Written on 16 February 2022.

20210113 - Village Council Regular Public Meeting Minutes

A REGULAR PUBLIC MEETING OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HELD VIA ZOOM, DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, ON JANUARY 13, 2021 AT 8:00 P.M.

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

Mayor Knudsen called the meeting to order at 8:03 P.M. and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. Councilwoman Walsh read a required announcement regarding the remote meeting format. At roll call the following were present: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Walsh, and Mayor Knudsen. Also present were Heather Mailander, Village Manager/Village Clerk; and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney.

Mayor Knudsen led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag, as well as in a Moment of Silence to honor the men and women serving our nation, our First Responders, our Blue and Gold Star family members, and for our nation.

ACCEPTANCE OF FINANCIAL REPORTS

Mayor Knudsen moved the Bills, Claims, and Vouchers, and Statement of Funds on Hand as of December 31, 2020, be accepted as submitted. Councilwoman Reynolds seconded the motion.

Before voting, Councilwoman Perron stated that to the extent the bills contain invoices from Matt Rogers, Village Attorney, and Bill Northgrave, the outside Attorney, who worked on the appeal of Fuhrman v. Mailander, she objects to incurring those costs and paying those bills. Mr. Rogers has told her that he is waiving his fees for things that would otherwise have been deemed duplicative in that the other attorney did some work on this too. Nevertheless, the bills that are incurred and that are being paid are not a good expenditure of taxpayer revenue. Councilwoman Perron stated that she voted to approve the payment of bills.

Before voting, Mayor Knudsen stated that she fully supports the bills incurred since this is a litigation of a lawsuit that was brought against the Village of Ridgewood, and specifically against our Village Clerk, Heather Mailander, who has served our Village for more than three decades with an impeccable record treating everyone fairly, responsibly, and without prejudice or bias. She thinks that it is unfortunate and we are in an appeal process on a litigation that was brought against Ms. Mailander and so she fully supports approval of the bill list, and voted yes.

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Walsh, and Mayor Knudsen

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Mayor Knudsen moved that the Village Council minutes of October 28, and December 9, 2020 having been reviewed by the Village Council and now available in the Village Clerk’s Office, be approved as submitted. Deputy Mayor Sedon seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Walsh, and Mayor Knudsen

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None

PROCLAMATIONS

JAMBOREE DAYS

Mayor Knudsen read the following proclamation:

Upon completion of reading the Proclamation, Mayor Knudsen pointed out that she, along with Councilwoman Perron, are proud Jamboree members of Jamboree Cast, Crew, and Alumni and have been doing this for years. She also especially thanked the Village Manager, because this has been an incredibly challenging year for Jamboree, and they have been working diligently behind the scenes. Those involved with Jamboree especially appreciate all of Ms. Mailander’s hard work to make sure that Jamboree has had what they needed, to help high school students get to college.

COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

Judy Mac, 330 Eastbrook Road, stated that she was extremely surprised that 82 people that are non-resident players come to Ridgewood to play pickleball while 69 people are from Ridgewood. Currently, Somerville and Ridgewood High School courts are both open. She personally believes it is very difficult to enforce anything because people need to be at the courts, all the time, constantly checking. She does not believe they are able to enforce non-resident players even though they don’t sell badges. At the same time, she feels it is very difficult to enforce the green Palmer paddles as well, because unless you have somebody there constantly checking, people will just come in and out and you have no idea who comes in and out from anywhere. People from New York and Brooklyn come to the Glen pickleball courts. Personally, she thinks that Monday to Saturday, 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. is totally unacceptable because there are 12 homes that are within 45 to 100 feet of the pickleball court, and they refuse to listen to the pop-pop-pop sound Monday to Saturday, 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.

Ms. Mac stated that she thinks Plan B is more reasonable, so she is begging the Village Council to please think about the neighbor’s quality of life and the constant noise pollution they have to deal with every day. She added that she appreciated their consideration.

Patricia Hensley, 1034 Hillcrest Road, stated that she resided at that address for 23 years and in June of 2018, she left Ridgewood and moved to Colorado. She stated that she understands the neighbors are still up in arms about the park across the street and HealthBarn USA, adding that she understands neighbors have been complaining about the noise. She lived across the street back when it was a horse farm and was there the first year when the soccer teams were coming in and that summer was hard as there was a woman who yelled curse words. Once that woman left, she never really thought about the park having people in it anymore because the only ones she saw were the ones she ran into when walking her dog on the sidewalk. She loved seeing kids in the vegetable garden, learning about plants and food and she even came to love the soccer games.

Ms. Hensley stated that she was sorry to hear that a few of the neighbors are still making a fuss, and she hoped they wouldn’t let a few people’s opinions outshine all of the others.

Hans-Jurgen Lehmann, 234 Union Street, stated that he wanted to address the Village Council one more time about the future of HealthBarn even though it is not an agenda item tonight he wanted to keep it front and center. He is disturbed that he hears Councilmembers talk about complaints about HealthBarn from anonymous persons. At this point, he is not really sure how many individuals have complained to Councilmembers, but he suspects it is a handful, at best. In our system of representative government, the members of the Village Council are empowered to act on behalf of all of the residents. An overwhelming majority of residents living next to HealthBarn, as well as many other residents of the Village have now spoken up about the merits of HealthBarn, whether it be to the for-profit (the business) or the non-profit (the HealthBarn Foundation) part of it.

Mr. Lehmann stated that he was expressing his concern that the Village Council is not doing right by its residents when so many are in favor of HealthBarn, and are willing to put their names to what they say and write to this Village Council. The words of support occur while certain members of the Village Council keep referring to a handful of anonymous people complaining about HealthBarn. Having heard all of the favorable comments, certain members of the Council have now pivoted to the health of the buildings. They have been the landlords of these buildings for well over 5 years now, with HealthBarn as the tenant. It is now, when they bring up the issue of the condition of the Gate House, that he smells a political rat.

Barbara Norton, 143 North Pleasant Avenue, stated that she is a 36-year resident of Ridgewood and is an avid pickleball player. She thanked the Recreation Department and Nancy Bigos for the beautiful pickleball courts that were installed at Glen. She believes they are one of a kind in Bergen County, but if you build it, they will come, and they did. Those courts are drawing people from out of town and many residents who want to be outside for exercise during this pandemic, when indoor exercise was halted. This is part of the reason the pickleball courts were so populated this past year.

Ms. Norton stated that many surrounding towns have pickleball courts now, so non-residents have other courts they can go play on, they are just not as nice as the Glen pickleball courts. It is very true that the game is growing and people are playing, so she thinks the decision to limit badges to residents right now is a good one. She often reserved a court in the afternoon because of the large crowds in the morning, and limiting the courts to residents only should drastically cut down on the number of people using them in the future.

Ms. Norton stated that she knows Ms. Bigos said there would be a schedule and alternating tennis courts for pickleball and she did hear her say that Sunday would be closed. She would like them to reconsider that, because there are a lot of people who work, who can’t play Monday through Friday between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. She added that there are younger people who play, as well. She would like to see Sunday as an option and suggested they take away a day during the week. She knows the courts were still locked, and she would like them opened right away. The cold weather and the resident only rule would limit the number of players using them now. Ms. Norton added that windows of nearby residents are now closed, so noise would be less of an issue and the shorter amount of daylight would limit the hours people would play, if they even wanted to go out in the cold and play.

Ms. Norton stated that she hadn’t heard anything about the reservation system this year. As a resident, she was able to reserve a court for an hour and she took advantage of that, because she thought that the courts were too crowded. She would often make a reservation in the later afternoon, for her group of four, and they would play. She added that if they continue using the reservation system, it will also cut down on the number of people standing around and just showing up.

Sherri Biscan, 178 McKinley Place, stated that she agreed with the previous speaker that she doesn’t think Sunday is the right day to be closed, largely because of the people who work. Also, if Ridgewood residents are going to be forced to play pickleball in other towns, their courts will be more crowded on Sundays and more open to non-residents on the weekdays. She added that the Mayor has indicated she wants the public to be an exemplary neighbor, she asked that the local neighbors also be asked to move in that direction. Ms. Biscan stated that she thinks it is unrealistic of anyone who bought a house near a school to expect total silence; those tennis courts could just as easily have been converted to basketball courts.

Ms. Biscan stated that she is not at all in favor of Plan B, which is using various tennis courts as pickleball courts, because playing pickleball on portable nets with weird lines is not nearly the same as playing on courts that have been built for pickleball. She argued strongly that if they want to set up different hours for the Glen courts, to look more closely at that, but she does think it is utterly unreasonable for folks in a school neighborhood to expect complete silence. She asked the Village Council to not represent just the Glen neighbors, but all of their constituents.

Mayor Knudsen closed the phone comments, and they moved to written comments.

Ms. Mailander stated that there were nine written comments that were sent in.

Joanne Archer, 241 West End Avenue, wrote that she was asking the Village Council to open the tennis and pickleball courts while they resolve the issues. It is winter, so there will be fewer players and everyone’s windows will be closed. However, later this week, the weather will be 50 degrees which is a great opportunity for them to be outside playing. She wrote that they are disappointed that no one from the Village Council ever thought to contact any of the pickleball players at any time to discuss any concerns. She asked if the Village Council conducted any studies before closing the pickleball courts. The pickleball community has worked diligently gathering information and data so they can be better informed for further discussions. Ms. Archer wrote that the pickleball community are great neighbors collectively and are the backbone of Ridgewood. She encouraged everyone to work together to get all the courts in Ridgewood open now.

Kathleen Azzara, 955 Hillcrest Road, wrote that she was asking the Village Council to open the Glen courts now and not wait for months to come. Being able to play pickleball on these warm winter days would mean a lot to many pickleball players in Ridgewood. As an older player, pickleball offers her, and many others, great exercise and is a wonderful social outlet during this pandemic.

Dwin Bohn, 418 Wastena Terrace, wrote that he was following up on the January 6^th Village Council meeting and was somewhat confused and dissatisfied with the Village Council’s suggestion to manage the Glen School pickleball Courts. They suspect the pickleball community was not effective in conveying the nuances of this new sport to all Councilmembers. The suggested proposals reflect some confusion regarding the game, and may in fact create additional problems for play in other Ridgewood locations. It is difficult to find a solution to this problem, when it is not quite clear what the problem is. Several Councilmembers mentioned unbearable noise and inability to work from home for the neighbors, which are subjective reasons for the abrupt closure of the pickleball courts. He wrote they have no knowledge of how widespread the noise issue is or how many residents are affected. Without anything more definitive, the needs are unclear. The proposal to close courts, to reduce the number of courts, and to convert tennis courts to pickleball courts at other sites, among other suggestions, may create additional problems and likely will not remediate the issue currently being faced. Tennis and pickleball can be played on the same court surface, however the line markings and net height differ.

Removing a tennis court from play will, most likely, upset Village tennis players. He wrote that playing on inferior, converted pickleball courts when state of the art pickleball courts are available at Glen, will most likely upset Village pickleball players. The neighbors whose properties surround the other tennis courts will most likely have reactions similar to those of the Glen neighbors. He feels it is important for the Council to recognize the pickleball play at the Glen courts will be significantly reduced if use of the courts is limited to Ridgewood resident badge holders. He urged that the pickleball courts should be made available for play immediately.

Patty Dyrhaug, 519 Laurel Road, wrote that she was reaching out in support of reopening the pickleball courts at Glen School. She understands the Village Council is getting many letters and comments from both sides of the aisle on this one. She is trying to take a very objective approach, and has lived in Ridgewood for 14 years and never really participated in any kind of debate. She recently started to play pickleball and has fallen in love with it. Aside from pickleball being a game that all ages and skill levels can play, she is most fighting for these courts for the older population. These folks have grown to love the game, the exercise, and the socialization.

Ms. Dyrhaug wrote that as a fairly young, fit person there are any number of activities in which she can participate. This is not the case for all of our residents, and the exercise and fresh air are priceless. With the added COVID situation, pickleball is one of the few activities everyone can participate in safely. She added that she is empathetic to the nearby residents who feel that the pickleball playing can be somewhat noisy. She does not live in the area or the houses close by, so she will not pretend to assume it is not a big deal or not annoying. However, with the current noise abatement currently in place at the Glen pickleball courts, along with the other recent changes they have made, she feels this should be a compromise for all. Ms. Dyrhaug wrote that the recent changes are reduced playing hours, more noise absorbent rackets and balls, and eliminating out of town badge sales.

Ms. Dyrhaug wrote that it had come to her attention that there are adjustments that should be made to the current installation of the acoustic-block curtains that were installed to combat the noise a few years ago. She believes that if they make some adjustments to the curtains and complete the sound study, they should fall within the State’s acceptable noise decibel levels. Finally, sound, like anything, is subjective. Each person is tuned in or annoyed by different things. While living in a vibrant, active, and communal town we all have to live with various sounds. She does not care for the almost constant sound of the lawnmowers and leaf blowers throughout most of the year; however, she understands that this is part of living in a busy suburban area. She also understands that there are structured hours for these activities and feels that pickleball can adopt those same or similar guidelines. She wrote that she feels there are so many benefits to opening the pickleball courts, and just one negative issue.

Eileen Kubikowski, 533 Wyndemere Avenue, wrote that she is a member of the group called the Pickleball Mamas and a 27-year resident of Ridgewood. She requested that the pickleball courts be kept open, and the Village Council work with a group of pickleball players to address the affected neighbors’ concerns. She is a retired die-hard tennis player, due to a knee injury, and she has been unable to play tennis for a number of years. This summer she was invited to play pickleball and was hooked immediately. What struck her the most, was the ability to be outside and to engage with a wide variety of people of all ages. After being inside for months during quarantine, the ability to go to a safe space and get exercise for her body and mind was such a refreshing experience. This game provides an outlet to allow people to release stress and hardships from their day to day lives.

Ms. Kubikowski wrote that over Thanksgiving weekend, a group of them brought their teenage children to play a round robin. It was an unbelievable sight, and she was proud to be a part of it. She understands that the Parks and Recreation mission statement is to preserve open space and provide facilities for year-round recreation, which meet the needs of all residents. She is hoping that she can trust the Village Council will help accomplish this mission.

Jeff Pfeffer, 146 South Van Dien Avenue, wrote that he is a resident and pickleball player who sat through the January 6^th meeting and it became very clear to him that the Village Council does not really understand the problem. Furthermore, the potential solution is not viable. The Village Council has acknowledged that one woman, who has lived there for 30 years, is complaining about the noise. It is his understanding that for 30 years, this same woman has complained about little league, soccer, and leaf blowing. Mr. Pfeffer asked where this woman’s right to peace and tranquility, intersect with his right to use municipal facilities. No matter what they do, this woman will complain. In the interim, the neighbors will destroy a pickleball community that is self-supporting. There is no good solution in the short term to solve this problem. Long term is to build pickleball courts in open space areas, not near a residential area. This could be as an area by the municipal building or Graydon Pool.

Mr. Pfeffer wrote that the pickleball courts cost approximately $10,000 per court, and the pickleball community generated $30,000 in revenue for the Village based on badge sales, with approximately 35% residents and 65% non-residents. He suggested raising the rates for non-residents to $200 per person. The incremental revenue should generate approximately $40,000, allowing the Village to break even within two years. The Village Council solution of converting one court at each of the tennis court facilities to pickleball courts makes little sense. If they do so, they will annoy existing tennis players. More importantly, if there are noise issues, then they will now spread that throughout Ridgewood. He wrote that in the short term they should re-open the Glen courts; reduce the days played; eliminate pickleball play on Mondays; reduce times played from 8:00 A.M. to dusk to 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. until daylight saving returns; do not curtail non-resident passes; and cap the number of players to the number that currently exists. If an existing pickleball player does not renew their pickleball badge by 2/15/2021, the badge can be resold to a non-resident. He asked them not to cancel the good of 900 badge holders for the good of 30 residents, and one loud chronic complainer.

Doug Rhoten, 120 Melrose Place, wrote that he remains concerned that Ridgewood’s current noise ordinance subjectivity makes long-term pickleball planning extremely difficult and risky. As they have seen with the Glen neighbors who were originally satisfied, or at least placated, by the mitigations put in place including installing expensive sound screens, noise subjectivity inevitably leads to moving targets and redundant expense. Mr. Rhoten wrote that while researching municipal noise ordinances best practices, he was pleased to find that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection produces a model noise control ordinance as guidance for municipalities to move to specific decibel standards to control noise. NJDEP encourages municipalities to submit their noise ordinances for approval or disapproval, and to date, approximately 200 NJ municipalities have submitted, 13 in Bergen County. For example, he attached Allendale’s NJDEP approved noise ordinance, the model ordinance, and many online resources. Implementation of decibel-based ordinances in no way restricts the Village Council from judgement-based exceptions and should greatly reduce the time the Village Council and the Police spend on complaints and disagreements about noise at the pickleball courts.

Mr. Rhoten stated that the Glen School pickleball Community Leaders are committed to finding fair solutions that keep all of the Glen pickleball courts open. They are also working with Parks and Recreation, sound experts, sound screen manufacturers, other towns, the National Pickleball Association, and experimenting with new quieter paddles to find a better long-term solution. He respects the Village Council’s commitment to individual neighbor rights but with that being said, the mental and physical wellbeing of a large group of the Village’s COVID-vulnerable resident senior citizens should be given their highest priority. Breaking up the Glen pickleball community and disbursing them to new battles with the tennis community, and neighbors in various new locations, would defeat the purpose.

Gene Solomon, 648 Spring Avenue, wrote that it was with great disappointment that she watched the discussion about pickleball at the meeting of the Village Council on January 6^th. Although there were many speakers and letters supporting the immediate reopening of all the Village’s courts, both pickleball and tennis, prior to negotiations between the neighbors and the pickleball players being held, the Councilmembers clearly had no interest in listening to that. Instead, Village Councilmembers brainstormed ideas without thoroughly understanding the culture and playing of pickleball. This was particularly evident as many of the suggestions did not reflect the social aspect of the sport and the way players continually change partners and opponents. The Parks and Recreation Department and pickleball players are keenly aware of, and sensitive to, the concerns of the neighbors. To that end, the Village installed acoustic-blocking panels on the fencing and mandated muted balls when concerns were initially raised. In addition, by mandating that courts may be used only by Village residents, it will reduce the number of players and the noise.

Ms. Solomon stated that the neighbors have to recognize that the structure of Ridgewood is such that all of its schools, parks, houses of worship, and even its community hospital are embedded in residential areas. In every one of these situations, neighbors are impacted by various inconsequential issues. That is a trade-off of living in Ridgewood and reaping its many benefits. It would be her suggestion that they just start all over, open all courts to Ridgewood residents immediately and then create a committee of all of the stakeholders, to study all aspects of the situation. The committee would be charged with developing a plan to recommend to the Village Council which allows players to play and neighbors to coexist with the courts. Ms. Solomon wrote that people love playing pickleball and Ridgewood made a sizeable investment in the courts. The solution to just abandon them seems inconceivable. She offered her assistance in this process.

Ms. Solomon continued that she was writing about the actions of one of the members of the Village Council. It seems there has been a blatant attempt by one Councilperson to create negativity towards pickleball by sending out a message to others in the community. In the message there are references to neighbors needing to spend a large amount of money for the planting of shrubs and window replacements, directly because of pickleball. This appears to be based on unsubstantiated, anecdotal information. Is it not the responsibility of the elected officials to hear from both sides of the issue, educate him or herself about the topic, weigh both sides, and then make an informed decision? She feels this elected official should not be trying to stir up controversy. The message she saw was signed by a Councilmember, however if that Councilmember does not share these sentiments or was misquoted, she sincerely apologizes.

Tara Thompson, 271 Kenilworth Road, wrote that the mission statement of the Ridgewood Department of Parks and Recreation is to preserve open space and provide facilities and year-round recreational activities that meet the needs of all residents. As a relative newcomer to the game of pickleball and a member of the Pickleball Mamas she was writing to request that the pickleball courts remain open during the winter months. She is aware of some of the noise concerns from residents living near the courts and must admit that could be hard to get used to. However, just as the sound of children playing on the playground, the rhythmic sound of the pickleball can become soothing if you think about the positive associations: senior citizens getting outside to exercise and abate loneliness; overworked mothers getting fresh air and some much needed time with friends; families playing the game together; meeting new residents of the Village; and improving the mental wellbeing of Village residents during these unprecedented times of a global pandemic.

Ms. Thompson stated that pickleball is unique in that it is challenging to the athletic competitors and equally as satisfying to the unathletic leisure or social players. It can be played by people of all ages simultaneously, which cannot be said for many activities that take place within the Village’s parks. Pickleball brings everyone together, and to her personally this was the most unique and wonderful thing about pickleball during the last few months before the courts were locked. As a resident for 20 plus years, she has witnessed the Village grow and evolve, she has seen how much support there is for the Village establishments during a pandemic with street closures, outdoor dining, and curbside pickup. Increased use of the Village’s parks, lots of walking, running, biking, and pickup games of pickleball. It is not a surprise that Village residents have taken a strong liking to this game. She wrote that she believes the mission of the Recreation Department, and Ridgewood as a Village, is to provide its residents the opportunity to thrive, so she asked everyone to be consistent in how that mission and vision is supported. Ms. Thompson asked that the Councilmembers allow Ridgewood to remain exemplary by keeping the pickleball courts open.

There were no additional comments from the public, and Mayor Knudsen closed public comments.

Mayor Knudsen stated that they appreciated everyone’s thoughtful comments about pickleball, adding that they were going to continue to work through solutions to this and try as best as they can to make everyone happy.

MANAGER’S REPORT

Ms. Mailander stated that parking permits are for sale at the Village Hall reception desk, Monday through Friday, between 10:00 A.M. and 12:00 P.M. and then 1:00 P.M. through 3:00 P.M. at the customer service window, to the left of the lobby doors. If there are any questions or an appointment needs to be made, please call the Receptionist at (201) 670-5500, extension 200.

Ms. Mailander stated the 2021 Village Calendars were mailed to every business and resident last week.

Ms. Mailander stated that the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday will be observed with virtual programs on January 15^th, 16^th, and 18^th. “The Struggle Endures” will be the theme of the presentations. There are further details on the Village website. She reminded everyone that all Village offices will be closed on Monday January 18^th in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday. There will be no garbage or recycling pickup, and the Recycling Center will also be closed on that day.

Ms. Mailander stated that the Chamber of Commerce Restaurant Week provides discounts for diners and will take place January 17^th to the 21^st and January 24^th to the 28^th. This is a good time to sample the many restaurants in Ridgewood’s Central Business District. Please note thee revised dates, because they are different than those found in the Village calendar.

Ms. Mailander stated that the Christmas tree pickups continue. The scheduled pickups are Tuesday on the east side and Thursday on the west side. They are picked up curbside, not in the street. The next pickups on the east side are January 19^th and 26^th, and on the west side the pickups are on January 14^th, 21^st, and 28^th. They will be picked up between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. Please remove all ornaments and lights from the Christmas trees and do not place them in plastic bags. If you wish to drop off your Christmas tree, you can do that at any time at the designated area at the Graydon Pool lot until January 29^th.

Ms. Mailander stated that the Hudson Street Garage is now open on all levels. The rate is $1.00 per hour. The first level is three-hour parking, the second and third levels are premium Ridgewood parking permits, and the fourth level is half dedicated to non-premium Ridgewood parking permits and the other half to CBD employees. For the CBD employee parking spaces, an employee must have a CBD employee sticker, and/or pay by Parkmobile or by CBD employee hangtag, which is available at the Village Hall Reception Desk. On all levels from 12 noon forward, anyone can park without a permit for three hours, by paying at the kiosk or by Parkmobile.

Ms. Mailander stated that 15-minute complimentary parking spaces in the Central Business District will be available by Thursday or Friday. They are on Oak Street, Chestnut Street, North Broad Street, off of East Ridgewood Avenue, and Wilsey Square just after the loading zone. These parking spaces are limited to 15-minutes only. They are free of charge to everyone and are to be used to do a quick errand or pick up food or visit a business. All vehicles remaining in these spaces longer than 15 minutes may receive a summons. These spaces have been generously sponsored by several local businesses and Ridgewood residents, which are acknowledged on the 15-minute parking signs.

Ms. Mailander stated that the Food Recycling Pilot Program is still accepting applications through January 31^st. Those participating in the Pilot Program will receive a five-gallon food scrap container which the resident will empty weekly at the Recycling Center, along with a weekly data collection.

Ms. Mailander stated that if there is snow or ice forecasted, garbage cans must be brought to the end of driveways and residents must continue to do so, until there is a clear path to their garbage cans.

Ms. Mailander stated that the Village Council’s upcoming meetings are televised live, streamed on the website, are shown on YouTube, as well as the public access channels. The upcoming meetings are: January 27^th is a Public Work Session at 7:30 P.M., February 3^rd is a Public Work Session at 7:30 P.M., and February 10^th is a Village Council Public Meeting at 8:00 P.M.

VILLAGE COUNCIL REPORTS

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration – Councilwoman Perron stated that she wanted to thank all of the volunteers who bring the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration together as every year it is an interesting program. Friday is at the Library, it is “Through a Lens Darkly” which is a documentary about black photographers. This is a virtual meeting and requires registration through RidgewoodLibrary.org. Saturday there is a donation drop off at Ridgecrest at 7 Ridge Road. They are looking for peanut butter, tuna, rice, instant oatmeal, as there is some food insecurity in Ridgewood. On Monday, there is a dance performance and two choirs performing and a reenactment of Rev. Martin Luther King’s last sermon.

Mayor Knudsen added that the Martin Luther King Jr. Event sounds amazing and they always appreciate all of the hard work and energy that goes into organizing.

Central Business District Advisory Committee (CBDAC) – Councilwoman Perron stated that CBDAC met and the Village Engineer spoke about the potential use of bollards in the Central Business District for security and ease of placement and removal. The main street in Glen Rock has black bollards for their restaurants, and the Village could use the bollards to create dining corrals for restaurants. CBDAC also talked about now that the Village has a parking garage and four multi-family housing complexes coming in, whether Ridgewood is eligible for additional grant monies. They also discussed whether there are insufficient garbage receptacles downtown, so they are going to look into that.

Chamber of Commerce – Councilwoman Perron stated that the Chamber of Commerce met this morning. With regard to two water main breaks in the Central Business District, the Chamber wanted to thank the Village employees because the response of the crews was so quick that they had far less damage than they have ever had previously under these circumstances. Also, they noted that Ridgewood residents are shopping downtown more. They also spoke about a perceived litter increase downtown, so they want to look into that as well. She encouraged residents that if they see a storm drain that is clogged to please notify the Village because that can lead to flooding. She added that with regard to kiosk function, they asked whether the Parking Enforcement Officers (PEOs) could check to make sure that the kiosks are functioning during their rounds. They also noted that the elevator in the garage needs to be cleaned.

Councilwoman Perron stated that regarding the Grab and Go 15 minute parking spaces, the Chamber of Commerce was very appreciative of the vigorous enforcement of the 15-minute limit.

Mayor Knudsen stated that regarding the PEOs checking the kiosks, she and Ms. Mailander have spoken about this in the past and she wondered if there has been any plan or movement on that. She agrees, there must be a way that the PEOs can make sure the kiosks are working, as they walk through the Central Business District.

Ms. Mailander stated that she spoke with Sergeant Chuck who is in charge of the PEOs and they do check the kiosks. They asked that if anyone is ever in the CBD and finds that a kiosk is not working to please call the Police Department main number (201) 652-3900 and report the location of the kiosk. In this way, it will get fixed through the Signal Division.

Mayor Knudsen stated that when they report a kiosk that is not working, there is a kiosk number which would make it easy to identify the location. Ms. Mailander agreed that it would be helpful to have the kiosk number of the kiosk that is not working.

Lawnmower – Councilwoman Perron added that there was a proposal for a $20,000 purchase of a lawnmower, but the Village was able to find an adequate model at $8,000 so it does not have to come before the Village Council, and she appreciates that savings.

Planning Board – Councilwoman Reynolds stated that the Planning Board would be meeting again this coming Tuesday the 19^th.

Citizens Safety Advisory Committee (CSAC) – Councilwoman Reynolds stated that CSAC will be meeting next Thursday, the 21^st.

Green Team – Deputy Mayor Sedon stated that the Green Team met last week and the Chair, Justin Manger, has stepped aside and they are going to work with some new members to see who could fill that spot. They are gearing up once again for the Sustainable Jersey submission to hopefully be recertified at the Silver Level in Ridgewood. The PSE&G grants, through Sustainable Jersey, will be launched in January and there will be extended deadlines for everyone who is certified through Sustainable Jersey to apply for those grants.

Shade Tree Commission – Deputy Mayor Sedon stated that the Shade Tree Commission met yesterday, and it was reported that in the 2020 planting season, 218 trees were planted in the Village of Ridgewood. They did continue to discuss the emerald ash borer and the damage that could be done to ash trees. The Committee is going to work with the Shade Tree Department to identify some bigger, more prominent ash trees and discuss whether or not they can be saved as part of an ongoing program or maybe they have to be cut down. A presentation will be forthcoming to the Village Council in the future. They are also compiling the Shade Tree Commission’s annual progress report for the Five-Year Plan, and the tree inventory will be a big part of that. They could potentially extend the tree inventory to the trees located on the County roads and the trees in the Village’s parks, and that may come up during the Budget session.

Fourth of July Committee – Mayor Knudsen stated that the Fourth of July Committee met and given the current situation with COVID-19, it is very difficult to move forward with any plans. They did talk about themes and who would be a Grand Marshall, such as Hometown Heroes/Frontline Workers. They all embraced the idea that everyone in our community is a hero, regardless if they were working on the frontlines or not. They really wanted to look at a community event, and even looked at moving the event into the Fall. As they move forward into February and March, they will start to meet with the Village and figure out what is doable and what isn’t feasible under the current circumstances.

Cub Scout Pack 44 – Mayor Knudsen stated that Luke and Quincey are working on a local government study and she met with them yesterday via Google Meet and they had lots of questions about the Village Councilmembers. She spoke with them about how the Village Council meets and how the government is formed.

Community ACCESS Network – Mayor Knudsen stated that the ACCESS Network meets next Thursday. The Village Council is adopting a resolution this evening for the United Way to receive $500,000 from the Village’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund for the special needs housing project. She had the opportunity to tour the special needs housing project last week, and she said it really is just so exciting and beautiful. They believe they will be taking applications online in February on the United Way Madeline House website, so she encouraged everyone to take a look at that. She added they would post the link on the Village website.

Volunteers – Ms. Mailander stated that the Ridgewood Village Council is looking for volunteers for a few committees, including the Parks, Recreation and Conservation Board, the Ridgewood Green Team, and the Library Board of Trustees. They asked that residents apply on the Citizen Volunteer Leadership Form which is under the Village Website, Forms, Page 2, Village Clerk, and then the form is there. They will be sent to Donna Jackson, Deputy Village Clerk. Applications can either be put in the yellow mailbox outside Village Hall, or it can be emailed to djackson@ridgewoodnj.net. The deadline is this coming Tuesday, January 19^th.

Mayor Knudsen stated that she had posted the Citizen Volunteer Form on social media, adding that for the Library Board of Trustees, they are looking for someone to come in and take somewhat of a leadership role in regard to the jobs that are available to the Library Board of Trustees. There is a lot of work that goes into that. Ms. Mailander added that information is also available on the Village website in the narrative, which is below all of the tiles on the website.

RESOLUTIONS

THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION, NUMBERED 21-02, WAS ADOPTED BY A CONSENT AGENDA WITH ONE VOTE BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL, AND WAS READ BY TITLE ONLY:

ORDINANCES – RIDGEWOOD WATER – NONE

RESOLUTIONS – RIDGEWOOD WATER - NONE

ORDINANCES

INTRODUCTION - #3835 – Fire Department Salary Ordinance

Deputy Mayor Sedon moved the first reading of ordinance 3835. Councilwoman Walsh seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, and Walsh

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None

RECUSED: Mayor Knudsen

The Village Clerk read ordinance 3835 by title:

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

Councilwoman Reynolds moved that ordinance 3835 be adopted on first reading and that February 10, 2021 be fixed as the date for the hearing thereon. Councilwoman Walsh seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, and Walsh

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None

RECUSED: Mayor Knudsen

INTRODUCTION - #3836 – Bond Ordinance – Street Paving and Streetscape

Mayor Knudsen moved the first reading of ordinance 3836. Councilwoman Perron seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Walsh, and Mayor Knudsen

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None

The Village Clerk read ordinance 3836 by title:

BOND ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE 2021 ROAD PAVING PROGRAM AND OTHER RELATED ROAD WORK IN AND BY THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, IN THE COUNTY OF BERGEN, NEW JERSEY, APPROPRIATING $2,500,000 THEREFOR AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $2,375,000 BONDS OR NOTES OF THE VILLAGE TO FINANCE PART OF THE COST THEREOF

Deputy Mayor Sedon moved that ordinance 3836 be adopted on first reading and that February 10, 2021 be fixed as the date for the hearing thereon. Councilwoman Perron seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Walsh, and Mayor Knudsen

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None

INTRODUCTION - #3837 – Amendment to Local Supplemental Violations Bureau Schedule of Designated Offenses and Payable Amounts

Mayor Knudsen moved the first reading of ordinance 3837. Councilwoman Walsh seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Walsh, and Mayor Knudsen

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None

The Village Clerk read ordinance 3837 by title:

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 1, GENERAL PROVISIONS, OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD AT SECTION 1-15, VIOLATIONS AND PENALTIES

Councilwoman Reynolds moved that ordinance 3837 be adopted on first reading and that February 10, 2021 be fixed as the date for the hearing thereon. Councilwoman Walsh seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Walsh, and Mayor Knudsen

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None

INTRODUCTION - #3838 – Establish Stop Signs at Eastside Avenue, Albert Place and Maxwell Place

Mayor Knudsen moved the first reading of ordinance 3838. Councilwoman Reynolds seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Walsh, and Mayor Knudsen

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None

The Village Clerk read ordinance 3838 by title:

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 265 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC, AT SECTION 265-59, SCHEDULE IX: “STOP INTERSECTIONS” AND AT SECTION 265-60, SCHEDULE X: “YIELD INTERSECTIONS”

Councilwoman Perron moved that ordinance 3838 be adopted on first reading and that February 10, 2021 be fixed as the date for the hearing thereon. Councilwoman Reynolds seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Walsh, and Mayor Knudsen

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None

INTRODUCTION - #3839 – Supervisors Salary Ordinance

Mayor Knudsen moved the first reading of ordinance 3839. Councilwoman Reynolds seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Walsh, and Mayor Knudsen

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None

The Village Clerk read ordinance 3839 by title:

AN ORDINANCE TO FIX A SALARY, WAGE OR COMPENSATION OF AND FOR THE SUPERVISORY EMPLOYEES OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, COUNTY OF BERGEN, AND STATE OF NEW JERSEY

Councilwoman Perron moved that ordinance 3839 be adopted on first reading and that February 10, 2021 be fixed as the date for the hearing thereon. Councilwoman Reynolds seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Walsh, and Mayor Knudsen

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None

PUBLIC HEARING - #3833 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic – Establish Stop Signs at Shelton Road and Steilen Avenue

Mayor Knudsen moved the reading of ordinance 3833 by title on second reading and that the Public Hearing thereon be opened. Councilwoman Walsh seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Walsh, and Mayor Knudsen

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None

The Village Clerk read ordinance 3833 by title:

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 265 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC, AT SECTION 265-59, SCHEDULE IX: “STOP INTERSECTIONS”

Mayor Knudsen stated that the Public Hearing was opened. There were no comments from the public and Mayor Knudsen moved that the Public Hearing be closed. Councilwoman Walsh seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Walsh, and Mayor Knudsen

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None

Deputy Mayor Sedon moved that ordinance 3833 be adopted on second reading and final publication as required by law. Councilwoman Walsh seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Walsh, and Mayor Knudsen

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None

PUBLIC HEARING - #3834 – Authorize Renewal of PILOT Agreement – Ridgecrest

Mayor Knudsen moved the reading of ordinance 3834 by title on second reading and that the Public Hearing thereon be opened. Councilwoman Reynolds seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Walsh, and Mayor Knudsen

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None

The Village Clerk read ordinance 3834 by title:

AN ORDINANCE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A FINANCIAL AGREEMENT WITH RIDGEWOOD SENIOR CITIZEN HOUSING CORP., INC., AND RIDGECREST URBAN RENEWAL L.L.P. GRANTING A TAX EXEMPTION FOR RIDGECREST SENIOR CITIZEN HOUSING

Mayor Knudsen stated that the Public Hearing was opened.

Rich Barclay, on behalf of Ridgecrest, 9-11 Ridge Road, stated that Ridgecrest consists of 129 affordable housing units for low income and senior and disabled residents in Ridgewood. He is a former Ridgewood Zoning Board member, Planning Board member, and a Ridgecrest volunteer for over 20 years. They have asked for a postponement of the ordinance regarding their application for a PILOT agreement. He had the opportunity to speak with Councilwoman Walsh and she raised a couple of questions which he has the answers to, however, she indicated she wished she had more time to review their request. Understanding this, as well as understanding that other Councilmembers may also have questions, they think it is best to postpone for now. Mr. Barclay will make himself available any time in the coming week or weeks to answer any questions the Councilmembers may have. They look forward to working with the Village Council on this matter which will be a win for the Village of Ridgewood and its residents as well as the senior and disabled residents of Ridgecrest.

There were no additional comments from the public and Mayor Knudsen moved that the Public Hearing on Ordinance 3834 be continued to February 10, 2021. Councilwoman Reynolds seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Sedon, Walsh, and Mayor Knudsen

NAYS: None

ABSENT: None

ABSTAIN: None

RESOLUTIONS

THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS, NUMBERED 21-03 THROUGH 21-15, WERE ADOPTED BY A CONSENT AGENDA WITH ONE VOTE BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL, AND WERE READ BY TITLE ONLY:

COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

Sherri Biscan, 178 McKinley Place, stated that she wanted to express her disappointment that the Mayor’s comments about the pickleball problems at Glen are being stated as something they will continue to work through. That would be fine if balance were being applied in the immediate situation, but someone felt they had the authority to lock the courts and the situation is not currently balancing anyone’s needs. It is giving 100% to the desires of a few neighbors. She asked the Village Council, or whoever it is feels they have the authority to padlock the courts, to please unlock them while this is worked through. It is simply not fair to all constituents to have an all or nothing solution for as little as another day. She asked they please take the appropriate action.

There were no additional comments from the public.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Councilwoman Walsh, seconded by Deputy Mayor Sedon, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the Village Council’s Regular Public Meeting was adjourned at 9:18 P.M.

______________________________

Susan Knudsen

Mayor

______________________________

Heather A. Mailander

Village Manager/Village Clerk

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20210113 - Village Council Regular Public Meeting Minutes

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