April 26,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, both Mr. Halaby and Mr. Lehmann used public comment to again attack Mayor and make unproven and spurious accusation. The Mayor for the “umpteenth time ” refuted the false claims called out those who made them “liars, and morally bankrupt and ethically challenged” . Lehmann through his antics once again demonstrated why he should be immediately removed as Chair of the Board of Adjustment .
Village council Attorney Matthew Rogers, read a statement concerning “nepotism ” and Village of Ridgewood hiring practices . Rogers first read a statement outlining his job and reiterating that he represents the Village of Ridgewood not any one particular member of the council. Rogers went on addressing civil service laws of New Jersey and how they foster “merit based hiring” . Specifically Rogers referred to the fact that qualitied candidates for civil service positions can not be bypassed .All civil service appointments must be made by the civil service test.
Councilmen Voigt attempted again to misrepresent the Village of Ridgewood and how the Civil Service system in New Jersey works . The councilmen as well as Mr. Halaby and Lehmann seem to have no understanding of the civil service system . Councilmen Walsh summed it up ,”the state test is the state test ” end of story ,there is no way around it.
Well there goes the one issue that Willett and Harwin are running on. What did they have to say at the meeting last night? Oh that’s right they weren’t even there.
If the VC were a school board, the hirings would have been illegal unless the conflicted trustee resigned their seat. State law should be aligned in one direction or another with regards to public bodies.
civil service is civil service end of story
The first 40 minutes of the village council meeting last night was better than anything on TV. Glad to see the slanderous lies toward the Mayor confronted and exposed. Not sure how Jeff could still be ‘confused’ by the law and if this is still the case, he continues to demonstrate how not qualified he is to sit on the village council.
The first hour of the council meeting last night was a joke. A waste of time and money. Also, if Mr.Voigt is still confused he should hire his own labor attorney and not waste our tax dollars.
8:50 – Unfortunately for Willett and Harwin, the VC is not a school board. They really need to find something else to campaign on as this issue is settled. Mr. Voigt’s ongoing “confusion” is somewhere between concerning and amusing – he needs to move on too.
Councilman Voigt may be confused because liars are being outed and that is not supposed to happen in the Aronsohn playbook. Did anybody hear what Matt Rogers said about refusing perpetual troublemakers the right to speak unless they applied for reinstatement in writing and said they wouldn’t do it any more? Halaby and Lehmann should be so censured. Nobody has the right to appear at meeting after meeting and harangue the council out of personal anger and spite. It sets a dreadful tone for the meeting and serves no purpose except to gratify the hysterical whims of those who are unhappy about who won the last election. Halaby and Lehmann should have that rule applied to them immediately. They have more than earned it. It’s embarrassing that they (Halaby in particular) are permitted to continue to appear time after time and spew their vicious bile. That is most assuredly not what the public comment section of the meeting is for. As for allowing Mr. Lehmann to be on a very important board, much less preside over it, he absolutely must be removed. He must know he was risking that with his email and mailer of hate and lies. I can’t imagine letting him stay. He should be barred for life from membership on any appointed committee, commission or board. I hope the council will do this right away.
Councilman Voigt may be confused because liars are being outed and that is not supposed to happen in the Aronsohn playbook. Did anybody hear what Matt Rogers said about refusing perpetual troublemakers the right to speak unless they applied for reinstatement in writing and said they wouldn’t do it any more? Halaby and Lehmann should be so censured. Nobody has the right to appear at meeting after meeting and harangue the council out of personal anger and spite. It sets a dreadful tone for the meeting and serves no purpose except to gratify the hysterical whims of those who are unhappy about who won the last election. Halaby and Lehmann should have that rule applied to them immediately. They have more than earned it. It’s embarrassing that they (Halaby in particular) are permitted to continue to appear time after time and spew their vicious bile. That is most assuredly not what the public comment section of the meeting is for. As for allowing Mr. Lehmann to be on a very important board, much less preside over it, he absolutely must be removed. He must know he was risking that with his email and mailer of hate and lies. I can’t imagine letting him stay. He should be barred for life from membership on any appointed committee, commission or board. I hope the council will do this right away.
Hans-Jurgen Lehmann, Chairman – Village of Ridgewood Zoning Board of Adjustment should be immediately removed from his position.
Did Hans say yesterday that his objections were only for OPTICS and he is not accusing the mayor of any wrong doing?
8:50 if pigs had wings they would fly.
Jeff is not confused at all, don’t be fooled. He is intentionally trying to stir up trouble for Susan. Everyone knows what a nasty prick he is. Sorry Jeff, you have zero credibility.
Hey Voigt you a-hole, all you do is brag about your degree and tell us the candidates need to be well educated. And then you cannot figure out the freaking Civil Service. You have been in the job two years already. You really are a useless piece of crap.
Seriously, if I were Susan I’d take that flier he sent and counter it with points of truth.
Nepotism: he said ‘made it possible for her 3 sons to become paid Village staff members’ BAMB INSERT TRUTH HERE
Unethical Behavior: he said ‘from an organization at the center of parking garage debate’ BAMB INSERT TRUTH – it was a school in Glen Rock who was not involved in garage at all. He states last night he doesn’t care if it was $5 but BAMB he makes a big deal in flier about the amount. Liar, liar
Tolerance issue – INSERT TRUTH HERE
Jamboree issue INSERT TRUTH HERE
Coloring book issue INSERT TRUTH HERE
On and on…. gets the truth out there using his bs flier as the lies that they are. No one watches these meetings, lots of people don’t read this blog or on Facebook. How about you send your own flier, using his garbage and counter it! ONe page of flier are his lies, other side the TRUTH
Time for some RIDGEWOOD TRUTH!
#1
False: A disgraceful allegation that, then Councilwoman, Knudsen accepted a prize in return for her NO vote to opposing the garage from OLMC.
Truth: In the Spring of 2016, upon leaving 11am OLMC mass, Knudsen purchased a 50/50 raffle ticket from the Academy of Our Lady HSA, in Glen Rock, in support of Catholic School Week Scholarship Program. Each year 600 raffle tickets are sold by the HSA. Subsequently, hers was drawn as the winning ticket. Throughout 2015 and 2016, Knudsen is consistently on record as stating the garage was too big and inappropriate for the lot and area. To advance the project, she voted for the funding while repeatedly stating the footprint and design must be reduced. The June 21, 2016 referendum decided the fate of the oversized structure, not Mayor Knudsen.
#2
False: Knudsen reportedly profits from the non-profit Jamboree event.
Truth: To accuse a longstanding, 10 years and counting, member of the Jamboree family, and therefore Jamboree, of misrepresenting their 71 years of volunteerism, and put them in a position of defending their longstanding non-profit status with this baseless accusation, is disgraceful.
#3
False: Nepotism helped Knudsen’s sons secure employment in Ridgewood Public Safety Departments as Police Officers and Fire Fighter.
Truth: Decades ago Ridgewood became a New Jersey Civil Service community. The Village must comply with New Jersey Department of Personnel hiring rules as defined by New Jersey statute. Civil Service by design prevents nepotism, cronyism and corruption. The State of New Jersey sets residency preference, administers competitive testing, and certifies the hiring order based on rankings. The Village Manager must be in full compliance with State rules, and Village Council is prohibited by law from any interference. On May 6, 2014, then Village Manager was in receipt of the New Jersey Department of Personnel 2013 Civil Service hiring list, before Knudsen was even elected. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPgiMwxkCew
#4
False: A July 9, 2014 Village Council discussion and subsequent ordinance helped Knudsen to advance her son’s employment as Ridgewood Police Officers.
Truth: Knudsen was advocating having regular civilian jobs first offered to Village residents, having nothing to do with public safety positions. Reviewing the entire audio and minutes, not just the section the author points you to, clearly reveals the unequivocal truth that the discussion of the ordinance excluded police and fire. Official, unaltered documents reveal Knudsen was in fact advocating for regular civilian jobs, such as clerk typist, receptionist, mechanic etc. See also https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPgiMwxkCew
#5
False: That Knudsen or any Village Council member “affirmed” the residency preference for police and fire.
Truth: State Statute and Administrative Code governs the residency preference for all Public Safety titles in Ridgewood. The Village is a Civil Service community (not all towns are) and the State of New Jersey governs the hiring process for Ridgewood’s Police and Fire Departments. Village Council has no jurisdiction over this whatsoever. The amended ordinance was specific to those civilian jobs mentioned earlier. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPgiMwxkCew
Please also note that those attempting to discredit Knudsen have filed three separate ethics complaints against her, including the disgusting allegation of collusion with Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Months ago, the State of New Jersey dismissed all three complaints.
There are more claims listed, but those are well refuted by the Mayor herself, on her website, with supporting documents. We encourage all of you, if you STILL HAVE QUESTIONS to go to http://www.VoteRidgewood.com , attend a coffee, and be sure to attend or watch the League of Women Voters debate on April 30th.
ALSO WATCH THE ENTIRE COUNCIL MEETING FROM LAST NIGHT-IT IS PRICELESS. IF I WAS HARWIN, I WOULD QUIT NOW.
For your entertainment tonight: a ‘point of order’ = one shot!
4:47… Good job but your talking to the choir here. What I’m saying is that she needs to put it in a flier, into everyone’s home, like he did. Point out the lie, state the truth. Send her a copy of your above points and get that going out. Lots of people are not on Facebook, this blog or paying attention to the meetings. But, they look at their mail.
I agree, she needs to put it in a flyer. Many people in town do not pay attention to social media or village council meetings.