20180228 - Village Council Special Public Meeting
A SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE SYDNEY V. STOLDT, JR. COURT ROOM OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOD, NEW JERSEY ON FEBRUARY 28, 2018 AT 7:30 P.M.
- CALL TO ORDER – OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT – ROLL CALL
Mayor Knudsen called the meeting to order at 8:08 P.M. and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. At roll call the following were present: Councilman Hache, Deputy Mayor Sedon, Councilman Voigt, Councilwoman Walsh, and Mayor Knudsen. Also present were Heather Mailander, Village Manager/Village Clerk; Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney; and Donna M. Jackson, Deputy Village Clerk.
- PUBLIC HEARING – Prequalification Regulations for Prospective Bidders for the Roof Restoration for the Zabriskie-Schedler House
Mayor Knudsen explained that the prequalification regulations for prospective bidders for the roof restoration for the Zabriskie-Schedler house are being considered this evening. The Public Hearing this evening is specifically on the prequalification regulations for the roof restoration of the Zabriskie-Schedler House, and the Village Council will listen to comments from the public specifically on these prequalification regulations from the roof restoration. Mayor Knudsen announced that the Public Hearing was now open.
Margaret Hickey, of Connolly and Hickey, is an historic architect and is working on the roof restoration as well as Phase 2 which will include the rest of the Schedler plans. Mayor Knudsen welcomed Ms. Hickey and stated that they have met before, went through their meeting, and she knows Ms. Hickey is really committed and dedicated to this project.
Ms. Hickey stated that she was going to speak specifically to this project and the prequalification. She is an Historic Preservation Specialist with Connolly and Hickey who are Historic Architects out of Cranford, New Jersey and they were engaged by the Village to help them initially secure a grant for the roof restoration based on a study performed by another firm, the grant was awarded and as part of Bergen County’s requirements they require that all contractors who work on projects that are funded through their program meet certain minimum qualifications for their work. Ms. Hickey stated that they put together based on regulations that the Department of Community Affairs put together that they just fill in the blanks that are specific to the Village’s project.
Ms. Hickey stated that for this particular project they are looking for contractors who have experience in wood shingled roof restoration, metal copper flashing, painting and related work, that is going to be specific to the work that’s being done at the Zabriskie-Schedler house. There is a value associated with that work that is generally about 50% of the project cost so they know that the Village is not looking at a contractor who has only installed a $20,000 roof when this is a $60,000 roof. She stated that the rules are pretty set and clear once the regulations are adopted and the State signs off on this adoption process, the Village will be allowed to notify potential bidders who can fill out the qualification forms. Then their firm and Bergen County will review the qualifications, check references, call other architects, and at that time they will have their list of bidders.
Ms. Hickey added that this process has been in place at the State level since about 1999 and so they have had good success with it. However, there is no guarantee, but it really does help to bring all the bidders to the same level so the bids are very competitive as a result.
Mayor Knudsen asked if anyone had questions of Ms. Hickey. There were no questions from the public. However, Mayor Knudsen asked Ms. Hickey to give some background about her experience in Ridgewood, where she comes from, and why she feels she was selected.
Ms. Hickey stated that they are an architectural firm where approximately 90% of their work is historic preservation, museums, train stations, and many churches. Most of the work they do is funded by public money such as Bergen County grants, Morris County grants, Federal grants, and the State of New Jersey grant program. The firm was engaged to perform the two phases of the roof restoration at the railroad station which was funded by Arrow grants. This was as part of the stimulus after 2008 under the New Jersey DOT. Ms. Hickey stated that they prequalified and completed the same process for that project.
Mayor Knudsen asked if there were any questions for Ms. Hickey and there were not. She stated that the Public Hearing was now open.
Rurik Halaby, 374 Evergreen Place, stated that he did call Connolly and Hickey and spoke with an individual there, adding that he must have caught them off guard, as he asked if the house was worth restoring and was told of course it is, and asked if there were any studies and Mr. Halaby was told no, and then asked if they were working on any studies and he was told that there was something in the works that might be 4 to 6 weeks, is his remembrance of the discussion, which makes him think there is no such study. Mr. Halaby stated that again, he asks does anyone have a study. Ms. Mailander stated that the public hearing was limited to the prequalifying regulations.
Mayor Knudsen stated that the Council was going to call a point of order and explain the process again. She stated that what they were here to have a public hearing on is the prequalifications for the work that’s going to be done on the roof. The County requires the Village to produce a prequalification packet for the individuals that might respond to an RFP to ensure that they have the ability, the knowledge, and the capacity to reinstall or install, in this instance, a wood shingle roof, the copper flashings, copper drains, the drainage, and the proper woodwork. Mayor Knudsen stated that the Councils very narrow focus in this particular public hearing must remain on that issue only.
Mr. Halaby stated that he would like to ask about the copper flashing and if that was something that goes back to the 1820s. Ms. Hickey stated that the work involves flashings that originally would have been material similar to tin. They don’t install tin anymore, so the equivalent under the Secretary of the Interior Standards is a lead-coated copper, or copper. Mr. Halaby questioned if the house was to be restored to the way it was in 1820 or 1830, why not install the materials applied at that time. Ms. Hickey stated the materials may not be readily available. Mr. Halaby stated that tin was readily available, to which Ms. Hickey responded not as a flashing material in the roofing sector as they would use it. Mr. Halaby stated that therefore, what they are doing is not going to be historically accurate. Ms. Hickey stated that it is to the standards. They are allowed to use substitute materials that they apply to situations like this. The Secretary of the Interior for Rehabilitation Standards claims they are not necessarily reverting back to 1820 either, as there is a greater period of significance beyond 1820. Mr. Halaby questioned to what period then they were restoring. Ms. Hickey stated that she did not recall off the top of her head, but it was closer to the 20th century. Mr. Halaby questioned if Ms. Hickey was doing a study on that.
Mayor Knudsen stated that the public comments were to stick to the narrow focus of the prequalification. Mr. Halaby stated that the Village is going down a slippery slope spending a lot of money. Mayor Knudsen again stated that this was a public hearing on the prequalification packet. Mr. Halaby commented that Mayor Knudsen was so strict and he was really impressed. Mayor Knudsen stated that they were running a meeting that is on a tight agenda.
There were no additional comments from the public, and Mayor Knudsen moved that the Public Hearing be closed. Councilwoman Walsh seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hache, Sedon, Voigt, Walsh, and Mayor Knudsen
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
- RESOLUTION
THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION, NUMBERED 18-73, WAS CONSIDERED SEPARATELY AND READ IN FULL:
Councilman Voigt stated that before he gave an answer, his concern and it has been voiced by the public, relates to this particular project and the cost to our town. He thinks the Council does not have a handle on that yet, so he is really concerned and he doesn’t think that it should be done piece-meal but rather in its totality. He also believes that the Council needs to understand the total cost of the facility, what it is going to be used for, who is going to manage it, and what the costs of that are going to be. His major concern is that it is going to end up being a black hole for the Village and if the Council doesn’t understand those costs ahead of time, he is afraid that the Village is going to be spending the taxpayers money ad-infinitum.
Councilwoman Walsh stated that she believes this is truly preliminary and in a project like this, the Council is not sure what the costs are going to be. So, they are going to go out to bid and get the data. They examine the data and it may be that things have to be completed in stages. She thinks this is a start and if it comes in that this is going to be way out of anything that any of the Council could comprehend then they will decide at that point.
Mayor Knudsen stated that she was going to point out before she voted that she believes the Village does have a cost estimate on this and they will be bringing Ms. Hickey up. Ms. Mailander stated that more information would be brought to the Budget meeting on Friday and the Parks and Recreation Department would include it in their budget. Mayor Knudsen stated that she wanted to point out that one of the Ridgewood historians, Peggy Norris stated that you only get to knock an historic house down once but you have to save it over and over again. None of the Council members submitted any documentation to the State of New Jersey, the members of the Historic Preservation Commission listed this house on the Village’s Historic Element of the Master Plan in the Village of Ridgewood. It has been recognized by the State of New Jersey, has been issued a Certificate of Eligibility, and after it is fully restored, is eligible to be listed on the State Registry. It may also be eligible for the National Registry. She added that The Stable was restored when a lot of people said it was a junk property and now The Stable is greatly used and everyone loves it.
Councilman Voigt added that The Stable was funded by private entities. Mayor Knudsen stated that these are matching grants. Ms. Mailander stated that she wanted to remind the Council that that they do have a grant.
- ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to come before the Village Council, Mayor Knudsen called for a motion to adjourn, on a motion by Councilwoman Walsh, seconded by Councilman Hache, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the Village Council’s Special Public Meeting was adjourned at 8:23 P.M.
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Susan Knudsen
Mayor
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Donna M. Jackson
Village Clerk
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