20181107 Village Council Work Session

A REGULAR WORK SESSION OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE SYDNEY V. STOLDT, JR. COURT ROOM OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOD, NEW JERSEY ON NOVEMBER 7, 2018 AT 7:30 P.M.

 

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

Mayor Hache called the meeting to order at 7:32 P.M. and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. At roll call the following were present: Councilmembers Knudsen, Sedon, Voigt, Walsh, and Mayor Hache.  Also present were Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney; Heather Mailander, Village Manager/Village Clerk; and Donna Jackson, Deputy Village Clerk. 

Mayor Hache led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag as well as in a Moment of Silence to honor the brave men and women serving in our armed forces and all our first responders.

2. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

Charles Reilly, 448 North Maple Avenue, stated that at the October 10^th Village Council meeting, Mayor Hache made a comment regarding Mr. Reilly’s statement at the Board of Education meeting earlier that week. He added that he provided a transcript of the BOE meeting including his statement to the Village Council which clearly showed that he did not say what Mayor Hache had said, but rather that people should learn about the budget before they vote. Mr. Reilly added that Mayor Hache’s statement displayed a reckless disregard for the truth, adding that he should have stated that he wanted to review the transcript first as opposed to misrepresenting his statements. He added that the comments made by Mayor Hache displayed to Mr. Reilly that the Mayor had no understanding of what his responsibilities are with respect to a defeated school budget.

Boyd Loving, 342 South Irving Street, stated that the election is over and several weeks ago he came before the Council expressing his concerns about the number of signs that had been placed unlawfully. He wanted to thank the Village Manager who immediately contacted the Police Department and asked them to start enforcing that. He added that he wanted to especially thank Captain Amoroso who went out of his way to make sure that all members of the Department knew that the signs located between the curb and the sidewalk needed to be taken down.

Mr. Loving added that it has come to his attention that although there is an ordinance that prohibits election and garage sale signs from being placed in that area, there is no ordinance in place that prohibits any other type of temporary sign that is placed in the public right of way. He asked that the Council pass an ordinance that prohibits any type of temporary sign from being placed in public right of ways as those signs present a hazard to pedestrians and drivers.

Mayor Hache stated that regarding his comments about what was said at the Board of Education meeting, context is everything. The context of the comments from Mr. Reilly at the BOE meeting regarding whether or not the budget vote should be restored, Mr. Reilly went on to say that people should learn and they somehow don’t have the expertise was Mayor Hache’s interpretation. He added that he did not quote Mr. Reilly or offer to look at the school budget in three weeks’ time. He stated that if Mr. Reilly made that offer to the Village Council, to help them look at the budget and see in what ways they could work with the budget he would say thank you and see what opportunities there could be to help him do that.

3. MANAGERS REPORT

Election Day – Ms. Mailander stated that Election Day in Ridgewood was very active. Over 53% of registered voters turned out to vote in yesterday’s election, which does not include mail-in or provisional ballots.

Leaf Collection – Ms. Mailander stated that leaf collection continues and is on schedule. The leaf placement schedule was printed on a yellow postcard and mailed to each Ridgewood household. Residents can also find the schedule on the Village website www.RidgewoodNJ.net. She added that you can bag leaves in biodegradable bags and place them between the curb and the sidewalk at any time, or bring them to the recycling center for disposal. Leaves may not be placed in plastic bags.

Veterans Day – Ms. Mailander stated that Veterans Day would be observed at a ceremony on Sunday, November 11^th at 2:00 P.M. in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square. American Legion Post #53 sponsors this event.

“The Spirit of America’s Story – The Wall” – Ms. Mailander stated that this was a traveling exhibit commemorating our country’s fight for freedom from 1775 to the present day. This is free to all attendees. The traveling wall is a 70 foot traveling exhibit that commemorates, through images, a timeline of the Revolutionary War to the War on Terrorism and is comprised of ten connected pieces of artwork that stand ninety-two inches tall and one hundred feet long. This event is sponsored by American Legion Post #53, with major support from Rotary District 7490 and the Rotary Club of Ridgewood AM and will be open from 10:00 A.M. to 8:30 P.M. from Monday, November 12^th through Sunday, November 18^th at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 155 Linwood Avenue. The opening ceremony will be Monday, November 12^th at 4:00 P.M. and the closing ceremony will be on November 18^th at 4:00 P.M.

Veterans Day Holiday – Ms. Mailander stated that the Veterans Day Holiday would be observed on Monday, November 12^th with the closure of all Village Offices on that date. There will be no recycling or sanitation collection, and the recycling center will be closed.

Conservancy for Public Lands – Ms. Mailander stated that on November 8^th the Conservancy for Public Lands is sponsoring a New Jersey Audubon presentation of Reptiles of Northern New Jersey for grades K-5 at the Village Hall Youth Center. The admission is $5, and reservations are suggested at RidgewoodNJ.CommunityPass or in person at The Stable.

Interfaith Thanksgiving Service – Ms. Mailander stated that the Interfaith Thanksgiving Services is Tuesday, November 20^th at 7:30 P.M. at Temple Israel. This change of location is to show solidarity with the Jewish community given recent events, and is different from the notice in the 2018 Village Calendar.

Thanksgiving Holiday – Ms. Mailander stated that November 22^nd and 23^rd Village Offices will be closed in observance of this holiday. There will be no recycling or sanitation collection on November 22^nd, however they will pick up on November 23^rd. The Village Recycling Center will be open Saturday, November 24^th.

Winterfest – Sponsored by the Ridgewood Guild is scheduled for Saturday, November 24^th from noon to 3:00 P.M. at Memorial Park at Van Neste Square. Free events includes ice sculpture, musicians, horse drawn wagon, trackless train rides, a tent with vendors, and more. Attendees are encouraged to shop local.

Menorah Lighting – Ms. Mailander stated that the menorah lighting would be December 2^nd at 5:30 P.M., the first night of Hanukkah, and another candle will be lit each night of Hanukkah. The menorah is located at the corner of East Ridgewood Avenue, across from Raymond’s Restaurant, right near Memorial Park at Van Neste Square.

Downtown for the Holidays – Ms. Mailander stated that this year it will be on Friday, November 30^th. The tree lighting will take place from 5:30 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. with holiday music and entertainment along East Ridgewood Avenue, including a trackless train for kids to ride, weather permitting, and Santa in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square from 7:00 P.M. to 7:45 P.M. Entertainment onstage and lighting the Christmas tree and music and entertainment will take place until 9:00 P.M.

4. COUNCIL REPORTS

 

Community Center Advisory Board – Councilman Voigt stated that the Community Center Advisory Board met on the 25^th of November. On the 11^th at 4:30 P.M. is the Ridgewood Elder Thanksgiving Dinner at the Paramus Church sponsored by Age Friendly Ridgewood, Healthbarn, and Ridgewood Parks and Recreation.

Westside Presbyterian – Councilman Voigt stated that at Westside Presbyterian, Dr. Bill Thomas presented on the 4^th about combatting loneliness. Tonight from 6:00 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. he will be talking about the four types of ageism.

 

Age Friendly Ridgewood – Councilman Voigt stated that they received a final installment of the Taub Foundation grant in the amount of $75,000 which will be used in the community and with the elderly.

 

Valleau Cemetery – Councilwoman Walsh stated that on November 17^th at Valleau Cemetery they will be taking down all of the flags that were put up in May. Anyone is welcome to join at 9:00 A.M., the flags are picked up and then the American Legion properly destroys the flags.

 

Clergy Council – Councilwoman Knudsen stated that Clergy Council met Tuesday morning, and their special guest was Superintendent of the Ridgewood Public Schools, Dr. Dan Fishbein. Dr. Fishbein spoke about bullying in the district, initiatives to combat bullying, how things are handled if they are off-campus or on-campus, and what the threshold is for when the school becomes involved. He also spoke about adult bullying behavior and how the school takes the initiative to even reach out to parents to remind them that their children read what they write and observe and emulate their behavior. He also spoke at length about the Ridgewood Public School open-campus to Freshman policy which has garnered attention and how they manage the security to ensure that students are still safe.

Master Plan Advisory Committee – Councilwoman Knudsen stated that the Master Plan Advisory Committee met last night and they are continuing with their VisionRidgewood.org visioning process which is a precursor to their Master Plan Project that will go full throttle this weekend. There are over 100 participants currently taking surveys and engaging, and they are anticipating that they will have a 30% interaction with residents.

Planning Board – Councilwoman Knudsen stated that the Planning Board met last night with two applications for subdivisions. One was more complex than the other. The complex application was denied and the other more simple subdivision was approved.

Historic Preservation Commission – Councilwoman Knudsen stated that HPC will meet tomorrow night. There is one application for a sign for a new business.

Thanksgiving Service – Councilwoman Knudsen stated that the Thanksgiving Service has been moved to Temple Israel and Rabbi Fein is truly grateful for how everyone has embraced the Jewish community. One matter that is of concern is the food that has been brought in by everyone. Since it is the Temple, it has to be kosher and that has to be paid through a budget. So, anyone interested can write a check made out to Temple Israel to the attention of Rabbi Fein, and make a note that it is for the Thanksgiving Service food.

 

Walktoberfest – Councilman Sedon thanked everyone involved in Walktoberfest and Ridgewood Walks programs. He did two tours, one at The Stable and Graydon, thanking Cynthia Halaby and Jeanne Johnson for their help with the Sensory Butterfly Garden and the tour. He also especially thanked Village Engineer, Chris Rutishauser, who gave a guided tour of the Village’s Water Pollution Control Facility, which was very exciting and informative.

Central Business District Advisory Council – Mayor Hache stated that CBDAC meets tomorrow morning.

Meet the Mayor – Mayor Hache stated that Saturday, November 10^th from 9:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. will be the second Meet the Mayor event. All are invited and welcome. Ms. Mailander stated that if you wish to meet with the Mayor, please call the Clerk’s office for an appointment.

5. DISCUSSION

1. Budget

 

1. Budget Transfers

 

Ms. Mailander stated that this was an annual resolution for budget transfers. It transfers funds from Departments with additional funds to those Departments that need additional funds.

1. Operations

 

1. Hearing for Pre-Qualification of Bidders for Zabriskie-Schedler House Project

Ms. Mailander stated that this is the hearing for the pre-qualification of bidders for the Zabriskie-Schedler House project. This Special Public Hearing is for the exterior restoration and interior renovation of the Zabriskie-Schedler House and for the qualification required for prospective bidders. Only those bidders who have qualified for this work will be considered for this bid. All work done will be required to adhere to the US Secretary of the Interior Standards for the treatment of historic properties, and is further subject to review by the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office and Bergen County Historic Preservation Advisory Board. This Village will be seeking experienced historic restoration general contractors. Funding for this project will be provided jointly by the Village and the Bergen County Historic Preservation Trust Fund through grants. The project will consist of: restoration of wood shingle roofing and copper flashings; restoration of wood siding, trim, soffits, and cornices; rough carpentry repair; installation of new gutters and leaders; repairing/rebuilding of masonry chimneys; plaster restoration; finish carpentry including flooring, trim, windows, and doors; mechanical plumbing and electrical upgrades; and surface upgrades including painting of the exterior and interior.

2. Liquor License Renewal – Ridgewood Lodge No. 1455 BPOE

 

Ms. Mailander stated that the Elks Club had to receive special ruling from the Director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, due to the fact that the license has been inactive for two years. That special ruling just came through, so this is their renewal from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019.

Councilwoman Knudsen made a motion to suspend the Work Session and convene a Special Public Meeting. Councilwoman Walsh seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Knudsen, Sedon, Voigt, Walsh, and Mayor Hache

NAYS:            None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:      None

 

6. SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING - SEE SEPARATE MINUTES

Mayor Hache called for a motion to adjourn, there was a motion by Councilman Voigt to adjourn the Special Public Meeting and reconvene the Work Session.   Councilwoman Walsh seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Knudsen, Sedon, Voigt, Walsh, and Mayor Hache

NAYS:            None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:      None

7. PRESENTATION

1. Hudson Street Parking Garage – EPIC

 

Bill Costello from Epic Management stated that on behalf of the Epic, Haahs, and the Bohler team they were happy to be there to provide an update of where they are with the design process. Everything is proceeding as scheduled, and they will speak on the various aspects shortly. Mr. Costello introduced Mike Tartaglia, who would be working on the project with him, in addition to being a registered architect and LEED accredited, he has 25 years of experience on the construction side.

Ben Crowder, Bohler Engineering, Project Manager and Site Civil Engineer stated that over the past four to six weeks they have been very busy. Below grade, surrounding the site, they have obtained an updated survey of the property which has allowed them to look into some of the conditions that they described several months ago. This means the access easement to the lot north of the Hudson Street lot, as well as getting additional topography on that lot to assess drainage conditions to make sure that stormwater can safely continue to be connected back to Hudson Street. There was a limited geotechnical investigation in November of 2015 that consisted of five borings scattered throughout the property. Mr. Crowder stated that they completed a supplemental geotechnical investigation which was necessary in helping the Tim Haahs team begin designing the structural slab and foundation for the garage. As of Friday, the geotechnical investigation was completed, and based on the findings and seventeen borings, the garage can be supported on conventional shallow foundations and there is no need for a deep foundation improvement. He added that this was preliminary information which is subject to the design of the foundation which is just starting. Mr. Crowder also thanked the Village for coordinating access to the lot for the geotechnical survey.

Mike App, of Tim Haahs, stated that his structural team can now get started since they know what is happening with the soil itself. He stated that if they can complete a structural package, which is a precast of the garage, that would allow Epic to reach out to contractors and get that process underway. He added that there have been some revisions and changes, and he wanted to speak about the evolution of the Village’s design. He stated that at their last presentation, meeting with the Village Council and the Historic Preservation Commission gave them some revisions. Mr. App added that they have also done about 50% of their code analysis.

Mr. App displayed a plan for the garage and showed one area that has changed which is the main elevator and stair lobby. Previously they were trying to put the elevator and stair into one component, however, that had some code implications as well as from a safety and security standpoint it wasn’t allowing them to do the type of passive security that they would normally recommend. The new layout allows them to put more glass on Broad Street, which will allow for wayfinding and security. He stated that they slightly reorganized the ADA spaces to provide better entrance to the lobby space. They also addressed the corner piece where there was some concern that it looked like it should have been an entry point but wasn’t, and they have now made that an entry point. Mr. App stated that at the upper levels, the biggest change is the elevator and stair lobby. He displayed an overall elevation on the south and west façade, and also a smaller depiction of the southwest elevation. They are still taking design cues from some of the other buildings in Ridgewood. He added that the tower and the corner have changed, as adding more glass to the stairwell changes the artwork and the massing which allows for a more interesting and layered façade at that point. The corner piece is the most significant change, which is a response to what they heard from the Council and the HPC, as the corner provided a pretty good opportunity for some other things as well. Mr. App stated that they revised the shape of the coping, pulling the height down on the wall to eight feet. They also put the garage name here, and gave the corner more interest from a visual standpoint. He added that they moved the artwork to Broad Street. The sculpture from the previous fire station is also located on this corner on ground level to create an interesting spot where the sidewalk turns.

Mr. App stated that they created more openings on the bottom floor of the garage. For the main body of the garage, they reconfigured the openings with a single arch and some additional small punched openings. As they continued to look at this, they felt they could quiet down the exterior by simplifying the ornamental fence. To make the openings more uniform, they wanted to simply the background. They also lowered the awnings to eight feet which is more typical of where you would have an awning. Mr. App stated that they increased the detailing at the coping with the precast concrete to add a layer of refinement to their design.

Mr. App displayed the east and the north elevations which have close proximity to the other buildings, they are much simpler than the west and south facades. On the east, they have a normal garage type construction, but on the right hand side it is a solid type of wall because the property line jogs toward the garage, and because it jogs closer than ten feet, that triggers some code implications requiring a solid wall. On the north elevation, they are just over five feet away, and anything between five and ten feet allows them to be 10% open. There will be horizontal and vertical reveals, and can add a little more if that is something that the Council would like to see.

Mr. App stated that most of the first and second floor of the garage were going to have the stone type of finish to it, but there are picture frames around some of the windows that will be more of a smooth finish. The area that is above, at the third and fourth stories, will be fairly smooth but will have some sandblasting with a finish that shows some aggregate in it. He displayed goose neck fixture lighting, and how they would like to address the lobby spaces with wayfinding characteristics. He displayed an area where there would be small rails on the windows as the code requires that three foot six barriers for pedestrians, which is only two foot nine for cars, but to allow for natural ventilation they are going to lower the openings below three foot six and to do that they then have to put a railing in.

Mr. App stated that tonight’s discussion is more about the form of the parking garage, which allows the structural team to start moving forward, and if everyone is okay, then the next step is to talk about the finishes in a deeper way, including color and texture. He suggested even finding someone to let them get on the site to show the Council how they make concrete as well. He added that the awnings are much later in the process, but there will be a color palette that they will want to develop, as well as light fixtures and additional detail work that is in the next phase, after the structural team gets started.

Councilwoman Walsh stated that looking at the area where the sculpture will go, if a car were to go astray it looks as though they may hit the sculpture. Mr. App stated that they could always put a bollard there to protect it, as the width of the sidewalk there is pretty good, at the turn it is wider than ten feet, at approximately twelve feet. Councilman Voigt asked how old the sculpture was. Councilwoman Knudsen stated that it was a Gaetano Federici from the 1920s or 1930s. Councilman Voigt stated that he was concerned about vandalism at the ground level and suggested putting it some place so that it cant be destroyed. Councilwoman Knudsen stated that the beauty of the piece is that people actually see it and appreciate it, as placing it over a doorway gives an impact. Mr. App stated that he thought they had that opportunity as it could go in the middle section or where the awning is located, however putting the sculpture up there would mean that you would have to stand back to see it. Councilwoman Knudsen stated that she appreciated Councilwoman Walsh and Councilman Voigt’s concerns, however having the piece at eye-level with a plaque highlighting the history was her preference. There was discussion on the bollards to protect the piece. Mayor Hache asked whether what was displayed in the picture was the current condition of the piece. Councilwoman Knudsen stated that it wasn’t, and it had to be restored which would get done.

Councilwoman Knudsen asked about the east elevation and the north elevation, as this is a big structure, and the structure to the north is a fairly low building. Mr. App stated that it would be about forty-five feet at that location. Councilwoman Knudsen stated that on the east elevation, it’s a lower building as well, and if you were driving west towards the building, they would see this unattractive factory-like look, whereas if you were traveling south on Broad towards the structure you would again have this visual. She asked if they could do a mock up of a treatment to the point where it vanishes. Mr. App stated that may be a concern on the east, but that was ten feet, and on the north it is their intent that the stone pattern would continue around the corner because you would see somewhat down the alley. Councilwoman Knudsen stated that the wideness of the driveway created a difference for the vanishing point, and she didn’t want to have the factory effect. Mr. App stated that it was certainly something that they could do for a little bit. He added that to the north, they have looked at it, and if you are standing across the street in the north side it is possible that you may see the top coping of that wall, but because of the sight lines you probably wouldn’t see a lot of it from Ridgewood Avenue.

Councilman Voigt asked about the changes that they were making and if they would effect the cost at all. Mr. App stated that they are trying to do as much of the design work as they can with the concrete, as it is a less expensive way to have a design impact than it would be to add things on to the face of the concrete. Councilman Voigt asked whether once they figure the design out would they have a revised cost. Mr. App stated that they think they are working within the budget right now.

Councilwoman Knudsen asked whether they could look at the corner treatment with the Federici again, as she feels like above in the art area it needs to be a relief of the Village seal or something because the artwork piece could be lost there and be difficult to maintain.

Mr. Crowder stated that this has been a collaborative effort on maintaining the budget and delivering a quality product. He added that Mr. App has done a lot of work, and the project has a guaranteed maximum price. Within that is a contingency and they would work back and forth with the Village to get a product within that maximum guaranteed price.

Ms. Mailander stated that she wanted to make sure that the Council was okay with what was depicted tonight because at this point they were going to move forward to the precast. Mr. App stated that to replace artwork with the seal was a no brainer. He would address the corner and would continue to work on it. Councilwoman Knudsen stated that the evolution of this design has come a long way and she appreciated all of the work as it was just beautiful. Councilman Sedon echoed Councilwoman Knudsen’s comments, adding that it has been a great collaborative effort and he is happy with the product that they have. Mayor Hache stated that if they had gone into construction mode based on the previous version he would have been happy, but what they have added on has made it absolutely worth it, and added that he likes the blue color of the awning as depicted.

1. Village Website Updates

 

Dylan Hansen stated that since the website was launched, there have been a lot of comments, so this past year they have been working on upgrading it to a more useable format while retaining the same data that is currently in it. He added that he wanted to update the website to a newer format and a newer layout. He stated that a lot of people use the buttons, but someone suggested going to the specific committee or council and then from there opening up the agendas or minutes from there. Mr. Hansen stated that they started to design a newer template with a lot of assistance from Councilwoman Knudsen. They changed the colors to blue and gold which are the town colors, and kept the agendas and minutes on the right but created new buttons to get people to the most popular parts of the website. He navigated through some of the pages and changes that have been made. He added that the My Village Services app has been running for about thirteen years and there are many surrounding towns that would like to have it, too. He added that Current Projects was a new category that would include any big projects that are going on currently within the Village. As of today there are about 5,000 people registered for E-notices. Mr. Hansen stated that this is now all a drag and drop website that can be easily modified.

Councilman Sedon stated that this was a great step forward, and commented that for the spatial data logic portal, maybe they could put that under Building Department so that someone doesn’t have to figure out what SDL Portal is. Mr. Hansen stated that he would put Building Code under it. Councilman Sedon stated that once the website goes live it seems like it will be much easier to use.

Councilman Voigt added that he would second Councilman Sedon’s suggestion to spell out what a lot of the things are and make it more user friendly. Mr. Hansen added that the mobile version would look slightly different, as more and more mobile devices are connecting to the website.

Councilwoman Walsh asked whether the picture of the building would scroll, and suggested making the picture scroll to show other pictures of buildings around the Village. He suggested a fall picture of Van Neste or a winter picture, so that it is not just a picture of Village Hall. Mr. Hansen stated that he could put in a box that could be used to scroll multiple pictures, and it could always be used to put up an alert in that window as well. Ms. Mailander clarified the position of the box and the potential location for the Graydon sign up. Councilwoman Knudsen stated that if the photos are changing and could be made linkable, could an image of Graydon with text for signup me made linkable to go to the signup page. Mr. Hansen stated that could be done, and it could be connected for the holiday lighting it could be connected to an event on the calendar.

Councilwoman Knudsen asked how many people were accessing the website through mobile. Mr. Hansen stated that he could run a query on that. Councilwoman Knudsen stated that there was only a certain number of images that someone would sit through. Mr. Hansen stated that there would be dots at the bottom that would show that there were more pictures afterwards. Mayor Hache asked whether the redesign would have any impact on the reorganization. Mr. Hansen stated that he wanted to try to match a lot of the menus to the surrounding communities, where there are menus that are similar to one another. He added that he wanted to mimic a lot of those, so that if they go to Paramus first they can assume it’s in the same spot because it’s a municipal website.

Councilwoman Knudsen asked whether the buttons were organized with the most popular at the front or frequency of use. Mr. Hansen stated that he did not do that but he could get the analytic from the current website and place them that way, or they could place the buttons in alphabetical order. Ms. Mailander stated that she thought that placing the buttons would be the best idea. Councilwoman Knudsen was in agreement. There was a brief discussion on the order of Boards and Committees.

8. DISCUSSION

1. Ridgewood Water

 

1. Award Contract – Emergency Purchase of 2017 Volvo Dump Truck

 

Ms. Mailander stated that on the current Water Department tandem truck, the chassis has twisted and it is unsafe to drive. A new vehicle would cost in the mid-$200,000 range and take up to you a year to deliver. They have found a slightly used model available with Hudson County Motors, with 6,000 miles available for $169,000 with an extended warranty with four years and eight months remaining. This is necessary to complete distribution repairs on a regular and emergency basis. Mr. Calbi is recommending the emergency purchase and the money is in the Water Utility Capital Budget.

Councilman Sedon stated that this was a really good find, adding that it was great that because it was a demo it was a great way to replace the truck.

2. Award State Contract – Grainger Purchases

 

Ms. Mailander stated that they have a resolution for the purchase of materials and supplies under the National Joint Powers Alliance, which is a Cooperative Purchasing Contract, for Facilities, Maintenance, Repair and Operating Related Supplies and also Public Safety Related Equipment and Supplies, Accessories and Services. They have exceeded the initial resolution amount of $50,000 and request approval of an additional $20,000 to continue purchasing these items.

1. Budget

 

1. Award Additional Contract – 2018 Paving

 

Ms. Mailander stated that the Village received bids in March and awarded them, and it was to J.A. Alexander of Bloomfield, New Jersey. At this point, Mr. Rutishauser is requesting an additional award for work covered by the recently received NJDOT grants, one for Hillcrest Road and the other for North Pleasant Avenue in the amount of $300,000.

 

2. Award Professional Services Contract – Odor Control System – Water Pollution Control Facility

 

Ms. Mailander stated that Suburban Consulting Engineers has been hired and is diligently working to address the Notice of Violation for the inoperable odor control system at the Village’s Water Pollution Control Facility. Suburban is petitioning the NJDEP for the removal of the odor control system, considering it’s superfluous as there is no strong odor from the facility. In order to continue their work and close out the permits with NJDEP they need an additional award of $5,250. They have provided excellent service in the removal of this system which will save significant money over having to repair or replace the system.

 

3. Award Professional Services Contract – Pediatrician for Monthly Child Health Conference

 

Ms. Mailander stated that this was an annual resolution for hiring a pediatrician for the Child Health Conference for 2019. Ms. Cetrulo went out for eight quotes from physicians who are interested in working the Conference. Dr. Narucki who has been working the clinics for the past ten years submitted a proposal as well as Next Medical Staffing on behalf of a physician who is not currently licensed in New Jersey. According to the Public Health Practice Standards of New Jersey, a New Jersey License is required. Therefore, she is recommending to move forward with Dr. Narucki. The fee is $175 per hour, which is a $5 increase per hour from last year. This is a shared service with Glen Rock and Fair Lawn, and each town will not pay more than $1,950. Ms. Mailander stated that the clinics generally run approximately two to three hours per month and are held ten months out of the year.

 

4. Award Professional Services Contract – Valley Hospital, Department of Community Health – Public Health and Nursing Services

 

Ms. Mailander stated that this was an annual resolution for communicable disease investigations, child health clinics, adult health clinics, school audits and influenza clinics. The cost to the Village is $11,853.01, which is a 2% hourly increase for the nursing hours from last year. Valley Community Health bills for hours used, which in the previous years, has averaged under $10,000. Valley also provides health education services which include the annual weight loss challenge and wellness festival as well as various required programs throughout the year at no charge to the Village.

 

5. Approve Shared Services Agreement – Child Health Conference – Fair Lawn & Glen Rock

 

Ms. Mailander stated that this was the shared services agreement with Glen Rock and Fair Lawn for the Child Health Clinics, which will be split three ways. Ridgewood bills Glen Rock and Fair Lawn for one third of the invoice billed by the Pediatrician at the conclusion of the final clinic of the year. Glen Rock has done this shared service with the Village for ten years, and Fair Lawn has done it for three years.

 

6. Award Contract – Underground Fuel Storage Tank

 

Ms. Mailander stated that the NJDEP inspected the Village’s underground storage tank facility which is by the garage and provides fuel for vehicles and equipment. The Village received a “Notice of Violation” based on a number of items. The Village had already contracted with Betts Environmental and Alternative Fuels to correct the installation of the new fuel pumps. They were asked to examine the underground storage tank and identified two areas of violation. The first area of concern is the wiring conduit for the Village’s tank monitoring system. Ms. Mailander stated that the existing conduit containing the wiring has corroded and needs to be replaced, along with the wiring and sensors. The estimate for this work is $38,400.

The second estimate is to tightness test the tank sumps, which does not include the cost for any repairs, and the estimate for the testing is $2,400. Total preliminary cost to address the “Notice of Violation” is $40,800. Mr. Rutishauser is recommending an award of contract as an emergency award to avoid an NJDEP fine.

Councilman Voigt asked how often that facility is inspected. Ms. Mailander stated that this was an unexpected inspection, and that she was unsure how often they do an inspection but would find out for him. Councilman Voigt was concerned that some of these issues may get worse over time and it may cost more and more. Ms. Mailander stated that the fuel pumps have been there for decades. Councilman Voigt asked what the tanks were made of and expressed concerns about corroding. Ms. Mailander stated that she knows that there were leaky tanks in the late 1980s, which was all cleaned up, the tanks were replaced, and there were monitoring wells for many years.

 

7. Award Contract – Purchase of Cameras and HD Broadcasting of Village Council Meetings

 

Ms. Mailander stated that she was at a Northwest Bergen Administrators meeting that Mahwah was hosting and they indicated that they had recently purchased cameras and have broadcasting of their meetings through a company called Swagit. She had Mr. Hansen display short clips of meetings that were filmed using these cameras. The agenda is sent to the company an hour before the meeting, and they will then synch the agenda to the video by the next day. This will be very useful for the Clerk’s office, as well as for the Council.

Ms. Mailander stated that the proposal is for a remotely managed network camera system, which is capable of being controlled locally as well. It will be designed to support streaming, public access channels, and reporting to media, equipment installation and subscription. High definition motorized cameras that can pan, tilt, zoom, and will be controlled by Swagit remotely during planned meetings. There are three plans based on the number of meetings, 25, 50, or 75 meetings. The Village would need to go with the 50 meetings, because with regular meetings alone there are 32 meetings, and there were extra meetings for the water rates. In Mahwah, they started with the governing body meetings, and within a month added the Planning and Zoning Board.

Ms. Mailander stated that the three camera setup is $41,690, yearly 50 meetings is $16,500. As a comparison the current cost for TV Techs is approximately $10,000 to $11,000 per year. This is through a cooperative purchasing system called TIPS which is out of Texas. Money is allocated that can be used to purchase this system. She added that it probably would not be up and running until the end of the year. Mr. Hansen displayed a quick sample of one of Mahwah’s meetings. Ms. Mailander pointed out that they display the names of the Council and highlight when a meeting has gone to Public Comment. She added that there is also sound search, which will show you all sound bytes that include the word that was searched for.

Mr. Hansen stated that they were high definition cameras and added that if it was an unscheduled meeting it could be handled locally, and they could also stream directly to the Village YouTube channel. There can also be tie-in for presentations directly into the video, and with the fiber loop they can get a portable unit from another vendor and can broadcast from any location.

Councilwoman Knudsen asked if there was equipment on the cameras that was no longer available. Mr. Hansen stated that Cablevision gave the cameras to the Village, and were used for repairs on them, but a couple of years ago they stated that they could no longer get parts for the cameras. Councilman Voigt asked if the cameras would be fixed. Mr. Hansen stated that they would not have to run any wires, and would have three fixed cameras.

Councilwoman Knudsen asked where they stood with the sound system, as that was a chief complaint. Mr. Hansen stated that he spoke to the vendor and they gave him the tech specs for the unit and then he had a company come in about video and sound equipment, and there was a sound engineer coming this week. Currently there is a fixed microphone control which will be replaced by a soundboard, so that they can control echo and filter out any feedback which is the main problem. He added that it will hopefully alleviate a lot of the issue. Councilman Voigt asked what the cost would be. Mr. Hansen stated that it was in the realm of $5,000 to $6,000. Councilman Voigt asked whether the sound system could be fixed first.

1. Policy

 

1. Regulations for Temporary Storage Containers

 

Ms. Mailander stated that Village Planner Brigette Bogart has given the Village some draft information about temporary storage containers, regulations to limit the location and duration of the temporary storage containers, and requiring a permit. Right now the recommendation is an initial period of thirty days and then it can be renewed for only two additional thirty day periods. Pods can only be placed in the driveway, not located in the right of way, and cannot obstruct sidewalks, cannot be within ten feet of a property line or ten feet of a principal building. All pods shall not be larger than 150 square feet in area, with no signage other than that containing information regarding individual renting the pod.

Ms. Mailander stated that the Zoning Officer and Code Enforcement Officer both have reviewed these recommendations and are recommending a maximum of six months, as they think three months is too short. Many times, people use these temporary storage containers if they are going to move or are doing renovations. They may also take it on a case by case basis if it needs to be there for longer than six months. She added that some of the driveways in the Village are right up to the property line so the ten feet may not be feasible. There are concerns regarding regulating the signage. Ms. Mailander suggested that Ms. Bogart, as well as Mr. Rutishauser and members of the Building Department work to come up with a more feasible proposal. She provided a photo of a pod on a front lawn, which is something they would try to avoid as it is unsightly.

 

2. Ordinance to License Hair and Nail Salons

 

Ms. Mailander stated that Ms. Cetrulo would like to license hair and nail salons in the Village. Licensing on a local level would allow annual inspections and ensure that they are protecting the publics health. The State of New Jersey Board of Cosmetology also licenses these establishments but generally only conducts an initial inspection and complaint investigations. Often times, five years can go by before they inspect again.

The proposed ordinance is a detailed outline of definitions, licensing requirements, frequency of inspections, sanitation procedures, handwashing procedures, bathroom requirements, and lighting requirements pertaining to barber shops, beauty parlors and nail salons. This would include all establishments engaging in hair removal, dying, cutting, shaving, or styling as well as nail enhancements to have a license within the Village.

Ms. Mailander stated that surrounding towns that do license are Paramus, Fair Lawn, Hackensack, and Norwood. Fees vary and Ms. Cetrulo is suggesting that it is $150 for one to ten work stations, and then $200 for eleven or more work stations. This fee would be an annual fee and help pay for annual inspection and education as to the right way to sanitize and wash hands.

Councilwoman Knudsen stated that she was surprised that this hasn’t been in place all along, and asked if this included threading stations. Ms. Cetrulo stated that it would, as anything that is licensed under the Board of Cosmetology would fall under this. Councilwoman Knudsen asked is facial salons would be included. Ms. Cetrulo stated that it would depend on what they do there, but probably not. She added that she had done inspections in Fair Lawn awhile ago and added that the State had expressed that they want the municipalities to do the licensing so that they can do the inspections. She added that if they get a complaint they can go in and do some education because it will take the State months sometimes to come out for a complaint.

Ms. Mailander asked whether the Council was in agreement with the fee. Mayor Hache stated that the fee looked like it was in the range of other municipalities. Councilwoman Knudsen stated that she felt the fee was manageable. Ms. Cetrulo stated that the fee covered if they had to go back to a location, because in the past they were going there and not getting anything for it as you spend a lot of time there in the beginning. Councilwoman Walsh asked what kinds of complaints they get. Ms. Cetrulo stated that there were infections, such as a cut toe resulting in a staph infection. It may take a month or two for the Board of Cosmetology to get there, so the Health Officer will go there that day. Infestation of flies happens, and they can educate how to clean the drains and prevent that.

3. Ordinance for Stop Sign of Fairmount Road

 

Ms. Mailander stated that Fairmount Road at Upper Boulevard is currently a painted stop bar and tail without a stop sign, so Mr. Rutishauser is recommending the installation of a stop sign to avoid any confusion.

1. Operations

 

1. Best Practices Worksheet

Ms. Mailander stated that annually the State sends out the Best Practices Worksheet and the Village goes through it and answers the questions that they have asked. This is an annual checklist given to all municipalities. The score received indicates the amount of State aid the Village receives. The 87% meant no State aid was withheld. Under law they are required to discuss this at a public meeting. A lot of questions are repeats, but sometimes there are new questions. She added that it was always interesting to see the questions they come up with.

Mr. Rooney stated that in 2016 they had 30 questions, in 2017 they had 25 questions, and in 2018 there were 61 questions. The increase is around developing municipalities and redevelopment areas to address these questions. The Village is at 87% response, and today the State came out with guidance for questions that are borderline which would allow the municipality to address anything that is in question, so some may be tweaked but none will impact the final result.

 

9. REVIEW OF NOVEMBER 28, 2018 PUBLIC MEETING AGENDA

Ms. Mailander stated that this was a review of the November 28, 2018 Public Meeting Agenda.

Resolution for Ridgewood Water: Award Contract Under State Contract – Grainger Purchases; Award Contract Under Emergency Purchases – 2017 Volvo Dump Truck; Award Additional Contract Under State Contract – Chlorine Water Analyzers and Supplies; Establish Interest Rates for Delinquent Payments to the Water Utility for 2019 and Set Grace Period for Payment of Water Utility Bills; and Accept Ridgewood Water Annual Maintenance Fee.

The following ordinances are scheduled for introduction: 3687 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Day Camp Fees; 3688 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Graydon Pool Membership Fees and Tennis Membership Fees; 3689 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic – Stop Signs at Claremont Road and Cantrell Road; 3690 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic – Stop Signs at Fairmount Road and Upper Boulevard; and 3691 – Amend Chapter 190 – Land Use and Development – Establish Rules and Regulations for Temporary Storage Containers.

Ordinances for Public Hearing include: 3677 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic – Designate Fairfield Avenue as Through Street; 3678 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic – Establish Stop Intersection at Driveway and Parking Prohibited on Driveway into Irene Habernickel Family Park; 3679 – Management Salary Ordinance; 3680 – Non-Union Salary Ordinance; 3681 – Amend Chapter 105 Animals – Poultry and Fowl; and 3682 – Amend Chapter 260 – Trees and Shrubs.

Resolutions include: Authorize Village of Ridgewood to Join The Interlocal Purchasing System (TIPS) Cooperative Pricing System; Award Additional Partial Contract – Road Resurfacing and Repairs – Hillcrest Road and North Pleasant Avenue; Award Contract Under Bergen County Contract – Rock Salt; Award Contract Under TIPS Cooperative Purchasing System – Cameras and HD Broadcasting of Village Council Meetings; Award Professional Services Contract – Software Support for Finance Department; Award Professional Services Contract – Engineering Services for Removal of Odor Control System at Water Pollution Control Facility; Award Professional Services Contract – Pediatrician for Monthly Child Health Conference; Award Professional Services Contract – Valley Hospital, Department of Community Health – Public Health and Nursing Services; Award Contract – Underground Fuel Storage Tank; Approve Shared Services Agreement – Child Health Conference (Fair Lawn and Glen Rock); Approve Shared Services Agreement – TV Inspection of Sanitary Sewer Mains (Northwest Bergen County Utilities Authority); Establish Interest Rate for Non-Payment of Taxes and Assessments for 2019 and Set Grace Period; Establish Interest Rates for Non-Payment of Other Municipal Liens for 2019 and Set Due Date; Establish Interest Rates for Delinquent Payments for Significant Sewer Discharger Bills for 2019; Authorize Execution and Filing of Treatment Works Approval (TWA) for American Dream Estates; and Reappoint Chief Financial Officer.

 

10. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

Boyd Loving, 342 South Irving Street, stated that with respect to the discussion about the storage containers, as Ms. Mailander indicated about the driveways and maintaining a ten foot distance between adjacent properties is not going to be possible. He added that he was more concerned if there were any regulations with respect to the massive dumpsters as it seems that some people bring in these dumpsters for months at a time which are more unsightly than the pods which are usually painted nicely and kept in good condition. He added that there is a lot of building going on in Ridgewood, and there seem to be dumpsters everywhere.

Mr. Loving stated that he was all for the licensing of the hair and nail salons but he was concerned about unintended consequences. He wondered how many nail salons would have to go out of business because they were unable to meet the regulations that were required. He added that this was similar to what was happening at La Bella Pizza as the regulations changed and he needed to have a restroom that was accessible to patrons. He added that he worried some salons may have to go out of business because they couldn’t accommodate the regulations, unless people that were already in business would be grandfathered.

Mr. Loving stated that he has always wondered that the website problem has been going on for a very long time and the Council doesn’t hesitate spending money when it has to spend money and asked why they didn’t hire a professional website designer as this isn’t Mr. Hansen’s primary skill. He added that if this continues to drag out and then continue to not get what they want; his suggestion would be to engage a firm of this type so that it could be done quickly.

Ms. Mailander stated that in a sample ordinance from other municipalities, as far as the toilet and sink facility is that it should be adequate for both the staff and the patrons, so it is very basic and most salons probably already have that, but they would look into that and she agreed that it shouldn’t put the salons out of business. She stated that a couple of years ago a website designer came in when they changed to the current design and at that time the quote was $67,000 and then any time they needed to upgrade the website or post something it would cost additional money.

Councilwoman Knudsen stated that with the current website design, there was someone that was brought in and paid for that design in 2015. Ms. Mailander stated that Mr. Hansen would endeavor to get the website done as soon as possible and it would be a lot easier to navigate.

11. RESOLUTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION

 

Deputy Village Clerk, Donna Jackson read Resolution #18-326 to go into Closed Session as follows:

12. ADJOURNMENT

 

There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Mayor Hache, seconded by Councilman Sedon, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the Village Council’s Work Session was adjourned at 9:47 P.M.

______________________________

                                                                                                   Ramon M. Hache, Sr.                             

                                                                                                                 Mayor                                  

______________________________

              Donna M. Jackson

           Deputy Village Clerk