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Ridgewood Village Council Regular Public Meeting

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VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD

VILLAGE COUNCIL

REGULAR PUBLIC MEETING

JANUARY 16, 2019

                                                                                                                      8:00 P.M.

  1. Call to Order – Mayor
  2. Statement of Compliance with the Open Public       Meetings Act
  3. Roll Call – Village Clerk
  4. Flag Salute and Moment of Silence
  5. Acceptance of Financial Reports
  6. Approval of Minutes
  7. Proclamations

     Jamboree Days

  1. Swearing-in of Police Officer Patrick Daly
  1. Comments from the Public (Not to exceed 3            minutes per person – 40 minutes in total)
  2. Village Manager’s Report
  3. Village Council Reports
  4. RESOLUTION

THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION, NUMBERED 19-02, WILL BE ADOPTED BY A CONSENT AGENDA, WITH ONE VOTE BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL. THERE IS A BRIEF DESCRIPTION BESIDE THIS RESOLUTION AND IT WILL BE READ BY TITLE ONLY:

19-02          Authorize Temporary Capital Budget – Approves           a temporary Capital Budget to appropriate              money for the down payment for the general             capital bond ordinance for the 2019 road               paving and streetscape program and the                 purchase of the Senior Bus

  1. ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION – RIDGEWOOD WATER

     NONE

  1. ORDINANCES – PUBLIC HEARING – RIDGEWOOD WATER

     NONE

  1. RESOLUTIONS – RIDGEWOOD WATER

THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS, NUMBERED 19-03 THROUGH 19-19 ARE TO BE ADOPTED BY A CONSENT AGENDA, WITH ONE VOTE BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL. THERE IS A BRIEF DESCRIPTION BESIDE EACH RESOLUTION TO BE CONSIDERED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. EACH RESOLUTION WILL BE READ BY TITLE ONLY:

19-03          Title 59 Approval – Landscaping Services –             Approves the plans and specifications for              Landscaping Services prepared by Ridgewood             Water, pursuant to Title 59

19-04          Award Contract – Landscaping Services

          (NTE $61,000) – Awards the second year of a            two-year contract to the lowest responsible            bidder, LTI, Inc., 122 Main Road, Montville,                NJ

19-05          Title 59 Approval – Line Stop and Valve                     Insertion Services – Approves the plans and           specifications for Line Stop and Valve                 Insertion Services prepared by the Ridgewood                Water Department, pursuant to Title 59

19-06          Award Contract – Line Stop and Valve                   Insertion Services (NTE $100,000) – Awards             the second year of a two-year contract to the          lowest responsible bidder, Carner Brothers,            10 Steel Court, Roseland, NJ

19-07          Title 59 Approval – Servicing and Repair of           Electric Source – Approves the plans and               specifications for Servicing and Repairing of          Electric Source prepared by the Village of             Ridgewood Water Department, pursuant to Title          59

19-08          Award Contract – Servicing and Repair of               Electric Source (NTE $250,000) – Awards the            second year of a two-year contract to the              lowest responsible bidder, Vanore Electric,            145 Lexington Avenue, Hackensack, NJ

19-09          Title 59 Approval – Furnishing and Delivering           Sodium Hypochlorite Solution – Approves the            plans and specifications for Furnishing and            Delivering of Sodium Hypochlorite Solution             prepared by the Ridgewood Water Department,            pursuant to Title 59

19-10          Award Contract – Furnishing and Delivering             Sodium Hypochlorite Solution (NTE $135,000) –          Awards the second year of a two-year contract          to the lowest responsible bidder, Miracle            Chemical Company, 1151B Highway 33,                   Farmingdale, NJ

19-11          Title 59 Approval – Laboratory Analysis                     Services – Approves the plans and                      specifications for Laboratory Analysis                 Services, prepared by the Ridgewood Water              Department, pursuant to Title 59

19-12          Award Contract – Laboratory Analysis Services           (NTE $128,460) – Awards the second year of a                two-year contract to the lowest responsible            bidder, Aqua Pro-Tech Labs, 1275 Bloomfield            Avenue, Bldg. 6, Fairfield, NJ

19-13          Title 59 Approval – Water Billing and Data             Collection Services – Approves the plans and                specifications for Water Billing and Data              Collection Services prepared by the Ridgewood          Water Department, pursuant to Title 59

19-14          Award Contract – Water Billing and Data                     Collection Services (NTE $237,395) – Awards           the second year of a two-year contract to the          sole responsible bidder, Computil, Inc., 30            Controls Drive, Shelton, CT

19-15          Title 59 Approval – Servicing and Repair of           Potable Water Pumping Facilities – Approves            the plans and specifications for Servicing             and Repair of Potable Water Storage Tanks,             prepared by Ridgewood Water, pursuant to               Title 59

19-16          Award Contract – Servicing and Repair of               Potable Water Pumping Facilities (NTE                  $250,000) – Awards a contract to the sole              responsible bidder, William Stothoff Company,          Inc., 110 River Road, Flemington, NJ

19-17          Award Contract – Eastside Reservoir                    Improvements (NTE $246,600) – Awards a                 contract to the lowest responsible bidder,             Ray Palmer Associates, 95 King Street, Dover,          NJ

19-18          Award Professional Services Contract – Per-           and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances Planning and                Treatment      Study (NTE $168,600) – Awards a              Professional Services Contract to Mott                 MacDonald, 111 Wood Avenue South, Iselin, NJ.          The required Pay to Play forms have been               filed with the Village Clerk’s Office.

19-19          Award Emergency Contract – Boiler Replacement           – Glen Avenue Water Facility (NTE $33,800) –                Awards an Emergency Contract to Generation             III Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning,            30 West Prospect Street, Waldwick, NJ

  1. ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION

3698 – Bond Ordinance – Street Paving and Streetscape,             Purchase of Senior Bus ($2,137,000) –                         Appropriates this money for the 2019 road paving      and streetscape program and for purchasing a bus  for the Senior Citizen transportation services       provided by the Village

3699 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic –                    Parking at Train Station Lot after 6:00 p.m. –         Amends this chapter to allow all vehicles to be         parked at the Ridgewood train station after 6:00  p.m., without the necessity of having a             Ridgewood resident sticker and/or a Ridgewood           Parking Permit

3700 – Amend Chapter 156 – Food and Food Handling                    Establishments – Outdoor Café Regulations –            Amends this chapter for new regulations for      outdoor cafes, including specifying particular      types, heights, and locations of barriers,              establishing dates when outdoor cafes may             operate, and

3701 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Outdoor Cafes –                    Amends the fees to be charged for outdoor cafes,      based on the number of benches or tables and           chairs used by each business

3702 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic –                    Ridgewood Premium Parking Permit for Hudson            Street Parking Lot and Use of Rideshare                  Arrangement – Establishes the Hudson Street      Parking Lot permit, which permits resident                commuters to park only in this lot with this           particular permit, and guarantees these             commuters a parking space in the Hudson Street         Parking Lot. It also establishes the fact that           those who purchase the Hudson Street Parking Lot      permit will participate in a rideshare program,        at no additional cost, once the Hudson Street        parking lot is closed for the construction of           the Hudson Street parking garage. It also              requires those who have a 2019 Hudson Street          Parking Lot permit to purchase a 2020 Hudson            Street Parking Lot permit in order to continue       with the rideshare program until the Hudson           Street parking garage is completed.

3703 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Ridgewood Parking           Permit for Hudson Street Lot – Establishes the          fee for the parking permit for the Hudson Street       lot only at $1,300

  1. ORDINANCES – PUBLIC HEARING

3694 – Amend Chapter 145 Fees – Adopt a Tree and              Memorial Benches

3695 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development –        Establish Regulations for Temporary Storage        Containers

3696 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Fees for Temporary          Storage Containers

3697 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Graydon Pool                Membership Fees

  1. ORDINANCE – CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING

3688 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Graydon Pool                Membership Fees and Tennis Membership Fees

  1. RESOLUTIONS

THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS, NUMBERED 19-20 THROUGH 19-36 ARE TO BE ADOPTED BY A CONSENT AGENDA, WITH ONE VOTE BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL. THERE IS A BRIEF DESCRIPTION BESIDE EACH RESOLUTION TO BE CONSIDERED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. EACH RESOLUTION WILL BE READ BY TITLE ONLY:

19-20          Authorize Tax Assessor/Tax Collector to File           Appeals and/or Settlement Stipulations –               Authorizes the Tax Assessor and/or Tax                 Collector to file tax appeals and/or                   settlement stipulations with the Bergen                County Board of Taxation for the purpose of            correcting assessment errors for the year              2018. This resolution also authorizes the             Assessor, in conjunction with the Village              Attorney, to conduct settlement negotiations           in matters pending before the Tax Court of                New Jersey in 2019.

19-21     Title 59 Approval – Landfill Disposal of               Solid Waste – Approves the plans and                   specifications for Landfill Disposal of Solid          Waste, prepared by the Ridgewood Water                 Department, pursuant to Title 59

19-22          Award Contract – Landfill Disposal of Solid           Waste (NT# $66.95/ton) – Awards the second             year of a two-year contract to the lowest              responsible bidder, IWS Transfer Systems of            NJ, Inc., 375 Routes 1 & 9, Jersey City, NJ

19-23          Title 59 Approval – 2019 Recreational Program           Instruction – Approves the plans and                   specifications for Recreational Program                     Instruction with the Department of Parks and                Recreation, Contract Year 2019, prepared by            the Ridgewood Recreation Department, pursuant          to Title 59

19-24          Award Contracts – 2019 Recreational Program           Instruction – Awards contracts to various              vendors for 2019 recreation programs offered                by the Village of Ridgewood’s Department of            Parks and Recreation. These contracts are              paid through user fees.

19-25          Approve Shared Services Agreement – School             Resource Officer (Ridgewood Board of                   Education – NTE $100,000) – Approves a Shared          Services Agreement with the Ridgewood Board            of Education, whereby the Village and the            Board of Education will each pay                      $100,000/year for funding a School Resource               Officer

19-26          Approve Shared Services Agreement – Bergen             County Police Chiefs Association Mutual Aid            Plan and Rapid Deployment Force – Authorizes                the Ridgewood Police Department to                          participate in a County-wide Mutual Aid Plan                and Rapid Deployment Force to be used in               times of emergency

19-27          Declare Property Surplus – Parks Department           Logs – Declares the stockpile of uncut                 lengths of logs, which are remnants from tree          work performed by the Parks Department, as             surplus property and authorizes the Village            Manager to dispose of this property

19-28          Declare Property Surplus – Various Vehicles –           Declares vehicles from various departments,            which are no longer viable for the Village’s                use, and authorizes the Village Manager to             dispose of this property

19-29          Certify Compliance with Federal Civil Rights                Requirements – Certifies that the Village of                Ridgewood’s hiring practices comply with the                U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity                      Commission’s “Enforcement Guidance on the              Consideration of Arrest and Conviction                 Records in Employment Decisions Under Title            VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964”, as               amended, pertaining to the consideration of            an individual’s criminal history. This is            required under P.L. 2017, c. 183 which                     requires that this be certified prior to the               Village submitting its approved annual budget        to the NJ Division of Local Government                 Services.

19-30          Authorize Release of Escrow Funds – 143 & 147           West      Glen Avenue – Authorizes the release of                the remaining escrow funds for this project,                in the amount of $12,348, since the Village           Engineer has deemed the project complete

19-31          Endorse Application for Community Development           Block Grant – Care Plus, NJ, Inc. – Client             Transportation Assistance – Confirms                   endorsement of a $43,680 CDB grant. This               resolution does not obligate the financial             resources of the Village but will expedite             the expenditure of Community Development               funds.

19-32          Approve Place to Place Transfer of Liquor              License – 54 East Ridgewood Landmark, LLC –            Expansion of Licensed Premises – Approves a            place to place transfer for 54 East Ridgewood          Landmark, LLC t/a Filena Restaurant to expand          their licensed premises to include all floors          within the building, as well as the rooftop

19-33          Authorize Bond Sale for Funding Hudson Street           Parking Garage – Authorizes the form and               requirements for the bond sale for the Hudson          Street parking garage

19-34          Appoint Member to Zoning Board of Adjustment                – Appoints Matthew Bandelt as Alternate #2             on the Zoning Board of Adjustment, which term          shall begin immediately and expire on                  6/30/2020

19-35          Appoint Members to Library Board – Appoints           Janis Fuhrman, Rocco Orlando, and Rei                  Shinozuka to terms that shall begin                    immediately and expire on 12/31/2023

19-36          Appoint Members to Community Center Advisory                Board     – Updates the appointment of members of        the Community Center Advisory Board as                 follows, effective immediately and ending on                6/30/2019: Donald Liebreich and Bill Carbone                – Senior Citizen Residents; Helen Leonard and          Beth Abbott – Adult Residents; Nancy Friedman          – Adult Resident (children in Ridgewood             school system); Tom Lillis – Ridgewood Highs        School Student; Emily Schmitt – George                  Washington Middle School Student; Chief              Jacqueline Luthcke or designee – Ridgewood               Police Dept. Liaison; Deanna Schablik – Parks       & Recreation Dept. Representative; Sheila             Brogan – Ridgewood Board of Education Liaison

  1. Comments from the Public (Not to Exceed 5 minutes per person)
  2. Resolution to go into Closed Session
  3. Closed Session

     Personnel/Contract Negotiations – PBA

  1. Adjournment
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Attorney General Grewal Finds Economic Development Authority Incentive Program Report , ” Deeply Troubling”

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, Statement of Attorney General Gurbir Grewal Regarding the State Comptroller’s Audit of EDA Incentive Programs :

“Last week, the Office of the State Comptroller issued an audit report identifying serious deficiencies in the management and administration of certain tax incentive programs run by the Economic Development Authority (EDA). For more than a decade, the Comptroller’s Office has earned a reputation for the rigor and independence of its work, and I want to commend Comptroller Phil Degnan for conducting such a thorough audit.

I found the report’s conclusions deeply troubling – both as a public official and as a taxpayer. New Jersey residents have a right to expect that their government will carefully tailor economic development programs to maximize the general welfare and minimize the use of public funds. The Comptroller’s audit raises serious concerns about whether EDA’s incentive programs fell short of those expectations over the past decade. It also highlighted the lack of robust internal controls at EDA, raising the troubling possibility that EDA may have failed to identify material misrepresentations made by one or more entities at the time the agency approved their tax credits.

I spent a significant portion of my career rooting out financial misconduct as a federal prosecutor in Newark and Brooklyn, and I get very concerned whenever I see a state agency distributing so much money, with so little oversight, over such a long period of time. There are many things we still do not know about the historical details of EDA’s incentive programs, but it’s time to start asking some tough questions. As Attorney General, I intend to figure out what exactly happened and whether any laws were broken. If it turns out that taxpayer dollars were distributed in violation of civil or criminal law, I will use the full powers of my office to seek recovery of those funds and ensure that the proper parties are held accountable. The residents of New Jersey deserve nothing less.”

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Mel Stottlemyre, Yankees’ Ace During 1970’s, Dies at 77

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photo courtesy of the NY Yankees

“Beyond his tremendous accomplishments as a player and coach, Mel Stottlemyre was beloved for his class, dignity and fighting spirit. His contributions to different eras in our history guided us through difficult times and brought us some of our greatest all-time success. As a result, Mel’s popularity transcended generations, all of whom thought of him as their own. His plaque in Monument Park will forever serve to celebrate the significance of his legacy.”

“His passing is a tremendous loss to the Yankees and all those in the baseball community, and we extend our deepest condolences to Mel’s wife, Jean, and the entire Stottlemyre family.” – Hal Steinbrenner

PJ Blogger

Ridgewood NJ, Mel Stottlemyre a former Ridgewood resident and Yankee ace has died at 77 . Councilwomen Bernie Walsh remembers her neighbor used to babysit for the Stottlemyre’s . When  I was perhaps 9 or 10 maybe even younger ,  I remember him chatting several times with my grandfather and my grandfather would often say he was a “class act”. 

Stottlemyre was called up by the Yankees in midseason in 1964, Stottlemyre went 9–3 to help the Yankees to their fifth consecutive pennant while being on the cover of The Sporting News. In the 1964 World Series, Stottlemyre faced Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals three times in the seven-game Series. Stottlemyre bested Gibson in Game 2 to even the series, and got a no-decision in Game 5, but lost the decisive Game 7 as the Cardinals won the Series.

“Here’s a 21-year-old kid nobody knew coming out of nowhere with this great arm and super control who has all the confidence — not a big head, mind you, but a quiet self-assurance — of a Whitey Ford,” his teammate Tom Tresh was quoted as saying in the oral history “Bombers” (2002), by Richard Lally

Stottlemyre spent his entire pitching career as a New York Yankee 1964-1974 , in what the NYTimes called the “lean years”. He was named to the American League’s (AL) roster for the 1965 Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Game, though he did not appear in the game. He won 20 games in the 1965 season, and led the AL with 18 complete games, 291 innings pitched, and 1,188 batters faced. He appeared in the 1966 MLB All-Star Game. He led the league with 20 losses.Stottlemyre won 20 games in the 1968 and 1969 seasons.

Stottlemyre threw 40 shutouts in his 11-season career, the same number as Hall of Fame lefty Sandy Koufax, which ties for 44th best all-time. Eighteen of those shutouts came in a three-season span from 1971-73.The Yankees released Stottlemyre before the 1975 season. Stottlemyre retired with 164 career wins and a 2.97 ERA.

Known as a solid-hitting pitcher, on July 20, 1965, Stottlemyre once hit a rare inside-the-park grand slam. On September 26, 1964, he recorded five base hits in five at bats.

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Social Security Scam Alert Fraudsters Are spoofing Agency’s 1-800 number

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Washington DC, The Acting Inspector General of Social Security, Gale Stallworth Stone, is urging citizens to remain vigilant of telephone impersonation schemes that exploit the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) reputation and authority.  

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) continues to receive reports from across the country about fraudulent phone calls from people claiming to be from SSA.  Recent reports have indicated that unknown callers are using increasingly threatening language in these calls. 

The callers state, due to improper or illegal activity with a citizen’s Social Security number (SSN) or account, a citizen will be arrested or face other legal action if they fail to call a provided phone number to address the issue.  This is a scam; citizens should not engage with these calls or provide any personal information.  

SSA employees do contact citizens, generally those who have ongoing business with SSA, by telephone for customer-service purposes.  However, SSA employees will never threaten you for information; they will not state that you face potential arrest or other legal action if you fail to provide information. 

In those cases, the call is fraudulent, and you should just hang up.    “Unfortunately, scammers will try anything to mislead and harm innocent people, including scaring them into thinking that something is wrong with their Social Security account and they might be arrested,” Stone said.  “I encourage everyone to remain watchful of these schemes and to alert family members and friends of their prevalence.  We will continue to track these scams and warn citizens, so that they can stay several steps ahead of these thieves.”  

The OIG recently warned that some of these impersonation calls have “spoofed” SSA’s national customer service phone number, displaying 1-800-772-1213 as the incoming number on caller ID.   The Acting Inspector General urges citizens to be extremely cautious, and to avoid providing information such as your SSN or bank account numbers to unknown persons over the phone or internet unless you are certain of who is receiving it.

 If you receive a suspicious call from someone alleging to be from SSA, you should report that information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online at https://oig.ssa.gov/report.   For more information, please visit https://oig.ssa.gov/newsroom/scam-awareness.  For media inquiries, please contact Andrew Cannarsa, OIG’s Communications Director, at (410) 965-2671.

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Felina is Open in Ridgewood

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photo by Mayor Ramon Hache

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, in time for Restaurant Week the central business district welcomes a new restaurant Felina  and according to Mayor Ramon Hache, ” Food, drinks and service were amazing. Thank you Chef Anthony Bucco @chefabucco and staff.”

The Opening was a hit with patrons who like the mayor raved over the food and service.

Felina is located in the old Citizens bank or Bank of America building which formally housed “FISH” . On their Facebook page Felina is described as the first collaboration between Frank Cretella and Chef Anthony Bucco and the newly formed hospitality group, Eat Drink Celebrate.

The culinary experience will center around the Agricultural harvest of the Garden State, and the culinary influence will be drawn from the traditions of Italy.

The bar program at Felina, will reinforce the appeal and glamour of cocktails with a nod towards the classics. The well selected wine list will focus on small producers from both the new and old world.

The architectural elements paired with the unconventional bank setting will be provide the perfect memorable backdrop to any experience.

54 East Ridgewood Avenue
Ridgewood, New Jersey
Get Directions
m.me/FelinaRestaurant
Call (551) 276-5454

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Bergen County Historical Society (BCHS) School of Interpretation & Volunteer Meeting : The Steenrapie (River Edge) Encampment of 1780

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photo courtesy of BCHS
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

New Bridge landing NJ, As one of the major events of Bergen’s Revolutionary War history, the Steenrapie Encampment brought the American army to present day River Edge and Oradell, and forever tied Washington himself to New Bridge Landing. Join author, military historian, and BCHS Past President Todd Braisted for his presentation on the history, legends, and luminaries that became part of Bergen County in September 1780.

For anyone interested in volunteering at Historic New Bridge Landing events as a docent, greeter, operations personnel, or living-history interpreter in period dress, the Bergen County Historical Society sponsors the School of Interpretation to hone communication skills, familiarize volunteers with Bergen’s unique history, give insight into the material culture of the past, and train volunteers in historical presentation. It also provides an opportunity for prospective participants to ask questions and learn about volunteering with BCHS. Please meet in the Steuben House (the house nearest the bridge), 1209 Main St, River Edge, NJ. No charge.

Bergen County Historical Society (BCHS) School of Interpretation & Volunteer Meeting
Wednesday, January 16, 2019, 7:30 p.m.
Topic: The Steenrapie (River Edge) Encampment of 1780

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NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife – Public Forum

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The Largest Lake Trout ever handled in New Jersey! This trout, captured in 2009, weighed 32 pounds 11 ounces! Photo by DFW Principal Fisheries Biologist, Shawn Crouse

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Hackettstown NJ, Join NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife for a public forum to discuss freshwater fisheries research, management and recreational angling in New Jersey. A second forum takes place February 23 at Batsto Village in Wharton State Forest.

The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife holds forums to improve communication with the angling public and to solicit public input. Your input can help shape freshwater fisheries programs in the future. The forums are a perfect opportunity for all freshwater anglers to learn about existing programs and to share their views and recommendations.

This year’s topics include Updates on ongoing Restoration Projects and Bass Sampling Highlights in North/Central New Jersey Lakes. There will also be updates on fish production activities. Suggestions for potential regulation changes for 2021 will also be welcomed during the open discussion.

There will be time for open discussion with professional staff to during the extended question and answer period. There is also time for one on one discussions with Division fisheries biologists following the meeting.

Be part of the development of future programs and regulations related to New Jersey’s freshwater fisheries resources!

NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife- Public Forum
10:00 a.m, Saturday, January 19
Hackettstown State Fish Hatchery in Warren County

More info on Hackettstown State Fish Hatchery:
https://www.njfishandwildlife.com/hacktown.htm

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Senate President Steve Sweeney : “NJBIA’s report underscores what we already know. High taxes make New Jersey less affordable

for sale Ridgewood_Real_Estate_theRodgewopodblog

file photo by Boyd Loving

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester, Salem, Cumberland) issued the following statement in response to the New Jersey Business and Industry Association’s “Indicators of Innovation” report.

“NJBIA’s report underscores what we already know. High taxes make New Jersey less affordable and our investments in higher education and research and development lags behind comparable states in the region, like Massachusetts and New York.

“We have a responsibility to the people of New Jersey to make our state more affordable, to lower the tax burden on our families and to invest in the next generation of innovators through education and technology. We can’t make the investments we need, however, until we address the long-term fiscal crisis, specifically the high pension and benefit costs that crowd out critical investment. We need to make smart investments, we need to control taxes and we need do it now, if we are going to get New Jersey back on track. If we make the difficult but necessary decisions today, we can make New Jersey a leader for generations to come.”

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Cake Boss Says Goodbye to Ridgewood

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood and Morristown locations of Carlo’s Bake Shop have closed, this follows closures in Redbank and Westfield.

The Village  of Ridgewood location of Carlo’s Bake Shop, which first opened in 2013 in Wilsey Square, was Valastro’s first foray in New Jersey outside of his home town of  Hoboken. The bakery has been in operation in the Mile Square City since 1910. Valastro’s family took over in 1964, when his father, Bartolo Valastro Sr., bought the bakery.

An expansion of the business followed Valastro’s rapid rise to fame on the TLC reality series “Cake Boss,” which premiered in 2009 and went on to run for 10 seasons. The show, which has filmed at both the original Hoboken bakery and the company’s factory at the Lackawanna Center in Jersey City, did not air in 2018. Sources say an 11th season is likely slated for this fall.

With TV fame Carlo’s Bake Shop quickly expanded to other states,  New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Texas, Florida, Nevada, Minnesota, George, California  as well as Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The Ridgewood store may best be remembered for the November 2013 Bomb scare in which the store was evacuated .

https://theridgewoodblog.net/cake-boss-store-in-ridgewood-evacuated-due-to-bomb-threat/

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State Board of Medical Examiners Temporarily Suspends License of NJGREENMD

cheech and chong up in smoke

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Rutherford NJ, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal and the Division of Consumer Affairs announced today that the State Board of Medical Examiners (“the Board”) has temporarily suspended the license of a physician participating in the State’s Medicinal Marijuana Program (“MMP”) amid allegations he created a multimillion dollar enterprise by indiscriminately authorizing marijuana use for thousands of patients he met in hotel conference centers across the state.

Dr. Anthony Anzalone, 66, who has been a registered participant in the MMP since 2012, must wind down his medical practice within the next 30 days and cease practicing medicine altogether on February 8, under the terms of an Interim Consent Order he entered with the Board on Wednesday. His license will remain temporarily suspended until the allegations against him are resolved.

“State legislatures may relax their laws against marijuana – and many already have – but there are limits to what state law allows, and the public should know that we vigorously enforce those limits to protect public safety and prevent unlawful distribution,” said Attorney General Grewal. “We allege that Dr. Anzalone failed to adhere to even the most fundamental rules of New Jersey’s Medicinal Marijuana Program, a program carefully regulated to meet the public’s need for compassionate treatment alternatives while preventing unlawful marijuana distribution and use. We expect physicians to abide by the rules and regulations of their profession, no matter what kind of medicine they are practicing.”

In a Verified Complaint filed with the Board, the State alleges that Anzalone, who advertises as “NJGreenMD,” engaged in fraud, gross negligence, and professional misconduct by indiscriminately authorizing medicinal marijuana to large groups of people who attended conferences he held in hotels around the state, charging each an initial consultation fee of $350 and subsequently charging each quarterly fees of $100 for continued authorization of the drug.

The State alleges that Anzalone’s marijuana practice was inherently impersonal and detached from any effort to individualize care. At the hotel conferences he held, Anzalone typically discussed medicinal marijuana generally with the group and then relied on his staff, who were not trained in the field of medicine, to register these individuals in the MMP with 90-day supplies of the drug, to instruct the patients on use and storage of the drug, and to obtain the initial consultation fee, typically paid in cash, the state alleges.

In order to expand his patient base and increase his revenues, Dr. Anzalone routinely registered patients who would not qualify for the MMP because they lacked a debilitating condition as defined by regulations, or fabricated debilitating conditions to qualify them, the State alleges.

Since registering for the program, Anzalone has authorized nearly 3,250 patients for medicinal marijuana. He currently has about 2,077 active patients, while most of the physicians registered with the MMP have an average of 45 patients, according to the Verified Complaint.

“We allege that Dr. Anzalone exploited his patients and the MMP for his own gain, completely disregarding the regulations meant to protect patients and promote the efficacious use of medicinal marijuana,” said Paul R. Rodríguez, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. “By temporarily suspending Dr. Anzalone from practicing medicine, we are making it clear that we will not allow unscrupulous doctors to enrich themselves at the expense of the safety and welfare of their patients and the public.”

The New Jersey Department of Health, which administers the MMP, will provide assistance to patients affected by Anzalone’s temporary suspension.

“The Department of Health’s Medicinal Marijuana Program will assist patients who need help transitioning to a new physician,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Shereef Elnahal. “Patients can search for a participating physician by county on our website or call our customer service unit at 609-292-0424 for assistance in finding physicians.”

The Medicinal Marijuana Program was established under New Jersey’s Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, a law that offers legal protection to individuals who are seriously ill and require marijuana as an alternative treatment for certain, defined, qualifying conditions.

Under regulations promulgated by the DOH and the Board, physicians are required to register with the DOH to participate in the MMP. Participating physicians must have an active New Jersey medical license issued by the Board of Medical Examiners, an active Controlled Dangerous Substance registration, and a bona fide relationship with participating patients. Participating physicians – there are currently 865 – are authorized to certify patients with certain medical conditions to receive marijuana at one of the six dispensaries permitted by the MMP.

Anzalone, who specializes in Obstetrics and Gynecology, was among the first doctors to register for the MMP program and has since limited his practice to the MMP.

The Enforcement Bureau of the Division of Consumer Affairs opened an investigation into Anzalone and his practice based on a referral from DOH following the MMP’s receipt of numerous consumer complaints against him.

The State alleges that undercover State investigators posing as patients seeking medicinal marijuana, as well as several actual patients who had made complaints about Anzalone, confirmed that the doctor “practices with little regard for patient privacy, and in a manner inconsistent with the bona fide physician-patient relationship requirement,” according to the Verified Complaint.

According to the Verified Complaint, Anzalone failed to comply with MMP regulations in his treatment of four actual patients and two undercover investigators posing as patients by, among other things:

  • providing a certification and written instructions to a patient for the medical use of marijuana with whom he does not maintain a bona fide physician-patient relationship;
  • failing to perform a comprehensive medical history and physical examination of the patient to determine if that patient suffers from a debilitating medical condition qualifying him or her to receive medicinal marijuana;
  • failing to assess the patient’s qualifying condition at least every three months; and
  • failing to keep accurate and complete records pertaining to his medical marijuana treatment.

Under the terms of the Interim Consent Order, Anzalone is prohibited from registering new patients into the MMP or beginning any new treatment in any specialty of medicine, including Obstetrics and Gynecology, during the 30-day wind down period.

During the wind-down, he may provide only one 30-day medicinal marijuana renewal to existing patients who are due for renewals within the wind-down period, and only after he conducts an in-person, private physical examination of the patient to ensure that the medicinal marijuana renewal is medically necessary and appropriate for the patient’s MMP qualifying debilitating condition. He also must create records, according to MMP and Board regulations, documenting these encounters, and including findings that support his decision to renew medicinal marijuana. Anzalone is prohibited from increasing fees for these consultations beyond his customary $100 charge.

During the wind-down period Anzalone also must cooperate with the DOH in transitioning patients who wish to continue MMP care to other MMP registered physicians, including informing his patients that he is temporarily barred from the MMP.

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Ridgewood Police Begin Parking Permit Enforcement

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, This is to make you aware that the Police Department is enforcing for lack of a Ridgewood Parking Permit (RPP) or parking in a location with the wrong permit.  As a reminder, the only permit accepted in the Hudson Street lot is the Hudson Street permit.  The Premium Ridgewood Parking permits may be used in all lots, except the Hudson Street lot.

The 2019 Annual Commuter (Ridgewood Parking Permits – RPP) are currently for sale at the Reception Desk in the lobby of Village Hall, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except holidays.  All applicants must bring their driver’s license and vehicle registration(s) for car(s) they wish to list on their permits, as the RPPs allow up to 3 cars on each hang tag.  The RPPs allow commuters to park in designated Ridgewood parking lots without having to pay the parking meters.  All permit prices will be pro-rated throughout the year.  The following is a summary of the Ridgewood Parking Permits (RPPs) and their prices:

Premium RPP – $1,300 annual fee – SOLD OUT

Hudson Lot Permit – $1,300 annual fee – allows Ridgewood residents to park in the Hudson parking lot only, with a guaranteed parking space.  When the Hudson parking lot is closed, due to the construction of the parking garage, those residents with a Hudson parking lot permit will participate in a ride share program, through December 31, 2019.  Residents who purchase Hudson parking lot permits must purchase a premium Ridgewood parking permit at the end of 2019 in order to continue to participate in the ride share program until the parking garage opens in 2020.  Hudson Lot permit holders may use their permits in any lot on Saturdays.

Non-Premium RPP – $975 annual fee – allows Ridgewood residents to park in Chestnut Street lot, North Walnut Street lot, Cottage Place lot, and Route 17 Park and Ride lot. 

Park and Ride RPP – $975 annual fee – this price is for both Ridgewood residents and non-residents, and allows parking in the Route 17 Park and Ride lot.

Non-resident RPP in Central Business District – $1,950 annual fee – allows non-residents to park in the Cottage Place lot.

Ridgewood Resident Commuter Sticker – Free – All Ridgewood resident commuters who wish to park at the train station must bring in their driver’s license and vehicle registration(s) to obtain a free Ridgewood Resident Commuter sticker.  Free Ridgewood Resident Commuter stickers will also be issued to all Ridgewood residents purchasing RPPs and the Hudson Lot permit.

The Village will accept checks, cash, or credit cards (with a 3% transaction fee to the user) for payment.

There are also Central Business District (CBD) Employee stickers and hang tags that may be purchased by those who work in the CBD and allows parking at designated meters in the North Walnut Street and Cottage Place lots.
For more information, please visit our website: www.ridgewoodnj.net.

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New Jersey Ranks 38th Among All States in Efforts to Serve Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

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file photo by Boyd Loving

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, in April Gov. Phil Murphy announced the appointment of former Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn to head up the newly created Office of the Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities and Their Families, serving as the administration’s lead advocate and ally for New Jersey residents in need of critical services ranging from early childhood through adulthood.

But according to the ANCOR Foundation,stagnant or declining investments in state programs that help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities lead more independent and productive lives have resulted in New Jersey dropping from 34th place in 2016 to 38th place this year in state rankings, according to the Case for Inclusion 2019, compiled by the ANCOR Foundation and United Cerebral Palsy (UCP).

The Case for Inclusion 2019 ranks all 50 states and the District of Columbia on how well state programs, primarily Medicaid, serve those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The states are ranked in five key areas critical to the inclusion, support and empowerment of individuals with I/DD and their families: Promoting Independence, Promoting Productivity, Keeping Families Together, Serving Those in Need, and Tracking Health, Safety & Quality of Life.

The biggest factors affecting New Jersey’s poor performance are low marks in the areas of Promoting Independence and Promoting Productivity. New Jersey ranks in the bottom 10 of all states in these areas, at 42nd and 43rd, respectively. Particularly problematic for the Garden State in the area of Promoting Independence is that it fails to meet the coveted “80/80 standard”; although at least 80 percent of the state’s residents with I/DD received Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS), the state failed to spend at least 80 percent of its Medicaid dollars on helping people with I/DD live in the community.

The Case for Inclusion, which has been published regularly since 2006 by UCP, compiles the most recent data available (generally from 2016 for this report) and analyzes 30 outcome measures in the five major categories. The ANCOR Foundation joins UCP this year in publishing the report. Among the other key findings on New Jersey’s performance:

• 5.8 percent of the state’s residents with I/DD—the fifth-highest percentage in the nation—live in one of New Jersey’s five state-run institutions.

• More than 3,100 New Jerseyans with I/DD live in large-scale congregate care settings, defined as group homes or Intermediate Care Facilities with at least seven residents.

• Only 11 percent of working-age individuals with I/DD in New Jersey were working in competitive employment—meaning they work alongside those without disabilities and earn market-driven wages—compared to the national average of 19 percent.

• One relative bright spot was in the area of Serving Those in Need, where New Jersey ranked 22nd, in part because of its relatively low number of individuals on the state’s waiting list for residential services (3,201).

Nationally, the report found that notable advances in the support of individuals with I/DD have stalled. For instance, just 29 states—two more than in the 2016 Case for Inclusion—report that at least 80 percent of these Americans are served in home-like settings, such as a family home, their own home or a small group setting—a number that hasn’t budged from the 2016 Case for Inclusion findings. And decades after states embarked on efforts to close large institutions that warehouse the intellectually and developmentally disabled, just 15 states have eliminated all such facilities, a number that is also unchanged from 2016.

The report documented downward trends in two critical areas: (1) the number of people on waitlists for residential and community services, and (2) the number of individuals with I/DD working in competitive employment. The Case for Inclusion 2019 found the number of people on waiting lists for Home and Community-Based Services was up 75,000 from the 2016 report to almost 424,000. Just seven states, down from 10 in 2016, reported at least 33 percent of working-age individuals with I/DD working in competitive employment.

“Individuals with I/DD, including the young and the aging, want and deserve the same opportunities and quality of life as all Americans. Yet some states do much better than others in demonstrating the needed political will and implementing the sound policies and focused funding necessary to achieve this ideal,” the report states.

“The pervasive theme across states and, specifically in New Jersey, is that the Direct Support Professional (DSP) crisis created by an inability to recruit and retain DSPs contributes to these challenges. I just learned yesterday that an agency has a house ready and waiting to receive three individuals that want to live within the community, however, the agency is struggling to find staff.

With New Jersey failing to meet the 80/80 standard meaning the state failed to spend at least 80 percent of its Medicaid dollars on helping people with IDD live in the community and in the bottom five for the number of institutions remaining, we can and must do more.,” commented NJACP CEO Valerie Sellers.

It is notable that during a period of polarization on many issues, policies that support individuals with I/DD have support from stakeholders across the political spectrum. For example, the 10 highest-ranked states are a political mix, including deep-blue Oregon and California and deep-red Kentucky and South Dakota. Armando Contreras, President & CEO of UCP, notes that “across the country, we see efforts by state policymakers to enhance their approach to Medicaid services and supports and related programs for the I/DD population by making the best use of existing and scarce resources. Of course, additional funding to keep pace with the diverse needs of this population would help, but new ideas and shared best practices from successful states have the potential to drive improvements even absent additional funding.”

The full Case for Inclusion 2019 report, along with scorecards for each state and additional resources, can be downloaded at caseforinclusion.org.

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Furloughed Federal Workers May Be Eligible to Collect Unemployment Benefits

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ,  Furloughed federal employees assigned to work in New Jersey are eligible to apply for unemployment benefits.

Benefits are being paid to eligible federal workers beginning Dec. 23, 2018. Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo said eligible employees would be paid for the duration of the shutdown, no matter how far into the shutdown their unemployment claim is filed.

“Thousands of federal workers are waiting for a paycheck due to President Trump’s shutdown,” said Governor Murphy.“In these challenging times, we urge furloughed federal employees in New Jersey to apply for unemployment benefits to supplement any lost wages.”

Commissioner Asaro-Angelo added, “Tomorrow, furloughed workers will miss their first paycheck because of the shutdown. The Labor Department is ready to assist these workers with their unemployment claims and get them paid as quickly as possible.”

Furloughed workers are eligible to apply for unemployment in the state in which they are assigned to work. They will be asked to provide proof of wages. Employees who are furloughed (not working) are generally eligible for benefits, so long as all other state eligibility factors are met.

The maximum weekly unemployment benefit for 2019 is $696. Regular benefits are exhausted after 26 weeks.

Furloughed employees who collect unemployment but are retroactively paid for the furlough by their employer must repay all overpayments to the state from which they collected.

To learn more about unemployment eligibility, click here. To initiate a New Jersey unemployment claim, click here. To learn more about the effects of the shutdown, click here.

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HACKENSACK POLICE OFFICER ARRESTED ON BURGLARY AND STALKING CHARGES

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Hackensack NJ, Bergen County Acting Prosecutor Dennis Calo announced the arrest of Hackensack Police Lieutenant RICHARD LEVIS (DOB: 02/21/1970; married; employed as a police officer) of Butler, NJ, on charges of Burglary and Stalking. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti and the Oakland Police Department under the direction of Officer-in-Charge Keith Sanzari.

On December 30, 2018, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office received information that Hackensack Police Lieutenant Richard LEVIS may have surreptitiously placed a Global Positioning System (“GPS”) tracking device in his estranged wife’s vehicle without permission. A subsequent investigation by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Confidential Investigations Unit and the Oakland Police Department Internal Affairs Unit confirmed that LEVIS’ estranged wife discovered a GPS in her vehicle and that LEVIS had been using the device to track her whereabouts.

As a result of the investigation, Richard LEVIS was issued a Summons by Bergen County Central Municipal Court on January 7, 2019 in Hackensack, charging him with one count of Burglary, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2, a 3rd degree crime; and one count of Stalking, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:12-10(b), a 4th degree crime. Richard LEVIS is scheduled for a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack on Wednesday, January 23, 2019 at 8:30 a.m.

Bergen County Acting Prosecutor Calo states that these charges are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and would also like to thank the Oakland Police Department for its assistance in this investigation. Acting Prosecutor Calo would also like to thank the Hackensack Police Department for its cooperation in this matter.

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Governor Phil Murphy plays the fool on the heels of President Donald J. Trump’s Border Wall Address

Phill Murphy -Sara Medina del Castillo

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, Governor Phil Murphy plays the fool on the heels of President Donald J. Trump’s Border Wall Address. Murphy said ,“President Trump continues to mislead to justify his nonsensical and damaging shutdown. There is a much better and smarter way for us to invest $5 billion than an impractical non-starter of a wall. The Gateway Project would do more to create jobs, promote economic and national security, and build critically needed 21st century infrastructure. Enough of the misguided rhetoric that is hurting our economy and our people, and making us less safe. Let’s get the government open and get to work to get Gateway done.”

We want to take this minute to remind Governor Murphy that an illegal immigrant released by a “sanctuary city” county in New Jersey was charged with a triple homicide halfway across the country in Missouri.
Luis Rodrigo Perez stands accused of being the gunman in a shooting rampage last week that claimed the lives of two men and one woman at two homes. 

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said it had tried to deport Perez after he was arrested on domestic violence charges in Middlesex County, New Jersey, last year.But the county, which has a noncooperation policy with ICE, refused to alert federal agents when it released Perez in February.“Had ICE’s detainer request in December 2017 been honored by Middlesex County Jail, Luis Rodrigo Perez would have been placed in deportation proceedings and likely sent home to his country — and three innocent people might be alive today,” said Corey Price, acting ICE executive associate director.John Tsoukaris, ICE’s deportation operations field director in Newark, New Jersey, called Middlesex County’s policy reckless.

Many believe the governor, state attorney general and Middlesex County all have blood on their hands.