Paul,
It has been a while since this group has communicated – I hope everyone is doing well. I received your email below and wanted to respond.
I respect Roberta. I think she has done a great job overall managing this Village. It’s not an easy job by any means. I personally know Roberta…she is a good neighbor and I like to consider her as a friend. She is smart, quick, effective – I respect her and admire her and from what I have heard she has done a better job of executing than previous VMs. However, I was shocked to see the full page ad in the news. I was even more shocked when I read your email and was targeted with a mass email chain from someone in my neighborhood (how she got my personal email is quite a mystery). I guess I am confused…why are we making this election about her or any village staff? Shouldn’t the election be about the issues at hand – high density housing, doubling the size of Valley hospital in the middle of a residential area? When did we turn this election into village hall staffing? You work for a corporation so you know very well that a new boss is entitled to evaluate the existing talent pool. So why is this even a concern? No company will hesitate to bring in the right boss for fear of cleaning up the existing talent pool. We shouldn’t either.
We have to remember, this election isn’t about any Village Hall staff. It’s about whether we trust the people we elect to represent the town fairly and responsibly. It’s about where they stand on the issues that we each find important to our families, to our property values, to our future, to our way of life.
It saddens me that you are trying to turn this campaign around and divert the attention away from the true issues. Not to mention make up deceitful lies. Not one candidate has made any statement about Roberta and her role. It’s simply not part of this election, nor should it be. It’s a non issue. It saddens me that we are not able to campaign with dignity and respect for one another. I hope that changes.
Respectfully,
Bonita Shimpfky
———- Forwarded message ———
From: Paul Aronsohn <paul@paularonsohn.com>
Date: Fri, May 6, 2016, 9:04 PM
Subject: Vote for Brooks, Weitz and Willett
To: <paul@paularonsohn.com>
Dear Neighbor,
Last week, I endorsed council candidates Rich Brooks, Evan Weitz and Janice Willett in a letter-to-the-editor, noting that they have solid experience, uncompromising integrity/ethics and a proven commitment to Ridgewood. I also noted that they are right on issues important to me, such as the budget, the parking deck, the special needs community and the Village Manager.
This week, several additional community leaders – past and present – have also endorsed Rich, Evan and Janice – community leaders who have helped shape Ridgewood’s traditions, while moving Ridgewood forward. And importantly, a group of residents took out a full-page ad in the Ridgewood News today, noting that “only 3 candidates are committed to keeping Roberta Sonenfeld as Village Manager – Rich Brooks, Evan Weitz and Janice Willett.”
Please see the attached list of endorsements and the full-page ad.
Needless to say, many of us believe that this year’s election is especially important, and as explained by the Ridgewood News Editorial Board, every vote matters. Remember, in 2012, there was a difference of only 15 votes between the 3rd and 4th placed candidates.
If you have any questions, about this year’s election, please feel free to email me. If you want to learn more about Rich, Evan and Janice — and their positive, inclusive vision for Ridgewood — please visit their website – www.Ridgewood2020.com.
Thank you for your consideration. Thank you for voting on Tuesday.
Best,
Paul
I have been a Ridgewood Resident for the last 22 years and bought into the town because of the schools and quaintness of the village.
I would like to know why Rich Brooks and Gail Price have not openly discussed how they plan on handling what is an obvious Conflict of Interest of being married and the effect if will have on decisions for the town.
Secondly, Evan Weitz has only lived in town for around 3-4 years but manages to become the Chair of the Financial Advisory Committee without even serving previous time on the committee? That makes no sense to me except that he was put there for political purposes.
With regards to parking. The height of the current Plan D eliminates much of the parking on Hudson Street. Maybe if the parking stayed with the original estimates as were expressed to the voters before being voted on in November our community would not be going crazy over the height and girth of the current Plan D. It should be the current size of the footprint and Hudson street should stay the same as it currently is designed.
I believe one of the worst offenses is that all of this seems to be coming from politicians in town who seek higher offices in Bergen County. They take their lead from the Democratic Chairperson, Lou Stellato, who is a Lyndhurst resident. So I ask you, why is it we would ever want a Lyndhurst resident influencing our town. Follow the political trail and make your own decision.
As far as Roberta is concerned her allowing 600 tickets to be handed out for leaves in the street is ridiculous. Also her involvement in the local politics of the garage should never be tolerated by town counsel or our residents. She should be reprimanded or asked to leave. It is not the town according to Roberta!
And as for Paul Arohnson, just leave – you have been self serving and a disaster for this village.
Mrs. Price shouted on facebook and on the blog about how there is not a conflict, and went on to distract from the matter at hand by saying that there have been some deaths in the family and that they (her? him?) have been dealing with some serious health issues. Then she added the tidbit that she is underpaid and that some lowly tradespeople make more than she does at $125 an hour. It is very sad that there have been deaths in their family, but quite frankly this is not relevant to the discussion. Do you really want the citizens to vote for Mr. Brooks because his mother died? The fact that there are some serious health issues is relevant. Open disclosure? No one asked, but you volunteered this information, but only volunteered the tip of the iceberg leaving us all to speculate about one of the candidates. Then the condescending poverty comment, really, this is sickening. $125 an hour for doing a crappy job, for letting Valley run all over us, and you expect our sympathy.
So, to 11:48 ‘s point, why the hell has Brooks not explained why there is not a conflict that his wife works for the Village???
Didn’t one of the 3 amigos use the same tact about someone dying to get elected ?
The editor of the Ridgewood News stated in print in the April 22 and April 29 issues that no council candidate endorsement letters would run on May 6. But someone, no doubt as instructed, sneaked one in stating that the big issue in the election was…retaining the village manager. And the mayor in his monthly column did the same. In the same issue appeared the full-page ad pictured above. DUH.
With any luck, residents who are not entirely in a cocoon will read and hear this stuff, shake their heads sadly, and vote for Coghlan-Walsh, Hache, and Voigt on Tuesday. Can we have a parade after the swearing-in of new council members on July 1 leading the amigos out of Village Hall, one hopes forever? Please, please, please go away and take your dirty politics out of here.
They just loooooooooooove the village manager? Or Aronsohn wants his finger kept firmly in the pie to keep any stray newcomers on the council in line?
Why is Roberta an election issue?
They all should be ashamed and embarrassed.
Bonita Shimpfky ??? Is that even a real name?
must have been a good move judging by the volume of those speaking out against it
3:34- She attached her name. Better than you can say, and frankly, I wouldn’t mess with her. She’s smart, connected, and driven.
And all you managed to do today was make fun of someone’s name.
Your mom must be proud.
I’m not taking sides here but the village manager has always responded to my emails when I complained about various issues. As an employee she seems to be doing her job from my perspective . I’m a resident since 1969 so just because she appears to get along with council members should not be held against her. Leave her out of the politics. BG
sorry BG she has interjected herself into town politics too late for that
We don’t elect a village manager. The council hires one. How is this a campaign issue and how do you ask people in advance of their election to support her? this is do off base, I don’t think anyone will buy into it.
Linda McNamara, the problem is that some people can’t see the liar hidden behind the smile and trust everything that this mayor says.
I would venture to say that if you asked 100 residents the name of our Village Manger, only 5 would answer correctly. Of those, probably only 1 knows enough to have an opinion. So the majority of people who see this type of messaging are left wondering, “what are they talking about?”
Bottom line is that the issue is real. If you like the Village Manager you should vote accordingly. There is no way Mayor Knudson is keeping Roberta. She has done a great job negotiating contracts and with the leaves. Garage and leaf fines–not so much. Her continued employment is directly tied to the results of this election.
Hey 3:34, it’s a realer name than “Anonymous.”
All of those points are true
Am I missing something ? How can Roberta take credit for keeping taxes down…?
And as I understand it, a new tax increase will be announced after the election and it’ll be more than 2%.
its called using up the emergency fund for non emergency expenses
Current budget has 1.6% increase. Another historically low increase. Roberta negotiated very good contracts with police and fire which should keep expenses down. Also turned Ridgewood water from a money loser to money maker.
lol sorry Brian not a chance the budget increase stayed low because high paid police officers retired and we rehired at a much lower rate , and the emergency fund was plundered as for Ridgewood water its not a money maker and the mishandled lawsuit is going to kill the town
Why is this ad listing 4 years accomplishments? When was she hired?
Did you hear Willets comment that she wants to keep tax increases to 2%? Think about that, the supposed “finance” expert has a goal of keeping tax increases to 2% – – what about a goal of 0% or better yet a goal of reducing our taxes?
Don’t be foolish – – vote for the real candidates: Voigt, Walsh, Hache!