Village Council Public Work Session Minutes 20150624

 

A REGULAR WORK SESSION OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE SYDNEY V. STOLDT, JR., COURTROOM OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2015, AT 7:30 P.M.

 

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

Mayor Aronsohn 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 Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn.  Also present were Roberta Sonenfeld, Village Manager; Donna Jackson, Deputy Village Clerk; and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney. 

Mayor Aronsohn led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag and asked for a moment of silence in honor of the American men and women serving in our Armed Forces, as well as those who serve as first responders in Ridgewood and throughout the United States. Mayor Aronsohn also acknowledged Ed Schwartz, who passed away last week.

2.         COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

Mayor Aronsohn asked if anyone from the public wished to speak regarding any of the agenda items. 

Anne Loving, 342 South Irving Street, recalled that approximately one month ago, she requested that the Councilmembers consider allocating some funds to investigating the possibility of fraud or vote tampering that occurred last year. At that time, Mayor Aronsohn said it would be taken under advisement, and Ms. Loving wondered what the status of the discussion was. Mayor Aronsohn recalled saying that, but added that to his knowledge, there had been no results at this time. Although the Councilmembers have not discussed the issue, Mayor Aronsohn said that his personal view is that the matter has been taken to the police, as well as to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, and to the State. No action has been taken by any of those organizations, and Mayor Aronsohn believes they are the appropriate entities to handle the issue. If there was a crime committed, that is obviously a problem, and needs to be addressed. However, Mayor Aronsohn does not believe that the Village Council should be investigating a political matter. Mayor Aronsohn gave the matter a lot of thought after Ms. Loving made her request, and he noted that in every election cycle, there are allegations of people stealing lawn signs; using distribution lists improperly; and other allegations of that nature. Mayor Aronsohn does not believe that the Village Council should be involved in investigating all of those allegations.

Councilman Sedon commented that he was told that the State did not know anything about it, and after reviewing all of the facts, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office did not feel that any action was warranted. No other action has been taken since then, to Councilman Sedon’s knowledge.

Councilwoman Hauck stated that what happened is offensive to all of the Councilmembers, and not something that any of them would wish to undergo. In addition, Councilwoman Hauck and Councilman Sedon had a conversation in which Councilman Sedon stated that his former employer did not cooperate with the investigation, so no information has been released that would assist in any investigation. Councilman Hauck offered to write a letter to Councilman Sedon’s former employer to request that he facilitate the investigation, but without any information from the former employer, it is very difficult to move forward.

Councilwoman Knudsen commended Councilwoman Hauck for being so supportive and offering to write a letter on Councilman Sedon’s behalf. Councilwoman Knudsen also wondered if it would be prudent for the entire Village Council to send a letter requesting that the employer cooperate with any investigation, and releasing any relevant information to the Councilmembers. Councilwoman Knudsen believes that there is an internal mechanism for the Village Council giving it the option to conduct an investigation into the matter. She thinks there might be a way to appoint an investigative team to look into it and collect information to allay any concerns that there might be some improprieties. Furthermore, Councilman Knudsen said she could understand Mayor Aronsohn’s point that there are allegations made in every election cycle. However, Councilwoman Knudsen thinks those allegations pale in comparison to what happened to Councilman Sedon, which she believes is a very big issue. It seemed to go beyond the typical election “antics”. Councilwoman Knudsen believes that, as a community, there is support for an investigation.

Councilman Pucciarelli believes that the Village Council’s role can be that of “prodding” those who are responsible for conducting an investigation, but that the Village Council should not try to create or re-create any investigatory body. There are many organizations within New Jersey that are designated with handling these types of investigations, and they have the discretion to determine whether an investigation is warranted. Councilman Pucciarelli does not believe that the Village Council has the qualifications to conduct or implement any such investigations, and he does not believe that throwing any additional money toward those efforts would be prudent.

Councilman Knudsen asked if all of the Councilmembers could agree to Councilwoman Hauck’s suggestion regarding mailing a letter to the former employer requesting that he cooperate with the investigation and provide any relevant information, and cooperate as fully as possible. Mayor Aronsohn thought that a letter might be appropriate, and Councilman Sedon agreed. In addition, Councilman Sedon pointed out that the important point is to get a copy of the email that was sent. He requested a copy of the email several times when he met with the editors at his former employer, but his request was denied.

Gary Cirillo, 260 South Pleasant Avenue, congratulated the Village for the recent Ridgewood High School commencement activities. Mr. Cirillo saw his two daughters graduate, and the event was spectacular. Mr. Cirillo believes it is indicative of how wonderful a community is when people graduate from schools in the community, and after going off to college, they return to that same community to start their own families and continue living their lives.

Next, Mr. Cirillo had some comments about Graydon Pool. In passing that area, Mr. Cirillo, who plants trees for a living, noticed that Graydon Pool has become over-forested. Approximately 90% of people use approximately 10% of the pool area, possibly because most of it is a very sunny area. Over the years, many trees have been donated and designated to be placed in that area, and they have grown larger with time. Mr. Cirillo warned that the pool will get very cold, and become riddled with algae, if sun is not allowed to shine on it. He suggested that no more trees be planted on the south side or the left side of the pool. As many trees as desired can be planted on the north and east sides. Mr. Cirillo noted that there is a very large section that is never used because it is constantly shaded. Some of trees currently growing there, which Mr. Cirillo said are very spectacular, need to be pruned, and trees that are not growing very well could be removed. Mr. Cirillo pointed out that having trees and pools together is a very delicate mix, and Graydon Pool is currently too shady.

Mr. Cirillo turned his attention to Memorial Park at Van Neste Square. Some years ago, Mr. Cirillo noted that there was a problem getting people to come to Ridgewood, and there were a lot of vacancies in the shops in the CBD. Now it is thriving. However, some people are currently trying to put together a project to install lighting in the park, but until that occurs, Mr. Cirillo suggested that Councilmembers look at the streetlights that are currently there. The lights are very dim, and provide little to no lighting in that area. Mr. Cirillo cannot understand why the streetlights in the CBD are very bright, but the lights in the park are barely flickering. A vendor at one of the recent events in the CBD told Mr. Cirillo that he was surprised at how dark it became once the event was over. He was surprised to see how yellow lights in the park are, as well as how dim they are. Mr. Cirillo asked the Councilmembers to take the opportunity to look at the lights, and see if replacements can be found.

Finally, Mr. Cirillo reiterated his request that a basketball court be installed at Graydon Park, because it is the least expensive thing that can be installed. It requires no fencing, and can be used for events at Graydon Park, as well as being useful as a staging area for other events. Mr. Cirillo also suggested that it could be used for emergency parking during the flooding episodes.

Cynthia Halaby, 374 Evergreen Place, was commenting as President of the Conservancy for Ridgewood Public Lands. She thanked and commended the Councilmembers for authorizing installation of the irrigation system at North Broad Street. In addition, Ms. Halaby stated that her group worked with Project Pride, Mr. Cirillo’s group, and planted 40 shrubs on North Broad Street. The Conservancy and Project Pride also received an award from the Chamber of Commerce.

Ms. Halaby reminded the Councilmembers that last year, she was Chairman of the Landscaping Committee, and one of the items discussed was the tree wells. Ms. Halaby noted that when she walks around Ridgewood, almost everything looks very tidy, but the tree wells look awful. As one enters Ridgewood on Ridgewood Avenue between Arthur Groom and Joseph A. Bank, there are seven tree wells, and the weeds in those tree wells are very high. Ms. Halaby also pointed out that the ivy is back on many of the trees in the CBD. She recalled that the Councilmembers tried to adopt an ordinance that would be tied to snow removal, and would require the landlord or property owner to keep the area in front of his/her business, as well as the area around the trees and tree wells, clean. Ms. Halaby asked what the status of that was. Councilman Sedon explained that approximately $3,300 was put in the Project Pride budget to do what was discussed in those meetings, including getting an outside landscaper to weed and mulch all of the tree wells in the CBD at one time. Councilman Sedon said it was his understanding that the weeding and mulching will occur before the Fourth of July parade. Once that is complete, Mr. Rogers said he would start to work on the language of the ordinance to include a provision that after the Village took care of the initial weeding, mulching, and cleanup, the burden of maintaining the area would be on the property owner. That will be coming up for introduction and discussion soon, and Councilman Sedon is hopeful that it will pass.

Ms. Halaby also requested that when the 2016 budget is being discussed, more money should be given to the Parks Department to allow better maintenance of Village parks. More importantly, Ms. Halaby believes that more money needs to be allocated to tree maintenance. She noted a particular tree on North Broad Street that she estimates is approximately 75% dead. There is also a large limb that seems to be dead near the train station. Ms. Halaby is concerned that a strong gust of wind could cause the limbs to fall. Councilman Sedon agreed completely with her assessment, and he noted that the budget also included funds to bring in a consultant who could do an inventory of the trees and formulate a plan for long-term maintenance. Such a forestry management plan would help the Village to get grants and additional assistance for tree maintenance.

Bernadette Walsh, 444 Red Birch Court, noticed that the agenda for the Closed Session meeting includes an item for RIC Development. That item had also arisen when Ms. Walsh was a Councilmember, and she disagreed with the property valuation that was done by the applicant. However, she could not challenge it as a Councilmember, but she indicated to the Councilmembers that she will be challenging it as a resident.

Rurik Halaby, 374 Evergreen Place, had some comments about the letter that appeared in the Ridgewood News regarding Councilman Sedon’s statements that he was misled by Ms. Sonenfeld. Mr. Halaby asked for confirmation from Councilman Pucciarelli and Mr. Rogers, in their capacity as attorneys, that one was “misled” is the same as claiming that someone lied. He noted that if Ms. Sonenfeld lied to Councilman Sedon, that would be cause for great concern, because she has no business lying to the Village Council. However, Mr. Halaby believes that Councilman Sedon may have been confused, because Mr. Halaby finds it hard to believe that the Human Resources person was “slipped through” in the hiring process. Mr. Halaby stated that he did not wish to beat a dead horse, and he acknowledged that Councilman Sedon is a good man, but what often happens in these types of situations is that such claims start to reverberate throughout the community, and he does not believe Ms. Sonenfeld deserves whatever rumors might begin to circulate about her as a result of this. Furthermore, Mr. Halaby thinks that Ms. Sonenfeld should be insulated from Village politics. He commented that Councilman Sedon owes Ms. Sonenfeld an apology, and if she lied to Councilman Sedon and Councilwoman Knudsen, something should be done about that, but if she did not lie, she deserves an apology from both of them.

Councilman Sedon thanked Mr. Halaby for his comments. He believes that the concerns raised and the questions he asked were fair and reasonable, but given the length of the agenda this evening, he does not wish to engage in that discussion. However, he invited Mr. Halaby to attend the July 15^th Public Meeting, when there will be a Public Hearing on the matter, at which time Councilman Sedon would make further comment.

There were no other comments from the public at this time, and Mayor Aronsohn closed the time for public comment. 

3.         MOTION TO SUSPEND WORK SESSION AND CONVENE SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING

At 7:58 P.M., upon a motion by Mayor Aronsohn, seconded by Councilman Pucciarelli, and carried by unanimous voice vote, the Village Council suspended the Work Session.

4.         MOTION TO RECONVENE WORK SESSION

At 8:00 P.M., upon a motion by Councilman Sedon, seconded by Councilwoman Hauck, and carried by unanimous voice vote, the Village Council reconvened its Work Session.  At roll call, the following were present:  Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn.  Also present were Roberta Sonenfeld, Village Manager; Donna Jackson, Deputy Village Clerk; and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney. 

5.         PRESENTATIONS

a.         Eagle Scout Project – Peter Goodman – Bat Houses and Birdhouses in Municipal Parks

Mayor Aronsohn introduced Peter Goodman, who would be presenting his Eagle Scout Project about bat houses and birdhouses in Municipal parks. Mr. Goodman was joined by Nancy Bigos, Assistant Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation. Ms. Sonenfeld noted that Mr. Goodman has already made his presentation to the Department of Parks and Recreation, and Ms. Bigos has been his sponsor for the project.

Ms. Bigos commented that Ridgewood residents have benefited in a variety of ways through the efforts of partnerships ever the past 20 years with local Boy Scout troops. Both Troop Seven and Troop Five have chosen noteworthy projects, selected jointly with their sponsors, and the Eagle Scouts during these last two decades. The projects have varied from the opportunity to restore nursery and day care centers in the parishes to blazing trails in the parks; from directing flagpoles and dedicating new gardens; performing park cleanups with the Wildscape association: and working with the Ridgewood Public Library; the Department of Parks and Recreation; the Engineering Department; and Many Local Parishes, Synagogues, and Social Service Agencies within the Village. Serving as a sponsor is both challenging and rewarding as they work with these young men to further instill the fine principles of scouting. Ms. Bigos said it is very rewarding to work with them to enhance their adolescent development, as well as to accept the challenges and rewards as they move forward. Ms. Bigos thanked the Councilmembers for giving her the opportunity to aid these young adults in their journey to manhood. Ms. Bigos presented Mr. Goodman to the Councilmembers to describe this project.

Mr. Goodman explained that his project involves building bat and bird houses the Ridgewood Municipal parks. He plans to build five different bat houses in five different parks (five in each park), and three birdhouses in each of the five parks. The main reason he chose bat houses is due to the emerging disease known as White Nose Syndrome, which has killed many bat species. The disease spreads when rats are hibernating, because they are usually living in caves in very close quarters and the disease can spread quickly. Mr. Goodman also thinks that having the bats in the parks will make the parks more enjoyable. He noted that when he was doing his presentation for the Department of Parks and Recreation, there were many insects flying around, which was very annoying. Bats eat a lot of bugs, approximately 700 per hour. The reason he chose bird houses was because birds bring an added beauty to parks.

Mr. Goodman also noted that bats only give birth approximately once a year. Therefore, adding the bat houses to the area will give the bats a safer home, and will help any bat species in this area. Mr. Goodman dispelled the common misconception that bats are dangerous or harmful, which he said is not the case at all. They are not harmful to anyone, and as a species are much closer to humans than rodents are. Even vampire bats, the most terrifying bats, are also the most caring of the species, because they will care for any orphaned bat pups.

The disease known as White Nose Syndrome attacks the bat’s nervous system, waking them up prematurely from hibernation. Since they wake up during the winter with no food, water, or other sustenance available, they will eventually die.

Mr. Goodman brought a sample of one of the bat houses that he intends to build and install to show to the Councilmembers. He pointed out that although it seems rather small, it can actually hold approximately 15 bats. The houses will be placed approximately 15 feet high on trees. Mr. Goodman plans to use screws to affix to them to the trees, instead of nails, because nails would split the trees, while screws will not.

Mr. Goodman acknowledged that he got a lot of his information about bats from the “New Jersey Batman,” Joe DiAngeli, with whom Mr. Goodman exchanged emails to help with planning his project.

Mayor Aronsohn thanked Mr. Goodman for his innovative proposal. He said he was glad that Mr. Goodman pointed out the value and importance of bats, because he is sure that someone was wondering why the Village would want to provide a haven for bats.

Councilwoman Hauck thanked Mr. Goodman for his ideas, and stated that she applauded this project from the beginning. She noted that while all of the Eagle Scout projects are important in various ways, the bat situation has become very bad, with approximately 90% of the bat population in New Jersey dying due to White Nose Syndrome. In fact, Councilwoman Hauck believes that bats are currently on the endangered species list. She recalled seeing bats flying around outside, but she has not seen them in a number of years. Councilwoman Hauck also appreciated the information Mr. Goodman provided about how bats are important in the ecosystem, and the fact that they are not dangerous to humans in any way.

Councilman Sedon said he has been following some of the issues associated with White Nose Syndrome, and is aware that in Pennsylvania, the bat population has decreased by approximately 98%. There is a connection to be found in the fact that there are a lot more bugs around, although no one seems to recognize that. Councilman Sedon believes that if it is possible to get some bats to live in the parks around Ridgewood to help take care of the bug population, that would be a good thing.

Councilman Pucciarelli noted that bats are nocturnal, and would most likely be in the houses during the day, and he asked if any activities in the parks would upset their sleeping habits. Mr. Goodman stated that it would not, because the houses would not be placed next to trails were people would be likely to walk, and the houses would be placed well above human height. Councilman Pucciarelli said it is a creative project, and thanked Mr. Goodman for his initiative.

Councilwoman Knudsen stated that one of her sons is a caver, and has studied bats for that reason. She asked if White Nose Syndrome is prevalent among all bats or if it is found mostly among those who dwell in caves. Mr. Goodman responded that most bats live in dark, moist areas, which generally means cave-like areas. Councilwoman Knudsen asked if the bats would be more protected in bat houses than in caves. Mr. Goodman answered that having the bat houses would remove the bats from the much larger colony. Councilwoman Knudsen asked Mr. Goodman if he was going to sustain the houses so that they would blend in with the landscape and scenery. Mr. Goodman pointed out that the houses will be placed away from the trails, so that most people will probably not even see them. Councilwoman Knudsen commended Mr. Goodman for the project, and thinks it would be a unique opportunity.

Mayor Aronsohn stated that this presentation was very educational for many people, and he noted that Mr. Goodman has the support of the Councilmembers. He wished Mr. Goodman good luck with the project.

b.         Ridgewood Water Department – Public Education

Ms. Sonenfeld stated that Dave Scheibner, Business Manager at Ridgewood Water, is required to do a presentation about lead every six months.

Mr. Scheibner commented that Ridgewood Water found elevated levels of lead in drinking water in some buildings during routine monitoring conducted in June 2012. The water system is required to conduct public education with respect to lead contamination. He read the opening paragraph of the notice that will be sent to all addresses in the Ridgewood Water service territory. Similar notices were sent in 2012, 2013, and 2014. Understandably, this raises concerns among some of the residents of the service area. Mr. Scheibner pointed out that the language in the notice is prescribed by regulation, and his appearance at this meeting is for the purpose of providing facts and content to help residents put this issue into proper perspective.

The water supplied by Ridgewood Water does not have any lead in it. Lead gets into the water from plumbing materials that contain lead. Regulatory agencies require that water utilities test for lead by setting up worst-case scenarios and locations known to have an increased risk for lead contamination, such as those having lead service lines. Water samples taken for testing must be from water that has been undisturbed and in contact with household plumbing for at least six hours. The samples are usually taken in the morning, before any water has been used, so samples are usually collected by residents. The 2012 round of testing resulted in the exceedance of the action level for lead. Once the action level was exceeded, the utility was required to develop a treatment strategy to address the issue. Ridgewood Water is implementing a treatment that uses phosphate additives to remediate lead corrosion by reacting with ions of lead, copper, calcium, and magnesium to form an insoluble coating on the interior surfaces of the household plumbing, effectively stopping the leaching of lead into the water from those materials. This treatment provides other beneficial effects for the water system, and has no negative health effects. The new, hydraulic modeling software at Ridgewood Water was used to test various combinations of treatment sites to provide effective coverage for the entire system at the lowest cost. The results indicated that all 30 points of entry into the system will require treatment. Until the treatment plan receives final approval from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), and is in full effect, residents can eliminate their exposure to lead in the drinking water by simply allowing the faucet to run for several seconds before drawing water for cooking or drinking. If the service line is made of lead, the water should be run for a longer period of time to clear all the water from the service line. Water that has not been in prolonged contact with lead-containing plumbing materials will be lead-free.

Mr. Scheibner provided information and handouts for the public, which he placed on the table at the entrance to the courtroom. If a homeowner does not know what his/her service by material is, s/he can call the number provided in handout to get that information.

Councilman Pucciarelli noted that Mr. Scheibner mentioned that all of the water provided by Ridgewood Water is lead-free, and that lead gets into the water from plumbing materials that contain lead. Councilman Pucciarelli asked if the plumbing materials are found exclusively in homes, or does the system have those materials. Mr. Scheibner explained that in most homes, the lead contamination is usually from brass materials, because brass is an alloy that contains lead. Brass fittings that were manufactured and distributed before 2004 could contain up to 8% lead and be labeled lead-free. After 2004, the standard was raised to .25%. Lead is part of the alloy for brass to make it machinable, because it tends to be brittle and tends to shatter when it is machined. Lead has always been a component of brass in order to make it easier to manufacture parts. Councilman Pucciarelli commented that that is how even a modern home could have a contaminated water supply. Mr. Scheibner agreed, adding that running the water for just a few seconds will clear any water that was in contact with the brass inside the faucet. Councilman Pucciarelli asked if the Ridgewood transmission pipes contribute lead to the water. Mr. Scheibner said they do not. Councilman Pucciarelli noted that the issue seems to be the plumbing materials in each home, or commercial establishment, once the water is delivered to that home or establishment, which Mr. Scheibner confirmed.

Mayor Aronsohn pointed out that Mr. Scheibner was suggesting that anyone who is not sure if there is lead in his/her establishment, whether residential or commercial, could contact Ridgewood Water to get help in determining that. Mr. Scheibner explained that Ridgewood Water has some records of the service lines, although some records are incomplete, but anyone who calls with a specific address will be given whatever information Ridgewood Water has on the service line at that particular address. He clarified that the service line is the part of the household piping that goes from the house out to the main water line. Mayor Aronsohn asked if there is an alternative way to find out if there is lead in a particular property’s water supply. Mr. Scheibner responded that a portion of the service line comes to the wall into the house, and a plumber would be able to assess that. He added that there are some homes that have service lines made of iron pipe with a lead lining, but that cannot be determined without opening up the pipe.

Councilwoman Knudsen asked if the plumbing has brass that pre-dates 2004, and a property owner decided to test the water on that property, would only trace amounts of lead be found, or what level of lead found in the water would be cause for concern. Mr. Scheibner answered that the maximum contaminant level is 15 ppb, which is a very low number. However, Mr. Scheibner noted that that is where the threshold for concern begins.

Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that is hoped that by the end of the year, with the phosphates that have been added to the water system, this problem will go away. Mr. Scheibner agreed with that assessment, because once the microscopic coating is in place after the phosphates have been added, there will be almost no concern at all.

Councilwoman Hauck believes that the water in her house has changed, and seems to be softer than it was before. She asked if she is in one of the areas where the phosphates have already been added, and how similar is this product to materials purchased by property owners for the purpose of whom water conditioning. Mr. Scheibner responded that it is not a traditional softening agent that is used. He mentioned as an example that most home water softeners use sodium. However, the additives used by Ridgewood Water seem to have a softening effect. He pointed out that the phosphate is a sequestering agent, and sequesters calcium, iron, and manganese, which can sometimes discolor laundry. The additive also helps to reduce scale, which is the mineral buildup on pipes. The residual level of the phosphate is very low, at approximately 2.5 ppb.

c.         Central Bergen Bicycle and Pedestrian Plans

Ms. Sonenfeld asked Christopher Rutishauser, Village Engineer, to come to the podium. She commented that several weeks ago, she sent the Councilmembers a link to a Bergen County report that included recommendations regarding bicycle and walking networks throughout eight municipalities in Bergen County. There were a lot of recommendations for Ridgewood, and at that time, Ms. Sonenfeld decided to have Mr. Rutishauser present the salient points of that report to the Village Council.

Mr. Rutishauser mentioned that the report referenced by Ms. Sonenfeld is 20-28 pages, and he was not sure if anyone had a chance to read it. It is a very comprehensive report, although this was only a preliminary draft of the report. The final report should be distributed any day now by the consultants who prepared it for the County.

The report is entitled “Central Bergen Bike Walk,” and deals with central Bergen County bicycle and pedestrian plans. It was prepared by consultants who were funded by the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) for the Bergen County Department of Planning. Ridgewood is one of eight communities in central Bergen County that were considered. All of the communities are well-developed communities, with a lot of residential housing, and most of them have moderate speed limits on their local roads. For example, in Ridgewood, no speed limit on any Village street exceeds 25 miles per hour. Lower speeds make Ridgewood’s public rights-of-way more accommodating for cyclists and pedestrians. The study evaluated walking routes and bicycle routes that currently exist in the communities, as well as any bicycle and/or walking routes that are being considered in those communities. The entire project follows many of the Complete Streets philosophies that have been discussed by the Village Council on many occasions. Several of the Village’s paving projects followed the Complete Streets program, and have been very successful.

As far as bicycles are concerned, the Village has already installed bike lanes into locations. One of them is Grove Street, as part of a traffic calming project, and most recently at Garber Square. In addition, there was an Eagle Scout who developed a bike route from the Ridgewood Duck Pond to Waldwick. That bike route is still partially marked, but Mr. Rutishauser does not know how many people actually use it. One of the things examined in the various communities as part of the study was bicycle and pedestrian accidents. The researchers looked through a number of years of data, and came to many interesting conclusions regarding causes of accidents or conditions that seemed to lead to accidents with respect to intersections, poor lighting conditions, and other possible causes. Mr. Rutishauser stated that some of the recommendations will be followed to see what can be implemented in the Village as part of the capital paving program going forward.

The study also observed pedestrians. Ridgewood and Glen Rock were commended for their good sidewalk coverage in their communities. Unfortunately, Ridgewood was also criticized because some of the sidewalk coverage was not in the best condition. The Engineering Department has a program in which residents are notified if their sidewalks are defective – to try to encourage them to replace the sidewalks.

The report includes many photographs of bike lanes, and how bike lanes can be integrated into the Village. One of the strongest recommendations in the report is to consider implementing a Sharrow, which is a share-the-road bike lane, from the Duck Pond on East Ridgewood Avenue to the CBD. The rationale is that cyclists traversing the bike path along the Saddle River might want to divert from that path and come to the Village to do some shopping or other business. For cyclists who wish to continue, the bike route is already installed under the trestle as part of the Garber Square project last year.

Some of the pedestrian ideas that were presented in the report that will be implemented in Ridgewood include refuge isles, which are medians built in the middle of excessively long crosswalks to allow pedestrians to cross the street safely, while also allow cars to turn without compromising the safety of pedestrians. One of the earliest examples of this in the village is the one by Oak Street and Van Neste Square, at the big clock. Initially, the crosswalk was nearly 93 feet long, and there was a lot of pedestrian traffic there. Vehicles could not pass through there, and any that did were in conflict with the law requiring vehicles to yield to pedestrians. The refuge island breaks up the travel distance, and allows vehicles to proceed safely and without breaking the law. That will be locations considered in Ridgewood, and several are recommended in the report.

Mr. Rutishauser mentioned that Councilman Sedon accompanied him to several meetings with Bergen County, at which it was discussed what they foresee for the Village, and listened to their recommendations.

Councilman Sedon commented that the meetings referred to by Mr. Rutishauser were very informative, and he and Mr. Rutishauser were able to maximize time for the Village with the Bergen County Planners. Councilman Sedon stated that he is aware that some of these issues have been reviewed on a preliminary basis by the Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee (REAC), and if a bike lane is installed from the Duck Pond to the CBD, Councilman Sedon believes that would happen with the paving on East Ridgewood Avenue. Mr. Rutishauser interjected that one of the suggestions was that the proposed bike lane in that area could be striped on the current asphalt. However, the current asphalt has deteriorated, and that road is scheduled to be resurfaced by the County within the next several years. That would be a good way to pilot one of the suggestions to see how it fits in the community, and how it works with the traffic flow. If it does not work out, when the road is resurfaced, it will not be re-installed. If it is successful, it can be re-installed when the resurfacing is done. Councilman Sedon mentioned that in conjunction with that, if it proves to be successful, some areas in the CBD could be designated as bike parking areas, which might help to reduce some of the vehicular traffic. It would also serve to encourage people to ride their bikes into the CBD. Mr. Rutishauser said it could certainly be considered, but it is necessary to leave all of the current vehicle parking spaces intact. Several stores already have bike racks for their patrons, and there are bike racks in the parking lot at the train station. A request was recently received to install a rack at the top of Ho-Ho-Kus Hill, on Glenwood Avenue. A resident reported that people are locking their bikes on the railing down to the train station, partially obstructing the stairway.

Mayor Aronsohn believes that when one or two parking garages are built in the CBD, areas inside those garages could be designated for bicycles. Mr. Rutishauser agreed, saying that this was discussed at the Green Team meeting last night.

Councilwoman Knudsen asked how the success of any bike path that is installed from the Duck Pond to the CBD would be measured, and how is the success of the bike lane at Garber Square measured. She also wanted to know if it is being utilized to the extent that was expected. Mr. Rutishauser responded that respect to Garber Square, it is being utilized by cyclists, and the Village has received complimentary emails, although there were also some emails that were less than complimentary. Mr. Rutishauser pointed out that a very interesting accident statistic has been noticed. After looking at the intersections immediately east of Garber Square, at North Broad Street, and Chestnut Street and Oak Street, there was not a single pedestrian accident at those locations caused by a vehicle that was coming through on Franklin Avenue. Any pedestrian accidents that have occurred involved vehicles turning at Oak Street or Chestnut Street. Mr. Rutishauser thinks this might be important because one of the worst pedestrian accidents at Chestnut Street occurred when a car sped out from the underpass, passed another car on the right, and struck a resident, who was seriously injured. Mr. Rutishauser does not want that to ever occur again. With respect to East Ridgewood Avenue, Mr. Rutishauser stated that they will see how it works with the schools. Currently, his staff is investigating a problem with the lights at Brookside Avenue and Van Dien Avenue, where there have been complaints from the schools. Mr. Rutishauser would also like to see how a Sharrow would work across the school entrance, particularly during inflow and outflow periods around school. In addition, when approaching Maple Avenue, it will be necessary to see how that would work with the parking for the apartments at that location. Mr. Rutishauser pointed out that most of East Ridgewood Avenue does not have any parking.

6.         DISCUSSION

a.         Parking:

1.)        Non-Binding Referendum Question on November Ballot – Hudson Street Parking Garage

Mayor Aronsohn reminded everyone that an idea was put forward to put a non-Binding referendum on the November ballot to gauge support for public financing of a parking garage in Ridgewood. This was discussed, along with other items associated with the parking garage, including a bond ordinance for $500,000 to proceed with an RFP and hire someone to design a parking garage that was introduced. The rationale for this was that there could be some renderings available by the fall, enabling a public discussion about the parking garage, leading to a vote in November. The Parking Steering Committee met this past Friday, working through a draft resolution, draft language for a question, as well as the interpretive statement. Action needs to be taken on that in order to get it to the County by mid-August. The draft was emailed to the other Councilmembers. Mayor Aronsohn wanted to hear the thoughts of the other Councilmembers with respect to a timeline, and the discussion could be continued on July 8, 2015, at the next Village Council Work Session Meeting, and be ready for a vote on July 15, 2015, at the Village Council Public Meeting. That will ensure that it can be sent to the County before the deadline, and the question can appear on the ballot in November.

Councilman Sedon commented that he was wondering how the Councilmembers would react if the result was overwhelmingly supportive, or if it was not. Although it is a non-binding question, Councilman Sedon wondered if the residents’ response would be taken into consideration. Mayor Aronsohn responded that his personal view is that if the response is supportive, it would just give the Councilmembers further impetus to move forward. Because it is non-binding, and the election is on a Tuesday, it can be discussed at the Wednesday meeting that week. If the level of support is not as expected, and Mayor Aronsohn said that could also be discussed. Councilman Sedon thinks it is a good idea to reach out to the community to bring people into the discussion who would like to be part of it, and it will give the Village Council valuable information.

Councilman Pucciarelli commented that he believes referendum is a way to engender more discussion about the parking garage, but he hopes that it does not become a distraction, because he believes there is a lot of support for the garage based on feedback from the six CBD forums that have been held. He noted that it remains the primary responsibility of the Village Council to govern, and one of the governing challenges presented to them is the parking problem, and the Councilmembers have done a lot to try to alleviate the problem. Although he believes it is a good way to engender more discussion about the parking garage, Councilman Pucciarelli does not believe it should be the deciding factor as to whether the parking garage should be built. Mayor Aronsohn noted that Councilman Pucciarelli raised an excellent point, and the reason Mayor Aronsohn decided to propose this originally is because, as Councilman Pucciarelli stated, the Councilmembers have a responsibility to govern. However, this issue is somewhat unique because public financing is being requested, which is a lot to ask of the public. That is why Mayor Aronsohn thinks it is a good idea to gauge public sentiment, but he does not want it to slow anything down or impede forward progress. He also read the draft question that is currently being discussed, which is “Do you support a proposal to finance and build a downtown parking garage on the Hudson Street lot located on the corner of Hudson Street and South Broad Street by bonding up to $15 million of public funds through Parking Utility revenues?” that would presumably be on the ballot in November.

Councilwoman Knudsen said she always appreciates hearing from the public, and it is important to gauge public opinion when public funds are being requested. She also noted that at this time, there is a very small percentage of people who are engaged in this discussion, but it is important to bring it to the larger population that has not been engaged in the discussion to this point.

Councilwoman Hauck recalled a point made by Councilman Pucciarelli, and she asked if there is a rule regarding the percentage of people who must participate in a referendum. Councilman Pucciarelli and Mayor Aronsohn answered that it is a non-binding referendum, so there is no requirement. Councilman Hauck believes that, because this is a topic of conversation that has been on-going for a number of years, everyone will have an opinion. Councilman Pucciarelli responded that he hopes that the residents of Ridgewood will turn out for the vote, and that is it does not end up being lopsided due to large voter turnouts on one side of the issue.

Councilwoman Knudsen noted that people who vote truly care, and are engaged in their community. She cannot imagine that the other will mobilize, because Ridgewood has a very large, well-engaged community. Although it is a non-binding question, there is always a certain amount of respect for the majority opinion.

Mayor Aronsohn asked the Councilmembers to take a look at the draft proposals from the Parking Steering Committee before the next meeting, and get back to him or Councilman Sedon with their input as soon as possible. He hopes that a final draft will be ready for the July 8, 2015, meeting, and it can be voted on at the July 15, 2015 meeting.

b.         Budget:

1.)        Award Contract – Air Stripping Tower Inspection

Ms. Sonenfeld asked Mr. Moritz to explain this item. Mr. Moritz stated that there are 10 air stripping towers, which are placed to remove volatile organic contaminants from the water supply. Basically, they are stainless steel or aluminum towers filled with ping-pong balls. Air is passed through, and the volatile organic contaminants are stripped out in the process. Most of the towers are at least 10 years old, and it is time for them to be inspected, as well as inspecting the media inside the towers, and everything else associated with them. This item will be put on the agenda for the July 15, 2015 Public Meeting.

2.)        Award Contract – Purchase of Bulletproof Vests

Ms. Sonenfeld noted that this is for the purchase of four bulletproof vests, which will be paid for by a combination of grants and money that was put aside in the 2015 budget. This item will be put on the agenda for the July 15, 2015 Public Meeting.

3.)        Award Contract – 2 SUVs – Police Department

Ms. Sonenfeld explained that this will award a contract for the purchase of two SUVs, which was discussed during the budget meetings. Two older vehicles are being replaced. This item will be put on the agenda for the July 15, 2015 Public Meeting.

4.)        Award Contract – Ammunition – Police Department

Ms. Sonenfeld noted that this was a lengthy discussion during the budget meetings, because bullets were discussed at length at times. The bullet commodity has a 15-20 month delivery cycle. This purchase will provide needed handgun and specialty ammunition. The Police Department is adopting a two-year annual training cycle to meet training needs. This item will be put on the agenda for the July 15, 2015 Public Meeting.

5.)        Award Contract Under State Contract – Repair of Police Radios and Antennas

Ms. Sonenfeld commented that this item exceeds the $17,500 State limit for contracts. The regional communications company performs repairs on Police Department radios, antennas, and the entire radio system. Funds for this purchase are available in the 2015 budget. This item will be put on the agenda for the July 15, 2015 Public Meeting.

6.)        Award Contract Under National Cooperative Purchasing Agreement – Sewer Jetter Truck – Water Pollution Control Facility

Ms. Sonenfeld stated that this is a request to award a contract for a sewer jet truck for the Water Pollution Control Facility. This type of truck is used to clean the sanitary sewer pipelines, in response to residents when they are experiencing sanitary sewer system backup. The funds for this purchase are in the 2015 capital budget. Ms. Sonenfeld noted that for the first time, the Village is using the national co-operative for this purchase. This will be put on the agenda for the July 15, 2015 Public Meeting.

7.)        Award Contract – Infrared Asphalt Surface Repair, Miscellaneous Curb and Sidewalk Repair

Ms. Sonenfeld explained that this is an award for the Infrared asphalt surface repair, and miscellaneous curb and sidewalk repair. The winning bidder is Cream Ridge Construction, out of the four bids received. The bid will be shared with the Boroughs of Allendale and Hillsdale. It will also be shared with Ridgewood Water. The purpose of this is to restore Village streets to a new condition after an excavation has been made. The funds are available through the 2015 capital paving account, as well as from permit fees from street opening permits. This will be put on the agenda for the July 15, 2015 Public Meeting.

8.)        Award Final Partial Contract – North Van Dien Avenue Road Resurfacing

Ms. Sonenfeld noted that this is a partial award. The initial award to J. A. Alexander, Inc., was for $1,455,000. There were some capital funding issues at the time, and now the capital funds are available. This is the final award to complete the work, bringing the total to $1,958,640.73. This will be put on the agenda for the July 15, 2015 Public Meeting.

9.)        Award Change Order – Drop-Off Lane at Benjamin Franklin Middle School

Ms. Sonenfeld commented that this is a change order for paving, and the purpose is to install a drop-off lane at Benjamin Franklin Middle School to improve traffic circulation around the school. The contract amount is $89,000. The Board of Education is paying for this. Mr. Rutishauser and his staff worked with Board of Education staff to come up with a design. Councilwoman Knudsen commended Mr. Rutishauser for doing this so nicely, and for taking a very smart approach. This will be put on the agenda for the July 15, 2015 Public Meeting.

10.)      Award Change Order – Water Meter Replacement Services

Mr. Moritz explained that this is part of the water replacement program. That includes replacement of the valves, which do not belong to Ridgewood Water, but to the homeowners. These valves made replacing the water meters much easier. Mr. Moritz stated that no one had any idea how to estimate the number of valves that would have to be replaced. It turned out to be a great many, and Mr. Moritz considers this to be a good public relations opportunity for the Village and Ridgewood Water. He believes more than 1,000 phone calls were avoided by replacing the valves. Mayor Aronsohn asked about a the status of the meter replacements. Mr. Moritz responded that there are less than 500 meters remaining to be installed. This will be put on the agenda for the July 15, 2015 Public Meeting.

11.)      Award Contract Under State Contract – Automotive Parts and Accessories Maintenance and Repair – Ridgewood Water

Mr. Moritz pointed out that this is for automotive parts and accessories. Route 23 Auto Mall was not part of the bid, but they are a State contractor. This will be put on the agenda for the July 15, 2015 Public Meeting.

12.)      Award Contract Under National Cooperative Purchasing Agreement – Purchase of ODB Truck Mounted Vacuum Debris Collector

13.)      Award of Contract – Purchase of Multi-Purpose Truck

Mr. Moritz pointed out that this is the vehicle that will help in the leaf removal program. The Village has been purchasing trucks with multiple purposes, and in this case, a leaf vacuum attachment is being purchased, along with one of those trucks. This leaf vacuum can be operated with only one person in the truck, while currently, it requires three people operating the equipment for removal of leaves. This equipment installs a joystick in the truck to operate the vacuum, making it a one-man operation.

With respect to the truck, it can be used outside of leaf season for snow removal, for dumping purposes, and many other things. Mr. Moritz reiterated that at this point, the Village is only buying multi-purpose vehicles.

The vacuum collector is being provided by the Old Dominion Brush Company, Inc. and the truck, which will come with the necessary equipment for snow removal and other services, is being provided by Deluxe International Truck, Inc. Ms. Sonenfeld is very excited to get this piece of equipment, although she pointed out that it probably will not arrive in time for the 2015 leaf season.

Councilman Pucciarelli noted that the Village seems to be moving away from the history of purchasing vehicles with heavy maintenance requirements, as well as running the vehicles well beyond their useful lives. This purchase seems like it will be less burdensome.

This will be put on the agenda for the July 15, 2015 Public Meeting.

14.)      Award of Contract – Tree Maintenance Services – Ridgewood Water

Mr. Moritz commented that because Ridgewood Water owns so much property that is densely populated with trees that fall over during storms, they have done many tree removals. They started bidding out this process, and $20,000 was allotted for the service. They have already expended $20,000, and now need to authorize a change order for another $10,000 to keep the properties maintained. This will be put on the agenda for the July 15, 2015 Public Meeting.

15.)      Award of Contract – Professional Services for Groundwater under the Direct Influence of Surface Water

Mr. Moritz explained that back in the early 1990s, Ridgewood Water tested all of its facilities for groundwater under the influence. As a result of sanitary survey, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) identified some testing results that were done several years ago of the raw water supply, and E. Coli. was discovered in the water. E. Coli. does not usually translate into the system, because it is usually dealt with and removed by chlorine. However, as a result of that, the EPA is requiring the Village to go back and re-test all of the groundwater under the influence. Mr. Moritz explained that groundwater under the influence means that any well in the Village would not have the clean water that is normally drawn. There are a lot of factors that go into determining groundwater under the influence. This will be put on the agenda for the July 15, 2015 Public Meeting.

17.)      Award of Contract – Preparation for Addition of Polyphosphate – Ridgewood Water

Mr. Moritz commented that this ties into the presentation made by Mr. Scheibner earlier this evening. The laboratory services firm must perform the next phase of the lead testing, in accordance with the NJDEP mandate. This will be put on the agenda for the July 15, 2015 Public Meeting.

18.)      Award of Contract – Emergency Repairs of Scarab

Mr. Moritz reminded the Councilmembers that Ridgewood Water operates the compost facility at Lakeview Recycling, and the scarab is the generic name for the turning machine that turns the piles of leaves to aerate them in order to facilitate breaking them down. The service provider is the only one available to work with this type of engine. Ms. Sonenfeld noted that other alternatives are being considered, but she is not yet ready to have that discussion. This will be put on the agenda for the July 15, 2015 Public Meeting.

Ms. Sonenfeld commended Mr. Moritz for his humanity, compassion, his passion for the business, his vast knowledge of everything associated with water, and his creativity. She stated that it has been a pleasure working with him for the past 14 months, and she will miss him tremendously.

Mr. Moritz thanked Mayor Aronsohn and the Village Council for all of the support he has had.

Mayor Aronsohn commended Mr. Moritz and thanked him for his years of service to Ridgewood. Mr. Moritz has been a great partner and friend to the Village, and everything he has done has been appreciated.

c.         Policy:

1.)        Request for “Turn the Town Teal” – Ovarian Cancer Awareness

Ms. Sonenfeld commented that this is an annual request to “turn the town teal” for ovarian cancer awareness.  This resolution will be put on the agenda for the July 15, 2015 Public Meeting.

2.)        Multi-Family Housing

Ms. Sonenfeld explained that this is a discussion about multi-family housing. Mayor Aronsohn noted that the Planning Board has approved for changes to the Master Plan concerning multi-family housing. The decision was memorialized in resolutions at the most recent Planning Board meeting. The next step is for Blais Brancheau, Village Planner, to work with Mr. Rogers to draft four ordinances to present to the Village Council at the July 8, 2015 meeting, and they will be introduced at the July 15, 2015 Public Meeting.  That will give Planning Board the rest of the summer to review the ordinances for consistency purposes, and the Public Hearing with the Village Council could be scheduled for mid-September.

Mr. Rogers noted that Mayor Aronsohn indicated that this has some bearing on the Village submittal with respect to the most recent Supreme Court COAH decision. One of the components of the submittal that must be made to the Court, which is called a declaratory judgment action, has to do with the Village’s compliance with the first three rounds of Mount Laurel, and what has been done recently to satisfy the commitment to providing affordable housing in the Village. One of the ancillary items to the decision made by the Planning Board is the component that will be dealing with affordable housing. Therefore, it is necessary to make sure the situation is to the point where the Court acknowledges the Village’s commitment to affordable housing to be an on-going commitment, and that the Village has not faltered while the Legislature was considering their options. Showing the Court that the Village is in compliance with its orders enables the Village to ask the Court for continued immunity from builders’ suits to challenge the development process that has been determined by the Planning Board and the Village Council as a way of implementing policies for the development of Ridgewood.

Mayor Aronsohn commented that, in order to facilitate the Village Council’s consideration of this issue, as the public’s consideration of it, the Planning Board has done a good job of uploading all of the relevant materials to the Village website.

Councilwoman Knudsen believes it is really important as they move forward to be aware of the details, and it is very important to consider how buildings relate one another within the historic CBD.

This resolution will be put on the agenda for the July 15, 2015 Public Meeting.

3.)        Ordinance Prohibiting U-Turns in Various Locations in the Central Business District

Ms. Sonenfeld commented that this is a revised ordinance based on input received from the Village Council. It started out as an ordinance prohibiting U-turns on Chestnut Street, to address any issues arising from the valet parking that is now occurring in that area. The Councilmembers wanted a stronger ordinance with respect to turning into angled parking spots on the opposite side of the street, and prohibiting such behavior. Mr. Rutishauser discussed this with the Ridgewood Police Department, and he and Ms. Sonenfeld are recommending that the same restrictions be applied to the portion of South Pleasant Avenue between East Ridgewood Avenue and Spring Street (in front of Somerville School), where there is a concern due to people who are picking up children and making U-turns. The revised ordinance also proposes adding Oak Street, which also has a valet parking drop-off and pick up area.  This resolution will be put on the agenda for the July 15, 2015 Public Meeting.

4.)        Non-Binding Referendum Question on November Ballot – North Walnut Redevelopment Zone Assisted Living

Councilwoman Knudsen explained that this relates to the North Walnut Redevelopment Zone, and a proposed high-density assisted-living facility at that location, which is public property. She thought it was important, given that this is a very significant change to the CBD, and there was always an idea that there could possibly be some additional parking in that area. A certain number of additional parking spaces are included in the current proposal, but Councilwoman Knudsen thought this would be another opportunity to gauge public opinion, which could be taken into consideration going forward. Most people would agree that the area is not very attractive, and does not add any beauty to the CBD, and something should be done about it, but Councilwoman Knudsen believes that because public property is to be utilized, public input should be sought.

Councilman Pucciarelli reiterated his belief that it is the Councilmembers’ obligation to govern, and matters of zoning are the responsibility of the Planning Board. With respect to the redevelopment zone, Councilman Pucciarelli recalled that five years ago, when he was on the Planning Board, this redevelopment zone came before them and was considered at length at that time. The Planning Board came up with a redevelopment plan, which attracted no interest. The Planning Board then held an open public hearing process in 2013, and revised that development plan to allow for the possibility of assisted living. That suggestion for an amendment to the plan came before the Village Council, who voted to approve the addition of assisted living as a permitted use in the redevelopment zone after another public hearing process. More recently, an RFP was issued by the Village Council inviting people to respond to the redevelopment plan, and there were several good faith responses to that RFP. It was stated in the RFP that the Village Council would determine which, if any, of the respondents would be selected to develop the property. It was further stated that the Village Council would be the sole judge of each respondent’s conformity with the requirements of the request, and the merits of the response. Several developers came forward with proposals to develop that zone, and the Village Council is now in discussion with one of the three developers, who may or may not be the successful candidate, depending on the outcome of negotiations. Such negotiations are very complicated, and Councilman Pucciarelli has no idea whether the current negotiations will be successful, nor does he have any idea if the Village can get a better deal than the one that is being offered by Kensington. He also believes that no developer would want to continue to negotiate if the Village Council will decide to put this issue up for a public referendum. Moreover, Councilman Pucciarelli believes that if the results show support for the proposal, it would weaken the negotiating position of the Village, just as any results that go against the proposal would do the same. Therefore, Councilman Pucciarelli does not believe it would be in the best interests of Ridgewood residents to stop the negotiations at this time with a developer who came forward in good faith in response to an RFP. He also wondered exactly what the public would be voting on: approval of a ground lease; the concept of assisted living in the CBD; the number of units to be included in the facility; or the number of spaces in the garage. In conclusion, Councilman Pucciarelli does not believe this is subject matter for a referendum. He believes they should continue moving forward in the same way that they are now doing.

Councilman Sedon believes it is always a good idea to get input from the residents, because the Councilmembers represent them. It is important to gauge people’s thoughts and feelings about what is happening in their community. Although it might not be of interest to some residents, as the issue progresses, it would give residents something to visualize and vote on. When such a sweeping change is proposed, Councilman Sedon thinks it would be helpful to get the public’s view on the issue.

Councilwoman Hauck said she always loved the idea of referendums. She noted that with respect to the parking garage, very little has actually been designed at this time. The discussions are still in their infancy. That is why Councilwoman Hauck believes there is a chance for people to give input at this time, as long as it is non-binding. However, this referendum could do damage to the work that has been accomplished, because it has been in process for so long. Councilwoman Hauck is concerned that it would also invite litigation because of the fact that the Village did issue an RFP, with several responses received, which were analyzed very thoroughly. Although no decision has been made yet, the developers had an opportunity to make proposals, although only one seems viable at this juncture. If the proposal were to be rejected based on the results of a referendum, Councilwoman Hauck believes that the developer might have cause to sue the Village. However, she also believes that the project has followed the laws governing redevelopment zones, and that all the decisions made with respect to this issue since 2007 and 2008 have been made following the proper protocols and processes. Councilwoman Hauck believes that having a referendum on this issue at this time would be akin to questioning the results of the process. She also believes that this project would be nearly impossible to replace because it represents a huge win for Ridgewood. The Village needs an environmental cleanup, which is addressed by this proposal – at no cost to the Village. Parking needs, streetscape enhancements, and adding to the tax base to contribute to the ratables are also addressed, at no cost to the Village. Councilwoman Hauck does not see how the process could be started again.

Mayor Aronsohn stated that, as with every issue, there are issues of process and substance to be addressed. As far as the process is concerned, everyone agrees that public input is good and useful. Mayor Aronsohn was especially impressed by the fact that when these discussions began in 2006 or 2007 (before he became a Councilmember), the discussions were very public, particularly at the Planning Board level. After Mayor Aronsohn became a Councilmember, three potential developers had already been identified, and discussions were under way. However, as Councilman Pucciarelli noted, all of it led to nothing. The process was re-started when Kensington Assisted Living approached Mayor Aronsohn in 2012 and questioned whether Mayor Aronsohn thought Ridgewood would be receptive to an assisted living facility. Mayor Aronsohn answered that he thought it was possible. The developer had no location in mind, and Mayor Aronsohn suggested that he should speak to Blaise Brancheau, Village Planner, as well as some realtors to get more information. The developer came back saying that he would like to explore the redevelopment zone. In June 2013, Harley Cook, one of the principals at Kensington, made a presentation at the Village Council meeting regarding his ideas. At that time, he proposed a net increase of 100 parking spaces for the Village; $300,000 in payments in lieu of taxes; and environmental remediation; as well as other incentives. It was similar to the current proposal, although the number of parking spaces has increased. At that time, after discussing it with Mr. Rogers, it was determined that the first step was to re-evaluate the redevelopment zone to see if assisted living was a permitted use there. It was not, so that had to be addressed. The second step was to conduct a comprehensive search to see what kind of interest could be generated in the area. An RFP was issued, and Ms. Sonenfeld reported that more than 30 packets had been picked up. Finally, four firms responded with six proposals submitted. After reviewing the six proposals, the Councilmembers chose two of the proposals, and asked the developers to submit financial information. Only one of them was willing to do that. Throughout the entire process, it was made clear that no decisions had been made by the Village Council, and that if negotiations went forward, the Village could at any time stop the negotiations and choose one of the other proposals. Mayor Aronsohn reiterated that all of this has been very public, with a lot of public input, as well as input from the Planning Board.

In addition, Mayor Aronsohn echoed one of the points made by Councilman Pucciarelli, which was that if the Village moves forward with Kensington and starts negotiations, only to decide that they do not wish to continue moving forward, it would mean that a public referendum was held on a situation that no longer exists. It would also suggest that if the Village Council were to decide to move forward with one of the other proposals, it might be necessary to have another non-binding referendum on that proposal, as well.

On the substantive side, Mayor Aronsohn believes that this is a great opportunity for Ridgewood, which may or may not come to fruition. There is an opportunity to have the environmental remediation done at no cost to the Village, which Mr. Rutishauser estimates could save the Village anywhere from $800,000-$1 million. There is also an opportunity for someone to build a garage for the Village, with the possibility of gaining 135 additional parking spaces. The developer has also offered to pay the Village $300,000 annually, and to clean up the streetscape at no cost to the Village. Mayor Aronsohn recalled that in 2008, the Village was expected to put up $3 million, as well as getting the environmental remediation done. The developer at that time also requested a tax abatement for 10 years. The current proposal is a much better opportunity, although it may or may not work out. Moreover, Mayor Aronsohn believes that assisted living would be a very good addition to the community. It would help the seniors who have lived in Ridgewood all their lives, and are aging out of their private residences and need a place to live. Many Ridgewood residents have elderly parents in other facilities, and they would like to have them living closer. That is why Mayor Aronsohn believes the current process is working out, and he thinks that the negotiations should proceed.

Councilman Pucciarelli pointed out that the question is not simply about supporting assisted living in Ridgewood, but is far more nuanced than that. There are many other things to consider, and those things might affect how people feel about an assisted living facility in the Village.

Councilwoman Knudsen said she appreciated all the comments from the other Councilmembers, she understands that the question is not simply whether there is support for an assisted living facility in the Village, but if assisted living at this density is appropriate for that location. She is also concerned about the proposed density for the assisted living facility, which was raised during the time that the Village was involved in the study about high-density housing. Councilwoman Knudsen believes the proper question would be where would assisted living be most beneficial to the community.

Councilwoman Hauck mentioned that she was on the Redevelopment Committee, and there were two proposals considered that included 30 units per acre, and the committee told the developers that they had to reconfigure the units per acre to conform to the RFP specifications. The developers could not make it work, and they pulled out of the process. Councilwoman Knudsen commented that her point was that the redevelopment zone was never altered to include an apartment or condominium component, yet the assisted living facility is permitted with no cap assigned to the density. Therefore, the only person who could come in with a feasible plan is the one with no cap on the density. Councilwoman Knudsen repeated that she believes the question is whether that location is the proper location for an assisted living facility.

Mayor Aronsohn explained that with respect to the density issue, the Village Council agreed that they did not want a high-density facility at that location, because they did not want to circumvent the Planning Board’s process. With respect to the assisted living facility, the only reason for revisiting the issue was because someone came forward with a new proposal, after years of the issue lying dormant. The reason for the difference in density is due to the fact that with assisted living facilities, the units are smaller. Another reason is due to the fact that many of the ancillary concerns that accompany density issues do not apply in assisted living.

Finally, Mayor Aronsohn commented that the reason for having a referendum on the parking garage, as opposed to having a referendum on the assisted living facility, is because the parking referendum involves the Village spending nearly $15 million of taxpayer funds, while the assisted living facility only involves the developer’s funds.

Councilman Pucciarelli pointed out that he understands the very specific nature of the question proposed by Councilwoman Knudsen, but he does not understand what is meant by high-density assisted-living. The question itself is very complicated, and that is why any results from a public referendum will be useful.

Councilwoman Knudsen acknowledged that there are many questions that must be asked, and the discussion could go on endlessly about what questions should be asked.

d.         Operations:

1.)        National Joint Powers Alliance Membership

Ms. Sonenfeld commented that this resolution is connected to the earlier discussion regarding the sewer jet truck, and using a national cooperative contract. Mr. Rutishauser has been investigating this and discovered that using cooperative contracts is now permitted in the State of New Jersey. In fact, they should be used whenever possible. The resolution will enable Ms. Sonenfeld to become a member of the National Joint Powers Alliance (NJPA), and the Village will then be able to purchase the truck that was discussed earlier.  This resolution will be put on the agenda for the July 15, 2015 Public Meeting.

7.         MANAGER’S REPORT

Ms. Sonenfeld started her report by noting that she was not present at the last Village Council meeting, and on the first day of her vacation, there was the potential hostage situation that occurred in Ridgewood. Ms. Sonenfeld commended the Ridgewood Police Department, pointing out that twice in the past several months, Ridgewood Police Officers were involved in dangerous and potentially lethal situations. Significant use of force would have been more than justified in those situations. In both cases, the Ridgewood Police Department was able to resolve the situations peacefully. Ms. Sonenfeld does not believe that is a coincidence. It takes a lot of training and discipline, as well as the building of a culture within the Police Department, to allow such things. Ms. Sonenfeld wanted to recognize the Ridgewood Police Department for its efforts, and said they are definitely the best Police Department in the State of New Jersey.

Richard Calbi, the Director of Ridgewood Water, is currently working with Mr. Moritz to assimilate in his new role at Ridgewood Water. Ms. Sonenfeld introduced him to everyone present.

Ms. Sonenfeld commented that plans for the Fourth of July festivities are progressing. There is a challenge this year, because the holiday falls on a Saturday. That means that the costs for the Fourth of July festivities this year will be higher than in previous years, because Friday, July 3^rd, is a holiday for all Village personnel, and they must be paid time and a half for working on Friday, double time for working on Saturday, and time and a half for working on Sunday. Workers are trying to get as much done as possible during regular working hours. At this time, approximately 2 miles of fencing has been installed along the parade route, and will be removed during normal working hours after the celebration. There are 92 barricades, and requests have been made to other towns to borrow an additional 150 barricades. The barricades are distributed by Village staff on the Fourth of July, and picked up the next day. Veterans Field has been lined for the public to use, and box areas have been outlined for vendors to set up. The viewing stand will be erected, with risers provided by the vendors. Staff will be available on Saturday to assist in the transition from the parade to the fireworks display. On Sunday, the massive cleanup will be done in preparation for Monday, when the Ridgewood Day Camp continues, and Graydon Pool opens.

With respect to paving, Ms. Sonenfeld noted that more money has been allocated to paving this year than ever before. Mr. Rutishauser and Mr. Mehendzic are working with a second contractor (two contractors will be working simultaneously this year) on paving. All of Kemah Road has now been completed, as well as Heights Road from Valley View Road to West Glen Avenue; Hillcrest Road from West Glen Avenue to the dead end; all of Kingsbridge Road, Queens Court, Betty Court, North Road; half the width of Auburn Avenue and Shadow Brook Road; and all of Rivard Court. Paving will be completed throughout the summer, into September and October. Mr. Rutishauser and his team are closely monitoring all of the work.

Moving on to parking, Ms. Sonenfeld commented that Parkmobile still seems to be popular in the Village, with more than 100 transactions being processed every day. The date for allowing Parkmobile to be used at all of the street meters has been extended due to the work being done in preparation for the Fourth of July. After the Fourth of July festivities have concluded, more stickers will be put on the street meters.

Ms. Sonenfeld is still cautiously optimistic about the Hudson Street parking garage environmental study. At this time, results from the ground penetrating radar and soil borings taken are very positive. Walker Associates, the firm that has been doing the comparison study on automated versus traditional parking garages, anticipates producing a final report by next week.

Regarding the North Walnut Street Redevelopment Zone, Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that the financial information should be available by the end of June.

Ms. Sonenfeld commented that there is an RFP to lease the house at 1057 Hillcrest Road, in Habernickel Park. The lease is for one year, with an option to renew. The current tenant will be vacating the premises next week.

The Bergen Record included a picture on the front page of the Local section of the Michael Feeney, Jr., Police Academy, which began this week. There are approximately 52 students from grades 6-8 participating, learning about all types of police work and equipment.

Ms. Sonenfeld noted that the inter-governmental transfers that were requested from the Police Department fell through. The sending departments denied the requests. That means that three novices will be put through the Police Academy.

In her “Response to Residents” section, Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that her next “Meet the Manager” event is scheduled for Monday, June 29^th, from 4:30-7:30 P.M. Several appointments have already been scheduled. Over the past several weeks, there have been some complaints/observations with respect to property maintenance issues, to which the Village has responded. Warnings and summonses have been issued. Village staff members are endeavoring to be more proactive in this area. There have also been inquiries about road conditions, and Ms. Sonenfeld was able to inform those who asked that the roads in question are being paved, and others have been put under consideration for paving. There have also been some inquiries regarding bears, and the new guidelines from the State with respect to dealing with them. The State has instructed local police departments that they should not try to get the bear to climb a tree, nor should they try to engage the bear. Instead, they have been instructed to try to get the bear to get out of the area, unless the bear has shown any aggressive behavior toward humans, or any attachment to humans. The State has taken the position that everyone should learn to live with wildlife in our areas, and that includes bears.

Upcoming events include a reminder to register dogs during the month of June. The Ridgewood Farmers’ Market is open every Sunday from 9:00 A.M.-3:00 P.M. Concerts are held at the Kasschau Band Shell on Tuesday and Thursday nights. E-notices will be sent tomorrow regarding several events to be held over the next two weeks. The calendar notes that the Recycling Office will be closed on Friday, July 3^rd, but after discussing that with Mr. Moritz, Ms. Sonenfeld announced that the office will remain open on Friday, but will be closed on Saturday, July 4^th. On the Fourth of July, the flag raising will be held at the train station at 9:00 A.M., with the parade scheduled to begin at 10:00 A.M. The fireworks and other entertainment will be at Veterans Field, where the gates will be open at 6:00 P.M. Movies in the park continue twice a month with tonight’s movie, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”.

8.         COUNCIL REPORTS

Planning Board – Councilwoman Knudsen stated that on June 12^th, she attended the 13^th Annual International Luncheon at the Ridgewood Public Library. The Public Library’s multicultural services and its English as a Second Language program hosted the luncheon, which recognized tutors and students who have helped to make the program successful. This year, there were 134 students taught by 40 volunteer tutors. Students came from 27 different countries, including Spain, Panama, Iran, Belarus, and Poland, to name a few. Two presentations were made, which Councilwoman Knudsen described as “incredible”. One of the presentations was the art of ikebana by Junko Mishima, and the other was watercolor paintings by Madhuben Golnabi. Councilwoman Knudsen commented that the watercolor paintings were fabulous, and the floral arrangement created during the ikebana presentation was beautiful. Councilwoman Knudsen stated that the students are remarkable, and the tutors should be commended for their commitment and generosity to the community. Anyone interested in learning more about the ESL program, or becoming a tutor, can visit the Ridgewood Public Library website, or visit the Public Library.

This past week, many new businesses opened in Ridgewood, including Advanced Gynecology at 20 Wilsey Square; Master Art at 580 North Maple Avenue; and Race Master, located on the lower level of Bookends. Councilwoman Knudsen welcomed all of the new businesses to Ridgewood, and wished the business owners great success.

At the June 16^th Planning Board meeting, eligible members formally adopted resolutions memorializing the June 2^nd vote to approve high-density housing within the CBD as identified in new zones AH2, B3R, CR, CR2, and C-zone. Only those voting affirmatively for the Master Plan amendment were eligible to vote to adopt the resolution. The Planning Board also continued its re-examination of the Master Plan process by discussing the historic preservation element of the Master Plan. Fortunately, Joe Suplicki, the Vice-Chairman of the Historic Preservation Commission and a local historian, was at the meeting and was able to answer questions elaborating on the affirmation of the Planning Board’s prior recommendations as defined in the 2006 Master Plan.

Central Business District Forum – Councilman Pucciarelli mentioned that a week ago, the sixth Central Business District Forum was held, and the subject matter was parking. However, most of the discussion focused on Parkmobile. A representative from Parkmobile was present, who gave a complete tour of the app, including instructions on how to download it. In addition, Robert Rooney, the Chief Financial Officer of the Village and Director of the Parking Utility, discussed how the garage at Hudson and Broad Streets would be financed. Janet Fricke, Assistant to the Village Manager, was also present and explained the new parking regime throughout Ridgewood. The first hour was an open mic for members of the public to comment, and most of the comments were about parking. Responses to Parkmobile have been favorable, and Jim Griffith, in particular, was urging the Village to move forward with the garage on Broad Street, saying that it has been too long delayed. Councilman Pucciarelli invited everyone to suggest topics for the next Central Business District Forum, which will probably be held in September.

Ridgewood Public Library Trustees – Councilman Pucciarelli stated that the Public Library Trustees will meet tomorrow evening. They will be discussing a capital project, with more information coming.

Councilwoman Hauck commented that she does not have any particular committee reports to make. However, she mentioned that the annual Ridgewood High School commencement ceremonies are always exceptional and moving, and it is rare that she gets a chance to experience commencement. Councilman Hauck feels she has a vested interest of all of the graduates of Ridgewood High School, because she is also a graduate of that school. She was thankful to be included in the ceremonies.

The Chamber of Commerce dinner was another fulfilling event that Councilwoman Hauck was able to attend, because it enables one to recognize that the members of the Chamber of Commerce are a big part of the Ridgewood community. They are also a wonderful network, with a wealth of knowledge to help support the Village.

Finally, Councilwoman Hauck attended the dedication of the addition to Lester Stable. This addition was made possible by the David Bolger Foundation, which was started by David Bolger after he attained personal success. Mr. Bolger attended the ribbon-cutting, which was a very brief and intimate ceremony. Councilwoman Hauck recalled that when the first stable was moved to the front of the property and renovated after the original house burned down at the back of the property, many citizens at that time participated in the planning and renovation of the stable. Mr. Bolger was one of those who took a hands-on approach in helping with the work. Councilwoman Hauck commented that this was a very positive thing for Ridgewood. The structure will be there for generations to come, for all Ridgewood residents to use, at no cost to the Village. Councilwoman Hauck thanked the Bolger Foundation for their generosity.

Ridgewood Green Team – Councilman Sedon noted that the Green Team met last night in Village Hall. They have submitted the application to Sustainable New Jersey, and are awaiting the first round of comments. Those comments are expected by the end of July or the beginning of August.

Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee (REAC) – Councilman Sedon commented that REAC met last week, and he was unable to attend. However, he noted that between REAC, the Green Team, and the Shade Tree Commission, several policies and various environmental issues concerning land use and building design are being discussed and prepared, which they hope to present to the Planning Board for their consideration during their re-examination of the Master Plan. More information will follow.

Mayor Aronsohn agreed with Ms. Sonenfeld’s remarks concerning the Ridgewood Police Department. He added that they are not only great police officers, but they are an important part of life in this community. That is due in part to their leadership, as well as the fact that there are some great people on the police force.

Mayor Aronsohn welcomed Richard Calbi as the Director of Ridgewood Water, saying that he has “huge shoes to fill”.

Next, Mayor Aronsohn commented that he does not understand the State policy regarding bears. He believes that Bergen County, because it is more densely populated than other areas to the north and west, should follow a different policy. However, because this is what the State has dictated, Ridgewood must follow it.

As Councilwoman Hauck mentioned before, the Chamber of Commerce dinner was a great experience, according to Mayor Aronsohn. He reiterated that the Chamber of Commerce does a lot for the Ridgewood community, and the dinner was great opportunity to celebrate their accomplishments.

Mayor Aronsohn mentioned the brutal activities that occurred one week ago in Charleston, South Carolina, when nine people were murdered. The event has shaken the whole country and every community, including Ridgewood. The AME Zion Church in Ridgewood held an interfaith service in response to the tragedy this past Sunday, which was wonderful. The church was filled, and Mayor Aronsohn was gratified to see that a cross-section of the community was represented by the participants in the service. It was also a cross-section of the faith community in Ridgewood.

On Wednesday, July 8^th, former President Jimmy Carter will be in Ridgewood to sign his book. Anyone who is interested can go to the Ridgewood YMCA. The event is being sponsored by Bookends.

Access Ridgewood is preparing for its annual disability awareness program that is held in October, and will be meeting several times this week to discuss those preparations. One of the issues on which they have focused its housing, and some of the changes proposed by the Christie Administration with respect to Medicaid funding and housing for people with developmental disabilities. State Senator Bob Gordon is taking a leadership role in the discussion, and he has agreed to come to Ridgewood and meet with some of the affected families on Thursday, July 9^th. Anyone who is interested in hearing what he has to say is welcome to come.

On Friday, July 24^th, Bergen County will be celebrating the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The event will be held at Bergen Community College. Mayor Aronsohn has been given an opportunity to be one of the speakers to talk about what is being done in Ridgewood.

Finally, Mayor Aronsohn talked about Ed Schwartz, who passed away last week. Mr. Schwartz was an extraordinary, larger-than-life person, and his spirit was also larger-than-life. He was very involved in REAC, and was recognized as a Volunteer of the Year last year. Mr. Schwartz fought a battle against leukemia for more than a year, and spent his last days in Hawaii, as he wished.

9.         COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

Mayor Aronsohn stated that they would again have comments from the public and asked anyone wishing to address the Village Council to come forward.

Rurik Halaby, 374 Evergreen Place, commented that he was moved by the wonderful words used by Councilman Pucciarelli to describe what government is about. Mr. Halaby believes those words should be used in a civics class. The government to put a man on the moon, built the interstate highways, and built America. Mr. Halaby believes that Councilman Sedon and Councilwoman Knudsen are only kicking the can down the road, and they are for nothing, but against everything. He noted that it took the Romans eight years to build the Coliseum, and it has lasted for 2,000 years. Mr. Halaby wondered how much longer it would take to decide on these issues. Although he believes that Councilman Sedon and Councilwoman Knudsen mean well, they are only succeeding in killing Ridgewood, which is dying a slow death. Much of Ridgewood is now becoming a dump, and something needs to be done about it. Mr. Halaby thinks Councilman Pucciarelli for the words he used, and begged the Councilmembers to stop all the discussion and get something done.

Paul Vaggianos, 280 Rivera Court, noted that in the discussion on the non-binding referendum on the RFP for the assisted living facility, if the Village Council should decide to hold such a referendum, Mr. Vaggianos does not believe it should be held on the same date as a referendum regarding the Hudson Street garage. The Hudson Street garage project is such a large and important project that it should stand or fall on its own.

Ed Sullivan, a landlord in the Central Business District, commented with respect to the referendum for the Hudson Street garage. Mr. Sullivan thinks it might be helpful to include in the referendum a brief summary of the financial analysis. He added that in a pure sense, this is a real estate matter, and the biggest burden is paying the bond. What will happen over a period of time is that the parking rates will increase, as they did recently with no pushback. The availability of electronic parking seems to have led to less complaints from the people of Ridgewood. Having the capability to augment rights will help to pay off the garage. Mr. Sullivan suggested that an analysis should be requested from Walker Associates showing projected revenues and expenses over the term of the bond. He estimated that the garage would have a 30-year design life, and a 50 or 60-year use life. The revenues and expenses can be amortized over that period, and Mr. Sullivan believes it will be discovered that the Village is not really proposing to spend upwards of $10 million, but is proposing to invest $10 million that will yield a return over the use life of the garage. Ms. Sonenfeld responded that Mr. Sullivan made a good point, and the referendum should include that type of information, as well as comments made by Councilman Pucciarelli about the debt service. The goal is for the revenue to cover the PMI payments and the debt. Councilman Pucciarelli added that the public needs to know what they are voting for, what it will look like, how much it will cost, and how will be paid for. Mr. Sullivan agreed, noting that, as he previously stated, it is essentially a real estate deal. At the end of the term, the residents of Ridgewood will essentially become the “landlords” of the garage, and there should be a positive cash flow. Mayor Aronsohn noted that one other clarification was made to explain that the garage is being paid for by Parking Utility revenues, not with taxpayer funds.

Lorraine Reynolds, 550 Wyndemere Avenue, disagreed with Mr. Halaby’s assessment that Ridgewood is “dying a slow death”. Ms. Reynolds loves Ridgewood, and loves living in Ridgewood, and she believes it is a thriving community.

With respect to the redevelopment zone, Ms. Reynolds believes that the Councilmembers did a disservice to themselves when they issued the RFP, because it was very biased. She noted that when the Village Council allows someone to come in with an assisted living proposal that has no limit on the density, versus a multi-family housing proposal that is limited to 12 units per acre, the proposal that includes 12 units per acre cannot compete with a proposal with unlimited density. Ms. Reynolds thinks that the RFP was biased in favor of anyone who proposed an assisted living facility.

In addition, Ms. Reynolds suggested that now that high-density housing proposal has passed, the Councilmembers might want to rethink the density in the redevelopment zone, perhaps increasing it from 12 to 20 units per acre. That might bring in some very interesting ideas. She recalled attending the meeting in which Kensington and another developer made their proposals for assisted living facilities, and the other developer’s proposal was for townhouses. Ms. Reynolds was very intrigued by the idea of townhouses, instead of an apartment-type facility. She thinks that Ridgewood needs townhouses. Several of her elderly neighbors moved out of Ridgewood in the past couple of years, and most of them did so for the same reason: they wanted to move into townhouses, which are not available in Ridgewood. Increasing the density to 20 might give the Councilmembers a larger pool from which to choose, instead of only having one viable proposal. Ms. Reynolds also pointed out that Mayor Aronsohn has repeatedly referred to the fact that the Kensington proposal comes at no cost to the Village, and she does not think that should be of paramount importance.

Ms. Reynolds clarified that the Planning Board did not agree to unlimited density for an assisted living facility. Assisted living was discussed at the Planning Board level, but unlimited density was never discussed. However, when Mr. Brancheau brought the discussion to the Village Council, he added the words “unlimited density” in his remarks.

Finally, Ms. Reynolds recalled that Councilman Pucciarelli recused himself from the public hearing on high-density housing when he served on the Planning Board. She asked him if he planned to do the same when the next public hearing on the subject comes to the Village Council. Councilman Pucciarelli answered that he will make that decision on a case-by-case basis. He noted that four amendments are scheduled to come before the Councilmembers, and he will decide what to do after he reads the information presented, because circumstances may have changed in the interim.

Mayor Aronsohn commented that the recommendation for changes to the redevelopment zone came from the Planning Board, as was the language that was adopted. In addition, the other developer mentioned by Ms. Reynolds did not propose townhouses, but duplex apartments.

Councilwoman Knudsen pointed out that there was an existing zone in the Village that allowed 24 units per acre, which she believes is the AH-2 zone. Therefore, the limitation of 12 units per acre that was proposed in the North Walnut Street Redevelopment Zone could have been increased, giving the Village a variety of choices to examine.

Councilman Pucciarelli added that he does not believe that a fifth family living site is necessarily preferable to an assisted living facility. He believes that Ridgewood needs a diversity of housing types, and it was often stated at some Planning Board meetings that having four multi-family zones was too much, and the Planning Board opted for other uses in order to avoid increasing the number of high-density housing units in the Village beyond what the current ordinance allows.

Councilwoman Knudsen commented that the question is not whether assisted living is offensive, and whether it should be in the Village. She and many others agree that there is a place in the Village for assisted living, and it is certainly a necessity of life. The question is where the facility should be.

Councilwoman Hauck does not believe that the Village is “settling” when looking at other options, but it is not feasible at this point to do so. There is a current proposal that provide assisted living for residents of Ridgewood and other communities, while also providing an environmental cleanup, as well as paying for a parking garage. Ms. Reynolds seemed to be putting subjective costs before tangible savings. Councilwoman Hauck also noted that assisted living is very different from family living by virtue of the fact that those in assisted living facilities are much older and weaker, and do not need as much living space as families.

Councilman Pucciarelli noted that there is a share house on Cottage Place, which is a diversity of housing type that affords people who cannot live on their own the opportunity to share a dwelling. It is not the same as assisted living, but it is a diversity of housing type that has too often not been considered in the suburbs.

Anne Loving, 342 South Irving Street, thanked the Councilmembers for agreeing to write the letter of support to Councilman Sedon’s previous employer. She asked who was going to write a letter, and whether it would be from the entire Village Council, or from one person in particular. Mayor Aronsohn answered that he would work with Councilman Sedon in drafting a letter, and it would be shared publicly when finished.

With respect to the service this past Sunday at the AME Zion Church, Ms. Loving agreed with Mayor Aronson’s remarks that it was very uplifting and moving, and she commended him for his remarks, as well as the remarks made by other religious leaders. Ms. Loving was gratified that so many people participated.

Finally, Ms. Loving recalled that several months ago, Mayor Aronsohn noted that according to the rules of governance, members of the public are not supposed to direct comments or questions to individual Councilmembers, but should direct their comments to the Mayor. However, it seemed that tonight, on two occasions, individual Councilmembers were addressed were addressed a rather uncivil manner, and nothing was said about that. Mayor Aronsohn noted that moderating Village Council meetings is sometimes challenging. He believes that questions are not to be directed to individual Councilmembers, and that a certain amount of decorum is to be maintained, so that no rude comments or remarks are directed to those on the dais. Mayor Aronsohn recalled that he also stated that he did not think it was a good idea to keep going back and forth with individual members of the public, as he has done tonight, because it takes a lot of time. He added that he would check on what the rules state and get back to Ms. Loving.

Boyd Loving, 342 South Irving Street, said it was a pleasure to see Councilman Sedon at Graydon Pool this morning speaking to his constituents. Mr. Loving noted that many people have been taking advantage of the 10:00 A.M. opening of the pool. He thanked the Councilmembers for spending the money to allow this.

Mr. Loving recalled that several weeks ago, he reminded the Councilmembers that when the renovations to Village Hall were proposed, the public was told that it would cost approximately $4.5 million. In fact, the last budget figure mentioned in connection with the renovations was $11 million, and no one was willing to say how much more was spent after that. Mr. Loving also recalled that he heard the figure of $10 million in connection with building the parking garage, and tonight that figure was $15 million. He cautioned the Councilmembers again to make sure they know what the costs will be before giving that information to the public.

In addition, Mr. Loving is concerned about the language of the proposed referendum, because his perception is that there will be no tax increase because the costs will be covered by the Parking Utility revenues. He believes the public should be given this information, because if there is a chance that property tax bills will increase, property owners need to know that.

With respect to multi-family housing, Mr. Loving said it was his understanding that there will be one hearing held on one date in September on this issue. Mayor Aronsohn responded that the tentative plan is to introduce the four draft ordinances at the July 15, 2015, Village Council Public Meeting. The public hearing would be scheduled for September 16, 2015. There will be opportunities for people to speak to that issue between now and then at Village Council meetings, and the Planning Board will also have to discuss the matter. Mr. Loving clarified that there will be four ordinances introduced, and the only opportunity for anyone to speak at a public hearing on these ordinances will be on September 16^th. Mayor Aronsohn reiterated that the timeline he mentioned is a tentative one, and that the public has many opportunities to speak on the issue, as they have over the past five years. He believes it is time that the Village Council takes action on this matter. Mr. Loving recalled that there were several public hearings held on the Valley Hospital issue, and holding the public hearing on one date precludes anyone with a prior engagement from participating. He also pointed out that traditionally, the Village Council does not conduct business over the summer, and introducing an ordinance in July, coupled with the fact that very little action is taken during the month of August, is very limiting for the public.

Finally, Mr. Loving responded to comments made by Mr. Halaby. He disagreed with Mr. Halaby’s comment that an apology is in order. An elected official asked a question of an appointed employee, and therefore no apology is necessary. Regarding his comment about Ridgewood “dying a slow death,” Mr. Loving believes that is absolute, utter nonsense. Property values have increased, the school system is one of the best, people want to move to Ridgewood, and there are many other great things about Ridgewood.

Councilwoman Knudsen agreed with Mr. Loving and Ms. Reynolds that Ridgewood is a vibrant community. The CBD is vibrant, and businesses are thriving. In fact, more businesses are coming to Ridgewood, and they are actively engaged in the community. Councilman Sedon also concurred with Councilwoman Knudsen.

Councilman Pucciarelli pointed out that he is always used “X” to represent the price of garage, while there are others who use numbers as placeholders. However, as far as he knows, no one on the dais knows what the garage will cost, because no price has been set. There is a pending study on an automated versus a traditional garage, and that will affect the projected cost of the garage.

Tom Hillmann, 133 East Ridgewood Avenue, stated that he is lived in Ridgewood for more than 40 years, and he recalled that various controversies in Ridgewood. For example, there was controversy around the Lester Stable. Mr. Hillmann recalled that when the house burned down, there was a question about who burned it down, and how it was burned. Village Hall and the property surrounding it were purchased from the Elks Club, and there was controversy at that time, particularly because many people thought the proposed building/property was too large and would not be used. Mr. Hillmann said his point is that there is often controversy around proposed changes, but when looking back, it is often found that it was the right thing to do. The community continues to thrive despite the controversies. Mr. Hillmann asked the Councilmembers to do the right thing and look forward, as previous Village Councils have done. Endless discussions are necessary, and decisions need to be made. More parking is needed in the Village, and Mr. Hillman believes this Village Council can accomplish that by looking forward.

There were no other comments from the public at this time, and Mayor Aronsohn closed the time for public comments. 

10.       RESOLUTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION

The following resolution, numbered 15-187, to go into Closed Session, was read in full by the Deputy Village Clerk, as follows:

11.       ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Councilman Pucciarelli, seconded by Councilman Sedon, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the meeting was adjourned at 10:54 P.M.

                                                                                                                                   

                                                PAUL S. ARONSOHN, Mayor

                                                                                   

DONNA M. JACKSON, Deputy Village Clerk