20220926 - Village Council Special Public Meeting Minutes

A SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE SYDNEY V. STOLDT, JR. COURT ROOM OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2022 AT 7:00 P.M.

 

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

 

Mayor Knudsen called the Special Public Meeting to order at 7:02 P.M. and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act.  At roll call the following were present:  Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Vagianos, and Mayor Knudsen.  Also present was Heather Mailander, Village Manager/Village Clerk.

 

Mayor Knudsen led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag and asked for a moment of silence in recognition of all Gold Star Mothers and families.  She mentioned that the Gold Star Mothers event was canceled last evening.

 

2.         COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

 

NONE.

 

3.         INTERVIEWS WITH CONSULTANTS FOR RESIDENTIAL ENERGY AGGREGATION AND QUESTIONS FROM THE VILLAGE COUNCIL

 

            A.        GOOD ENERGY

 

Charles de Casteja indicated that the Directors of Good Energy for the Mid-Atlantic Region, (John Burke and Gary Swatner), provided a response to the RFP sent out by Ridgewood for a consultant for government energy aggregation.  Mr. de Casteja explained that government energy aggregation enables a community to buy energy (electric power in this case) on behalf of all residents of that community.  Most residents in Ridgewood use Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) as their electric energy supplier.  Residents excluded from this energy aggregation program would be those who use suppliers other than PSE&G.  Mr. de Casteja explained that his company is the leader in energy aggregation in the United States.  There are approximately 300 communities which use Good Energy for their energy aggregation needs.  There is Federal legislation, called the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which allows communities to purchase clean energy on behalf of their residents.

 

Mr. de Casteja indicated that these programs are used primarily to buy more renewable energy than what is currently offered by large suppliers, such as PSE&G, and offer more savings to customers.  He said that energy prices are “out of control” globally and have increased significantly.  His company works with approximately 50 different suppliers nationwide, and their rates have already tripled.  He explained that the four major utilities in New Jersey have to purchase energy in February of every year, and they have to purchase one-third of what they anticipate to be their expected load.  PSE&G purchased energy three weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine; therefore, what is occurring in the rest of the United States with rising energy prices has not yet occurred in New Jersey, but will occur when they have to purchase energy again in February 2024.

 

Mr. de Casteja stated that the winter rates for Massachusetts were announced yesterday and the rate is 33¢ per kilowatt hour versus 14¢ per kilowatt hour for New Jersey.  When a community signs up for an energy aggregation program, the community is usually able to purchase energy at a lower price than a utility can.  Since the RFP specified the desire to purchase more renewable energy, Mr. de Casteja indicated that this is achievable.

 

Mr. de Casteja explained the process by which a community would sign up for an energy aggregation program.  The governing body would need to first pass an ordinance to hire an energy aggregation consultant, then hire a consultant and sign a contract with them.  The Village would then sign a separate agreement with PSE&G to allow them to release aggregation data to the hired consultant.  This data would not include specific Ridgewood residents but would instead include monthly usage data and number of customers and would designate how Ridgewood uses power.  Once this data is obtained, the consultant would take that data and price it with one of their suppliers.  If there were a significant difference from the current rates of PSE&G, the consultant would submit the bid specs to the Board of Public Utilities (Division of Rate Counsel) for review and feedback.  If the review came back satisfactory, then Good Energy would move forward with a public bid (minus any residents who opted out of the program).  Mr. de Casteja said that there will most likely be residents who opt out of the renewable energy program.

 

Good Energy currently services many customers of PSE&G through communities which they represent, including major cities in Middlesex County (Woodbridge, Piscataway, and New Brunswick) and Gloucester County.  Mr. de Casteja explained that none of those programs are currently active because of the prices that now exist.  He recommended that a community such as Ridgewood take care of completing the “early steps” of hiring an energy aggregation consultant, so that when prices do become favorable in the market, the Village will be in the proper position to move forward with bidding with a supplier.  He explained that the communities represented by Good Energy at the present time are comprised of approximately 130,000 households, which represents a lot of “buying power” for renewable energy.  He mentioned that there will be some pilot programs in the State of New Jersey going forward.  Mr. de Casteja stated that Good Energy is seeking to become the retained consultant for Ridgewood, through the Educational Services Commission of New Jersey.  He stated that Good Energy is the only company seeking to become the energy aggregation consultant for Ridgewood as a private-public partnership.

 

Mr. de Casteja stated that public awareness and education of residents is essential to the success of a community entering into an energy aggregation program.  He mentioned that some communities require a referendum (public question) to be voted upon by the residents.

 

Mayor Knudsen recalled that a number of municipalities, which had joined a different energy aggregation program (Sustainable Essex), are not going to continue to participate in the program because energy prices have escalated much higher than the prices offered by PSE&G.  These municipalities included Livingston, Glen Rock, and Orange.  She asked what would happen if PSE&G is purchasing energy in January or February of 2024 on a projected energy need, yet perhaps half the residents of a community are using a supplier other than PSE&G.  Mr. de Casteja replied that PSE&G will be aware of which customers have either returned to PSE&G as their supplier (after previously signing up with a different energy supplier) well in advance of the time during which they have to purchase energy in February 2024.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron said that it was her understanding that Sustainable Essex Aggregation renewed their contract in April.  Mayor Knudsen stated that the contract was terminated in August with Energy Harbor and the contract was not renewed.  All customers have been notified that they are reverting back to PSE&G as of October 1, 2022. 

 

Councilman Vagianos wanted to confirm that the Village would not need to pay any money to Good Energy, and this was confirmed by Mr. de Casteja.  Good Energy only gets paid (by the ratepayers) if the Village signs up with a particular supplier whose prices are less than those offered by PSE&G.  He indicated that they were paid consulting fees in California; however, he feels that the Village would fare better if the consultant is paid when the Village signs up with a new supplier.

 

Councilman Vagianos also asked how long the Village would need to engage the services of Good Energy, and Mr. de Casteja replied that it was entirely up to the Village how long the services of Good Energy would be used.  Ms. Mailander replied that the specifications state that Good Energy would be engaged for three years, with an option to renew for two more years if both parties consented. 

 

Councilman Vagianos asked why a municipality would cancel the services of Good Energy, since it wouldn’t cost a community any money to do so.  Mr. de Casteja replied that he couldn’t understand why anyone would cancel their services, but a municipality could perhaps “drop” their services if they were not satisfied with Good Energy’s performance.  He said that since the Village currently has no energy aggregation program, it has the option of “riding along” while Good Energy is pricing the other PSE&G groups anyway.  Since 2013, there have only been three or four windows of opportunity where it was abundantly clear to go with PSE&G pricing.  The Village would have the option of seeking its own pricing or joining with other municipalities for a more favorable rate with “buying power.”  However, if a municipality does not seize the opportunity when the “time is right,” then they stand to lose the current pricing which is available.

 

Councilman Vagianos asked how many households represent purchase power through Good Energy in New Jersey.  Mr. de Casteja said that there are 1.2 million customers who utilize Good Energy to purchase energy nationwide.  In New Jersey, he said that the only available program that makes any economic sense is Jersey Central Power and Light (JCP&L) in Byram Township.  Renewable energy certificates are very expensive at the current time.

 

Mayor Knudsen asked if PSE&G needs to base their customer rates, by law, on the price they paid when they purchased the energy in February 2022.  Mr. de Casteja said that the PSE&G stated rate is not the rate which customers pay.  There are adjustments made either monthly or quarterly which fluctuate up and down (purchase energy adjustment).  Rates are relatively stable for consumers.  He said that one of the problems in New Jersey is that PSE&G is allowed to note in their bills to customers the savings that customers would have realized if they had remained with PSE&G and had not switched to another supplier.  Mayor Knudsen remarked that this is exactly what happened with the municipality residents who realized that PSE&G’s prices were better than those of the supplier obtained through the energy aggregation program.

 

Councilman Vagianos asked how many households are presently under contract with Good Energy that are “waiting in the wings” in New Jersey to “pull the trigger.”  Mr. de Casteja said that there were approximately 180,000 households in New Jersey, including those in Gloucester Township, Piscataway, Woodbridge, South Brunswick, and East Brunswick. 

 

Councilman Vagianos asked what would prevent a consultant from choosing a supplier for a municipality merely for the purpose of getting paid.  Mr. de Casteja replied that the decision to contract with a certain supplier rests solely with the Village.  Councilman Vagianos stated that it would be prudent for the consultant to find the best energy prices available for a municipality so that a contract is signed and, therefore, the consultant gets paid.  Mr. de Casteja stated that his company has a “reputational” risk.  They currently have communities they have serviced for 12 years, so they are motivated to protect their reputation by seeking out the most cost-efficient prices in the market and recommending the right time to sign a contract.  He recommends that the Village complete all the necessary preliminary steps (ordinances, obtaining data from PSE&G, and having bid specs approved by the Board of Public Utilities) so that the Village will be in a position to sign a contract at the appropriate time.  He estimated that the preliminary steps would take approximately three months.

 

When questioned by Deputy Mayor Perron, Mr. de Casteja again reviewed the process.  If Good Energy is hired as the consultant for Ridgewood, then Village officials would need to sign an agreement allowing Good Energy to receive the aggregation data from PSE&G.  If too much time passes before a contract is signed with another supplier other than PSE&G, then the data must be updated by PSE&G and then sent to the Board of Public Utilities again for review.

 

Councilwoman Reynolds asked if the Village will be “locked in” with Good Energy for three years if they are hired as the consultant for the Village.  This was confirmed by Mr. de Casteja.  She asked whether individual residents would also be locked in for three years with Good Energy.  Mr. de Casteja said that residents are able to opt out of the program at any time during the three-year period, in the event that a signed agreement is completed with a supplier.  Councilwoman Reynolds asked what would happen if most Ridgewood residents opted out of the program.  Mr. de Casteja said that residents will not have any recourse against Ridgewood in that event.

 

Mayor Knudsen asked what the opt-out rate is typically.  Mr. de Casteja said that the opt-out rate is typically 10% to 15%.  Mayor Knudsen recalled switching to another supplier in the past, and enjoying the incentives she received for switching to that supplier, but stated that she realized PSE&G always had the most consistent pricing and eventually switched back to PSE&G as her supplier.  Mayor Knudsen said that she assumed if too many people opted out of the program, the supplier would not be too pleased.  Mr. de Casteja stated that it is a business decision for a supplier and they take into account the number of “opt outs” which they may receive.  He added that the vast majority of residents in a municipality will not opt out of a program chosen by a municipality.  Residents can opt out, but a municipality cannot recommend to residents to opt out because then the municipality would be in breach of contract. 

 

A discussion ensued regarding how the duration and terms of contracts may vary from state to state, sometimes lasting only 17 months and sometimes lasting as long as 60 months (Rhode Island).  Mr. de Casteja described a “blend and extend” method by which the duration of a contract is negotiated and extended in order to lower the aggregation rate.  There was a discussion about traunches (series of payments to be paid out over a specified period, subject to certain performance metrics being achieved) and stable rates versus fixed rates.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked if it would be worthwhile exploring/partnering with other municipalities, even towns which are not local but which are serviced by PSE&G.  She asked whether the arrival of offshore energy (electricity) will open up a window of opportunity for the Village.  Mr. de Casteja said that he did not know.  He explained the progression of the energy crisis, which began with the global financial crisis in 2008, when a lot of industrial load was lost in the United States.  He stated that the country was oversupplied with fossil fuel overgeneration, with natural gas getting so inexpensive that drilling for natural gas ceased.  He said that many renewable energy producers were “on schedule” and then thrown off schedule during the Covid-19 pandemic, when there were supply chain issues and labor shortages.  Mr. de Casteja said that natural gas prices “went through the roof” after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

 

Councilwoman Reynolds asked Mr. de Casteja why the Village should hire Good Energy as its consultant.  He said his company is the national leader in negotiating energy prices and has the largest buying group in New Jersey.  They are aware of National Best Practices, have leverage with suppliers, and have done more outreach and awareness campaigns than any other company.

 

Councilman Vagianos asked if 100% of the energy acquired by Good Energy would be renewable.  Mr. de Casteja stated that it would not be 100% renewable energy.  His company does “indicative pricing” whereby green energy is acquired gradually over time.  For example, the contract with Woodbridge was 50% renewable energy.  He said that the renewable energy “mix” changes every year, and suppliers in New Jersey must, by law, generate at least 24% renewable energy (baseline) at the present time to consumers.  He said that, in order to arrive at a higher renewable energy rate, his company would present the Village with a “sensitivity analysis” with price comparisons, i.e., 25% more renewable energy above the mandated percentage would cost a consumer a certain higher amount per year.  The Village would have the option of choosing a particular plan which has a desired amount of renewable energy for its residents. 

 

A discussion ensued regarding the cost of fossil fuels versus renewable energy (energy produced from sources like the sun and wind that are naturally replenished and do not run out).  Mr. de Casteja explained that renewable energy is not always more expensive than energy created by fossil fuels, such as coal.  If the Village were to partner with one or more municipalities, all of the municipalities would have to choose the same term length.  If the Village wanted to “opt up,” other municipalities would not have to agree to opt up.  Mr. de Casteja added that by hiring an energy consultant, the Village would earn Sustainable Jersey points.  He stated that Good Energy wrote the energy specifications for Sustainable Jersey.  He mentioned that Marin County, California, has one of the greenest programs in the nation (111,000 customers, with less than 1,000 in the “dark green” opt up category).   Residents can opt up into a higher renewable energy program.

 

Councilman Vagianos asked Mr. de Casteja where his company purchases its energy from, and he replied that he arranges a contract with the suppliers who buy energy in the wholesale market (the same market in which PSE&G buys energy).  Some suppliers own their own energy generation facilities (gen-tailers) and can enter the market at any time to buy energy, as opposed to PSE&G which has to buy only in February for a two-year term.  Mr. de Casteja described what he has recently seen in the energy market.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked whether Mr. de Casteja considered nuclear energy as part of renewable energy.  He replied that the world is starting to see nuclear energy as renewable energy, but stated that he has some personal views about nuclear energy.

 

Councilman Vagianos asked whether Mr. de Casteja could provide the Village with a list of references.  Mr. de Casteja said that he could provide such a list, along with contact information, of clients in New Jersey, along with some supplemental references from around the country.  He said that Rhode Island, through his company, recently purchased 5% more local renewables for 60 months (including Providence, Newport, and Middletown).  Deputy Mayor Perron said that, according to statute, the municipal purchasing law for Ridgewood allows terms for a maximum of 24 months.  Mr. de Casteja indicated that the Educational Services Commission of New Jersey advises his company on purchasing regulations for municipalities.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron indicated that PSE&G must provide at least 24.5% renewable energy to its customers, to be expanded to 30% by the year 2030.  When questioned by Deputy Mayor Perron, Mr. de Casteja said that the Village would be purchasing Class I RECs (Renewable Energy Certificates).  Class I RECs are market-based instruments that certifies the bearer owns one megawatt-hour of electricity generated from a renewable energy resource.  Once the power provider has fed the energy into the grid, the REC received can then be sold on the open market as an energy commodity.  Renewable energy resources consist of solar thermal, wind, low impact hydro, aerobic digester gas, and geothermal, among others.  Mr. de Casteja indicated that Gary from his office is more knowledgeable about RECs.  Deputy Mayor Perron asked if Class I RECs are PJM (Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland interconnection).  Mr. de Casteja replied in the affirmative, and he stated that the vast majority are in New Jersey.

 

Mayor Knudsen thanked Mr. de Casteja for his presentation and for answering all of the questions posed to him.  She indicated that the Village will be interviewing other firms for the energy aggregation consultant position and will be in touch with him in the future.

 

            B.        TAURUS ADVISORY GROUP

 

Tara Pasca indicated that she is the Vice President of Operations for the Taurus Advisory Group, which has been in business for five years.  She indicated that the staff brings a combined 70 years of experience to the table.  She said that her boss was also going to join in the presentation this evening, but that he is presently sick with Covid.  Ms. Pasca stated that her company is not an engineering firm, but rather a “one stop energy shop” that covers the gamut of all energy services, one of which is procurement and municipal energy aggregation.  She stated that she has about eight years of experience in energy aggregation, and 16 years of energy procurement experience.  She started her career in Pennsauken Township (T&M Associates) and later joined Concord Energy Services, where she worked on large co-ops in the Sussex, Warren, Morris and Ocean County areas.  Concord Energy Services is presently working with Hoboken on an energy aggregation program.  Ms. Pasca stated that it behooves a municipality to work with Taurus Advisory Group since they work behind the scenes and try to make the best decisions for all residents.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked how many of the energy aggregation programs Ms. Pasca has worked on, for municipal or county governments or co-ops, have been for a greater percentage of renewable energy in New Jersey.  Ms. Pasca replied that she is currently working with Edison Township, which is in the beginning stages of establishing an energy aggregation program, and she believes that Hoboken currently has an active program, which Ms. Pasca worked on when she worked for Concord Energy Services.  Deputy Mayor Perron again asked how much of an increased percentage of renewable energy was achieved in each town.  Ms. Pasca stated that, in Hoboken, the standard rate for residents who opted into the program was 100% renewable.  She added that while sustainability is an admirable goal, not all residents want to pay extra for renewable energy, so there were options available to those residents.  The options included 100% renewable and 50% renewable (opt down), as well as options for renewable energy greater than that offered by PSE&G (23.5%, straight savings program). A municipal energy aggregation program can be structured however a municipality may choose, with a program tailored specifically for that municipality within the parameters of Title XIV (statute for municipal energy aggregation programs).

 

Mayor Knudsen remarked that she occasionally receives correspondence in the mail stating that she is very energy efficient.  She asked how much it would cost a consumer receiving 100% renewable energy versus the percentage of renewable energy offered by PSE&G.  Ms. Pasca said that she did not know the answer off the top of her head but would get that information to the Village Councilmembers tomorrow.  She could arrange for a Zoom call with her boss so that the Village Councilmembers could ask him additional questions, but Mayor Knudsen said that Ms. Pasca could supply them with the information.

 

Mayor Knudsen stated that many municipalities are terminating their energy aggregation programs because the bills which residents were receiving were higher than what they were previously paying with PSE&G.  She asked what Ms. Pasca’s observations have been in that type of situation.  Ms. Pasca replied that the market has been “out of this world” lately.  The energy year runs from June to May, and energy prices are slated to go up considerably beginning in June of 2023.  She feels that if the energy aggregation program can be started in the Village before that time, residents in Ridgewood will realize a savings on their electricity bills.  Ideally, she would like to get a fixed price for the energy before the auction in June of 2023. She reminded everyone that renewable energy costs more to generate, but when searching for energy suppliers, she always seeks to achieve the best possible savings for a municipality. She reiterated the many options offered by Taurus Advisory Group (opting down to a lesser renewable energy percentage but not less than the mandated 23.5% required by statute).

 

Upon questioning by Councilwoman Reynolds as to whether or not Taurus Advisory Group could obtain better pricing that what is currently offered by PSE&G, Ms. Pasca replied that she believes they can offer better pricing, considering “what is coming down the track in the future.”  She said that she is a PSE&G customer and is currently paying 12.5¢ per kilowatt hour.  She indicated that PSE&G is the highest priced utility in the State of New Jersey, and JCP&L charges less per kilowatt hour than PSE&G.

 

Mayor Knudsen asked Ms. Pasca what has been the highest rate she has seen in the past year.  Ms. Pasca replied that PSE&G rates have been as high as 13¢ to 14¢ per kilowatt hour during certain periods.  PSE&G, JCP&L, and Atlantic City Electric employ a “reconciliation rate” at the end of each quarter, which will lower prices for consumers.  If the Village entered into a contract with a particular supplier, and PSE&G rates became significantly lower during the term of that contract, then the consultant (Taurus Advisory Group) would self-terminate the contract and return all customers back to PSE&G so that they were not paying more for energy.  Ms. Pasca emphasized that her company always does what is best for residents.

 

Upon questioning by Councilman Vagianos, Ms. Pasca reiterated that it would be wise for Ridgewood to start the energy aggregation program process now (which can take approximately four to six months) so that it is in a position to enter into more favorable rates with an energy supplier when the opportunity presents itself, and certainly before June of 2023. This time period allows the consultant to obtain data from the energy supplier (PSE&G) and then forward the information to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and Division of Rate Counsel for review.  Much editing would be done by both the Village and Taurus Advisory Group before searching for an appropriate supplier.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron pointed out that this was the very reason why it is more beneficial for a resident to procure energy from a supplier through the Village, rather than a resident contacting an energy supply company which sent them a flyer in the mail.  Ms. Pasca agreed, stating that a resident would not have knowledge as to whether or not the company was offering a variable rate or fixed rate contract.  She recalled a story where she reviewed a friend’s boyfriend’s energy bill and discovered that they had engaged in a variable rate contract, starting at an attractive low price and eventually paying 19¢ per kilowatt hour.  A consultant would be a “watchdog” for Ridgewood residents, working behind the scenes to keep a close eye on rates, doing what is best for the consumer, and watching trends in government legislation concerning energy.

 

Councilman Vagianos stated that there did not appear to be a “down side” working with Taurus Advisory Group since, if rates became unfavorable, the consultant would self-terminate the contract with the energy supplier.  Ms. Pasca agreed, stating that any resident could opt out at any time.  Councilman Vagianos brought up a situation in which prices from an energy supplier were higher than what PSE&G was charging, and Ms. Pasca said that her company, in that situation, would look into how long that lower price was good for (one month versus six months) and would decide what the best course of action would be going forward (terminate contract or wait to see what happens if that lower rate is only guaranteed for one month).

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked Ms. Pasca if she had ever renegotiated a contract (lowering a price in exchange for a longer term contract).  Ms. Pasca explained the process when a contract is due to expire. If there is a 12-month contract, her company will begin work on extending the contract well before the expiration date to see “what is coming” down the pike.  If the energy supplier offers a favorable price and contract extension, then Taurus would probably advise staying with that supplier to avoid further paperwork.  However, if that company is not offering a good rate and Taurus believes a better rate could be obtained with another supplier, then they will explore that option.

 

Councilwoman Reynolds asked Ms. Pasca how many customers Taurus Advisory Group has in the State of New Jersey.  Ms. Pasca replied that she does not know how many customers off the top of her head, but they are currently working with county governments in Ocean and Union Counties, as well as towns such as Linden-Roselle, Edison Township and North Bergen Township.

 

Mayor Knudsen asked what would happen if energy rates increased and a contract with an energy supplier is terminated.  Ms. Pasca replied that Taurus will purchase or hedge the energy at the beginning.  This is written directly into the contract.  Any kind of risk will also be included in the price, so there would be no consequence to Village residents if Taurus were to terminate a contract with an energy supplier.  Title IV requires the energy supplier to service a contract whether there is only one resident participating or 8,000 residents participating.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked Ms. Pasca how long a term the Village could sign a contract for regarding renewable energy, and Ms. Pasca replied that when Taurus went to auction, they would ask for 12-month, 18-month, and perhaps 24-month contract terms, but nothing past 24 months.  When asked the reason why, Ms. Pasca replied that this falls in line with the Local Public Contracts Law, whereby contracts for electricity cannot be longer than 24 months (natural gas would be for 36 months maximum).

 

Councilman Vagianos asked if Taurus Advisory Group operates outside of New Jersey.  Ms. Pasca replied that they have sales representatives (1099 employees) all over the United States.  When asked how many people are currently under contract with Taurus Advisory Group, Ms. Pasca replied that they have hundreds, if not thousands, of clients (municipalities and counties, large commercial and industrial companies, and smaller businesses such as pizza shops, car dealerships and restaurants).  Local businesses in Ridgewood can be included in the energy aggregation program, albeit a smaller program, and businesses can only opt in and cannot opt out.  The businesses must choose to participate, whereas residents can either opt out or opt up.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron indicated that the Green Ridgewood Subcommittee felt that it was too confusing to have both residents and businesses in the energy aggregation program, so it was decided to start with just residents.  Ms. Pesca agreed, stating that more outreach is needed for commercial establishments.  She stated that most businesses are already under contract with third-party suppliers, so if businesses were to be included, there would need to be a meeting among Village officials and business representatives in order to determine their level of interest in participating in such a program.

 

Mayor Knudsen thanked Ms. Pasca for her informative and helpful presentation.  She mentioned that other companies are being interviewed and the Village will get in touch with her once those interviews have been completed.

 

4.         PUBLIC COMMENTS

 

NONE.

 

5.         ADJOURNMENT

 

There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Deputy Mayor Perron, seconded by Councilwoman Reynolds, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the Village Council’s Special Public Meeting was adjourned at 8:27 P.M.

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                Susan Knudsen

                                                                                                                     Mayor

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                       

                  Heather A. Mailander

         Village Manager/Village Clerk

  • Hits: 296

COPYRIGHT © 2023 VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD

If you have any trouble with accessing information contained within this website, please contact the MIS Department - 201-670-5500 x2222 or by email mis@ridgewoodnj.net.

Feedback