Dear Mayor, Council Members, Village Manager and Village Attorney,
Last night’s meeting was upsetting to watch but also violated many aspects of Roberts Rules of Order. The purpose of these guidelines is to provide ” for fair and orderly meetings and conventions”. A point of order can be used amongst many other things to call attention to” infraction of the rules or improper decorum in speaking”.
The Mayor had to listen to old charges of supposed misconduct by members of the public as well as a council member. She had every right to defend herself and to ask the village attorney to state the chain of events and facts. To have a point of order called in the middle of Ms. Knudsen’s response to Mr. Lehman which on his part was an attack ( speaking directly to a council member in a personal and accusatory manner and also not allowed) seemed an attempt to silence and/or curtail the mayor’s right to speak on her behalf. Fortunately, she was not silenced.
I would also like to add that according to Roberts Rules ” the agenda and all committee reports are merely recommendations” and liaisons to committees are to report back to the governing body and do not have independent powers.
Mr. Voigt’s continued stance that the mayor had done something illegal after this allegation was addressed by Mr. Rogers back in November has taken away from all the positives that have been accomplished by the current council. I don’t understand it but I do know it is not in the town’s best interest and it is not the way to treat a colleague.
Sincerely, Linda McNamara
Thank you Linda MacNamara for your clearly stated letter defining how many things were wrong about last night. It is very unfortunate that Councilwoman Walsh felt the need to butt in when the Mayor was speaking. She looked idiotic, acting like this is nothing more than a middle-school spat between two disgruntled tweens. I am very glad that our Mayor calmly and gracefully rose above this and made her point. Hans Lehmann was ridiculously out of line, and here he is the husband of Jan Phillips, the self-proclaimed queen of civility. And then of course you have Jeff Voigt spewing lies and sputtering about how Matt Rogers opinion is worthless. You cannot make this shit up. If you did, no one would believe it.
I wish you would go to those meetings Linda. You are so knowledgeable and on point all the time. Thank you.
Jeff sounds like he has been a big disappointment.
Speaking of disappointment, has anyone else had trouble with the Ridgewood post office…?
I never received 2 checks that were mailed to me by separate businesses based in Bergen Cty back in early October,
Last week we found a letter addressed to someone living in WYCKOFF in our mailbox.
And then I ordered some books the day after Christmas and by using the package tracking service I saw that the box was delivered to the Ridgewood USPS facility on Dec 30th….we didn’t get the box until yesterday (Jan 5th).
What’s going on over there…?
@4:45 nice try. Bernie Walsh did the right thing. Don’t try to drag her into this mess.
Jeff Voigt lack of disrespect to the Mayor and the residents who elected him is shameful. This anger he has against the Mayor is not productive.
JEFF!……Please let it go, If you can’t either resign, get therapy or take an anger management class. This behavior of yours is getting down right ridiculous and cringe worthy to watch.
Thank you Linda, great letter.
Yes, I have trouble with them too. They deliver mail meant for other addresses to my address. And I worry my mail could go to other addresses. You complain and you get arrogance.
Where the hell is Bernadette in all of this? She went through this kind of crap a few years ago. Why doesn’t she step up and squash Jeff for his unbelievable behavior.
Besides being married to faux-minister Jan Phillips, to whom Aronsohn made the big mistake of opening the door via that insane “civility” group (a product of the great minds at White Horse Strategies?) that we all hope to forget soon, Hans Lehmann chairs our Zoning Board of Adjustment. As such it is inappropriate for him to openly criticize the council, to whom the board reports. He should be removed for this behavior even though his term, according to the village website, officially ends on June 30, 2019.
4:45 and 10:17, blessed be the peace maker. But the mayor needs to fight her own battles. She’s leaving herself very vulnerable come the next election. Her administration is beginning to be another episode of “Ridgewood in Turmoil”, council meetings have turned into another dog fight.
It sounds like I’m missing a good show at these VC meetings. When’s the next one…?
Ms. Walsh is great. A point of order shouldn’t be called when the mayor( council chair) is actively defending herself against false accusations from the floor. That is all.
“Where the hell is Bernadette in all of this? ” Really 10:17. Where the hell were Ramon and Jeff ? Those two just sat there and said nothing.
Well Susan”s base is at it again. When your done bashing Jeff let go to Bernadette. Susan and her base are taking a page from the 3 Amigos playbook.
5:05 Susan’s base. What a stupid term. There is a huge majority in town that supports honesty in government. Susan is honest. So are Mike and Ramon and Bernadette. That is the base that the majority supports. Jeff is a liar, he even admitted it on Wednesday. He is supported by the likes of Hans Lehmann and Rurik Halaby and whoever that guy was that got up and introduced himself as Jeff’s friend.
Regarding Ridgewood post office problem. Today , Saturday morning I AGAIN got wrong mail, another addressee’s CREDIT CARD STATEMENT. When I called and complained and asked why I OFTEN Every TWO WEEKS, get wrong mail, they said the workers are members of a union and the Ridgewood POST OFFICE has no responsibility.