The Preserve Graydon Coalition enthusiastically endorses Michael Sedon and Susan Knudsen for reelection to the Village Council

We endorse Knudsen and Sedon for Village Council Let’s re-elect the dedicated duo on Tuesday, May 8

The Preserve Graydon Coalition enthusiastically endorses Michael Sedon and Susan Knudsen for reelection to the Village Council.

Susan and Mike are in sync with those who support Graydon because they:
Love, respect, and understand Graydon and what it means to the village. In their four years on the Council they have demonstrated a deep commitment to historic preservation and to making positive, fiscally prudent improvements at Graydon. Thanks in part to their efforts, the Graydon bathrooms will finally undergo a long-sought overhaul next year—provided that Susan and Mike are reelected.

Recognize the value of open space. Knudsen and Sedon understand the importance of planning and implementing measures to preserve and increase open space in our community even as pressure has intensified for overdevelopment in Ridgewood. They would never sell Graydon down the river.

Believe that trees are essential and integral to Ridgewood. Mike was instrumental in having the Shade Tree Commission restored to village government. As a result, our trees, which had been sorely neglected by previous councils, are a priority again. In 2014, no new trees were planted; last year, 221 were planted. If a matching grant comes through, a villagewide tree inventory will be done and a plan made to remove and replace any dangerous ones and plant even more. Mike works with the Green Team, the Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee, and other landscape-oriented groups to beautify our residential neighborhoods and downtown.

Care, observe, research, respond. Susan and Mike are responsive to all residents to an extent seen in few previous council members. They really look out for us. As the Council liaison to Ridgewood’s special-needs community, for example, Susan made sure that longed-for special-needs housing would be incorporated into the new apartments—as a previous mayor promised to do for years, but did not.

Will make sure the upcoming Master Plan overhaul does not shortchange Graydon—or the village. A significant item at stake in this village council election is who will oversee the upcoming rewrite of our 35-year-old Master Plan. This major effort will begin shortly and take about three years into the about-to-be-elected council members’ four-year terms. Residents will be invited to state their opinions. Susan and Mike can be trusted to do it right, listening to the wishes of the people, not the developers.

Candidates’ Debate

On Monday, April 30, the four candidates participated in a panel at the League of Women Voters’ biennial Candidates’ Debate at Village Hall. Throughout there was no question about which candidates knew what they were talking about and which were all at sea. Of the latter, one has lived here for a long time and one just arrived, but their cluelessness was mutual.

The standing-room-only crowd was treated to the classic squawks of people scrabbling for something to say, hoping catchphrases and hot-button items would attract voters: Taxes are high. (Their solution: Stop blaming the Board of Education even though it controls two-thirds of our property taxes.) Parking is a problem. (Their solution: Shuttle shoppers from the Graydon lots. Ask downtown professionals to share their private parking lots. Build a garage that displaces the sidewalk despite longtime vocal opposition to letting it extend beyond its site.) Safety is paramount. (We know.) “Ridgewood needs a fresh voice.” No, it doesn’t. It needs experienced leaders who comprehend the complex, layered issues that must be attended to immediately.

When near the end of the event one challenger dared to speak of the importance of “tone” and the way council members should treat each other, our jaws dropped. Was this the person who had distributed and/or supported mass communications for weeks that accused her opponents of all manner of dastardly invented deeds? She called herself “respectful and collaborative.” Really? How would she expect to interact with either of them on a shared board?

Both challengers said they would reinstate the Financial Advisory Committee, which has simply been reorganized and renamed. Both said they would fly the pride flag at Village Hall, when it has already been decided that the banner, which is larger, will again be placed in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square, far more visibly and with a ceremony. They had nothing to contribute. The challengers’ favored gambit was to mouth platitudes and object to whatever the current council is doing. It was kinda sad, really.

In contrast, Susan and Mike were at the top of their game and conversant with every topic. The evening proved convincingly that unless we re-elect Susan Knudsen and Michael Sedon, we will be in big trouble.

Grassroots endorsements

All six grassroots groups in Ridgewood have endorsed the reelection of Susan and Mike. Their full statements, posted at https://www.voteridgewood.com/endorsements.html/, include important points that pertain to the future of Graydon either directly or indirectly.

Here’s a summary.

Ridgewood Wildscape Association

In its first political endorsement since its founding in 1976, the Ridgewood Wildscape Association released a statement that included this: “Finally the Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee will have the expertise of a grant writer, something we have asked for in the past but never had; finally the Shade Tree Commission has support to solve the downtown tree problem as well as planting and replacing ‘right tree–right place.’

“For years residents of the King’s Pond area asked for help and received none. Only with this council, and especially the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, has help arrived.

“The opponents do not seem to care about our environment; one has said the Schedler property should be developed, leaving many of our neighbors subject to more noise and pollution. False facts about costs to save the historic home have been issued. They offer no support for anything environmental, which is distressing to us.

“The current council has been so supportive, hearing both sides of every issue relating to things we care about at Wildscape. We have had our best years, and we don’t want to go back.”

Concerned Residents of Ridgewood (resisting Valley Hospital overexpansion)

Susan and Mike have consistently voted against high-density projects and other overdevelopment that would negatively change our landscape. Concerned Residents of Ridgewood (CRR), which has spent over a decade resisting overdevelopment on the Valley Hospital site, says: “We feel their votes demonstrate a strong understanding of the appropriate size and scope of development in Ridgewood and reflect what Ridgewood taxpayers want.”

CRR notes that the Valley issue is far from over: “Last year, Valley finally decided to move their main campus to Paramus, and then agreed that the Village Council can rewrite the hospital zone ordinance to prevent further expansion of the Ridgewood campus. . . . We need the Council to continue to transform the legal settlement into an effective Village Master Plan and Ordinance. If the community lets its guard down before future plans are codified, we believe our Village will NOT BE FULLY PROTECTED against future overdevelopment at the Ridgewood site. The incoming Council will appoint new members to the Planning Board, which is rewriting the Master Plan, and it will finalize our settlement by rewriting and adopting the new H-Zone Ordinance governing the Ridgewood Campus.”

Friends of Schedler

At a recent council meeting, Susan announced that Isabella Altano, who died last September, had posthumously received the 2018 Bergen County Historic Preservation Award. The Preserve Graydon Coalition wrote a letter supporting her nomination. Isabella was a friend to Graydon as well as to the Zabriskie-Schedler house and property. An architect, landscape architect, teacher, and proud Ridgewood resident, Isabella supported and fought for all historic preservation. We are confident that she would have firmly endorsed Susan and Mike’s reelection.

The group that Isabella founded, Friends of Schedler, has done so, saying: “All too often, interest groups either ignore or fail to recognize the many different neighborhoods that comprise the Village of Ridgewood. Susan and Mike have demonstrated a government of inclusion, providing residents from all areas of Ridgewood the opportunity to be heard.”

In a follow-up message, Friends of Schedler wrote: “It is imperative that we all show up on May 8 to vote for Susan Knudsen and Mike Sedon. The other two candidates were seen at the Ridgewood Baseball–Softball Association parade speaking with RBSA officials. The 90-foot field is not dead. If Susan and Mike lose, we will be fighting that battle once again.”

Ridgewood Citizens for Reasonable Development

“The high-density housing issue is far from over,” warns Ridgewood Citizens for Reasonable Development (RCRD), formerly known as Citizens for a Better Ridgewood (CBR). “Right now, outside forces are trying to impose high-density ‘overlay development zones’ throughout Ridgewood, including in residential areas. This could open our Village to more oversized development in the future. We need Susan and Mike’s experience to limit this.” If that doesn’t scare you, nothing will. Among the candidates, only Knudsen and Sedon can be relied upon to fight this proposed incursion into our neighborhoods and threat to our way of life.

RCRD continues: “In just two years as Mayor and Deputy Mayor, Knudsen and Sedon have made Ridgewood a stronger and kinder community. Much of the division and negativity we experienced from the prior administration is gone. For a long time, RCRD/CBR had to mobilize supporters to attend every Planning Board and Village Council meeting to ensure that nothing unexpected could happen without notice to residents. For the past two years we have been able to call off that guard. That’s because we know the Council is in such experienced, open and honest hands.”

In an announcement on Monday, the group wrote: “It’s important that Susan Knudsen and Mike Sedon retain their seats so they can finish the thoughtful job they’ve started, putting residents first in all planning and development decisions. The prior administration’s ‘pro big development’ forces are strongly behind the opposing candidates. After so much hard work by citizens’ groups, including CBR/RCRD, Ridgewood is on a calmer, kinder, more open, and more reasonable path. We don’t want a return to the infighting and negative campaigning of the recent past. Sadly, other candidates are trying to do that with a sour misinformation campaign.”

Ridgewood Chinese American Association

“The village should keep its charming style for residents and the generations to come,” says the Ridgewood Chinese American Association. “This vision should be reflected in and protected by the new Village Master Plan.”

The statement continues: “We value inclusiveness in both government and education and encourage better communication of village government with the residents. We support a lean management in the village government in terms of both fiscal and operational effectiveness. We expect an open and transparent village government with a high ethical level.”

The road to our Council cannot be paved with bad intentions

Supporters of the two candidates seeking to assume the incumbents’ seats have issued a long and libelous pack of lies widely disseminated in glossy mailers, via email, and on social media and websites, some signed by the current chairman of the Zoning Board of Adjustment. This behavior suggests just how badly the group supported by the former mayor wants to regain control of the Village Council. Candidates with experience and character do not behave in this way. It stinks of desperation.

This shocking and despicable effort has taken local politics to a new low. Around town, residents have expressed their distaste for the mudslinging that has characterized one faction of the campaign. Who knows what fabrications they’ll come up with in the next week? Be wary.

Susan Knudsen and Michael Sedon have withstood the barrage of insults with remarkable poise. They could easily have responded by listing the deficits and faults of their accusers, but that is not their style. Instead, they continue to discuss their plans and impressive Council track record at coffees and on their websites and to explain how, if reelected, they will help Ridgewood embrace a potentially troublesome future safely.

Susan and Mike have the hands-on experience, knowledge, integrity, and leadership skills that will be essential in the coming years. We believe a significant motivation for the appalling negativity that has characterized the campaigns of the challengers is desperation to oversee the Master Plan, which is our Constitution, Bill of Rights, and architectural blueprint for the future all in one.

Inexperienced people who seem confused about what ethics means in Ridgewood must not be allowed on our Council.

Please VOTE on TUESDAY, MAY 8.

Polls will be open from 6 AM to 8 PM. Fourteen hours for a five-minute task!

Because turnout is often low around here, even a few votes can sway election results. YOUR VOTE COUNTS.

If you need a ride, please let us know.

Swimmingly,
The Preserve Graydon Coalition, Inc., a nonprofit corporation
“It’s clear—we love Graydon!”
info@PreserveGraydon.org PreserveGraydon.org