Dana (with orange balloon) with petition. Roberta trying to interrupt conversation. John Saraceno standing off to side. Picture by Ellen McNamera snapped picture.
March 26,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, People at Van Neste square now collecting signatures. Roberta, Rurik & John apparently trying to interrupt conversations, so petitioners can’t talk to people.Hard to believe a village employee is trying to prevent a legal democratic process!
No time in modern history has a Village manager so unprofessionally inserted herself into the political process . Hired as a political hack Roberta Sonenfeld has now crossed the line .
Readers raise questions:
Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld may I ask you. Are you not hired to work for ALL of the residents of this town, by our elected representatives?
How and in what way is it acceptable, professional, or above board, for you to be in the town park today with a developer/builder who seeks to change our town, and clearly people are divided over that, and a man with a stake in the game. You’re there on our dime speaking on their behalf while residents are peacefully, and quietly attempting to exercise our rights. Residents of this town who again, PAY YOUR SALARY- for now.
How are you there pushing your agenda and not mediating the questions among-st all residents and accurately discussing both sides of the arguments?
How do you still sit in your current position? How do you look your neighbors in the face?
You represent one, and only one, side of the argument and it is questionable as to WHY. It is very very questionable.
I think that people have been remiss in not forcefully and immediately investigating THAT.
I’ll put in my 2 cents at the meetings and see what I can do to help CBR… and it’s not stopping the expansion, it’s trying to negotiate to a more reasonable level… what are you going to do 809?
Hmmm, no not even the slightest bit weird. Thank goodness we do have the proof, or they would say it never happened. Do you have children at home? Everything is photographed these days, thank you iPhone!
Paul Smith – 809 here. Just moved to this town couple of months ago. Can volunteer the time but need direction from you guys who have been here for a long time. So will follow your lead.
You can check Concerned Citizens of Ridgewood and Citizens for a Better Ridgewood. See their views and think about if it’s along your train of thought.
Paul-Be careful about wanting Valley to”negotiate at a more reasonable level.” Valley has no interest in making a serious attempt to do that. If they did they would have.
They didn’t have to… First of all, the way Valley acted in round 1 was like it was an inside done deal… it wasn’t the incumbents in office now so don’t blame them… we’ll probably never know the background for that skeleton in the closet… People were of course outraged at the first “renewal”… Valley then played a very clever hand..A lot of the vitriol directed against the original expansion featured a lot of opposition to ANY expansion… Valley allowed that smartly to be the face of the citizens who were anti-“renewal”… citizens who believed some degree of expansion was and is necessary were ignored or worse….so now we are where we are… we now are at the point where the least worst option is the best option…
Paul -“Expansion” is not the same as improving. The bottom line is they want to turn this hospital into a medical center to compete with Hackensack at the expense of a neighborhood,and, ultimately Ridgewood. They have chosen to ignore their options to the detriment of an entire town. It’s called greed and arrogance.
Another thing to think about is valleys plan to put a drug and alcohol rehabilitation clinic in the Ridgewood campus just what we need next to a school in a residential area.
Can’t say I disagree… they have regional ambitions and want to stay independent… and yes, add tone deaf to greed and arrogance… The outrageous initial proposal was rightly rejected and we all know litigation was on the horizon… but before and after round 1 was concluded, voices in the middle were ignored by both sides (kind of like our country’s political duopoly)… and while they have NOT been a good neighbor, HUMC or Englewood will be much worse if they acquire Valley… with deeper pockets too…
Correct me if I’m wrong, but wouldn’t a strong Planning Board and VC have a lot to say about what anyone can do in that neighborhood ? What’s the fear ?
Costly litigation is the fear. And the judge tanked in favor of the revised plan.