Boyd Loving
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Village Councilwoman Bernadette Walsh revealed last night that the Village’s Central Business District Re-Opening Plan (street closures creating a pedestrian mall with on street dining) is being funded in part by an unnamed “individual.” Council members voted unanimously to approve the plan. However, when a taxpayer asked that the “individual” be publicly identified, no response was received. Hmm. Who would volunteer to fund the expenses associated with creation of a pedestrian mall with on street dining?
Watch cropped meeting video below:
Come on. Where are all the Rocket Scientist who post on this blog? Who in town that is connect can afford that donation.
I assume anyone over 50 knows what CBD stands for? I take for my health, comes from the HEMP plant. I applaud Ridgewood for this move.
Bernie for Mayor! She got the most votes!
Pay to play in action.
Did this “individual” also make a contribution to any recent election campaigns in the Village? What about to the upcoming race for Bergen County Freeholder?
Duh, and I just voted for Walsh. I never learn my lesson.
Who cares what private individual funded it? Why does it matter??
OMG. Who could it be??
We need to know, don’t we????.
Could it be a Right Wing trickster?
Maybe it’s a Do-Good Leftie?
I don’t think you should go to town and enjoy the offer if you don’t find out who’s funding it. How’s that suit y’all?
This Village has too many idiots!
Have a nice day and try minding your own business for a change.
Trojan horse.
Gotta be someone who stand to benefit in some way. Did he help to draft the plan?
Village of Ridgewood, NJ / Part II: General Legislation
Chapter 127 Contributions, Gifts and Donations
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[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Council of the Village of Ridgewood as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Administration of government — See Ch. 3.
Political fund-raising — See Ch. 221.
§ 127-1 Prohibition; conditions for Council acceptance of gifts.
Article I Gifts to Village Council
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§ 127-1 Prohibition; conditions for Council acceptance of gifts.
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Article I Gifts to Village Council
[Adopted 8-13-2008 by Ord. No. 3132]
§ 127-1 Prohibition; conditions for Council acceptance of gifts.
A.
Definitions. As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CONTRIBUTIONS, GIFTS AND OTHER DONATIONS
The free and voluntary presentation by any person to the Village Council of any sum of money or other item of value, the acceptance of which requires a resolution.
PERSON
Any individual, partnership, joint venture, corporation, group, organization, association, government, governmental agency or any other entity, affiliate, subsidiary or related company of that entity.
[Amended 12-8-2010 by Ord. No. 3273]
B.
The Village Manager shall be authorized to establish rules and requirements for persons making, offering or presenting any contribution, gift and other donation to the Village, its agencies, departments, boards and/or employees, which rules shall require adoption by resolution by the Village Council to be effective. Said rules and requirements shall include, but are not limited to, the following:
[Amended 12-8-2010 by Ord. No. 3273]
(1)
Identification or determination of the value of said contribution, gift or other donation;
(2)
Requirements for the reporting of the contribution, gift or other donation to Village Manager;
(3)
Requirements for if and when Council approval is necessary for the acceptance of the contribution, gift or other donation by the Village.
C.
Any person as defined in Subsection A above who wishes to make, offer or present a contribution, gift or other donation to the Village or its agencies, departments or boards must satisfy the rules and requirements as established by the Village Manager and adopted by resolution of the Village Council.
[Amended 12-8-2010 by Ord. No. 3273]
D.
Upon the acceptance of a gift, contribution or donation by the Village Council, the Village reserves the right to determine without qualification any process, conditions or other specifications on the gift and its utilization by the Village for the purpose for which said gift is intended and accepted.
Eagle What does this mean? “Duh, and I just voted for Walsh. I never learn my lesson.”
If any of you Rocket Scientist watched the meeting it was your mayor who said that the name should not be release.
Amazing that the “name” is the focus by many versus the good that could come from the opportunity presented. The add on benefits could be the difference between someone closing shop or staying the course. Drop and give me 20 you weaklings…
Porthnoy ask Dan Creed
What expense. What are they talking about how much
What will be the hours watch streets will they be shutting down. Who is in charge of this.
Without revealing the individual’s name, the Council can’t accept the donation. That’s the law. Now if the Council had received a donation anonymously, that is they didn’t know who it came from, MAYBE they could have accepted it. But as it stands now, they know who it is so they have to tell the taxpayers.
They said first few weeks of expense. How much is it going to cost anyway? Is this really a big amount?
It was said that the expense is approximately $8,000 per weekend. However, taxpayers have been lied to in the past. So the real answer is, they don’t know and will not know until the fat lady sings.
OK $1000 for a watt. What exactly do they need to do we all need details.
Correction 8000
I would be concerned about the litter throughout the CBD. Who is going to maintain that.
Why, may I ask, is the council willing to spend $8000 a week to benefit a few businesses in town? I would be furious if I was outside that perimeter and had a business that wasn’t going to have a pedestrian walkway right by my store! Oh wait, let’s see, what businesses are within the perimeter? Oh Paul Vagianos the Greek he’s in there!
And that Douchebag Jeff Voigt seems okay with spending $8k of hard earned taxpayer money per weekend for this bullshit, but is balking about the cost of opening Graydon Pool. I just can’t wait until that shithead is gone from the dais.
I bet Christina Abadi donated the money.
i wonder ?
Pedestrian mall is a bad idea right now. They don’t think things through, ever.
is this in keeping with the “new master plan” ?
I don’t understand the fuss. Ramon said in last weeks meeting that he hoped the businesses would donate to help defray the cost. Now one steps up to the plate and they are being burned in effigy?
The initial estimate was a $8K loss per weekend, so that means the actual will be at least 2x that. Two weeks ago the estimated loss for reopening Graydon Pool was $50K, last night it was $100K. We’re deep in the red, folks. We’re just going to keep getting taxed taxed taxed! Town needs to start cutting expenses big time and finding new revenue opportunities. Meanwhile our superintendent wants to spend $500,000 on renovating the middle school bathrooms. I guess they are betting that the new influx of people fleeing Manhattan and NYC and moving into Ridgewood won’t care about property tax hikes.
Are we putting the cart before the horse. There was no resolution approving the donation. There was only a proposal by someone. Why don’t we wait till there is an official proposal for the donation and see what the council and village manager does with it
If people want a conspiracy why don’t we speculate who will be the New Mayor and Deputy Mayor ? That should light up the Ridgewood Blog.
Agreed ” Taxpayer”
Welcome to Montclair !
Bernie Walsh should be the new mayor based on precedent of the most votes in the election. Remember how annoyed Sue Knudsen And her followers were when she wasn’t named Mayor in 2014?
Spend, spend, spend… $100,000 loss now “best case” on Graydon, $8,000 a weekend on the CBD, $650,000 on Orchard, $500,000 on toilets, Schedler, the garagezilla… meanwhile the unemployment rate is +13% and the economy is teetering. There is no fiscal discipline, no accountability, no transparency. Worst governance in Village history!
Why does it bother people that someone who has the means is stepping up to help our community? I’m mean c’mon. Based on previous comment threads, the same people who want to know who is supporting something that will bring people to the CBD don’t go themselves anymore. Let’s think positively for once. Our businesses have been severely hurt and finally they can begin a recovery, but no it’s fraudulent. Cmon people. Let’s be positive for a change.
In late 1999, the cost to remediate flood damage at Village Hall was projected at under $5 million. By the time work was completed, the price tag had reached well over $11 million. History has a habit of repeating itself in this Village, especially when it comes to cost overruns.
Does the prospective donor own any property in the target zone? Was the prospective donor involved in the design of pedestrian mall plan?
The mayor is asking for donations.. Haha just like the 125th anniversary celebration that the town never had. Oh no sorry, they’re was a gala at that resturant down town that no one went to. This is just another bad idea. Who is putting him up to these things
I don’t think they were asking for donations but funding. The businesses need to help fund the pedestrian mall. Watch the video when Ramon talks about the plan from the meeting two weeks ago.
Ramon is acting like he’s a freeloader already. Shady deals and pork for the party he works for. Just like Aronson and Vagianos before him. Hopefully, after he loses, he can take his skinny suit, hop into is Porsche, and go home. Huge disappointment.
I donated the money. Say “thank you”.
To respond to one of the above comments, it doesn’t bother me that someone is stepping up to donate. What bothers me is the secrecy around it. It just needs to be made public to ensure there are no “pay to play” concerns. It sets a bad precedent and compromises our democratic process if political and legislative decisions can be influenced and made on the back of an “anonymous” donation. I don’t want people buying out our politicians; that suppresses the voices of our hard working neighbors and residents and, frankly, is unconstitutional. I don’t necessarily think that’s the case here, but just be transparent with the public.
People the information will come out sooner than later, or later than sooner you’ll see people talk.
So where did that number come from $8000. Where is that money going. What is a paying for. Someone must know.
Might be someone who built an ILLEGAL WALL ????
Garbage removal? Clean up? Lost parking meter revenues? You know the police will work OT in to the equation!
Got it