BY STEVE JANOSKI
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — The Village Council may introduce a bond ordinance Wednesday to fund a proposed municipal parking garage without using county money, despite recent approvals from the county.
The move is a sharp departure for the council, the majority of which agreed in January to ask the Bergen County Improvement Authority to bond for the garage’s approximate $12.3 million cost. That vote came after the governing body could not get the required four-vote super-majority necessary to authorize the municipality to bond for the project on its own.
But the idea of locally bonding the costs of the proposed Hudson Street deck was put forward again on Feb. 21 by Mayor Paul Aronsohn in an email to some community members. It’s seen as an attempt to assuage the unsatisfied council minority — as well as residents who’ve started a petition drive to force the funding issue into a public referendum.
“Although I still believe that a partnership with the BCIA would be a good thing for Ridgewood, I want to give my council colleagues another chance to make this happen,” Aronsohn said in the email.
The reintroduced ordinance will be for $11.5 million, a smaller number that reflects the garage’s newly reduced size — instead of 405 spaces, the garage would accommodate 325.
Some on the council initially favored the larger structure, but officials scaled back plans last month after vocal public opposition. Many residents said the building would be too large, protruding into Hudson Street and constricting local traffic.
Interesting that the Mayor plans to go to the County if the vote fails again this week. Hold fast Susan and Mike. Smaller and slower please – let’s get this right.
Bogus article. Just say no.
I hope Susan and Mike call out his bluff.
Why is it a bogus article. Aronsohn stated the facts and stated he is going to BCIA if he doesn’t get the voted from the council.
Although I signed the petition , NO2BCIA, I do not think it is valid and can negate the BCIA vote for county funding of the garage.
Someone would have to call and ask the Freeholders that question. Call Mr. Lautz at the Freeholder number.
My impression is that the petition doesn’t count. Unfortunately.
Can it be voted on Wednesday or does that have to be considered a first reading?
10:07AM – then you did NOT sign it. If you had signed it, you would have read about the clause / law of the petition. The mayor CANNOT go to BCIA with the Petition in place. That’s why it’s a bogus article.
Yes, I did sign it. I called the Freeholder’s a few days ago, to ask the result of their first consideration of Aronsohn’s BCIA request, because the stupid posting here just talked about how warmly Ridgewood residents were greeted, not the result of the Freeholder vote.
I was told there will be another Freeholder vote on the matter, if Ridgewood chooses to go the BCIA route.
I didn’t specifically ask if the petition against BCIA had legal impact, but my impression was that it did not.
I did sign the petition; I have been a strong advocate against the garage from the very first, last summer. Unfortunately, most of you are Johnny come latlelys.
11:18am. Okay. Probably the freeholders did not know the details of the Petition. The are probably correct on “if Ridgewood chooses to go the BCIA route.”. With the petition in place, the earliest Ridgewood can do that is after May election, if the voters in Ridgewood still approve BCIA, after knowing that all the claims about ‘saving money’ with BCIA were false/untrue.
Their will be another vote if ridgewood chooses to go that route. But the town will be lawfully unable to do that…that was the whole point of the petition.
Best bet for everyone imp would be to agree on a smaller design and bond in ridgewood
I also wrote a letter to Freeholders telling them not to vote on BCIA permission for funding, because a petition was going around against the BCIA funding. Other residents wrote letters too. I received an E-mail asking me to write a letter. The E-Mail was a collective letter going out to many residents.
But the Freeholders still voted for BCIA involvement. I really do not think the petition has any legal validity. That is why Aronsohn and company got the Freeholders involved in the first place.
The only hope is that the new garage design is small enough so that most residents will be satisfied. And council people too of course. I think that if the design basically fits the size of Hudson ST. there, won’t be a problem.
IF THE DESIGN FITS
it is a ballot question now so Aronsohn circled back and is trying to go through the Village again
Aronsohn, in my opinion, would like to have all five council members vote for the garage. It looks good, for him.
If there is still a three to two vote, he will get funding from BCIA. The Freeholders will give him permission.
According to my opinion of the laws.
Why did he go to the Freeholders when he heard about the petition? They are the higher authority.
@1:57 I also hope they can find a design for a smaller garage that fits on the lot.BUT, once certified the petition is legally binding. Not sure where your confusion is?
1:57 pm your information is not correct. Sorry.
James 1:59 is correct.
2:06pm. Freeholders can only approve BCIA’s side of things. Due to the petition in place, the village of Ridgewood cannot take their money, even if BCIA wants to give it now without their fees etc.
2:06 ordinance 3519 is being challenged, that is the ordinance approving Ridgewood taking funds from BCIA. Until that question is settled we can not accept anything from Freeholders.