Until last year, I attended only one Village Council meeting in my entire life growing up in Ridgewood. In 1982, I watched in awe as my older brother, Ed, in his red, hand-me-down blazer, represented Orchard School during the “Meet the Mayor” ceremony hosted by Mayor Butler. Ed had a very important issue to address with the Mayor that night – namely, why our neighborhood pals couldn’t use the Bellair tennis courts as our after school street hockey rink. Those were simpler times in Ridgewood, when parents and kids mainly focused on family meals, school work and sports. We didn’t have to worry about whether our elected council members were doing what was best for our Village.
My lack of attendance at Council meetings ended this past September when I rushed from Willard’s “Back to School Night” to the Village Hall meeting about the construction of high density housing. Since then, I have attended or watched every Council meeting – mostly in shock about the “supersizing” of Ridgewood. Like many, I’ve become an “activist” out of pure necessity, meeting with fellow residents, discussing the challenges to the way we live, raising funds, and strategizing about how to preserve everything special about Ridgewood. We skip baseball practices, miss family dinners and go to work bleary-eyed from attending marathon Village Council meetings.
The truth is, I don’t want to do any of it. I want a Ridgewood where my elected Village Council members work together and compromise to make wise decisions that benefit the Village today and in the future. I think Jeff Voigt is the perfect candidate to do just that. I know Jeff and his family as both neighbors and fellow Mount Carmel parishioners. Jeff is very bright. And I admire that he’s also an independent thinker who isn’t running on a ticket. Jeff is very accessible and always willing to have a coffee or chat to hear different points of view. Jeff is honest and pragmatic.
I strongly endorse Jeff Voigt for Council. He will keep our Village a village. He will support sensible growth. He will choose residents over developers. He will give me the comfort that our Village is in good hands so I can go back to just being a dad, husband and coach.
(I also strongly support Ramon Hache and Bernadette Walsh!)
Bill McCabe
Ridgewood NJ
I for one, hope you get your wish!
Well put bill as a resident since 1969 I am disgusted by the direction this present council majority has taken us in.
Please let it be so, just 8 more days until we can elect HACHE VOIGT and WALSH
Tell EVERYONE YOU KNOW (and knock on doors) that the Brooks/Weitz/Willett slate has had a professional campaign organizer hired for them and see what they say about THAT.
Well said Billy Mac
I wish that
Hache,Voigt and Walsh will win
With less letters to write and meetings to attend
We can act like regular citizens again
Nights at home, fewer meetings to attend
Walking our streets that feel more friendly
Knowing our council is working for us
Treating the village more respectfully
On May 10th we get to vote
For Jeff, Ramon and Bernie
When they’re elected business will be conducted
With common sense ,harmony and civility!
I left out less petitions to sign!