A REGULAR PUBLIC MEETING OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE SYDNEY V. STOLDT, JR. COURT ROOM OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ON DECEMBER 13, 2023 AT 7:30 P.M.

 

1.         CALL TO ORDER – OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT – ROLL CALL – FLAG SALUTE

 

Mayor Vagianos called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. At roll call, the following were present: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos. Also present were Keith Kazmark, Village Manager; Heather Mailander, Village Clerk; and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney.

 

Mayor Vagianos led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.

 

2.         ACCEPTANCE OF FINANCIAL REPORTS

 

Mayor Vagianos moved that the Bills, Claims, and Vouchers, and Statement of Funds on Hand as of November 30, 2023, be accepted as submitted. Councilmember Weitz seconded the motion.

 

Roll Call Vote

AYES:          Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos

NAYS:         None

ABSENT:    None

ABSTAIN:   None

 

3.      APPROVAL OF MINUTES

 

Mayor Vagianos moved that the Village Council minutes of September 27 and October 11, 2023, having been reviewed by the Village Council and now available in the Village Clerk’s Office, be approved as submitted. Councilmember Weitz seconded the motion.

 

Roll Call Vote

AYES:          Councilmembers Perron, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos

NAYS:         None

ABSENT:    None

ABSTAIN:   Councilmember Reynolds

4.     PROCLAMATIONS

 

A.    PROCLAIM JANUARY RADON ACTION MONTH

     

Councilmember Reynolds read the following Proclamation:

B.     HONOR ROBERT PAOLI ON HIS RETIREMENT AS COMMANDER OF AMERCIAN LEGION POST 53

 

All Village Councilmembers went down to the floor and Mayor Vagianos asked Commander Robert Paoli, of American Legion Post 53, to join them on the floor. Mayor Vagianos stated that Mr. Paoli has served as Commander of the American Legion Post 53 in Ridgewood tirelessly for many years. Mr. Paoli has always strived to promote the rights of veterans and veterans’ affairs.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron said that it was many years ago when she first attended an American Legion event in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square, which she stated was extremely educational. She said that every event held by American Legion Post 53 has been an “eye-opener,” offering different perspectives about military service. She said that Mr. Paoli has done so much for both civilians and veterans. Deputy Mayor Perron read the following Proclamation:

After reading the proclamation, there was a resounding round of applause.

 

Commander Paoli said that Louis Francis, the incoming Commander of American Legion Post 53, asked him to attend the Village Council meeting this evening to have Mr. Paoli introduce him to the Village Councilmembers. Although Mr. Paoli felt Mr. Francis had already met the Village Councilmembers, he attended this evening’s meeting anyway. He said that he was totally surprised and overwhelmed by the honor bestowed upon him this evening. He thanked everyone and said that it was a privilege and honor for him to have served as Commander of American Legion Post 53 for many years in the Village. He stated that his primary goal, and the goal of all American Legion members, was always to help veterans.

 

C.    HONOR CO-HISTORIANS PEGGY NORRIS AND JOSEPH SUPLICKI FOR THEIR YEARS OF SERVICE

 

Mayor Vagianos then asked Village Co-Historians, Peggy Norris and Joseph Suplicki, to join the Village Councilmembers on the floor. He said that Ms. Norris and Mr. Suplicki have voluntarily served as Village Historians for over 20 years. He stated that their expertise, knowledge and volunteerism is “second to none” in the Village. Mayor Vagianos expressed how grateful the Village is for their dedication and service. Councilmember Weitz stated that he has had the honor and privilege to work with Mr. Suplicki on the Historic Preservation Commission for the past year. He said that he was incredibly impressed with the breadth of knowledge possessed by Mr. Suplicki. Councilmember Weitz thanked Ms. Norris and Mr. Suplicki for keeping the history of the Village “alive.” Councilmember Weitz read the following Proclamation:

After reading the proclamation, there was a resounding round of applause.

 

Ms. Norris stated that she and her husband, Joseph Suplicki, have been honored to be the Village Historians, and they will both continue to work with the Ridgewood Library to preserve the history of Ridgewood. She thanked everyone for this honor. Mayor Vagianos said that the community will always appreciate the insights offered by Ms. Norris and Mr. Suplicki. Councilmember Weitz added that Mr. Suplicki will be appointed this evening to serve another term on the Historic Preservation Commission.

 

5.      PRESENTATION OF AWARDS

 

Mayor Vagianos said that there are many first responders in the Village who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to serve the residents of Ridgewood. Police Chief Forest Lyons, Fire Chief John Judge, and Thomas Pomroy, Director of Northwest Bergen Central Dispatch, presented various awards to Village personnel.

 

Chief Judge stated that on September 16, 2023, a resident called 911 because he found his wife nonresponsive in their home. The husband was given instructions over the phone on how to perform CPR on his wife, utilizing the New Jersey State Emergency Medical Dispatch Guide Cards, until first responders could arrive. Thanks to the swift actions of first responders and Central Dispatch, this resident’s life was saved. Chief Judge stated that the recipients of the CPR Save Award are Firefighters Matthew Bombace, Gregory Corcoran, David Kelly and Christopher Santucci of the Ridgewood Fire Department; Police Officers Christopher Schumann and Joseph Youngberg of the Ridgewood Police Department; and Public Safety Telecommunicator/Dispatcher Carly Tarczynski of Northwest Bergen Central Dispatch.

 

Chief Judge stated that on October 12, 2023, there was a 911 call indicating that there was a woman having contractions at home that were getting closer and closer together. Due to the imminent arrival of the baby, first responders acted quickly and delivered the baby in a span of just five minutes after they arrived at the scene. This evening, the family joined Chief Judge on the courtroom floor. The recipients of the Childbirth/Baby Delivery Award were Lieutenant Matthew Ramge and Firefighters Jason Jacoby, Daniel Steen and Henry Van Wageningen of the Ridgewood Fire Department; and Police Officers Douglas Busche, Michael Karcher, Rosario Vaccarella and Peter Youngberg of the Ridgewood Police Department. Officers Karcher, Vaccarella and Youngberg were unable to attend the meeting this evening. There was a resounding round of applause.

 

6.      COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

 

Cynthia O’Keefe, 542 West Saddle River Road, extended her congratulations to Commander Paoli for the honor bestowed upon him this evening. She thanked him for his many years of service to the Village. She also expressed her gratitude to Ms. Norris and Mr. Suplicki for their many years of devoted service as Village Historians. Ms. O’Keefe was concerned about Councilmember Weitz’s comment that he had been waiting a long time to read the Proclamation, which he read this evening, honoring Ms. Norris and Mr. Suplicki. She wondered how long the Village Councilmembers had been contemplating the appointment of a new Village Historian.

 

Ms. O’Keefe said that she has always been impressed by the selfless dedication of Ms. Norris and Mr. Suplicki to the Village. She said that these two Village Historians have always been “independent thinkers” and wondered if the newly appointed Village Historian will possess that same quality. Ms. O’Keefe wondered if the recent actions of the Village Councilmembers would set a new precedent, with the requirement that anyone appointed to a commission or committee must be a Village resident or Village employee. She said that there should be consistency “across the board,” rather than a “one-off.”

 

Ellie Gruber, 342 South Irving Street, congratulated Commander Paoli for the honor he received this evening. She said that she first met him and his wife when Ms. Gruber’s daughter and Mr. Paoli’s daughter attended Travell School. Ms. Gruber said that Mr. Paoli was her daughter’s favorite softball coach. She stated that Mr. Paoli taught all of the girls the valuable lesson of sportsmanship, and he taught all Ridgewood residents the valuable lesson of citizenship. Ms. Gruber described Mr. Paoli as a tireless leader in honoring those who sacrificed to ensure our freedom. Ms. Gruber extended her thanks to Mr. Paoli, on behalf of herself and her husband, Marty.

 

Ms. Gruber said that she was very distressed about the treatment given by the Village Councilmembers to two brilliant Village Historians. She said that Ms. Norris set up the incredible Bolger Heritage Center. She described both Ms. Norris and Mr. Suplicki as her “heroes.” She stated that their knowledge of Ridgewood’s history is incredible, and she is proud to call them her friends. Ms. Gruber said that the Village Council’s agenda is “my way or the highway.” She warned all committee members not to say anything contrary to the opinions of the four Village Council majority members. Ms. Gruber felt that it was hypocritical for the Village Councilmembers to honor Ms. Norris and Mr. Suplicki this evening, while at the same time firing them as Village Historians because they dared to speak out against the Schedler plans, which were approved by the Village Council.

 

Ms. Gruber stated that it was not true that the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) approved the plans for the Schedler property, specifically the athletic field approved by the Village Councilmembers. She said that the HPC was only asked to approve the parking lot near the historic Zabriskie-Schedler house, and Mr. Suplicki really did not read the letter that he signed, thinking that it only pertained to approval of the parking plans. Ms. Gruber stated that a Village Councilmember has stated that there is nothing anyone can do to prevent the large turf field from being built. However, she was confident that representatives from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) will disagree. She said that all Village Councilmembers (except Councilmember Reynolds), the Village Attorney and Village Manager “twisted the facts” and should be ashamed of themselves. She said that Ms. Norris and Mr. Suplicki are historians, not politicians, and that they deserve better treatment than they have received by the Village Council.  

 

There were no further public comments.

 

Addressing a question from Ms. O’Keefe, Mayor Vagianos said that the new Village Historian is currently a Village employee, presently serving in the role that Ms. Norris served in, many years ago – as Director of the History Room, which was later renamed the Bolger Heritage Center, at the Ridgewood Library. Ms. Norris left that position in 2016, and the Village Council will introduce an ordinance to appoint a new Village Historian.

 

Regarding the letter signed by Mr. Suplicki which stated that the HPC approved the plans that were approved by the Village Council for the Schedler property, Councilmember Weitz stated that the full scope of the plans were discussed at an HPC meeting. He said that the approval was not limited to only one aspect of the plans (the parking lot), but rather encompassed the entire development of the property. He stated that the letter signed by Mr. Suplicki was very clear in that regard. Councilmember Weitz said that he disagreed with any assertion that there was any dishonesty shown by any members of the Village Council, and any allegations of such wrongdoing are baseless and groundless.

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that he is not ashamed of anything, and that Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney, should not be ashamed, either. Mr. Kazmark said that the Village Clerk’s Office received a request through the Open Public Records Act (OPRA) for copies of HPC meeting minutes from September 14, 2023. He stated that the Secretary position for the HPC has been and still is vacant, so the HPC has been relying upon notes of appointed HPC members. He said that the Deputy Municipal Clerk, in response to the OPRA request, shared with him and Mr. Rogers some notes that she received from Jeff Somerville, a member of the HPC. On September 14, 2023, following the HPC meeting, Mr. Somerville sent an email to Jane Wondergem of the Engineering Department, directing her to type up some letters detailing what transpired during the September 14, 2023 HPC meeting, based upon his own copious notes. The third item discussed that night was a letter, which was to be sent to Mayor Vagianos, which stated, “The Historic Preservation Commission has reviewed the plans titled ‘Zabriskie-Schedler Property Park Development Plan, Concept #24PP5, dated August 29, 2023,’ and does not oppose the plan.” Therefore, Mr. Kazmark said that it was actually a member of the HPC who directed that this letter be drafted for Mr. Suplicki’s signature.

 

Mr. Kazmark added that the most recent application to SHPO was submitted in an effort to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy from the Building Department. The temporary parking area, the gravel area next to the house, has to be approved as a temporary parking lot, along with a stone dust path connecting the ADA handicapped ramp to that parking lot. This requirement was discovered during a meeting held on November 6, 2023, with representatives from the Division of Bergen County Cultural and Historical Affairs and SHPO.

 

Councilmember Winograd stated that Village board and committee members are always discussed by the Village Councilmembers in Closed Session. Regarding comments made by Ms. O’Keefe earlier this evening, Councilmember Winograd said that there appears to be a conflation of roles and responsibilities. She explained that the role of Village Historian is just a title and is independent of the HPC. It just so happened that Mr. Suplicki was both Village Historian and a member of the HPC at the same time. Councilmember Winograd stated that two members of the HPC discussed the matter of a turf field with her and wanted to see samples of the turf. It was Councilmember Winograd’s feeling, based upon her discussions with members of the HPC, that the full plans approved by the Village Council for the Schedler property were also approved by the HPC. She said that it was unfortunate that spurious comments are sometimes made against volunteer members serving on boards in the Village.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron stated that she takes issue with the comment made earlier this evening that the actions taken by the Village Councilmembers, concerning Ms. Norris and Mr. Suplicki, were hypocritical. She said that the decision to appoint a new Village Historian was made in Closed Session. Deputy Mayor Perron said that the allegation that the Village Councilmembers took this action in retribution for Ms. Norris and Mr. Suplicki’s opposition to the Schedler plans is completely unfounded.

 

Councilmember Weitz added that he was thrilled that Mr. Suplicki will be reappointed to the HPC this evening by the Village Council. He said that the Village has benefited greatly from the expertise of Ms. Norris and Mr. Suplicki. He was delighted to learn that Ms. Norris will continue her efforts to keep the history of Ridgewood alive.

 

7.         VILLAGE MANAGER’S REPORT

 

Mr. Kazmark wished everyone Happy Holidays and Happy New Year. He said that this evening was the seventh night of Hanukkah, and he gave his best wishes to everyone celebrating this holiday.

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that Jeremy Kleiman, Director of Emergency Management, reported that the Village’s Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) has been reviewed and accepted by Bergen County. He said that all residents can be confident that the Village’s first responders will be ready if, and when, an emergency occurs. Mr. Kazmark stated that Bergen County officials were very complimentary about the EOP being submitted early by Mr. Kleiman and other Village staff. Mr. Kazmark thanked Mr. Kleiman, all emergency service personnel, and the Board of Education for their efforts in updating the EOP.

 

Mr. Kazmark reported that Robert Rooney, Chief Financial Officer, has held first-round budget meetings with all Department Directors. Some budget submissions for 2024 are being refined, including new personnel requests.

 

This week, Mr. Kazmark held a communications meeting with Richard Calbi, Director of Ridgewood Water, and representatives from the other three municipalities (Glen Rock, Midland Park and Wyckoff) serviced by Ridgewood Water. They will be meeting on a monthly basis to discuss how all four towns can communicate more effectively and how residents can best be informed about daily operations and projects being undertaken by Ridgewood Water, such as PFAS mitigation and replacement of lead service lines, as required by the State.

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that Village personnel have undergone three website training sessions. The new Village website will be launched during the first week in January 2024. He thanked Dylan Hansen, I.T. Director, and his staff, as well as representatives from CivicPlus, for all of their efforts.

 

Mr. Kazmark said that he attended the Interfaith Meeting with Chief Lyons last week, which was attended by leaders of various religious denominations in the Village. He thanked all residents who attended the Menorah Lighting held on December 7, 2023 in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square. He said that it was very encouraging to see such an impressive turnout at this event, given the troubling events taking place around the world.

 

The free holiday parking on Thursday nights in the Central Business District (CBD), from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., will continue through December 21, 2023. Santa Claus will be at Santa’s House in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on December 16 and 23, 2023.

 

Mr. Kazmark reminded all Ridgewood residents who hold parking permits that the Village will begin the sale of annual parking permits on Tuesday, December 19, 2023 in the lobby of Village Hall.

 

Mr. Kazmark thanked the Ridgewood Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association (FMBA) for arranging to transport Santa around the Village on a firetruck on Friday, December 22, 2023. Santa will visit each of the elementary schools in the Village.

 

All Village offices will be closed on Friday, December 22, 2023 and Monday, December 25, 2023, in observance of the Christmas holiday. There will be garbage and recycling pickup on December 22^nd and the Recycling Center will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on that day. There will be no curbside bulk or metal pickups on Wednesday, December 27, 2023.

 

Mr. Kazmark reminded all residents that, following a snowstorm, all sidewalks in residential districts must be cleared within 24 hours of the snowfall. During snow and ice events, residents are requested to bring their garbage cans to the curb, so that the safety of all sanitation personnel can be ensured.

 

Upcoming Village Council meetings are as follows: Work Sessions on January 10 and January 31, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. and a Regular Public Meeting on January 17, 2024, also at 7:30 p.m.

8.         VILLAGE COUNCIL REPORTS

 

Councilmember Weitz echoed Mr. Kazmark’s comments regarding the Menorah Lighting. He said that he has been attending this event for the last 11 or 12 years, and the turnout this year was the greatest he has ever seen. He said that it was heartening to see so many people attend this event, as well as the different interfaith clergy who attended. The Ridgewood Police and other Village staff did a fine job to make sure everyone remained safe.

 

Councilmember Weitz said that he attended the 100^th Anniversary celebration at the Ridgewood Library, led by Sarah Kiefer and Peggy Norris. He said that the event was remarkably entertaining and historically important.

 

Councilmember Weitz also wished everyone a wonderful holiday season and Happy New Year, no matter what holiday they celebrate.

 

Councilmember Winograd said that she also attended the Menorah Lighting in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square, and it was a beautiful event attended by people of all religious denominations. She gave a special shout out to the “Menorah Mommas” and Rabbi David Fine. She wished everyone a happy Hannukah.

 

Councilmember Winograd also attended the second sensory-friendly dinner event, which was held this time at Parisa East. These dinners are organized by the Access Committee and are designed for the special needs population, who can sometimes be overwhelmed by too much sensory stimulation. The dinner was attended by 80 to 100 people. The Parisa East location was chosen due to its proximity to the Christmas tree in the CBD. Since many of the special needs children cannot handle all of the stimulation during Downtown for the Holidays, arrangements were made for the children to see the tree lit at around 5:15 p.m., with the flick of a switch. She thanked members of the Police and Fire Departments, as well as Mayor Vagianos, for attending the dinner. Councilmember Winograd thanked the Signal Department for arranging for the tree to be lit in this manner. She also thanked Jamie Davis of the Access Committee for arranging these dinners. She asked for any location suggestions regarding the third sensory-friendly dinner, which is being planned.

 

Last night, Councilmember Winograd attended a meeting of the Shade Tree Commission (STC). They met with Village employee, Neil Gallone, to review the Geographic Information Survey (GIS). She asked Mr. Gallone for a generic login, to enable the other Village Councilmembers to access the survey online. This survey shows what trees have been planted in the Village and areas where more trees should be planted. She thanked the staff at Ridgewood Water and the members of the Shade Tree Commission, who hosted the meeting. This GIS software will be used by the STC to make analytical decisions on what tree recommendations the STC should make to the Village Council. The software can also help to identify “Big Trees” in the Village.

 

Councilmember Winograd wished a “happy everything to everyone everywhere,” no matter what holiday is celebrated.

 

Councilmember Reynolds stated that the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee (CSAC) met this past Monday night (December 11, 2023). There were quite a few residents in attendance who live on or near Clinton Avenue, in addition to parents whose children traverse Clinton Avenue to get to Ridge School. With the Police and Engineering Departments on board, Councilmember Reynolds has asked Mr. Kazmark to arrange a meeting in early to mid-January between concerned residents and parents to discuss safety issues near Clinton Avenue. Councilmember Reynolds said that safety in this area has been a longstanding problem (since 1964), which she only learned about on Monday evening at the CSAC meeting. The next CSAC meeting is scheduled for January 18, 2024 in the Garden Room at 7:30 p.m.

 

Councilmember Reynolds said that she had no other meetings.  She wished everyone Happy Holidays and Happy New Year.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron said that none of her committees met recently. There is a vacancy on the Open Space Committee (OSC). The mission of the OSC is to find available parkland and determine ways in which such property can be purchased by the Village. Interested individuals can access the Citizens Volunteer Form on the Village website, and this form must be submitted by January 5, 2024.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron said that Downtown for the Holidays and the Menorah Lighting were wonderful, memorable, and important in this political season.

 

Mayor Vagianos said that Ridgewood is the greatest town in America, as shown by the many honors and awards given this evening to volunteers and first responders. He said that the Menorah Lighting was truly one of the most beautiful nights of the year and spectacular, considering what is going on in the Middle East. Mayor Vagianos said that he learned that the word “Channukah” means “dedication.”

 

Regarding the sensory-friendly dinner, Mayor Vagianos said that he takes “his hat off” to Councilmember Winograd, who worked alongside Jamie Davis to organize this event. He said that many families with children with special needs cannot go out to dinner at restaurants, like most people, due to the fact that these children cannot cope well in such settings. He said that the children were especially happy that they were able to pull a lever, which lit up the Christmas tree, and he thanked the Signal Department for their efforts and assistance in lighting the Christmas tree. Mayor Vagianos announced that the next sensory-friendly dinner will be held on January 22, 2024, with the place to be announced shortly, once confirmation has been received from the restaurant owner.

 

Mayor Vagianos stated that the Village is now in receipt of the archaeological study report from Richard Grubb and Associates, which was done on the Schedler property. He said that the 249-page report has been posted on the Village website, for public access online. Mayor Vagianos said that an exhaustive study was performed (81 holes dug in a grid across the property). Many artifacts were found related to the historic Zabriskie-Schedler house (household and farmstead refuse from the 19^th and 20^th centuries), but no evidence was found of any Revolutionary War activity on the property. In order to evaluate the significance of the items that were found, the Village Council will be voting tonight on performing a Phase 2 study of the property, which will begin in January 2024.

 

Mayor Vagianos said that the Village is in receipt of a letter from George Wright, an attorney with the State Historic Preservation Office (unrelated to the Grubb report), which states that the Schedler property’s historical significance only relates to criterion C of the National Historic Sites Register. Criterion C is strictly architectural. The letter recounts in great detail why this is the only criterion met by the Schedler property.

 

Today, Mayor Vagianos and Mr. Kazmark met with Audrey Meyers and the leadership team from Valley Hospital, as they prepare to open their new facility in Paramus in April 2024. The purpose of the meeting was to learn Valley Hospital’s plans for the existing facility on Van Dien Avenue, once the new hospital opens. Mayor Vagianos reported that the leadership of Valley Hospital plan to use most of the existing hospital as a healthcare facility in the future. Once the new Valley Hospital facility opens in April, Valley Hospital in Ridgewood will no longer provide emergency room services.

 

Mr. Kazmark remarked that there was a great article today on NewJersey.com pertaining to Valley Hospital, which outlined their transition plans over to the new facility in Paramus. The emergency room in Ridgewood at Valley Hospital will officially close on April 14, 2024 at 6:00 a.m.

Regarding the Grubb report, Mr. Kazmark mentioned that there have been a number of inquiries (OPRA requests) from Village residents regarding the Grubb report. He said that the Grubb report was posted today on the Village website (under the Projects link, Schedler, Grubb December 2023 Archaeological Study Report). Mayor Vagianos added that this survey was performed at the request of Village residents. He felt that there was no need to fulfill the OPRA requests, since the public can now access the report online.

 

Ms. Mailander announced that the 2023 Village Calendar has an additional page for January 2024 (on the back of the month of December 2023), which should suffice until the new 2024 calendar is mailed out mid-January.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron said that the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration is coming up in February 2024.

7.         ORDINANCES – RIDGEWOOD WATER

 

Ms. Mailander stated that there were no ordinances for introduction or Public Hearings for Ridgewood Water this evening.

 

8.         RESOLUTIONS – RIDGEWOOD WATER

 

Ms. Mailander stated that the following resolutions, numbered 23-391 through 23-403, would be adopted by a consent agenda and read by title only:

9.         ORDINANCES

 

            A.        INTRODUCTION - #3978 – AMEND CHAPTER 212 – PARKS AND

                        RECREATION AREAS – REGULATIONS ON ELECTRIC BICYCLES,

                        ELECTRIC SCOOTERS, ELECTRIC SKATEBOARDS, AND NON-

                        HUMAN POWERED VEHICLES.

 

Mayor Vagianos moved that the Village Clerk read Ordinance #3978 by title on first reading. Councilmember Reynolds seconded the motion.

 

Roll Call Vote

AYES:          Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos

NAYS:         None

ABSENT:    None

ABSTAIN:   None

 

The Village Clerk read Ordinance #3978 by title only:

 

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 212 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, PARKS AND RECREATION AREAS, AT ARTICLE VI, SECTION 212-24, “DEFINITIONS,” AND SECTION 212-25, “VEHICLES PROHIBITED; EXCEPTIONS”

 

Councilmember Winograd moved that Ordinance #3978 be adopted on first reading and that January 17, 2024 be fixed as the date for the hearing thereon. Councilmember Reynolds seconded the motion.

 

Roll Call Vote

AYES:          Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos

NAYS:         None

ABSENT:    None

ABSTAIN:   None

 

            B.        INTRODUCTION - #3979 – ESTABLISH POSITION OF VILLAGE

                        OF RIDGEWOOD HISTORIAN

 

Mayor Vagianos moved that the Village Clerk read Ordinance #3979 by title on first reading. Councilmember Weitz seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:          Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos

NAYS:         None

ABSENT:    None

ABSTAIN:   None

 

The Village Clerk read Ordinance #3979 by title only:

 

AN ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH A NEW CHAPTER ENTITED “VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HISTORIAN”

 

Deputy Mayor Perron moved that Ordinance #3979 be adopted on first reading and that January 17, 2024 be fixed as the date for the hearing thereon. Councilmember Weitz seconded the motion.

 

Roll Call Vote

AYES:          Councilmembers Perron, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos

NAYS:         Councilmember Reynolds

ABSENT:    None

ABSTAIN:   None

 

Councilmember Reynolds said that she was in disagreement with this ordinance and felt that the Village Council is doing a disservice to Ms. Norris and Mr. Suplicki. They have done so much for the Village for over 20 years, and she believes that they were not ready to “step down” from their positions as Village Co-Historians. Councilmember Reynolds stated that it was her opinion that no one knew more about the history of the Village than Ms. Norris and Mr. Suplicki. She was grateful that they will both continue to serve the Village in other ways.

 

Councilmember Weitz said that he truly appreciated the work that both Ms. Norris and Mr. Suplicki have done for the Village over the years, but felt that the appointment as Village Historian is not, and should not be, a lifetime appointment. He was of the opinion that Sarah Kiefer will do a great job as the new Village Historian.

 

Councilmember Winograd said she was surprised at Councilmember Reynolds’ comments, since she thought all Village Councilmembers were “on the same page.” She said that the retirement of Commander Paoli has nothing to do with the appointment of a new Village Historian. Councilmember Winograd said that, years ago, the Ridgewood Library had a feature called “Newspapers.com” where one could search for past articles. It is now used primarily by librarians. Ms. Norris and Mr. Suplicki do not have the “tools” to do searches, as Sarah Kiefer does. She felt that appointing Ms. Kiefer as the new Village Historian is a good decision. She also stated that the five-year term limit is also a good decision by the Village Council, since future Village Councils will have the ability to appoint a new Village Historian, if they so choose.

 

Mayor Vagianos said that he voted in favor of this ordinance for the reasons stated previously, and also because Ms. Kiefer has access to resources to which Ms. Norris and Mr. Suplicki do not. He added that Ms. Norris and Mr. Suplicki are no longer connected to the Village, either residentially or occupationally, and their positions have thus become attenuated. However, he stated that he is grateful for their many years of service to the Village. He said that Village Councils routinely replace people serving on committees. He said that to make this an issue is disingenuous.

 

            C.        INTRODUCTION - #3980 – AMEND CHAPTER 190, SECTION 190-106

                        - R-3 SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCE DISTRICT – BULK AND LOT

                        REGULATIONS

 

Mayor Vagianos moved that the Village Clerk read Ordinance #3980 by title on first reading. Councilmember Weitz seconded the motion.

 

Roll Call Vote

AYES:          Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos

NAYS:         None

ABSENT:    None

ABSTAIN:   None

 

The Village Clerk read Ordinance #3980 by title only:

 

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 190 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT, AT SECTION 190-106, “R-3 SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCE DISTRICT”

 

Deputy Mayor Perron moved that Ordinance #3980 be adopted on first reading and that January 17, 2024 be fixed as the date for the hearing thereon. Councilmember Weitz seconded the motion.

 

Roll Call Vote

AYES:          Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos

NAYS:         None

ABSENT:    None

ABSTAIN:   None

 

D.        PUBLIC HEARING – #3974 – AMEND CHAPTER 105 – CATS -

            EXPIRATION OF 3-YEAR CAT LICENSES

 

Mayor Vagianos moved that the Village Clerk read Ordinance #3974 by title on second reading and that the Public Hearing thereon be opened. Councilmember Winograd seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:          Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos

NAYS:         None

ABSENT:    None

ABSTAIN:   None

 

The Village Clerk read Ordinance #3974 by title only:

 

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 105, ARTICLE VII, OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, CATS, AT SECTION 105-46, LICENSE REQUIRED, TO AMEND THE DATE FOR EXPIRATION OF 3-YEAR CAT LICENSING

 

Since there were no public comments, Mayor Vagianos moved that the Public Hearing on Ordinance #3974 be closed. Councilmember Winograd seconded the motion.

 

Roll Call Vote

AYES:          Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos

NAYS:         None

ABSENT:    None

ABSTAIN:   None

 

Councilmember Reynolds moved that Ordinance #3974 be adopted on second reading and final publication as required by law. Councilmember Winograd seconded the motion.

 

Roll Call Vote

AYES:          Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos

NAYS:         None

ABSENT:    None

ABSTAIN:   None

 

E.        PUBLIC HEARING - #3975 – AMEND CHAPTER 145 – FEES –

            EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES THIRD-PARTY BILLING

            PLAN FEES

 

Mayor Vagianos moved that the Village Clerk read Ordinance #3975 by title on second reading and that the Public Hearing thereon be opened. Councilmember Weitz seconded the motion.

 

Roll Call Vote

AYES:          Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos

NAYS:         None

ABSENT:    None

ABSTAIN:   None

The Village Clerk read Ordinance #3975 by title only:

 

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 145 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, FEES, AT SECTION 145-6, “ENUMERATION OF FEES RELATING TO CODE CHAPTERS”

 

Boyd A. Loving, 342 South Irving Street, asked what would occur if a Ridgewood resident is transported via ambulance to a hospital, receives a bill for the ambulance services, and the insurance company does not pay the entire bill. He said that it has been the practice for the balance of the bill to be waived for the resident. Mr. Loving asked if this was still the case, and he was told that it was. He said that the Fire Department currently has two staffed ambulances, which he stated should be sufficient for most emergencies. However, he recalled an emergency, which occurred the other day, when an ambulance from an outside town had to be called in, because the two Ridgewood ambulances were tied up on other calls. Mr. Loving asked what would happen in such a case, when a Ridgewood ambulance is not available to go on a call.

 

Mr. Kazmark said that the Village can only control the billing for the ambulances that fall under the purview of the Village. He said that there is a chance that a Ridgewood resident would be responsible to pay for the balance of an ambulance bill, for services rendered by an outside ambulance, which is not paid for by insurance.

 

Mr. Loving asked if the waiver he spoke about earlier is written down anywhere. Mr. Kazmark believes this is contained in an ordinance, but said he would defer to Mr. Rogers. Mr. Rogers said that he would have to check this out and let him know. Mr. Loving said that the waiving of the balance of an ambulance bill for a Ridgewood resident should be memorialized in an ordinance, if it is not already, as well as the non-waiver of a bill balance if the ambulance service is not provided by a Ridgewood ambulance.

 

Mr. Kazmark said that he did not believe the pertinent ordinance stated what would happen if services were provided by an outside ambulance, since the Village can only regulate its own ambulances. However, he said that he would confirm what the ordinance actually says regarding the waiver of the balance of an ambulance bill for a Ridgewood resident, after insurance has paid its portion. Councilmember Weitz recalled Chief Judge saying at a prior meeting that the waiver policy has not changed for Ridgewood residents, but Councilmember Weitz was not sure if this policy was actually codified or not.

 

Since there were no further public comments, Mayor Vagianos moved that the Public Hearing be closed. Councilmember Weitz seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:          Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos

NAYS:         None

ABSENT:    None

ABSTAIN:   None

 

Deputy Mayor Perron moved that Ordinance #3975 be adopted on second reading and final publication as required by law. Councilmember Weitz seconded the motion.

 

Roll Call Vote

AYES:          Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos

NAYS:         None

ABSENT:    None

ABSTAIN:   None

 

F.         PUBLIC HEARING - #3976 – AMEND CHAPTER 190 – LAND USE AND

            DEVELOPMENT – PERMIT MICROBREWERIES AND BREW PUBS

 

Mayor Vagianos recused himself from this discussion.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron moved that the Village Clerk read Ordinance #3976 by title on second reading and that the Public Hearing thereon be opened. Councilmember Weitz seconded the motion.

 

Roll Call Vote

AYES:          Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, and Winograd

NAYS:         None

ABSENT:    None

ABSTAIN:   None

RECUSE:     Mayor Vagianos

 

The Village Clerk read Ordinance #3976 by title only:

 

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 190 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT, TO PERMIT MICRO-BREWERIES AND BREW PUBS IN THE B-1 AND B-2 ZONES

 

Deputy Mayor Perron opened the Public Hearing on Ordinance #3976. Since there were no public comments, Deputy Mayor Perron moved that the Public Hearing be closed. Councilmember Weitz seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:          Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, and Winograd

NAYS:         None

ABSENT:    None

ABSTAIN:   None

RECUSE:     Mayor Vagianos

 

Councilmember Winograd moved that Ordinance #3976 be adopted on second reading and final publication as required by law. Councilmember Weitz seconded the motion.

 

Roll Call Vote

AYES:          Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, and Winograd

NAYS:         None

ABSENT:    None

ABSTAIN:   None

RECUSE:     Mayor Vagianos

 

G.        PUBLIC HEARING - #3977 – FIREFIGHTERS AND FIRE SUPERIOR OFFICERS SALARY ORDINANCE

 

Mayor Vagianos moved that the Village Clerk read Ordinance #3977 by title on second reading and that the Public Hearing thereon be opened. Councilmember Reynolds seconded the motion.

 

Roll Call Vote

AYES:          Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos

NAYS:         None

ABSENT:    None

ABSTAIN:   None

 

The Village Clerk read Ordinance #3977 by title only:

 

AN ORDINANCE TO FIX SALARIES, WAGES AND OTHER COMPENSATION OF AND FOR FIREFIGHTERS AND FIRE SUPERIOR OFFICERS OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, COUNTY OF BERGEN, AND STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

Mayor Vagianos opened the Public Hearing on Ordinance #3977. Since there were no public comments, Mayor Vagianos moved that the Public Hearing be closed. Councilmember Reynolds seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:          Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos

NAYS:         None

ABSENT:    None

ABSTAIN:   None

 

Councilmember Weitz moved that Ordinance #3977 be adopted on second reading and final publication as required by law. Councilmember Reynolds seconded the motion.

 

Roll Call Vote

AYES:          Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos

NAYS:         None

ABSENT:    None

ABSTAIN:   None

 

10.       RESOLUTIONS

 

Ms. Mailander indicated that the following resolutions, numbered 23-404 through 23-457 will be adopted by a consent agenda and read by title only, with the exception of resolution #23-447, which was removed from the agenda, and resolution #23-458, which will be considered separately and read in full:

Regarding resolution #23-443, Ms. Mailander stated that the appointment of Harold Maxwell as Alternate #1 will be removed, since consideration is being given in a separate resolution (#23-458), at the end of tonight’s meeting, to appoint Harold Maxwell as Alternate #1 to the Zoning Board of Adjustment, for the duration of the Outfront Media Application.

 

The resolution numbered 23-447 was removed from the agenda. The following resolution, numbered 23-458, was considered separately and read in full:

Regarding Mr. Loving’s prior comments during the Public Hearing for Ordinance #3975, Mr. Kazmark said that there is a “carve out” in the ordinance which states that outstanding balances for non-Village of Ridgewood residents shall go to a collection agency to collect the outstanding balance for ambulance services. Collection cost is 20% on the dollar going to the collection agency and 80% on the dollar returned to the Village of Ridgewood.

 

Councilmember Reynolds said that the question asked by Mr. Loving was whether or not the waiver for Ridgewood residents of the outstanding balance for ambulance services was memorialized in the ordinance. Mr. Kazmark replied that the collection agency is not authorized to pursue balance billing for Ridgewood residents. Mr. Rogers clarified that expressly stating in the ordinance that outstanding balances of non-Village residents will be turned over to a collection agency effectively promotes the waiver of the outstanding balances of Ridgewood residents.

 

Mayor Vagianos asked if the waiver would apply to a Ridgewood resident who received ambulance services by a non-Village owned ambulance. Mr. Kazmark reiterated that the Village has no control over the billing of non-Village owned ambulances.

 

11.       COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

 

Anne Loving, 342 South Irving Street, said that she was “mind boggled” when she heard Mayor Vagianos say earlier that Councilmember Reynolds was being “disingenuous.” She said that Councilmember Reynolds is the most honest, sincere person on the dais, and is not beholden to any private interests, such as sports groups, businesses in the CBD, or anyone to whom she has lent money. Ms. Loving said that Councilmember Reynolds “speaks up” against her colleagues on the dais with regularity, even though her comments fall on “deaf ears.” Councilmember Reynolds is the “polar opposite” of disingenuous, and Ms. Loving feels that Councilmember Reynolds deserves an apology.

 

Mayor Vagianos said that his use of the word “disingenuous” was not directed at Councilmember Reynolds, but rather was intended for anyone making an accusation that appointing a new Village Historian was wrong. He apologized to Councilmember Reynolds if she felt that this word was directed at her, personally.

 

Boyd A. Loving, 342 South Irving Street, said that he wanted to clarify a comment made this evening by Mr. Kazmark about a homeowner’s responsibility to keep streets clear of vehicles during a snowstorm. He asked what the protocol is with regard to overnight parking during a snowstorm. He said that overnight parking regulations were suspended during the height of the Covid pandemic. However, he recalled either seeing an announcement on the Village website or hearing a comment from a Village Councilmember that the suspension has ended and overnight parking rules were reinstated. He and other residents have noted that summonses are not being issued for people parking their cars overnight on the street. Therefore, Mr. Loving wondered what is going to occur when there is a snowstorm and the streets need to be plowed. He felt that it would be beneficial to the public if a notice could be posted on the website or an E-notice sent setting forth the current rules for overnight parking.

 

Regarding Councilmember Reynolds’ comments this evening about Clinton Avenue, Mr. Loving said that a solution had been developed a while ago to solve the safety issues on this street, and that solution was the installation of sidewalks on one side of Clinton Avenue. Mr. Loving said that the Engineering Department had developed plans to install sidewalks, but the residents of Clinton Avenue attended meetings en masse to oppose this plan, leading to the Village Council rejecting this proposal. Mr. Loving said that the Village Councilmembers should direct the Village Manager to ask Mr. Rutishauser to pull out the plans previously developed for sidewalks on Clinton Avenue, to see if this would resolve the safety problems on that street. Mr. Loving stated that the safety of children is more important than aesthetics.

 

Frank “The Bee Man” Mortimer, 426 Van Buren Street, stated that he strongly supported the appointment of Sarah Kiefer as the new Village Historian. He said that he has known Ms. Kiefer for 19 years and worked with her in different capacities over the years. He stated that he gave Ms. Kiefer her first job out of college, and they worked together at Pearson Education and McGraw-Hill. In both positions, Ms. Kiefer worked on the history list of college textbooks. He believes that he was one of her references when Ms. Kiefer first got her job at the Ridgewood Library. Mr. Mortimer described Ms. Kiefer as being extremely passionate about history and as one of the most professional people that he knows. He is confident that Ms. Kiefer will do a fantastic job as the new Village Historian.

 

Cynthia O’Keefe, 542 West Saddle River Road, stated that she wanted to clarify some points, which were discussed this evening. She said that Mr. Suplicki signed the original letter, thinking that it only dealt with the approval of the parking plans for the Schedler property. After realizing that the letter actually dealt with the entire set of development plans for the Schedler property, which was approved by the Village Councilmembers, he then wrote a letter the following day to the Village Council and to SHPO to clarify same (that he was signing off on parking and not the entire plan). Ms. O’Keefe said that the Village Councilmembers were hasty in sending the original letter to SHPO “on a silver platter” to show that the plans were unanimously approved, which they were not.

 

As a Schedler community resident, Ms. O’Keefe said that she has private well water. She reminded everyone that Ridgewood Water is currently engaged in a major lawsuit against several companies, which produced PFAS, because those companies contaminated the drinking water with PFAS. Regardless of whether the Historic Preservation Commission sent a letter stating their unanimous approval of the plans or not, Ms. O’Keefe said that there are a number of families who have private wells in the Schedler community, and they are afraid that the proposed PFAS-laden turf field will contaminate their well water. Ms. O’Keefe expressed the hope that the same care and consideration will be given to the Schedler community as is given to the special needs population in the Village. She stated that Deputy Mayor Perron even said at a meeting that the artificial turf companies will not contractually guarantee that their products do not contain PFAS. She said that the health and well-being of the families living in the Schedler neighborhood will be at risk if the planned turf field is installed.

 

There were no further public comments.

 

Regarding Mr. Loving’s earlier remarks about Clinton Avenue, Mr. Kazmark said that he had an extensive conversation with Councilmember Reynolds yesterday, about a planned resident meeting in January to discuss the safety issues on that street. Mr. Kazmark indicated that he has requested the Engineering Department to pull out the sidewalk plans developed some time ago for Clinton Avenue, so that he may review the plans thoroughly.

 

Mr. Kazmark said that he is aware that the neighbors living in the Schedler community have ongoing concerns about their well water being contaminated by the planned turf field. He said that he will meet with Mr. Calbi to discuss planning a separate meeting in January with residents who have private wells near the Schedler property, and to discuss whether or not those residents can  be hooked up to the Ridgewood Water distribution system. Mayor Vagianos concurred with this plan.

 

Mr. Kazmark said that he would defer to Ms. Mailander regarding the overnight parking regulations. Ms. Mailander said that overnight parking was allowed during the Covid pandemic between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. That was lifted when the pandemic was over. The fact that it is not being enforced is something that needs to be discussed with the Police Chief. When there is a snowstorm, overnight parking on the street is not allowed. If a resident has overnight guests who must park their car on the street, the resident can call the Police Department to advise them of the make and model of the car, as well as the license plate number, which will be parked on the street overnight. This can be done for up to four or five days, but thereafter, overnight parking cannot be granted again by the Police Department.

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that he would discuss the overnight parking regulations with Police Chief Lyons and the clarifying information will be sent out to the public. Councilmember Reynolds added that she has noticed repeated overnight street parking, and she has not noted any police enforcement.

 

Councilmember Winograd wanted to confirm that representatives from the Board of Education will be included in the planned resident meeting regarding Clinton Avenue, which leads directly up to Ridge School. When she was younger and attended Ridge School, Clinton Avenue would be closed off to traffic and the children were allowed to walk on the street to get to school.  

 

12.       RESOLUTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION

 

Ms. Mailander read Resolution #23-459 to go into Closed Session.

13.       ADJOURNMENT

 

There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Deputy Mayor Perron, seconded by Councilmember Reynolds, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the Village Council’s Regular Public Meeting was adjourned at 9:22 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                ____________________________________

                                                                                                Paul Vagianos

                                                                                                        Mayor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

____________________________________

                     Heather A. Mailander

                          Village Clerk

A REGULAR PUBLIC WORK SESSION OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE SYDNEY V. STOLDT, JR. COURT ROOM OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ON OCTOBER 25, 2023 AT 7:30 P.M.

 

1.         CALL TO ORDER – OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT – ROLL CALL – FLAG SALUTE

 

Mayor Vagianos called the meeting to order at 7:33 p.m. and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. At roll call, the following were present: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos. Also present were Keith Kazmark, Village Manager; Heather Mailander, Village Clerk, and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney.

 

Mayor Vagianos led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.

 

2.         COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

 

Dr. Philip Dolce, 625 Kingsbridge Lane, said that he has been a proud Ridgewood resident for over 50 years. He stated that it is his understanding that the Historic Preservation Commission and the Shade Tree Commission report directly to the Village Council. He asked that the Village Council grant permission to these two groups to look into the Schedler property and offer the Village Council and community their advice and expertise. He said that these two commissions have the expertise that should be provided directly to the community, especially since they are supported by taxpayer money. In addition, these commissions were established to help Ridgewood with essential information and expertise.

 

Dr. Dolce stated that the Historic Preservation Commission has an obvious role to play regarding the Schedler property and house. The Shade Tree Commission also has an essential role to play regarding the Schedler property. He asked both commissions to listen intently to the ideas and concepts of the community and come up with recommendations to present to the Village Council and the community.

 

Ellie Gruber, 229 South Irving Street, echoed Dr. Dolce’s comments and said that it is desirable to have qualified and enthusiastic residents on Village committees. She mentioned that the Chair of the Historic Preservation Commission is also the Village Historian, and several members of that group have backgrounds in architecture or historic structures. When the American Legion presented their rendering of the Gold Star Families Monument, Mayor Vagianos had suggested that they seek the opinions of two members of the Historic Preservation Commission to redesign the monument, due to their expertise in this area. There is a member on the Shade Tree Commission who actually runs his own tree service company.

 

Ms. Gruber feels that it is wrong for the Village Councilmembers to tell these commissions to be “silent” when it comes to giving advice on the Schedler property.  She said that she could not understand why the Village Councilmembers did not consult with these two commissions, but instead spent taxpayer money to hire someone much less qualified to try to undo an historical designation of the State and National Registers of Historic Places. Ms. Gruber noted that the Chair of the Parks, Recreation and Conservation (PRC) Board did not face such constraints when it came to constructing a large field on the Schedler property. She said that it is apparent that a “mouthpiece” is preferable over expertise.

 

There were no further public comments.

 

Councilmember Winograd stated that she is Council Liaison to the Shade Tree Commission (STC), and several members of that commission are present at the meeting this evening. The Schedler property has been placed on the Village Council agenda on numerous occasions, and there has been much discussion regarding the Schedler property at STC meetings. She said that the general consensus of the STC is that they need to wait and see if the plans for the Schedler property, which are to be submitted to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), are or are not approved. If not fully approved, then the STC would like to give their opinions on where the new tree plantings should be placed, to the Village Council.

 

Councilmember Winograd mentioned that Mr. Kazmark has met with Carolyn Jacoby, Chair of the STC, to discuss this matter. She emphasized that at no point, acting as Council Liaison, did she ever tell anyone to be quiet or stay out of the Schedler matter. Councilmember Winograd said that the STC has failed to come to a conclusion, regarding the Schedler property. She said that the PRC Board had their own independent vote on the matter. She mentioned how hard the members of each commission work for the community. She said that it is completely untrue that the Village Council asked either commission to “stand down.”

 

Councilmember Reynolds asked if the plans for the Schedler property have been sent to SHPO. Councilmember Winograd said that the plans have not yet been sent. However, the plans approved by the Village Councilmembers have been posted on the Village website. The appropriate time for the STC to become involved would be after a decision has been reached by SHPO.  

 

3.         VILLAGE MANAGER’S REPORT

 

Mr. Kazmark reported that Maple Field was opened last week, after the remediation and testing were done after the flooding. In the next few weeks, tree plantings will begin in the Central Business District (CBD). There will be a total of 120 new trees planted, organized by the Parks and Recreation Department and supported by the Shade Tree Commission. On Monday, October 23, 2023, at 6:00 a.m., contractors began by planting 32 new trees in the CBD.

 

Mr. Kazmark thanked Jeremy Kleiman, Director of Emergency Management, for developing and submitting an updated emergency response plan to the County of Bergen for review and approval. This plan was submitted two months before the deadline.

 

Mr. Kazmark said that he was advised this morning by the Engineering Department that the Signal Division just finished installing a new pedestrian-activated flashing crosswalk warning light at the intersection of Linwood Avenue and Fairfield Avenue. This is a heavily traveled intersection, given that both Travell School and Benjamin Franklin Middle School are located nearby. He thanked the staff of the Engineering and Signal Departments for getting this done, to increase pedestrian safety.

 

In addition, Mr. Kazmark thanked Christopher Rutishauser, Village Engineer, and his team for submitting the updated community rating system. A congratulations letter was received this week indicating that the Village is in compliance with the community rating system. This is a program that allows residents, who are required to obtain flood insurance, to pay reduced premiums, due to efforts made by the Village to mitigate flooding.

 

Mr. Kazmark thanked Rich Calbi, Director of Ridgewood Water, and his staff for their help in sending out a letter last week to all non-Ridgewood Water customers, in the four towns serviced by Ridgewood Water (Ridgewood, Glen Rock, Wyckoff and Midland Park). The purpose of this letter was to ascertain whether or not any of these property owners have private wells or are customers of another water service provider. In that letter, the possibility was discussed of those private homeowners sharing with Ridgewood Water any testing results from private wells. The goal is to obtain baseline data of testing results in areas that are not serviced by Ridgewood Water. Mr. Calbi reported during the Department Directors Meeting on Monday, that he has already received responses from residents. Mr. Kazmark urged all residents with private wells to submit any water testing results that they have obtained, to Ridgewood Water, so that the database may be enhanced.

 

Mr. Kazmark reported that the new leaf collection flyer was sent out last week to all residents. He thanked Mike Junta and Jeanne Placier, in the Streets Division, for their efforts in this regard. Curbside leaf collection will begin on October 16, 2023. Residents should refer to the flyer to find out when leaves should be placed at the curb, in their area.

 

 Mr. Kazmark congratulated the Village on achieving the Sustainable Jersey Bronze Level Re-Certification. Deputy Mayor Perron will speak about this further, this evening. Mr. Kazmark congratulated Johanna Luttrell, of the Recycling Department, for being named their first “Member of the Year,” by the Association of New Jersey Recyclers (ANJR).

 

Ms. Mailander announced that she attended the Annual Awards Luncheon held by ANJR with Rich Calbi, earlier today. Their first-ever “Member of the Year Award” was given to Johanna Luttrell, who has worked for the Village Recycling Division for decades. Ms. Mailander described Ms. Luttrell as innovative and being excellent at what she does. She is constantly developing new programs and visits Village schools to talk about recycling. Ms. Mailander said that she was honored to be at the luncheon, when Ms. Luttrell received this award. Ms. Luttrell was surprised at receiving the award, and stated that it was all a “team effort.” Ms. Mailander said that she was very proud of Ms. Luttrell, especially since it was the very first time that such an award had been given by ANJR.

 

Mr. Kazmark announced that he received confirmation today, from the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), that the left side of the Park and Ride on Route 17 will be paved by the NJDOT next week. They have also advised him that, over the next month or so, the trailer structure in the back left-hand corner of the parking lot, will be razed and removed from the site. In addition, the NJDOT will be forwarding to him a landscaping plan to increase the buffer zone between the parking lot and the homes of adjacent neighbors. Additional signage will be installed around the Park and Ride, to prevent people from parking up on the curb and on the grassy areas.

 

Mr. Kazmark announced that Ridgewood’s Annual Health and Wellness Fair for Older Adults will be held tomorrow, October 26, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., in conjunction with the Health Department, at the Youth Center in Village Hall.  Pre-registration is required for this event, through CommunityPass.

 

The Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce will hold their annual Halloween Haunted Harvest event on Saturday, October 28, 2023, in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., weather permitting.  The Farmers Market, sponsored by the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce, will be held for the last time this year on Sunday, October 29, 2023, at the Train Station on the west side.

 

The next Council Chat is scheduled for November 4, 2023 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., in the Village Hall courtroom. Residents are encouraged to make an appointment by calling 201-670-5500, extension 2206, but walk-ins are also welcome.

 

The Ridgewood Elder Dinner will take place on Sunday, November 12, 2023, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., at the Old Paramus Reformed Church. Doors will open at 2:30 p.m. Registration is required for this event on CommunityPass.

 

The Ridgewood Guild’s 14^th Annual Winterfest will be held in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square on Saturday, November 25, 2023, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

 

Village Hall and all Village offices will be closed on Friday, November 10, 2023, in observance of Veterans Day.

Upcoming Village Council meetings are broadcast live from the Village Hall Courtroom, on the Village website, on FIOS Channel 34 and YouTube. The next Public Meetings are scheduled on November 8 and December 13, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. The next Village Council Work Sessions will be held on November 1 and December 6, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. There are only two Village Council meetings during the months of November and December. All meetings will have hybrid access (in person, Zoom or by phone).

 

4.         VILLAGE COUNCIL REPORTS

 

Councilmember Winograd began by thanking the Shade Tree Commission (STC) and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney, for participating in the Adopt-a-Sapling pilot program. So far, 31 saplings have been planted, through the efforts of local volunteers and students from Ridgewood High School. She gave a big shoutout to Nancy Bigos, Director of Parks and Recreation, and Adam Brown, of the STC, who spearheaded this initiative. Councilmember Winograd thanked all of the residents who adopted a sapling and reminded them to make sure to fill the donut with water. Councilmember Winograd proudly announced that the Shade Tree Commission has launched a trifold, which contains information about the activities of the Shade Tree Commission. She thanked Tim Graham, who was in charge of communications, and Rurik Halaby, who donated some of the pictures for the trifold. This trifold will also be listed on social media. Volunteers who wish to serve on the Shade Tree Commission are always welcome.

 

Councilmember Winograd announced that the Access Committee, in conjunction with the Learning Services Home and School Association (LSHSA) and Special Education Parent Advisory Group (SEPAG), is holding “sensory-free dinners” at Steel Wheel Tavern in the CBD. Jamie Davis spearheaded this initiative, which aims to provide children with special needs, who sometimes become overwhelmed with too much sensory stimuli, with a safe place to dine with their families. The first dinner will be held, with dim lights and no music, on Wednesday, November 8, 2023.

 

Councilmember Winograd said that she attended a meeting of the Parks, Recreation and Conservation (PRC) Board last night. They are in the process of creating a detailed list of all parks in the Village, and this will be provided to the Village Manager. This list will be utilized to obtain any suitable grants. There was also a discussion at the meeting regarding whether or not the lights should be turned on or off, when the fields are closed. The board members are also working on implementing some of the aspects of the new Master Plan. She thanked Jim Bostler, of the Open Space Committee, for attending the PRC meeting, and Deputy Mayor Perron for working with the PRC Board and the Open Space Committee.

 

Councilmember Weitz thanked Mr. Kazmark for helping commuters, regarding the issues at the Park and Ride on Route 17. Councilmember Weitz stated that he met with a resident who lives adjacent to the Park and Ride. He observed that a denser buffer zone was needed between residents’ homes and the parking lot. He said that half of the Park and Ride was closed by the NJDOT, on the left side of the lot, after Labor Day, which caused chaos with commuters. Councilmember Weitz said that he was very pleased with the progress made by Mr. Kazmark this evening, which will enable the left side of the Park and Ride to be repaved and then reopened, and will enable the neighbors to have a buffer between their backyards and the Park and Ride.

 

Councilmember Weitz announced that he met with the Ridgewood Arts Council, and they will be working on the Central Business District Holiday Window Decorating Contest this year, which has been done for several years. The Ridgewood Guild has donated some prizes for the contest. Judging will be done at the end of November, and the winners will be announced in December, at Downtown for the Holidays.

 

Councilmember Weitz thanked Mr. Rogers and Mayor Vagianos for joining him at the Upper Ridgewood Community Church, which will soon be closing. The church hosted a forum for surrounding neighbors about possible uses for the property, moving forward. The church is located right in the middle of a dense residential area, so any future uses will impact the neighbors. Mr. Rogers gave a “primer” on zoning law at the forum, and he spoke about potential uses for the property in the future.

 

Councilmember Reynolds stated that the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee (CSAC) met last Thursday night. There was a discussion about safety at the intersection of Hamilton and Morningside Roads. A resident said that she was concerned about speeding and drivers going through stop signs at that intersection, along with a sight triangle obstruction. The Police Department investigated this area and noted that people were indeed speeding and going through stop signs. Road painting as a traffic-calming solution was discussed, and this suggestion has been forwarded to the Engineering Department for their review. Another resident at the meeting expressed the need for a pedestrian crosswalk signal at the intersection of North Maple and Linwood Avenues, as well as a comprehensive, proactive plan by the Village to ensure pedestrian safety. Councilmember Reynolds felt that these were all good ideas and these matters will be discussed further.

 

Councilmember Reynolds said that another resident, who previously submitted over 100 sight triangle obstructions in the Village, expressed concern over the process by which these obstructions are being addressed. Police Sergeant John Ward volunteered to go to all of the sight triangle obstructions on the list and make a chart of the 15 most concerning intersections. Councilmember Reynolds said that to “qualify” in the top 15, the intersection had to have at least one property on the four corners in violation, it had to be within half a mile of at least one school, and it had to have had at least six motor vehicle accidents in the past five years. Councilmember Reynolds said that there are 21 properties, located at these 15 intersections, which are alleged to be in violation of the sight triangle obstruction.  She said that most of these 21 properties have already been sent letters by the Engineering Department to correct the violations. Property owners who have not corrected the violations will be sent follow-up letters shortly, which set forth in detail, with pictures, what violations exist on their property. She urged all property owners who receive such a letter to take care of correcting the violation. She reminded everyone that shrubs cannot be more than 30 inches high.

 

Councilmember Reynolds said that there was also a discussion at the meeting about the need for a stop sign at the intersection of the Franklin Avenue extension and North Irving Street. Some neighbors said that there was a stop sign at that location many years ago, but it seems to have disappeared, although Councilmember Reynolds said that there is no record of a stop sign ever being there. There was almost an accident recently in that location with a landscaping truck. There was also a discussion about the lighting in the area of Franklin Avenue and Broad Street. The Police Department reported that a list of light locations in need of repair was sent to Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) and the Village Manager. A discussion regarding Clinton Avenue, near Ridge School, continued from the last meeting. The Police Department observed the area and has started a campaign to educate drivers and also the children who walk on Clinton Avenue. New signage has been installed, which seems to be helping. Councilmember Reynolds thanked the Police Department for all of their efforts.

 

The results of the speed study on Bellair Road were reported at the CSAC meeting, and it was recommended that enforcement be carried out, and that consideration be given to painting a double yellow line on the street, along with white lines on the sides of the road. Councilmember Reynolds said that these white lines are sometimes called “fog” lines. This will be discussed further at the next meeting.

 

Councilmember Reynolds said that a new electric speed sign was installed on East Glen Avenue, near Bogert Avenue. The Police Department will follow up on the progress of an in-street crosswalk sign at Bogert Avenue. The next CSAC meeting will most likely be held on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, but Councilmember Reynolds still needs to confirm that someone from the Police Department will be available to attend the meeting on that date.

 

Mr. Kazmark mentioned that he has two calls scheduled with two of the concerned residents who appeared at the CSAC meeting. One call is scheduled on Monday and the second call is scheduled on Friday of next week. He will report back to the Village Councilmembers about the results of those conversations.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron stated that the Green Team, which handles the Village’s accreditation with Sustainable Jersey, obtained a Bronze Certification. She stated that there is a lot of work involved to earn points towards certification. She explained how the process works, and she applauded the efforts of the Green Team. Deputy Mayor Perron said that Ridgewood will be recognized as one of the leading communities in New Jersey with regard to green practices at the New Jersey League of Municipalities Luncheon during the conference on November 14, 2023. Deputy Mayor Perron will be attending this luncheon. She mentioned that the Green Team is seeking members.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron said that Green Ridgewood, of which the Green Team is a part, is working on a recommendation to the Village for a carbon reduction target and a climate resiliency statement, to set out goals for the Village.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron announced that the Open Space Committee welcomed a new member, Oleg Refkin. The committee is going to investigate insurance practices with regard to flood claims submitted. She said that it may become harder and harder for homeowners to obtain flood insurance in the future. Deputy Mayor Perron said that this could affect how the Village looks at its Flood Acquisition Plan. The committee will be reinstating the park walks, which were originally done during the Covid pandemic. There will be a tour conducted for all Village parks.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron said that there was a meeting of the Planning Board, and the application by Ridgewood Water, to build another PFAS treatment facility at 1156 Ridgewood Avenue, was heard. This application was approved unanimously. There was also a discussion about amending Chapter 190 of the Village Code, dealing with zoning in the B1 and B2 districts, regarding microbreweries and exclusionary zoning. The Planning Board has asked John Barree, Village Planner, to do some research on both items.

 

The Central Business District Advisory Committee (CBDAC) welcomed a new member, Andy McGonnell. During the meeting, Stuart Koperweis, of Economic Development Strategists, gave a presentation about a Special Improvement District (SID), similar to the presentation given a few weeks ago before the Village Council. Mr. Kazmark also attended the meeting, introduced himself, and gave his impressions of Ridgewood as the new Village Manager. Deputy Mayor Perron told the CBDAC members about Councilmember Winograd’s initiative to refurbish the decorative holiday balls (kissing balls) that used to hang in the CBD during the holiday season. CBDAC members suggested that the snowflakes would look best hung along East Ridgewood Avenue, and the kissing balls would look best hung on the side streets, since the snowflakes are brighter than the kissing balls. CBDAC members voted to meet via Zoom going forward, with in-person meetings once every quarter. The next CBDAC meeting is scheduled for November 9, 2023, via Zoom. During that meeting, HubQuarter will be giving a presentation, similar to the one given before the Village Council recently. During that meeting, a discussion regarding bylaws for CBDAC will be held.

Deputy Mayor Perron thanked the Conservancy for Ridgewood Public Lands for installing new plantings on North Broad Street, and she is looking forward to seeing the blooms in the spring.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron remarked what an asset Johanna Luttrell is to the Village’s Recycling and Sanitation Departments. She is always available to the public, and residents with questions may contact her via email at jluttrell@ridgewoodnj.net.

 

Mayor Vagianos said that some of his committees did not meet and he was unable to attend the meetings for some of his committees, so he has no reports.

 

5.         PRESENTATION

 

            A.        VERIZON CELL SITE PROJECT – PUBLIC SAFETY                                                        COMMUNICATION ENHANCEMENTS

 

Mr. Kazmark announced that Lieutenant John Chuck, of the Ridgewood Police Department, will give a presentation on a potential Verizon cell site project at Village Hall. This is deemed necessary to enhance public safety communications, and provide enhanced cell carrier service for members of the public, as well.

 

Lieutenant Chuck stated that cell phone coverage in Village Hall, and on the grounds near Village Hall, including Veterans Field and Graydon Pool, is almost nonexistent. During special events held in the Village, such as the Fourth of July celebration, Lieutenant Chuck said that there is no cell coverage whatsoever. Over the past few years, the Police Department has been working with the Verizon Emergency Team to try to create some sort of network for public safety to use, which has failed every year. The team they met with this year suggested that more infrastructure would need to be built, in order to solve this dilemma. Lieutenant Chuck said that Verizon has determined that Village Hall is a great location where some antennae could be installed.

 

Lieutenant Chuck said that Verizon is looking to install three antenna sets on the roof of Village Hall, which would afford 360° coverage from approximately Valley Hospital through the Central Business District (CBD). These antennae will also enhance cell service during special events. Lieutenant Chuck then showed an illustration on the screen of what the antennae devices look like. Small platforms will be installed to support the antennae. He also showed an image of Village Hall, illustrating that the antennae will not be observable from the ground. The antennae will be placed behind the façade of the building. Mr. Kazmark said their aim is not to impede the impressive visual nature of Village Hall.

 

Lieutenant Chuck stated that Verizon wants to also install a backup generator on the roof, to ensure that the antennae will always have power, even during power failures. He said that there is currently a power generator at Village Hall, but it is inadequate for the needs of Village Hall. Verizon has agreed to subsidize the cost of this backup generator with the Village. The Village would purchase a large generator, and Verizon would pay a portion of the cost, in proportion to the power needed to provide power for the antennae.

 

Councilmember Weitz asked if there are funds in the budget to pay for a new generator. Lieutenant Chuck said that there are funds available next year for this purpose in the Police Department Capital Budget. Mayor Vagianos clarified that there will be a budget request for this generator next year, but that monies for this generator have not yet been allocated. Councilmember Weitz asked how much this generator will cost. Lieutenant Chuck said that Christopher Rutishauser, Village Engineer, will give an explanation of the bid process.

 

Councilmember Winograd said that it was extremely necessary to have cell coverage, especially when large events are being held in the Village. She said that she has been told that the generator purchased for Ridgewood Water exceeds what their department needs. She asked if the Village could “tap into” this generator, rather than purchase a new one, and have Verizon chip in for the cost of the power they would need from that generator, to ensure that the antennae had power during a power outage.

 

Mr. Rutishauser replied that he did not believe there was sufficient generator capacity to use the Ridgewood Water generator to power the antennae as well. The Ridgewood Library is also seeking to use the Ridgewood Water generator in the event of an outage, and Mr. Rutishauser said that he would have to wait to see how the Library’s connectivity to the generator affects the load demands. In addition, Mr. Rutishauser said that consideration had to be given to the length of wiring conduit that would be needed to connect the Verizon antennae to the Ridgewood Water generator. Mr. Rutishauser stated that Village Hall currently has a 100KW natural gas-fired generator. He felt that something such as 200KW or 250KW would be necessary to cover the needs of Village Hall (above what is supplied by the 100KW generator), and the needs of the successful cell carrier, for emergency generating capacity. Mr. Rutishauser said that they plan to remove the current natural gas-fired generator and replace it with a diesel unit.

 

Mayor Vagianos asked if Mr. Rutishauser had any idea how much such a generator would cost. Mr. Rutishauser said that it would cost between $300,000.00 and $500,000.00. He reminded everyone that the successful vendor will partner with the Village to purchase the generator. This project will be sent out for a proposal, and the Village Council will select the best option for the Village. In the proposal, they will request the type of partnership a prospective carrier would have with the Village for an emergency generator upgrade, and how much a carrier would pay the Village for the privilege of installing antennae on Village Hall. He stated that although the goal of the Police Department is to enhance safety communications, this project will also enhance the broadband width in this area tremendously, to the benefit of the selected cell carrier.

 

Councilmember Weitz agreed that the Village needs the enhanced cellular communication, and is in favor of sending this project out for bid, but he reiterated that he would like to know how much the Village would have to spend on the generator, after the selected carrier makes a monetary contribution towards the generator. He is concerned that the Village will be obligated next year to allocate funds in the budget for the generator, while other commitments have already been made, such as completing the repairs to the Kingsbridge Lane Bridge and constructing the sidewalks on West Glen Avenue.

 

Mr. Kazmark clarified that the only thing sought this evening is permission from the Village Councilmembers to move forward with soliciting proposals in this matter. He said that the answers to those proposals will drive the answers to the questions asked by the Village Councilmembers.

 

Mayor Vagianos said that he assumed that a separate bid would need to be sent out for the generator. Mr. Rutishauser agreed, and explained that he planned to include in the Request for Proposal (RFP) package a question asking what a carrier would be willing to contribute towards the cost of the backup generator.

 

Lieutenant Chuck stated that there is also revenue potential in connection with this project. One source of revenue is leasing the space on the roof. He has also identified at least two other areas in the Village where cell service is low, and additional cell sites could be installed. Each cell site comes with lease agreements. He said that this would create multi-year income from the leases, together with the subsidy to be offered by the successful carrier for the generator, and the potential of additional cell site locations, if they are aesthetically acceptable.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron stated that she assumed that they have investigated whether or not the Village Hall roof could sustain the weight of this proposed equipment. Mr. Rutishauser said that Verizon has already asked for this information, but he will not release that information until the contract is awarded to a carrier. He wants to avoid bias in the RFP, so that it can be a fair and open process. 

 

Deputy Mayor Perron recalled that Lieutenant Chuck said that the antennae would cover the entire CBD, and she asked if that would include Van Neste Square. She finds coverage there to be terrible. Lieutenant Chuck said that there are limitations, but Verizon has told him that 5G and LTE bandwidth will be significantly increased, from East Ridgewood Avenue to Valley Hospital. Deputy Mayor Perron remarked that that does not necessarily cover Van Neste Square. Mr. Kazmark said that one disadvantage to sending this project out for bid is that Verizon will not share all of their information with the Village, including how far reaching the signal would be, until they are awarded a contract, due to the competitive nature of the bid process.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron recalled that the Village engaged a vendor with 5G expertise, at no cost to the Village, and Ms. Mailander confirmed this. Deputy Mayor Perron thought that this expert should be consulted with regard to the cell coverage. Mr. Rutishauser stated that the expert will not do so for free, and funding would need to be allocated for such purpose. Mayor Vagianos suggested that this expert be brought in, once all proposals for this project have been received. He mentioned that cell tower agreements can be very lucrative.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked what the difference is between a cell tower and an antenna. Lieutenant Chuck showed a picture of the antenna on the screen. Mayor Vagianos explained that a cell tower has antennae located on top of it. He stated that the Lincoln Building, located in the Central Business District, has many antennae on top of it, because of its height. He said that cell carriers do not really want to build cell towers, because it is difficult to find good locations for them. Everyone was in favor of this project going out to bid.

 

            B.        SHADE TREE COMMISSION – UPDATES TO TREE ORDINANCE AND                         BIG TREE/HERITAGE TREE

 

Mr. Kazmark asked George Wolfson and Timothy Graham of the Shade Tree Commission (STC) to come forward. Councilmember Winograd began by reading a statement from Carolyn Jacoby, Chair of the STC, as follows: “Since the re-establishment of the Ridgewood Shade Tree Commission in 2014, as an advisory group to the Village Council, a major focus of STC has been to provide current Best Practices to the Village Council for the protection, conservation and expansion of our tree canopy. With our program mainly focused on the municipal shade trees, it became evident that without a protective tree ordinance, stipulating allowable actions by homeowners and developers regarding tree removals, that our overall Village canopy was being adversely impacted. In 2021, Pam Perron and Carolyn Jacoby worked to revise an existing tree ordinance that had proved somewhat ineffective. The current updated ordinance became effective in May 2022. Though it provided much-needed improvements to the previous iteration, during the past almost 18 months, the current ordinance is now recognized as having limits in effectiveness, by lack of a consistent means of enforcement of regulations. Tonight, George Wolfson, a longstanding member of the STC, along with Tim Graham, also of the STC, will present recommendations for the Council to consider. Areas in this ordinance needing revision will be proposed, in order to ensure that our overall Village tree canopy is adequately maintained and continues to grow, providing great environmental health benefits for the well-being of all of our residents and adding greatly to the beauty of our Village.”

 

Mr. Wolfson said that the revisions to the tree ordinance began to be developed five years ago. In order for Ridgewood to retain the Tree City USA designation, an appropriate ordinance regarding the regulation of trees must be established, and the ordinance must be developed by a separate commission or group outside of the governing body. The procedure followed to develop the tree ordinance began with a meeting with the Engineering Department staff members, who gave the STC their ideas on what was working and what was not working, as well as ideas on how to improve the tree ordinance. The STC listened to the concerns of residents in the community. The STC also reviewed tree ordinances from ten surrounding municipalities, which exhibit Best Practices within their protective shade tree ordinance. A meeting of the STC members was then held, to collate all of the information which they had amassed, to try to figure out the needs and wants of Village residents, as well as areas of the ordinance which needed improvement. Mr. Wolfson said that the STC members met with Mr. Kazmark to discuss their proposed changes to the tree ordinance. The final step is this evening’s presentation before the Village Council.

 

Mr. Wolfson stated that upon reviewing the ordinance, three key components were identified. The first is land development, which basically falls under the jurisdiction of the Planning Board. The second component is home improvement, which falls under the purview of the Board of Adjustment. The third component is canopy preservation, which falls under the purview of various Village Departments. Mr. Wolfson said that the canopy preservation component takes into consideration the canopy’s benefits to the Village, as a whole.

 

The land use portion of the ordinance requires that there be a site plan or landscaping/mitigation plan submitted to the appropriate board. He said that it was important that Chapter 190 of the Village Code be aligned with the Protective Tree Ordinance components found in Chapter 260, and vice versa. Mr. Wolfson said that the most important aspect of the proposed revisions to the ordinance deals with which boards and departments in the Village have the authority to enforce the regulations contained within the ordinance. The site plan must be complete before it is submitted, and the site needs to be inspected to make sure that it aligns with the site plan. Mr. Wolfson said that they are requesting that a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) not be issued until the tree replacement plan has been reviewed and approved. The appropriate board shall have the responsibility of ensuring that all tree requirements are met, before a CO can be issued. The proposed revisions address the clearcutting of trees, with special requirements mandated for development within a flood plain (an additional requirement to replace trees in a floodplain at a ratio of 4 to 1, rather than 1 to 1, for each tree removed).

 

A discussion ensued about the next steps after the proposed form of the ordinance is finalized. Mr. Rogers stated that once the proposed ordinance is reviewed by the Village Council, it should be reviewed by the Planning Board and any other appropriate boards, to elicit their recommendations. Councilmember Winograd indicated that the ordinance will also be reviewed by Mr. Rogers, to ensure the legality of all components. Mr. Kazmark recommended that a subcommittee be formed, as the ordinance is being revised, consisting of some Department Directors and some Supervisors (Public Works and Parks and Recreation) to get their recommendations for the ordinance. Councilmember Winograd remarked that the Engineering Department has done a wonderful job under the existing ordinance.

 

Councilmember Reynolds said that the next slide on the screen states that a permit shall be required for the removal of any deciduous tree in the Village over 8 inches dbh (diameter at breast height) and 10 foot height for conifers. Mr. Wolfson stated that this is one of the changes the STC is proposing. He explained that the tree ordinance, as it now stands, lacks specifications regarding the size of the tree that is required to be planted, to replace the tree being removed, particularly the conifers. Mr. Wolfson stated that many municipalities have a height requirement for replacement trees, to ensure that a homeowner does not replace a removed tree that was significant in height or diameter, with a “cheap solution.” There was a discussion regarding the benefits of deciduous vs. conifer trees, as well as what types of trees would be suitable to replace a removed tree. Deputy Mayor Perron remarked that some homeowners are replacing a removed tree with arborvitae, which is basically a shrub.

 

Mr. Wolfson stated that the “Scorecard” shown on the screen was developed by the Engineering Department. There were 221 permits issued between April and December of 2022, and 287 permits issued from January to September of 2023. Mr. Wolfson said that these are the only two numbers that he would rely upon, primarily because the verification process determining the number of trees removed, trees exempt, trees replaced, and qualified trees is not “solid.” He said that this is an area, which needs to be reinforced in the revised ordinance.

 

Councilmember Reynolds noted that the scorecard showed that 606 trees were removed so far in 2023, and 591 trees were exempt, which means that 97% of the trees were exempt. Councilmember Winograd explained that there are exemptions for ash trees, dead trees, dangerous trees or diseased trees, but better enforcement measures would verify that these trees are indeed eligible for exemption. Deputy Mayor Perron remarked that no resident took advantage of the option to place $500.00 into the Village’s Tree Replacement Fund, if they were unable to plant a replacement tree on their property, after having removed one. Mr. Wolfson stated this is an area, which needs strengthening in the ordinance. He said that a “sliding scale” is used when determining what type of tree must be planted as a replacement tree on a property where a tree has been removed. Deputy Mayor Perron recalled that either the Village’s Master Plan or John Barree, the Village Planner, suggested going to a sliding scale, when determining what type of replacement tree is appropriate. He would like to see a requirement that a deciduous tree be replaced with a deciduous tree, and a conifer replaced with either a conifer or deciduous tree. Conifer replacements should have a height minimum of eight feet.

 

Mr. Wolfson then spoke about strengthening the current enforcement process. In cases involving applications before the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment, there needs to be someone responsible for canopy protection. This requires manpower to oversee data collection, verification of permit application information, site review, proper collection of fees, and management of the Tree Replacement Fund. It must be determined who is responsible for site inspection, whether a new full- or part-time position is created for such purpose, or whether the responsibility would lie with the Village Code Enforcement Officer, Engineering Department, Shade Tree Department staff, or Village Manager.

 

Mr. Wolfson said that another issue is to decide what appropriate fines, fees and penalties would apply. The exemptions need to be redefined, especially regarding invasive trees, which, although invasive, still provide shade and absorb water. He added that most Federal and State regulations regarding trees are coming out of the Department of Stormwater Management. The permit fee for removal of a tree is currently $50.00, and $500.00 per tree removed when no replacement tree is planted. Mr. Wolfson said that there are other areas which may require having a fee assigned to them, such as a tracking fee, review fee, or extra fee paid to the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment relating to detailed reviews of tree-related issues.

 

Mr. Wolfson summarized by stating that there are three things which the STC would like the Village Council to consider. One is the enhancement of tree protection capabilities within the authority of the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment. The second suggestion deals with better management (more manpower) to deal with enforcement and inspections. The Village should have a qualified person to manage all facets of the program. The position could be a qualified arborist or forester on a full- or part-time basis. The third suggestion deals with improvements to replacement rules to reflect current Best Practices.

 

Mayor Vagianos thanked Mr. Wolfson for his very comprehensive presentation. He asked if there were any questions from the Village Councilmembers.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron thanked the members of the STC for working tirelessly for years on the tree ordinance. Councilmember Reynolds mentioned that she would like to serve on the subcommittee, which was mentioned earlier, and Councilmember Winograd said that she would have to be on the subcommittee as Council Liaison to the STC. She said that Mr. Kazmark and Mr. Rogers could be on the subcommittee as well. Mr. Kazmark suggested getting together “offline” to define what parts of the ordinance would be dealt with by whom, such as enforcement and staffing.   

 

Councilmember Winograd stated that about a month ago, she and Mr. Kazmark, Councilmember Reynolds and Deputy Mayor Perron received a note from the NJDEP (Forestry Service) that the sugar maple tree on the Schedler property had been nominated and approved for “Big Tree Status” in the State of New Jersey. Councilmember Winograd said that she was concerned that this tree has received a massive amount of internal supports (cables), along with being fed $6,100.00 worth of tree food. The NJDEP assessed that the health of the tree was good, even though the Village Arborist had ranked the tree’s health as fair.

 

About a week after receiving the initial note from the NJDEP, Councilmember Winograd received a note stating that this tree had been nominated for designation as a “Heritage Tree.” However, only the owner of such a tree could make such a nomination, and she described this as a “lost opportunity.” In this case, a third party had made the nomination and not the Village of Ridgewood. Councilmember Winograd talked about the importance of trees. She stated that the Shade Tree Commission is going to form a subcommittee, which will handle all nominations for trees located on municipal lands to be designated as a “Big Tree” or “Heritage Tree.”

 

Mr. Kazmark added that he has never seen an application completed for nomination of the sugar maple on the Schedler property as a “Big Tree” or “Heritage Tree,” until Councilmember Winograd asked the NJDEP to send her a copy of the paperwork that was submitted. He stated that at no time was he ever asked to sign a Right of Access Agreement. If he had been approached, he would have brought this before the Village Council. He feels that it is appropriate for a subcommittee of the Shade Tree Commission to review such applications for trees on municipally owned property, and thereafter make recommendations to the Village Council.

 

Mr. Rogers said that he became aware of the nomination on October 15, 2023, when Mr. Kazmark received an email from the NJDEP Forestry Service, Big and Heritage Tree Conservation and Education Committee, congratulating the Village on having the sugar maple located on the Schedler property certified as a “Heritage Tree.” The email was accompanied by a certificate, which stated the Heritage Tree was named after Major Thomas Lambert Byles, a Revolutionary War hero. This occurred without consent, participation or permission of the Village Manager, Village Council, or anyone affiliated with the Village. Documents were required to be filed by the Village of Ridgewood with the NJDEP after this designation. These documents were filed, but not by any Ridgewood staff or officials. Mr. Rogers stated that, according to law, the only way the sugar maple could receive this designation would be if Village officials had filled out the documents, submitted them, and then gave consent by way of a Right of Access Agreement. This whole process cannot happen without permission of the owner of the tree.

 

Mr. Rogers stated that this entire matter was a complete surprise to him, the Village Manager and the Village Councilmembers. A request was made to the NJDEP Forestry Service for documents, so that the Village could discover how this all started. Some documents were provided, but not all, and, after receipt of the documents, it became apparent that no one in the Village had submitted this nomination. No attempt was made by anyone (other than the NJDEP) to notify the Village of the applications, despite the fact that the Village Manager’s name and email were placed on the applications. In addition, there was a statement on the applications stating that the Village officials had completed the Right of Access Agreement. Mr. Rogers reiterated that no Village official or staff members knew about this application being submitted. On one of the nominating petitions, there was also a statement that “we [applicant] can ask them [Village] when this [the application process] moves forward.” Mr. Rogers said that this was a clear indication that whoever submitted these applications did not want the Village to become involved in the matter.

 

Mr. Rogers indicated that there has been a tremendous amount of social media rhetoric, discourse, accusation and distrust surrounding the Schedler property, since January of this year. He said that every move by the Village has been scrutinized and criticized, which is to be expected in a democracy. However, when it comes to declaring this Village-owned tree a Heritage Tree, secrecy was the “mantra,” communication was nonexistent, and Village authority was sidestepped. Mr. Rogers said that no municipal government can function this way, and residents cannot take actions such as this without the permission of the governing body. He said that when people take the law into their own hands, the law and government are the losers. Resident participation is always welcome in the voting process, public comments at meeting, and volunteerism. He expressed the hope that the Village Council can continue to govern its residents, without suffering any potential consequences, as a result of this incident.

 

Mr. Rogers stated that the Village has always been committed, and will continue to be committed, to maintaining and protecting the sugar maple tree on the Schedler property. Compromising this tree in any way has never been discussed during Village Council meetings. When the time is deemed appropriate by the Village Manager and Village Council, with the assistance of the Shade Tree Commission, the Village will consider certifying this tree as a Heritage Tree and having it named in honor of a distinguished and notable individual from Ridgewood’s past.

 

Mayor Vagianos thanked Councilmember Winograd, Mr. Kazmark, and Mr. Rogers for their assistance in this matter. He echoed Mr. Rogers’ comments that a government cannot operate in this manner. Councilmember Reynolds stated that she hoped the Shade Tree Commission will take steps in the future to designate the sugar maple tree at the Schedler property, as a Heritage Tree.   

 

6.         DISCUSSION

 

A.             BUDGET

 

1.         AMBULANCE FEE SCHEDULE UPDATES

 

Mr. Kazmark asked Chief John Judge of the Ridgewood Fire Department to come forward to talk about recommended changes to the ambulance fee schedule. Chief Judge stated that while preparing a Request for Proposal for a billing company, he reviewed the current ambulance fee schedule and noted that the last increase in fees occurred in 2017. He said that the Village’s rates are far below what surrounding hospitals are charging for the same service. The current fee for the Village providing ambulance service and transportation is currently $750.00, while local surrounding hospitals are charging between $1,511.00 and $1,800.00 (Valley Hospital, Hackensack University Medical Center, and St. Clare’s Hospital). The mileage cost is currently $18.00 per mile, per trip, in the Village, while surrounding hospitals are charging $30.00 to $44.00 per mile, per trip. Chief Judge would like to increase their BLS911 fees to $1,500.00 and the mileage fee to $30.00 per mile. He stated that Ridgewood does not do interfacility transport (BLS non-emergency), but would like to have the charge for this to be written into the ordinance as $1,500.00, just in case the need arises. Chief Judge said that the charges for no transport, but oxygen supplied, would remain the same.

 

Chief Judge said that one disturbing matter that has come to his attention is that some residents are being charged for services and they are worried that they cannot afford to pay for same. He said that their policy has always been that residents are not responsible for co-pay charges for an ambulance bill, over and above what their medical insurance coverage will pay. However, residents do not seem to be aware of this fact. After researching this issue, Chief Judge determined that Medicare requires that a bill be sent to a patient for ambulance charges. However, if a Village resident pays taxes, and a portion of that goes towards ambulance services, then the resident is not obligated to pay anything for these services, other than what is paid for by their medical insurance.

 

Mr. Kazmark clarified that the patient portion of an ambulance bill is essentially covered by their contribution to property taxes within the Village. However, this would not apply to a non-resident needing ambulance services in the Village. The non-resident would be responsible for their co-pay. Chief Judge agreed, but clarified that the only exception would be where there was a Mutual Aid Agreement that Ridgewood has with another town. He said that they need to make a good-faith effort to collect the co-pay from the non-resident, but they do not have to send the matter to a collection agency. Upon questioning, Chief Judge explained the process by which bills are sent out and monies are collected. He would like to change the current procedure so that bills for co-pay balances are no longer sent to Village residents, unless bills are sent to residents with a zero balance due.

 

Mr. Kazmark suggested that he, Mr. Rogers and Chief Judge have a meeting with the billing company to decide what the Best Practice would be.

 

Chief Judge said that he also has the ability to set up a hardship waiver program, for residents who cannot afford to pay the co-pay. He said that there are plenty of ambulance calls they go out on, which are not billable (no medical necessity for an ambulance). If a person stubs their toe and goes to the hospital in an ambulance, insurance will not pay for those charges, and the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department cannot bill for their service and transportation in that instance.

 

In his request to amend Ordinance #3617, Chief Judge asked how the Village Councilmembers wanted to handle outstanding balances. Mr. Kazmark recommended that the ordinance first be revised to deal with the increased fees, so that EMS can remain competitive with local hospitals. Once a contract is awarded to a billing company, then the ordinance can be revisited to address the collections issue.

 

Mayor Vagianos thanked Chief Judge for reviewing the EMS fee structure and commended him for only increasing the fees at the “bottom” of the range (the range between what other hospitals in the area are charging and what Ridgewood EMS is charging). He asked Chief Judge if he did a projection of what the additional revenue to the Village would be with the increased fees. Chief Judge replied that he has not, because he is not sure if he can come up with accurate projections, due to different variables in the billing process. Mr. Kazmark reminded everyone that, from a budgeting standpoint, the Village cannot anticipate more revenue in a specific line item than what was received in the prior year. Mayor Vagianos said that he understood that, and asked Chief Judge to estimate the amount of revenue the increased fees would generate, at some appropriate time in the future.

 

Councilmember Reynolds asked if Chief Judge has any data on how many ambulance calls are made for non-residents. Chief Judge said that he could probably determine how many calls are made for non-residents by doing a search by ZIP code in his system. Councilmember Reynolds recalled receiving a bill for $800.00 for ambulance services for a family member, paying it, and then receiving a check for the entire amount in reimbursement, with an explanation that residents are not charged for these services. Chief Judge remarked that this is the exact situation, which he would like to change. Everyone was in agreement about the fee increases.

 

                        2.         2023 BUDGET TRANSFERS

 

Mr. Kazmark reported that this item pertains to the first round of contemplated 2023 budget transfers. The total transfers from the Current Fund amount to $139,000.00. The total transfers from the Water Utility Fund amount to $169,112.00, and the total transfers from the Parking Utility Fund amount to $13,890.00. He said that the transfer process can begin after November 1, 2023, to ensure that the Village can meet its obligations for the rest of the year.

 

                        3.         AUTHORIZE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT – NOTICE OF                                                           VIOLATION FOR UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS

 

Mr. Kazmark indicated that this item pertains to the authorization of a proposed Settlement Agreement, regarding a Notice of Violation received by Fleet Services from the NJDEP, after an inspection on February 28, 2023. This violation had to do with the Central Garage underground fuel storage tanks. The first NJDEP notice proposed a fine of $15,000.00, but the NJDEP agreed to a reduced fine of $7,500.00 after negotiations with the Engineering Department. It is recommended that this Settlement Agreement be executed and authorization be given for this reduced fine to be paid.

 

Councilmember Weitz asked if this matter has been remediated, so that the Village does not incur any additional fines in the future. Mr. Kazmark replied that the Village is looking to make a major capital investment in repairing the underground storage tanks “from stem to stern.”

                        4.         AWARD CONTRACT – HEATING UNIT FOR EMS FACILITY –

                                    33 DOUGLAS PLACE

 

Mr. Kazmark explained that this item pertains to the awarding of a contract to purchase a heating unit for the Emergency Services Division, located at 33 Douglas Place. Three quotes were received to replace the heating plant. It is recommended that this contract be awarded to the lowest bidder, Wallington Plumbing and Heating Supply of Saddle Brook, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $29,094.44.

 

Councilmember Reynolds remarked that the estimate from Wallington Plumbing and Heating Supply was very brief, when compared to the other estimates received from Johnstone Supply – Mahwah and Universal Supply Group. She just wanted to ensure that the Traffic and Signal Division was comparing “apples to apples.” Mr. Rutishauser that the quotes are for the purchase of the heating unit, and the Traffic and Signal Division will perform the installation of the unit. Rich Tarlton, Supervisor of the Signal Division, was satisfied with his recommendation, and Mr. Rutishauser concurred. 

 

Councilmember Reynolds said that she just wanted to make sure that all of the other items listed on the other estimates, such as drip pans and exchangers, were going to also be supplied by Wallington Plumbing and Heating Supply, if they were needed. Mr. Rutishauser said that the heating units are selected by how many BTUs or how much heat the units will produce. He said that perhaps one vendor wanted to tout their specialties, whereas Wallington just gave the basic quote. Councilmember Reynolds said that all of the estimates show that the unit will be a Reznor Model RPB-350, but the other estimates show a lot more information regarding ancillary equipment, and she wanted to avoid the necessity of the Village having to purchase this ancillary equipment in the future. Mr. Rutishauser replied that all three, are not the exact same units. He said that Wallington Plumbing and Heating will supply a basic heating unit.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron said that she has heard that heating pumps are better for the environment. She asked Mr. Rutishauser if that was something that could be considered. Mr. Rutishauser said that consideration could be given to heating pumps, but that they are more expensive to run, since they are run by electricity. The heating unit is run by natural gas, which is the least expensive way to operate a heating unit.

 

                        5.         AWARD CONTRACT – UPGRADES FOR DESKTOP

                                    COMPUTERS, MONITORS AND WEBCAMS

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that this item pertains to the awarding of a contract for the purchase of upgraded desktop computers, monitors and webcams for the Village of Ridgewood. Dylan Hansen, I.T. Director, has recommended that this contract be awarded to Dell 01396 of Round Rock, Texas, in an amount not to exceed $65,695.90.

Councilmember Weitz asked how old the computers are that are being replaced. Mr. Hansen replied that some of the computers will be for new employees, but some computers that are seven years old or older will be replaced as well. Councilmember Weitz said that this was a lot of money and asked Mr. Hansen if there were a least expensive alternative. Mr. Hansen said that the sum of $65,695.90 includes the operating systems, memory, hard drives, webcams and software. He said that inflation has caused prices to rise dramatically.

 

Mr. Kazmark remarked that Mr. Hansen is very thoughtful about making requests for hardware and software upgrades for individual employees. He mentioned that during one of his first days in his role as Village Manager, many employees were looking for dual monitors. However, he said that unless there’s a true need for them to have dual monitors, based upon their position, these requests have usually been denied. Mr. Kazmark added that Mr. Hansen is very frugal about requesting any replacement equipment, and said that “when it’s needed, it’s needed.”

 

Mayor Vagianos asked if the funds to purchase this equipment were in the budget, and Mr. Hansen replied in the affirmative.

 

            B.        POLICY

 

                        1.         MANNER OF ADDRESSING GOVERNING BODY AND

                                    DECORUM

 

Mr. Kazmark pointed out that there is a memorandum that he prepared, dated October 5, 2023, which contains attachments of ordinances, by-laws and/or regulations from other municipalities in New Jersey, which address the manner in which a governing body may be addressed and decorum expected during meetings. There are regulations from six municipalities, which he reviewed, including Cherry Hill, Montvale, Washington (Gloucester County), Edison, Howell, and Red Bank.

 

Mayor Vagianos said that there have been many discussions regarding decorum during Village Council meetings and the manner of addressing the Village Councilmembers. He said that the Village’s recently revised ordinance dealing with these matters goes as far as legally permissible. As it now reads, Mayor Vagianos said that no person shall make any disruptive, accusatory or threatening remarks, and comments from the public shall not be personally offensive, abusive or threatening.

 

Councilmember Reynolds felt that the wording in the current ordinance is fine for members of the public who speak before the Village Council. It was her understanding that this ordinance is being revisited, due to disruptive incidents that occurred at recent meetings, which had nothing to do with a resident making public comments.

 

Councilmember Weitz said that his overarching concern is about setting a “low bar” in the future, which would exclude members of the public from making comments at Village Council meetings. He said that this is the last thing he wants to do and that a “high bar” should be set, where members of the public feel comfortable enough to speak freely at meetings. Councilmember Weitz said he believed there was an “inherent power of the Chair” to control the room during a meeting, in terms of maintaining order. He said that he has no problem adding language to the ordinance, which codifies this.

 

Mr. Rogers said that the ordinance currently sets forth that the Mayor presides over Village Council meetings. He said that he reviewed the ordinances from other municipalities, provided by Mr. Kazmark, and he feels that the Village’s ordinance is consistent with these other ordinances. However, disturbing or threatening behavior from a member of the audience during a Village Council meeting is not specifically addressed. Mr. Rogers said that a person’s right to speak at the podium is not governed by the First Amendment, but is rather governed by the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA). The Village Council has to be able to conduct its business in an orderly and efficient manner, and disturbing, threatening, offensive or aggressive language or behavior cannot be tolerated. This rule applies to Village Councilmembers, speakers and members of the audience. He recalled an incident where a town had to ban remote access, because someone hacked into the remote meeting and made profane and threatening comments about people. However, an overriding principle of OPMA is that a meeting of the governing body must be conducted with access to the public. Mr. Rogers said that the ordinance could be expanded to include everyone in attendance at a Village Council meeting and remote participants.

 

Councilmember Weitz said it was his understanding that Mayor Vagianos would have the authority to expel someone in the audience from a meeting who was being disruptive or boisterous. Mr. Rogers said that this action could be justified, depending upon the facts, but it would be good to have it codified in an ordinance. Councilmember Weitz said that his only concern is that the definition of “disruptive” is very subjective and varies from individual to individual. He cited examples of residents showing up at meetings with signs and personalized T-shirts. He stated that while he does not like when this happens, the public has a right to do so. He reiterated that he would like to see a “high bar” set, which encourages people to speak at public meetings, yet gives the governing body the authority to take action against someone, in order to ensure that municipal business can be conducted.

 

Mr. Rogers said that this issue has been dealt with in the courts and stated that the meaning of “disruptive” is a subjective test. The disruption or threat must be “reasonably perceived,” certain thresholds must be met, and courts have based their opinions upon this.

 

Mayor Vagianos felt that there was a consensus that everyone is in favor of expanding the reaches of the ordinance to include the manner in which everyone must conduct themselves during a Village Council meeting, whether on the dais, in the audience, or at the podium. Mayor Vagianos stated that if a person is disruptive or personally offensive during a meeting, and they continue in this manner after admonishment, that person can be expelled from that meeting but cannot be barred from future meetings.

 

Mr. Rogers agreed with Mayor Vagianos. He recalled a case where the Morristown Library tried unsuccessfully to ban an odorous, homeless man from entering the library and accosting patrons, since it was deemed to be unconstitutional to ban a person from a public place. He said that the Village Council banning a person forever or for a period of time is a significant step that he has never seen occur. If a member of the public continues disruptive behavior after being warned by the governing body, then the governing body has a right to ban that person from the meeting for the rest of the night. If the person agrees to discontinue the inappropriate behavior, then the Village Councilmembers have the option to let the person remain at the meeting. Even in cases of egregious behavior, such as fights occurring during a meeting, where there are injuries and the participants are charged with a crime, Mr. Rogers said that the people engaged in the fight cannot be barred from attending future meetings. However, when a judge was hearing the case (if charges were brought against one of the participants), the judge may ban that person or persons from ever attending a meeting again. Mr. Rogers said that the Village could go to court to get an injunction against such a person or persons, to prevent them from ever attending another Village Council meeting.

 

Mr. Kazmark recalled an incident that occurred in Passaic, where the President of the School Board remove somebody from a meeting. However, that person actually turned around and sued the district, and the matter was eventually settled. If the actions of the Village Councilmembers are deemed to be unreasonable, then the Village could be exposed to a lawsuit by a member of the public.

 

Mayor Vagianos said that it was clear what the limits of the Village Council are, and he felt that everyone was in agreement that the ordinance should be expanded to apply to all persons present at Village Council meetings, including those present via hybrid access. Mr. Kazmark asked the Village Councilmembers if they wanted this ordinance to only apply to Village Council meetings, or to expand it to apply to all meetings that fall under OPMA, such as the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment. Mayor Vagianos asked if the ordinance should apply to committee meetings as well. Mr. Rogers said that it would be a good idea to have the ordinance apply to all meetings subject to the regulations of OPMA. Mayor Vagianos asked Mr. Rogers if he would prepare a sample ordinance, so that it can be reviewed by the Village Councilmembers, and Mr. Rogers said that he would do so.

 

                     2.         LOCATION OF CHRISTMAS TREE IN CENTRAL BUSINESS

                                    DISTRICT

Mr. Kazmark said that the issue of the location of the Christmas tree, in the Central Business District, was brought up by a resident, and it was discussed at the last Village Council meeting. He asked Mr. Rutishauser to do some preliminary investigation regarding what utilities are near the intersection of Broad Street and East Ridgewood Avenue (where the Christmas tree is usually located), and whether the location was sufficient for a live tree to be planted there.

 

Mr. Rutishauser said that he looked at the utilities that he would be responsible for, which is the sanitary sewer system, and there is a 10-inch trunk main in that general area. He said that he would be very leery of planting a tree in that location. The pipe is most likely a retrofitted Vitrified Clay Pipe (VCP), which usually come in four-foot sections. The joints are usually loose and old, and he would worry very much if tree roots got into it and clogged it up. In addition, this area has underground electric wiring, so if the Village Council wanted to pursue this endeavor, he suggested that a utility mark-out be performed to see exactly what is located underground. Mr. Rutishauser added that there are also underground telecommunication conduits, natural gas piping, and water utility mains.

 

Councilmember Reynolds said that she personally feels that the intersection of Broad Street and East Ridgewood Avenue is not a good location to plant a live tree, because the area is small and it will eventually block out the nearby storefronts, as it grows. She was thinking of another grassy area located to the right of The Hole (east side train station parking lot). However, Councilmember Reynolds conceded that one traveling west on East Ridgewood Avenue would not be able to see the tree until they reached Broad Street, and she actually doesn’t think this is a great area, either, for that reason. She asked if Mr. Rutishauser knew if the utilities he mentioned also run underneath this grassy area as well, and Mr. Rutishauser said that he didn’t know offhand. He would have to check the maps in his office.

 

Councilmember Reynolds said that she has heard comments that each tree that is cut down for the Christmas tree was already going to be taken down by the homeowner anyway. On the other hand, she has also heard stories where people have been pressured to donate a tree on their property to the Village. She said that she wanted confirmation that every Christmas tree in the Village that is cut down was slated for removal anyway.

 

Mayor Vagianos said that he has been involved with the Christmas tree at East Ridgewood Avenue and Broad Street for 15 years, since about 2008, and stories about someone being pressured to donate their tree are false. He reiterated that every tree that has been used since 2008 had already been slated for removal by the property owner. A letter is sent out every year asking residents if they would like to donate a tree to the Village for Christmas. Mayor Vagianos said that many people approach him and tell him that they have a tree they want to donate for Christmas. He said that Downes Tree Service donates tree services to several towns for this purpose, and they are always on the lookout for a tree that will “fit” each town’s needs. If a customer asks them to take down a large tree for a certain price, and Downes Tree Service feels that the tree would make a great Christmas tree for Ridgewood, then they will offer to take the tree down in November, at a drastically reduced cost, or for free.

 

Mayor Vagianos added that Downes Tree Service did not ask for a sign to be placed by the tree, even though they donated their services to chop down, haul and erect the tree. Mayor Vagianos said that he was so moved by their generosity that he commissioned the sign himself. He said that he agreed with Councilmember Reynolds that either location she suggested would eventually become too small for an evergreen tree. The Village would also be responsible to trim the live tree every year.

 

Councilmember Winograd said that she was surprised to see this item on the agenda this evening, without any backup. She said that she was shocked to learn how many utilities were contained underground in that small section. She stated that the intersection of Broad Street and East Ridgewood Avenue is the wrong area to plant a live tree. However, she said that this location is ideal for everyone, since the tree can be viewed from both the west and east sides of the Village. She said that this area is “steeped in tradition,” and she would be very concerned about disrupting that tradition, by placing the tree in another location. She recalled that a tree on her property was once the number one choice to be the Christmas tree one year in the Village, but then another tree was found, which had easier access. Councilmember Winograd thanked Mr. Rutishauser for doing research on the utilities in the area, and all of the people in the Village who make the holiday season so spectacular.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron said that she has had questions about the Christmas tree for years, feeling chagrined every time she knew a live tree had been cut down. However, she felt “relieved” after hearing Councilmember Winograd’s comments.

 

Mayor Vagianos asked the Village Councilmembers how they would like to proceed in this regard. Deputy Mayor Perron stated that the Village should do what it has always done. All Village Councilmembers unanimously agreed with Deputy Mayor Perron, to continue to provide a tree that was cut down, to be placed at East Ridgewood Avenue and Broad Street.

 

                        3.         RIDGEWOOD BUS STATION

 

Mr. Kazmark said that this item pertains to the Van Neste Square Bus Station. Ms. Mailander compiled a history of email correspondence regarding the bus station, including photographs. He asked Mr. Rutishauser to explain some of the structural and aesthetic concerns, which exist at that location.

 

Mr. Rutishauser explained that Margaret Hickey, of Connolly & Hickey, Historical Architects, looked at the bus shelter and she prepared a memorandum regarding the bus station. The bus shelter dates back to the early 1960s. The wood on the building needs restoration and repainting, and some of the masonry is crumbling. The bus station is currently locked closed. A number of years ago, some problems developed with people using the bus station (urination, defecation, and vagrancy at all hours of the night). However, a locked bus station does not afford people who are legitimately waiting for a bus, any protection from the elements. A few years ago, Mr. Rutishauser appeared before the Village Council and suggested the construction of a typical New Jersey Transit (NJT) bus shelter (with a roof and two sides), which would offer some protection from the elements but would not encourage people to sleep there overnight. This suggestion “never went anywhere.” At the present time, Mr. Rutishauser indicated that he could reopen those discussions with NJT, to see what they would provide to the Village.

 

Councilmember Weitz said that he would be interested in seeing what type of structure could potentially replace the existing structure. Mr. Kazmark said that the structure would be basic, a three-sided glass shelter, with black pillars and domed white roof. There are more decorative versions of such a structure.

 

Councilmember Winograd said that she would like to see the memorandum composed by Ms. Hickey, since it was not included in the packet this evening. Mr. Kazmark said that he would furnish the memo to the Village Councilmembers. Councilmember Winograd stated that she frequently walks by the bus station and finds that it is an “eyesore” in its deteriorated condition. She spoke with Lynn Brady, a Class A member of the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC). Councilmember Winograd was told that the existing structure at the bus station was designed by Robert Gilchrist in the 1960s, and it won an award from the New Jersey American Institute of Architects. The bus station structure is not deemed to be historic; however, it has a nice historic story. John Gilchrist, Robert Gilchrist’s son, prepared plans in 2019 for the restoration of the bus station structure. The bulk of the cost for the restoration was the cost for the windows. John Gilchrist had recommended keeping the existing structure, but making it more of a shelter rather than an enclosed structure.

 

When asked by Councilmember Weitz to relate a bit of Ms. Brady’s background, Councilmember Winograd stated that Ms. Brady helped to design the Gold Star Families Memorial, which will be installed in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square next year. Mayor Vagianos stated that Ms. Brady is an architect of some renown, who has designed a number of beautiful buildings “in an older style” for the City of New York. Councilmember Winograd added that Ms. Brady personally knows John Gilchrist.

 

Councilmember Winograd said that everyone could probably agree that the structure at the bus station needs some “love and attention.” She feels that the basic structure designed by NJT is not suitable for Ridgewood and that the Village Council should move forward with pricing out the restoration of the structure by John Gilchrist. She would like to see two estimates, one with windows and one without windows.

 

Mr. Kazmark said that the “ask” this evening is whether or not the Village Councilmembers want to see estimates to rehabilitate the bus station structure, into more of a shelter than a fully enclosed structure, which encourages vagrancy. In his discussions with the NJDOT, he learned that the Village has some transportation funding available, from when the Village was operating the Park and Ride on Route 17. However, the Village is very limited in how those funds can be spent, and Mr. Kazmark said that any expenditures would require approval by the NJDOT. He would like permission from the Village Council to enter into discussions with the NJDOT, to see if they would give permission to the Village to use some of that transportation funding towards rehabilitation of the bus shelter. If the NJDOT agreed to do so, then the burden of allocating funds for this project could be a reduction to the Village’s Capital Budget investment for 2024. Deputy Mayor Perron thought that this was a good idea.

 

Councilmember Weitz was in favor of Mr. Kazmark discussing this matter with the NJDOT, but he wanted to ensure that whatever renovations were made to the bus station structure would make it functional. He would like to ensure that the aesthetics remain intact, and that the building does not become an area for vagrants again.

 

Mr. Kazmark said that he feels discussions with the Police Department are also necessary, from a lighting standpoint and security camera standpoint. Technology has advanced since the building was first built, and motion sensor lighting could also be considered for the building for enhanced security.

 

Mayor Vagianos felt that this was an excellent suggestion made by Mr. Kazmark. He said that the bus station structure has beautiful lines and fits wonderfully within the CBD, although it is severely deteriorated. He agreed that the building should be designed so that it is “not a problem” in the future. He was in favor of pursuing talks with the NJDOT, to see if transportation funds could be used for this project, and everyone agreed. Councilmember Winograd remarked that the existing structure is a bit bland and she would like to see more color in the structure when it is rehabilitated.

 

Mr. Rutishauser said that one of the problems at the bus station currently is that it attracts “overnighters.” One way to minimize these occurrences is to take off the doors and have the structure open on one side. Mr. Kazmark agreed with Mr. Rutishauser’s recommendation. Councilmember Winograd agreed, and stated that “age-friendly” benches should be installed as well. The current benches are crumbling. Deputy Mayor Perron also agreed, but stated that there should also be bathroom facilities at the bus station. In most civilized societies, bathrooms are provided for visitors, such as in London, Japan, and Paris. However, if bathroom facilities were installed, someone would have to “man” them, or they could be kept locked and people could pay a small charge to use the facilities. She agreed that having the structure open on one side is the most expedient way to discourage vagrancy.

 

There was further discussion about the design of the bus station structure. Mr. Kazmark indicated that several designs and cost estimates would be developed, one where the structure would have glass on all three sides and one where the three walls were solid. Mayor Vagianos said that having solid walls, which one cannot see through, will encourage vagrancy. However, using glass on all three sides is expensive. Mr. Kazmark said that this is the very reason why discussions need to take place with the Police Department, since it will be the police officers who will need to patrol this area.

 

            C.        OPERATIONS

 

                        1.         ACCEPT DONATION OF VEHICLE – OFFICE OF EMERGENCY

                                    MANAGEMENT

 

Mr. Kazmark explained that this item pertains to the acceptance of a donation of a vehicle for the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) from Bergen County. This vehicle is a 1999 Freightliner truck, which will be utilized as a Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) vehicle. This truck will replace the current Special Operations MCI Trailer. A resolution is required to accept this donation.

 

Councilmember Weitz asked if the Village really needed a 24-year-old truck. Mr. Rutishauser replied that this vehicle will not get a lot of mileage on it, and will be used primarily as a storage unit. It has roll-up doors and is free. The truck would be stored at 33 Douglas Place.

 

Councilmember Reynolds asked how much it would cost each year for the Village to insure this vehicle. Mr. Kazmark said that insuring this truck would not have much effect on the insurance premiums, since the Village has such as extensive fleet.

 

7.         COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

 

Mayor Vagianos asked if there were any further comments from the public.

 

Rurik Halaby, 1 Franklin Avenue, complimented Councilmember Reynolds for her wonderful summation of the CSAC meeting. He attended the meeting, which he stated was rather heated, but he felt that Councilmember Reynolds did a great job of summarizing the key points. He also gave kudos to Deputy Mayor Perron for raising the question about the need for restrooms at the bus station. Mr. Halaby felt that restrooms were indeed needed at the bus station, since every civilized and advanced economy has restrooms available to the public.

 

Mr. Halaby said that he believed Mr. Rutishauser stated that the proposed generator at Village Hall would be powered by diesel fuel, instead of natural gas. Mr. Halaby said that while it may be cheaper to purchase a diesel generator, the cost in the long run will be much worse environmentally. He urged Deputy Mayor Perron to look into this matter, since he was aware that she is a big environmental supporter. He said that people are moving away from diesel fuel and moving towards natural gas.

 

Regarding the Schedler property, Mr. Halaby said that over the last six to seven months, a multitude of people came out to speak before the Village Council about the matter. He said that members of the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) and Shade Tree Commission (STC) should have come to speak before the Village Council as well, during that time. He said that it was ridiculous for these members to expect a gilded invitation from the Village Council for them to speak at a meeting. Mr. Halaby asked where these members were when the prior Village Council was discussing the Schedler property. He said that he would have liked to hear the opinions of the STC about the trees that were planted on the berm, which he said were entirely unsuitable.

 

Regarding decorum in the courtroom, Mr. Halaby said that the Village Councilmembers should do everything they can to encourage residents to make public comments. He said that the Village Councilmembers should not make a “mountain out of a molehill,” because the problems during meetings have not been that bad.

 

Boyd A. Loving, 342 South Irving Street, said that there was a question this evening about where the truck being donated to EMS would be stored. He did not believe that an answer was given to that question.

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that Mr. Rutishauser had indicated that the truck would be stored at EMS headquarters, at 33 Douglas Place.

 

Mr. Loving said that he supports Deputy Mayor Perron’s comment that the Village’s 5G telecommunications consultant needs to be consulted about the cell phone antennae, which are proposed to be placed on top of Village Hall. He has a friend in that business and Mr. Loving stated that there are many different options. While he understands the Village’s desire to capitalize on revenue, Mr. Loving indicated that there might be a better location owned by the Village where the antennae can be installed. He recalled the recent emergency appropriation made to make repairs on the third floor ceiling of Village Hall. Mr. Loving said that now the Village Councilmembers are talking about adding more weight to the roof and antennae on the outside façade of Village Hall.  He urged the Village Councilmembers to contact their consultant, to learn about other options that may be available.

 

There were no further public comments.

Deputy Mayor Perron said that the Village Councilmembers do not ask Village committees to make statements or not make statements. She pointed out that a representative from Green Ridgewood spoke before the Village Council, with regard to artificial turf.

 

Mr. Rogers said that he attended an STC meeting and he told everyone that they were free to come to a Village Council meeting, at any time to make comments. However, unless a consensus is reached by a committee on a particular point, one member of a committee stating their opinions, cannot speak for the entire committee.

 

8.         ADJOURNMENT

 

There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Deputy Mayor Perron, seconded by Councilmember Reynolds, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the Village Council’s Regular Public Work Session was adjourned at 10:25 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                ____________________________________

                                                                                                Paul Vagianos

                                                                                                        Mayor

 

 

 

 

 

 

____________________________________

                     Heather A. Mailander

                           Village Clerk

A REGULAR PUBLIC WORK SESSION OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE SYDNEY V. STOLDT, JR. COURT ROOM OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ON NOVEMBER 1, 2023 AT 7:30 P.M.

 

1.         CALL TO ORDER – OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT – ROLL CALL – FLAG SALUTE

 

Mayor Vagianos called the meeting to order at 7:32 p.m. and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. At roll call, the following were present: Councilmembers Perron, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos. Councilmember Reynolds was absent from the meeting. Also present were Keith Kazmark, Village Manager; Heather Mailander, Village Clerk, and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney.

 

Mayor Vagianos led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.

 

2.         COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

 

Kristina Milian, 530 West Saddle River Road, said that she wanted to address an item on the October 25, 2023 Village Council meeting agenda; specifically, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) “Big Tree” designation. Ms. Milian said that she is the Village resident who discovered the Big Tree program, notified the Village about it, and nominated the sugar maple tree on the Schedler property for Big Tree designation. She said that the transcripts from last week’s meeting show that the accounts given by Councilmember Winograd, the Village Manager and Village Attorney were misrepresentations of what actually transpired. Ms. Milian said that a picture was painted during last week’s meeting that the nomination was nefarious, and this is not true. Under the direction of the NJDEP and its website, Ms. Milian said that anyone can nominate a tree and not just the owner, as Councilmember Winograd incorrectly stated. When completing the nomination form, Ms. Milian indicated that the owner of the property where the tree is located, which is the Village of Ridgewood, had not completed the Right of Access (ROA) Agreement.

 

Ms. Milian said that she sent an email on August 22, 2023 to the Village Manager, Deputy Mayor Perron, Councilmember Winograd, Green Ridgewood, Shade Tree Commission members, and Friends of the Zabriskie-Schedler House, with a copy to the NJDEP, seeking permission to designate this sugar maple as a Big Tree. She said that she also attached the ROA Agreement to the Village Manager for his signature. However, Mr. Kazmark indicated at last week’s Village Council meeting that he was never approached to sign such an agreement.

 

Ms. Milian stated that on September 19, 2023, the NJDEP wrote to the Village Manager, with a copy to Ms. Milian, congratulating the Village on having the sugar maple designated as a Big Tree. Ms. Milian said that Mr. Kazmark replied by stating, “Thank you for sharing. I will send it to our Shade Tree Division and share with the Commission. While there is a plan for park development on the site, maintaining this special tree has and will continue to be a top priority.” Councilmember Winograd sent a copy of the September 19, 2023 NJDEP email to the Parks, Recreation and Conservation (PRC) Board, the Village Arborist, and the Village Attorney. She requested that the tree wires be added to the report and that the NJDEP report be updated. Ms. Milian felt that this seemed like authorization for the NJDEP to proceed.

 

Ms. Milian said that there were at least 15 email “exchanges” on this email thread between the Village Manager, Councilmember Winograd, the NJDEP, and others, from August to early October 2023. She said that anyone reading these emails between elected and State officials, with no objections stated, could reasonably assume that the Village of Ridgewood granted permission.

 

Ms. Milian stated that on October 15, 2023, the NJDEP confirmed that the sugar maple tree was designated as a Heritage Tree. Despite all of these efforts, two days later, the Village Attorney submitted a legal demand that both the Big Tree and Heritage Tree statuses be rescinded, citing that the Village never granted permission for the NJDEP to access the historic Schedler property. However, Ms. Milian stated that up until this point, the NJDEP had been asked by Councilmember Winograd and Village Attorney to add details to their official report. Ms. Milian asked why this rescission request was never disclosed to the public. Despite all of this, Ms. Milian stated that the sugar maple is the Village’s first Big Tree and it is a Heritage Tree. She concluded by asking the Village Councilmembers if they would commit to signing the ROA Agreement and adding the matter to next week’s agenda (November 8, 2023) for consent.

 

John Paquin, 371 East Glen Avenue, said that he grew up in a house in what is known as “Old Paramus,” that his grandparents built in 1922. He stated that with regard to the sugar maple tree on the Schedler property, he feels that there is a lot of misinformation “floating around.” Regarding Major Thomas Byles, after whom the tree was to be named, was a Major in the American Army that was assigned to the post in Paramus in 1780, after the British had attacked two weeks earlier across the Schedler property. He died two weeks later, in Ridgewood, after another British attack. He was an American patriot and died defending his country. Mr. Paquin said that he has proof of these facts, contained in a letter to George Washington from Major Byles, telling him of the injuries he sustained. He was shot after refusing to surrender his sword to the British.

 

Mr. Paquin stated that the sugar maple tree on the Schedler property is certified as being 259 years old; it was “born” in 1764, before this country was even born. He stated that at various battleground sites in the United States, such as Gettysburg, Lexington and Concord, they have “witness trees.” These trees are sacred and protected, because they have witnessed battles. Mr. Paquin stated that the sugar maple on the Schedler property is a witness tree, present in 1780 when a battle was fought near it. He said that George Washington, together with 5,000 troops, encamped on the Schedler property and surrounding property more than once. He added that there were 200 to 300 American troops posted on the same property for the duration of the Revolutionary War (1777-1783).  One of the commanders at that time was Major Thomas Byles. This property used to be known as the “Paramus Campground.”

 

Mr. Paquin concluded by stating that the Schedler property is a very important Revolutionary War site steeped in history. There were eight engagements with the British Army on this and surrounding property. He said that the Old Paramus Church used to be located in Paramus. He said that the Schedler property is worth preserving, and he would love to work with Ridgewood’s Historian to make sure nothing is missed. He added that he felt it was important to honor Major Byles for his service.

 

Jacqueline Hone, 30 Carriage Lane, said that Mr. Kazmark stated at last week’s Village Council meeting that he was never approached to sign a Right of Access (ROA) Agreement for the Schedler property’s sugar maple tree. He also said, “And if I had been approached, I would have brought it to the Village Council.” Ms. Hone said that, in fact, the Village Manager was approached about nominating the sugar maple on the Schedler property as a Big Tree/Heritage Tree, and he was provided with an ROA Agreement to complete and sign. Ms. Hone asked the Village Councilmembers if they would add this matter to the next Public Workshop agenda, now that the true facts are known, so that they may vote on it. She said that the nomination was rescinded, based upon a technicality, according to Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney. The “technicality” was that the ROA Agreement was never signed.

 

Rohan DeSilva, 521 West Saddle River Road, said that Mayor Vagianos apologized to him privately, regarding an incident that occurred at a Village Council meeting a few months ago, but Mayor Vagianos has never apologized to him publicly. He said that Mayor Vagianos was not a man of his word, and probably not even a man.

Mayor Vagianos then interrupted Mr. DeSilva. Councilmember Winograd called a Point of Order. Mayor Vagianos said that Mr. DeSilva has to speak respectfully before the Village Council and should not “wag his finger” at them. Mayor Vagianos said that everyone was interested in what Mr. DeSilva had to say, but that he had to speak respectfully. Mr. DeSilva said that every time he has spoken before the Village Council, he has been disrespected. He insisted upon a public apology from Mayor Vagianos for admonishing him in the courtroom during a Village Council meeting. Mr. DeSilva stated that no one viewing the meeting was aware that Mayor Vagianos had apologized to him privately. He said that Mayor Vagianos accused him of something that was incorrect. Mayor Vagianos said that he did not like the tone of voice in which Mr. DeSilva was speaking to him, and he would not respond to him when he was speaking in that tone of voice. Mr. DeSilva accused Mayor Vagianos of chastising him in front of the public, and of treating him condescendingly and “like an idiot.”

 

Mr. Rogers said that this is a portion of the meeting where members of the public can make comments. He stated that there was no requirement or obligation for anybody sitting on the dais to answer any question from the public during public comments. Mr. DeSilva stated that he, himself, has made plenty of mistakes and, when he does, he is man enough to apologize. He said that Mayor Vagianos addressed him by name in front of everyone and told him to be silent. Mr. DeSilva said that he was not speaking intentionally while sitting in the audience, while someone was speaking at the podium, but was merely trying to find out what was said, since he has a hearing impairment. He stated that all of the Village Councilmembers, and Mr. Rogers, were a poor representation of the Village of Ridgewood.

 

Cynthia O’Keefe, 542 West Saddle River Road, said that a resident spoke at the October 11, 2023 Village Council meeting, regarding a proposed change to the parking regulations on North Walnut Street. This resident stated that the proposed regulations would change his neighborhood dramatically, would detrimentally affect the traffic pattern, would prevent children from playing in the street, and would lower property values, especially if people were not allowed to park in front of their own house. Ms. O’Keefe said that these comments resounded with her, and she feels the same way about how the plans for the Schedler property will affect the neighborhood. She said that she corresponded with Mr. Kazmark about this situation, and was advised by him to contact the Police Department. Ms. O’Keefe wondered whether a traffic study should be performed along West Saddle River Road, along with an air pollution study. She said that she was confused as to which route to take, whether to speak with the Police Department or not, and she asked for more guidance in this regard.

 

Ms. O’Keefe said that there was an accident on Route 17 a few weeks ago, and the traffic was diverted to West Saddle River Road. However, it was impossible for a car to pass through from the other direction, with cars parked on both sides of West Saddle River Road, a very narrow road. This caused a “traffic nightmare.” She is very concerned about safety in this area. Stating that she wanted to be “proactive” rather than “reactive,” Ms. O’Keefe asked that a traffic safety study be performed, as well as an air pollution study, in the Schedler neighborhood.

 

In addition, Ms. O’Keefe stated that she was disappointed about the rescission of the nomination of the sugar maple tree on the Schedler property as a Big Tree or Heritage Tree, based upon a technicality. She asked the Village Councilmembers to “embrace history.”

 

Frettra DeSilva, 521 West Saddle River Road, stated that she was also disappointed about the comments made during last week’s Village Council meeting, regarding the sugar maple tree on the Schedler property. Instead of celebrating the nomination for this tree to be designated as a Big Tree or Heritage Tree, it was characterized as an action that was disgracefully done. Ms. DeSilva feels that circumventing Village officials was not the true intent of the person who nominated the tree. It is her understanding that many members of the governing body and Village staff were copied on a lot of email correspondence, and she does not feel that the nominator thought they had the authority to act on behalf of the Village. There was no “mantra of secrecy” or communications without pertinent officials being copied on all correspondence. She would like to see these inferences clarified, because she does not feel the actions taken by the applicant were nefarious or secretive.

 

Anne Loving, 342 South Irving Street, said that she cannot believe that someone speaking at the podium cannot “wag a finger” toward the Village Councilmembers, and she wondered if this “rule” was going to be written into the document setting forth the decorum to be followed during Village Council meetings. She said that the Village Councilmembers “need to get a grip” on this.

 

Suzanne Ruane, 705 Kingsbridge Lane, said that she has attended a few meetings of the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee (CSAC), and there are usually two residents at every meeting speaking about various safety issues in the Village. One resident spoke about safety concerns regarding lighting at intersections to allow pedestrians to safely cross the street, and the other resident spoke about sight triangle obstructions at various intersections in the Village. After the serious accident, which occurred on Maple Avenue yesterday, Ms. Ruane hoped that people would take things more seriously. She said that the CSAC members and the Police Department need to be proactive and start taking a look at these locations, to determine if any safety improvements need to be made.

 

Ms. Ruane stated that while Ridgewood’s population has been steadily increasing, the Village has stayed in a “time warp.” Ms. Ruane said that there are many locations that need traffic lights, pedestrian crossing lights, stop signs and yield signs, particularly Linwood Avenue and Northern Parkway. She said that yesterday’s accident highlights the severity of the Village’s lack of response to safety concerns. Ms. Ruane stated that this is not an isolated incident, since there was also a serious accident a few months ago on Linwood Avenue. She said that action needs to be taken immediately, before more people die or are maimed by these serious accidents.

 

Rurik Halaby, 1 Franklin Avenue, offered Mayor Vagianos his full support for the great job he is doing for the Village. He said that Mayor Vagianos was a man of integrity, and he should let slurs cast at him roll off his back.

 

There were no further public comments.

 

Addressing Mr. DeSilva, Mayor Vagianos stated that on the night in question, Mr. DeSilva was speaking loudly to someone and Mayor Vagianos was trying to quiet the audience down, so that the speaker at the podium could be heard. When he spoke to Mr. DeSilva to ask him to quiet down, Mr. DeSilva was not looking at him, and that is the reason why Mayor Vagianos referred to him by name. When Mr. DeSilva told Mayor Vagianos that he was embarrassed by his actions, Mayor Vagianos said that he apologized personally to Mr. DeSilva. This evening, Mayor Vagianos publicly apologized to Mr. DeSilva for embarrassing him. However, he said that he only used Mr. DeSilva’s name to get his attention and not to embarrass him.

 

Councilmember Winograd stated that the NJDEP has two statuses of trees: one is Big Tree status and one is Heritage tree status. The Big Tree status has not been rescinded. As Council Liaison to the Shade Tree Commission (STC), she has attended meetings where this program has been discussed, since last spring. She received correspondence from the NJDEP about a month ago, regarding the nomination for Big Tree status, for the sugar maple tree on the Schedler property. She became concerned that some important information was missing from the report. The first was that none of the cabling affixed to the tree was identified, and the second was that this sugar maple had been fed $6,100.00 worth of tree food. She contacted a representative from the NJDEP and told them that she was concerned about the “ranking” of the tree. She felt that the NJDEP had ranked the tree at a higher (healthier) status than the Village Arborist and Engineering Department had ranked it. In addition, the Big Tree certificate was issued to Ringwood, rather than to Ridgewood.

 

Councilmember Winograd said that she wanted all of her concerns to be addressed. It was her understanding that the Heritage Tree nomination would go through the STC and possibly the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC). Much to her surprise, approximately 10 days ago, she received a note from the NJDEP stating that the sugar maple had been nominated and approved for Heritage Tree status. Councilmember Winograd sent an email asking how this could have occurred, since the Village had not been involved in making the nomination. The NJDEP quickly realized that the Village had not made the nomination, as the owner of the land on which the tree is located. Councilmember Winograd learned that boxes had been checked on the Heritage Tree application indicating that the Right of Access (ROA) Agreement had been filled out. She said that no one ever appeared at STC or HPC meetings or before the Village Council for permission to make this nomination. She said that she, Mr. Kazmark, Mr. Rogers and members of the STC will be meeting with the NJDEP to review how to expand the Heritage Tree program. Councilmember Winograd feels that more information about this program is needed, particularly educating residents that they can nominate such a tree on their own private property. While she is thankful for everyone who has served our country, including Major Byles, she is concerned about naming the tree in honor of someone who was not from Ridgewood.

 

Mr. Rogers stated that the comments he made during last week’s Village Council meeting on October 25, 2023 had to do with the Heritage Tree classification. The nomination petition for the Heritage Tree classification, which Mr. Rogers indicated that neither he nor the Village Councilmembers had seen prior to receiving a copy from the NJDEP, had a box checked “yes” that asked whether or not the owner had completed the ROA Agreement. Mr. Rogers said that the ROA Agreement had, in fact, been signed by someone other than a Village official. This same individual also decided that they would name the tree and provide this name to the NJDEP. He said that Major Byles has never even lived in the Village. Mr. Rogers insisted that no one ever said naming the sugar maple as a Heritage Tree was a negative thing. However, the objection is that the whole process was done without the authority and participation of the Village, the owner of the tree. When the NJDEP found out that the Village had not initiated the nomination petition, the NJDEP decided to rescind the application.

 

Mr. Rogers stated that it has always been, and will continue to be, the commitment of the Village to maintain and protect the sugar maple tree on the Schedler property. Each iteration of the plans for the development of the Schedler property has never suggested compromising this tree in any way. At a time deemed appropriate by the Village, it will consider certifying this tree as a Heritage Tree, with it being named in honor of a distinguished and notable individual from Ridgewood’s past. Only the Village can initiate and complete this process as the owner of the tree.

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that the Heritage Tree program, sponsored by the NJDEP, is an excellent program. He commended Councilmember Winograd for trying to promote this program further in Ridgewood, through the efforts of the STC and other committees. Mr. Kazmark said that he wanted to clarify some of the statements made this evening. He believed that he acknowledged last week that there was some back-and-forth correspondence in the summer of this year, relative to this attempt to designate the tree as both a Big Tree and Heritage Tree. Mr. Kazmark thereafter communicated with the Village Clerk about this process and asked whether or not it would need to come before the Village Council. Ms. Mailander and Mr. Kazmark decided that the matter should be brought before the Village Council, and they spoke about possibly adding this matter to the agenda in the fall.

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that when he stated last week that he was never approached about signing such an agreement, he meant that the NJDEP never approached him to sign the ROA Agreement and finalize the process. He said that no one was aware that there had been two submissions to the NJDEP, one for Big Tree status and one for Heritage Tree status. If the NJDEP had approached him about signing the agreement, he and Ms. Mailander had already decided that it would be added to a Village Council meeting agenda in September or October. Mr. Kazmark stated that on one of the applications sent to the NJDEP, it was represented that the ROA Agreement had indeed been signed by him, on behalf of the Village, when in fact it had not.

 

Mayor Vagianos stated that the Village Councilmembers are not opposed to proceeding with designation of the sugar maple as either a Big Tree or Heritage Tree, but they will wait until the development of the Schedler property is completed. Councilmember Winograd agreed with Mayor Vagianos’s comments.

 

3.         VILLAGE MANAGER’S REPORT

 

Mr. Kazmark reported that the plantings of trees in the Central Business District (CBD) continues. There will be a total of 37 new trees planted in the tree wells. In addition, 120 new trees will be planted in residential areas on the right-of-way. He thanked the Parks and Recreation Department and the Shade Tree Commission for all of their hard work.

 

Mr. Kazmark expressed the hope that everyone had a happy and safe Halloween. Some safety advice was sent out via social media, email and reverse 911 calls.

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that there was a serious pedestrian/motor vehicle accident on North Maple Avenue recently. He stated that this is one of the intersections where the flashing crosswalk strobe lights have been installed for pedestrian safety. The investigation into this accident continues, and Mr. Kazmark stated that it does not appear that the flashers were used by the pedestrian, while attempting to cross North Maple Avenue. He reminded everyone to take full advantage of these flashing lights when attempting to cross this highly trafficked street.

 

Replying to Ms. Ruane’s earlier comments, Mr. Kazmark stated that he also attended the recent CSAC meeting. CSAC members, Councilmember Reynolds and Mr. Kazmark have been working closely with the Police Department to address some of the concerns raised by residents who attended the meeting. The intersection of Morningside Road and Hamilton Road was recently striped, thereby visually reducing the pedestrian crosswalk and narrowing traffic flows, to enhance safety in that location.

 

Mr. Kazmark reported that, on Monday of this week, he had the opportunity to tour all of the different areas at the Ridgewood Library. Yesterday, Richard Calbi, Director of Ridgewood Water, took Mr. Kazmark on a tour of the new Ridgewood Water headquarters on Maple Avenue and the various treatment plants and well sites throughout the Village. He said that he found it extremely interesting to view the investment that the Village has made in its infrastructure, in order to rid the drinking water of PFAS contamination. Today, Fire Chief John Judge and Jeremy Kleiman, Director of Emergency Management, led Mr. Kazmark on a tour of the Emergency Services building on Douglas Place. Tomorrow, Mr. Kazmark will be touring the Water Pollution Control Facility (WPCF) with Christoper Rutishauser, Village Engineer, and Jim Fells, Supervisor of the WPCF.

 

The next Council Chat is scheduled for November 4, 2023 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., in the Village Hall courtroom. Residents are encouraged to make an appointment by calling 201-670-5500, extension 2206, but walk-ins are also welcome.

 

Mr. Kazmark announced that the Board of Education and General Election will take place on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. Polls will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Individuals with questions about where to vote may call the Village Clerk’s Office for information.

 

The 2023 leaf collection flyer has been mailed to all residents. He reminded residents to only place leaves in the street during the dates listed, for their specific area, on the flyer. Anyone with questions may access further information on the Village website.

 

Village Hall and all Village offices will be closed on Friday, November 10, 2023, in observance of Veterans Day. There will be no garbage or recycling pickup on that day, and the Recycling Center will be closed on that day and on Saturday, November 11, 2023. The Recycling Center will be open on Wednesday, November 8, 2023 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

 

On Saturday, November 11, 2023, American Legion Post 53 will host a Veterans Day service in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square.  All are invited to attend to honor those who have served in the Armed Forces to protect our liberties and freedom.

 

The Ridgewood Elder Dinner will take place on Sunday, November 12, 2023, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., at the Old Paramus Reformed Church. Doors will open at 2:30 p.m. Registration is required for this event on CommunityPass.

 

The Ridgewood Guild’s 14^th Annual Winterfest will be held in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square on Saturday, November 25, 2023, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

 

4.         VILLAGE COUNCIL REPORTS

 

Councilmember Weitz stated that on Saturday, October 28, 2023, he had the opportunity to tour the CBD with several volunteers from the Ridgewood Arts Council. He is Council Liaison to the Ridgewood Arts Council. They went door to door to remind businesses of the Ridgewood Holiday Window Display Contest and distributed flyers with the contest rules. Judging will be held from November 25 to 30, 2023 by the Ridgewood Guild, Chamber of Commerce, and the Ridgewood Arts Council. Winners will be announced on December 1, at the Downtown for the Holidays celebration sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. Gift cards will be awarded to the winning businesses. He encouraged all businesses to participate and beautify the CBD during the holidays.

 

Councilmember Weitz said that he and Councilmember Reynolds will be at Council Chat this coming Saturday, November 4. He encouraged all residents to attend. He stated that he is looking forward to attending the Ridgewood Library’s 100^th Anniversary celebration. Further details will be announced next Wednesday (November 8, 2023) at the next Village Council meeting.

 

Councilmember Winograd said that, earlier this week, she toured the Northwest Bergen Central Dispatch facility, with Mayor Vagianos. She thanked Thomas and Eric, and the rest of the staff, for the thorough and detailed “inside look” at the facility. She stated how lucky the Village is to employ such dedicated and professional people. The technology and customer service aspects were especially interesting. She encouraged the rest of the Village Councilmembers to tour the facility as well.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron stated that the Green Team is considering exploring a relationship with Columbia University (her alma mater) to see if some graduate students can assist with a project to develop a plan to “de-carbonize” the Village, to the extent possible, with both short- and long-term goals. In addition, they wish to develop a sustainability roadmap outlining recommended actions, analyzing initiatives developed by other towns, and developing ways to access funding.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron announced that Green Ridgewood will meet tomorrow (November 2, 2023) at 7:30 p.m., in the Senior Lounge on the first floor of Village Hall. The Village Manager will be attending this meeting for the first time.

 

The Chamber of Commerce held their annual Halloween Festival this past Saturday (October 28, 2023) in the CBD. There was a pumpkin patch, an enormous live parrot named Romeo, a maze, and costume contests for both humans and dogs. Deputy Mayor Perron said that the festival was a lot of fun.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron reminded everyone to vote on Election Day or beforehand.

 

Mayor Vagianos stated that the staff who work at Northwest Bergen Central Dispatch (NWBCD) are “unsung heroes,” who save lives every day and assist people in their darkest hour. He said that he once experienced a serious emergency, and the first responders were amazing when they came to his home. Mayor Vagianos said that these people deal with “high tension” moments, similar to working conditions experienced by air traffic controllers. The NWBCD center employs high technology and state-of-the-art equipment to help people in need. Each workstation has eight screens. Mayor Vagianos personally thanked all of the staff for their 24/7/365 work that they do for the Village every day. He said that he was very moved by his tour of this facility.

 

Mayor Vagianos said that, today, he and Ms. Mailander gave a tour of Village Hall to the third grade class at Orchard School. Voting was discussed, and the children pledged to vote in every election, once they turn 18, for the rest of their lives. He urged all Village residents to vote in every election as well, and stated that in all likelihood, half of the residents in the Village will not vote in the election next week on Election Day. Mayor Vagianos asked all residents to vote, in honor of the men and women who fought and died, so that our right to vote would be preserved. He stated that many people around the world are fighting to have the opportunity to vote, which many people take for granted.

5.         PRESENTATION

 

            A.        GRANT WRITER – MILLENNIUM STRATEGIES

 

Mr. Kazmark announced that there will be a presentation this evening via Zoom by Millennium Strategies, a grant-writing firm that the Village has previously engaged, several years ago. He introduced Edward Farmer, the President and CEO of Millennium Strategies, and Katie Kocher, Deputy Director of Research and Special Projects for Millennium Strategies.

 

Mr. Farmer stated that Millennium Strategies is a grant-writing research and consulting firm, based in Morristown, New Jersey. They represent governmental agencies in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, as well as in other parts of the country. In New Jersey, they represent over 100 municipalities. They provide consulting services for large communities and older suburban communities, such as Paterson and Passaic, which submit up to 60 grant applications a year. Millennium Strategies provides communities with access to a portal containing all of their research information and synopses of available grants. If a municipal official is interested in applying for a particular grant on their portal, they are free to contact Ms. Kocher to discuss whether or not their municipality would qualify for that particular grant. A municipality may contract with his firm to write the grants in which they are interested.

 

Mr. Farmer stated that municipalities such as Franklin Lakes use his firm strictly as a research tool, and they write the grants in-house, although Millennium Strategies has also written grants for them in the past. Training for municipal workers is provided by Millennium Strategies on how to access their portal for grant opportunities.

 

Ms. Kocher stated that every municipality is different, so Millennium Strategies will work with each municipality to customize their services for them.

 

Mr. Kazmark pointed out page 3 of Millennium Strategies’ proposal, which outlines four different services under “Scope of Services.” One is the establishment of a user platform within their online grant research portal. This would allow all Village Department Directors and key staff members to gain access to the portal, to view the latest information on available grants, including grants offered by governmental agencies and the private sector. The second service provides access to detailed grant summaries, the third service provides consultations on available grant opportunities, and the fourth service provides project support. The first three services are available for a flat fee of $4,800.00. The fourth service, project support, is billed at an hourly rate of $150.00.

 

Mr. Kazmark remarked that in the last two municipalities in which he served, they had contracted with Millennium Strategies for their comprehensive plan. He mentioned that the Village Engineering Department writes the majority of their grant applications in-house. However, this portal would allow Mr. Rutishauser and his staff to monitor any additional or new grants that become available in real-time. In addition, the Ridgewood Fire Department has someone who specializes in writing firefighter grant applications. Similarly, this person will be able to access the Millennium Strategies portal to look for any new grants that may have become available. Mr. Kazmark stated that many Village departments do not have any grant writers, such as the Parks and Recreation Department, and this is the area where Millennium Strategies can assist the Village. He is recommending that the Village move forward with the proposal presented by Millennium Strategies.

 

Councilmember Weitz asked if the $4,800.00 flat fee had already been appropriated in the budget. Mr. Kazmark stated that funding is available, per Robert Rooney, Chief Financial Officer, and he would like to structure the contract to begin on January 1, 2024.

 

Councilmember Winograd asked what the terms of the prior contract were between Millennium Strategies and the Village. Mr. Farmer replied that the Village contracted with Millennium Strategies in 2018 and 2019. He added that his firm represents several towns throughout Bergen County. The contract with Ridgewood was not extended, since there was a large capacity of grant writers within Village Departments. Millennium’s services were underutilized and the Village could not justify this expenditure at that time. He stated that for the flat fee of $4,800.00, he and his staff would be happy to find as many grants as possible for the Village. In 2019, Millennium was authorized to write seven grants for Ridgewood. Mr. Farmer feels that now is a good time for the Village to engage once again with Millennium, even if only to gain access to their portal to view available grants, such as Historic Preservation grants or Open Space Trust Fund grants. A user can search by category within the portal. This will allow for better planning by the Village, as to which projects they wish to accomplish within a certain timeframe.

 

Upon questioning by Councilmember Weitz, Mr. Kazmark replied that if Ridgewood contracted with Millennium, it would be for a term of one year. The return on investment (ROI) would be re-evaluated at the end of that time period. Councilmember Weitz said that he fully supported hiring Millennium Strategies as a vendor. Mr. Kazmark added that the success or failure of obtaining grants depends upon how aggressive a municipality is in pursuing the grants.

 

Mayor Vagianos said that he looks forward to entering into a one-year contract with Millennium Strategies. Mr. Farmer said that he looks forward to increasing the Village’s ROI.

6.         DISCUSSION:

 

            A.        RIDGEWOOD WATER

 

                        1.         AWARD CONTRACT – VALLEY VIEW RESERVOIR

                                    IMPROVEMENTS

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that this item pertains to the awarding of a contract for improvements at the Valley View Reservoir, a 1.25 million gallon capacity, pre-stressed concrete, water storage tank located in Ridgewood. The improvements include interior and exterior cleaning, concrete repairs (if required), miscellaneous improvements to comply with Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) and American Water Works Association (AWWA) standards, and installation of a tank mixer. T&M Associates (TM), the engineer of record for this project, prepared the construction documents, reviewed all bids, and will assist Ridgewood Water with administering the construction phase of the project. The rehabilitation will prolong the life of the tank and improve water quality. Improvements also include repairs of the leaky vault hatch and provisions for future security camera installation.

 

Mr. Kazmark indicated that three bids were received out of the eight that were picked up. TM recommends that this contract be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, DN Tanks, LLC, of Wakefield, Massachusetts, in an amount not to exceed $391,400.00. Funding is contained in the Ridgewood Water Capital Budget.

 

For the record, Deputy Mayor Perron pointed out that TM recommended that the apparent low bid from Brave Industrial Paint be rejected, due to insufficient experience qualifications. Mr. Rogers added that bidders on this project were required to submit references from three prior contracts, and Brave Industrial Paint could not do so.

 

                        2.         AWARD CONTRACT – FLOOD-PROOFING EAST SADDLE

                                    RIVER AND LINWOOD PUMP HOUSES

 

Mr. Kazmark explained that this matter pertains to the awarding of a contract for flood-proofing the East Saddle River and Linwood pump houses, both located in Ridgewood. Both pump houses are within the flood plain and have had flooding events, resulting in about three to four feet of water in the building, which caused damage to equipment. This project will include flood-proofing doors and sealing building penetrations to prevent future flood events from penetrating into the building, as well as performing carpentry and masonry repairs, and interior painting. Four bids were received on October 12, 2023, out of the eight bid packets that were picked up.

 

RSC Architects is the architect of record for this project, and they prepared the construction documents, reviewed all bids, and will assist Ridgewood Water with administering the construction phase of the project. RSC has recommended that this contract be awarded to the low bidder, VNL Inc., of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $230,940.00. FEMA mitigation funds in the amount of $57,950.00 have been issued to the Village for use on this project, specifically for flood-proofing doors at the East Saddle River Well. The remainder of the funding is contained in the Ridgewood Water Capital Budget.

 

Councilmember Winograd asked why the funds are coming out of two separate capital accounts. Mr. Kazmark said that he believed it depends on how the Bond Ordinances were worded. He said that he would find out and let Councilmember Winograd know. 

 

                        3.         AMEND SHARED SERVICES AGREEMENT – ADDITIONAL

                                    WORK – GREENWOOD AVENUE BRIDGE PROJECT

                                    IN MIDLAND PARK

 

Mr. Kazmark indicated that this matter pertains to the amendment of a Shared Services Agreement for additional work to be performed at the Greenwood Avenue Bridge in Midland Park. On March 9, 2023, the Village Council approved Resolution 22-93, which authorized an agreement between Ridgewood Water and Bergen County. The approval authorized an estimated cost of $100,000.00 for the relocation of a water main running under the Greenwood Avenue County Bridge in Midland Park, as part of the County’s bridge replacement project. An additional sum of $41,158.05 is requested to reflect the actual costs of the water main relocation and for an emergency sanitary sewer repair performed by the County’s contractor. Ridgewood Water and the County of Bergen Department of Planning & Engineering recommend amending the Shared Services Agreement to reflect these changes. The water main replacement cost and emergency sewer repair are the responsibility of Ridgewood Water. Funding is contained in the Ridgewood Water Capital Budget.

 

                        4.         AWARD CONTRACT – ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY –

                                    PHASE 2 – CEDAR HILL WELLFIELD

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that this item pertains to the awarding of a contract for the performance of an archaeological survey of the Cedar Hill Wellfield. On March 8, 2023, Ridgewood Water awarded a contract for professional services to Hunter Research to complete a Stage 1 archaeological survey, which was successfully completed and resulted in findings requiring a Stage 2 survey. This survey work will be located at the site of the proposed PFAS Treatment Facility at the Cedar Hill wellfield in Wyckoff. This work is necessary to obtain approval from the NJDEP for construction of the facility. It is recommended that this professional services contract be awarded to Hunter Research of Trenton, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $45,144.40. Hunter Research successfully completed the Stage 1 survey, along with other projects in Ridgewood. Funding for this project is contained in the Ridgewood Water Capital Budget.

            B.        PARKING

 

                        1.         EXTEND CONTRACT WITH PARKMOBILE

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that this item deals with extending the Village’s contract with ParkMobile. ParkMobile has been the vendor in Ridgewood since 2016, and provides an electronic payment app for hourly parking in the Village. It is also available for users to make payments for daily parking at the Train Station and Cottage Place, through the Village website. All “Merchant Services” fees associated with processing these transactions are the responsibility of ParkMobile, and the Village incurs no expense. Users are assessed a fee of $.50 for each transaction made through the app, or a $.30 fee per transaction when utilizing ParkMobile’s “ParkMobile Wallet.” The Village’s experience with ParkMobile has been favorable. Robert Rooney, Parking Utility Director, has recommended that the current contract with ParkMobile be extended for another three years, with a one-year option to renew.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked if ParkMobile would be allowed to increase their transaction fees during either the three-year extension or the one-year renewal period. Mr. Kazmark said that he believes they can raise the transaction fees during that time, but they must give notice to the Village beforehand. He will find out a more definitive answer and furnish the information to the Village Councilmembers.

 

Councilmember Winograd wondered if the transaction fees would be reduced, if there were more volume generated in Ridgewood. She said that the kiosks in the CBD are frustrating to seniors, due to sun glare and confusion as to how to work the kiosks. She wondered if research could be done to see if ParkMobile would offer a sliding scale to the Village if more volume were generated, since the transaction fees are quite high. Mr. Kazmark said that he would look into this with Mr. Rooney.

 

            C.        BUDGET

 

                        1.         AWARD CONTRACT – PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF

                                    INTERCOM CALL BOXES

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that this item pertains to the awarding of a contract for the purchase and installation of intercom call boxes for the Ridgewood Police Department. Police Lieutenant John Chuck wrote in a memo, that due to the dangerous issue that occurred over the summer at Graydon Pool, where the call boxes were not functioning properly and did not contact 911, they would like to create redundant, unconnected emergency callout systems from the guard stand to ensure that the same situation does not happen again. Lieutenant Chuck recommends upgrading the current call boxes to Axis 2N Intercom Call Boxes, which would be separate from the panic alarm in the guard station. These boxes will be outside and available 24 hours a day. They will have a direct 911 dial to Central Dispatch, and will alert the police desk over the security network. The box would also allow for direct communications from the police desk via the call box, along with video. Lieutenant Chuck would also like to change the call boxes at Village Hall and the firehouse as well. They recommend using SW23 as the vendor, as they have in the past, under NCPA 12-16 Government Contract. Funds are available in the General Budget for the Police Department.

 

                        2.         AWARD CONTRACT – BILLING FOR BASIC LIFE SUPPORT

                                    PROGRAM

 

Mr. Kazmark indicated that this item pertains to the awarding of a contract for billing for the Basic Life Support Program, regarding ambulance services provided by the Village Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department. Bids were received on October 25, 2023, with one bid received. Chief John Judge of the Ridgewood Fire Department and Christopher Rutishauser, Village Engineer, have recommended that this contract be awarded to Farnsworth & Semptimphelter, LLC, of Lumberton, New Jersey.

 

                        3.         AWARD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT – PUBLIC

                                    HEALTH AND NURSING SERVICES

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that this item pertains to the awarding of a professional services contract, for public health and nursing services. Valley Community Health has submitted their 2024 Community Programs Service Bid. They provide nursing services for communicable disease investigations, child health clinics, adult health clinics, school audits, and influenza clinics. The cost to the Village is $12,221.70, which is a 0% hourly increase for nursing hours for the past three years. The hourly charge for public health nurses is $51.00 per hour. Valley Community Health bills for hours used, which averaged under $10,000.00 this past year. A portion of this contract is currently paid through an Office of Local Public Health (OLPH) Grant. Valley Community Health also provides health education services, to satisfy the requirements of the Public Health Practice Standards of Performance, at no charge to the Village.

 

                        4.         AUTHORIZE SHARED SERVICES AGREEMENT –

                                    COSMETOLOGY INSPECTIONS (NORWOOD)

 

Mr. Kazmark indicated that this matter pertains to the authorization of a Shared Services Agreement for conducting cosmetology inspections for the Borough of Norwood. Norwood has a contract with the County Health Department for restaurant inspections, but the County does not provide inspections for cosmetology businesses. The Village has been providing this service to Norwood since 2020. The contract includes travel time from the Village to Norwood and back. The contract covers routine inspections, as well as follow-up and any after-hour requirements and litigation. The fee charged to Norwood is $42.00 per hour for regular business hours and $63.00 per hour for after-hour calls. Both parties to the agreement are interested in renewing this contract.

 

                        5.         RENTAL OF TAXI STAND AT RIDGEWOOD TRAIN STATION

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that this item relates to the rental of the Taxi Stand at the Ridgewood Train Station on North Broad Street. On October 12, 2023, the Village received one bid, although there were seven registered plan holders. The sole bid quoted $12,024.00 for the two-year rental period (January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025), and $12,240.00 for the second two-year rental period (January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027). The low bidder previously worked successfully on several projects for the Village. The low bidder is aware that the building is under the oversight of the State Historic Preservation Commission (SHPO). If awarded the lease, the low bidder will be making minor interior modifications to suit their needs for the space, in accordance with SHPO requirements. It is recommended that this lease be awarded to the sole responsible bidder, Tri-Plex Industries of South Amboy, New Jersey.

 

Mayor Vagianos asked what this company plans to do at the Taxi Stand (Baggage Building). Mr. Kazmark replied that they will utilize the premises for office space.

 

Councilmember Winograd indicated that when she and Councilmember Weitz were first elected to the Village Council, they requested a list of all available revenue-generating space in the Village. She mentioned that the Taxi Stand has been vacant for a long time. She thanked Ms. Mailander for giving a tour of the taxi stand to her, the Engineering Department, and Mr. Rogers. Councilmember Winograd said that she was happy that this space is finally being rented out. It will create additional foot traffic and will “soften” tax dollars.

 

Mr. Kazmark added that on November 22, 2023, the Village will be receiving bids for the Concession Stand on the west side, in the Train Station building, as well. He said that some interest has been expressed in this space.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked if this lease would allow for two parking spaces. Mr. Kazmark said he believed two parking spaces came with the lease. Deputy Mayor Perron pointed out that Mr. Rutishauser’s memo stated that the sole bidder did not request any parking spaces. Mr. Kazmark said that he will confirm this with Mr. Rutishauser tomorrow and will let her know. Deputy Mayor Perron asked if both the upstairs and downstairs will be leased, and Mr. Kazmark replied that both levels will be leased.

 

                        6.         AWARD CONTRACT – LEAD-BASED PAINT INSPECTOR

 

Mr. Kazmark explained that this item pertains to the awarding of a Professional Services Agreement for lead-based paint inspections in the Village. Pursuant to statute, all rental dwelling units, built prior to 1978, must be inspected for lead-based paint, within two years of the effective date of the law (July 22, 2022) or upon tenant turnover. Three bids were received. Dawn Cetrulo, Director of the Health Department, has recommended that this contract be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, LEW Environmental Services, LLC, of Mine Hill, New Jersey. They will provide this service at no cost to the Village. LEW will reach out to all units to educate them on the law requirements and schedule services. LEW will perform the visual assessment services and bill the owner of the units for the services directly.

 

LEW will provide the Village access to a portal that contains all real-time data and recordkeeping required for compliance with the law (inspection schedules, inspection results, tenant turnover, and lead-safe certifications). LEW will charge the landlords or property owners $250.00 per inspection. The Fire Department, Health Department, and Building Department will all work collaboratively with LEW Environmental Services. Mr. Kazmark indicated that if this is approved by the Village Council, a meeting will be held with LEW to make sure that the Village is compliant with the relevant statute.

 

                        7.         AWARD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT –

                                    CONSULTANT/DESIGNEE FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES FOR

                                    COMMUNICATIONS CARRIERS

 

Mr. Kazmark indicated that this matter deals with the awarding of a professional services contract for consulting services regarding 5G telecommunications. This matter arose out of a discussion last week, regarding the possible installation of antennae on the roof of Village Hall to expand the bandwidth of cellular service in that area, at no cost to the Village. Hoplite Communications LLC (Peter Lupo) will provide its services for 5G installation in the Village, via fees charged to the applicable wireless service provider.

 

                        8.         RESCIND AND REPLACE RESOLUTION #23-306 – AWARD

                                    CONTRACT – SCHEDLER PROPERTY – PHASE 1B

                                    ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY AND GROUND PENETRATING

                                    RADAR SURVEY

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that this item deals with the rescission and replacement of Resolution #23-306, which awarded a contract for the Phase 1B archaeological survey and ground-penetrating radar survey for the Schedler property. There was a mathematical error in the dollar amount of the contract in the resolution ($35,410.00). The correct amount of the contract is $35,610.00. In order for the vendor, Grubb and Associates, to be paid, Resolution #23-306 will be rescinded and replaced with a new resolution stating the correct amount of the contract. He thanked Ms. Mailander for detecting this error.

            D.        POLICY

 

                        1.         AMEND ZONING ORDINANCE – MICROBREWERIES AND

                                    BREW PUBS

 

Mayor Vagianos recused himself from this discussion, since a person interested in possibly opening up a microbrewery in the Village had looked at a property owned by Mayor Vagianos.

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that this item deals with an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance regulating microbreweries and brew pubs in the Village. John Barree, Village Planner, wrote a memorandum dated October 26, 2023. He stated that it has been a number of years since the State of New Jersey amended some of the alcohol beverage regulations, to permit small-scale brewing operations under two specific classes of licenses, which are outside of the typical municipal cap for alcohol beverage licenses. Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 33:1-10, definitions are included for a Limited Brewery (Micro-Brewery) and Restricted Brewery (Brew Pub).

 

Mr. Barree explained that a micro-brewery is engaged in the onsite manufacturing of malt alcoholic beverages, and they usually have a tasting room and a retail component. They do not require a plenary retail consumption license. They are specifically prohibited from offering food service onsite. Mr. Barree mentioned that there are only a handful of these micro-breweries in Bergen County. These types of facilities are limited in the number of events they can hold during any given year. Brew Pubs also manufacture onsite any malt alcohol beverage, but they are operated in conjunction with a restaurant. In addition, the operator of the business has to hold a plenary consumption license in the municipality in which it operates.

 

In discussions with Mr. Kazmark and Mr. Rogers, Mr. Barree said that they discussed conditions under which these micro-breweries and brew pubs could be located in the Village. He mentioned a micro-brewery that opened two years ago in Westwood. They felt that these types of uses could be permitted in B-1 and B-2 Zones (downtown area) and the C Zone (commercial zone that extends a bit north of the downtown area). These facilities draw foot traffic and complement other businesses in the area. Micro-breweries particularly complement local restaurants. Mr. Barree stated that he felt that these two types of uses would be positive additions to the permitted uses under the Zoning Ordinance.

 

Councilmember Weitz asked Mr. Rogers what steps an owner would have to go through, in order to open up either a micro-brewery or brew pub in the Village. He is all in favor of these types of establishments, but he is concerned that an industrial-sized micro-brewery may be opened in Ridgewood.

 

Mr. Rogers stated that there are no properties in the B-1 or B-2 Zones that would have sufficient space for an oversized micro-brewery or brew pub to operate. However, there are smaller spaces available where a smaller version of such a facility could operate. Mr. Rogers indicated that some locations in the C Zone would also be conducive to these types of uses.

 

Mr. Kazmark added that these uses are controlled by statute, and the proposed ordinance was constructed accordingly.

 

Councilmember Winograd asked if a micro-brewery and brew pub would have to operate in conjunction with each other, and Mr. Rogers replied that they do not. She stated that she thought a micro-brewery would be a perfect fit for Ridgewood and would add much-needed foot traffic to the CBD. She said that she would like to move forward with just the micro-brewery aspect of the ordinance. She asked why both types of establishments were included in the ordinance. Councilmember Winograd explained that she was not sure that the existing restaurants in the downtown area would need competition from a brew pub.

 

Mr. Kazmark explained that both types of uses are built into the statute. Mr. Kazmark clarified that a brew pub would require the purchase of a plenary retail consumption license. There are currently six such licenses in the Village: one which is a pocket license and five that are being used. An applicant for a brew pub would have to negotiate to purchase an existing license.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron stated that she was shopping in Westwood and noted that the micro-brewery was closed, so she ate at a nearby pizza parlor. When she asked the owner of the pizza parlor how it was working out with the new micro-brewery, the owner replied, “Saturday night is a beast!” Therefore, she said that it was obvious that the micro-brewery was beneficial to nearby food businesses.

 

Mr. Kazmark said that he reached out to members of the Ridgewood Guild and Chamber of Commerce to get their thoughts regarding micro-breweries and brew pubs. Both organizations were very supportive of allowing such establishments in Ridgewood. There was a consensus that this ordinance should be introduced next week.

 

                        2.         AMEND CAT LICENSING ORDINANCE – ESTABLISH

                                    LICENSE EXPIRATION DATE

 

Mr. Kazmark explained that this matter deals with an amendment to the Cat Licensing Ordinance to establish a license expiration date for a three-year cat license. He said that the current ordinance does not “jive” with the cat licensing system. This causes confusion for residents and the licensing clerk. The amendment to this ordinance will make it easier for cat owners and the staff of the Health Department.

            E.        OPERATIONS

 

                        1.         BEST PRACTICES INVENTORY

 

Mr. Kazmark explained that the Village has completed the 2023 Municipal Best Practices Inventory. He thanked Mr. Rooney and all Department Directors for their assistance in this regard. He stated that the Village is not in jeopardy of losing any State aid. The 2023 Inventory assesses each municipality’s compliance with various laws and evaluates the implementation of fiscal and operational Best Practices. The inventory answers provide taxpayers with an additional means of evaluating their municipality’s performance, and also identifies areas where municipalities may require further technical assistance. All municipalities must submit their completed inventory to the Division of Local Government Services by Friday, November 3, 2023. The Village Councilmembers must acknowledge that this document was reviewed at a Village Council meeting, before it can be submitted. The Village Councilmembers stated that they have all reviewed the inventory. Mayor Vagianos commended Village staff for ensuring that the Village remains in compliance with Best Practices.

 

                        2.         ENDORSE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT

                                    APPLICATION – FAMILY PROMISE

 

                        3.         ENDORSE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT

                                    APPLICATION – SHARE, INC.

 

Mr. Kazmark indicated that these items pertain to endorsement of Community Development Block Grant applications for Family Promise of Bergen County and SHARE, Inc. Resolutions authorizing endorsement of these applications will be considered at the November Public Meeting.

 

                        4.         DECLARE PROPERTY SURPLUS – SANITATION TRUCKS

 

Mr. Kazmark said that this item pertains to declaring property as surplus, specifically, five inoperable sanitation trucks for which replacement parts cannot be obtained. They will be disposed of through govdeals.com. He mentioned that lead times for receiving new vehicles are quite lengthy, due to supply and demand issues.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron said that she has no problem declaring these trucks as surplus, but she expressed concern about being able to purchase replacement sanitation trucks in a timely manner. She asked if sanitation trucks could be leased. Mr. Kazmark indicated that Sean Hamlin and his team at the Sanitation Department are working on a number of options. He indicated that the five sanitation trucks to be declared as surplus are taking up space, and space is at a premium in the Village.

7.         COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

 

Mayor Vagianos asked if there were any further comments from the public.

 

Kristina Milian, 530 West Saddle River Road, stated that Councilmember Winograd was incorrect in stating that the Big Tree nomination by the NJDEP was not rescinded. On October 17, 2023, the NJDEP wrote to the Village Attorney stating that, “All aspects of Heritage Tree status for the sugar maple tree at 460 West Saddle River Road have been revoked, including the naming of the tree, the Heritage Tree Certificate, removal from the New Jersey Big and Heritage Tree Registry, and plaque recommendation.” Ms. Milian asked if this matter could be rectified and have the tree put back on the Big Tree registry.

 

Regarding the health of the sugar maple tree, documents provided by the Village Attorney included a report from Declan Madden, Village Arborist, dated August 1, 2018, stating that the health assessment of the sugar maple was good, which is consistent with the assessment done by the NJDEP on September 19, 2023. Ms. Milian said that the only inconsistent statement came from the Village Engineer in January 2023, when he stated that, “In human terms, the tree is 95 years old with Stage 3 or 4 cancer, and might topple over tomorrow.”

 

Ms. Milian said that it would be helpful for the Village Councilmembers to listen to the Village Arborist, who is an expert, or to a third party independent source such as the NJDEP, regarding the health of the sugar maple tree, and not listen to the Village Engineer.

 

Jacqueline Hone, 30 Carriage Lane, said that she wanted to read some correspondence sent by Mr. Rogers to Joseph Bennett, Big and Heritage Tree Coordinator, demanding a documented retraction of the designation and issuance of the Certificate of Recognition and the naming of the tree. She read, “According to our records and understanding from the Village expert, retained to direct the Village’s development of the site due to the approval process, there has never been any formal or official declaration that a battle occurred at or near the property on which this tree is located.” Ms. Hone asked why the Village is spending $35,610.00 to have an archaeological survey performed on the Schedler property, if there has been such a declaration.

 

Ms. Hone also asked why the Hunter report stated that the subject property was part of the Paramus Reformed Church property, approximately 500 feet south of the Zabriskie-Schedler property. The report stated that the Paramus Reformed Church served variously as barracks, hospital and prison, and General George Clinton camped at the church in December 1776. In addition, General George Washington established his headquarters at the Paramus Reformed Church at various times and held sessions at the court martial of General Charles Lee at the church from July 11-15, 1778. A skirmish between British and Continental Forces occurred at the Paramus Reformed Church in 1780. The report continues by stating, “They camped in the vicinity of the Paramus Reformed Church during the Continental Army’s march south in 1781. Given the proximity of the church and crossroads to the subject property and that the property was apparently an underdeveloped part of the church’s land, it is considered likely that some of these wartime activities extended on to the Zabriskie-Schedler property.” Ms. Hone also pointed out that the Zabriskie-Schedler house and property have received historic designation.

 

Boyd A. Loving, 342 South Irving Street, stated that someone moved the device from underneath the podium and it was difficult for speakers to get close to the podium. He asked that the device, which he stated looked like an air purifier, be moved in time for the next meeting. Mayor Vagianos indicated that they would take a look at it.

 

Mr. Loving said that he is not surprised that misinformation is coming from the dais, regarding the matter of the Big Tree/Heritage Tree. He attended the last Village Council meeting on October 25, 2023 and feels that the Village Councilmembers are “back tracking” this evening. He stated that the Village Councilmembers did a “hatchet job” on the person who made the nomination of the tree. Mr. Loving said that he has since learned that the resident who made the nomination actually had the authority to do so. He urged the Village Councilmembers to get their facts straight before making accusatory remarks, stating that misinformation is embarrassing to the public.

 

With regard to the comments made about ParkMobile this evening, Mr. Loving stated that his daughter, her husband and children live in Hoboken. He and his wife visit them at least three times a week. He discovered that he was charged a $.35 transaction fee to use ParkMobile to park in Hoboken. Mr. Loving asked why Ridgewood residents are being charged a $.50 transaction fee, when the fee in Hoboken is only $.35. He asked the Village Councilmembers to try to get a reduction on this transaction fee with ParkMobile.

 

Mr. Loving stated that putting a cell site on the roof of Village Hall “floors” him. He thought that the 5G microcells that are going on top of telephone poles were intended to remedy the poor cell signal experienced near Village Hall. He asked why the installation of 5G microcells were not being considered by the Village Council.

 

Cynthia O’Keefe, 542 West Saddle River Road, stated that a company called OutFront Media has applied for several variances before the Ridgewood Zoning Board of Adjustment. This is regarding the erection of a proposed 40-foot tall, digital, double-sided billboard at 500 Route 17 South, near the Park and Ride. Ms. O’Keefe stated that people traveling north on Route 17, heading toward the West Saddle River Road exit, should be concentrating on the road and decelerating; however, she is concerned that drivers will become distracted by the digital billboard. Once the final testimony is given before the Zoning Board of Adjustment, Ms. O’Keefe requested that this matter be placed on the Village Council meeting agenda for discussion. The billboard is to be placed in an historic zone, and there are many Village residents who oppose this plan. The neighbors on the east side, and motorists on both sides of Route 17, will be forced to view this brightly lit billboard if it is approved. Ms. O’Keefe feels that this is a major safety concern for the Village.

 

Anne Loving, 342 South Irving Street, stated that much praise was given to Councilmember Winograd for her work on the “tree endeavor,” but no one thanked Ms. Milian for all of the work she did to nominate the sugar maple tree on the Schedler property for Big Tree and Heritage Tree designation. Instead, the Village Council sought to embarrass Ms. Milian. Ms. Loving said that a few speakers before her this evening were making gestures with their hands, yet nothing was said to them (referring to the admonishment given to Mr. DeSilva earlier this evening for “wagging his fingers” at the Village Council).

 

Frettra DeSilva, 521 West Saddle River Road, echoed the comments made earlier by Mr. Loving. She feels that the Village Councilmembers need to be very careful with the statements they make at the dais, because people inside and outside of the courtroom take these words very seriously. When phrases such as “meaningful implications” and “suffer the consequence of this incident” are used, it seems as though the Village is going to suffer some kind of irrevocable harm if the tree on the Schedler property is designated as a Heritage Tree. She feels that this issue has been “built up” and has become “politicized.”  She had hoped for more positivity on the issue, rather than having an ominous cloud hanging over it.

 

Rohan DeSilva, 521 West Saddle River Road, stated that he read some comments made by a Village Councilmember, published in TAPinto, which stated that the sugar maple tree on the Schedler property was named after a Revolutionary War figure from Pennsylvania, who does not have ties to the Ridgewood community. He asked the Village Councilmembers if one of them actually said that. Not receiving an answer, Mr. DeSilva said that TAPinto indicated that it was Mr. Rogers who actually made this comment. He said that there is a published book on the history of Ridgewood, which states very clearly that Major Byles gave his life “here.” He asked if this does not matter to the Village Council. Major Byles died three days after being injured. He said that one of these stories is incorrect.

 

Mr. DeSilva again spoke about when he was admonished for “talking” during a Village Council meeting last week. He said that just because Mayor Vagianos sits on the dais does not mean that he can “talk down” to Village residents. Mr. DeSilva stated that, every week, he asks everyone on the dais to speak slowly and clearly into the microphone. He said that Councilmember Weitz never does so. Mr. DeSilva said that he has sent a letter to the State indicating that he does not feel safe in the courtroom, that he cannot hear everything that is being said, and therefore he cannot participate in his civic duty. He feels that the Village Councilmembers should be kinder to their residents and behave in the best interests of their citizens. Mr. DeSilva said that Ms. Milian should have been praised for the work she did to nominate the sugar maple tree as a Heritage Tree.

 

There were no further public comments.

 

Mr. Rogers felt that part of the confusion is that the name of the registry, where “Big” and “Heritage” trees are registered in the State, is called the “Big and Heritage Tree Registry.” These two items are combined together in this registry, but they require separate applications. He said that one of the things that was not mentioned this evening, regarding the letter from Mr. Bennett of the NJDEP, was that since the ROA Agreement was never signed by the Village of Ridgewood, all aspects of Heritage Tree status for the sugar maple at 460 West Saddle River Road have been revoked, including the naming of the tree. Mr. Rogers said that this letter did not say anything about revoking the Big Tree status. He said that Mr. Bennett’s letter was very clear about the Heritage Tree Certificate being removed from the New Jersey Big and Heritage Tree Registry. Mr. Rogers stated that the Big Tree status was not revoked.

 

Councilmember Winograd echoed Mr. Rogers’ comments. She said that she is very excited about the Big Tree status. She said that the Heritage Tree status has been revoked for the sugar maple tree at the Schedler property, but not the Big Tree status. Councilmember Winograd stated that the assessments of the health of the sugar maple by the NJDEP, Mr. Madden and Mr. Rutishauser were done four years apart. When representatives from the NJDEP inspected the tree, Councilmember Winograd wished that Mr. Madden and Mr. Rutishauser could have met with this representative to assess the health of the tree together. The NJDEP representative is coming back on November 3, 2023 to discuss the tree and the Big Tree/Heritage Tree program.

 

Councilmember Winograd stated that the only technical reason the Zabriskie-Schedler house and property were deemed historic was because of the historic architecture of the house. She said that it is clear that the house is near an historical place (Old Paramus Church). Councilmember Winograd stated that she emailed many of the Schedler neighbors for clarification about the nomination for the sugar maple tree, but did not receive any replies. She remarked that there is a 300-year-old tree in Paramus, which is currently being disputed, and there could be legal implications. This is the reason why the Village Councilmembers need to better understand the process, before taking further action.

 

Councilmember Winograd said that someone asked this evening why an archaeological survey was being performed on the Schedler property at a cost of $35,610.00. She said that this is being done, because this is what the Schedler neighbors wanted. She feels that it will help to discover what history occurred on the Schedler property.

 

Addressing Mr. Loving, Mr. Kazmark stated that he was 100% correct in stating that the confusion surrounding the Big Tree/Heritage Tree designation is embarrassing. However, he said that it was embarrassing because one of the two individuals who submitted the applications represented that Mr. Kazmark’s signature was on a document that was actually never signed by him. He said that the ROA Agreement was never signed by him or even presented to him by the NJDEP for signature. Regardless, the NJDEP decided to process the application as submitted, without a signed ROA Agreement. He said that this incident was very embarrassing for him, because Village Councilmembers were calling him and asking him if he had indeed signed the agreement. He commended Ms. Milian for her enthusiasm about designating the sugar maple as a Big Tree/Heritage Tree, but he stated that he will not allow someone to represent to a State agency that he signed a government document that he, in fact, did not sign.

 

Regarding Ms. O’Keefe’s comments requesting that the billboard issue be heard by the Village Council, Mr. Kazmark stated that the Zoning Board of Adjustment is a quasi-judicial board. When someone makes an application before the Zoning Board of Adjustment, the board is responsible for either granting or denying relief from existing zoning laws within the Village. He said that the Village Councilmembers cannot opine on the billboard matter for that reason. Mr. Kazmark said that there is no mechanism in the law to allow the matter to come before the Village Council, regarding the decision reached by the Zoning Board of Adjustment.

 

Mayor Vagianos echoed Mr. Kazmark’s comments regarding the quasi-judicial nature of the Zoning Board of Adjustment. The Village Council is not allowed to comment publicly on the billboard matter, because the members of the Zoning Board of Adjustment are appointed by the Village Councilmembers. The Planning Board is different. Mayor Vagianos also stated that there were two applications filed with the NJDEP: one by Ms. Milian and one by another person. The one filed by Ms. Milian specifically indicated that an ROA Agreement had not been signed. The other application indicated that an ROA Agreement had been signed by Mr. Kazmark.

 

Addressing Mr. DeSilva, Mayor Vagianos stated that he repeatedly tells people who are speaking during Village Council meetings to make sure that they speak loudly enough into the microphone so that everyone can hear what they are saying. He said that he will continue to do so in the future.

 

Mr. Kazmark said that he has been Village Manager for four months, and one of the common themes he has heard during Village Council meetings is that the public wants things to be done “right” in the Village. He said that the Heritage Tree application is an example of something that was not done right, and he expressed the hope that everyone can collectively be consistent about following the rules now and in the future.

 

8.         RRESOLUTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION

 

Ms. Mailander read Resolution #23-360 to go into Closed Session:

9.         ADJOURNMENT

 

There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Deputy Mayor Perron, seconded by Councilmember Winograd, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the Village Council’s Regular Public Work Session was adjourned at 9:40 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                ____________________________________

                                                                                                Paul Vagianos

                                                                                                        Mayor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

____________________________________

                     Heather A. Mailander

                           Village Clerk

A REGULAR PUBLIC WORK SESSION OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE SYDNEY V. STOLDT, JR. COURT ROOM OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ON DECEMBER 6, 2023 AT 7:30 P.M.

 

1.         CALL TO ORDER – OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT – ROLL CALL – FLAG SALUTE

 

Mayor Vagianos called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m. and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. At roll call, the following were present: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos. Also present were Keith Kazmark, Village Manager; Heather Mailander, Village Clerk; and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney.

 

Mayor Vagianos led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. Mayor Vagianos spoke about an article, which appeared in a newspaper today, regarding an item on this evening’s agenda to appoint a Village Historian. He said that he wanted to clarify some facts before the actual discussion this evening. Mayor Vagianos said that the Village is incredibly grateful to the individuals who have voluntarily served in this position for over two decades. He said that they have “gotten off the bench and into the game.” He said that these individuals are incredibly well qualified in their historical knowledge, which has been of paramount importance to the Village and its residents.

 

Mayor Vagianos said that, over the years, the historians’ connections to the Village have become attenuated. One historian moved out of Ridgewood over a decade ago, and the other historian (non-resident) was appointed as Village Historian, while also serving as Director of the Historical Room at the Ridgewood Library (currently known as the Bolger Heritage Center) until 2016. Therefore, neither Village Historian has had any connection to the Village, either by residency or employment, for many years. Mayor Vagianos said that the proposed ordinance seeks to appoint a new Village Historian who has connections to the Village. It is proposed that the current Director of the Bolger Heritage Center be appointed as Village Historian for a finite term of five years. Mayor Vagianos stated that these actions have nothing to do with anyone’s position regarding the Schedler property. One of the current Village Historians, who is also Chair of the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC), signed a letter stating that the HPC voted unanimously that it has no objection to the plan for Schedler Park, which was approved by the Village Council.

 

Mayor Vagianos said that he regretted that this matter was not handled in a better way. The proposed ordinance to appoint a new Village Historian was originally on the November 8, 2023 agenda. When it was discovered that the two appointed Village Historians had not been contacted about this planned action, this matter was removed from the agenda until this had been accomplished. Speaking on behalf of the Village Council, Mayor Vagianos thanked both Village Historians for serving the Village for decades.

 

2.         COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

 

Frank “The Bee Man” Mortimer, 426 Van Buren Street, said that he was speaking this evening on behalf of the Parks, Recreation and Conservation (PRC) Board, with regard to the “hazardous barn” located at Habernickel Park. The PRC Board fully supports razing the barn, due to increasing safety and health concerns raised by residents. The PRC Board had a meeting this past summer at Habernickel Park, and the members observed the exterior condition of the barn, but not the inside of the barn. Mr. Mortimer said that the area where the barn is located is heavily trafficked, particularly over the summer when there are multiple events held at the HealthBarn. He said that the barn is “falling apart,” and there is a danger that it will fall on someone and injure them. In addition, there is clear infestation in the barn, and there is a concern that vermin will bite someone. For these reasons, the PRC Board would like to see the barn razed.

 

Tim Graham, 377 Beveridge Road, said that he lives near Habernickel Park and echoes the comments made by Mr. Mortimer. He said that Habernickel Park is an underutilized Village treasure. He said that the barn is an eyesore, is falling down, and poses a health threat to anyone in the vicinity. He added that the barn is a magnet for rodents and other animals. Mr. Graham stated that it is only a matter of time before something terrible happens there, such as kids breaking into the barn and getting hurt. He supported action to raze the barn. He said that the barn “stinks” during the summer with the Port-O-Potties located nearby. Mr. Graham stated that he doubted that the barn has any historical value.

 

Anne Loving, 342 South Irving Street, thanked the Village Manager for allowing her to bring her dog to the courtroom this evening. She also wished Ms. Mailander a happy birthday. Ms. Loving said that last Friday, while she was walking her leashed dog in front of her home, two large unleashed dogs ran over to her and her dog, and one of them violently attacked her dog. She had to rush her dog to Oradell Animal Hospital, where “Eddie” underwent emergency life-saving surgery. The veterinarian unequivocally stated that it was apparent that the attacking dog clearly meant to kill her dog. Her dog will survive, but cannot be left alone.

 

Ms. Loving thanked Dawn Cetrulo of the Health Department, Mr. Kazmark, and Carol Tyler of Tyco Animal Control who helped to address the matter of the loose dogs. Ms. Loving’s neighbors filed a police report regarding the incident. A gardener who was working across the street, whom she did not know, bravely broke up the dog fight. Her neighbors contacted the owners of the dogs in Glen Rock and took care of business, while Ms. Loving and her husband were at the animal hospital. She said it was heartwarming how many people came to her aid during this time. Tyco has visited the dog owner’s house in Glen Rock, and steps are being taken to ensure that these dogs can never get loose again. Ms. Loving stated that this was not the first time these dogs have been loose and she learned that these dogs “escape regularly.” Ms. Loving wanted to advise everyone that if a loose dog attacks them or their dog, they must file a police report. If this is not done, there is no record of an incident occurring, and no steps may be taken to ensure that it will not happen again.

 

Mayor Vagianos stated that he is relieved to know that Ms. Loving’s dog will be okay, and thanked Ms. Loving for alerting everyone about this incident.

 

Cynthia O’Keefe, 542 West Saddle River Road, expressed the hope that the appointment of a new Village Historian will not change the landscape of Ridgewood, since the two current Village Historians are extremely knowledgeable about the history of the Village. She stated that it should not matter where a Village Historian resides. She said that a letter sent by the two Village Historians, Peggy Norris and Joseph Suplicki, on November 27, 2023, to Katherine Marcopul of the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), was not done under the guise of the HPC, and the letter was not intended to be from the Chair of the HPC. Ms. O’Keefe remarked that Joseph Suplicki did not send the letter in an official capacity, but merely as Village Historian. The letter was sent to point out some concerns regarding the development of the Schedler property.

 

Ms. O’Keefe read the letter aloud:  “Dear Ms. Marcopul, Joe and I have been the Historians for Ridgewood for over 20 years. As the Village Council considers retiring us from our positions, we would like to share our thoughts on the Zabriskie-Schedler house and the use of the property. We researched and participated in writing the application for the Certificate of Eligibility for the Zabriskie-Schedler house (J.A.L. Zabriskie-Schedler house) in 2013 and have followed the progress, setbacks and controversy surrounding the house and the property. As an historic building, the house has been saved. This is a credit to many in the community and serving in the Village government. The plan for use of the property around the house is, however, in contention. When the Village purchased the property, it was planned as a mixed-use athletic and recreational facility. Given the historic nature of the house and the property, we feel that the recreational development should be in scale with the property. The compromise for 2018 reached between the athletic organizations and the neighbors on the size and location of the field should be honored. In addition, we would offer the following comments on the various plans proposed over the years. The land can be used for athletics with consideration, within the context of the house. Open land near the house is historically appropriate, as is parking near the house and use of native shrubs and trees. Gus Schedler, the last owner, was interested in trees and planted many specimen trees. He also protected and nurtured the historic maple on the property next to the house, which was recently granted Heritage or Big Tree status by the NJDEP, which was contested by the Village. In recognition of the natural history of the property and its development by the Schedlers, special care should be taken in selecting the trees and shrubs for the property. In consideration of the context of the house, the use of artificial turf is inappropriate. The size of the field should be proportional to the property. The property can support multiple uses, historic athletic recreation, passive recreation, and habitat. The Village needs to find use for the house. It’s unrealistic to expect it to be income-producing property. I’m sure that one or more Ridgewood nonprofits would be glad to have this space for meetings, practice, municipal groups, and/or storage. The latest plan dated 10/27/22, the use of the house was impaired by providing no nearby access for parking, delivery or handicapped access. There is provision for handicapped access, which is diminished by the usefulness by being almost 100 feet from the house. Historically, this would be some kind of vehicle access near the house in the 20^th century. It was a driveway and a garage north of the house. We encourage the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office to advocate for a context for the Zabriskie-Schedler house. That includes native trees and shrubs, a moderate-sized athletic field with natural turf or grass, and passive recreation opportunities, with a natural habitat for wildlife. Sincerely yours, Peggy Norris and Joe Suplicki, Historians for the Village of Ridgewood.”

 

Kristina Milian, 530 West Saddle River Road, stated that she wanted to publicly thank Peggy Norris and Joseph Suplicki, Village Historians, for their 20 years of volunteer service to the Village. She said that their service and commitment are especially commendable, given the fact that they do not actually live in the Village.

 

Rurik Halaby, 1 Franklin Avenue, thanked the Village Councilmembers for allowing hybrid access to Village Council meetings. He also thanked the Village Councilmembers and Mr. Kazmark for embarking on a project to fix the terrible “potholed” streets in Ridgewood. On another topic, Mr. Halaby said that Ridgewood residents should do all that they can to prevent the proposed billboard on Route 17 from ever coming to fruition. He stated that the proposed billboard is an abomination and a “poke in the eye with a sharp stick” to the residents of Ridgewood.

 

Suzanne Ruane, 705 Kingsbridge Lane, thanked Mr. Halaby for bringing up the subject of the proposed billboard, and agreed with his comments that the billboard should not be allowed. She expressed the hope that the new members of the Zoning Board of Adjustment will not approve the billboard application, once the terms of the current Zoning Board members have expired.

 

Ms. Ruane said that West Saddle River Road is a “complete mess” and cannot compare to other roads in Ridgewood, which are better maintained. She said that Ho-Ho-Kus has just repaved their portion of West Saddle River Road, which portion was nowhere as dilapidated as the section of West Saddle River Road, which is located in Ridgewood. Ms. Ruane said that there was no excuse why this section of West Saddle River Road has been neglected for such a long time. West Saddle River Road is a major conduit to Route 17, and residents living in this area are forced to face the “obstacle course” every day.

 

Regarding leaf collection in her neighborhood, near the Schedler property, Ms. Ruane stated that the leaves have only been collected once since leaf collection began in Ridgewood. This lack of leaf pickup has created driving hazards in the neighborhood. She wondered why leaves are allowed to be placed along the curb on West Saddle River Road, yet leaves along Linwood Avenue, for example, are placed along the parkway strip between the sidewalk and street to allow for better traffic flow. Ms. Ruane expressed the hope that a better job of leaf collection will be done next year.

 

There were no further public comments.

 

Addressing Ms. Ruane’s comments regarding the new members reviewing the billboard application on the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA), Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney, stated that members sitting on the ZBA must hear the entire application for the proposed billboard. Therefore, the Village Council is contemplating extending the terms of the current ZBA members, until such time as the hearings for same are concluded. Mr. Kazmark added that new members appointed to the ZBA would not be able to hear the billboard application, because they did not start at the beginning of the application.

 

Regarding West Saddle River Road, Mr. Kazmark said that he has stated at least four or five times, during various Village Council meetings, that this street has been earmarked with the Engineering Department for resurfacing next year. Delays have occurred, due to the fact that discussions were being held regarding how the resurfacing of the road would be affected by the development of the Schedler property. However, Mr. Kazmark feels strongly about prioritizing the resurfacing of West Saddle River Road and allocating monies for same in the 2024 Capital Budget.

 

3.         VILLAGE MANAGER’S REPORT

 

Mr. Kazmark expressed the hope that everyone had a joyous Thanksgiving. He thanked the Social Services Association of Ridgewood for their food collection and distribution drive during the holiday. There were abundant donations of food, and Mayor Vagianos joined in the food distribution effort.

 

During November, Mr. Kazmark, Mayor Vagianos, and Richard Calbi, Director of Ridgewood Water, spent a lot of time reaching out to State and Federal legislative representatives, who represent the constituents of the communities serviced by Ridgewood Water (Ridgewood, Glen Rock, Midland Park and Wyckoff), to solicit as much funding as possible to mitigate PFAS contamination in the water.  

 

Regarding Ms. Loving’s comments this evening about loose dogs, Mr. Kazmark stated that he has discussed this problem with Police Chief Lyons on several occasions. All residents are strongly encouraged to responsibly care for their dogs, by adequately containing them at home and leashing their dogs while walking them.

 

Mr. Kazmark urged anyone interested in becoming a Police Officer to register for the entrance-level Civil Service examination. The Village is currently in the process of vetting candidates for Police Officer positions, beginning in January 2024. Chief Lyons has asked Mr. Kazmark to relay this information to anyone interested in becoming a Police Officer in the Village. He congratulated the Ridgewood Police Department for receiving a Driver Safety Award, and commended Lieutenant Jay Chuck for being recognized as a “Traffic Hero” for identifying poorly lit intersections in the Village, and proactively coming up with a plan to address those areas.

 

Mr. Kazmark thanked the Green Team for achieving Bronze Level Certification through Sustainable Jersey. He stated that Deputy Mayor Perron made “front page news” this week in the Ridgewood News. Mr. Kazmark thanked everyone for their efforts in this regard.

 

Today, Mr. Kazmark spoke with representatives from the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), regarding the Park and Ride located on Route 17. Both sides of the Park and Ride were made accessible to commuters, right before Thanksgiving. He stated that he received the planting plan today from the NJDOT, regarding the buffer between the Park and Ride and adjacent neighbors’ properties. It still must be determined when the plantings will take place, depending upon the weather. Mr. Kazmark indicated that he has also discussed with the NJDOT the possible use of available funding to improve the Ridgewood Bus Station and the pedestrian bridge going over Route 17, near the Park and Ride.

 

Regarding staff training, Mr. Kazmark thanked Ms. Mailander and the staff in the Village Clerk’s Office for organizing Joint Insurance Fund (JIF) training this past Monday. He also thanked Beth Spinato, Administrative Clerk in the Village Manager’s Office, for coordinating Civil Service training with Village staff two weeks ago.

 

Mr. Kazmark said that he is looking forward to the launching of the rebranded Village website on January 1, 2024, with the new logo. He thanked Councilmember Winograd and the Communications Committee for all of their efforts in this regard.

 

Late this afternoon, Mr. Kazmark received correspondence from Richard Grubb & Associates, the firm that conducted the original archaeological study on the Schedler property. The final report should be received by Friday (December 8, 2023). The letter received today recommended a Phase 2 archaeological study. Mr. Kazmark stated that there were no Revolutionary War artifacts found during the initial archaeological study. However, a Phase 2 study has been recommended, since there were items discovered that may have been associated with the historic Zabriskie-Schedler house. This study would entail coordination with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and the total cost will be $53,778.00. This funding will be available through a Capital Bond that has already been earmarked for this purpose. He will be making a request this evening to authorize Ms. Mailander to place a resolution on next week’s agenda to move forward with the Phase 2 archaeological study. Mr. Kazmark emphasized that time is of the essence to complete this study, since the ground will soon freeze on the property, as winter approaches, and the study will have to be delayed until spring.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron said that she fully supported the Phase 2 archaeological study, stating that she felt it was money well spent. Residents have asked that such a study be performed, and this study is required by SHPO. She said that she was in favor of putting an appropriate resolution concerning same on next week’s Village Council meeting agenda. Councilmember Reynolds said that she was also in favor of same. Mr. Kazmark said that this item will be placed on next week’s agenda for formal action.

 

Mr. Kazmark thanked the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce, the Ridgewood Police Department, and all Village personnel who assisted in organizing and providing security during “Downtown for the Holidays” on December 1, 2023. Despite the rainy weather, Mr. Kazmark stated that this event was well attended. Mr. Kazmark also thanked Downes Tree Service for voluntarily providing the equipment, transportation and workers to cut down the Christmas tree and erecting it in the Central Business District (CBD). He also thanked the Police Department for assembling drone footage of the tree being cut down, transported and installed.

 

The Menorah Lighting will take place on Thursday, December 7, 2023 in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Everyone is encouraged to attend this celebratory event. Free parking on Thursday evenings during the Christmas holiday continues in the CBD, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

 

Santa Claus will be at Santa’s House in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square on December 2, 2023 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and on December 9, 16 and 23, 2023 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

 

Mr. Kazmark thanked Ridgewood Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association (FMBA) Local 47 for organizing Santa’s ride on the firetrucks on Friday, December 22, 2023. The firetrucks will stop at each of the elementary schools in Ridgewood, so that Santa can be seen by all.

 

Village offices will be closed in observance of the Christmas holiday on December 22 and 25, 2023. There will be recycling and garbage pickup on Friday, December 22^nd, and the Recycling Center will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on that day.

 

The next Village Council meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. The first Village Council Work Session in 2024 will be held on January 10, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.

 

4.         VILLAGE COUNCIL REPORTS

 

Councilmember Weitz stated that Rabbi David Fine and Imam Mahmoud Hanza appeared today on MSNBC News and discussed the solidarity event held a few weeks ago in the Village. He felt proud that Ridgewood was setting an example for the rest of the nation, regarding civil discourse and living with diversity.

Before the tree lighting which was held on December 1, 2023, Councilmember Weitz said that he and Mayor Vagianos had the privilege of handing out the Ridgewood Art Council’s awards for storefront design. He is Council Liaison to the Ridgewood Art Council, and he spent a great deal of time visiting Village businesses to inform them about the contest. Councilmember Weitz stated that this year’s winners of the Holiday Window Display Contest are Felina Restaurant, Nueva Criatura Beauty Salon, and Cenia.

 

Councilmember Weitz thanked all Village employees who helped to make “Downtown for the Holidays” a success this year. Despite the inclement weather, there were many people in attendance.

 

Councilmember Weitz thanked Mr. Kazmark for his assistance regarding the improvements at the Park and Ride, stating that all commuters are grateful for his efforts. The buffer zone still needs to be developed between the Park and Ride and adjoining residential properties.

 

Councilmember Weitz encouraged everyone to attend the Menorah Lighting in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square on December 7, 2023 at 5:30 p.m. He said that it is especially important, during the current troubled times in the world, to show how the Village embraces diversity. He wished a Happy Hannukah to everyone who celebrates this holiday.

 

Councilmember Winograd said that she was honored to attend the Elder Thanksgiving Dinner held at the Old Paramus Reformed Church on November 12, 2023. The dinner was hosted by the Parks and Recreation Department and HealthBarn. The Kapur family in Glen Rock generously donated the food for this event. This event has been held for several years. Councilmember Winograd thanked everyone involved in organizing this event.

 

Councilmember Winograd announced that the Pride Day Committee is welcoming two new members next week. The next Pride Day event will be held in the Village on June 1, 2024, which will not conflict with the Ridgewood High School prom.

 

Councilmember Winograd also attended a meeting of the Access Committee, which hosted Anika Davis, Director of the Bergen County Division of Disability Services. There are many special needs individuals residing in Ridgewood, and Councilmember Winograd stated that it is important to apprise them of the services available to them. Employment opportunities for these individuals is an ongoing discussion.

 

Another “Sensory-Friendly Dinner” will be held on Monday, December 11, 2023 at Parisa East, located on the corner of East Ridgewood Avenue and Broad Street, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Councilmember Winograd thanked members of the Police and Fire Departments for attending these sensory-free dinners, which is especially meaningful to the special needs population. Stimulating sounds and lights will be decreased during these dinners. Councilmember Winograd said that she especially wanted to thank Richard Tarleton, Director of the Signal Department, and his staff, who devised a way in which the Christmas tree could be lit by members of the special needs community, without a lot of sound and commotion. She thanked everyone associated with organizing these sensory-free events, particularly the Village Councilmembers, the Ridgewood restaurant community, and Jamie Davis of the Access Committee.

 

Last week, Councilmember Winograd also attended a meeting of the Parks, Recreation and Conservation (PRC) Board. They are ensuring that all of their flyers are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). She thanked Katie Frey, as well as Nancy Bigos, Director of the Parks and Recreation Department. Councilmember Winograd also mentioned that the Parks and Recreation Department also ran the “S’mores Fest” in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square during “Downtown for the Holidays.”

 

Councilmember Winograd stated that she, Mayor Vagianos and Mr. Kazmark attended another meeting concerning flood mitigation with representatives from the NJDEP and Ridgewood Board of Education (BOE). They are discussing various ways to mitigate flooding in the Village, particularly on property owned by the BOE. A subcommittee “funding team” has been assembled to raise funds for prospective studies.

 

Councilmember Winograd said that, in November, she went to Atlantic City for training seminars regarding Best Practices. She thanked Ms. Mailander for arranging for Village personnel to attend these training seminars.

 

Councilmember Reynolds stated that the next Citizens Safety Advisory Committee (CSAC) meeting, which is usually held the third Thursday of each month, will be held on Monday, December 11, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. in the Garden Room of Village Hall. These meetings are open to the public. If unable to attend a meeting in person, individuals with any safety concerns may email Councilmember Reynolds, and she will see that the item is placed on the agenda for discussion.

 

Referring to Mr. Kazmark’s earlier comments about the Village’s search for Police Officer candidates, Deputy Mayor Perron stated that Ridgewood residents and veterans are given preference if they take the Civil Service exam. Regarding Santa’s tour around the Village on December 22, 2023, Deputy Mayor Perron stated that this starts at 4:00 p.m. at the Glen School and the firetruck will visit each elementary school in the Village that day.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron thanked the Chamber of Commerce, the Ridgewood Guild, and all Village personnel who helped during “Downtown for the Holidays.”

 

The Ridgewood Library will undergo renovations beginning on December 11, 2023, but will remain open during the renovations. They are moving the location of the Circulation Desk. The Children’s Room will be closed for three days between December 18 and December 21, but the librarians can retrieve books for patrons. There are future plans to renovate the mezzanine and auditorium.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron congratulated the Green Team for obtaining Bronze Certification through Sustainable Jersey. In addition, the Green Team just learned that the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs has agreed that their graduate students will work with the Green Team to “work up” the Village’s energy footprint and arrive at Best Practices for the Village.

 

Green Ridgewood Committee members had a tour of the leaf composting facility on Lakeview Drive. Deputy Mayor Perron remarked that this was a very interesting tour. In addition, Green Ridgewood presented a battery-powered leaf blower to the Ridgewood Public Library, to be added to their “Library of Things.” These “things” can be borrowed by residents for their various projects.

Deputy Mayor Perron stated that officials from the four towns serviced by Ridgewood Water (Ridgewood, Glen Rock, Midland Park and Wyckoff) met with new engineers who have been hired to help with replacing the lead service lines, as required by statute. These officials will be coordinating their efforts with Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) to perform mark-outs and obtain required permits.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron stated that she left an article on the table in the courtroom from the New York Times magazine section, entitled “Municipal Meetings.” She spoke about the important business that is conducted during Village Council meetings. The author of the article indelicately wrote, “this is where a community spills its guts.” She encouraged anyone interested to read the article.

 

Mayor Vagianos wished Ms. Mailander a happy birthday and stated how grateful he is for her “limitless experience and institutional knowledge.” Mayor Vagianos stated that during the Social Services Food Drive, there were 20 people, including himself, distributing food to residents in the cold weather. He said that the Interfaith Service at the Old Paramus Reformed Church, held a few weeks ago, was a very special event, with leaders from various religious denominations in attendance. The Elder Thanksgiving Dinner at the church was another example of how wonderful the Village really is, with about 150 people enjoying a wonderful meal. In addition, Mayor Vagianos attended two Diwali festivals. Diwali is one of the holiest days on the Hindu calendar. It is the celebration of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. The Christmas tree lighting was wonderful. He stated that even though the weather outside was frightful, the crowd was so delightful. Mayor Vagianos thanked everyone who assisted with organizing these events, especially Downes Tree Service that donated time, equipment and workers to cut down, transport and install the Christmas tree, which they do year after year, free of charge.

 

Mayor Vagianos said that he will be present at the Menorah Lighting on Thursday, December 7, 2023 at 5:30 p.m., in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square.

 

A PFAS review meeting was held at Ridgewood Water headquarters. All residents are urged to use less water this coming summer, so that water will not have to be taken from untreated wells. He said that less water was used this past summer, and he was very pleased with the cooperation shown by the other towns serviced by Ridgewood Water. The PFAS mitigation project should be completed by 2026.

 

The Jewish-Muslim Solidarity Vigil, held in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square, was discussed on MSNBC recently, between Iman Mahmoud Hamza and Rabbi David Fine. This interview can be accessed online at msnbc.com.

 

Mayor Vagianos remarked once again what an incredible community Ridgewood is, citing the sensory-free dinners that are organized by the Access Committee.

 

Mayor Vagianos concluded by stating that this past weekend was a very important one for his family, because he and his wife celebrated their 40^th wedding anniversary. He described his wife Jeannie as a “saint” and stated that his 40 years of marriage to her has been the “greatest ride ever.”

 

5.         DISCUSSION

 

            A.        BUDGET

 

                        1.         AUTHORIZE SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION FOR AMERICAN                                   RESCUE PLAN FIREFIGHTER GRANT – PROTECTIVE AND                                                 SANITIZING EQUIPMENT – RIDGEWOOD FIRE DEPARTMENT

 

Fire Chief John Judge said that the American Rescue Plan Firefighter Grant is the same grant that the Fire Department applied for two years ago. They received $32,000.00 in grant monies from the State last year. These monies will be used to purchase protective and sanitizing equipment for the firefighters, and will offset the Fire Department’s capital requests in 2024. This year, the Fire Department will request allocation of monies for a Solo Rescue Decontamination Washer, and Chief Judge said that these grant monies will help to offset the cost of same. This heavy-duty washing machine cleans and decontaminates gloves, boots, helmets, SCBAs, breathing apparatus (mask and cylinders) of combustion gases, soot particles and other toxins. This will help firefighters from developing cancer from these toxins.

 

            B.        1.         AUTHORIZE EXECUTION OF SETTLEMENT RESPONSE –                                           RIDGEWOOD WATER LITIGATION VS. 3M AND DUPONT

 

Mr. Kazmark explained that this matter pertains to a proposed settlement of the Ridgewood Water litigation against 3M and DuPont, and was discussed previously in Closed Session.

 

6.         SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING

 

There was a motion by Deputy Mayor Perron to suspend the Work Session and convene a Special Public Meeting, seconded by Councilmember Reynolds.

 

Roll Call Vote

AYES:          Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, Winograd; and Mayor Vagianos

NAYS:         None

ABSENT:    None

ABSTAIN:   None

 

At the end of the Special Public Meeting, there was a motion by Councilmember Winograd, seconded by Councilmember Reynolds, to adjourn the Special Public Meeting and reconvene the Work Session.

7.         PRESENTATION

 

            1.         HABERNICKEL BARN

 

Mr. Kazmark indicated that in attendance at the meeting to speak about this matter were Christopher Rutishauser, Village Engineer; Fire Chief John Judge; Police Chief Forest Lyons; Nancy Bigos, Director of the Parks and Recreation Department; and Marianny Fermin-Cornelio from the Ridgewood Health Department. Mr. Kazmark explained that since he took over as Village Manager in July, it has become apparent that there are serious structural, safety and health issues regarding the deteriorating barn at Habernickel Park. Multiple meetings have taken place to discuss viable options for the barn, as well as any possible future usage of the barn.

 

Mr. Rutishauser said that the first photograph shown on the screen is the west side of the barn. He noted that all of the windows, except one, are boarded up, since most of them have been broken by “local vandals.” He said that the barn has been vandalized frequently. In the upstairs attic area, there is residue of the last “party” that took place there (empty liquor containers). There are both fire and intrusion alarms on the barn, which do not work all of the time. The next picture on the screen showed the southeast corner of the barn, showing some delamination of the soffit materials and decay on the edge of the roof. Mr. Rutishauser explained that the center-point piece shown in the picture is part of the lightning detection system.

 

Mr. Rutishauser described the next picture shown on the screen, showing the east wall line of the barn and evidence of deterioration, with soffits and gutters which have fallen off. The next picture depicted the entrance door to the barn/stable, which has been boarded up, due to the windows being broken and illegal entry by vandals. The next picture showed the southern half of the barn, with deterioration. A bait box was viewed in the picture, used to control rodent infestation. Subsequent pictures showed broken and boarded-up windows, an electrical switch gearbox, and remnants of a “party” which was held in the upstairs area of the barn.

 

Chief Lyons explained that over the past ten years, between 11/1/2013 and 11/1/2023, the Ridgewood Police Department has responded to or initiated 1,728 calls for service at Habernickel Park. This includes 82 calls of suspicious acts, persons or vehicles; 15 calls for juvenile delinquency; 19 calls for fireworks, noise or other ordinance violations; 9 calls for criminal mischief; 73 calls for burglar/panic alarms; 85 calls for non-criminal/non-suspicious calls for service; and 1,445 business checks, directed patrols and traffic enforcement. Chief Lyons explained that the barn is isolated away from the street, and illegal behavior cannot always be viewed by neighbors. He said that there was quite a substantial drug arrest in this location a few years ago.

 

Ms. Fermin-Cornelio of the Health Department explained that an inspection was conducted of the barn, and at least four areas were discovered showing evidence of mice and rat infestation (droppings), numerous areas of the barn that are deteriorated, and multiple points of entry for rodents and other vermin. She said that there is a large accumulation of water throughout the barn, a perfect climate for breeding mosquitos and development of mold. Mr. Kazmark confirmed that he witnessed these conditions when he personally inspected the barn.

 

Councilmember Weitz asked if the tenant at Habernickel Park has any issue with the razing of the barn. Mr. Kazmark said that they do not, and they do not have access to the barn through their lease agreement.

 

Fire Chief Judge stated that fire inspections of every building in the Village are done during the month of December every year. An inspection was performed of the Habernickel Park Barn and numerous violations were found, including damage to soffits and siding, open electrical boxes, broken light fixtures, and an unsecured gas line.

 

Nancy Bigos said that the Parks and Recreation Department has been monitoring the barn since it was purchased by the Village, in April 2004. The 10-acre Habernickel property was financed through the Village of Ridgewood Open Space Tax, Bergen County Open Space grant monies, Green Acres grant monies, a New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection infrastructure loan, and Village funds. Renovations to the barn were desired over the past 20 years, but no funds have been available for same. Over the years, Ms. Bigos has received many complaints from residents regarding rodents, vandalism, and location of the portable toilet. The lack of shelter from inclement weather for park users and sports groups is a concern for Ms. Bigos. Stacey Antine of HealthBarn, the tenant at the Gate House on the Habernickel Park property, has been kind enough to open the garage doors to provide shelter for park users and young athletes.

 

Ms. Bigos said that, most recently, residents have come before the Parks, Recreation and Conservation (PRC) Board to speak about their concerns regarding the barn, which is neglected,  rundown, and presents opportunities for vandalism. This information has been shared with the Village Manager. Despite her sentimental attachment to the barn, Ms. Bigos stated that the time has come where the barn has reached its “tipping point.”

 

Mr. Kazmark pointed out that the packet regarding the barn, distributed to the Village Councilmembers, summarizes the findings from the Fire, Police and Health Departments, and contains emails from concerned residents. He said that although the inside of the barn is quite charming, the only use he could envision for the barn would be to stable horses there again. He asked Ms. Bigos to speak about the salvageable contents within the barn and the potential to create a revenue stream through the sale of some of the contents of the barn.

 

Ms. Bigos said that she has researched costs for demolition of the barn and how the contents of the barn could be reused or sold. She stated that there certainly is value regarding the barn wood and stable doors.

 

Councilmember Weitz asked if there were any plans to erect another structure in its place, if the barn were to be razed. Mr. Kazmark said that the first step for the Village Council to take would be to consider the quote for demolition of the barn for $42,000.00, by Adamo Brothers Construction, which is also contained in the packet. He said that the Village has funding available for the demolition work. When budget discussions begin in the early months of 2024, the topic of what to place on the footprint of the barn will be discussed (such as amenities). When asked by Councilmember Weitz where the money will come from, Mr. Kazmark replied that there are currently funds available from an open bond for the original Habernickel Park project. Councilmember Weitz asked if there was any good reason why the barn should not be razed, and Mr. Kazmark said that there was no good reason why it should not be, other than for nostalgic reasons.

 

Mr. Kazmark mentioned that he had a meeting this week with Maude Snyder, a representative from Green Acres, to discuss the Habernickel Park Barn. He said that Green Acres has no objection to razing the barn, but will require advance notice, if such an action is taken by the Village. In addition, Ms. Snyder indicated that Green Acres would like to be involved in any discussions about what would replace the barn (such as park improvements or amenities) to ensure that any replacement structure would meet their requirements.

 

Councilmember Reynolds noted that the demolition estimate of $42,000.00 includes the permit fee, demolishing the structure, police security, removal of contaminated soil or debris, and testing for contamination. She asked what would happen to any revenue-worthy items inside the barn. Ms. Bigos replied that she is confident that she can negotiate the sale of any saleable items with the contractor, since it was the contractor himself, who brought up the subject of selling some items in the barn. He indicated that he had contacts who would be interested in purchasing such items. Councilmember Reynolds asked if the $42,000.00 estimate included any offset for the saleable items, in which case the contractor would take everything. Mr. Kazmark replied that any revenue gleaned from the sale of any valuable barn wood or stable doors is separate and apart from the demolition costs. Councilmember Reynolds stated that it appeared the Village would have to trust the contractor to do the right thing and reimburse the Village for any sale proceeds. Ms. Bigos felt that the contractor will probably just put her in touch with any interested buyers, and the Village would handle the sale of these items on its own. She added that Adamo Brothers Construction was recommended by Mr. Calbi, of Ridgewood Water.

 

Mr. Kazmark asked Mr. Rutishauser if he would recommend that any party wishing to purchase any of the items in the barn first strip those items from the barn and then let the contractor proceed with the demolition. Mr. Rutishauser said that this could be one of the directions in which the Village could proceed. He said that the first thing he needs to do is remove any equipment and Village-owned property from the barn, once the Village Councilmembers decide what they want to do with the barn. After that has been accomplished, an inventory can be taken of anything that might be saleable. This inventory can be reviewed with the contractor to determine appropriate timeframes for selling the items and starting demolition. Mr. Rutishauser acknowledged that there are some salvageable items in the barn, and stated that the challenge is trying to find the appropriate buyer for the items.

 

Councilmember Reynolds asked if there was any danger of the barn collapsing, especially if someone started stripping the wood from the barn. Mr. Rutishauser said that he would obtain a Certificate of Insurance from the person, which would indemnify the Village from any liability in the event the person got hurt. Mayor Vagianos added that the contractor would not demolish the barn in a willy-nilly fashion, but would perform the demolition in an orderly fashion. Mr. Rutishauser added that when a project is bid out, he relies upon the means and methods of the various contractors to ensure that the job is done safely.

 

Councilmember Winograd said that she personally toured the barn, and there are many residents who have legitimate safety concerns about its deteriorated condition. She said that some money could be generated from the sale of the stable doors, but the inside of the barn is in terrible shape. She said that she was in favor of razing the barn.

 

Councilmember Weitz asked if this matter would be placed on next week’s Village Council agenda, and Mr. Kazmark replied that the appropriate resolution authorizing the demolition expenditure would be placed on the agenda. Mr. Kazmark said that he was greatly concerned about the liability that could be incurred with this unsafe structure. Mayor Vagianos mentioned that the tenant on the property (HealthBarn) has children attending events there. The barn has structurally failed and has vermin inside, which could bite the children. There was a consensus to put the appropriate resolution on next week’s agenda to allocate funds to raze the barn.

 

8.         DISCUSSION

 

            A.        RIDGEWOOD WATER

 

                        1.         AWARD CONTRACT – VARIOUS INFRASTRUCTURE                                                           IMPROVEMENTS – INSTALLATION AND REPLACEMENT OF                                              WATER MAINS, FIRE HYDRANTS, VALVES, SERVICE                                                 CONNECTIONS, AND APPURTENANCES

 

Michael Cohrs, Business Manager for Ridgewood Water, and Richard Calbi, Director of Ridgewood Water, were both in attendance at this evening’s meeting to discuss items related to Ridgewood Water. Mr. Calbi indicated that the first item pertains to the awarding of a contract for various infrastructure improvements, particularly distribution piping, installation and replacement of water mains, fire hydrants, valves, service connections and appurtenances. Eight bids were received on November 16, 2023. These bids were publicly read. The project engineer, Suburban Consulting Engineers, reviewed all bids received and recommended that the contract be awarded to the low bidder, Shauger Property Services, Inc., of East Orange, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $4,529,980.00. Ridgewood Water concurs with this recommendation. Funding is contained in the Ridgewood Water Capital Budget. This project consists of replacing approximately 7,440 linear feet of ductile iron water mains of various sizes, along with related valves, fire hydrants and service connections, together with 1,725 linear feet of raw water main and appurtenances along a portion of the water main replacement.

                        2.         AWARD CONTRACT – INFRARED ASPHALT SURFACE                                                         REPAIR

 

Mr. Calbi explained that this item pertains to the awarding of a contract for infrared asphalt surface repair, asphalt trench patching, and miscellaneous curb and sidewalk repairs at various locations. The intent of this contract is to have available a means to restore Village streets to a “new condition” after an excavation has been made in them. The contract will also be used to repair excavations done under Village street opening permits, where the contractor failed to satisfactorily restore the street. Mr. Calbi indicated that this project is bid out annually by the Village Engineering Department. A previous award of $125,000.00 was made for 2023 to J. Fletcher Creamer by Village Council Resolution #23-161. It is recommended that the next half of this contract be awarded to J. Fletcher Creamer for the period of January 1, 2024 to June 30, 2024, in an amount not to exceed $125,000.00. Funding is contained in the Ridgewood Water Operating Budget.

 

Addressing Mr. Rutishauser, Deputy Mayor Perron noted that this contract will be used to repair excavations when a contractor fails to satisfactorily restore a street. She asked how often this happens and, when it does occur, she asked whether or not the third-party contractor can be held responsible for the costs of these repairs, rather than the taxpayers. Mr. Rutishauser said that this does not occur very often, because road opening permits are required for excavations in the public right-of-way. Insurance information from the contractor is obtained at the time of the permit application, as well as a bond. For smaller jobs, the bond could be as small as $1,000.00. Most contractors will give cash rather than giving a paper bond. The bond is rescinded, or the cash refunded to the contractor, if the trench restoration is acceptable. If the restoration is not done satisfactorily, the bond or cash is seized and the funds are used to pay for the infrared contractor to make the necessary repairs.

 

                        3.         AWARD CONTRACT – HVAC MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR –

                                    VARIOUS LOCATIONS

 

Mr. Calbi indicated that this item pertains to the awarding of a contract for HVAC maintenance and repair at various locations. On November 9, 2023, Ridgewood Water received bids for this work for the years 2024 and 2025. These services are necessary to maintain and extend the life and operability of the HVAC systems at Village Hall and various Ridgewood Water facilities, including well and treatment facilities at Sicomac, Lakeview, Vance, Aqueduct, Eastside, Southside, and Fairview, and the new Ridgewood Water headquarters. One bid was received in a timely manner and one was not. It is recommended that this two-year contract be awarded to Unitemp Mechanical Degrees, LLC, of Somerset, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $55,000.00. This amount consists of $31,800.00 for annual preventive maintenance. The balance of $23,200.00 is being included as an allowance for repairs and replacements, utilizing the hourly rates bid and fixed markups of 15% for items under $5,000.00 and 10% for items over $5,000.00. Funding is contained in the Ridgewood Water Operating Budget and the Village Operating Budget.

                        4.         AWARD CONTRACT – SERVICING AND REPAIR OF

                                    ELECTRIC SOURCE

 

Mr. Calbi explained that this item pertains to the awarding of a contract extension for the servicing and repair of electric source for Ridgewood Water. The current contract with Vanore Electric, Inc., which was awarded on November 10, 2021, will expire on December 31, 2023. For the past two years, Vanore Electric has performed successfully, completed all of the service work requested by Ridgewood Water, and is eligible for a one-year extension to the contract. It is recommended that this contract extension be approved for Vanore Electric, of Hackensack, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $250,000.00. Funding is contained in the Ridgewood Water Operating Budget.

 

                        5.         AWARD CONTRACT – SERVICING AND REPAIR OF POTABLE

                                    WATER PUMPING FACILITIES

 

Mr. Calbi indicated that this item pertains to the awarding of a contract extension for the servicing and repair of potable water pumping facilities for Ridgewood Water. The current contract with William Stothoff Company, Inc., of Flemington, New Jersey, was awarded on November 10, 2021 and this will expire on December 31, 2023. For the past two years, William Stothoff has performed successfully, completed all of the service work requested by Ridgewood Water, and is eligible for a one-year extension to the contract. It is recommended that this contract extension be approved for William Stothoff Company, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $500,000.00. Funding is contained in the Ridgewood Water Operating Budget.

 

                        6.         AWARD CONTRACT – LANDSCAPING SERVICES

 

Mr. Calbi explained that this item deals with the awarding of a contract for landscaping services for 2024 and 2025 for Ridgewood Water. Five bids were received on November 9, 2023. The current contract with LTI Inc. expires December 31, 2023 at an annual cost of $113,250.00. The new contract adds gutter cleaning and reflects increased fuel prices. The services provided will include spring cleanup, edging, trimming, debris cleanup, mowing, fall cleanup, and gutter cleaning at facility locations, including well houses, pump houses, tank sites, and offices. It is recommended that this contract be awarded to the low bidder, LTI Inc., of Montville, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $149,950.00 per year. The annual bid price includes a $20,000.00 allowance for miscellaneous services, such as landscape plantings. Funding is contained in the Ridgewood Water Operating Budget.

 

                        7.         AWARD CONTRACT – FURNISHING AND DELIVERING

                                    SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE SOLUTION

 

Mr. Calbi indicated that this item pertains to the awarding of a contract for the furnishing and delivery of sodium hypochlorite solution for 2024 and 2025. The addition of sodium hypochlorite into the water system is necessary to meet regulatory requirements and ensure safe drinking water for the public. Sodium hypochlorite is effective at killing any waterborne bacteria. The current contract with PVS expires on December 31, 2023, with a unit price of $1.68 per gallon. PVS has performed services for the Village successfully in the past. Ridgewood Water received two bids on November 8, 2023. It is recommended that this contract be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, PVS Minibulk, Inc., of Detroit, Michigan, in an amount not to exceed $124,000.00 per year. The unit price is $2.48 per gallon, to be renewed on an annual basis. The unit price increase is due to variability in the chemical market and increased delivery costs. Ridgewood Water anticipates using approximately 50,000 gallons of this chemical per year. Funding is contained in the Ridgewood Water Operating Budget.

 

                        8.         AWARD CONTRACT – LINE STOP AND VALVE INSERTION

                                    SERVICES

 

Mr. Calbi explained that this item pertains to the awarding of a contract for line stop and valve insertion services for Ridgewood Water for the years 2024 and 2025. Two bids were received on November 8, 2023. The low bid was from ConQuest, which has not previously performed these services for Ridgewood Water. The second bid was from Carner Bros., which performed these services in a very professional manner for the past several years. Line stop and valve insertions are very specialized operations. A line stop or valve insertion becomes necessary when pipe or valve repairs require an extremely long shutdown, with substantial impact to customers that would otherwise lose service during the shutdown. After fully reviewing both bids and following up with references, it was determined that ConQuest did not have the required experience installing the T.E.A.M.-type insertion valves. In addition, a bad reference was received for ConQuest, so their bid was rejected. Therefore, it is recommended that this contract be awarded to Carner Bros., of Roseland, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $200,000.00 per year. Funding is contained in the Ridgewood Water Operating Budget.

 

                        9.         AWARD CONTRACT – PIPE AND APPURTENANCES

 

Mr. Calbi stated that this item pertains to the awarding of a one-year contract for pipe and appurtenances for Ridgewood Water for the year 2024. Two bids were received on November 8, 2023. These pipe and appurtenance materials are necessary to facilitate repairs and replacements to the water distribution system. This bid is being awarded in sections. It is recommended that this contract be awarded, in an amount not to exceed $415,000.00, as follows: Capital Supply Construction Products, LLC, of Wayne, New Jersey, shall be awarded Sections A, B, C, D, E (items 3, 4, 4A, 4C, 4D and 14-33), F and G; Ferguson Waterworks of Howell, New Jersey, shall be award Section E (items 1-2, 4B, 5-13, 34-35), and H. Funding is contained in the Ridgewood Water Operating Budget.

                     10.       AUTHORIZE CHANGE ORDER – PROFESSIONAL                                                                 ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR 2023 – VARIOUS

                                    TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION IMPROVEMENTS

 

Mr. Calbi explained that this item pertains to the authorization of a Change Order for professional engineering services for 2023, for various transmission and distribution improvements for Ridgewood Water. On March 8, 2023, Ridgewood Water awarded a contract for this project to Suburban Consulting Engineers of Flanders, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $88,170.00. At this time, an additional amount of $8,942.00 is required to complete work beyond the original professional engineering services contract scope. These additional monies are required, due to modifications in design from the original contract scope, which include the addition of a proposed sanitary sewer main, addition of fiberoptic conduits, and a change in the size of the raw water main. Change Order #1 increases the contract total to $97,112.00. Funding is contained in the Water Utility Capital Budget.

 

                        11.       ACCEPT NAME CHANGE OF VENDOR FOR WATERSMART

                                    CUSTOMER PORTAL SOFTWARE PACKAGE

 

Mr. Cohrs explained that this item pertains to the acceptance of a name change for the vendor for the Watersmart Customer Portal Software Package, from Vertexone to Watersmart. Under Resolution #23-289, the annual Watersmart Customer Portal Software Package for the years 2023, 2024 and 2025 was renewed by the Village on September 13, 2023 to Vertexone. Ridgewood Water has been informed that Vertexone is the parent company of Watersmart Software, Inc., and will be providing the software under the name of Watersmart.

 

            B.        BUDGET

 

                        1.         THIRD QUARTER FINANCIAL UPDATE

 

Robert Rooney, Chief Financial Officer, said that he has provided financial statements through September 30, 2023 to the Village Councilmembers for the Current Fund, Water Utility Fund, and Parking Utility Fund. As of September 30, 2023, local revenues are at 99% of what was anticipated for the year. He said that the percentage through November was approximately 107%. Total State aid without offsetting appropriations was at 32%. This State aid is predicated on the Village attaining statutory Best Practices. Once the Village is within the Best Practices guidelines established by the State, then 100% of the State aid will be received. He said that the percentage through November was approximately 92%, and the balance will be paid by the end of the year.

 

State and Federal grant programs were realized at 100%. For Total Special Items, such as rent of cellular tower, sale of municipal assets and FEMA hurricane repayments, the percentage is 85% of what was anticipated; through November, the percentage is at 90%. Total General Revenues through September 30 were at 77%, and through November, they are at 93% of what was anticipated.

 

Regarding Appropriations in the Current Fund, Mr. Rooney pointed out some comments that he made, by some line items. Some concerns that were discussed will be covered with transfer resolutions, which he stated was typical for this time of year. There are some unanticipated expenses, due to contractual commitments, such as pricing on chemicals and repairs.

 

Regarding the Water Utility Fund Revenues, Mr. Rooney explained that total revenues as of September 30, 2023 are at 77% of what was anticipated; through November, they are at about 85% to 90%. He said that some billings went out in October and November, so he is confident that anticipated revenues will be reached. Regarding Appropriations, as of September 30, they were at 74%. There is one transfer needed for $100,000.00 (on agenda this evening), but he does not foresee any unanticipated fluctuations.

Regarding the Parking Utility Fund Revenues, Mr. Rooney stated that total revenues as of September 30, 2023 are at 81% of what was anticipated; through November, the figure is closer to 91%. As of September 30, Total Parking Utility Appropriations are at 72% of what was anticipated.

 

Councilmember Winograd asked if parking volume is almost back to normal, after the decline during the Covid pandemic. Mr. Rooney said that it was not yet back to where it was, but parking volume is moving in the right direction. He mentioned that parking is heavier on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and lighter on Monday and Friday, but the volume is gradually climbing (approximately 65%).

 

                        2.         APPROVE 2023 BUDGET TRANSFERS

 

Mr. Rooney explained that there are some 2023 Budget Transfers, which he is asking to be approved. These transfers are for deficiencies for expenditures, which must be made so that the Village can meets its financial obligations for the current year.

 

                        3.         APPROVE 2024 CASH MANAGEMENT PLAN

 

Mr. Rooney presented the Cash Management Plan for 2023. This plan is utilized as a guide for depositing and investing Village funds, and must be approved annually by the Village Council, per statute. He said that no plan changes are proposed for 2024. Mr. Rooney said that interest on investments has skyrocketed this year, based upon what the Village was allowed to anticipate. This interest will go into surplus, which will aid in developing the 2024 Budget. He will monitor interest rates for 2024, in case interest rates decline.

                        4.         AWARD CONTRACT – PREPARATION OF 2024 VILLAGE

                                    COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

 

Mr. Kazmark said that this item pertains to an award of contract for preparation of the 2024 Village Council meeting minutes. Ms. Mailander added that two proposals were received: one for $8.00 per page from Prestige EVAs, LLC, and the other for $9.00 per page from Alvarez Typing. She mentioned that Alvarez Typing has done the minutes for the last two years, as well as in 2009 and 2010. Both proposals were similar. Based upon price and the level of detail, as well as identification of individual speakers, Ms. Mailander recommended that the contract be awarded to Prestige EVAs, LLC.

 

                        5.         AWARD EXTRAORDINARY UNSPECIFIABLE SERVICES

                                    CONTRACT – IMPROVEMENTS AND UPGRADES TO PUBLIC

                                    SAFETY COMMUNICATION BANDWIDTH – VARIOUS

                                    LOCATIONS

 

Mr. Kazmark explained that this item pertains to the awarding of an Extraordinary Unspecifiable Services Contract for improvements and upgrades to public safety communication bandwidths at various locations. Due to the fact that cell service is unobtainable in certain parts of the Village, near Village Hall, particularly during large events, there was concern about the loss of communications among public safety departments. Approximately 24 small nodes will be installed on the roof of Village Hall, concealed by architectural screening.

 

                        6.         AWARD CONTRACT – CONCESSION REFRESHMENT

                                    SERVICE – GRAYDON POOL – WATER’S EDGE CAFÉ

 

Mr. Kazmark indicated that this item pertains to the awarding of a contract for concession refreshment service at Graydon Pool, at the Water’s Edge Café, for 2024. The second year option for $10,500.00 rental fee has been requested by Michael Sims, Mellsworth Foods, and Parks and Recreation wishes to accept. There was a discussion between Mr. Kazmark and Councilmember Weitz about bidding out this contract for 2025.

 

                        7.         AWARD CONTRACT – 2024 RECREATION PROGRAM

                                    INSTRUCTION – PARKS AND RECREATION

 

Mr. Kazmark said that this item pertains to the awarding of a contract for 2024 Recreation Program instruction for the Parks and Recreation Department, with an option to renew in 2025. Eight bids were received and all programs were outlined in the resolution.

                        8.         AWARD CONTRACT UNDER BERGEN COUNTY CONTRACT –

                                    UNTREATED ROCK SALT

 

Mr. Kazmark explained that this item pertains to the awarding of a contract under Bergen County contract for the purchase of untreated rock salt. This year’s quote for untreated rock salt is $78.75 per ton, and last year’s quote was $75.00 per ton. This is a $3.75 per ton increase.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron remarked that it was her understanding that there was some salt left over from last year. Mr. Rutishauser replied that the Village only has enough salt left to treat roads after a snowstorm of 8” to 10”. He said that, unfortunately, the storage facility is small, and rock salt cannot be stockpiled year after year. The salt storage facility by the Park and Ride is owned by the NJDOT and cannot be used by the Village. There was a discussion by Mr. Rutishauser about his predictions for the upcoming winter.

 

                        9.         RESCIND RESOLUTION #23-205 AND RESOLUTION #23-262 –

                                    AWARD CONTRACT – CHASSIS AND MASON DUMP – PARKS

                                    DEPARTMENT

 

Mr. Kazmark indicated that this is a resolution to rescind Resolution #23-205 and Resolution #23-262 regarding the awarding of a contract to purchase an F600 Mason Dump Truck and Mason Dump Body, as these items are no longer available.

 

                        10.       AWARD CONTRACT UNDER STATE CONTRACT – 2023 FORD

                                    CHASSIS 4X4 MASON DUMP TRUCK – PARKS DEPARTMENT

 

Mr. Kazmark said that this is an award of contract under State contract to complete the purchase of an F550 Chassis 4x4 Mason Dump Truck in the amount of $99,375.00 for the Parks and Recreation Department.

 

                        11.       AWARD CONTRACT UNDER SOURCEWELL COOPERATIVE

                                    PURCHASING PROGRAM – LEASE OF FORD EXPLORER –

                                    HEALTH DEPARTMENT

 

Mr. Kazmark explained that this is an award of contract under the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Program for the lease of a 2021 Ford Explorer, through Enterprise Fleet Management, for the Health Department. This is the fourth year of a five-year lease. Deputy Mayor Perron asked Mr. Kazmark if he could look into hybrid vehicles once this lease expires, and he said that he would. Mr. Kazmark said that the entire Village fleet will be inventoried in the beginning of 2024. He has asked Michael Junta, Superintendent of Public Works, to research which vehicles could possibly be converted to hybrid use, such as vehicles used to perform inspections.

                        12.       AWARD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT – EMS

                                    CLAIMS PROCEDURES AND BILLING/REVENUE

                                    GENERATION

 

Chief John Judge explained that this is a request to award a professional services contract for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) regarding claim procedures and billing/revenue generation. It is recommended that this contract be awarded to the Village’s current EMS consultant, Keavney & Streger, LLC, for an additional 12 months. Due to the expected decrease in workload, Keavney & Streger has agreed to lower their price from $3,000.00 a month to $1,450.00 a month. This will amount to approximately $17,400.00 for the entire year, versus $36,000.00 last year. This vendor is providing their clients with a comprehensive Policy & Procedure Manual, specific to EMS, at no additional cost. For a client without the annual commitment, the cost for the manual alone, is $5,000.00.

 

                        13.       AWARD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT –

                                    PEDIATRICIAN FOR CHILD HEALTH CLINICS

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that this item pertains to the awarding of a professional services contract for a pediatrician for child health clinics by the Health Department. Through a Shared Services Agreement, Ridgewood, Glen Rock and Fair Lawn host a Child Health Conference every year. For the past 14 years, Dr. Wayne Narucki has been working these clinics. Only one reply was received when this was sent out for bid, and the only response was received from Dr. Narucki. It is recommended that the contract be awarded to Dr. Narucki for 2024. His rate is $180.00 per hour, and the contract not to exceed amount is $1,950.00 for each municipality.

 

                        14.       AWARD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT – ANIMAL

                                    CONTROL AND WATERFOWL MANAGEMENT

 

Mr. Kazmark explained that this item is to award a professional services contract for animal control and waterfowl management for the Health Department. The current two-year contract with TYCO Animal Control Service will expire in June 2024, at a yearly charge of $32,400.00 ($27,400.00 for animal control services and $5,000.00 for waterfowl management). A resolution must be approved for 2024 funding.

 

                        15.       AWARD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT – ELEVATOR

                                    SUBCODE INSPECTION/INSPECTOR

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that this is an award of a professional services contract for an elevator subcode inspection/inspector. He said that the Department of Community Affairs has done such elevator inspections in the past for the Village, for which the Village receives no revenue. This service will be moved over to a private company, Top Floor Elevated Solutions, LLC, of Park Ridge, New Jersey. The elevator subcode fee is governed under State statute. Top Floor will charge the Village 85% of the fees collected for any elevator subcode duties, and the Village would keep the remaining 15% of the fees. This would amount to approximately $9,000.00 to $10,000.00 in revenue per year for the Village. Tony Merlino is recommending that this contract be entered into for a year, with evaluation in the last quarter of 2024 to determine efficacy.

 

                        16.       AUTHORIZE SHARED SERVICES CONTRACT – CHILD

                                    HEALTH CLINIC

 

Mr. Kazmark explained that this item pertains to the authorization of a Shared Services Agreement for the Child Health Clinic for 2024, with Glen Rock and Fair Lawn.

 

                        17.       TRAIN STATION CONCESSION BID RESULTS

 

Mr. Kazmark indicated that bids were sent out for the Train Station Concession (coffee bar) on November 22, 2023. This time, the floor rent was lowered to a minimum bid of $1,200.00 per month. There were no bids received. although the RFP was sent to six entities who might have been interested. Mr. Rutishauser is now recommending lowering the minimum monthly rent to $800.00 per month, and going back out for bid. Mr. Kazmark said that after three attempts to bid out this project without responses received, then the Village can negotiate a contract independently.

 

Councilmember Winograd said that she thought this bid had already been sent out three times. Ms. Mailander replied that not all of the bids were the same when they were sent out (different monthly rent). Mr. Rutishauser indicated that this RFP has already been sent out twice this year and once last year, with different minimum monthly charges. One person who picked up a bid packet indicated that the rent was too high, considering the amount of business in the Train Station. When questioned by Mayor Vagianos, Mr. Rutishauser indicated that the rent was approximately $1,200.00 per month pre-Covid.

 

Councilmember Winograd asked if the Chamber of Commerce could receive a copy of the RFP the next time it is sent out. She thought that perhaps a local coffee vendor may be interested in a satellite location. Mr. Rutishauser said that he would email the RFP in PDF format to the Chamber of Commerce and the Ridgewood Guild. He said that the RFP is advertised in the Ridgewood News and the RFP is also sent to a series of online companies, which is distributed to their customers.

 

Both Councilmember Weitz and Deputy Mayor Perron questioned whether any rent should be charged at all. Mr. Kazmark said that he would not recommend this, but rather to “lowball it” in the area of $500.00. Mr. Rutishauser said that the three bids already sent out were for $1,200.00, $500.00, and $800.00 per month. Deputy Mayor Perron said that the RFP sent out on May 24, 2022 had a floor of $500.00 per month; the RFP sent out on February 15, 2023 had a floor of $1,200.00 per month; and the RFP sent out on November 22, 2023 had a floor of $750.00 per month. After further discussion, there was a consensus that the new RFP would be sent out with a minimum rent of $500.00 per month.

                        18.       REJECT PROPOSAL – BILLING OF BASIC LIFE SUPPORT

                                    SERVICES – AMBULANCE BILLING

 

Chief Judge explained that this is a request to approve the rejection of a sole proposal received from Farnsworth and Semptimphelter of Lumberton, New Jersey, for the billing of basic life support services and ambulance billing. It is recommended that the Village consider rejecting the sole proposal received and to reissue and readvertise the Request for Proposal (RFP). He stated that ARP is the current ambulance billing company. There were “average” responses received when the references were checked for Farnsworth and Semptimphelter. In addition, Chief Judge said that a better job will be done, to notify billing companies when this project is rebid.

 

                        19.       REJECT BIDS – LANDFILL DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE

 

Mr. Kazmark explained that this item pertains to the rejection of bids for landfill disposal of solid waste for the years 2024 and 2025. Mr. Calbi stated that this bid is sent out every two years for the disposal of solid waste. Two bids were received on November 9, 2023. The apparent low bidder was Waste Management, with a unit price per ton of $92.50, for an estimated tonnage of 9,500 tons. The total cost per year would be $878,750.00. This amount is much more than the estimate for the solid waste disposal ($85.00 per ton). He is recommending that this bid be rejected, and that the contract be sent out again for bid.

 

                        20.       RESCIND AND REPLACE RESOLUTION #23-371 – AWARD

                                    CONTRACT UNDER STATE CONTRACT – COMPUTER

                                    EQUIPMENT

 

Mr. Kazmark explained that this item deals with the rescinding and replacement of Resolution #23-371, which awarded a contract under State contract for the purchase of computer equipment. This is to purchase new desktop computers, monitors and webcams and to upgrade existing equipment for the Village. It was discovered that a cooperative contract was referenced in Resolution #23-371, which the Village of Ridgewood is not a member of, so a new resolution must be approved to reflect the proper State Cooperative contract. This contract, to be awarded under State Contract, is to Dell, for an amount not to exceed $65,695.90.

 

                        21.       CONFIRM ENDORSEMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

                                    BLOCK GRANT – WEST BERGEN MENTAL HEALTHCARE,

                                    INC. – INSTALLATION OF ADA-APPROVED AUTOMATIC

                                    DOORS

 

Mr. Kazmark explained that this item pertains to the confirmation of an endorsement of a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to West Bergen Mental Healthcare, Inc., for the installation of ADA-approved automatic doors at 120 and 140 Chestnut Street, at a cost of $40,000.00. This grant application requires an endorsing resolution from the Village Council.

 

                        22.       AUTHORIZE REFUND AND CANCELLATION OF PROPERTY

                                    TAXES FOR DISABLED VETERAN

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that this item pertains to the authorization of a refund and cancellation of property taxes for the first and second quarters of 2024, for 316 Meadowbrook Avenue, due to the owner being a 100% disabled veteran.

 

            C.        POLICY

 

                        1.         VETERANS’ BANNERS IN CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT

 

Mr. Kazmark explained that this item deals with the veterans banners in the Central Business District (CBD). He referenced a communication from Joan Monton, with whom he has been working closely regarding the military banners program. The veterans’ banners were hung in the CBD from Memorial Day through the Fourth of July this year. In 2024, Ms. Monton is requesting that the veterans’ banners be allowed to hang in the CBD from May until after Veterans Day. Mr. Kazmark said that this is customary and traditional in communities throughout northern New Jersey. Ms. Monton is requesting the use of 75 poles, which would allow for 150 veterans’ banners to be hung (two per pole), spread throughout the CBD. This will be coordinated with Rich Tarleton of the Signal Department.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked whether there are more than 75 poles that could be used in the CBD, in the event that there are individuals who may want to hang banners related to a different topic. Mr. Kazmark replied that there is enough capacity. Councilmember Winograd added that there is room for a total of approximately 200 banners to be hung.

 

                        2.         REGULATIONS ON ELECTRIC BICYCLES, ELECTRIC

                                    SCOOTERS, ELECTRIC SKATEBOARDS, AND NON-HUMAN

                                    POWERED VEHICLES

 

Mr. Kazmark explained that this item pertains to the regulations governing the use of electric bicycles, electric scooters, electric skateboards, and other non-human powered vehicles. Some revisions were requested to be made during the last discussion of this matter by the Village Councilmembers. Mr. Rogers stated that there was a further revision (not contained in the memo) regarding allowing the use of such devices/vehicles by disabled individuals.

 

Councilmember Winograd asked if this proposed ordinance amendment will be sent to the Board of Education for review. Mr. Kazmark said that once the changes are made, the document will be sent to the Superintendent of Schools.

            D.        OPERATIONS

 

                        1.         APPOINTMENT OF SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT

                                    STEERING COMMITTEE

 

Mr. Kazmark explained that this item deals with the appointment by the Village Council of a Special Improvement District (SID) Steering Committee. Stuart Koperweis, of Economic Development Strategies, LLC, hired by the Village to conduct a SID feasibility study, met with several commercial property owners and merchants in the CBD to explain what a SID encompasses.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron said that this meeting was held on November 17, 2023 at Village Hall. A Steering Committee must be assembled to develop a mission/goal/services required for a SID. After the meeting, several people volunteered to work on the project and attend twice-a-month meetings for the next six months. Phase 2 of the project entails more outreach to the entire Ridgewood business community, with the proposal developed by the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee will also be comprised of selected Village staff, who will assist with “mapping” and tax assessments. Deputy Mayor Perron has supplied a list to the Village Councilmembers detailing the persons whom she would recommend to be on the Steering Committee.

 

Councilmember Reynolds felt that having certain people (referring to Mayor Vagianos) on the Steering Committee, as recommended by Deputy Mayor Perron, would give the appearance of a conflict of interest, albeit not a legal conflict of interest. However, Councilmember Reynolds was completely in favor of forming a SID in the CBD, since it would prove economically beneficial.

 

Mr. Rogers said that he reviewed the Local Government Ethics Law and the New Jersey Conflict of Interest Law. He said that it was clearly stated in Section 40A:9-22.5(i) that a government official who is a member of a group, where there is no personal financial benefit accruing to that member as a result of being a member of that group that is different from the rest of the members of that group, there is no conflict of interest. Even if there were an economic benefit, all members of the group would benefit equally.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron indicated that she also discussed the conflict of interest matter with Mr. Koperweis. Mr. Koperweis indicated that Mayor Vagianos, although a member of the Steering Committee, would not be conducting the meetings. Councilmember Reynolds replied that having Mayor Vagianos on the committee does not pass the “smell test” and does not look right.

 

Councilmember Winograd said that what doesn’t look right is the Village of Ridgewood, with vacant storefronts, litter, and other issues. She mentioned the closing of long-standing Town and Country Pharmacy recently. She stated that the Village Council needs to be responsive to the changing needs of the Village, and the formation of a SID is a good first step. She thanked everyone who has worked on this matter thus far.

Mayor Vagianos also thanked Deputy Mayor Perron for her efforts in this regard. He said that he would not sit on the Steering Committee if Mr. Rogers felt that there was a conflict. Mayor Vagianos said that there are approximately 80 to 100 property owners in the CBD, and there are only seven names of property owners who volunteered to serve on the Steering Committee. If there were more volunteers, he would “bow out” of being on the Steering Committee. However, that there were not many business owners willing to participate, due to the time-intensive nature of the initiative. He said that only a fraction of business owners who were invited showed up to the meeting.

 

Councilmember Weitz said that while he understood Councilmember Reynolds’ point, he had no problem with Mayor Vagianos being on the committee. He thanked Deputy Mayor Perron for taking a leadership role regarding the formation of a SID in the CBD. Deputy Mayor Perron said that during Phase 2 of the SID, the Steering Committee has to “sell the whole idea,” the formula and framework of the SID, to the entire business community.

 

                        2.         ORDINANCE – APPOINTMENT OF VILLAGE HISTORIAN

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that this item deals with the appointment of a Village Historian. Councilmember Weitz said that he has a tremendous amount of respect for Joe Suplicki and Peggy Norris (the current Village Historians), having worked with Mr. Suplicki for many months on the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC). He said that when this ordinance was passed 20 years ago, he did not believe that these appointments were meant to be lifelong. Councilmember Weitz said that it makes sense that Sarah Kiefer, Director of the Bolger Heritage Room at the Ridgewood Library, be appointed as Village Historian. He said that he likes the five-year term of the appointment and that the person being appointed is a Village employee.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron thanked Mr. Suplicki for his wonderful tours of the graveyard at Old Paramus Church and of Valleau Cemetery. She also thanked Ms. Norris for the spectacular exhibit at the Schoolhouse Museum of historic Bergen County quilts.

 

Councilmember Reynolds also thanked Mr. Suplicki and Ms. Norris for being such a tremendous resource to the residents of Ridgewood. She said that their knowledge of the history of the Village is incredible. She agreed with Councilmember Weitz that the appointment should not be a lifetime term.

 

Councilmember Winograd echoed all of the earlier comments and said that Mr. Suplicki and Ms. Norris have both been incredible resources to the Ridgewood community. She thanked the Ridgewood Library and Sarah Kiefer for agreeing to this appointment.

 

Mayor Vagianos also echoed the earlier comments. He said that when he first moved to Ridgewood 30 years ago, Mr. Suplicki was one of the first people he met. He worked with him on renovating the old Woolworth building, which had been vacant for over five years. Mayor Vagianos said that Mr. Suplicki was a “fountain of knowledge.” He mentioned that Ms. Norris first began as historian when she was head of the History Room at the Ridgewood Library.

 

                        3.         CORRECTION TO ORDINANCE #3973 – AMEND VARIOUS

                                    SECTIONS OF CHAPTER 190 – LAND USE AND

                                    DEVELOPMENT AND SECTIONS OF CHAPTER 145 –

                                    ENUMERATION OF FEES

 

Mr. Kazmark stated that this item pertains to a correction to Ordinance #3973, to amend various sections of Chapter 190, Land Use and Development, and sections of Chapter 145, Enumeration of Fees. Mr. Rogers described the various changes to Ordinance #3973, which dealt with minimum front yard setbacks, maximum coverage and maximum gross building area for single-family dwellings. If the changes are approved by the Village Councilmembers, then they will be sent over to the Planning Board for their review and feedback. Mr. Kazmark added that one of these changes was derived from a recommendation contained in the Annual Report of the Zoning Board of Adjustment.

 

Ms. Mailander mentioned that these changes are part of the large ordinance that was just adopted last month. The wording in paragraph E11 was, “Maximum coverage by above-grade structures located within 140 feet of the front lot line: 25% of the lot area within 140 feet of the front lot line.” She said that the “25%” was incorrectly noted in the large ordinance as 20%. After consulting with John Barree, Village Planner, Ms. Mailander indicated that the correct percentage is 25%.

 

Mayor Vagianos thanked Greg Brown, Chairman of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, and everyone who worked on making recommendations for changes to the ordinance.

 

9.         COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

 

Mayor Vagianos asked if there were any further comments from the public, and there were none.

 

10.       RESOLUTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION

 

Ms. Mailander read Resolution #23-390 to go into Closed Session:

11.       ADJOURNMENT

 

There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Deputy Mayor Perron, seconded by Councilmember Reynolds, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the Village Council’s Regular Public Work Session was adjourned at 10:03 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                ____________________________________

                                                                                                Paul Vagianos

                                                                                                        Mayor

 

 

 

 

 

______________________________________

                     Heather A. Mailander

                           Village Clerk