Board of Education Announces Vacancy, Seeks Applicants
The Ridgewood Board of Education is seeking qualified applicants to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Michele Lenhard on August 1. The application deadline is Tuesday, September 15 at 4 p.m
Mandatory Re-registration is Open for Parents and Guardians
Skyward Family Access is the district’s primary mode of communication with parents, so the district must have up-to-date email and phone numbers in the system at all times, especially for emergency situations. Beginning August 10 through midnight September 7, parents and guardians must logon to Family Access to complete the Mandatory Online Re-registration process.
Click here for details on Mandatory Re-registration
Lunch service is scheduled to begin on Thursday, September 3, the first full day of school. For information on children’s food service accounts and lunch ordering, please visit the district website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us and select the Fee Management and Lunch Info tab under the Parents label. Click here to go directly to that page.
Substitutes are Needed
The district has put out a call for additional substitute teachers, nurses and secretaries for the 2015-2016 school year. Substitutes enjoy the freedom of selecting their dates of work according to their personal schedules through a self-scheduling online system. Pay rates for the 2015-2016 school year are as follows: teachers $92 to $125 per diem; nurses $130 per diem; secretaries $12.50 to $17 per hour.
Click here for full information on the requirements and process. For further information, please contact Eileen Rix at 201-670-2700, ext. 10542 or [email protected].
SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS
The Ridgewood Police Department is accepting applications for School Crossing Guard Positions. Applications are Available at the Police Desk located at 131 North Maple Avenue Ridgewood NJ. P/T position, 10 hours per week (2 hours per day) starting at $17.49/hr. Send application to Police Chief John Ward, Ridgewood Police Dept, 131 N. Maple Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 07450 or return the application to the Police Records Room. The Village of Ridgewood is an EOE and civil service community.
It’s apparent from my vantage point behind the microphone that if you’re even remotely glossy-eyed by presidential coverage in the media, you’d better buy some eye drops. The panorama of candidate content, communications and messaging is barely on the horizon, and soon to be in full view as the Iowa caucus and primaries in New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida and Nevada come into focus.
Maneuvering through the gauntlet of opinions, I’m finding a consistency remains in deep-rooted support for presidential candidate Donald Trump.
People love Trump. They deem him a saving grace. He’s the proverbial Hercules and America’s problems are the labors to pursue and slay. He is riding a wave of popularity so profound even the sharks are curbing their taste.
In light of the Trump sensation, it may be appropriate, or at least instructive, to delineate what my radio listeners embrace from Trump’s message.
Here are five reasons why Trump appears to be the candidate to beat:
1. He doesn’t need to bluff. Trump has such confidence that he’s the kind of player who doesn’t bluff in a poker game. While this feels counterintuitive to a winning strategy, particularly in an age of baby-kissing politicians who thrive on placation over results, it’s actually refreshing. His candor builds respect. Radio listeners are extolling day after day the fact Trump is transparent to a fault, from his stances on immigration to foreign relations. Even his faults are steadily accepted and adopted. Poll Americans on who they like better: Trump vs. Univision reporter Jorge Ramos, actress Rosie O’Donnell, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), blogger Erick Erickson, pollster Frank Luntz or even columnist George Will, and the New York businessman will be on top every time by double digits.
2. He can’t be intimidated. Forget his multibillion dollar net worth. Push aside his armada of contacts and networking forged over decades. One of the strongest resonating dimensions to Trump is grit and tenacity. Super-PAC coffers of more than $100 million, compliments of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United case, don’t dissuade or cower Trump. He has access to the same level of resources. Political titles and legislative chevrons glimmering with laws passed in Congress don’t make Trump blink, because he’s been the donor sought after by many of these same politicians now running against him. From connections to chits, deep roots in business to opponents with far less resources, competitors simply can’t match Trump’s popularity. As one caller to the show recently bemused, compare Sen. Marco Rubio’s (R-Fla.) student loans or Gov. Scott Walker’s (R-Wis.) personal debt to Trump’s acumen and portfolio, and it’s almost like petulant children are competing against their successful, prominent father.
3. Out with political correctness. Build a wall to block illegal immigration from Mexico and Central America while deporting what he calls “anchor babies” and their families; impugn Russian, Chinese and South American leaders despite inextricably linked economies with the U.S.; hobble castigators who choose insults and fodder over substance in debates and interviews. It’s almost like describing a Roman general or martyr of a revolution, yet it’s a precise portrayal of Trump. His wherewithal is opening the eyes of Americans to the incompetence of our government. Callers remind me nearly every show that they want solutions, not sensationalism. They seek commonsense policies, not sound bites. My callers think Megyn Kelly was rude in her Fox News debate questions. They resoundingly believe Ramos deserved his fast-and-furious escort out of the recent Iowa press conference. They concur that chest-pounders like Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) do, in fact, need to be taken down a notch on the hubris ladder. From race to gender to economic principles, Trump’s stark opinions are catching the attention of the public, and they can’t stop staring — in a good way. This isn’t a painted breast in Manhattan, but the cold, hard truth about America being broken, and a journeyman blessed with the right tools to “get ‘er done” and make repairs.
4. He’s reinvigorating America across the political spectrum. Like a Lee Greenwood or Johnny Cash song, Trump is traveling from the lakes to the fields to the cities of America, and he’s definitely been everywhere — and isn’t stopping. The media follow his path; opponents emulate his narrative; the electorate revels in the freshness of a candidate diagnosing what ails us and offering painful but necessary remedies. As for radio talk show listeners, be it the libertarian free marketer, Tea Party stalwart, open-minded Republican or smidgeon of moderate Democrats, Trump’s ascension in public support isn’t just vertical, but also lateral from right to middle to left in partisan affiliation. As one listener messaged last month, President Obama’s initial campaign maxims of “hope” and “yes we can” were just that: maxims, that never came to fruition. It appears Trump’s legacy may be following through with his promises, and that expectation appears to have awakened the American ethos.
5. Finally, a business-centric leader who is comfortable making decisions. A fan of the show recently commented that Trump can win the race for the presidency by naming his vice president and Cabinet members in the next few months, rather than after a Republican nomination. The logic is that building a team of experts who will manage the operations of the nation, as part of a campaign platform, is superior to generalities and wishful thinking. Trump’s business acumen is proven. Callers are alluding to the fact that he isn’t afraid of the media, nor does he use the crutch of notes and prepared speeches. He’s a negotiator, not a political puppet. He’s a dealmaker who thrives in the hot seat of a boardroom. Logic suggests he’ll be the same in foreign negotiations or hunkered down in a military command center. Trump doesn’t “blink,” in the Malcolm Gladwell context
AUGUST 28, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY GLORIA GEANNETTE
MANAGING EDITOR |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Walking into Latour by the train station in Ridgewood feels a lot like stumbling into a restaurant somewhere in Provence.
The walls are awash with cornflower blue with yellow highlights and decorated with paintings that evoke a beautiful day in the sun-dappled countryside. The updates were designed by village merchant Tony Damiano from Mango Jam.
And then there is the food, which is lovingly prepared by chef/owner Michael Latour and his chef de cuisine, Anders Carlson using modern French techniques. Much of it is sourced right from Latour’s garden in Ramsey, which is expertly managed by his sons Alexander, 13, and Michael, 18. Joining in the family operation is wife, Christine, who in addition to her own successful career, is the restaurant’s accounting wizard.
The current bounty includes zucchini flowers, the delicate yellow blossoms that Latour loves to feature on his summer menus. He explained the process with the kind of enthusiasm that any fellow foodie would understand.
Raid of Rentboy, an Escort Website, Angers Gay Activists
By STEPHANIE CLIFFORDAUG. 26, 2015
For some gay activists, it had shades of bathhouse raids and gay-bar roundups from decades ago. On Tuesday, federal authorities burst into the Union Square office of the gay-escort website Rentboy.com and arrested the chief executive and several employees on prostitution charges.
Rentboy, which federal authorities called the biggest male-escort website, had been around for almost two decades, allowing escorts to pay to advertise themselves. It was well known in the gay community, hosting pool parties, dances and awards shows throughout the country.
After federal authorities charged its top executives with promoting prostitution, seized the website and went after the business’s assets on Tuesday, many gay activists were infuriated. The Transgender Law Center, a civil-rights group, criticized the arrests, as did some male sex workers. Several activists said they would use the episode to renew calls to decriminalize prostitution.
“To many in our community this feels like a throwback to when the police raided gay bars in the ’50s and ’60s,” Justin Vivian Bond, a performer and an activist who is transgender, wrote in an email. “This invasion of a consensual hookup site which is run for and by members of the L.G.B.T. community feels like a real slap in the face after gentrification and the Giuliani and Bloomberg administrations drove so many gay bars out of business and forced people to meet online instead of in person,” the activist added, referring to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
Danny Cruz said he had posted ads on Rentboy “to supplement income” for about seven years, starting when he moved to New York. He said he had talked regularly to the executives who were arrested, both about his business and about staying safe.
“I don’t see why the government would be interested in what two people do behind closed doors,” Mr. Cruz, who is now involved in the Sex Workers Outreach Project in Los Angeles, said.
YWCA Now Offers a Swim Team for Ages 5 Through 14 YWCA Bergen County now offers a Swim Team for ages 5 to 14 years at 112 Oak Street in Ridgewood. The YW Swim Team offers the best combination of team sport and individual challenge with an emphasis on skill development, positive values and competitive experiences. Swimmers will have the opportunity to refine the 4 major strokes (Freestyle, Back Stroke, Breast Stroke and Butterfly), and compete in future local mini-meets. Practices focus on swim time management, endurance training, stroke development and dry land exercises. Children should be Level 4 or higher and age 5 or older, know all four competitive strokes and be able to swim multiple laps of the pool. The session will be held September 8th through October 31st. For ages 8 years and under, the program will be held Mondays and Tuesdays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. For ages 9 to 14 years, the program will be held Thursdays from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. and Fridays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The 8 week program fee is $240. For register for YWCA’s Swim Team, please call the Membership Department at 201-444-5600, ext. 400.
YWCA Pre and Post Natal Fitness Classes
YWCA Bergen County offers Pre and Post Natal Fitness Classes YWCA Bergen County offers Pre and Post Natal Fitness classes for new and expectant moms. Prenatal Fitness features a low impact cardio workout, strength work and stretching appropriate for expectant mothers up until due date. A physician’s approval note is required at first class. Prenatal class is held on Tuesdays from 9:30 – 10:30 am. On Tuesdays from 10:30 – 11:30 am Just the 2 of Us postnatal fitness class is offered. Class begins with 15 minutes of infant massage, followed by a varied 45 minute workout for moms. Please bring infant seat and blanket for baby. Moms should wear sneakers and comfortable clothing for exercise. Prenatal Aquacise is great for a healthy pregnancy on Wednesdays from 1:30 – 2:15 pm. This class will include deep and shallow water exercise. Preregistration is required. Please bring physician’s approval note to first class. Post natal exercisers are also welcome! Pre and Post Natal Fitness classes will be held at the YWCA, 112 Oak Street, Ridgewood. The YWCA offers dozens of fitness classes as part of its 360 Movement fitness membership. Drop-in child care is also available. For more information or to register, call the Membership Department at 201-444-5600 ext. 400.
Professional Architectural- Engineering Services for Village Owned Building
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Requests for Proposals (RFP’s) will be received by the Village of Ridgewood, in the Courtroom, 4th floor at the Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey, on Thursday, September 24, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. prevailing time, then publicly opened and read aloud for:
“Request for Proposals
For
Professional Architectural/Engineering Services
For the
Evaluation of Alternatives for Village Owned Buildings and Property”
The Village of Ridgewood requests proposals for Professional Architectural/Engineering Services to assess conditions and develop a feasibility plan to consolidate and improve the functionality of select Village departments, as it pertains to location, needs, building condition and components.
The RFP package may be obtained from the Director of Operations, Ridgewood Water Office, Level 5, Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey 07450, (201) 670-5520. Proposal packages may be examined or picked up in person between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., at 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey 07450, Monday through Friday. Prospective respondents requesting proposal documents be mailed to them shall be responsible for providing their own postage/delivery service remuneration. No proposal forms shall be given out after 4:00 p.m. on September 23, 2015.
A non-mandatory site visit has been scheduled for Monday, September 14th at 9am. All participants shall meet at Village Hall, Director of Operations / Ridgewood Water Office, Level 5.
All prices quoted in the proposal must be net and exclusive of all Federal, State and Local Sales and Excise Taxes. Proposals may be submitted in person or by mail prior to the proposal opening, addressed to the Office of the Village Clerk. The Village assumes no responsibility for loss or non-delivery of any proposal sent to it prior to the date and time stated for receipt of proposals.
Each proposal must be enclosed in a sealed envelope with the name of the respondent thereon and endorsed, ” Request for Proposals
For
Professional Architectural/Engineering Services
For the Evaluation of Alternatives for Village Owned Buildings and Property – Do not open until Thursday, September 24, 2015 at 11:00 a.m.”.
All respondents shall present satisfactory evidence of being authorized to do business in the State of New Jersey. All respondents shall also provide a copy of their New Jersey Business Registration Certificate with their proposal. All respondents shall adhere to the requirements presented in the “Request for Proposals”. The Village of Ridgewood reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to waive any informality or to accept a proposal, which in its judgment best serves the interest of the Village.
“BIDDERS ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF N.J.S.A. 10:5-31 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 17:27). A complete statement as to these requirements is included in the Request for Proposals
AUGUST 26, 2015 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015, 10:10 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
The village is moving forward with a financial feasibility study for a possible parking structure to be built at the Hudson Street lot while officials wait for responses to the request for proposal (RFP) put out seeking a building design.
The study will determine the levels of expected revenue as well as the cost of a new parking garage, said Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld at the Aug. 12 council meeting.
Included in the analysis will be proposed parking rate schedules for Hudson Street as well as the other village lots and on-street meters, projections for daily and annual income, debt service, cost and operations.
Sonenfeld said the village received proposals from three different firms. After a discussion with the steering committee, there was a recommendation to go with the proposal from New York-based Walker Parking Consultants, the same firm that performed the study to determine whether or not the garage should be automated or self-park.
A resolution to award a contract for the professional parking services was unanimously passed on Aug. 12. The amount in the contract is not to exceed $18,500 with expenses not to exceed $1,000, which will be expended from the $500,000 bond ordinance adopted in July.
A Superior Court Judge today approved a $225 million settlement between the State and ExxonMobil to resolve liability for damage to the environment and injury to natural resources caused by contamination from the corporation’s refinery operations in Bayonne and Linden, as well as other facilities and service stations in New Jersey, Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bob Martin announced.
Politicker Staff, Politickernj Read more
AUGUST 26, 2015 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY JOHN C. ENSSLIN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
Rep. Scott Garrett told a Tea Party audience in Wyckoff on Tuesday that he opposes the proposed nuclear arms agreement with Iran but said stopping the deal will be difficult under the rules that the Senate has adopted.
Garrett, R-Wantage, said he considers the agreement reached by the Obama administration to be a treaty that ought to require two-thirds approval by the Senate.
But he said a majority of his colleagues still consider it an executive action by the president.
Under the rules adopted, it would require a two-thirds majority of both the Senate and the House to disapprove the deal after a 60-day review period.
“The burden of proof has shifted from them to us,” Garrett said of the rules.
As an executive action, the agreement could be undone by the next president, Garrett said.
“But the problem with that is that the next president will not be here for another 16 or 17 months,” Garrett told a crowd of about 70 people gathered at a forum hosted by the West Bergen Tea Party.
While talk of the Iran deal dominated most of the evening, the mostly receptive audience also peppered Garrett with other questions on topics ranging from the GOP leadership in the House to trade agreements and housing discrimination legislation.
None of the questions dealt with presidential politics or the race for the Republican nomination.
One of the top talking points the media and the Republican Establishment are using to scare GOP primary voters away from Trump is the idea that his blunt talk on immigration will so alienate minority voters he won’t have a chance to win the presidency. CNN’s latest poll, however, shows that the billionaire businessman actually does better than Establishment-favorite Jeb Bush with non-white voters.
In a head-to-head match-up with Hillary Clinton, Jeb Bush wins only 23% of the non-white vote. Hillary win 72%. That’s a difference of -49 points.
Trump loses the non-white vote by -47 points, 71% to 24%.
The +2 point difference in Trump’s favor is within the poll’s margin of error but blows away the idea that Jeb’s pandering to the Left and media on the issue of border security is the key to Republicans taking back the White House.
When you look at all registered voters, the folly of Jeb’s pandering becomes even more clear. Jeb loses to Hillary by -9 points, 52% to 43%. Trump is only -6 points behind Hillary, 51% to 45%.
In August 2014, 12 members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard charged into 28-year-old artist Atena Farghadani’s house, blindfolded her, and took her to prison.
She had posted a satirical cartoon on Facebook to protest proposed legislation to restrict birth control and women’s rights. Farghadani has since been found guilty of “spreading propaganda” and “insulting members of parliament through paintings.” She has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Farghadani is one of millions of women whose basic rights are being ruthlessly violated. In countries like Iran, Yemen, Egypt, and Cambodia, women are struggling for freedoms most women in the West take for granted.
But American feminists are relatively silent about these injustices — especially feminists on campus. During the 1980s, there were massive demonstrations on American college campuses against racial apartheid in South Africa. There is no remotely comparable movement on today’s campuses against the gender apartheid prevalent in large parts of the world. Why not?
Today’s young feminist activists are far too preoccupied with their own supposed victimhood to make common cause with women like Farghadani.
AUGUST 25, 2015 LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2015, 9:36 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
The Village Council took action this month to pass a resolution settling a long-standing matter between Ridgewood Water and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) dealing with a contested permit violation.
The settlement requires the village to withdraw its request for a hearing regarding the contested violation with the NJDEP Commissioner and administrative courts and pay $55,000, which will come from water utility revenues.
At the end of the Aug. 12 public meeting, Village Attorney Matthew Rogers explained the decision came down to how much money the matter would cost to litigate versus what the potential result might be of an administrative process involving the NJDEP. More than $120,000 in penalties were sought by the NJDEP.
“After probably two full years of trying to work with DEP and then litigating with DEP, we came to the conclusion this is the best way to approach it and to resolve the matter where we know there’s an outcome and resolve it to the point where we can rely now on newly issued permits that take into consideration what those exceedances were before and hopefully cover us in the future,” Rogers said.
AUGUST 24, 2015, 4:19 PM LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2015, 7:50 AM
BY JAMES M. O’NEILL
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
A new online mapping tool that covers flood-prone neighborhoods along a six-mile stretch of the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook in Bergen County was unveiled Monday, the fourth in a series of maps designed to help residents in numerous Passaic River basin communities get better information about potential flooding from oncoming storms.
The newest maps show stream flows, water depths and streets likely to be flooded during various brook cresting heights for the area from White’s Lake Dam in Waldwick, downstream through Ho-Ho-Kus to Grove Street in Ridgewood.
The interactive flood inundation maps, a collaboration between federal and state agencies, are expected to help the towns’ emergency management officials plan evacuations and road closures – and make it easier for officials to persuade people in a projected flood zone to evacuate, reducing the risks for emergency personnel who must rescue stranded residents in the middle of major flooding.
NOTICE TO BIDDERS – Cold Water meters and Accessories 2015 – 2016
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
Sealed bid proposals will be received by the Village of Ridgewood, in the Office of the Water Department/Director of Operations, Level 5 of Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey 07451 on Wednesday, September 2, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. prevailing time, and then publicly opened and read aloud for following project:
BID NO. 022-2015 – COLD WATER METERS AND ACCESSORIES 2015-2016
The work of the Contract shall be to supply Neptune Cold Water Meters and Accessories or approved equal, for the Ridgewood Water Operating Center at 205 E. Glen Ave., Ridgewood, New Jersey 07451, as needed and described in the contract specifications.
Specifications and bid forms may be obtained by mail or in person from the office of the Director of Operations, Ridgewood Water, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey 07451, telephone (201) 670-5521, for a non-refundable fee of $10.00, per set of bid documents. Documents may be examined or picked up in person between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Operations Division, Ridgewood Water, Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey 07451, Monday through Friday. Prospective bidders requesting bid documents be mailed to them shall be responsible for providing their own postage/delivery service remuneration. No Specifications and/or Proposal forms shall be given out after 4:30 p.m. on Monday, August 31, 2015.
The contractual obligation of the Village of Ridgewood under this Contract for these items is contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds from which payment for this Contract can be made.
Prices quoted must be net and exclusive of all Federal, State and Local Sales and Excise Taxes. Bids may be submitted prior to the bid opening in person or by mail, addressed to the Office of the Village Clerk. The Village assumes no responsibility for loss or non-delivery of any bid sent to it prior to the Bid opening.
Each bid must be enclosed in a sealed envelope with the name of the bidder thereon and endorsed, “BID responding to BID NO. 022-2015 –COLD WATER METERS AND ACCESSORIES 2015-2016, Do Not Open Until September 2, 2015 at 10:30 AM” and must be accompanied by all required forms.
Any award or awards may be made at a later or subsequent time or meeting of the Village Council. All required schedules, that is required forms are to be submitted on the forms attached to the bid documents. No other forms will be accepted.
The successful bidder shall comply with all applicable provisions of the Prevailing Wage Act, as determined by the New Jersey Department of Labor. All contractors, their subcontractors, and material suppliers shall comply with all applicable provisions of the Public Works Contractor Registration Act, pursuant to Public Law 1999 Chapter 238 and the Contractor Business Registration Program, pursuant to Public Law 2004 Chapter 57.
The successful bidder shall furnish and deliver to the Village of Ridgewood a performance and payment bond (Schedule F) in the amount of 100 percent of the accepted bid amount as security for the faithful performance of the Contract. Additionally, the successful bidder shall furnish policies or Certificates of Insurance required by the Contract. In default thereof, said checks and/or bonds and the amount represented thereby shall be forfeited to the Village of Ridgewood as liquidated damages, not as a penalty.
Proposals submitted by Bidders and/or Bidder’s Insurance Company(ies) not chartered in the State of New Jersey, must be accompanied by proper certificate(s) from the Secretary of State, indicating that such Bidders, Bidder’s Insurance Company(ies), and/or Surety Company(ies) is (are) authorized to do business in the State of New Jersey. The Village of Ridgewood reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to waive any informality or to accept a bid which, in its judgment best serves the interest of the Village. No bids may be withdrawn for a period of sixty-days (60) after the date and time set for the opening of bids.
“BIDDERS ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF P.L.1975, C. 127. (NJAC 17:27) regarding Affirmative Action, and Executive Order No. 11246 regarding equal employment opportunity, as amended”. A complete statement as to these requirements is included in the specifications.
By Order of the Village Manager Publication date: August 21, 2015
Water Restrictions Update and Street Signs Disappearing – August 24
Dear Resident,
I hope your summer has been enjoyable and relaxing. I’d like to update you on two separate issues – water conservation status and stolen street signs.
I would like to thank residents for their overall compliance with Stage II water restrictions. It has eased the operational difficulties of the overall water system to a degree but weekends are still challenging the limits of system capacity. I know that some of you have commented to me about stricter enforcement and I have indicated that we have been strengthening enforcement. As an update, enforcement has included warnings to hundreds of violators and 16 summonses have been issued to repeat violators. One recommendation that I have received from a resident is that we should mandate the use of rain sensors; we currently mandate their use on newly installed sprinkler systems but not existing. Use of rain sensors is a good conservation method and we do recommend their use.
We cannot predict with certainty when we will be able to ease restrictions but the public will be informed through the usual channels when we do. We encourage residents to check our website at water.ridgewoodnj.net for the most up-to-date information.
Once again street signs are disappearing from local streets. The occurrence of this seems to increase right before colleges begin. At this moment we have 37 missing signs! It used to be that just the signs were stolen but now we are also seeing a new tendency to also uproot the pole. Clearly from a taxpayer perspective this is costly; potentially even more important is the impact it may have on our timeliness to respond to medical and other emergencies if a public safety worker is not totally familiar with our streets. I think you will agree with me that this is totally unacceptable. This is a criminal offense and if we find anyone in possession of Ridgewood street signs we will prosecute them. From now through September 15th, we will have an amnesty program where we will provide an opportunity to anyone who is currently in possession of Ridgewood signs to return them to the Police at Village Hall without facing criminal charges. I appreciate your help in getting this issue resolved.
