file photo by Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, at the October 25 Village Council meeting, a very brief discussion led to the conclusion that there will not be a “live” tree for the town Christmas tree. Well over 300 people signed an online petition asking that the town stop cutting down a living tree for this purpose. However, the council concluded that the currently used location is the best one, and a tree cannot be planted there. So much for Green Ridgewood.
While many residents of the Village favor using a permanent live tree , the tree that gets cut down is a tree that for some reason is going to be removed anyway , so for many the repurposing the tree for Christmas festivities like the “Downtown for the Holidays” in the Village .
The last time a live tree was used in Van Neste Square , someone got the idea to decorate the tree in recycled materials which made the tree look like it was decked out with toilet paper. Many residents were extremely offended and that immediately put an to the live tree experiment.
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Of course this didn’t pass. Vagianos needs the tree in view of his restaurant. Plain and simple.
People that signed this petition are sick in the head. You’ll only be happy when there is no joy in anyones life!
Maybe Schedler has a tree we can cut down? Too soon?
Like Schedler (sports groups) and other projects, maybe the 300 petitioners can make a “cash contribution” to work out a deal and get what they want.
Oh yes, “contributions.” Like the Gold Star family donation that went awry. Mayor and Deputy Mayor shook them down, forcing Gold Star to hire “friends,” turning their memorial plaque into a monument costing 150k, which they can’t afford. So now the gift is on hold till Gold Star comes up with the money.
People were willing to chip
In for a live planted tree. But Paulie and company would not budge.
You can’t chip in for the tree, that’s doesn’t benefit anyone in particular. ;(
Us the tree in front of mount Carmel
And make donations?
the Mount Carmel tree is pretty awesome
Paul wants the tree where his restaurant patrons can see it. And his friend Kevin Downes gets a billboard ad through the whole season.
Downes gets a lot more than billboard ads. While we are on the subject and because of the torrid bromance (Vagianos+Downes=$$$), shouldn’t Paul recuse himself from this matter?
Paul Vagianos made specific mention of the fact that he puts a sign up for Downes because of all of the hard work getting the tree ready for free, lol all the while getting good money from Ridgewood. I guess one hand washes the other in this great Village where the mayor and his cronies all benefit. I am sure Gail Prices is praying that the billboard goes through too. Another win win for Paul Bag and his crooked bunch.
Yep. It’s all about him and, him only. He does not give two shits about the village residents at all. He makes my skin crawl..
That’s another political hack downs tree service. There’s no reason every year to transport a tree to that site plant a real tree there then. It’s all bullshit. He donates his equipment set up to Tree and he gets all the things from the town. This is been going on for a long time, one scam after the next would you like me to open up that file because I got everything. Remember people my file goes back before I was born. I have all the archives I have information about other people don’t have people you remember 1999, remember what happened in Village hall in the flood . One day threw everything in the garbage. Yes, garbage once it goes into the garbage it’s fair game finders, keepers, losers weepers that’s how stupid they were little by little the info comes out.
Inquiring minds want to know. I am sure there are piles of dirt these guys wanted to get rid of.
Some nimrod is going on and on on a Ridgewood Facebook page about how great it is for Downes to do all the free generous work to get the tree ready for Christmas and how they spend countless hours investigating all of the recommended trees that “need” to be cut down for this exact purpose. Give me a break. Downes gets primo advertising from his pal Vagianos who even went to far as to extend great praise at last week’s VC meeting. Downes benefits by getting most if not all of the tree work in the Village. This is not charity, so please stop thinking they are doing this out of the goodness of their hearts. It is all an attempt to win every RFP that exists.
Downes is a shady operation getting kickbacks left and right from the mayor. Believe it. Believe me
We don’t like downes oh, there’s definitely business going on. There’s so many things he’s definitely told a number to put in for the bed, so he gets it it’s all bullshit they think they’re smart, but not that smart we know what’s going on. We’re just a little bit smarter and 10 steps ahead of all these assholes.
what is the reason a tree be planted there?
Why is he the only person to buy the compost every year. It’s a scam. Other contractors try to buy it, but they are told it’s sold.
Come on what’s going on.