Search Results for: ration

Posted on by — 1 Comment

The Internet is Once Again Free to Grow and Innovate

FCC Chairman Pai

December 15,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Washington DC, The FCC voted 3-2 on Thursday to approve chairman Ajit Pai’s plan to repeal “net neutrality” rules backed by the Obama Administration that reclassified internet-service providers as common carriers under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934. Title II prohibits “any unjust or unreasonable discrimination in charges, practices, classifications, regulations, facilities, or services.”

The Net Neutrality rules effectively deemed the internet a utility, former chairman Tom Wheeler turned the FCC ie the Federal Government into a political gatekeeper. The rules prohibited broadband providers from blocking, throttling and favoring content, which Mr. Wheeler ostensibly intended to help large content providers like Google , and Netflix gain leverage against cable companies.

Bans on throttling content may poll well, but the regulations have created uncertainty about what the FCC would or wouldn’t allow. This has in tern  throttled investment. Price discrimination and paid prioritization are used by many businesses. Netflix charges higher prices to subscribers who stream content on multiple devices. Has this made the internet less free?

Mr. Pai’s rules require that broadband providers disclose discriminatory practices unlike now. Thus cable companies would have to be transparent if they throttle content when users reach a data cap or if they speed up live sports programming. Consumers can choose broadband providers and plans accordingly. The Federal Trade Commission will have authority to police predatory and monopolistic practices, as it had prior to Mr. Wheeler’s power grab.

Despite the screams from the left Mr. Pai’s net-neutrality rollback will also support growth in content. Both content producers and consumers will benefit from increased investment in faster wireless and fiber technology. Apple is pouring $1 billion into original content to compete with Amazon, Netflix and YouTube.

Disney is buying the 21st Century Fox assets in an effort to compete with Netflix and other streaming services, build leverage with cable companies and establish a global footprint. Netflix has more than 47 million international subscribers and streams in nearly every country. Fox will keep its news and main sports channels, which can offer “live” content to consumers. The antitrust concerns should be negligible.

More positively consumers will also benefit from the speeding up of the breakdown of the cable monopoly as they offer more customized “bundles” like Hulu or a Disney stream that may cost less and no longer force large expensive packages of channels on customers  Americans will also enjoy new distribution options, which could have been barred by the old net-neutrality rules.

This week T-Mobile announced its acquisition of Layer3 TV, a Denver startup that streams high-definition channels online and will compete with AT&T’s DirecTV Now. Verizon Wireless last month said it will start delivering high-speed broadband to homes over its wireless network late next year. Google and AT&T are experimenting with similar services that will be cheaper than digging dirt to lay cable. This could be a boon for rural America.

Google, YouTube and Facebook have vigorously promoted net neutrality in theory but less in practice. While Google says it remains “committed to the net neutrality policies,” the search engine like Facebook uses opaque algorithms to prioritize and discriminate against certain content, sometimes in ways that undercut competitors. Net neutrality for thee, but not me should be Google , YouTube and Facebooks mantra . In simple terms these providers till search results to favor politically correct view points. Google, YouTube as well as Facebook should be far more transparent about these discriminatory practices.

Technology and markets change faster than the speed of regulation, which Ajit Pai’s FCC has recognized by taking a neutral position and restoring the promise of internet freedom.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

No Neutral Ground: The Problem of Net Neutrality

Optical-Fibers01_Web(2)

December 14,2017

by Brian Dellinger

On November 21, the Federal Communications Commission announced plans to revisit its Obama-era internet regulations. It seems likely that the resulting vote will repeal the policies often referred to as net neutrality. The name is, perhaps, misleading; to support net neutrality is to support placing the internet more fully under government supervision. The related political debate often divides traditional allies with arguments for free expression pitted against defenses of small government.

To understand net neutrality, one must see its position in technical history. Traditionally, internet service providers (ISPs), such as Comcast and Verizon, have guaranteed their customers a certain quantity of bandwidth – that is, a certain amount of data per unit of time. It was assumed that even a voracious user would rarely use his maximum bandwidth, and services were priced under this assumption. ISPs also de facto allowed customers to access whatever websites they wished; while there was no legal protection for this behavior, technical complexities made discrimination by website infeasible. The result was a largely open web: anyone with a blog could potentially reach millions.
In the early 2000s, the situation changed. Technological innovations enabled providers to determine which site a user visited and so potentially to restrict access. In principle, an ISP could now sell “packages” of websites, in a fashion resembling cable television: “basic internet” for news and Facebook, say, or “premium internet” for those who wanted more. These years also saw the rising popularity of streaming video services like Netflix and YouTube. Users now binge-watched videos, consuming their maximum available bandwidth for hours at a stretch. Such trends increased costs for the ISPs, leading them to investigate new responses: restricted access to high-usage sites, artificially slow downloads, and so on.

Net neutrality stands in opposition to these changes. Broadly, under net neutrality, the government requires ISPs to treat all web traffic in the same way: no limiting access, no reducing speed. Since 2005, the FCC has several times established net neutrality regulations; inevitably, the courts struck down such rules on the grounds that the FCC lacked the authority to regulate ISPs. In response, in 2015 the FCC redefined broadband internet as a telecommunications service, placing it under FCC jurisdiction, and promptly passed net neutrality rules. With the political shift of the 2016 elections, new FCC Chairman Ajit Pai began rolling back these regulations – hence the upcoming vote.
Both sides of the debate have merit. Concerns that ISPs might slow targeted websites are not idle speculation; Comcast did precisely thatto Netflix in 2014. Indeed, Comcast and others have done little to engender public trust in their behavior. Comcast had pledged for years not to “prioritize Internet traffic or create paid fast lanes.” That pledge disappeared from its website less than a day after Pai announced policy changes.

It is also true that the meritocratic nature of the internet – its enabling of anyone to win a following through quality work – has been one of its most notable virtues. A world of “basic internet,” in which new entrants might be simply unreachable, would reduce its value as a platform for new ideas.

Despite these fair concerns, arguments against the FCC rollback seem insufficient. It is difficult to deny that price incentives have drastically shifted over the last decade; if streaming video is generating much of the ISPs’ expenses, it makes intuitive sense that providers might demand Netflix share those costs, or might price service by total consumption rather than maximum bandwidth. Nor are the corporations supporting net neutrality any more trustworthy than the ISPs. Setting Netflix aside, supporters such as Google and Facebook seek to block ISPs from trading in users’ private information – a trade on which these companies themselves depend. For them, net neutrality eliminates the competition.

Other objections rely too heavily on speculation. While a “fast lane” internet would be a marked shift, the brief history of the web is one of constant change. Indeed, the rise of mobile browsing, which often limits the user to app-specific websites and now constitutes a majority of all web usage, may produce a greater alteration than that net neutrality would prevent.

Further, the internet is historically the result of market activity rather than top-down regulations. If one approves of its remarkable evolution to this point, it seems peculiar to assert that this is the moment to freeze it through government action. Given how few accurately predicted that evolution, it seems hubristic to assert how it will change next. Perhaps, as the ISPs argue, the increased revenue from a non-neutral internet would enable the expansion of broadband networks, ending regional monopolies of service providers. Such a change might ultimately produce a faster, more accessible internet – or it might not, but the experiment seems worth the risk.

Finally, whatever one’s feelings on net neutrality, the 2015 rules should be seen for what they are: a staggering expansion of bureaucratic power, by decree of the bureaucracy itself. The result is an ugly patchwork of overlapping authority between the FCC and the Federal Trade Commission, with ISPs disfavored over similar services. This reclassification can never be a stable solution; it will always be vulnerable to precisely the kind of unilateral repeal currently occurring. If the public supports net neutrality, then let it be defended through the proper channel: by laws, and not bureaucratic fiat.

Dr. Brian Dellinger is an assistant professor of computer science at Grove City College. His research interests are artificial intelligence and models of consciousness.

Posted on by — 2 Comments

Friday Sermon at Jersey City, NJ: Imam Aymen Elkasaby Prays to Be Martyred on the Threshold of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Which Is “Under the Feet of the Apes and Pigs”

jersey city islamic center

December 14,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Jersey City NJ , Friday Sermon at Jersey City, NJ: Imam Aymen Elkasaby Prays to Be Martyred on the Threshold of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Which Is “Under the Feet of the Apes and Pigs”

Sheikh Aymen Elkasaby, imam of the Islamic Center of Jersey City, dedicated his Friday sermon on December 8 to U.S. President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Imam Elkasaby challenged the assumption that Israel is invincible, quoting from the Quran to demonstrate that the Jews “are the most cowardly of nations.” “So long as the Al-Aqsa Mosque remains prisoner in the hands of the Jews… So long as the Al-Aqsa Mosque remains under the feet of the apes and pigs, this nation will remain humiliated,” he said. Towards the end of the sermon, Imam Elkasaby prayed for Allah to grant him “martyrdom on the threshold of the Al-Aqsa Mosque” and to annihilate “the plundering oppressors” down to the very last one. At the end of the sermon, a community member stood up and invited the congregation to a demonstration in Times Square to protest the decision by the “lunatic” U.S. president. The videos of Imam Elkasaby’s sermon was posted on the YouTube account of the Islamic Center of Jersey City.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

WAYNE BUSINESS EXECUTIVE LAUNCHES NEW PRO ECONOMIC GROWTH PAC

Organization For Economic Growth

December 14,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Wayne NJ, the Goal Is To Promote Economic Growth & Candidates Who Will Improve Economy. Citing the need for immediate improvement of state and regional economies, more pro-business policies and effective tax policies, New Jersey businessman Joseph Caruso has launched a new Political Action Committee- – The Organization for Economic Growth (OEG ) https://www.NJOEG.com).

The NJOEG will serve as an advocate for economic policies that create jobs and spur investment, as well as a supporter of candidates for elected office who back pro-growth policies, says Caruso, who will serve as chairman of the organization.

Caruso, who will serve as chairman of the organization said, “The birth of the PAC comes from the large number of people I meet in and out of business who are completely frustrated by the state’s failed taxation and economic policies. There is a need for an organization that can turn that frustration into action that will change the economic climate of New Jersey.”

Caruso said that many elected officials from both parties seem oblivious to the economic peril that New Jersey is in and they fail to comprehend the burden that both homeowners and business owners live under and what will happen unless drastic changes are made.

“It is shocking to me and many other business people that there are legislators and other elected officials who continue to advocate for higher taxes and more regulations while ignoring the state’s lousy business reputation, its existing tax burden and its monstrous debt problems,” said Caruso, a partner in a corporate consulting firm.

“Our goals is to work with well intentioned officials on both sides of the aisle to help create a path to economic prosperity that both Democrats and Republicans can support,” added Caruso

ATTRACTING MILLENIALS

The OEG has attracted bright, young and energetic talent like: John DePinto of Bloomfield, who will serve as Vice Chairman, Ray Cottiers of New Milford will be the Director of Strategic Services and Alex Cucciniello of Mahwah will run the day to day operations as the Executive Director.

“If New Jersey doesn’t alter course soon, the jobs of the future economy – the jobs that will employ our Millennials — will be gone, followed by catastrophic economic consequences for the state,” added DePinto. “I’m a young professional and I would like to raise a family New Jersey, but currently that does not seem practical– or possible.”

Cucciniello said the OEG will serve as a information center to help educate the public and elected officials on economic and tax issues and to be a voice against the state’s bad economic policies.

“Much of the readily available economic information that is published or broadcast about our state and region is politically charged and often misleading. Our goal is to distill information from people actually working in business and interact with the media in a constructive way that will lead economic change,” said Cucciniello, who formerly worked in Washington D.C. as an intern in the White House Office of Political Affairs.

“I also believe people need to fully understand the consequences of New Jersey’s continued bad economic policies,” added Cucciniello.

Cottiers stated, “many public officials who want to improve the economy lack the information or the forum to persuade their constituents or colleagues about the best course to follow. Part of our mission will be to provide data to officials who are seriously committed to breaking down the barriers to economic growth. And part of our mission will be to be a the voice — across various media platforms — that argues against policies that harm businesses.”

The new Organization will host its initial fundraising event in January; details will be available shortly. For more information visit NJOEG.com and follow and like us on Facebook at Organization for Economic Growth (@StrengthThroughIndustry).

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Justice Department Announces Guilty Pleas In Three Computer Crime Cases Involving Significant Cyber Attacks

Hacked

Defendants Responsible for Rutgers University Hack, Creating Mirai and clickfraud Botnets, Infecting Hundreds of Thousands of Devices with Malicious Software

December  14,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ,  The Justice Department announced today guilty pleas in three cybercrime cases. In the District of New Jersey, one defendant also pleaded guilty to launching a cyber attack on the Rutgers University computer network, and in the District of Alaska, that defendant and two others pleaded guilty to creating and operating two botnets, which targeted “Internet of Things” (IoT) devices.

Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick of the District of New Jersey; Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher of the FBI’s Newark Division; U.S. Attorney Bryan D. Schroder of the District of Alaska; and Special Agent in Charge Marlin L. Ritzman of the FBI’s Anchorage Division and made the announcement.

Paras Jha, 21, of Fanwood, New Jersey, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp in Trenton federal court in the District of New Jersey to violating the Computer Fraud & Abuse Act. Between November 2014 and September 2016, Jha executed a series of attacks on the networks of Rutgers University. Jha’s attacks effectively shut down Rutgers University’s central authentication server, which maintained, among other things, the gateway portal through which staff, faculty, and students delivered assignments and assessments. At times, Jha succeeded in taking the portal offline for multiple consecutive periods, causing damage to Rutgers University, its faculty, and its students. The count to which Jha pleaded guilty is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain or loss derived from the offense, whichever is greater. Sentencing is scheduled for March 13, 2018.

On Dec. 8, 2017, Jha, Josiah White, 20, of Washington, Pennsylvania, and Dalton Norman, 21, of Metairie, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to criminal informations in the District of Alaska charging them each with conspiracy to violate the Computer Fraud & Abuse Act in operating the Mirai Botnet. In the summer and fall of 2016, White, Jha, and Norman created a powerful botnet – a collection of computers infected with malicious software and controlled as a group without the knowledge or permission of the computers’ owners. The Mirai Botnet, targeted IoT devices – non-traditional computing devices that have been connected to the Internet, including wireless cameras, routers, and digital video recorders. The defendants attempted to discover both known and previously undisclosed vulnerabilities that allowed them to surreptitiously attain administrative or high-level access to victim devices for the purpose of forcing the devices to participate in the Mirai Botnet. At its peak, Mirai consisted of hundreds of thousands of compromised devices. The defendants used the botnet to conduct a number of powerful “distributed denial of service” (DDOS) attacks, which occur when multiple computers acting in unison flood the Internet connection of a targeted computer or computers. The defendants’ involvement with the original Mirai variant ended in the fall of 2016, when Jha posted the source code for Mirai on a criminal forum. Since then, other criminal actors have used Mirai variants in a variety of other attacks.

Jha and Norman also pleaded guilty to criminal informations in the District of Alaska charging each with conspiracy to violate the Computer Fraud & Abuse Act. From December 2016 to February 2017, the defendants successfully infected more than 100,000 primarily U.S.-based Internet-connected computing devices, such as home Internet routers, with malicious software. That malware caused the hijacked home Internet routers and other devices to form a powerful botnet. The defendants then used the compromised devices as a network of proxies through which they routed Internet traffic. The victim devices were used primarily in advertising fraud, including “clickfraud,” a type of Internet-based scheme that utilizes “clicks,” or the accessing of URLs and similar web content, for the purpose of artificially generating revenue.

“Paras Jha has admitted his responsibility for multiple hacks of the Rutgers University computer system,” Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick said. “These computer attacks shut down the server used for all communications among faculty, staff and students, including assignment of course work to students, and students’ submission of their work to professors to be graded. The defendant’s actions effectively paralyzed the system for days at a time and maliciously disrupted the educational process for tens of thousands of Rutgers’ students. Today, the defendant has admitted his role in this criminal offense and will face the legal consequences for it.”

“Today’s guilty plea is a testament to the countless hours of hard work and dedication by law enforcement in the fight against cyber criminals,” FBI Newark Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher said. “Cybercrime knows no boundaries. Dismantling these operations is possible only by working closely with our partners.”

“The Mirai and Clickfraud botnet schemes are powerful reminders that as we continue on a path of a more interconnected world, we must guard against the threats posed by cybercriminals that can quickly weaponize technological developments to cause vast and varied types of harm,” Acting Assistant Attorney General Cronan said. “The Criminal Division will remain constantly vigilant in combating these sophisticated schemes, prosecuting cybercriminals, and protecting the American people.”

For additional information on cybersecurity best practices for IoT devices, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/criminal-ccips/page/file/984001/download .

Posted on by — Leave a comment

GOP leaders cut a deal Wednesday on a sweeping overhaul of the nation’s tax laws

1040taxirs_010415getty

December 14,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Washington DC, House and Senate GOP leaders cut a deal Wednesday on a sweeping overhaul of the nation’s tax laws, paving the way for final votes next week to slash taxes for businesses and give many Americans modest tax cuts starting next year. While some deduction were eliminated or curtailed , the standard deduction was doubled .

Here is what we know so far , the agreement would set the top individual rate at 37 percent, down from today’s 39.6 percent. The corporate rate would come down to 21% down from the highest in the world 35 % and would take effect in 2018.The deal is also expected to eliminate the alternative minimum tax for corporations.

House and Senate negotiators finally agreed to expand the deduction for state and local taxes and to allow individuals to deduct $10,000 in property taxes. A change important to residents in high-tax states like New York, New Jersey ,California and Connecticut, but probably not enough to offset other cuts for certain types of wage earnings and will adversely impact towns like Ridgewood.

Among the other tax breaks, negotiators also agreed to let homeowners retain some of the mortgage interest deduction on the first $750,000 of a new mortgage, down from the current limit of $1 million.

From what we see so far it appears the changes favor entrepreneurs over wage slaves .

Posted on by — Leave a comment

VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE COUNCIL REGULAR PUBLIC MEETING DECEMBER 13, 2017 8:00 P.M.

Ridgewood Village Council

file photo by Boyd Loving

VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE COUNCIL REGULAR PUBLIC MEETING DECEMBER 13, 2017 8:00 P.M.

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

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over – 2017 Year End     Holiday Statewide Crackdown

 

  1. Comments from the Public (Not to exceed 3           minutes per person – 40 minutes in total)
  1. Village Manager’s Report
  1. Village Council Reports
  1. ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION – RIDGEWOOD WATER

NONE

  1. ORDINANCES – PUBLIC HEARING – RIDGEWOOD WATER

NONE

  1. RESOLUTIONS – RIDGEWOOD WATER

THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS, NUMBERED 17-372 THROUGH

17-379 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:

 17-372    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

17-373    Award Contract – Line Stop and Valve                   Insertion Services (NTE $100,000) – Awards             the first year of a two-year contract to the           lowest responsible bidder, Carner Brothers,           10 Steel Court, Roseland, NJ

17-374    Title 59 Approval – Water Billing and Data              Collection/Processing Services – Approves the           plans and specifications for Water Billing             and Data Collection Services prepared by the               Ridgewood Water Department, pursuant to Title          59

17-375    Award Contract – Water Billing and Data                Collection/Processing Services (NTE                    $237,395/year) – Awards the first year of a            three-year contract to the sole responsible              bidder, Computil, Inc., 30 Controls Drive,              Shelton, CT

17-376    Award Contract Under State Contract –                  Emergency Generators (NTE $100,291.65) –               Awards a contract under State Contract to             United Rentals, 222 Bergen Turnpike,                Ridgefield Park, NJ

17-377    Award Professional Services Contract –                 Evaluation of Water Quality (NTE $170,000) –            Awards a no-bid 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.

17-378    Authorize Change Order #1 – Professional               Services for Lafayette Reservoir Improvements         (NTE $5,000) – Authorizes Change Order #1 to            the original low bidder, H2M Associates,               Inc., 119 Cherry Hill Road, Parsippany, NJ.             This change order is necessary due to                  remediation recommendations for the                 deteriorating inside of the reservoir dome.

17-379    Authorize Change Order #1 – SCADA System               Software (NTE $14,944.96) – Authorizes Change         Order #1 to the original low bidder, Emerson               Process Management Power and Water Solution,               200 Beta Drive, Pittsburgh, PA. This change             order is necessary due to additional                   software licenses needed for the Ridgewood            Water Department and the Village Water                 Pollution Control Facility.

  1. ORDINANCES – INTRODUCTION

3626 – Amend White Collar Salary Ordinance – Amends            Ordinance No. 3608 to make minor adjustments to           the previously adopted White Collar salary             ordinance

3627 – Amend Blue Collar Salary Ordinance – Amends        Ordinance No. 3607 to make minor adjustments to          the previously adopted Blue Collar salary             ordinance

3628 – Amend Management Salary Ordinance – Amends             Ordinance No. 3620 to make minor adjustments to           the previously adopted Management salary               ordinance

3629 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic – CBD          Employee Parking – Cottage Place Lot – Restores          15 parking spaces to general parking by              eliminating 15 CBD Employee Parking spaces in          the Cottage Place lot

3630 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic –              Prohibit Overweight and Over Length Vehicles –           Glenwood Road – Prohibits vehicles in excess of           22 feet in length and 10,000 pounds in Gross            Vehicle Weight on Glenwood Road, from Upper             Boulevard to the Ho-Ho-Kus municipal boundary

  1. ORDINANCES – PUBLIC HEARING

3623 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic –             Establish Stop Signs at Cliff Street and First            Street

3624 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic –             Establish Stop Signs at Various Locations at        Intersections with West End Avenue

3625 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development –          Allow Certain Illuminated Interior Signs in           the Central Business District

  1. RESOLUTIONS

THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS, NUMBERED 17-380 THROUGH

17-411 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:

17-380    Approve 2018 Village Cash Management Plan –            Annual resolution which approves the Cash           Management Plan and Policy.  This Cash                Management Plan is to be used as a guide for           Village officials when depositing and                  investing the Village’s funds.   

17-381    Designate Official Newspapers for 2018 –               Annual resolution which designates The Record         and the Ridgewood News, and the USA Today               Network (the parent company of both                 newspapers) as the official newspapers of the        Village of Ridgewood

17-382    2018 Annual Meetings Statement – Annual                resolution which sets the schedule for the             Village Council Meetings for 2018

17-383    Approve Budget Transfers – Annual resolution            which transfers money in the 2017 budget from       departments which have excess funds to those           departments which do not have adequate funds

17-384    Approve 2018 Temporary Budgets – Approves              the 2018 Temporary Budgets for the General            budget, the Water Utility budget, and the               Parking Utility budget, which will fund               Village operations prior to the adoption of            the 2018 Budget

17-385    Award Contract – Preparation of 2018 Village           Council Meeting Minutes ($8.50/page/NTE         $18,000) – Awards a contract for preparation         of the 2018 Village Council Meeting minutes       to Caitlin Powers, 413 Van Emburgh Avenue,           Ridgewood, NJ as the sole quote

17-386    Title 59 Approval – Leasing of Police                  Vehicles – Approves the plans and                     specifications for 36 Month Lease and Service        Agreement for Two (2) SUVs, Two (2) Sedans,             and One (1) Minivan, as well as Service for            Other Authorized Vehicles Ridgewood Police              Fleet January 1, 2018 through December 31,               2020 for the Village of Ridgewood, prepared            by the Engineering Division, pursuant to                Title 59

17-387    Award Contract – Leasing of Police Vehicles            (NTE $2,335.10/month) – Awards a contract to           the lowest responsible bidder, Enterprise            Fleet Management, Inc., 1550 Route 23, Wayne,         NJ

17-388    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

17-389    Award Contract – Landfill Disposal of Solid            Waste ($66.95/ton) – Awards a contract for              2018 and 2019 to the lowest responsible                 bidder, IWS Transfer Systems of NJ, Inc, 375            Routes 1 & 9, Jersey City, NJ

17-390    Title 59 Approval – Rental of Two Designated           Parking Spaces on North Broad Street by the          Taxi Stand – Approves the plans and                specifications for Lease of Two (2)               Designated Parking Spaces at North Broad          Street Taxi Stand from the Village of               Ridgewood for One (1) Year Starting January        1, 2018, prepared by the Engineering              Division, pursuant to Title 59

17-391    Award Contract – Rental of Two Designated              Parking Spaces on North Broad Street by the               Taxi Stand – Awards a contract to the sole               bidder, E & K, LLC, 99 Royal Avenue,                    Hawthorne, NJ with payment to the Village of            $2,000 for the 2018 calendar year

17-392    Title 59 Approval – 2018 Recreational Program           Instruction – Approves the plans and                   specifications for Recreational Program                Instruction with the Department of Parks and           Recreation, Contract Year 2018, prepared by             the Ridgewood Recreation Department, pursuant           to Title 59

17-393    Award Contract – 2018 Recreational Program              Instruction – Awards contracts to various              vendors for 2018 recreation programs offered             by the Village of Ridgewood’s Department of            Parks and Recreation

17-394    Title 59 Approval – Poster Display                     Advertising at Train Station Complex –                 Approves the plans and specifications for            Rebid Poster Display Advertising at the                  Village Train Station Complex Specific                  Locations in the Village of Ridgewood,                 prepared by the Engineering Division,                 pursuant to Title 59

17-395    Award Contract – Poster Display Advertising            at Train Station Complex – Awards a contract               to the sole bidder, Intersection Media, LLC,           10 Hudson Yards, 26th Floor, New York, New            York. The Village will receive 60% of the Net           Annual Billings earned by Intersection Media,           LLC.

17-396    Award Contract Under State Contract – Police           Radios (NTE $30,648.50) – Awards a contract              under State Contract to Motorola Solutions,           Inc., c/o Regional Communications, 64 East               Midland Avenue, Paramus, NJ  

17-397    Award Professional Services Contract – Risk             Management Consultants (NTE $60,000) – Awards           a Professional Services contract under a

no-bid contract to Brown and Brown Metro,              LLC, 56 Livingston Avenue, Roseland, NJ. The              hiring of a Risk Management Consultant is           required under the Joint Insurance Fund’s              bylaws.

17-398    Award Professional Services Contract –                 Employee Assistance Program (NTE $5,000) –            Awards a non-exclusive Professional Services              Contract to West Bergen Mental Healthcare,              120 Chestnut Street, Ridgewood, NJ for an               Employee Assistance Program

17-399    Award Professional Services Contract –                 Security Improvements – Phase 1 (NTE                  $143,922) – Awards a no-bid Professional             Services Contract to Secure Watch 24, 70                Moonachie Avenue, Moonachie, NJ. The required           Pay to Play forms have been filed with the               Village Clerk’s Office.

17-400    Endorse Application for Community Development           Block Grant – SHARE, Inc. – 104 Cottage Place       – Air Conditioning Improvements – Confirms            endorsement of a $13,600 CDB grant. This           resolution does not obligate the financial              resources of the Village but will expedite             the expenditure of Community Development              funds.

17-401    Endorse Application for Community Development           Block Grant – Village of Ridgewood – Ridge              Road Ramp – Confirms endorsement of an                  $80,000 CDB grant. This resolution does not            obligate the financial resources of the                Village but will expedite the expenditure of            Community Development funds.

17-402    Endorse Application for Community Development           Block Grant – Family Promise – Sheltering               Programs – Confirms endorsement of a                   $25,000 CDB grant. This resolution does not            obligate the financial resources of the                Village but will expedite the expenditure of            Community Development funds.

17-403    Declare 1998 Ford E-150 Van Surplus – Traffic           & Signal Department – Declares this piece of               equipment surplus and authorizes the Village             Manager to dispose of said property

17-404    Authorize Refund of Portion of Property Taxes           Paid and Cancellation of Real Estate Taxes            for Disabled Veteran – Block 3609, Lot 4 –            Authorizes the Tax Collector to cancel                  property taxes paid on and after August 31,            2017, to a 100% disabled Veteran who has              filed proof of his disability with the Tax             Tax Assessor. Also authorizes the Tax                   Collector to provide for a refund of such              property taxes already paid on and after              August 31, 2017, which amount is $5,929.12.

17-405    Accept Grant Funding from Bergen County                Municipal Alliance Grant – Accepts a                   Municipal Alliance Grant in the amount of              $11,677 for the 2018-2019 program year. This            grant provides for Drug and Alcohol Awareness      Programs for the community.

17-406    Authorize Village Manager to Send Letter to             ParkMobile – Nonrenewal of Contract –                  Authorizes the Village Manager to send a               letter to Parkmobile indicating that the            Village wishes to terminate the current                Agreement with Parkmobile

17-407    Oppose New Beekeeping Regulations – Opposes            the new beekeeping regulations which limits               beekeeping and the number of hives to                 specifically sized lots throughout the State               of New Jersey

17-408    Appoint Health Officer – Appoints Dawn                 Cetrulo as the Health Officer for the Village         of Ridgewood

17-409    Appoint Joint Insurance Fund Commissioner –            Appoints Heather Mailander, Village Manager,               as the JIF Commissioner for 2018

17-410    Appoint Public Agency Compliance Officer               (P.A.C.O) – Designates Heather Mailander,              Village Manager, as the P.A.C.O. for the             Village of Ridgewood for the calendar year            2018

17-411    Endorse Application for Community Development           Block Grant – SHARE, Inc. – 104 Cottage Place       – Boiler Improvement Project – Confirms                    endorsement of a $12,925 CDB grant. This               resolution does not obligate the financial              resources of the Village but will expedite             the expenditure of Community Development              funds.

 

  1. Comments from the Public (Not to Exceed 5 minutes per person)
  1. Resolution to go into Closed Session
  1. Closed Session
  1. Legal – Water Pollution Control                        Facility/RGRME Project; Ridgewood Water                Lawsuit
  1. Contract Negotiations – Parkmobile
  1. Personnel – Water Department; Performance              Review – Village Manager/Village Clerk
  1. Adjournment
Posted on by — 7 Comments

2018 RIDGEWOOD PARKING PERMITS GO ON SALE MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2017 at 8:30AM

Ridgewood Trainstation_theridgewoodblog

January – December 2018

Ridgewood Parking Permits – RPP

Hourly meter rates in all Village lots and streets are $.50 per hour from 10AM to 6PM, Monday through Saturday. 3 hour meters on streets & in all lots, except the Cottage Place Lot which has 8 hour meters.

RPP – (Ridgewood Parking Permit) provides ‘coinless’ convenience and can be used for unlimited parking in specified lots.  $750 Annual permits are issued for a calendar year to residents for parking in Chestnut St., N. Walnut St., Cottage Pl., Route 17 Park & Ride Lots. $1,000 Annual Premium RPP will be issued for parking at the Train Station, and all other Ridgewood Lots. A maximum of 210 Annual Premium RPP will be issued.

$1,500 Non-Resident Permit allows parking in Cottage Place Lot; $750 Permit allows parking in the Rt. 17 Park & Ride Lot.

Payment may be made by check or cash. We accept credit cards that will have a 3% convenience fee charged to the purchaser.

If the Resident RPP is purchased later in the year, fees are prorated as follows:

RESIDENT Purchase Month  

FEE

  

Purchase Month

  

FEE

 RESIDENT Purchase Month  

FEE

  

Purchase Month

  

FEE
January $ 750 July $ 370 January $1,000 July $ 496
February $ 690 August $ 300 February $ 916 August $ 412
March $ 625 September $ 245 March $ 832 September $ 328
April $ 560 October $ 185 April $ 748 October $ 244
May $ 500 November $ 120 May $ 664 November $ 160
June $ 435 December $ 65 June $ 580 December $ 76

Applications are available at the Village Hall Reception Desk Monday through Friday, 8:30AM to 4:30PM. All Applicants – residents and non-residents – must show current Driver’s License and valid Vehicle Registration(s) for up to three vehicles. For flexibility, you can list 3 vehicles on a permit, but the permit can only be used by 1 car for 1 parking space at a time.

All lots, including the Train Station Lot, will require a free Ridgewood Resident Parking Sticker in addition to the purchased RPP.  Resident parking stickers are issued annually for free to residents only at the Village Hall Reception Desk.  This sticker confirms you are a resident.

RPPs can be used in any metered space in the lots designated for that particular permit and provides unlimited parking from the hours of 6AM to 2AM. On Saturday, RPPs may be used in any lot, but not in the CBD Employee Spaces. They are not valid for street parking. The hangtag permit must be displayed on the rearview mirror when the vehicle is parked. RPP does not guarantee availability of a parking space.

Posted on by — 25 Comments

New Rescue Truck for Ridgewood Emergency Services

ridgewood emergency services

December 12,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The Volunteers of Ridgewood Emergency Services have placed into service, a new Rescue Truck, replacing an aging vehicle that was not meeting the needs of the Department.

This Rescue Truck will be used to provide scene lighting, generator power, traffic control and rehabilitation at emergency scenes while supporting EMS, Police, and Fire Department operations in providing a safer environment for all responders to complete the mission at hand.

Ridgewood Emergency Services Chief Tony Lillo stated that “Deputy Chief Ryan Savaria and his committee spent countless hours in preparing what type of vehicle would best serve the Departments needs and that of the Village of Ridgewood.” The Rescue Truck was customized and built to specifications set by the committee.”

The chassis is a 2017 Ford F550 with a 5-seat crew cab crew and an 11-foot rescue body. There are slide out trays on each side for easy access to the equipment. A rear slide out tray provides for easy access for traffic incident management devices. The Rescue Truck has sufficient storage space for everything necessary to support an emergency scene. There is an onboard 8000-watt generator, telescoping LED flood lights to illuminate emergency scenes at night. Unique to this truck, is that it is the only Rescue Truck in Bergen County with a large rear roof mounted LED Variable Message Board for traffic direction, providing clear instruction to motorists. The Message Board aids in the safety of the responders on the scene.

IMG 8478

Posted on by — 7 Comments

Winograd one of the 7 nominees running for US Soccer President

Courtesy of Michael Winograd

photo Courtesy of Michael Winograd

December 11,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, the Philadelphia Enquirer ran an interview with Mike Winograd of Ridgewood ,who is one of the 7 nominees running for US Soccer President.  On November 4th , the  staff of the Ridgewood blog did a profile ( https://theridgewoodblog.net/ridgewood-resident-runs-for-president-of-the-united-states-soccer-federation/ ) .

Winograd  a Ridgewood resident and New York-based lawyer  was interviewed on November 7th  , in Q&A with Michael Winograd, U.S. Soccer Federation presidential election candidate https://www.philly.com/philly/sports/soccer/usa-soccer-election-michael-winograd-promotion-relegation-nwsl-20171107.html?mobi=true

Posted on by — 9 Comments

Reader says We Need a Real Investigation and a Full Audit of All Village of Ridgewood Activities

Ridgewood_-Village_Hall_theridgewoodblog

So either the fix or cover up is underway or a real investigation shall begin..
Notifying the vendor of non continuation nor extention is just a negotiation
ploy ;a valid starting point , but not an end.Who knew what and when?
What the hell is being done to hold those responsible for this misrepresentation ,,meantime the commuters got screwed over and over again on rates and cash was moving under the gunwhales as standard operating fiasco..who is being held responsible for this misgovernance..
who in the previous administration approved this vendors withholding of village revenues ,,how long was this fact known perhaps over a year? and covered up?Tip of iceberg..full VOR AUDIT NEEDED…

Posted on by — 6 Comments

Gen Sushi in Ridgewood now out of business

general suchi

December 10,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Gen Sushi & Hibachi, formerly located at 15 East Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, closed its doors permanently within the last few weeks. Anyone know why? It seems it closed within the past 30 days after 10 years of operation.

They were closed last weekend during the tree lighting , some speculate over the Thanksgiving weekend .

https://www.gensushihibachi.com/

Posted on by — 7 Comments

A quick review of the Ridgewood’s Parkmobile fiasco

park mobile

December 10,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, As previously reported by the staff of The Ridgewood Blog ; Earlier this year, the Village’s CFO, Robert G. Rooney, became aware that a portion of the Village’s Parking Utility revenues associated with use of the Parkmobile smart phone application at Village owned and operated parking facilities (said to be 21 cents of every 1 dollar), were being withheld from the Village by Parkmobile USA, Inc.

Upon further investigation, Mr. Rooney determined that a 2-year contract, with an option for a 2 year renewal, signed by former Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld entitled Parkmobile USA, Inc. to retain this revenue.  The total amount of Parking Utility revenue withheld from the Village by Parkmobile USA, Inc. since the contract’s inception is reported to be over $200K.

Following discussions with Mr. Rooney and Village Manager Heather Mailander, Ridgewood Mayor Susan Knudsen requested a review of all Village Council meeting minutes and Village Council approved Resolutions associated with discussions and approval of the Village’s relationship with Parkmobile USA, Inc.

During the aforementioned review process, it was determined that at no time had a public discussion taken place concerning any monetary obligations on the Village’s part in connection with integration of Parkmobile USA, Inc.’s smart phone application into the Village’s Parking Utility system.

Furthermore, Resolution #15-52, approved unanimously by Village Council members on February 11, 2015 specifically states:  “. . . there is no additional service or contract fee for the Village of Ridgewood; and WHEREAS, Parkmobile USA , Inc. will provide this service at no cost to the Village of Ridgewood, and shall not charge the Village of Ridgewood any costs for the integration of its system(s) or for the management of the project and services;.”

At a public meeting of the Village Council held on Wednesday, December 6, 2017, Village Council members directed Village Manager Heather Mailander to formally notify Parkmobile USA, Inc. that the Village would not be renewing its contract with them.

The staff of The Ridgewood Blog will keep you informed of any further developments in this matter as related information is made public.

Posted on by — 8 Comments

Ridgewood adds “Snowflakes” to the Central Business District

ridgewood CBD, snowflakes , ramon hache

photo courtesy of Councilmen Ramon M Hache

December 9,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Village of Ridgewood Councilmen Ramon M Hache thanked the Central Business District Advisory Committee and Ridgewood Signal Department for the new additions to downtown  , “Thank you Central Business District Advisory Committee for the snowflakes and continuing the beautification of our Downtown. Also a big thank you to our Ridgewood Signal Department and to Gary Cirillo at Gary’s Village Landscaping. Truly a team effort.”

Posted on by — 2 Comments

Ridgewood blog Holiday Cocktail of the Day

HaikaraSaki24348
December 8,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood blog is adding a Holiday Cocktail post to its local news item . Today we start with an innovative holiday cocktail made with the just released Haikara fruit sake. Appreciate your consideration to share with your readers for any holiday cocktail lists you have coming out!
 
Winter Rose
-2 oz Haikara Yuzu or Haikara Momo
-½ oz rum
-1 oz Lime Juice
-Dash of Simple Syrup
-Dash of Rose Water
-Dash of Lavender Bitters
-Ginger Ale for topping
-Cranberries or orange peel (for garnish)

Directions:
-Add all ingredients, except ginger ale, to a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker is frosted and beaded with sweat.
-Strain into rocks glass. Top with Ginger Ale and garnish.
Created by: Nick Mautone