Village Manager alleges a “concerted effort” to drain the Village’s financial resources through constant questioning
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
RIDGEWOOD, NJ — A growing conflict over the historic Zabriskie-Schedler property has officially spilled over into a war of words between Village Hall and local residents.
In a recent, high-stakes email to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), Village Manager Keith Kazmark took a sharp aim at concerned citizens, alleging a “concerted effort” to drain the Village’s financial resources through constant questioning. Kazmark has reportedly asked the NJDEP to waive the Village’s requirement to respond to further resident inquiries, claiming the transparency process is being used as a weapon to “run the budget money for Schedler out.”
But as the price tag for remediation climbs, residents are asking a much more dangerous question: What is hiding in the soil, and why is the Village so eager to stop answering for it?
The $1.5 Million Cleanup: A Legacy of “Imported” Hazards
The Zabriskie-Schedler property, a 200-year-old historic landmark, was supposed to be the jewel of Ridgewood’s recreation system. Instead, it has become a “sinkhole” of environmental and legal trouble.
Since 2009, the plan has shifted from open-space preservation to the construction of a massive artificial turf athletic field. However, in 2024, the NJDEP halted the project after discovering that imported soil—used to create a noise berm between the property and Route 17—was laced with hazardous contaminants.
The “Toxic Cocktail” in the Dirt
Testing conducted by Matrix New World Engineering and reviewed by the NJDEP identified several “exceedances” of safety standards:
-
Mercury and Lead: Heavy metals that pose severe neurological risks, particularly to children who would play on the proposed fields.
-
Benzo[a]pyrene: A potent carcinogen and byproduct of combustion found at levels exceeding the most stringent NJDEP soil remediation standards.
-
Heptachlor Epoxide: A breakdown product of banned insecticides, the source of which remains “unknown” according to Village reports.
“Reckless and Unsupported”: The Transparency Crisis
The NJDEP has been a vocal critic of the Village’s initial efforts. In a scathing December 2023 letter, the Department called earlier soil testing “insufficient” and “limited in scope,” forcing the Village to conduct a more comprehensive—and expensive—analysis.
The Village is now seeking $1.5 million in the 2025 Capital Budget just for the remediation of these contaminated grids.
The Legal Battle
Frustrated by what they see as a lack of transparency and a shift in project priorities, residents have filed a verified complaint against both the Village of Ridgewood and the NJDEP. They argue that the Village is attempting to renege on its commitment to full transparency, a commitment the NJDEP made a prerequisite for the project moving forward.
The Big Question: Village Manager Kazmark claims resident questions are a financial drain. But as The Ridgewood Blog asks: Where is the proof? Is asking about lead and mercury in a public park “reckless,” or is it the fundamental right of a taxpayer?
What’s Next for Schedler?
The Village Council recently reviewed a soil remediation plan on November 12, 2025, which includes the excavation and removal of the contaminated berm. While the Village claims there is “no imminent threat” to public health, the NJDEP’s strict oversight suggests that the “all-clear” is still far off.
The Stakes:
-
Financial: $1.5 million and counting for cleanup.
-
Historical: Potential denigration of a 200-year-old Dutch family site.
-
Health: Protecting the community from carcinogenic soil.
Schedler Property: Contamination Timeline
| Year | Milestone |
| 2009 | Village purchases the 7-acre Zabriskie-Schedler property. |
| 2019 | Berm construction begins using “imported” soil. |
| Dec 2023 | NJDEP criticizes Village’s “insufficient” soil testing. |
| May 2024 | Lead and mercury contamination officially confirmed. |
| Oct 2025 | Village Manager complains of “financial drain” from resident questions. |
| Nov 2025 | $1.5 million remediation plan presented to the Council. |
Join the new Saddle River Valley, Ramapo and Pascack Valley Communities Facebook group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1931704860512551/
#news #follow #media #trending #viral #newsupdate #currentaffairs #BergenCountyNews #NJBreakingNews #NJHeadlines #NJTopStories
Memo to KK: NOBODY trusts you, in the final analysis you are a political tool, the puppet of the Mayor.
Thought he would have joined Saraceno on the Sherrill transition team.
“There is a concerted effort to drain Village financial resources through the submission of these questions which is unfair to our taxpayers.”
What proof does Mr. Kazmark have of this?
I submitted a question. If my name is referenced in any document or during a public meeting, accusing me of this, I will file a slander/defamation lawsuit against the Village Manager in an instant!
At a minimum, Mr. Kazmark’s accusations are improper and reckless, absolutely inappropriate, unsupported, and challengeable. They should be withdrawn immediately.
So KK doesn’t want voters and taxpayers to state their opinions or complain about past mistakes, unless they’re voters who agree with him. That’s disgraceful.
He has no proof. The audacity of assigning motive to concerned taxpayers
And don’t forget, Mr. Mayer, council members, past & current managers office, health department, director of engineering, supervision of the Dpw, best members of our political group. Oh yes, everyone’s being called out. None of you never asked about the product of this large amount of soil where it’s coming from. Did everyone look the other way. This was extremely poor judgment on everyone up above. This is just poor common sense. An elementary student would’ve done better. In the handling of this soil. Everyone should be embarrassed. And for your stupid comment, Mr. manager, too damn bad that the investigation is going over your budget. Too damn bad. Get better stop touching for a whole a lot more. Because this is the village responsibility. And no one knows exactly what’s going to come from the contamination on the health and well-being of any close residence and best and current employees that were directly working at these locations. This is turning out to be just like ground zero 911 site and how the government said, the contamination was OK. And now they’re back peddling. And now they’re back battling on everyone that received the Covid shot, how that’s affecting a good majority of people’s blood with protein, back paneling again, well this is exactly what is happening in the village. The top brass of the village are not scientist, it’s time to step up and reach out to everyone that was directly working at these locations to make sure they’re healthy. So far the village failed to do so. Stop denying it. Start battling forward, how the hell do some of your people sleep at night, some of you have no backbone, no heart, do you have ice in your veins, because this is extremely poor judgment, talking about not performing. Well, this is it. This is not a healthy village and it’s amazing how some of you talk so different six days of the week, but on Sunday it’s a different tune very interesting. Isn’t it, that’s a hypocrite do the right thing it’s about time.
What an asshole.
James, the chatGPT neutralization of tone looses the main point in trying to make it neutral:)
The main point here is that millions of tax payer dollars are being spent by Keith Kazmark to remove a berm that does not need to be removed!
Well we know Rurik never liked the berm, he must know who dumped the soil. Or let’s not forget the village engineer who was really accountable.
Yes, it does. It should not have been there in the first place.
Village Seeks Relief, Not From Contamination, but From Accountability
So After Causing The Contamination, Village (The Contaminator) Asks The State to Silence the Cleanup Questions.
Village Manager Blames Residents for Costly Questions About Contamination It Created. Keith Kazmark is as slimy as they come.
Officials are overwhelmed by questions, that points to unresolved issues, not misconduct by the public.
What a jerk this guy is.
Keith Kazmark is way off base when you add up all of the monies that have been spent by the village on hours of ineffectual consulting and hiring professionals to say what you want them to it has neen massive and guess what artificial turf is expensive but hey it is only money. If you think Kazmark is a good guy, think again. He is just another puppet and won’t be blowing any whistles on Vagianos Magical Mystery Tour cause he makes bank. Maybe his salary has been reduced. Are we still paying Heather 2 salaries since Vagianos hired her as Village Manager.
Maybe they shouldn’t have spent all that money at Habernickel Just saying. With all these law suit threats why did the spend almost 1/2 a mill on that horrible structure that no one uses
Perhaps .. If the village held more meetings with residents about the soil and safety, sitting at the same table and working through this together, than individual questions would not be required. Perhaps, if the VC public connects was not cut down to 3 minutes, questions could be asked. But that requires answers which the VC avoids. The VC and KK, have never made this easy for the residents they have no empathy, so why would they. Telling an official state department to silence residents is grounds for removal. #notinourcorner
The village disrespects neighbor. They have since that first Paul sat up there. Slimey
KK is vapid and vacuous.
Kazmark has got a set of b*lls to match his gigantic ego. Its unbelievable. To try to discredit concerned residents is really too much coming from a highly paid civil servant.
Draining financial resources? More like it is time to drain the swamp. The big question remains, will West Patersin take him back? The guy has an enormous ego and is more interested in photo ops than anything else. Why does he need a $100 communications director to post for him on Facebook? We can save a hundred thousand per year plus pension and benefits by that reduction alone. Let’s ask Evan tge bond king what he thinks.
I hope he leaves. Go back to Paterson buddy
Yes the mayor is a big a’ hole. You are right.
Just remember. Keith Kazmark was Paul Vagianos campaign manager before he was hired for this 250k job.
They are all full of shit. They never had a meeting with the employees on safety
They are repeating the same. The tree guys from Dawn tree are working there without masks removing tree from the contaminated berm.
Yeah, so who’s going to replace Chris at the head of engineering department and d p w Director? Why is it such a secret.
I’m sure they will come
From Passaic county too
After an extensive nationwide search
With our investigation today with talking to employees as of today, there still hasn’t been no discussion with past and present employees regarding the health and well-being of them. They haven’t received any letterhead to them in regard of contamination at a few locations throughout the village. We do know that the village does have a list of a few employees that worked right in direct of the contaminated material. That list should be posted from the health department, and sent to the DEP, and then those letters should be sent to the employee list because in the end they have to take full responsibility because it is their responsibility. And there’s no timeline regarding the end of this issue.. this is a health issue
I wouldn’t want to live in those apartments where the soil came from.
Exactly. If I lived at one of those locations, I would want the soil to be tested. You don’t know, you don’t have any kind of contamination leak into the water system, or into the area breathing over a long period of time. No one knows you’re not a scientist.
Keep the questions coming!