Ridgewood NJ, last night council meeting saw Rurik Halaby in fine form, pronouncing Mayor Susan Knudsen’s name wrong once again and ranting that Schedler was a dump filled with broken glass,plastic bottles and god knows what else. He further claimed the house was a junk heap and there were no endangered species there claiming that Eagles don’t hang out near highways.
Anne Loving remedied the situation, durring the public comment she asked Susan about the pronounciation of her name so that all would hear. Don’t know if Rurik or it was past his bed time but it will be in the minutes.
Deputy Mayor Michael Sedon is planning to request municipal funds to be used to upgrade the tree replacement program which is practically non existent except for volunteer efforts. We have been losing trees due to age, sidewalk replacement, storms and neglect. At one time Ridgewood had nine employees in the Shade Tree Division now we have three.
But the big news I heard is that the sports groups/ field committee are looking to replace the turf at Maple Field. Councilmen Ramon Hache said that it is so hard and damaged that it is unsafe to play on. Artificial turf in a flood plain well here we go again. A little snippet from the Ridgewood blog in 2007 ; Reader says, “All you “fiscally responsible” folks — artificial turf, like that at Maple, is the way to go”
https://theridgewoodblog.net/reader-says-all-you-fiscally-responsible-folks-artificial-turf-like-that-at-maple-is-the-way-to-go/
Parking came up as usual and there is concern that it is now on the back burner but the council is currently looking at all their options and revisiting the Hudson Street Garage.
Councilman Hache estimated that costs to replace the turf at Maple Field are in the $600k range. Time for a “Go Fund Me” page.
Don Delzio was there but did not get up to offer half a million dollars from their huge financial pot
The towns own assault on sidewalk slab elevation due towns own inappropriate shade tree choices has cost residents a fortune in concrete work,
.Each day a raised slab reveals a mature healthy tree that must come down.More costs then everyone wants a shade tree replacement program…let’s connect the DOTS Folks..
Maple should cost $200-250….600K is for a new field and track….Maple doesn’t have a track last time I checked.
Let’s get new Chestnut trees for Chestnut Street and new Walnut trees for Walnut Street. Oak Street is still doing well … lots of shade from those might oaks!
So rude to belittle our hard working Mayor by carelessly mispronouncing her name.
Stop wasting money on artificial turf, natural was very good for decades. How long has this turf lasted, does not seem that long?
I never heard a track mentioned in the cost of fixing Maple Field. The 600,000 dollar number is the cost of replacing the top portion of the artificial turf which is damaged due to a rip in the center and silt deposits from flooding that have contributed to a hardening of the field.Artificial turf was sold to us on the basis that it is maintenance free. That is not the case and we knew it 12 years ago.
hache mentioned that the town was projected to save $33,000 per year by not maintaining the grass at maple field. If the life span of turf is 8-10 years and it costs $500,000 – $600,000 to replace, how is that saving the town any money?? just another misrepresentation.
I’d say go back to grass.
I agree; go back to grass unless someone is willing to pay the $600k out of their own pocket.
It’s shocking an elected official would publicly state a village owned facility was “unsafe”. We’re now wide open to a lawsuit when the next kid gets injured!
12:40 – Well, Albert, that is because we now have Village Officials who are open and honest, qualities that did not exist when you and your buffoon buddies Paul, Gwenn, and Roberta were in power.
Well, remember when the Maple artificial turf idea was first presented to the then council by the sports groups/ field committee ? They said it wouldn’t cost us – the town residents taxpayers “a dime”. So, let them, the sports groups ante up the money again to cover the pickup and hauling away of the old turf, also along with replacing it with a new turf if that’s they want it.. Its Their dime! Let them back up their word. Pick up their “gift” and go back to natural. There’s plenty other BOE fields now.
1:57 pm seems to have hit the nail on the head. Maybe Ed Seavers can make a large contribution.
Oak Street is not doing well. The majority of those Oaks will all come down within the next decade or so.
There is supposedly a rip in the field – it can be repaired with a certain ex councilman’s toupee
1:33, try to stay awake here. If he honestly believes it’s unsafe, the next thing out of his mouth should have been “close it down now”.
2:26 pm is that really so? Are the oak trees “aging out” or are they diseased? Please elaborate.
Still no discussion of taxing Valley? Property tax revenues from them might pay for shade trees, field surfaces and property tax cuts for the rest of us, but it’s not an agenda item?