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The Ridgewood Blog endorses Susan Knudsen and Michael Sedon for Village Council

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The Ridgewood Blog endorses Susan Knudsen and Michael Sedon for Village Council

This years Village Council Election has three candidates seeking two open Village Council seats. The Candidates are  Jim Albano, Susan Knudsen and Michael Sedon .

The election season  has been punctuated by the aroma of big city politics . Threats have been made, Anonymous emails have been sent and yard signs taken .

The campaign season has pitted the “we know better crowd ” represented by Jim Albano, and RBSA against two well meaning outsiders Susan Knudsen and Michael Sedon.

The Village is facing some very big decisions about the future direction of the town and many vested interests are pushing hard to have their agenda heard.

It appears that that Jim Albano  and his RBSA cohorts have aliened them self with the forces of urbanization and over aggressive development. He would join the Mayor ,deputy Mayor and one council member looking to push their own agenda for selfish gain.

To us the crux of the matter once again is weather the “in-crowd ” will get what they want and the rest of the Village will be forced pay for it .

While Susan Knudsen and Michael Sedon offer a more sensible voice looking to pursue a more moderate course of development in keeping with the Village character and retaining all the great things that make this and out standing community.

The question for voters is what kind of Village do you want to live in , an over developed hospital town , filled with turf fields and massive multi family housing projects ringing the down town or a community more focused on quality of life and education ?

Past experiences with NJT and the historic Village train station renovation prove the the forces of development can be balanced with community needs and in that case both side came away winners .
The “we know better” ,all or nothing approach of advocates of urbanization have been discredited both hear in the Village and state wide with scandal after scandal , and failed projects such as Xanadu , 

The “we know better crowd ” has brought us nothing but parking meter thieves ,1/2 a million dollar golden toilets , Village Hall fiascos and too many more to mention .

Its time to recognize the “we know better crowd” does not know better and only acts on their own selfish interests and not in the interest of the Village as a whole.

Therefore the Ridgewood blog  unequivocally endorses Susan Knudsen and Michael Sedon. 

Polls are open May 13th from 6am to 8pm. For election questions, please call the Village Clerk at 201/670-5500 x 201
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26 thoughts on “The Ridgewood Blog endorses Susan Knudsen and Michael Sedon for Village Council

  1. I agree with you on this. I’ll second the motion for these two who convinced me after watching the league of women voters thing on tv
    I lived here since 1969 and they represent the best choices for keeping our Village character in place.

  2. Good summary (Blog) ………. Offers to deliver me directly to my voting booth by chauffer if necessary …. provide me with a coffee and usual doughnut.

    Thanks all……….. Dom

  3. They were my pick too.

  4. Yes yes YES!!! Mike and Sue, Sue and Mike. YES ! ! !

  5. They won’t win unless everyone gets out there and votes!

  6. Unlike some candidates, I actually vote.

  7. “The Mayor, deputy Mayor and one council member [are] looking to push their own agenda for selfish gain.” James, I’m not disagreeing with your endorsement, but what “agenda” and “selfish gain” is that you are referring to ? The Mayor voted against the previous Valley expansion, the Deputy Mayor has recused himself from any discussion on Valley, and council members are entitled to their own views; there are always alternative views. There have been no votes on Valley or any development plans as far as I am aware. So again I ask, what “selfish gain” are you referring to ? Are you suggesting that they are getting paid off by Valley and developers ?

  8. Yes, everyone must vote. Please, please, go to the polls on Tuesday.

  9. I just got an e-mail from the Ridgewood Junior Football Association. It is an endorsement for Jim Albano asking me to consider voting for him on Tuesday. It is signed by Dean Vellis whom I have no idea who he is. I am disgusted that the Ridgewood Junior Football Association is using the e-mail I gave in good faith (to be used for purposes of team placement, game schedules, field closings or relaying information necessary about the team) to promote a candidate in an election. This is outrageous. No parent should have to receive political propaganda for signing their child up to a sports team.
    Thanks for confirming he is the “sports candidate” and that’s all he knows or cares about.
    I will be voting for Susan Knudsen and Michael Sedon on Tuesday.

  10. Here’s the email message, sent through the association’s registration email list–totally not OK.

    Does being a good role model for children on sports teams qualify a person to be on the council?

    From: RJFA registration
    Date: May 11, 2014, 10:52:19 PM EDT
    To: undisclosed-recipients:
    Subject: Jim Albano

    Hi All,

    I am writing to you tonight as a neighbor, friend and parent.

    Next Tuesday is Election Day in Ridgewood and a true leader in the youth sports community is running for Village Council.

    Jim Albano has dedicated close to 20 years to working with the kids of Ridgewood. He has coached and been a great role model for our children in football, basketball and baseball.

    Jim has served as President of the Ridgewood Baseball Softball Association (RBSA) for the past six years. With over 1,500 of our kids participating, the RBSA represents one of the largest youth sports organizations in the Village.

    If your child plays sports in Ridgewood, volunteers like Jim Albano are the reason why. Please consider giving Jim your support this Tuesday, May 13.

    Thank you all and Best Regards,

    Dean

    Dean Vellis

  11. Anyone who (like #1 above) would like to watch the video of candidates night, which is eye opening, will find it here:

    https://www.ustream.tv/recorded/46870228

  12. Who is Dean Vellis?

  13. I am confused. I thought Albano also was against the proposed apartments and valley hospital expansion. The only issue I thought there was any determinable difference between any of them was regarding the field proposed on Route 17? no?

  14. He’s the president of the Ridgewood Junior Football Association. He used the e-mails of people registering their kids for football. It’s a disgrace. He should be kicked off the board. I do not want to receive e-mails like that from my kids sports teams! It’s fine to receive an e-mail from a friend, but I have no idea who this guy is. When I open an e-mail from RJFA registration, I expect it to contain information about the program, not a political endorsement.

  15. #14 I understand your opinion regarding that, but my question was about the candidates positions. I thought they all had stated basically the same or very similar positions regarding:
    1-Valley Hospital,2- Parking, 3-Apartments at old Cadillac lot
    and were only different regarding the proposed field on rt17. Is that correct? or am I mistaken?
    Thank to anybody for any help on this if I did not understand it.

    1. Bill didn’t the last election teach you anything about candidates and their motives?


  16. James:

    Bill didn’t the last election teach you anything about candidates and their motives?

    James, is your endorsment suggesting the current Council members are taking payments from Valley and developers ? What “self-interest” and “motives” are you referring to ? Do you have evidence ? Inquiring minds want to know.

  17. James what motives ? Please explain. If you feel there are motives again please list the motives. Thank you.

  18. Meaning you think that Mr. Albano has different positions on 1,2,3 but is just not telling us because of the overriding motive to get a baseball field? Or that his views on 1,2,3 are in fact the same but his only real motive is the baseball field? Please forgive me for not understanding. I just don’t understand the strong views of support for the various candidates given they all seem to basically have the same positions except for the field on Rt17. I don’t know any of them personally so I have no reason to support any of them on anything other than their stated positions. Thanks for your help.


  19. Anonymous:

    Who is Dean Vellis?

    216 California Street
    Owner of a trucking company/warehouse in Edison NJ

  20. What “selfish gain” and “motives” are we talking about here James ? Any evidence of underhanded payments to Council members ? I thought the Mayor voted against the Valley expansion, and the Deputy Mayor has to recuse himself on any Valley matter ? Are you implying differently ?

  21. James again if you are going to make a comment about motives please tell us the motives so that your readers can be better informed. Just making general comments to “stir the pot ” so to speak doesn’t leave you with any creditability. Thank you again

  22. Bill, while the papers have been giving you the impression that all 3 candidates are the same it is an over-simplification. Knudsen and Sedon have been attending VC and PB meetings for years because they are genuinely interested in the municipal issues and feel they can contribute sound, non-partisan perspectives. Jim Albano has only started to attend these meetings since his candidacy. Why did he suddenly become so interested in our municipality that he wanted to be on the council? How about attending a meeting first? How about reading the paper and submitting a Letter to the Editor? How about standing up at ONE of the 7 years of Valley Hospital meetings to speak out (either for or against)? How about attending a meeting on the downtown development? He has been interviewed by all the grassroots organizations in town and all of them found him to be a pleasant person that loves Ridgewood, but was totally unprepared to have a meaningful conversation on the big issues in town including, but not limited to development, budget, services, parking, shared services, schools,etc.
    This is all in addition to the fact that he has only voted twice in a municipal election in over 20 years (doesn’t sound too interested in Ridgewood to me!) and he has failed to submit tax returns on behalf of the RBSA, for which he is President, for at least 6 years and has not informed the RBSA members that their donations have not been tax deductible all that time. You might hear him tell you where he stands on things, but he has no track-record to prove it. That’s why I’m voting Sedon and Knudsen. Hope that helps.

  23. Xyz is it true that mike was being paid to attend and cover those meetings by the ridgewood news who he was working for at the time. I wonder if he wasn’t being paid if he would be at those meetings. I’m betting with young children he probably be a coach or volunteer to one of the sports groups in town.

  24. I see xyz, so I am correct about the positions and views being similar. Your observation is that although Mr. Albano shares similar views (except for the baseball field), he has been less engaged and involved than the other two. Thanks. I appreciate your input.

  25. Actually Bill, I was saying that I seriously question what he claims are his views and I wouldn’t want to take a chance on voting for someone that has not given me any indication that he means what he says. Actions are just as important as words in this instance.

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