Final day to Register to Vote for Board of Education Election is March 26, 2013
The final day to register to vote for the April 16, 2013 Board of Education election is March 26, 2013. On March 26th, voter registration will take place in the Village Clerk’s Office in Village Hall from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the lobby of the Ridgewood Public Library, 125 North Maple Avenue. Voters must be at least 18 years of age, a U.S. citizen, and a resident of Ridgewood in order to register to vote. If you have changed your name or moved within Ridgewood since the last election, you must
re-register to vote with your new name and/or address.
Reader says its time to restructure Ridgewood Water
This seems one of the things Village has been doing right lately (but sure wish it did more things right). It’s a public private partnership.
Some details here: https://www.ridgewoodnj.net/pdf/engineering/2012PRJTVentureWPCF.pdf
Rwd Water should be restructured into something like that – or perhaps sold entirely (though Village could retain a stake if so). Companies like United Water and Aqua America offer a variety of ways to partner — operating only, operation and renew infrastructure, billing and collection, or outright sale. Lots of possibilities.
Bergen County Executive Kathleen A. Donovan announces K9 Veterans Day on Wednesday, March 13
Bergen County hosted New Jersey’s inaugural K9 Veterans Day on Wednesday, March 13 at the Bergen County Administration Building in Hackensack.
Thousands of dogs have served with honor, dignity and valor throughout the history of our country’s birth and growth. These dogs have served in many jobs in all of our wars, having been employed by the United States Military from World War II to present conflicts.
The official K9 Corps was created on March 13, 1942. Joseph J. White, a retired military working dog handler, pioneered a nation-wide effort to get the entire country to recognize March 13 as K9 Veterans Day.
Thus far 11 states have proclaimed March 13 K9 Veterans Day.
While the White looks to shutdown the White House Easter Egg Roll Ridgewood continues its Easter Tradition
Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce
Saturday, March 30th 10:00am to 11:00am BREAKFAST WITH THE EASTER BUNNY at The Office Beer Bar & Grill. Reservations required: 201/652-1070.
In Memorial Park at Van Neste Square – 11:00am to 2:00pm 11:00am BEN & JERRY’S EGG HUNT in the Park – Weather Permitting. Families will be able to take PICTURES WITH THE EASTER BUNNY.
ACTIVITIES for children in the Park and Maps available for location of in-store activities.
Could a government shutdown doom the White House Easter Egg Roll?
Posted by Juliet Eilperin on March 18, 2013 at 4:39 pm
For more than a century, the White House Easter Egg Roll has been insulated from the sort of partisan sniping that now dominates Washington politics.
That tradition ended Monday, when Republicans started complaining about a notice that the event could be canceled due to a potential government shutdown. The Obama administration has already come under GOP criticism for canceling White House tours due to the mandatory, across-the-board cuts known as sequestration.
The memo — which doesn’t actually say the White House is nixing the bunny fest, but just that it might do so at some point during the next couple of weeks — warns ticket-holders that the nation’s financial woes may affect the 135th Easter Egg role slated for April 1. (Note: this is not an April’s Fools Day joke.)
We are pleased to announce that we will be hosting a Job Fair on Thursday, March 21, 2013. The fair will take place at Bergen Community College at the Pitkin Education Center, in the 2nd floor cafeteria and will run from 9:00 AM till 3:00 PM.
There is no charge to attend the Fair. At present over 75 employers are expected to attend. Our last job fair that was held in November was a great success. This fair will have a targeted focus on regional manufacturers who are looking for both entry level and skilled, talented employees.
Registration for the fair and the many workshops is encouraged, and job seekers should visit the Job Fair webpage by clicking here to secure a slot.
We are pleased with the responses we have had and thank our many sponsors, participating businesses and Bergen Community College President Dr. B. Kaye Walter for once again hosting the fair.
Other Fair Sponsors are Manufacture NJ, Jobs4jersey.com, Bergen County Economic Development Corp, Bergen WIB, Bergen County One-Stop, Jobs4Jersey(NJDOL), Inserra Supermarkets Inc., and The Record.
Those attending should come prepared with plenty of resumes and please dress appropriately. Companies will be looking to fill full-time, part-time and seasonal positions.
Joint meeting of Board of Education and Village Council, Tonight 7:30 p.m., at the Education Center, 49 Cottage Place.
The Board will hold its next Regular Public Meeting on Monday, March 18 at 7:30 p.m. This meeting will be a Joint Meeting with the Ridgewood Village Council, followed by a Regular Public Meeting.
The public is invited to attend the meeting at the Ed Center, 49 Cottage Place, Floor 3. Or it may be viewed live via the district website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us using the “Link in Live” tab. It may also be viewd on FiOS channel 33 and Optimum channel 77.
Click here to view the agenda of the March 18, 2013 Joint Meeting with the Village Council & Regular Public Meeting : https://tinyurl.com/d3rkffa
At all regular meetings, two opportunities are provided for citizens to make comments.The public comment periods will be scheduled after presentations and approximately 9:00 p.m. or just prior to the end of the meeting, whichever occurs first. The first opportunity may be limited by the presiding officer to conclude at about 8:00 p.m. in order for the Board to continue with its scheduled agenda.
The second opportunity will occur at about 9:00 p.m. at the discretion of the presiding officer taking into consideration a break point in the agenda. At every opportunity for public comment, citizens are invited to comment on subjects on the agenda or general topics.
At the discretion of the presiding officer, public comments may be permitted at other times. Persons wishing to speak must, upon being recognized, rise, sign in, and state their names and addresses. Each speaker shall be limited to four minutes. The Board Recorder will note the time. A speaker who has not finished in the allotted time will be directed by the presiding officer to summarize quickly and relinquish the floor within 30 seconds.
Comments shall be limited to issues. If personal remarks or discourteous statements are made, the presiding officer shall require the speaker to stop. No person will be recognized for a second time until all others asking to speak have been heard.
Ridgewood Open Houses March 17, St. Patrick’s Day
March 15, 2013 By Michael Shetler Leave a Comment
Open Houses in Ridgewood, NJ
Starts: 03/17/2013 01:00 pm
Duration: 3 hours:
Ridgewood, NJ
07450
Michael Shetler is a local resident and NJAR Circle of Excellence recipient (2009, 2011) who is happy to serve you in this area. For more information about any of these local homes for sale please call Michael at 201.421.0506 cell or 201.445.4300 office.
Address List Price Bedrooms List Broker
1 620 CONCORD RD $425,000 3 TERRIE O’CONNOR REALTORS/RIDGEWOOD
2 610 ROBERT ST $430,000 4 WEICHERT REALTORS RIDGEWOOD
3 133 GODWIN AVE $459,900 4 COLDWELL BANKER, RIDGEWOOD
4 350 S PLEASANT AVE $680,000 4 WEICHERT REALTORS RIDGEWOOD
5 230 LIBBY AVE $735,000 4 COLDWELL BANKER, RIDGEWOOD
6 220 N PLEASANT AVE $749,000 4 KELLER WILLIAMS VILLAGE SQUARE REALTY
7 42 ETHELBERT PL $749,000 4 TERRIE O’CONNOR REALTORS/RIDGEWOOD
8 695 WALL ST $749,900 4 REALMART REALTY, LLC
9 144 UNADILLA RD $825,000 3 TERRIE O’CONNOR REALTORS/RIDGEWOOD
10 384 HAMILTON RD $899,000 4 TARVIN REALTORS
11 436 S PLEASANT AVE $928,000 4 PROMINENT PROPERTIES SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY-RIDGEWOOD
12 137 COTTAGE PL $979,800 4 COLDWELL BANKER, RIDGEWOOD
13 245 W RIDGEWOOD AVE $1,150,000 5 TARVIN REALTORS
14 355 CREST RD $1,218,000 5 PROMINENT PROPERTIES SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY-RIDGEWOOD
15 330 BEDFORD RD $2,399,000 5 KELLER WILLIAMS VILLAGE SQUARE REALTY
It is known that St. Patrick was born in Britain to wealthy parents near the end of the fourth century. He is believed to have died on March 17, around 460 A.D. Although his father was a Christian deacon, it has been suggested that he probably took on the role because of tax incentives and there is no evidence that Patrick came from a particularly religious family. At the age of 16, Patrick was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family’s estate. They transported him to Ireland where he spent six years in captivity. (There is some dispute over where this captivity took place. Although many believe he was taken to live in Mount Slemish in County Antrim, it is more likely that he was held in County Mayo near Killala.) During this time, he worked as a shepherd, outdoors and away from people. Lonely and afraid, he turned to his religion for solace, becoming a devout Christian. (It is also believed that Patrick first began to dream of converting the Irish people to Christianity during his captivity.)
St. Patrick: Guided By Visions
After more than six years as a prisoner, Patrick escaped. According to his writing, a voice—which he believed to be God’s—spoke to him in a dream, telling him it was time to leave Ireland.
To do so, Patrick walked nearly 200 miles from County Mayo, where it is believed he was held, to the Irish coast. After escaping to Britain, Patrick reported that he experienced a second revelation—an angel in a dream tells him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Soon after, Patrick began religious training, a course of study that lasted more than 15 years. After his ordination as a priest, he was sent to Ireland with a dual mission: to minister to Christians already living in Ireland and to begin to convert the Irish. (Interestingly, this mission contradicts the widely held notion that Patrick introduced Christianity to Ireland.)
St. Patrick: Bonfires and Crosses
Familiar with the Irish language and culture, Patrick chose to incorporate traditional ritual into his lessons of Christianity instead of attempting to eradicate native Irish beliefs. For instance, he used bonfires to celebrate Easter since the Irish were used to honoring their gods with fire. He also superimposed a sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is now called a Celtic cross, so that veneration of the symbol would seem more natural to the Irish. Although there were a small number of Christians on the island when Patrick arrived, most Irish practiced a nature-based pagan religion. The Irish culture centered around a rich tradition of oral legend and myth. When this is considered, it is no surprise that the story of Patrick’s life became exaggerated over the centuries—spinning exciting tales to remember history has always been a part of the Irish way of life.
Reader says The Ken Smith lot is an ideal location for large parking facility
Parking in Ridgewood has been a problem for decades with no one doing anything about it but paying lip service until it gets pass along to the next guy in office… As a kid growing up a few towns north, it was always a pain coming into Ridgewood because of parking… 17 or Westwood always was more convenient.. Fast forward 30 years later and now as a resident, I’ve still seen nothing substantial being done about it… pass the buck folks! Attracting commuters and visitors with ease of access to convenient parking will only help increase revenue for the town and its businesses…
The Ken Smith lot is an ideal location for large parking facility with close proximity to station and downtown. There is a traffic light already at the entrance to manage traffic flow and I am sure there are opportunities for the town and land owners to leverage NJ Transit in a beneficial partnership… This is what strategic, sustainable land use planning is supposed to be… the availability of centrally located property like this only comes around once in a generation…
Ridgewood High School Students Have “Fun with Physics” Thanks to a Grant From The Valley Hospital and The Ridgewood Education Foundation
March 11, 2013
Ridgewood NJ, Students at Ridgewood High School recently participated in a new program called Fun with Physics in all Sciences, thanks to a classroom grant funded by The Valley Hospital and The Ridgewood Education Foundation.
Fun with Physics was presented by Dave Maiullo, from the Department of Physics and
Astronomy at Rutgers University. The demonstration used smoke, fire, and many other processes and techniques to demonstrate principles of physics in a real-world context.
The Valley Hospital has made a generous donation to the Ridgewood Education Foundation (REF) to support health and science programs in the Ridgewood Public Schools. This is one of 5 classroom grants Valley co-funded with the REF this year. The Ridgewood Education Foundation supports programs in the classroom and the community that enhance educational excellence in Ridgewood public Schools.
Shown here, left to right are: Sandy Kunzle, Biophysical Science Teacher, Ridgewood High School; Tom Gorman, Principal, Ridgewood High School; Roberta Sonenfeld, Vice President, Ridgewood Education Foundation; Dave Miaullo, Head, Physics Department Physics Outreach Program, Rutgers University; Megan Fraser, Vice President, Communications and Marketing, The Valley Hospital; Harold Nelson, Physics Teacher, Ridgewood High School; Nancy Reilly, Physics Teacher, Ridgewood High School; and Kyle Narcoonis and Joey Reichert, Assistants, Physics Department Physics Outreach Program, Rutgers University
Teacher Evaluation Plan Gets Mixed Reviews in First Public Forum Educators raise questions, concerns about heavy emphasis on student test scores
By John Mooney, March 14, 2013 in Education |Post a Comment
The Christie administration took its new teacher-evaluation system on the road yesterday — and the maiden trip left few doubts there are going to be some bumps along the way.
State Department of Education staffers held the first of a half-dozen public presentations on the new system, this one at Toms River High School North.
Held at the end of the school day, it drew more than 200 people, many of them educators who will be judged under the new system. Many were from the Monmouth and Ocean counties, although some traveled from as far away as Ridgewood and Westfield.
Most of the two-hour session was a tutorial on the detailed process, unveiled last week, that will rate every teacher and principal based on a mix of measures — including student performance – starting next year.
There were few objections voiced when the new regulations were initially presented to the State Board of Education. But questions and comments from the audience yesterday indicated the plans may get a tougher reaction as they are presented around the state.
At the end of yesterday’s session, there were still plenty of people in the audience with questions, including local union leaders whose members will soon face the new rating system.
Early school budget plan would increase Ridgewood taxes by 2%
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER
The Record
RIDGEWOOD — The school board has unanimously approved a preliminary budget that would increase taxes for the average homeowner by $203.
A public hearing on the proposed $91.3 million budget, which would raise school taxes 2 percent, is set for March 27. No dramatic changes to the 2013-14 spending plan are expected over the next two weeks, said Board President Sheila Brogan.
“There may be some changes, because there is some exploration still going on,” Brogan explained. “We did have to make some adjustments in our budget to get to the 2 percent [cap].”
Brogan said the budget reflects no cuts to programming or full-time personnel, however some part-time staffing reductions would affect the number of teachers’ aides in the classroom.
Tiger Team : Establish a Five-Year Staffing Strategy
Mayor Paul Aronsohn says he does not support layoffs to realize no tax increase but during the election he called for 0% tax increase. So which is it Mr. Mayor the taxpayers or the unions?
The Village should establish a five- year staffing plan that incorporates anticipated attrition, compensation rates for new hires, outsourcing, civilianization opportunities and modeling of efficient staffing levels. Personnel costs, staffing levels, and service offerings are some of the main drivers of the excessive operating costs of the Village. Historically, when one Village employee retires, another is hired as a replacement with little or no attempt to reengineer other employees’ duties to consolidate positions or reduce cost.
Across the Village, a significant number of employees are near or currently eligible for full-time retirement benefits. These long-term employees are at the highest end of the pay scale and it is critical for Village management to evaluate the cost-benefit for them to continue working for the Village or attempt to accelerate their retirements and replace them, if necessary, with lower cost employees . This must be facilitated under collective bargaining agreements . In order to properly evaluate this, the concessions from existing employees, as well as the terms of contracts for new hires must be known. There fore, this analysis should be performed in conjunction with collective bargaining agreement negotiations, in collaboration with
the FOB, and in alignment with the Strategic Financial Plan.
The manner in which services are delivered must be closely evaluated for every service offering throughout the Village. If the Board of Education can save hundreds of thousands of dollars by terminating the use of Village services and outsourcing them, it is only logical that the Village itself could save significantly larger amounts by doing the same. As referenced throughout this report, Village management must carefully evaluate the cost-
benefit of outsourcing the delivery of all service offerings.
The analysis of all of these components requires coordination among numerous departments and Village management. In order to more effectively manage future personnel levels and compensation / benefit costs, in terms of the immediate and long – term impact , the committee believes it is critical for management to develop a five-year staffing plan
Plan for scoreboard in Ridgewood is deemed home run
Tuesday March 12, 2013, 10:27 AM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News
The Ridgewood Baseball Softball Association’s (RBSA) pitch for a new scoreboard at Veterans Field was a hit with Ridgewood Council members, who last week gave their support to the general plans.
Residents Chip Conklin and Kurt Hommen presented their proposal for the scoreboard, which if all falls into place will be up and running for the start of the Ridgewood High School varsity baseball team’s season opener.
In addition to the high school baseball team, squads from the RBSA will also reap the benefits from the proposed scoreboard. Preliminary plans indicate that the scoreboard will be located just beyond left centerfield between the walking track and the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook.
According to Conklin, RBSA will foot the entire bill for the purchase and installation of the equipment. Running between $3,500 and $4,000, the cost of the scoreboard is “not a significant expense,” Conklin said.
“It’s given as a gift to the town, but in a practical standpoint, the RBSA is going to take care of it,” he added, addressing council members’ questions regarding future maintenance.
Other issues raised by the council at last week’s work session included operational costs, flooding and potential advertising.
Christie proposes to toughen rules on those seeking N.J. unemployment benefits
New Jerseyans hunting for jobs would have to climb an extra hurdle before they can collect weekly unemployment benefits under new regulations being proposed by Gov. Chris Christie’s administration.
Jobless residents would have to search for openings online, on a state-run jobs board called Jobs4Jersey.com, every week. The only current requirement is that they check in with state officials by phone, mail, in person or online. (Rizzo/Star-Ledger)
