>And you can’t tell the players without a program.
Here are the Planning Board players:
Members:Morgan Hurley – Chairman (Ethelbert Place)David Nicholson – Vice-Chairman (Liberty Street)David Pfund – Mayor (Hillcrest Road)Kim Ringler Shagin – Councilwoman (Walthery Avenue)James Bombace (Midwood Road)Richard Fricke (Woodland Avenue)Anne Ward (Melrose Place)Albert Pucciarelli (Cottage Place)Nick Tsapatsaris (North Murray Avenue)Charles Nalbantian – Alternate 1 (Bellair Road)Richard Barclay – Alternate 2 (Brookside Avenue)
Staff:Gail L. Price, Esq., Board AttorneyBlais L. Brancheau, PP, PlannerChristopher J. Rutishauser, PE, Village EngineerBarbara K. Carlton, Board Secretary
And also for the record, Valley Hospital President, Ms. Audrey D. Meyers, lives on Highland Avenue. The Valley’s attorney, Charles (Chuck) Collins, owns property on Bellair Road and on Prospect Street.
>Here’s a solution.
As long as they build/remodel within the existing code, they can do whatever they like.
Otherwise, it is time for this town to SAY NO!
End of story.
“You can’t always get what you want.” Rolling Stones
>PJ: Where were you when teacher explained commas and semicolons?
Big Jay Kay
>PJ: Where were you when teacher explained commas and semicolons?
he was stuck with his math tutor
>PJ – I find it interesting that you felt it necessary announce to everyone the street the members of the planning board live on. Oddly though when one looks up your information it is not listed (I checked 3 internet sources). Just an observation.
>Not a soul in the bunch lives anywhere near the hospital, nor on a route to and from the hospital. I guess we know how the vote will go then.
>(I checked 3 internet sources) Its called an algorithm you fuzzy math types will never lean to do a proper search
>well PJ ,you might have stumbled on something ,a project like this in this town and there in NO representation from the closest neighborhoods?
and as for the posteres objection to posting it …it public information ,its not a big deal
>Information related to property ownership anywhere in the State of NJ is available on the Internet here:
https://php.app.com/mod4taxb/search.php
Just paste this address into your browser.
>I don’t live anywhere near Valley Hospital (or Death Valley as it is known to some) but I sure can sympathize with those whose properties border Valley or live near the ambulance route. Valley is like a cancerous growth that at some point has to be stopped.
We used to donate to Valley Hospital but no more. They advertise not only in New Jersey, but New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and God knows where else drumming up business. There have been times when friends of mine (Ridgewood residents) couldn’t get into Valley Hospital because of overcrowding and were forced to seek treatment at Hackensack or St. Joseph’s.
Put a stop to Death Valley now.
>any advice on how one obtains one of those taboo “Stop Valley” lawn signs?
>http://www.stopvalley.com
>I’m so happy that finally something is being said about the negetive effect Valley is having on the village of Ridgewood. So many people only think about the hospital and what it can do for them when they get sick (which is hopefully only once in their life. Its presence in the Village adds little to the quality of life (or taxes) to Ridgewood villagers on a day to day basis. Valley does not pay taxes and many of the beds are taken by out of towners meaning the local community is forced to go elsewhere. Ridgewood Village needs to stand up for itself and make it known that although we all appreciate the hospital it needs to look elsewhere to expand and its services would be even more greatly appreciated in another location that is more easily accesssible to the people it now serves – mainly those from elsewhere.
>pay taxes….how about the services that they use: fire dept. sanitation (cleaning the street), police. they pay there share of taxes in Paramus…. why not the village. anyone who goes by the school at dismissal will see how unsafe they make the area… not only their clients, but ever see the stream of people coming out at the same time the bf kids do… how many more kids have to get hit by a car…. driven by a nurse (fact)….or other hospital employee. and do not blame it on “we all drive fast”. we are talking about congestion….. enough they are to big.
>I do not live near the hospital, do go by everyday at around 3:00 p.m.. the traffic is bad. Have been living here for a long time and each time i go to the hospital there is never someone near me from the surrounding towns.. many new york people come down…. the most recent article in the record notes that valley is still being called on to service the community. which community, ridgewood, fairlawn, etc. or bergen county, new jersey or new york… ? stop valley now.
>I understand that the construction is going to be a public nuisance especially for the surrounding homeowners, but if they are able to provide more beds, better service, easier access isn’t that a good thing?
Who said they don’t pay taxes? How can they not be paying property taxes? It is a private hospital.
>A private NOT FOR PROFIT hospital pays no property taxes. Valley pays none.
>What negative effects does having a hospital in town bring? Just curious. Sure, there are the occasional ambulance sirens, but wouldn’t you rather have a decent hospital near your home than have to drive to Pascack Valley or Hackensack? If taxes are the issue, tell valley that they can expand but will have to pay some kind of municipal fees annually. Require them to pay for new fire apparatus to accomodate a building of that size. Require them to fund the hiring of additional water, dpw, fire, and ems personnel for the Village to accommodate them (and the Village as a whole).
It may not look as pretty as you want it to if the building gets larger, but it will benefit all of us at one time or another.
>If I get really sick, I’m going to Hackensack or NYC, not Valley.
>It will not benefit the children walking to and from BF. Safety is a concern.
>Why should the town have to drag every item out of Valley? If Valley is really serious about being community friendly, why didn’t they start by:
– Offering to pay land taxes to the Village
– Providing $ compensation to the immediate neighbors
– Actually reaching out to those with concerns and begin an independent review process and modifying to accommodate. (eg construction traffic hours)
– Holding public meetings and not just sending out DVDs that nobody on the east side seems to have received
– Be upfront and present detailed plans that can be reviewed rather than general “concepts”
– Working with the people of the Village and not focus on legal maneuvers with the planning board
>Traffic around valley gets worse every year. let them exist within the zoning guidelines that the rest of us have to. They are a part of the neighborhood but they do seem more like a cancer.
When the hospital gets bigger they will have a financial need to fill the beds. Pascack got big and then fell apart.
Planning Board info – Koontz replaced Barclay.
>you are all not listening…. valley is benefiting, bergen county, new york and new jersey…. why do you want to bring all this traffic to a small town…. traffic people, and yes to that person who wrote to the record i am in the 21st century and did move hear for the quiet atmosphere and just love those birds… not the traffic of a large city.
>Valley is not trying to increase the volume of care, but the quality of care. There will be three more beds — that’s it. I think Linwood and Van Dien can handle three more cars. Why the assumption that there will be dramatically more traffic?
>there it is: 3 beds and 3 cars…. obviously you do not live in the area . You also must be either not very well informed or have a hidden agenda (work for the hospital?) Get the facts before you make a fool of yourself…. better yet come by at three in the afternoon see the traffic and possibly get hit by a car driven by a hospital employee. it has happened to more than one child, why not you. Better yet park your car on Van Dien and have it completely destroyed by a patient going to valley. Yes, this to has happened. 3cars and 3 beds….
>a few quick points on the “just 3 more beds argument:….(i)the change in the number of beds isn’t necessarily an accurate gauge of the change in the intensity of the use; (ii) most people already feel the hospital is too big; and (iii) this hospital has a longterm growth strategy that it rolls out in stages every few years. If they get this expansion, rest assured in a few years you will see an application for more beds to accomodate the suddenly increased demand. The only effective response to this expansion juggernaut is to say “no”–let them “increase the quality of care” by reducing beds and using their existing space.
>Let’s think about the real issue here.
This is a business plan. A good old turf war. The two players are Valley and Hackensack. Bottom line is Hackensack has been pulling top physicians in for years, Pascack is kaput and Valley is trying to play catch up. It almost seems that Valley wants to grow up to be a “University Medical Center” and not the “community” hospital that it states it wants to be. The previous blogger said it perfectly, “whose community are they trying to serve?”
I have read a number of blog entries from various web sites and some of you have nailed the aftermath issues dead on. One being that with all the new additions and clinics being proposed based on the zoning changes what’s or who’s to stop the zoning board approval for future home offices all around the hospital.
I would have had no idea what this blogger was referencing but coincidentally a week before I read this, I had taken the bus back from Manhattan. This particular route took a circuitous route through Hackensack and I did notice something peculiar. Clinics and Dr offices lined up all of the streets for countless blocks. At the time I remember thinking wow I can’t believe all of these homes were converted like this. Now I get it.
This not about a $750,000,000 dollar expansion for an increase of 3 beds. Though I could be wrong but I do have three beds for sale and I will be willing to let them go for a mere $249,999,999 a piece. I will even throw in two more beds and a complete home but come quickly because at this rate they’ll sell pretty fast.
Bottom line is, if my family or I get a broken arm or an earache I’ll go to Valley. Anything more serious than that I’m heading to Manhattan’s finest.
As for the other issues rising out of the main one ie taxes, community giving, etc… I couldn’t agree more. Where is Valley???
>I think Hackensack Medical Center is behind all this anti Valley Hospital Expansion stuff ,I sympatise with the locals but I am not sure I am buying either vally’s or the anti vally’s information..what do you really thinl PJ I know you dont write all this stuff so whats the deal…
>As a member of the Concerned Residents of Ridgewood who has been quoted in the Newspapers a number of times I can accurately say that the group has had no contact with Hackensack Medical Center. All the anti-expansion issues have been raised by Ridgewood residents. We believe that Valley should modernize, but do not want it to degrade the Village in the process!
>Let Valley expand elsewhere and leave the blocks as is .. didnt they just “expand” in the past ten years anyway — cottage facility .. and face it, no amount of landscaping is going to high a hospital … you see it when your on linwood or van dien.
community hospital and the neighboring community says ENOUGH – NO MORE …
go build in paramus
>It is about the whole village not just the impact on the graydon area, the whole town needs to watch, and as with the last expansion stop it….
>They should modernize from within their footprint
>how about believing that Valley has purchased yet another house on Van Dien. That makes three/four. How about Steilen and the one on Linwood.
Why do you believe that they are buying all of these houses…. expansion,,,expansion,, expansion… do you still want the master plan to change.. how about all that money from a non profit who should be paying taxes…
>It’s also very interesting the 2 out of the four homes purchased by Valley were owned by doctors- one on Linwood and one on Van Dien- interesting how they “protect” their own- now these guys don’t have to deal wit the “hassle” of potentially living through construction- great move valley! Maybe next you could think about ALL of the homes surrounding the hospital and not just your croanies!
>yes it’s pretty weak on your part young turkey to come on insult people than act all high and mighty ,be a man and stick to your story stop shifting the argument
>Mr. Rose seems as if you have learned how to use spell check… but could you please explain your definition of young turkey?
>Being someone who works at Valley, I take exception to those who call it “Death Valley”. Its a great hospital and the commitment to excellence is better than most hospitals I have worked at. As for the neighbors of Valley, I certainly have sympathy for your concerns about construction disturbances and property values. The only question I have is, the hospital has been around for 50+ years, so didnt you all realize before you bought your homes that the hospital may want to expand and get bigger. Thats what happens to successful business operations.
>I couldn’t agree more with the above comment. There is no way all the residents living around the hospital bought thier houses 50+ years ago before the hospital existed. You didn’t see a hospital across the street when you bought your house? It’s your own fault.
In addition, you all say such bad things about Valley, but in an emergency (and ERs legally can never turn away a patient that comes there–resident or not) wouldn’t you be glad to have a modern facility that meets all state required codes to treat you so close by. If you’re having a heart attack the extra ten or more minutes it would take you to get to a facility farther away could be the difference between life and death. You all knock the hospital until you need it. Think about all the patients that are there receiving treatment or have terminal illnesses (and yes they do have a wing for that). You all sound so petty!
And you all talk about advertising. Hackensack (where many have said they’d go instead of Valley) easily spends 4x the amount on advertising that Valley does, at the expense of patient care.