20230104 - Village Council Public Work Session Minutes

A REGULAR PUBLIC 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, RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ON JANUARY 4, 2023 AT 7:30 P.M.

 

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

 

Mayor Vagianos called the meeting to order at 8:05 P.M. and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act.  At roll call the following were present:  Councilmembers Perron, Reynolds, Weitz, Winograd and Mayor Vagianos.  Also present were Heather Mailander, Village Manager/Village Clerk; Eileen Young, Deputy Village Clerk; and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney.

 

Mayor Vagianos led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.  There was a moment of silence for all frontline workers and the brave men and women serving to protect our country.

 

2.         COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

 

Matthew Lindenberg, 165 Claremont Road, congratulated all new and returning Village Councilmembers.  He stated that he was happy to see two particular items on this evening’s agenda, which were established during the Covid-19 pandemic:  Hybrid Access to Village Council Meetings and Pedestrian Plaza and Dining Corrals. Mr. Lindenberg stated that these items were discontinued just as they were gaining momentum.  He greatly urged the Village Councilmembers to re-adopt these policies, since he feels that the pedestrian plaza and dining corrals contributed to the vibrancy of the downtown area, and that hybrid access encouraged fuller participation and engagement in Village government.

 

There were no further comments from the public.

 

3.         MANAGER’S REPORT

 

Ms. Mailander stated that pickup of Christmas trees has begun.  Pickups will take place on Tuesday on the east side and on Thursdays on the west side, through the end of January.  Undecorated trees should be left at the curb.  Wreaths and garlands should be put out for regular garbage collection.  No plastic bags are allowed.  Christmas trees may also be dropped off in the designated area of the Graydon Pool parking lot.

 

Restaurant Week will run from January 15 through January 19, and again from January 22 through January 26.  Ms. Mailander encouraged everyone to visit local eateries so that they may enjoy delicious meals at reduced prices, while at the same time supporting local Ridgewood businesses.

 

On Monday, January 16, 2023, the Village will celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr., Day. There will be a musical program, along with a speaker focused on Dr. King’s legacy. All are welcome to attend.  In observance of this holiday, all Village offices and departments will be closed.  There will be no garbage or recycling pickup, and the Recycling Center will also be closed.

 

The 2023 Village calendars are being produced and will be mailed to each Ridgewood residence shortly.  Ms. Mailander reminded everyone that the 2022 Village calendar has the month of January 2023 at the very end of it, which they can use until they receive the 2023 calendar.

 

Upcoming Village Council meetings are broadcast live from the Village Hall Courtroom, on the Village website, on FIOS Channel 34 and YouTube.  The next Public Meetings are scheduled for January 11 and February 8, 2023 at 8:00 P.M. The next Village Council Work Sessions will be held on January 25 and February 1, 2023 at 7:30 P.M.

 

4.         COUNCIL REPORTS

 

Councilmember Reynolds, Councilmember Winograd and Councilmember Weitz stated that they had nothing new to report.  Deputy Mayor Perron stated that she also had nothing to report, but she wanted to remind everyone that styrofoam from packaging (extruded polystyrene) is now being accepted at the Recycling Center.  She said that it is better to recycle it rather than dispose of it in the garbage or bulk waste.  The styrofoam will not be picked up, and residents must bring it to the Recycling Center for recycling.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron also announced that Green Ridgewood will be meeting on January 5, 2023 at 7:30 P.M. in the Senior Lounge.  The meeting is open to the public and guests are welcome. The Central Business District Advisory Committee (CBDAC) is meeting on January 12, 2023 at 8:30 A.M. in the Senior Lounge.  This meeting is also open to the public.

 

Mayor Vagianos stated that several of his committees met in late December.  Stigma-Free Committee members spend a lot of time working with the vulnerable population in Ridgewood.  Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) has a “Winter Termination Program,” which protects customers from having their heat turned off.  This program runs from November 15 to March 15. Interested individuals should call 1-800-624-0241. 

 

The Health Department has reported that there is a sharp rise in Covid, flu and RSV (a respiratory illness) in Ridgewood and in Bergen County as well.  There is a bivalent Covid booster available, and the Health Department strongly urges everyone to get this booster and the flu shot as well.  There will be bivalent boosters and flu shots available at a clinic scheduled for January 11, 2023. To date, over 300 of the bivalent boosters have been dispensed.  Covid home tests are available, and interested individuals should contact the Health Department.  The CDC once again recommends that people wear masks in all crowded places, due to the recent surge of Covid cases. Mayor Vagianos stated that the flu shot available this year is far more effective than those offered in the past (50% effective as opposed to 10% in prior years).

 

The Stigma-Free Committee sent out 750 “Cards of Joy” to seniors during the Christmas holidays, just to let them know they aren’t alone.  Many cards were sent to the SHARE house and Ridgecrest.

 

There is a proposed new program by the Ridgewood Fire Department called the “Blue Angel” program.  Fire Chief John Judge showed the Village Councilmembers an item resembling a lockbox, such as those used by realtors. Homeowners aged 55 years and older, or homeowners who are disabled, can put their house keys in the lockbox so that emergency personnel with the code or spare key to the lockbox may be able to enter their homes during an emergency.  Other municipalities, such as West Orange and Princeton, have also initiated a Blue Angel program.

 

Chief Judge explained that the Blue Angel program is a nationwide program.  This program was brought to his attention by Sheila Brogan of the Stigma-Free Committee.  There are two different locks:  one is combination based and one has an access code.  This would be used in cases of medical emergencies only.  A temporary lockbox can be requested by a resident who takes care of their elderly parents and who will be away for work or vacation, so that emergency personnel may respond to an emergency during their absence.

 

Mayor Vagianos announced that the Fields Committee met this week, their first in-person meeting in three years.  It was a hybrid meeting, whereby people could either attend in person or access the meeting via Zoom.  The winter field schedule is going smoothly.  The committee is still working on integrating the Ridgewood High School’s Master Library program (which monitors and schedules fields owned by the Board of Education) with the Village’s software that monitors and schedules Village-owned recreational fields. 

 

Mayor Vagianos stated that there is now a Girls’ Varsity Flag Football team at the high school.  Fifty girls attended the initial meeting, making this the most popular varsity sport in the Village.  There are 70 teams in northern New Jersey, and it is funded by the New York Jets.  Games will be regularly scheduled every week, for a period of eight weeks.  Mayor Vagianos stated that colleges are now beginning to recruit for their club teams.  The championship game will be played at MetLife Stadium.

 

Mayor Vagianos next reported on the status of the Gold Star Monument.  Local architect Lynn Brady and local designer Tess Juliani, who have both served on the Historic Preservation Committee, are assisting the American Legion in the design and placement of a monument honoring Gold Star Families.  They have already surveyed Memorial Park at Van Neste Square, and they are scheduled to meet with the American Legion on January 23, 2023 to get their feedback prior to developing the design.  Mayor Vagianos announced that he will be donating his entire stipend this year to the Gold Star Monument fund.

 

Mayor Vagianos reported that he has been collaborating with Deputy Mayor Perron, Fire Chief John Judge, and Will Kievit, Director of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department, on the EMS merger.  He met initially with Chief Judge and Mr. Kievit on December 29, 2022 to discuss the merger.  Mayor Vagianos stated that they are determined to make this a successful merger.  Along with Deputy Mayor Perron, Mayor Vagianos then met with the “rank and file” of the EMS Department (approximately 25 members) to answer questions and concerns about the merger.  Mayor Vagianos said that they are all intent on working to make the merger succeed in order to enhance the EMS Department.

 

5.         DISCUSSION

 

            A.        RIDGEWOOD WATER

 

1.         AWARD CONTRACT – LINE STOP AND VALVE INSERTION SERVICES

 

Ms. Mailander explained that in December 2021, the Village awarded a two-year contract for Line Stop and Valve Insertion Services to the sole bidder, Carner Brothers of Roseland, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $200,000.00. This is the second year of a two-year contract, and an official award must be made each year.  Funding is in the Water Utility Operating Budget.

 

Councilmember Winograd asked if she and Councilmember Weitz could obtain a copy of the contract with consultant, Matt Streger. Mayor Vagianos said that the contract would be supplied to them.

 

2.         AWARD CONTRACT – DISTRIBUTION WATER MAIN REHABILITATION AND REPLACEMENT – NAUSET LANE AND LAKEVIEW TRANSFER STATION

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this item pertains to the awarding of a contract for distribution water main rehabilitation and replacement.  This work is required within Ridgewood Water’s Distribution System due to the size, age and condition of the pipes.  The project consists of replacing approximately 900 linear feet of ductile iron water mains of various sizes, and related valves, fire hydrants, service connections, and appurtenances, and rehabilitation of 3,900 linear feet with Cured In Place Pipe (CIPP).  Seven bids were received, out of 10 that were picked up.  Ridgewood Water has worked with Suburban Consulting Engineers (SCE), the engineer of record, and they agree with the recommendation to award the contract to the low bidder, Conquest Construction, Inc., of Westwood, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $2,882,576.00.  Funding for this project is in the Ridgewood Water Capital Budget.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron explained that this project entails the rehabilitation of all of the old water mains, which should make a difference in terms of reducing leakage from Village pipes.

 

3.         AWARD CONTRACT – CONTAMINANT MONITORING

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this item pertains to the awarding of a contract for contamination monitoring.  The 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act amendments require that once every five years, the New Jersey Environmental Protection Agency (NJEPA) issue a new list of no more than 30 unregulated contaminants to be monitored by public water systems. The fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5) was published on December 27, 2021.  The UCMR5 requires sample collection for 30 chemical contaminants between 2023 and 2025 using analytical methods developed by the NJEPA and consensus organizations.  Ridgewood Water is mandated by Federal and State law to perform this contaminant monitoring. Quotations were received from laboratories capable of performing this unregulated monitoring on a system as large as Ridgewood Water.  It is recommended that this contract be awarded to Eurofins Analytical Lab of Monrovia, California, in an amount not to exceed $30,060.00.  Funding has been budgeted for this work in the Water Utility Operating Budget.

 

Councilmember Winograd asked if any of this testing could be performed in-house.  Richard Calbi, Director of Ridgewood Water, replied that testing of this type, which is monitored by the NJEPA, cannot be performed in-house and must be performed by laboratories certified by the NJEPA.

 

4.         AWARD YEAR TWO CONTRACT – DELIVERING OF SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE SOLUTION

 

Ms. Mailander stated that this item pertains to the awarding of the second year of a two-year contract for the furnishing and delivery of sodium hypochlorite solution for Ridgewood Water.  In December 2021, the Village awarded a two-year contract to the lowest responsible bidder,  PVS Minibulk, Inc., of Detroit, Michigan, at a price of $1.68 per gallon, in an amount not to exceed $84,000.00.  Funding will be budgeted for this contract in the Water Utility Operating Budget.

 

5.         AWARD YEAR TWO CONTRACT – SERVICING AND REPAIR OF POTABLE WATER PUMPING FACILITIES

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this item pertains to the awarding of the second year of a two-year contract for the servicing and repair of potable water pumping facilities for Ridgewood Water.  In November 2021, the Village awarded a two-year contract to the sole responsible bidder, Wm. Stothoff Company, Inc., of Flemington, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $500,000.00.  The official award must be made each year. Funding for this contract will be budgeted for in the Water Utility Operating Budget.

 

6.         AWARD YEAR TWO CONTRACT – LANDSCAPING SERVICES

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this agenda item pertains to the awarding of year two of a two-year contract for landscaping services for Ridgewood Water.  In February 2022, the Village awarded a two-year contract to the lowest responsible bidder, LTI, Inc., of Montville, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $113,250.00.  Funding will be budgeted for in the Water Utility Operating Budget.

 

Councilmember Winograd asked whether the cost for landscaping services will decrease next year, since the initial landscaping has been completed at the new Ridgewood Water headquarters. Mr. Calbi replied that this landscaping work will be performed at over 50 facilities which are owned and operated by Ridgewood Water, not just at the new headquarters.  Landscaping services include lawn mowing, leaf removal, weed whacking, debris cleanup, and gutter cleaning at system locations, such as wells, pumphouses, tanks and offices.

 

7.         AWARD YEAR TWO CONTRACT – SERVICING AND REPAIRING OF ELECTRIC SOURCE

 

Ms. Mailander stated that this item pertains to the awarding of year two of a two-year contract for servicing and repairing of electric source for Ridgewood Water.  In November 2021, the Village awarded a two-year contract to the sole responsible bidder, Vanore Electric Inc., of Hackensack, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $250,000.00.  The official award must be made every year.  Funding will be budgeted for in the Water Utility Operating Budget.

 

8.         AWARD YEAR TWO CONTRACT – WATER BILLING AND DATA COLLECTION SERVICES

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this item pertains to the awarding of year two of a three-year contract for water billing and data collection services for Ridgewood Water.  In July 2022, the Village awarded a three-year contract to the sole responsible bidder, Computil, Inc., of Shelton, Connecticut, in an amount not to exceed $320,096.00.  Funding will be budgeted for in the Water Utility Operating Budget.

 

9.         BOND ORDINANCES FOR RIDGEWOOD WATER

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this item pertains to Bond Ordinances for Ridgewood Water which will be introduced at the next meeting on January 11, 2023.  One is for the construction of raw water mains for $18,500,000; the second one is for the construction of new treatment plants in the amount of $42,000,000.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked Mr. Calbi whether he found out the answer to the question she asked him recently, whether PFAS should be specifically mentioned in the ordinance, since this construction is necessitated by the contaminants in the water. She is concerned about this because the Village has a lawsuit pending against the manufacturers which produced these contaminants, so that the funds expended to remediate the condition of the drinking water can be reimbursed to the Village. 

 

Mr. Calbi replied that her concerns are being addressed and that Bond Counsel will be developing revised Bond Ordinances for review by the Village Councilmembers in time for next week’s meeting.  The revised documents will address the concerns of Deputy Mayor Perron and any other concerns which are raised this evening. Mr. Calbi acknowledged that the Bond Ordinances deal with a lot of money, but he stated that this is money well spent.  He explained that these two ordinances are the “next big step” in the treatment of PFAS.

 

Mr. Calbi explained that the Village and Ridgewood Water initially came up with a master plan to eliminate PFAS from the groundwater. This plan was approved by the Village Council approximately two years ago, and then subsequently reviewed by the NJEPA, which “quasi-approved” the plan.  There will eventually be 12 water treatment plants constructed.  There are currently 52 wells and 31 treatment plants, which will be consolidated into 12 treatment plants.  Two of those 12 plants are already in operation.  Upgrades to one of those plants are currently being performed.  They are building a pipeline to add an additional well to the Carr Treatment Plant, thereby doubling its capacity.  A fourth plant is “on the shelf” ready to go out to bid.  He is waiting for permission from the NJEPA to build the plant, as part of a grant received last year by Ridgewood Water, which will fund 80% of the project.  The remaining projects are currently in the design phase, with designs already completed for the four largest treatment plants.

 

The Bond Ordinances before the Village Council this evening pertain to four large treatment plants:  two in Wyckoff, one in Midland Park, and one in Glen Rock.  These plants will service the majority of the wells (over 30 of them) which will be connected to the treatment plants via thousands of miles of water main.  The $42,000,000 Bond Ordinance is for the construction of four treatment plants (buildings, vessels, the GAC media which is utilized on the inside to remove contaminants, water pumps, and heating).  The second Bond Ordinance of $18,500,000 provides for the construction of the required raw water mains, which will connect all of the satellite wells to the treatment plants. 

 

Mr. Calbi explained that most of this work is being funded through the New Jersey I-Bank, which lends out billions of dollars a year to municipalities for this purpose.  State I-Bank funds will be used:  50% of those funds will be borrowed at zero percent interest, and the balance will be borrowed at very competitive rates (even lower than Ridgewood’s AAA rating).  The Village will also be eligible for $1,000,000 of principal forgiveness.  It is Mr. Calbi’s hope that these Bond Ordinances will be approved so that the projects can be bid out within the next two months.  The projects themselves will take between 18 months to two years to complete.  Once these projects are complete, most of the water in the Ridgewood Water system will be PFAS compliant.

 

Mr. Calbi stated that they studied how much of the water in the system is coming from sources that are PFAS compliant and how much is not.  For the past two or three years, Ridgewood Water has been operating the system to lessen, as much as possible, the amount of PFAS flowing into the system.  Wells with less PFAS in the water are favored over those wells with higher concentrations of PFAS.  Mr. Calbi indicated that currently, in the winter, when not as much water is being used, at least 50% or more of the water flowing through the system to all four municipalities (Ridgewood, Glen Rock, Wyckoff and Midland Park) is below the PFAS maximum contaminant level. For 2022, regarding the total amount of water produced and distributed, 25% of it was compliant (on an annual basis).  Mr. Calbi stated that this will continue to improve as more and more treatment plants go online.  The reason there was such a dramatic increase over the prior year was because of the connection that was made with the Passaic Valley Water Commission.

 

Mayor Vagianos asked how much more work needs to be done after the construction of the raw water mains and treatment plants before 100% of the water is below the PFAS maximum contaminant level.  Mr. Calbi replied that there will be five remaining plants which will need to be constructed, which will be smaller than the new facilities being built through these Bond Ordinances.  After the new facilities are completed (bringing the total to seven treatment plants), Mr. Calbi predicts that at least 75% of the water flowing through the system will be below the PFAS maximum contaminant level and would be 100% in the winter.  He explained that water demand triples in the summer.  People will need to be educated more on water conservation.  After all of the plants are completed and brought online, the water will be 100% compliant, even in the summer months.  Mr. Calbi anticipates that all of the work will be completed by 2026.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron said that she was very pleased with the proactive efforts of Ridgewood Water to eradicate the PFAS problem. 

 

Councilmember Winograd remarked that she was glad to see that the Village is investing money towards eliminating PFAS from the water, but she feels that the Village should partner with the other municipalities in order to reduce the demand on the water system during the summer months. This is especially so since Midland Park, Glen Rock and Wyckoff are not regulated under Ridgewood ordinances. Councilmember Winograd suggested that Ridgewood’s Water Conservation ordinance be shared with these municipalities and that the Village request that they develop similar ordinances, since all of the municipalities have a vested interest in water conservation and PFAS levels are reduced as water usage decreases.  She volunteered to work towards this goal, and asked that the applicable ordinance be supplied to all Councilmembers.

 

Mayor Vagianos thought that the suggestion made by Councilmember Winograd was outstanding. Mr. Rogers said that Ridgewood Water has attempted to get compliance over the years from the other municipalities.  While Ridgewood is highly compliant, he mentioned that some of the other towns are more lax in water restrictions and violation enforcement.  He mentioned that there are currently four applications for site plan approval:  two major plants in Wyckoff, a smaller one in Wyckoff, and one in Midland Park.  Hearings will be held on these applications within the next month.  He fully supported Councilmember Winograd’s suggestion.

 

            B.        PARKING

 

                        1.         EXTENSION OF 24/7/365 PARKING SPACES

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this item pertains to the extension of 24/7/365 parking spaces.  She explained that there are six such parking spaces in the Hudson Street Garage on the third floor and six parking spaces in the Cottage Place lot.  By the end of 2022, four of the six parking permits for the Hudson Street Garage were purchased and none of the Cottage Place parking permits were purchased.  These spaces cost $1,625.00 per year in the Hudson Street Garage and $1,300.00 per year in the Cottage Place lot.  Ms. Mailander spoke with Robert Rooney, Chief Financial Officer, who indicated that the pricing could remain the same for 2023 if the Village were to continue selling these parking spaces.

 

Ms. Mailander indicated that at least three people (of the current four) would like to purchase a space for 2023 in the Hudson Street Garage, and she has received other inquiries about these spaces over the past couple of weeks.

 

Councilmember Weitz asked if these spots were used for commercial vehicles or private cars, and whether or not the spaces could accommodate more than one car.  Ms. Mailander replied that there can only be one car per space and are used mostly by individuals who reside in or near the CBD. Councilmember Weitz asked whether the fee charged for these parking spaces is commensurate with what the Village would receive for that spot over the course of a year.  Ms. Mailander said that it is not, but it is commensurate when adding together the fees charged for a premium parking permit and an overnight parking permit.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron questioned whether or not it would be worthwhile to continue with the six spots in the Cottage Place lot, since none were purchased last year.  Ms. Mailander replied that these spots are not cordoned off, so if someone is interested in renting a space, then a parking spot would be dedicated to that individual.  She felt that there would be no harm in continuing to offer these spots in the Cottage Place lot.  This was agreeable to Deputy Mayor Perron.

 

Councilmember Winograd thought that this provided a wonderful service for some people.  She asked if the fees are prorated during the summer months when college-aged residents are home.  Ms. Mailander replied that the fees are prorated based upon when the parking permits are purchased (per month).  Councilmember Winograd asked if there has ever been a discussion about selling the parking permits during the summer months.  Ms. Mailander replied that she was not aware of such a discussion, but that they could certainly talk about it.  The yearly fee could be broken down per month and the permits could be sold for a set number of months.  She would first like to see how many permits for the spots in the Hudson Street Garage are sold.  She suggested that perhaps the discussion could be done in March as the summer months approach. This was agreeable to Councilmember Winograd.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked, if the Cottage Street lot is still underutilized, whether or not some spots could be offered for free to employees who work in the CBD, on a raffle basis.  This would alleviate street parking and open up parking spots to shoppers and diners, as well as “train” the employees to park offsite.  Ms. Mailander replied that if this were done, the Village would lose revenue from those five or six spots.  Deputy Mayor Perron agreed, but she stated that the employees would then not park on the street.  Ms. Mailander stated that it would also depend upon where each employee worked.  She stated that there have also been instances where parking areas have been dedicated to employees in the Cottage Place lot at lower rates, yet those spots remained empty while the rest of the lot was full and shoppers and diners could not find anywhere to park in that lot. 

 

Ms. Mailander also stated that she was not sure if a raffle would be legal or not, and she would have Mr. Rogers look into it.  Councilmember Winograd felt that a raffle would be a great idea if it could legally be done.  Deputy Mayor Perron remarked that she felt the spots should be offered for free, since even reduced parking fees for employees did not entice them to park in the Cottage Street lot.  Mr. Rogers interjected by saying that he thought public raffles are “frowned upon,” but that he would look into it and let them know.

 

Everyone was in agreement to continue the 24/7/365 parking permits in the Hudson Street Garage and Cottage Place lot. Councilmember Winograd asked if there would be any promotional materials, such as flyers, announcing the availability of these parking spots.  Ms. Mailander replied in the affirmative, saying that the original announcements were sent out via E-notices and were posted on the Village website.

 

            C.        BUDGET

 

                        1.         ESTABLISH 2023 TEMPORARY BUDGET

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this item pertains to the establishment of the 2023 Temporary Budget, until the actual 2023 Budget is adopted.  The percentage of the budget is based on statute.

 

2.         REFUND OF OVERPAYMENT OF TAXES – 460 NORTHERN PARKWAY

 

Ms. Mailander stated that this resolution is in regard to a refund of an overpayment of taxes in the amount of $2,311.47, as a result of a double payment on fourth quarter 2022 property taxes for 460 Northern Parkway.  The actual amount will be verified by Ms. Mailander, since two different amounts were cited in the paperwork.

 

                        3.         TAX EXEMPT VETERAN REFUND OF TAXES

 

Ms. Mailander said that this resolution would authorize a refund of taxes paid regarding 409 Morningside Road, since the homeowner is a tax-exempt, 100% disabled veteran.  The property taxes refunded would include the third and fourth quarter taxes for 2022, and will be refunded to Corelogic, the firm that paid the taxes.

 

4.         AWARD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT – LAND SURVEYOR SERVICES

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this item pertains to an annual contract for professional land surveyor services.  This represents an annual retainer for Daniel M. Dunn, PLS, PP, of Dunn Surveying and Mapping, P.A., of Waldwick, New Jersey, to provide professional land surveying services for the certification, survey work supervision, and assistance with preparation of the Village of Ridgewood Tax Assessment Map for 2023. Mr. Dunn has provided this service successfully and without any issues since 1999 to the Village. The retainer is not to exceed $1,900.00 (increased by $200 from 2022).  The retainer provides the Village with a New Jersey Professional Land Surveyor to endorse the Village tax maps and provide the license coverage for the survey work the staff of the Engineering Division prepares for various construction projects and regulatory submittals.

 

5.         AWARD YEAR TWO CONTRACT – LANDFILL DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE

 

Ms. Mailander indicated that this item pertains to the awarding of year two of a two-year contract for the provision of landfill disposal of solid waste.  The official award must be made each year.  It is recommended that the award of year two be made to the sole responsible bidder, IWS Transfer Systems of N.J., Inc., of Jersey City, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $764,655.00 per year ($80.49 per ton).  Funding will be budgeted for in the 2023 Village Operating Budget.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked in what landfill the solid waste is deposited and also asked whether Village trucks or IWS trucks are used to transport the solid waste to the landfill.  Mr. Calbi replied that IWS is strictly a transfer mechanism.  All garbage is transferred from the Village in Village trucks to a transfer station in Paterson, after which time the solid waste is hauled in IWS trucks to a landfill in Pennsylvania.  When questioned by Deputy Mayor Perron, Mr. Calbi said he was not sure of the name of the landfill but would find out and report back to her.  Deputy Mayor Perron remarked how expensive it is to dispose of solid waste.  Mr. Calbi confirmed that there are thousands of tons of solid waste disposed of per year.  Attempts are being made to reduce the amount of solid waste through recycling.

 

Councilmember Winograd asked whether or not residents are being educated about the cost of solid waste disposal and how they may contribute to lessening the tonnage per year through recycling and/or sale through secondary markets.  She stated that consumers should be educated on both the environmental and financial impacts of solid waste removal.  She offered to help Mr. Calbi with this initiative.  Mr. Calbi replied that Joanna Latrell does a good job of preparing the recycling “Green Guide.”  He mentioned that some pages of the guide this year will include literature advising residents how they may reduce the amount of garbage picked up every week, but he agreed that more should be done to educate residents.

 

6.         ACCEPT NAME CHANGE OF VENDOR – LEAF VACUUM TRUCK

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this item pertains to a resolution to change the name of the vendor which sold a new single operator leaf vacuum truck to the Village on May 25, 2022.  Peirce Eagle Equipment, of Branchburg, New Jersey, has changed their name to Vac-Con Services, Inc., and this resolution will authorize acceptance of the name change for this vendor for billing purposes.  The purchased leaf vacuum truck is scheduled to be delivered to the Village this week.

 

7.         AUTHORIZE SHARED SERVICES AGREEMENT – TV INSPECTION

 

Ms. Mailander stated that this resolution pertains to the authorization of a Shared Services Agreement for TV inspection of the sanitary sewer system and other systems.  This annual Shared Services Agreement with the Northwest Bergen County Utilities Authority (NBCUA) expired on December 31, 2022, and this resolution will authorize the signing of a new Shared Services Agreement for the years of 2023 and 2024.  This will be the first year of a two-year agreement whereby the Village will pay NBCUA a per foot price of $0.89 in 2023 and $0.92 in 2024, with a minimum payment of $500.00 for each day of inspection.  Ms. Mailander explained that the Village must clean the sanitary sewer lines and provide traffic control while this is being performed.  These services are performed on an as-needed basis.  If these services are not used, the Village will not need to expend any money.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked if the State of New Jersey requires regular inspections of sewer mains.  Ms. Mailander replied that the state does not, but the Village will utilize these services if there is a blockage in the system from roots or other debris.  Deputy Mayor Perron asked whether the “other systems” referred to in the Shared Services Agreement included stormwater or water mains.  Ms. Mailander said that these services are primarily used for sewer mains and that the services are not used that often.  Mr. Rutishauser of the Engineering Department indicated that this TV inspection is used primarily for sanitary sewer lines.  He mentioned that the Village’s collection system is well past its life expectancy and problems periodically occur.  Cameras are usually the best way to investigate such problems before digging is commenced.  The cameras could be used in the Village’s stormwater collection system if there are concerns of a collapse.  This service would not be used for the potable water system due to disinfection requirements (going from one type of surveillance to another).

 

8.         ENDORSE GRANT APPLICATION – SOLID WASTE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR RECYCLING

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this item pertains to the endorsement of a grant application to be made by Sean Hamlin, Recycling Coordinator for the Village of Ridgewood.  This is in regard to the submission of a Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grant Program for Political Subdivisions of States and Territories application.  Ms. Mailander indicated that this is a Federal grant.

 

9.         ENDORSE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT APPLICATION – FAMILY PROMISE – EMPOWERING HOMELESS WORKING FAMILIES THROUGH FINANCIAL EDUCATION

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this resolution pertains to the endorsement of a resolution by the Village Council to Family Promise of Bergen County so that they may apply for a grant to carry out a proposed project, to be funded by Bergen County Community Development, entitled “Empowering Homeless Working Families through Financial Education.” The amount requested for fiscal year 2023-2024 is $24,500.00.  The Village will not be obligated to expend any funds for this project.

 

10.       ACCEPT DONATION – FENCING/POSTS FROM RIDGEWOOD BASEBALL/SOFTBALL ASSOCIATION

 

Ms. Mailander indicated that this item pertains to the acceptance of a donation by the Ridgewood Baseball/Softball Association (RBSA) of new seasonal fencing and posts.  This will secure and preserve the newly sodded and renovated 90-foot official baseball diamond at Veterans Field. This gift is valued at approximately $1,000.00. The fencing and posts were purchased and installed by members of the RBSA, in order to protect the Village’s significant investment on this field after the last flood. 

 

When questioned by Deputy Mayor Perron, Ms. Mailander replied that it was her understanding that the fencing and posts can be used year after year.  Councilmember Reynolds asked how long the fencing and posts would be erected.  Ms. Mailander said that she would find out the answer to this question.  When questioned by Councilmember Reynolds, Ms. Mailander replied that it appears that the fencing and posts will only be used off-season to protect the field.  Deputy Mayor Perron asked if there is a proposed storage location when the fencing and posts are not being used, and Ms. Mailander replied that she is confident that they will be able to find an appropriate location to store the items during baseball/softball season.

 

11.       RESCIND RESOLUTION 22-414 – FINAL DESIGN SERVICES – SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL GRANT

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this item pertains to rescinding Resolution 22-414 so that she may have time to verify the amount of funding available for “Final Design Services” for the Village of Ridgewood, based upon the scope of improvements included in the Safe Routes to School Program Grant Project, prior to awarding a Professional Services Contract for the final design services.  She anticipates that a new resolution to award at least part of this contract can be adopted at the January 11, 2023 meeting.

 

12.       CAPITAL ORDINANCES - PAVING

 

Ms. Mailander stated that this item pertains to Capital Ordinances for Paving.  Mr. Rutishauser explained that he has prepared a preliminary list of streets to be resurfaced, and he would like to bid out these jobs shortly.  The award will be limited to the amount of funding provided by the Village Council.

 

            D.        POLICY

 

1.         HYBRID ACCESS TO VILLAGE COUNCIL MEETINGS

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this matter concerns the establishment of hybrid access during Village Council meetings.  She said that certain parameters need to be established so that everyone understands how hybrid access will work, such as whether or not attendees need to be on camera or audio only.  Councilmember Reynolds said that she would like to see the person when they are speaking. Councilmember Weitz agreed with Councilmember Reynolds.  Councilmember Winograd stated that she was fine with audio only, to allow people with social anxiety to be able to speak and participate.  Councilmember Reynolds pointed out that video would show body language and facial expressions, which would enhance the words being spoken.  Councilmember Weitz pointed out that showing a speaker’s face would verify a person’s identity and would ensure accountability.  Deputy Mayor Perron indicated that she is fine with audio only, stating that she did not want hybrid access to be more of an expense than it needs to be.  Mayor Vagianos said that the ultimate goal is to remove as many barriers as possible, because remote access attendees are only making comments, not trying to have an application approved or anything like that.  He stated that he would be fine with audio only, but that he would prefer to see speakers’ faces.  He suggested “hybrid-hybrid access” whereby speakers may choose whether or not to allow their faces to be seen while making comments.  He mentioned seniors who may not know how to allow access to their device’s camera.

 

Dylan Hansen, Director of IT, stated that both scenarios could be achieved.  If someone calls in through the Zoom app, they have the option of whether or not to turn on their camera on their iPhone or computer. Mayor Vagianos said that speakers would be asked to turn on their cameras, if they are able to do so.  For residents who do call in, their phone numbers will be logged (with the last four digits of their phone number shown on the screen). When questioned by Councilmember Reynolds, Mr. Hansen indicated that voices will be heard over the speakers.  If the caller chooses video, their image will appear on the screens located in front and in back of the Councilmembers. The images will also automatically be fed into the system and shown on TV and YouTube as part of the regular meeting.

 

Mayor Vagianos asked what needs to be done so that hybrid access can be instituted as soon as possible.  Mr. Hansen replied that this can be accomplished fairly quickly.  Ms. Mailander indicated that if an appropriate resolution is adopted at the January 11, 2023 meeting, then hybrid access could be accomplished in time for the meeting scheduled for January 25, 2023.  Councilmember Weitz asked if closing public comments could be done via Zoom after the resolution is passed on January 11, 2023.  Ms. Mailander indicated that there was not enough time to get the equipment up and running in time for the January 11, 2023 meeting.  Announcements also have to be sent out to the public so that they are aware that hybrid access has been re-instituted.

 

Councilmember Reynolds asked what the order of the speakers would be (in-person speakers versus remote speakers).  Ms. Mailander said that this was an important decision to make since only 40 minutes are allotted for opening public comments.  A discussion ensued about how speakers would be queued.  Mayor Vagianos pointed out that if there are a lot of people physically in the audience who want to speak, there may not be enough time for remote attendees to make comments.  Councilmember Reynolds pointed out that there is no time limit for closing public comments, other than the five minutes allotted per person.  Councilmember Winograd suggested “toggling” the speakers (taking, for example, two people physically in attendance, then two remote speakers, and so forth).  Mr. Hansen said that this would make it a bit harder for him to operate the cameras, but it could be done, as long as adequate directions were given to him and his crew.

 

Mayor Vagianos asked if preference should be given to in-person attendees.  Deputy Mayor Perron felt that they should be given preference because they made an effort to attend in person and then still need to drive home in the dark of night.  Councilmember Reynolds agreed, stating that it would not be fair for an in-person attendee to have to wait until remote attendees made public comments, because they may not have a chance to be heard early in the meeting and then would have to wait up to three hours before making comments at the end of the meeting.  Councilmember Weitz remarked that Mayor Vagianos has the option of extending the time for public comments.  He also said that if it is apparent that a lot of people are going to be speaking on the same topic, then perhaps some remote speakers or in-person attendees could be heard who may speak about different topics.  He suggested that the order of speakers not be written into the resolution, but rather leave it to the discretion of Mayor Vagianos in which order people will make public comments. 

 

Councilmember Winograd mentioned that one of the reasons for instituting hybrid access is to make all things equal and to “open doors” for people who cannot physically attend a meeting, due to childcare, disability, work schedules or otherwise. She feels that giving in-person residents the opportunity to speak first defeats the purpose of even having hybrid access.  She feels that a fair resolution should be arrived at so that an equal number of people from both sides has the opportunity to speak.  Councilmember Weitz said that the queuing does not need to be set in stone, and reiterated that he did not feel that parameters should be written into the resolution and decisions regarding when people will make comments should be done on a case-by-case basis. 

 

Mr. Rogers agreed with Councilmember Weitz, stating that such decisions should be made on a meeting-by-meeting basis, after determining how many people are in attendance physically and how many people are queued on Zoom.  He said that other municipalities and legislative bodies utilize a system whereby people who wish to speak virtually sign in ahead of time.  In this way, the Village Council would know how many people wish to speak via Zoom and they also have an idea how many people are present at the meeting who wish to speak. He was not sure whether a “set number” could be obtained and felt that this should be determined “on the fly,” stating that a specific number should probably not be mentioned in the resolution. 

 

Councilmember Weitz remarked that he liked the idea of people “registering” ahead of time, by either emailing the Village Manager or calling ahead of time.  Mayor Vagianos agreed with both Councilmember Weitz and Councilmember Winograd that the order of people making public comments should be left to the discretion of the Village Councilmembers.  To avoid going back and forth between in-person speakers and remote speakers, Mayor Vagianos suggested that public comments begin with people actually present at the meeting (perhaps 10) and then switch over to people waiting in the Zoom queue.  Then, at the discretion of the Village Council, the time for the public comments portion of the meeting can be extended if necessary, to include at least seven more people via Zoom.  He suggested that a specific number be left out of the resolution.  Everyone was in agreement with this suggestion.

 

Mr. Hansen stated that if only the screens in front of the Councilmembers are enabled, he can give them a different view so that they can actually see how many people are waiting in the log, like an “admin view.”  People viewing the meeting would see the Zoom speakers, but people in the audience would not be able to see them because he has only one connection.  However, people viewing via You Tube, Swagit, or Channel 34 would be able to view the Zoom speakers.  Mayor Vagianos asked if all of the screens could be enabled, with one screen at the dais showing the queue to allow monitoring.  Mr. Hanson stated that he would have to contact the Signal Division so that another cable connection could be installed.  When asked how long that would take, Mr. Hansen replied that he would check to see how busy the Signal Division is at the current time.  Mayor Vagianos felt that it was important that members in the audience be able to see people who are speaking via Zoom.  Mr. Hansen said that he would find out and get back to Ms. Mailander.  Everyone was in agreement with this.

 

Ms. Mailander asked whether or not Village Councilmembers would be allowed to participate in a meeting from a remote location. She would recommend same only in very unusual circumstances, such as illness, and definitely not for Public Meetings because Village Councilmembers must be physically present in order to vote.  Councilmember Winograd thought that this was a good idea, in a limited capacity.  Councilmember Weitz agreed.  Mayor Vagianos thought that this recommendation was excellent, especially in cases of Covid where a person needs to be isolated but is well enough to participate during a meeting.  Ms. Mailander said that this would be incorporated into the resolution.  Ms. Mailander also indicated that when hybrid meetings are begun, a moderator from IT would need to be present to ensure the smooth queuing of people into Zoom, so that the meeting can be done in a webinar format (to avoid Zoom-bombing which has occurred in the past).

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked how much it will cost to have hybrid access.  Mr. Hansen replied that the cost will depend upon the length of the meeting.  Ms. Mailander explained that the IT moderator would have to be in attendance until the closing public comments, and that after 40 hours, IT personnel are paid at time-and-a-half.  Mayor Vagianos recalled that when he spoke to Mr. Hansen a while back, they estimated the cost to be in the $8,000 to $9,000 range for the year. Mr. Hansen said that he could calculate a more accurate figure, based on rotating the staff in the IT department, so that hopefully no one would exceed 40 hours.

 

2.         EAGER – SELECTION OF ENERGY CONSULTANT

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this matter concerns the selection of an energy consultant.  Deputy Mayor Perron indicated that EAGER stands for “Encouraging Alternative Green Energy for Ridgewood.”  The goal is to reduce the carbon footprint of Village residents.  If the demand for electricity can be aggregated, a lower fixed price could be obtained with more renewable content. She mentioned that there are several municipalities in New Jersey which have already gone this route.  In 2022, the Village Council passed an ordinance to enter into an energy aggregation program for a three-year period.  Bids for an energy consultant were sent out.  Deputy Mayor Perron mentioned that the area of energy aggregation is so complex that an energy consultant must be hired in order to navigate the process of hiring a third-party electricity supplier.  Three bids have been received from Gabel Associates, Good Energy, and Taurus, and each prospective energy consultant gave a presentation before the Village Council.  Deputy Mayor Perron stated that the Village Council must now vote on which energy consultant they would like to hire.

 

Mayor Vagianos acknowledged the tremendous amount of time and energy spent by Deputy Mayor Perron in researching energy aggregation and thanked her for her efforts.  Deputy Mayor Perron remarked that there are members of a subcommittee of Green Ridgewood who worked alongside her in this regard.  When interviewing the three prospective energy consultants, they learned that the energy market is really bad at the present time.  However, she feels that the Village should be prepared, by first hiring an energy consultant, so that decisions can be made when energy prices improve.  She mentioned that the consultant gets paid through the third-party supplier and the Village does not need to expend any money to “hire” the consultant.  Most municipalities are now waiting for the energy market to improve, hopefully by June of 2023.  By engaging an energy consultant earlier rather than later, the consultant will be able to perform the initial steps, such as obtaining all the necessary energy consumption data pertaining to Village residents.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron stated that of the three consultants being considered, she feels that Gabel Associates is the “best bet” for Ridgewood.  They administer energy aggregation programs for municipalities in New Jersey, and the Village is a participant in Strategic Energy Management (SEM), a system of organizational practices, policies, and processes that creates persistent energy savings by integrating energy management into business practices.  Deputy Mayor Perron mentioned that the Village has used Gabel Associates as consultants in the past regarding various matters.  Their company has been involved from the beginning of the deregulation process in the early 2000s, being directly involved in developing the rules and regulations.  Deputy Mayor Perron feels that Gabel Associates has the most contacts with third-party suppliers and can “winnow the weed from the chaff.”  She mentioned that she has spoken to officials from other municipalities who advised her that they initially went with Good Energy but eventually retained Gabel Associates to administer their energy aggregation program.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron indicated that many of her colleagues liked the presentation given by Good Energy.  She indicated that the presentation by Taurus was almost too good to be true (regarding the fact that the Village would be able to cancel a contract with a third-party supplier if energy prices rose during the term of the contract).  After checking once again with Taurus, it was discovered that it was indeed too good to be true.  Deputy Mayor Perron stated that Taurus is more active nationally than the other two candidates and she doesn’t feel that Taurus has as many contacts in the energy supplier field as does Gabel Associates.

 

Councilmember Weitz also thanked Deputy Mayor Perron for her extensive work in this matter.  Councilmember Reynolds stated that the only problem with this energy aggregation program is that it is an “opt out” program, whereby customers are automatically opted into the program and must opt out if they want to stay with their current provider.  She would like customers to be able to opt out very easily, without jumping through hoops. She mentioned that some people, especially the elderly population, are not technologically savvy.  Deputy Mayor Perron agreed and stated that the opt-out methods will be explained before the program goes into effect.  She said that people can easily opt out at any point during the course of the contract with the third-party supplier. 

 

Mayor Vagianos said that it will be incumbent upon the Village to communicate effectively with residents concerning the option to opt out at any time.  Councilmember Reynolds anticipated a lot of negative feedback from residents initially.  Mayor Vagianos said that the ultimate purpose of having such a program is to save money for residents, and the public needs to be properly educated about the program and its benefits.  Deputy Mayor Perron stated that the consultant would supply templates to the Village which can be used to notify residents of the program.  Mayor Vagianos indicated that he has reviewed all of the materials and that he agrees with Deputy Mayor Perron’s assessment that Gabel Associates is clearly the leader in the energy aggregation field in this region.

 

Councilmember Winograd said that the work done by Deputy Mayor Perron and others to date is incredibly impressive and thanked everyone for their efforts.  She said that she would defer to the other Councilmembers who heard the presentations given by the three prospective consultants, and added that she likes the fact that Gabel Associates has a proven track record and the company is “Jersey focused.”  She indicated that she felt it would be beneficial for the Village to be prepared and in a good position to bid on energy with a third-party supplier once the energy market prices become more favorable.

 

                        3.         PEDESTRIAN PLAZA AND DINING CORRALS

 

Ms. Mailander pointed out the memorandum which she distributed to the Councilmembers contains certain questions and topics for discussion regarding the pedestrian plaza and dining corrals.  She stated that the pedestrian plazas were previously in operation all day on Saturdays and Sundays, and asked everyone if they would like to keep the same format.  Mayor Vagianos said that he would like to see the same hours of operation, and the other Councilmembers agreed.  Mayor Vagianos remarked that he spoke with Mr. Rogers about whether or not he would need to recuse himself from this discussion, since he owns a business in the CBD. 

 

Mr. Rogers stated that Mayor Vagianos wanted to make sure that his actions were proper and legal and that he did not violate any ethical standards or considerations required of municipal elected officials.  After due diligence by researching case law and speaking with judges and other elected officials and organizations such as the League of Municipalities, it is Mr. Rogers’ opinion that Mayor Vagianos can participate in discussions regarding the usage of properties and streets in the Central Business District. 

 

Mr. Rogers cited a section of the Local Government Ethics Law, which states that a government officer will not be deemed to be in conflict if he participates in a discussion that involves a group of which he is a member and where he may receive a benefit similar to the benefit received by other members of that group.  Mr. Rogers said that he was confident that the “group” could entail the Central Business District since, in case law, “groups” have been deemed to include parishioners of churches, homeowners’ associations, land areas, and, in this case, a central business district or an area of commercial properties.  

 

Mr. Rogers stated that the decision as to whether or not to participate is subjective, but he stated that he was confident that according to the Local Government Ethics Law and relevant case decisions, Mayor Vagianos could participate in and vote on such matters, unless Mayor Vagianos has a specific vested interest or would realize an economic advantage in a certain matter that other merchants in the CBD would not.  Regarding the pedestrian plaza and dining corrals, Mr. Rogers stated that Mayor Vagianos would not participate in location discussions or votes.

 

Councilmember Reynolds asked Ms. Mailander if the prior locations of the pedestrian plaza would remain the same as in the past.  Ms. Mailander said that that decision needs to be made by the Village Councilmembers.  She recalls some complaints from merchants that people would take up the parking spaces near their businesses and then walk up to the pedestrian mall area, without visiting the businesses near where they parked.  She said that making the pedestrian plaza the entire length of East Ridgewood Avenue would be cost prohibitive, unless the Village Council decides that they would like to do so, perhaps once a month.

 

Mayor Vagianos said that the location of the pedestrian plaza really needs to be decided by the Ridgewood Police, since traffic issues are involved.  When the pedestrian plaza was first initiated, Mayor Vagianos said that he never participated in location discussions.  Rather, he deferred to the police and others to decide which streets should be closed.  In this present discussion, Mayor Vagianos stated that he will not participate in the discussion as it pertains to location.  He thanked Mr. Rogers for doing extensive legal research.

 

Councilmember Reynolds stated that the “perception” by the public will not be good if Mayor Vagianos participates in any of the discussions regarding the pedestrian plaza and dining corrals.  Councilmember Weitz stated that Mr. Rogers does not work for the Mayor or Council, but works as independent counsel for the Village of Ridgewood.  He said that it does not make sense for Mr. Rogers to do extensive research, draft a memo, and announce his conclusions, and then have it all be for naught.  While he understood Councilmember Reynolds’ point of view, he stated that truth and facts are more important than perception, and he was strongly inclined to go with the independent advice of Mr. Rogers when he stated that Mayor Vagianos’s participation in this discussion (other than location) would not be a conflict of interest.  He agreed with Mayor Vagianos that the key consideration for the location of the pedestrian plaza should be a police “traffic flow” conversation.

 

Mr. Rogers suggested to Ms. Mailander that she first ask the Councilmembers who was either for or against the reinstitution of the pedestrian plaza.  Deputy Mayor Perron stated that she was in favor of the pedestrian plaza.  Councilmember Reynolds said she was also in favor but not on a weekly basis, stating that it was too harmful to some of the businesses in the CBD.

 

Mayor Vagianos stated that shoppers are now in an “Amazon economy” and that retailers need to be provided with an “experiential retail/restaurant” experience.  He stated that last year was a very difficult year for the CBD without the pedestrian plaza, and the pedestrian plaza is critical to the survival of the CBD.  He added that, most importantly, Ridgewood residents and businesses want the pedestrian plaza to return every weekend, stating that this is the only way the pedestrian plaza will work.  He stated that it cannot only be held once every couple of weeks or once a month.  He said that after the police establish a pedestrian plaza “zone,” businesses will ultimately gravitate into that zone or out of that zone, depending upon their type of business.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron stated that one of the ideas which has come up during the Central Business District Advisory Committee (CBDAC) meetings is to rotate the location of the pedestrian plaza, from street to street on various weekends, so that no one business establishment is overly burdened.  After discussions with Police Chief Luthcke, it was determined that certain streets did not lend themselves to such location rotation.  Each street had its own limitations; i.e., blocking off Oak Street entirely would block buses at the bus terminal and blocking off Chestnut Street would block access to the Chestnut Street parking lot, which takes up one-quarter of the block. Deputy Mayor Perron stated that it seemed like the prior setup for the pedestrian plaza would be the most feasible.

 

Ultimately, all Village Councilmembers stated that they were in favor of reinstituting the pedestrian plaza.  Days that the pedestrian plaza would be in operation was next discussed.  Mayor Vagianos stated that he believed the only way to reinstitute the pedestrian plaza would be to have it all day Saturday and Sunday as before, stating that that format worked very effectively in the past.  Councilmember Weitz, Councilmember Reynolds and Councilmember Winograd also agreed.  Councilmember Winograd added that the pedestrian plaza could be expanded to Fridays, since there are many people still working from home and many people expressed this to her during her recent campaign.  Mayor Vagianos agreed and said that perhaps, at the end of summer, having the pedestrian plaza on Fridays could also be discussed.

 

Dates that the pedestrian plaza would be in effect was next discussed.  In 2020, it was from May through the end of September; in 2021, it was from July through Labor Day.  The pedestrian plaza was not in effect during holiday weekends in 2021.  Mayor Vagianos stated that people “come out” once the warm weather arrives and suggested that the pedestrian plaza start on May 1 and continue through the end of October, perhaps longer if the weather continues to be warm.  He stated that this will re-invigorate the CBD.

 

Councilmember Reynolds stated that she was completely against having the pedestrian plaza for six months, stating that she was afraid a lot of merchants in the CBD would go out of business.  Mayor Vagianos insisted that the pedestrian plaza is what will save businesses, stating that businesses thrived during the Covid pandemic.  Councilmember Reynolds agreed but stated that that was because people were not able to go inside stores and restaurants.  Mayor Vagianos replied that people could indeed go into business establishments in 2021.

 

Councilmember Winograd felt that they should obtain more information from the police before arriving at a decision.  She recalled that the police felt previously that staffing the pedestrian plaza was cumbersome.  She stated that six months was a long time for the pedestrian plaza, but felt that it should be extended into the fall months.

 

Councilmember Weitz felt that they should not start out “big” with the pedestrian plaza, until they saw how successful it was going to be.  He mentioned that businesses/restaurants may pay for the spaces for six months and then would require a partial refund if the Village Council decided that having the pedestrian plaza every weekend, from May 1 through the end of October, was too much.  He suggested an initial shorter timeframe for the pedestrian plaza, which would give the Village Council some “wiggle room” in case interest waned towards the end of September.  Councilmember Weitz would like to see the pedestrian plaza run from mid-May to mid-September, with the option for the Village Council to extend the dates if it turns out to be very popular.  Mayor Vagianos agreed with Councilmember Weitz.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron stated that the programming also needs to be taken into consideration, such as activities and music, which draw people to the pedestrian plaza and into the CBD.  She said that six months of programming is a lot to fill up.  In addition, if the Village Council decides to extend the time of the pedestrian plaza, they would need to give a lot of advance notice to whoever will be “getting the word out” that the pedestrian plaza is being extended.

 

Mayor Vagianos said that he was fine with having the pedestrian plaza from May 15 to September 15, with the option to extend based upon its success.  He agreed that entertainment was a huge component of the pedestrian plaza, and stated that he did not see any problems in the past with securing entertainment with local bands and other activities.  Councilmember Weitz agreed.  Most Councilmembers agreed with this suggestion, except for Councilmember Reynolds for the reasons she stated previously.

 

Regarding holiday weekends (Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Columbus Day and Labor Day), Councilmember Reynolds felt that adequate police staffing would be a problem on holiday weekends.  Mayor Vagianos said that Police Chief Luthcke told him that she did not feel staffing would be a problem. Councilmember Reynolds asked who would pay for police coverage, and Mayor Vagianos indicated that the merchants and restaurants would pay for “every nickel.”  Mayor Vagianos stated that as long as the pedestrian plaza did not interfere with other Village activities, such as the Fourth of July parade, he is in favor of having the pedestrian plaza on holiday weekends.  All Councilmembers were in agreement.

 

Ms. Mailander asked the Councilmembers whether both restaurants and retail establishments would be able to go out into the streets during the pedestrian plaza.  Previously, both were allowed to do so after making application through the Code Enforcement Officer, which included the submission of a sketch showing where tables or racks would be placed.  Mayor Vagianos mentioned that the last time the pedestrian plaza was allowed, the retail businesses he had to coax onto the street found that their most successful and profitable days, in the history of their businesses, occurred during the pedestrian plaza.  Therefore, he would like to see both retailers and restaurants participating.  He mentioned that, in the past, a suitable spot in the pedestrian plaza was found for a clothing business located on Hudson Street.

 

Ms. Mailander then asked about music and performances during the pedestrian plaza.  In the past, bands played in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square on Saturday nights, as well as in other areas of the pedestrian plaza.  The Ridgewood Guild held “Music in the Night,” and The Chamber of Commerce arranged for other performances on Sunday afternoons.  A local resident also arranged for performances in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square on Sunday nights.  Mayor Vagianos stated that he absolutely wanted the music and performances to continue, stating that the bands and the performers were a “giant draw” and Ridgewood became a “happening place.” He said that there were many volunteers, as well as Village staff, who were able to schedule performances with great success.  Councilmember Weitz agreed, stating that the music and other entertainment is what made the pedestrian plaza so special in the past.  Deputy Mayor Perron added that there were also dance classes held on the street by the Arthur Murray Studio.  Ms. Mailander remarked that Heart of Motion also put on artistic performances.

 

Ms. Mailander then asked the Councilmembers whether they wanted to have the “Touch a Truck” event take place during the pedestrian plaza.  If so, she asked for some general dates when they would like to have this event occur.  Deputy Mayor Perron felt that doing the “Touch a Truck” event once a season was enough and that it becomes “ho-hum” if done too often.  Ms. Mailander mentioned that the regular “Touch A Truck” event usually takes place in May.  Mayor Vagianos said that he would defer to the Village Manager’s discretion, as long as it worked out logistically for the Village.  Councilmember Winograd added that she thought this event was wonderful for children and mentioned that workers could also be recognized and honored at the same time.

 

Councilmember Winograd stated that there were some concerns raised regarding parking during the pedestrian plaza.  She suggested the establishment of some 15-minute meter parking spots, such as “Grab and Go” meters for customers of businesses that are more service oriented, in the parking lot behind Park West Tavern.  She stated that, particularly on the north side of the CBD, there may be a need for more 15-minute parking meters to offset the fact that certain roads will be closed off during the pedestrian plaza.  Mayor Vagianos said that he actually visited the Chestnut Street lot, behind the shoemaker’s store on Oak Street, and he thought that installing 15-minute meters in that location would be a great way to address the concerns of service providers in the CBD. Councilmember Winograd indicated that she would provide pictures to the Councilmembers, Ms. Mailander and Police Chief Luthcke of some areas where she thought 15-minute meters would be useful. Councilmember Reynolds agreed with Councilmember Winograd, stating that she thought it was a great idea to give people an opportunity to run quick errands.  If such meters were established, Ridgewood residents would need to be informed where these meters are located.

 

Regarding dining corrals, Ms. Mailander asked when the Village Councilmembers would like them to be in effect.  Previously, when eating was not allowed inside restaurants at all or at reduced capacity, the dining corrals were in effect for most of 2020.  Ms. Mailander stated that the dining corrals were discontinued around November 1 because of the approaching holiday season and the possible need to have streets clear for snowplowing.  Mayor Vagianos suggested a more limited season for dining corrals, mentioning the fact that people did not dine outside in the cold weather.  He suggested May 1 through October 1 for the dining corrals.  Councilmember Weitz suggested aligning the dates for the dining corrals with the dates for the pedestrian plaza, which would also give the Village Council the option of extending the date for the dining corrals if they are successful.  Mayor Vagianos agreed with Councilmember Weitz that the dining corrals should run from May 15 to September 15. 

 

Councilmember Winograd was also in agreement, although she stated that she felt the restaurants on Broad Street would be put to a disadvantage to some degree, since they are outside of the pedestrian zone.  She felt that dining corrals were very successful in the past, stating that they provided a buffer and increased revenue for businesses.  Councilmember Winograd suggested “movable corrals” that are more functional than the previously used cement barriers.  She felt that any applications for outdoor dining be reviewed by the Planning Board to ensure safety.  Councilmember Winograd would like to see a more “charming” element of the dining corrals moving forward.

 

Mr. Rogers stated that if the dining corrals are going to be temporary and would be limited for a period of time during the warmer months, he would like to see another mechanism in place to approve the corrals rather than having the applicants go before the Planning Board, which can take a few months before the application is even heard.  He said that perhaps the Building Department or Site Plan Review Committee could review such applications, since the dining corrals would be temporary structures. 

 

Ms. Mailander explained that such applications in the past were reviewed by the Code Enforcement Officer regarding layout and table placement.  There was a discussion about the layout designed by Steel Wheel Tavern, which Councilmember Winograd felt was more vibrant.  Mr. Rogers suggested that this design be distributed to other applicants for consideration. 

 

Councilmember Reynolds recalled that Mr. Rutishauser developed some ideas for permanent bollards that were installed in the ground.  She said that she doesn’t remember what the cost was for doing so, but did remember that they would be expensive and would not be paid for by the restaurants.

 

Mayor Vagianos recalled that Mr. Rutishauser had proposed “vehicle defeating bollards,” which would entail drilling a hole in the street, placing a sleeve into the hole, and then installing the bollard into the hole, with three or four feet of the bollard being above ground level.  Such bollards would be able to be removed by a restaurant owner.  This would avoid the use of the large cement barriers.  Mr. Rutishauser still has the plans for the bollards, but Mayor Vagianos stated that the bollards may not be able to be received in time for this year’s dining corrals, due to supply chain issues, and the cement barriers would probably need to be used this year. 

 

Mayor Vagianos explained that the bollards would be uniform and purchased by the Village in bulk, after which time each participating restaurant would be responsible for purchasing them from the Village.  The Village would be responsible for drilling the appropriate holes and placing the sleeves into the holes.  Once the “go ahead” is given by the Village Council, Mr. Rutishauser could begin looking into the purchase of the bollards for use in 2024. Mayor Vagianos suggested that the use of the bollards be enveloped into the “Café Ordinance,” which was developed for the sidewalk cafés.  Each restaurant must develop a scaled drawing and submit same to the Building Department for review and approval.

 

Mr. Rogers remarked that there may be some enforcement issues which may arise with the use of the bollards.  He mentioned that, previously, some restaurants had developed outdoor cafés without submitting their plan to the Building Department and obtaining a license.  Regarding the encroachment of the dining corrals into the vehicular right-of-way, Mr. Rogers stated that this may present an easement situation, particularly if the business owner is going to own the bollards.

 

Councilmember Winograd said that she agreed with using the concrete barriers this year for the dining corrals, while exploring other options for 2024.  She said that there is presently a Ridgewood ordinance that restricts outdoor dining during certain times of the year, and she felt that it should be rescinded.  Mayor Vagianos remarked that that ordinance will not be in effect this year.  Mr. Rogers said that he would check out the ordinance to make sure.  Councilmember Winograd felt that there should not be any restrictions for outdoor dining, stating that sometimes there are warm days during the winter. 

 

Mayor Vagianos mentioned that the outdoor dining licenses have always been effective year round; however, perhaps two years ago, the Village Council restricted it to a certain number of weeks/months.  Mr. Rogers remarked that this was due to the need for snow removal on the streets.  Mayor Vagianos explained that the packets regarding dining corrals, which were distributed to businesses this year, stated that the licenses in 2023 would be effective for 12 months.  Councilmember Winograd said that she would like the restrictive dining corral ordinance to be rescinded, since it is a formal ordinance on record. Regarding enforcement, Mayor Vagianos said that the warning to businesses not to place chairs or tables outside before receiving an appropriate license is published prominently on the first page of the packet.

 

Councilmember Reynolds asked if dining corrals would be allowed everywhere in Ridgewood.  Ms. Mailander explained that any dining corrals have to be approved by the Police Department Traffic Bureau and the Village Engineer, taking into account how far the dining corrals would encroach into the street and the width of the streets.  Councilmember Reynolds said that she gets nervous with the dining corrals being located near where the buses travel, especially with dining corrals that are located opposite each other.  Ms. Mailander explained that the Police Department Traffic Bureau and Village Engineer take all of these scenarios into account when deciding where dining corrals can be safely located. She mentioned that some restaurants on East Ridgewood Avenue had to locate their dining corrals into the Prospect Street parking lot, since the street would have been too narrow if the dining corrals were located on East Ridgewood Avenue.  Restaurants must abide by whatever decision is made.

 

Councilmember Reynolds asked if the charge per space would be $350.00 per month, based upon the recommendation by Robert Rooney, Chief Financial Officer.  Ms. Mailander said that the spaces previously cost $250.00 per space per month, a discounted amount during the Covid pandemic.  She said that the cost per space would need to be decided upon by the Village Council.  Deputy Mayor Perron remarked that two restaurants had established outdoor dining on their own private property.  Mayor Vagianos remarked that those restaurants were not covered under the Café Ordinance.  Councilmember Reynolds felt that the Village Council should follow the advice of Mr. Rooney, and Mayor Vagianos agreed. 

 

Councilmember Winograd agreed, but stated that the restaurants on Broad Street with horizontal parking would be paying less than Steel Wheel Tavern, which has diagonal parking in front.  She feels that the charges need to be more equitable in that regard.  Councilmember Reynolds remarked that the process needs to be equitable to the Village as well, which was understood by Councilmember Winograd.  It was decided that the charge would be $350.00 per space, per month.

 

Ms. Mailander stated that the next items to be discussed were the rates to be charged for seating at outdoor cafés and dining corrals.  The current rate structure for tables and chairs is as follows:  1 to 4 seats, $100.00; 5 to 12 seats, $175.00; 13 to 20 seats, $300.00; over 20 seats, $450.00; and benches, $100.00.  Deputy Mayor Perron asked if these rates were per month or per season.  Mayor Vagianos replied that the rates are per season.  The Village Councilmembers were in agreement that the current rates would apply to 2023 as well.  Ms. Mailander said that they should look at increasing the rates for 2024, and Councilmember Weitz agreed, stating that the restaurants benefit greatly with the use of dining corrals.

 

Ms. Mailander asked whether the Village Councilmembers wanted to allow the use of tents, greenhouses, igloos, and bubbles.  Mayor Vagianos stated that he recommended against the use of such structures in 2023, since the use of such structures in the winter in the past was primarily due to the fact that indoor dining was prohibited during the Covid pandemic.  Deputy Mayor Perron agreed with Mayor Vagianos, saying that the use of such structures require sandbags, which present tripping hazards and were unsightly.  People complained in the past during the winter about the messy appearance of the dining corrals. 

 

Mayor Vagianos mentioned that much was learned during the two years of having the dining corrals, and the process will be tweaked along the way to determine what works and what does not work.  Ms. Mailander indicated that she appreciated all the feedback and that she would speak with the Traffic Bureau and Police Chief about various safety concerns regarding the location of the pedestrian plaza and the dining corrals.  She will place this matter on the agenda again at either the January 25, 2023 or February 1, 2023 meeting.

 

                        4.         FIRE WATCH ORDINANCE

 

Fire Department services and equipment are sometimes required in a non-emergency response manner, and this is called a Fire Watch.  Fire Watches are often required for special events, when there are disabled or broken fire suppression systems in occupied structures (other than one- and two-family dwellings), when pipes freeze in the winter, and during other situations in which Village firefighters and equipment are required to stand by to secure a scene for the protection of life and property.  These proposed ordinances provide for a mechanism to charge the costs of a Fire Watch to a responsible entity when a Village Fire Official determines a Fire Watch is required.  Fire Watches usually require additional personnel who must be paid for their time.

 

Chief Judge said that Fire Watches are required when a fire alarm or sprinkler system, for example, in a nursing home, is out of service.  The ordinance would set a standard so that the nursing home or other entity knows how much it will cost them when their fire suppression system is out of service.  In his experience, once the entity discovers how much it will cost them for the Fire Watch, their disabled system gets fixed much quicker.  If the sprinkler system at a nursery school becomes disabled, the building cannot be occupied without a Fire Watch and occupants must evacuate the building.  A Village Fire Official would determine how much staffing and equipment would be needed in any given situation.

 

Chief Judge stated that the rate per hour for firefighters during Fire Watch services was previously set; however, the vehicle rates were not.  The vehicle rates are based on scheduled equipment rates set forth by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA):  $25.00 per hour (or part thereof) for a car/pickup truck; $90.00 per hour (or part thereof) for an engine/rescue truck; and $125.00 per hour (or part thereof) for an aerial ladder truck. 

 

Regarding the administrative fees, Chief Judge stated that they “maxed out” FEMA’s administrative fee because sometimes, when a fire system breaks on a Friday, the system cannot usually be fixed until the following Monday (or Tuesday if the Monday falls on a holiday).  This represents three or four days when the Fire Watch is required.  For 3-1/2 days or 84 hours, this would amount to over $1,700.00 in administrative fees; therefore, they proposed that the administrative fee not exceed $500.00 per Fire Watch.  There shall be a minimum payment of three hours per person assigned to the Fire Watch, since fire personnel do not want to show up for only 25 minutes.  Chief Judge mentioned that he collaborated with the Fire Official in Rutherford when developing the proposed ordinance.

 

Mayor Vagianos thanked Chief Judge and also Chris Rutishauser, Village Engineer, for developing this ordinance.

 

                        5.         AMENDMENT TO PAVING MORATORIUM VIOLATIONS

 

Ms. Mailander explained that the purpose of the paving moratorium is to keep Village streets smooth by preventing street openings by utilities or contractors within five years of a street being paved.  Paving moratorium violations occur when a contractor or utility excavates a newly paved street to perform work.  The moratorium is to dissuade marring of newly resurfaced streets.  It is recommended that the fine for moratorium violations be increased from $2,000.00 per opening before the five-year time period to $2,500.00 per opening. Regarding the decorative thermoplastic crosswalks, Ms. Mailander stated that it is important that the restoration of any work across them be done correctly so as to maintain their pleasing appearance; therefore, an additional $200.00 per measured square foot will be assessed for any thermoplastic crosswalk material that is damaged or removed.

 

Mr. Rutishauser said that Village streets are “quite bumpy” as a result of gas main installation by PSE&G.  He described a constant “tug of war” with them in an effort to maintain Village streets.  PSE&G will sometimes resurface a street which they have dug up.  The increased fees will further dissuade PSE&G from digging up freshly paved streets (within five years).  However, there will be emergencies where the street needs to be dug up due to a sewer main failure in a residence only a year after a street has been paved, and the homeowner is not going to wait four years to repair it.  In such a case, the homeowner will bear the cost of the moratorium violation. However, if the homeowner claims hardship, it will be up to the discretion of the Village Manager whether or not the fee will be waived.  The fees would not be waived for someone “flipping” a home.

 

Councilmember Reynolds agreed that fees should be levied against utilities which excavate a street within five years of it being paved, but feels that homeowners should not be penalized in the event of a sewer main break at their home. Mr. Rutishauser replied that most sewer main breaks he sees “do not happen overnight.” He said that debris builds up in a pipe and a homeowner will clean the pipe every one or two years, with the homeowner feeling that cleaning the line is less expensive than replacing it. He stated that he has “less sympathy” for those homeowners who “draw out the need” to perform a sewer line replacement.  Mr. Rutishauser said that keeping the Village streets in good order is a continual challenge.  He reiterated that a homeowner assessed with the fine can petition the Village Manager for a waiver. Mr. Rutishauser explained that there are some utilities who will check with him prior to opening up a street, in order to find out when the street was last resurfaced, and if it is within that five-year timeframe, they will wait to perform the work until five years has passed.

 

Mayor Vagianos asked Mr. Rutishauser how many street openings could be attributed to PSE&G and how many could be attributed to residences.  Mr. Rutishauser replied that the great majority of street openings are done by utility companies (PSE&G or telecommunications companies such as Verizon or Altice).

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked if the work done by Altice was the reason why she was seeing all kinds of excess wires looped all over telephone poles in the Village.  Mr. Rutishauser replied that large wire loops, about two feet in diameter, are generally fiberoptic, and a lot of that work was done by Altice.  They performed fiberoptic connectivity work for the Village, and they are going to try to sell this to Village residents.  Deputy Mayor Perron asked if Altice was going to “clean up” the wires.  Mr. Rutishauser replied that Altice was “kind of slow on that.”  He and his staff have been trying to “chase them down,” but he stated that that has been difficult.  When the work was performed, Altice used a lot of subcontractors, and Mr. Rutishauser stated that this posed a lot of challenges for the Police Department.  Deputy Mayor Perron said that Altice personnel have to come back and clean up the mess, and Mr. Rutishauser replied that he will see what he can do.

 

Councilmember Winograd agreed with Councilmember Reynolds that the fees could create a lot of hardships for homeowners.  She asked what would happen if a new homeowner purchased a home that had been neglected and there needs to be work done on the sewer line. She asked Ms. Mailander if that would qualify as a hardship.  Ms. Mailander said that she could certainly review and evaluate such a hardship petition.  Councilmember Winograd asked Mr. Rutishauser how many times a homeowner has applied for a hardship and how many times the waiver was approved.  Mr. Rutishauser replied that there were perhaps two petitions in 2022.  There was a discussion about the responsibility of a home purchaser to have the sewer line inspected prior to the purchase, especially since many homes in Ridgewood are 100+ years old with pipes made out of vitrified clay, which deteriorate without proper maintenance.  All Village Councilmembers were in agreement regarding the increased fees.

 

                        6.         ADOPT NOTICE OF CLAIMS FORMS

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this item pertains to the adoption of Notice of Claim forms, such as the form updated by the Bergen County Municipal Joint Insurance Fund (JIF).  The General Counsel for JIF would like the Village to revise its Notice of Claim form to align with the JIF Claim Form.  Ms. Mailander indicated that this should be done on an annual basis.  This should be done in order to get the full benefit pertaining to Notice of Claim forms.  It is recommended that the new Notice of Claim form be adopted by the Village via an appropriate resolution.  The new form would be posted on the Village website, and any resident making a claim would have to utilize the new official form.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron agreed but stated that the JIF Notice of Claim form was replete with typographical errors.  She handed a revised and corrected copy of the Notice of Claim form to Ms. Mailander.  She suggested that the Notice of Claim form be placed on the Village website under the tab labeled “I Want To…” as a dropdown menu item labeled “File a Notice of Claim.”

 

                        7.         IMPROVEMENTS TO PUBLIC COMMENT

 

Ms. Mailander indicated that Councilmember Winograd has provided “Ridgewood Rules of Order: A Citizens Guide to Public Comment, Debate & Decorum” to the Village Councilmembers, which Councilmember Winograd suggested be posted on the podium.  Ms. Mailander felt that the guide should probably be placed on the table with the agendas, since people speaking at the podium will probably not be reading the guide beforehand.

 

Councilmember Winograd indicated that the public comment portions of Village Council meetings can be enhanced.  She receives many questions from the public regarding the different types of meetings (Work Sessions and Regular Public Meetings) held by the Village Council, and she feels that posting the “Ridgewood Rules of Order” would be very helpful to educate residents about the protocols to be followed during meetings.

 

During public comments, Councilmember Winograd stated that many questions have been heard repeatedly from the public.  She suggested the use of a “countdown clock” behind the dais so that people are aware of how much time they have left to speak.  Such clocks are used by the Board of Education.  She stated that members of the public have requested that the podium be moved because they feel like they’re in a “fishbowl” when speaking at the podium where it is currently placed in the center of the courtroom.  Councilmember Winograd also stated that the sound in the courtroom is terrible, and suggested that a Bergen County Sound Engineer be contacted for advice on improving the acoustics in the room.  Finally, she would like to have a discussion about possibly offering closed captioning during meetings for disabled residents.

 

Ms. Mailander pointed out that there is a sample description of a countdown clock in the packet assembled by Councilmember Winograd.  Mr. Hansen indicated that the clock would be installed underneath the TV.  The clock measures 8.75 inches in height, allowing for adequate visibility from the back of the room, and the numbers are white (but available in other colors).  There is an audible alert when the time limit is about to be reached, and the clock automatically resets for the next speaker.  There is a feature which allows the clock to be stopped midway in the event a Village Councilmember wants to speak during public comment, and then it can be restarted again at whatever point it was stopped.

 

Mayor Vagianos asked if a clock could be made available for Zoom meeting participants.  Mr. Hansen replied that there may be an add-in on Zoom which can be used for such a purpose.

 

Regarding speakers, Mr. Hansen indicated that he reached out to the Sound Engineer of Bergen County.  They are currently revamping their entire conference room with a new audio system.  Mr. Hansen said that he plans to visit the location in Bergen County to inspect the system.  He mentioned that the room in Bergen County is “squarer” in configuration than the courtroom in Ridgewood which has a cathedral-style ceiling, similar to the vault architecture in a church.  He spoke to the sound engineer of a church, who stated that they use an analog audio board which can be more precisely controlled, with speakers using lapel mics rather than a fixed microphone.  He spoke about the pros and cons of using lapel mics, particularly if someone forgets to turn off their mic after speaking and private comments are inadvertently televised.

 

Mr. Hansen explained that these 100% wireless lapel mics cost approximately $350.00 each.  Batteries for the lapel mics would have to constantly be checked to ensure that the batteries will not go dead in the middle of someone speaking.  Mr. Hansen indicated that he would like to order at least ten of the lapel mics to ensure that an adequate supply would always be on hand.  He said that if the lapel mics are utilized, there are not enough channels in the current system to accommodate the additional mics, and an additional board would need to be purchased to accept the approximate 10-12 additional ports (for the additional wireless devices). 

 

Mayor Vagianos asked if the microphone system could be upgraded for people sitting at the tables and speaking at the podium.  He said that many residents speak too far away from the mic at the podium.  Mr. Hansen indicated that the sensitivity could be turned up on the podium microphone.  He said that the current positioning of the speakers in the courtroom has enhanced the acoustics in the room, since there used to be a really bad echo when people spoke.  He would like to have the Bergen County Sound Engineer take a look at the current setup in the courtroom and offer advice on improvements.  In addition, he would like a sound engineer from a local business in Paramus to take a look at the system as well.

 

Mr. Hansen stated that the speakers in the courtroom were installed before the lights were installed, and a lot of the sound coming from the speakers is being distorted by the close proximity of the lights, causing echoing and reverberation.  Councilmember Weitz agreed that the sound problems in the room are due to the positioning of the speakers, rather than the microphones themselves.  Mr. Hansen was considering adding two additional speakers at the back of the courtroom and shutting off the speakers up front to allow for better audibility from the back of the room, while at the same time “boosting” the microphones at the podium and on the dais.  It was decided that Mr. Hansen would do further research and report back to the Village Councilmembers on how the acoustics in the courtroom can be improved.

 

Ms. Mailander remarked that the podium had been moved in the past to the side of the courtroom, but it didn’t work out well and the podium was moved back to the center of the room. Councilmember Reynolds remarked that she really liked when the podium was placed at the side of the room rather than in the center, since she felt the audience could hear the speaker at the podium better and the speaker could face either the audience or the Councilmembers.  Ms. Mailander explained that having the podium on the side created some problems with sound clarity.  Mr. Hansen added that the podium, when it was located at the side of the courtroom, had to be dragged back and forth without wheels between court sessions and Village Council meetings, since the podium always had to be in the center while court was being held.  This created some damage to the bottom of the podium.  It was mentioned that court sessions are held both in person and via Zoom.

 

Mayor Vagianos indicated that he liked the idea of having the podium at the side of the room rather than in the center.  He said that people speaking at the podium when it is in the center of the room are constantly looking behind them so that they can address the people, which results in their mouths being further away from the microphone.  He asked Mr. Hansen if he could figure out a way to make the podium more portable (wheels) so that it can be moved to the side during Village Council meetings.  Mr. Hansen replied that he would ask the Signal Division if they could somehow repair the bottom of the podium (damaged from moving it around without wheels) and install wheels on it.  In the alternative, he would recommend the purchase of a new podium with wheels already affixed to it.  He would also need to look into installing the necessary jack and wiring to enable the microphone on the podium in that location.

 

Regarding closed captioning, Mr. Hansen replied that this is enabled on the YouTube channel after the video has been uploaded.  He will do some research to see if there are any apps which would enable closed captioning during the “live” Village Council meetings and report back to the Councilmembers.  Councilmember Winograd mentioned that Zoom has the closed captioning feature, at an additional fee. Mr. Hansen agreed and mentioned that Swagit does all the live streaming and broadcasting to the television channel.

 

There was a discussion about where to post the decorum guide.  Councilmember Winograd suggested that in addition to posting the guide in the courtroom, it should also be posted on Instagram and sent to high school students so that they can learn about local governance.  Mayor Vagianos felt that posting the guide on the podium is not the best place, since residents will not have enough time to read it and then make their comments during the allotted time limit.  He suggested that an announcement be made at the start of each meeting that the guide is available for review on the tables where the agendas are placed.  He even suggested attaching it to the agenda. 

 

Councilmember Winograd said that she was thinking more along the lines of having “directions” printed in a big font on a sheet of paper at the podium, directing the speaker to state their name and address, turn on the microphone, and speak close to the mic.  There was discussion about when there used to be a Sergeant-at-Arms present at every Council meeting.  It was agreed that Mr. Hansen would order the countdown clock with the white numbering.  Enhancements to public comments will again be discussed at the January 25, 2023 meeting.

 

6.         REVIEW OF JANUARY 11, 2023 PUBLIC MEETING AGENDA

 

Ms. Mailander did not review the entire agenda for the January 11, 2023 Public Meeting, but did point out some relevant items.  The first pertains to the appointment of a Joint Insurance Fund Commissioner, which has usually been the Village Manager in the past.  The next item pertains to the appointment of a Public Agency Compliance Officer, which has also been the Village Manager in the past.  Ms. Mailander said that she would be happy to serve in both capacities, if satisfactory to the Village Council.  Items to be added to the agenda would be the hybrid access guidelines and the awarding of a professional services contract for the energy aggregation consultant.  All of the other items on next week’s agenda have been previously discussed by the Village Council.

 

Ms. Mailander asked the Village Councilmembers if they wanted anything off of the consent agenda, and there were none at the present time.

 

7.         PUBLIC COMMENTS

 

Rurik Halaby, 1 Franklin Avenue, remarked that he has never left a Village Council meeting feeling as happy as he does after this evening’s meeting.  He stated that the meeting was civilized, and he profusely thanked everyone on the dais.  He joked that this meeting could be broadcast as “Civics 101” at various colleges, demonstrating what the democratic process is all about and what mutual respect looks like.  Regarding improvements to public comments, Mr. Halaby said the established rules should apply to residents as well as to those sitting on the dais, saying that it needs to be a “two-way street.” 

 

Mr. Halaby stated that he was in full agreement with the microphone improvements, stating that some Councilmembers speak loudly enough so that the audience in the back of the room can hear them, while others do not.  He liked the idea of lapel mics and larger monitors in the courtroom.  Mr. Halaby stated that he was delighted with the discussion regarding the pedestrian plaza, as well as the extensive research done by Mr. Rogers regarding the situations in which Mayor Vagianos would need to recuse himself from discussion.  He stated that too much emphasis was being placed on people getting hurt at a pedestrian mall, citing the fact that New York City is debating on whether or not to convert Fifth Avenue, from 42^nd Street to 59^th Street, into a pedestrian mall.  Mr. Halaby felt that the pedestrian mall should start May 1 and continue through the end of October.

 

There were no further comments from the public.

 

Mayor Vagianos assured Mr. Halaby that the respect required from the public during meetings will also be shown by the Village Councilmembers to the public at all times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.         ADJOURNMENT

 

There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Deputy Mayor Perron, seconded by Councilmember Reynolds, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the Village Council’s Work Session was adjourned at 11:11 P.M.

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                Paul Vagianos

                                                                                                                     Mayor

                                                                       

Eileen Young

              Deputy Village Clerk