the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Village Council has finalized the purchase of the old Elks lodge by Ridgewood Water on North Maple next to Ridgewood Public Library and Village Hall . This ends a long saga involving the sad demise of the Ridgewood Elks . The Elks lodge was closed in 2016 and was contested by the local Elks leadership which in the end failed to resurrect the lodge.
The old Elks Lodge along with a second property on 451 Goffle Road are both being purchased by Ridgewood Water . Ridgewood Water is undergoing multimillion-dollar capital improvements in part to meet new federal clean water standards . Ridgewood water has allocated $1.6 million from their capital fund to buy and upgrade the building, with the intention of moving workers from two Ridgewood locations and one in Midland Park into one office.
Many residents voiced skepticism over the purchase and Councilwoman Bernadette Walsh said , There is a plenty of Class A and Class B office space throughout northern New Jersey region. I don’t feel we should be buying the Elks Club to house 30 employees,” in a July Council Work session.
Why??? Ridgewood Water is the most mismanaged municipal entity I have ever encountered. Now they have their own place with no oversight? Between the garage, the BOE and Ridgwood Water, the town will be broke even sooner than I thought.
Wow and they say they don’t have any money . How much did this cost.
Ridgewood Water is well managed and they are responding to unfunded mandates. Did you not tune in and note that for the past few years they have run the water company well below their own projections and below the operating expenses of similar public and private water companies? The presentation should be online. There is a well directly next to the house on Goffle so my guess is the need the space for additional pumping or treatment. Buying the Elks and moving the Water staff of Village Hall out gives the RPD the office space they need in Village Hall. It also will consolidate water staff for better efficiency and oversight. Buying up the property directly next to the municipal complex, regardless of the future occupants, makes sense in my opinion. It will address any future needs that arise. To not buy it would be shortsighted; I hate additional spending (I am vehemently opposed to the mega-garage) but these purchases make sense.
The Goffle Rd purchase made sense as it’s adjacent to the Ravine well. Ridgewood Water should have been sold long ago. Rates going up, constant phase 2 drought sanctions, quality issues, patronage, etc.
SELL RIDGEWOOD WATER
I only have one question–did the Water Department save any money to pay back the other towns who have sued us and won damages? I’m sure our neighboring users are estatic to hear that their money has been spent and the water company managed to go under budget for the past year. I know the council assumes that has all been swept under the rug, but it hasn’t. The other towns are holding active meetings to discuss the situation. “Crime doesn’t pay” (unless you are the “quarter people”. You will be hearing from our water neighbors again.