls in a half hour late. Enough. That’s why morale in at the bottom is shut the shit. What a joke you’re supposed to leave by example. Not be a hypocrite. If he got a problem, what I’m talking about and saying, give me a call anytime.
There’s a new sheriff in town
Blazing Saddles?
It’s about time, this should happen over five years ago would’ve avoided a lot of situations. Now it’s time to play chess. People will be moved. Like it or not.
You fools up on thumbs down, it’s either your management, or you’re just one of those ass suckers and you don’t know what to do right now because you’re running scared because the boy you were sucking ass is going to be sent packing. And you don’t know what you should do. We are in a dilemma. I feel very sorry for you, actually I don’t. You just don’t know how to be real. I’m sitting back laughing my ass off. More to come. Happy new year.
👍. Happy new year.
Who’s going to clean out the X directors office. Talk about clutter paperwork all over the place.
We are seeing certain employees very scared. Walking around very concerned. Maybe they should be. Because they were put into power in their position with no credentials. No test score. Not good, civil servers can pull you out of that position at any time allegedly down in Trenton they exactly know what’s going on. Now it’s in their lap to act on this illegal activity. this new director has a lot to clean up. He’s walk around shaking his head. What the hell is going on here.
I think they should put Mr. Chris as the crew chief of yard waste. We would love to see him hanging in the back of a truck.
👍 once again they send someone out of village roll with their tail between their legs.
It’s about time to get this arrogant son of a bitch at a village . It’s amazing how it took so long. He must’ve had some dirt on top officials. The village manager knew everything that was going on. She dropped the ball. She should’ve never ever been in that capacity of a manager. She was in over her head.
Look to Paterson politics to understand what is materializing in Ridgewood.
McGrath is another, of several employees, who are abandoning Mayor Sayegh. It seems he’s losing control and has a challenger for Mayor that is more aligned to Sherrill and Sen. Wimberly.
Matthews, the BOE BA, is Wimberly guy.
Kazmark is a Sherrill connection.
Sherrill made a speech at the Paterson BOE meeting to congratulate a returning BOE member who also is a strong Sherrill supporter. This BOE member is now in the Catbird seat. And the new Paterson majority is closely aligned with new Ridgewood employees.
The ties are strong. And so are the contracts that have been brought into the schools. Fairview Insurance, through America’s Future First super PAC, is a big political donor to Democratic Party and even funded Paterson BOE winners.