May 12,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood Nj, Will election landslide lead to personnel changes in the Village hall? Our observation is that many in the Village hall need to be reminded they work for all tax payers of Ridgewood and not the Mayor, democratic party, a hospital , developers or any other special interest . If employees can not make that commitment then they should look elsewhere for employment . The best interests of the Village of Ridgewood should be the priority not some previously established deal.
Obviously the new council will be making careful decisions on giving Ridgewood the brightest and best .
Readers have a laundry list of committees that need to go , Readers suggest the Financial Advisory Committee was created by the mayor solely as a breeding ground for future council members willing to live in his shadow and image. It didn’t work. Disband it.
We would suggest the same for the anti free speech “Civility Committee” .
One reader says First to go…. Gail Price (and her firm), then Chris Rutishauser (sp?). And if Blaise doesn’t start doing some actual planning for Ridgewood’s future, then he can go too.
Other suggest Matt Rogers , seems to have lost his way thinking her works for the mayor while attacking some local businesses but not others .
Still other readers suggest most of the planning board and most of the Historical Preservation Committee which has clearly lost its mind .
James, would be great if you could ask Anne and Boyd to post under their own names instead of their anonymous sniping as “Ridgewood blog staff”…
lol anonymous poster complaining about others posting anonymous , give it up already , there are over 25 regular contributors to the Ridgewood blog ie staff and at 5 newbies or irregular posters every month .
Yes please. I’d give Matt Rogers a shot with the new Council but the rest should go. Mrs. Sonenfeld needs to go too since she got too involved disrupting the petitioners and the other grass roots organizations. She messed with the wrong 67% of the electorate.
sorry the FAC has proven to be nothing but a tool and offers zero contribution to running the village
The FAC needs to have bylaws and minutes and a clause that prohibits members from running for public office while serving. THe VM needs direction, goals and an evaluation after a specified time. She needs to be held accountable for the administration and operations of the Village. There can no longer be selective ordinance enforcement. The Village Attorney, PB attorney should be evaluated and if necessary replaced. The assistant VM should be evaluated and if needed replaced. The new Council needs to be prudent but decisive in their actions. Let’s not replicate the mistakes of the past.
The election is over. The new council needs to stabilize the governance of the municipality by vesting the village operational authority in the VM where it belongs by law and holding her accountable for the execution.
A little perspective is in order here. Many employees/appointees were there before the Amigos–often for many years. They have walked a balancing act between the council majority and minority for the last 4 years. I have heard more than one express that “caught in the crossfire” feeling. Having said that, I have wondered how Pfund got to be municipal judge–his legal experience? I don’t think so. In reviewing possible changes, municipal judge should be one of them.
I interviewed for the FAC. The selection process is 100% political. The entire counsel interviews you at once, and asks questions about development, Valley, the CBD etc to see where your thoughts are. I was pretty clear that I am in favor of measured development, but I threw in the caveat that my experience in M&A is that too often, the numbers are coerced to conform with sentimentality i.e. “The CEO really wants to buy business XYZ, so make the numbers work”. I said if I am donating my time, I’m not going to play that game. In so saying, I rendered myself useless to the pro development members, and the anti development members didn’t like that I said I was in favor of measured development right from the start. Needless to say, I wasn’t added to the FAC. Which was fine, because my time comes at a premium already. I’d volunteer again though, if the group’s charter was clearly apolitical.
9:27 (Rurik) Bernie is a former council member, planning board member and a Pitzer College graduate. Jeff Voight a Wharton MBA. If that is what you call clueless, you should lay off the whacky Tabacky.
James, I completely agree with 10:06; the FAC needs to have bylaws and minutes and a clause that prohibits members from running for public office while serving. There is no need to disband it, just a need for more transparency and better governance. Ridgewood is full of experienced finance people – why on earth wouldn’t the Council want their advice and non-binding counsel on financial matters in a Village with a $45mn annual budget, almost $40mn in debt, and long-term retirement, pension and health-care liabilities running at almost $100mn? The majority of this newly elected Council needs help on their fiduciary role, the issues are too complex, and we need smart taxation, not a return to the days of 4%~6% annual municipal property tax increases…. Heck, if we win the not for profit ruling against Valley, this Council would even be in a position to REDUCE municipal property taxes. The FAC can help them make smarter choices.
curious why it has not happened so far????
why has the FAC not done this already ???
9:29- anonymous –
So,funny that you think Anne and Boyd are the only contributors here. So many people contribute to the blog these days. It seems I see their names attached to postings regularly, unlike you.The two of them are out there all the time, faces in the camera, going to every meeting, speaking up. Unlike you, cowering in your basement and posting snarky comments from your computer. Why don’t you be more like Anne and Boyd and show your face or at least your name once in awhile? . Scared of something? Oh, that’s right, you’re probably an elected official, or the husband of one..
The most obvious first replacement is the Village Manager. She made it very clear who exactly she was working for, even making herself the unofficial 6th member of the Council. Her behavior among the public was eyebrow-raising. Get rid of her and send her back to the mediocrity of the corporate workplace she came from. Check out her LinkedIn profile. Pretty average stuff. She clearly was hand-picked by the Mayor as his rubber stamper.
just remember a new broom always sweeps clean, so start sweeping from the top , we fell that at least three from the top need to go by summer time. they been a waste from the start. frank moritz is gone , so his influences can’t help some.
I would like to see more transparency in the operation of the FAC.
They crossed bounds when they penned a letter supporting the Hudson Garage. Then two of them ran for office and signed a pledge promising to build ASAP if elected.
Are the two candidates still on the FAC? Will they be able to work constructively with the new council?
I think the new council need’s to have a meeting with the work force in private. no top managers. because in the past they had sit downs and they swept it under the rug. the work force is the back bone of the village and they do care.
thank you from the workers who care.
1:12 – Taken verbatim from the Village Manager”s CV:
(J P Morgan) Chase Bank – Vice President, Securities Processing Operations
Citibank – Division Executive, worldwide securities operations
DeutscheBank – Managing Director/Partner
Depository Trust and Clearance Corporation – Managing Director
Emigrant Savings Bank – Senior Vice President
Senior management consultant, United Nations
Yep, sure sounds like average stuff all right
Robert Carroll, aka Mr. Roberta Sonenfeld.
Mr Carroll. If you have any experience in the financial sector you will know that such titlidge is common. MDs are everywhere in a company. It’s not like the old days when there was one. I don’t actually see anything in her employment profile that suggests she would be qualified for local government management.
7:59 – so she was not successful anywhere and was let go from 7 jobs? That’s a lot of companies to change voluntarily.
Also, can anyone tell me what is civility committee? I don’t see it listed on the village web site. Any committee that’s not listed on the web site and does not have proper rules should be “deleted” or should be placed under rules and transparency and meeting minutes.
S.Frapz, great news that Jeff went to Wharton, we need smart people who understand finance given our $45mn annual Village budget, $40mn debt and $100mn in unpaid future liabilities. But why wouldn’t Jeff want advice from volunteer Village residents on finance matters impacting us all? Just improve transparency/governance of the FAC, make it hold public meetings and post its minutes.
Wow, very witty, 9:13. And how much less factual does that make the statements excerpted verbatim from her resume?
@ 9:13, oh give it a rest. Did you want to add anything substantive? Most readers of the blog understand who he is and who better to explain her resume.
I find Roberta to be very competent and responsive when she wants to be. She really made a mistake being so aligned with those three to the point that she became an advocate and not just an adviser and enforcer. I do not think Susan can or should ever trust her fully, nor do I think she will become suddenly responsive and polite to the residents she ignored or dismissed. Probably best for them to amicably part ways.
Mr. Carroll, her resume is fine. Certainly she has earned her stripes but this town is filled with similar resumes and over-achieving individuals.
Although I do feel Roberta was a bit over the top with her alignment with the Mayor and the garage, I do feel that she has the best grip on what is going on in the town. At least if you ask her a questions she is familiar with the topic unlike previous managers. I think she needs a second chance…
I think Ms. Sonenfield mistakenly and foolishly assumed that her Party’s machine was too strong to be challenged, let alone be defeated, by a bunch of mere ordinary residents. When you are so neck deep in machine politics, you sometime do end up making such delusional assumptions.
Whatever her abilities, there should be NO place for a village employee who so openly and blatantly aligns herself with one set of political leaders.
There is NO way her name could have been so openly and repeatedly used in their campaign absent her approval.
She made her bed, now it is time to lay down in it. She has to go.
Ms. Sonenfeld’s CV AS POSTED ON LINKEDIN:
:
Village Manager, Village of Ridgewood, NJ
March 2014 – Present (2 years 3 months)
Independent Consultant
July 2011 – Present (4 years 11 months)
Senior Management Consultant
May 2011 – Present (5 years 1 month)
Community Volunteer
2007 – Present (9 years)
Have been involved in various community service activities.
Graduated Bergen LEADS – the premier civic leadership program in Bergen County in 2010
Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Volunteer Center of Bergen County
Vice President of the Ridgewood Education Foundation
Ridgewood Historical Society Trustee
Vice Chair of Ridgewood Finance Advisory Committee
Served on the Board of Courage to Connect NJ and started their Bergen County Chapter
Home and School Association Treasurer
Senior Management Consultant
May 2011 – July 2011 (3 months)Greater New York City Area
Senior Vice President
Emigrant Bank
2005 – 2007 (2 years)
Managing Director
Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation
2000 – 2004 (4 years)
Deutsche Bank/Bankers Trust
1998 – 2000 (2 years)
Division Executive and Vice President
Citibank
1986 – 1998 (12 years)
Well Robert Carroll, what say you now? Looks like the wife was a consultant in recent years before coming on board to wreak havoc on Ridgewood. And it looks like she has a pretty checkered job history.
Bernie Walsh and Tom Riche were RIGHT when they voted NO to hiring her. She had no municipal government experience and she was not the best candidate. Not qualified. And that has been a big handicap. Add to her in competence is her nasty streak.
I agree with John. She has to GO.
sweep,
The village manager may absolutely not express anger or contempt toward residents or attempt to intimidate them. She has done so often and must be replaced.