20230503 - Village Council Regular 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 MAY 3, 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 7:32 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; and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney.

 

Mayor Vagianos led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.

 

2.         COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

 

Laurie Weber, 235 South Irving Street, stated that at the meeting held on April 26, 2023, Councilmember Winograd indicated that the Board of Education should help pay for the West Glen Avenue sidewalk project. Ms. Weber said that Councilmember Winograd looked directly at Councilmember Weitz, who is the Village Council Liaison to the Board of Education, while stating this. After a while, Councilmember Winograd stood up at the dais, but stayed in place by her chair, and a short time later Councilmember Weitz stood up and left the courtroom. Councilmember Winograd then picked up some papers and started to follow Councilmember Weitz, then put the papers down and hurried out of the room after him. Ms. Weber stated that the actions of Councilmember Winograd demonstrated her intent to violate the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), which mandates that all communication between Councilmembers during the course of a public meeting must take place in front of the public. Ms. Weber said that if there is no rule stating that the actions of Councilmember Winograd are not allowed, then there should be such a rule.

 

Ms. Weber stated that Councilmember Winograd asserted that since students must use sidewalks to safely walk to school, the Board of Education should help to pay for the sidewalks along West Glen Avenue. She stated that this was an affront to anyone in the Village who cares about the schools. Ms. Weber said that Councilmember Winograd is completely out of touch with the financial demands faced by the Ridgewood Board of Education, in order to provide students with the best education possible, while maintaining facilities that are actually the responsibility of the Board of Education. Addressing Councilmember Winograd directly, Ms. Weber said that the Board of Education is not a funding source to make up for the shortfalls of the Village Council, due to the Village Council’s failure to prioritize safety issues.

 

Councilmember Weitz spoke up and said that Councilmember Winograd did not follow him into the men’s room.

 

Ellie Gruber, 229 South Irving Street, said that at the joint meeting of the Open Space Committee and the Parks, Recreation and Conservation Board, it was mentioned that all newly acquired property should be “money making.” Nancy Bigos, Director of Parks and Recreation, stated that all of her programs generate revenues. However, Ms. Gruber said that this statement was contradictory to the figures contained in the budget. She said that a building or facility could be “money making,” but still require the Village to expend money for its upkeep.

 

Ms. Gruber said that in 2008, there was a report commissioned by the Village, performed by Schoor-DePalma (later CMX), entitled “Comprehensive Parks, Facilities and Recreation Plan.”  The recommendations in this plan were never formally adopted by the Village, for reasons unknown to Ms. Gruber. This report was commissioned before the Village purchased the Schedler property. Ms. Gruber said that this report demonstrated what could be done to expand the playing fields at many of the schools in Ridgewood (including at the Glen School). The list of fields contained in this report are similar to what is contained in the ROSI (Recreation and Open Space Inventory). She said that the Village Council, instead of rushing ahead with the Schedler development, should explore the expansion of other fields in the Village. The Schoor-DePalma report suggested changing Pleasant Park (Hawes Field) into a larger baseball field. However, there was a lot of opposition from residents who were concerned about traffic and safety, and the prior Village Council listened to the concerns of these residents and abandoned the plan to expand the field at Hawes School. By contrast, Ms. Gruber said that the residents who live in the Schedler community do not count.

 

Niti Mistry, 416 Colwell Court, said that she wanted to read a statement on behalf of Balaji Yellavalli: “Dear Councilmembers, We are residents of 143 West Glen Avenue. We have been unable to attend meetings in person, as my wife, Sujata, has had a knee injury and we have not gotten our turn to speak online yet, about the project. Our son is autistic and nonverbal and needs adult supervision to ensure his safety at all times. On our request, the autistic individual signs were installed by the Town Engineer on Glen Avenue a few years ago. We have a companion dog for him. We take him for walks on Glen and over onto Heights Road. We are aware we will not have a sidewalk on our side of West Glen, but we are really looking forward to the completion of the sidewalk project up to S. Hill Road on the other side, as it will help our family cross the road at our home itself and safely navigate West Glen for our daily walks with our son and his companion dog. There are numerous occasions when we’ve almost been hit by vehicles while walking down portions of the road bereft of the sidewalk. The stretch between Alpine Terrace and Heights Road is the most dangerous, and we have feared for the safety of our son and our dog multiple times, as well as our own safety, while trying to keep them both safe from approaching vehicles. We dread to think of the day where any one of us, including our dog, is hit by a speeding vehicle or a driver loses control. As residents of the Village, we all deserve to be just as safe as other Village residents. We implore you to please complete the Glen Avenue sidewalk project for the safety of the residents on West Glen and the community.”

 

Ms. Mistry thanked the Village Council for revisiting the sidewalk project. She said that, last week, Mayor Vagianos stated that if 400 feet of new sidewalk were constructed this year on West Glen Avenue, that would be more than had been done in the past seven years. Ms. Mistry said that this statement was incorrect and that, just last year, the sidewalks were completed along the stretch between Alpine and North Monroe Street (approximately 870 feet of sidewalk), and from the top of North Monroe Street to a particular tree, which was another 230 feet. This totals approximately 1,100 feet of new sidewalk construction in 2022. Ms. Mistry said that if the Village Council matched the work done last year, the sidewalk project would be completed, since approximately 1,200 more feet of sidewalk needs to be constructed.

 

Ms. Mistry said that approximately 12 years ago, she and others were dealing with a matter that was being “ping-ponged” back and forth between the Board of Education and Village Council. The Board of Education’s position was that sidewalks were the responsibility of the Village Council. Ms. Mistry said that busing children to school would be a “bandaid” for what is really needed along West Glen Avenue, and sidewalks would represent a solution not only for the children, but also for the entire community.

 

Rurik Halaby, 1 Franklin Avenue, said that there is a lot of nonsense being bandied about regarding the Schedler property. He said that the Village Council should hire an independent law firm to prepare a white paper on the Schedler project. The paper should review the history of the project and include the “what, when, why, and how much” details. Mr. Halaby said that a thorough review of the project will answer all important issues facing the project. He emphasized that the review should be done by an independent firm, with no vested interest. He indicated that the report could be paid for, through the Capital Budget.

 

Mr. Halaby stated that he is looking forward to reading the “Citizens’ Guide to Public Comment.” He feels that the present Village Council has been exemplary in its openness and forthrightness, but stated that it is drowning in “Orwellian newspeak.” He said a prime example of Orwellian newspeak is represented by the first sentence on the website called SchedlerPark.com, which states: “Citizens will be stripped of the right to a clean, safe and healthy environment; American history will be destroyed; a green ecosystem will be clearcut; and wildlife will be decimated.” Another example is seen by a Schedler support group that refers to the Schedler house as “the historic Zabriskie-Schedler house.” However, Mr. Halaby said that after reviewing the filing for historic status by Connelly & Hickey, historical architects, the historic designation of the Zabriskie-Schedler house is a stretch.  Mr. Halaby said that five percent of the homes in Ridgewood would be eligible for historic designation. He advised everyone to calm down and again asked the Village Council to hire a firm to prepare a white paper on the Schedler property.

Mr. Halaby said that, on many occasions, he has complimented Mayor Vagianos for the wonderful and respectful tone he has established during Village Council meetings, devoid of acrimony, rudeness, and theatrics. As a veteran attendee at Village Council meetings, Mr. Halaby said that he had many “points of order” thrown at him by the former Village Councilmembers. While he believes in decorum and good manners, Mr. Halaby said that he also believes strongly in the First Amendment. He said that he did not come to the United States to “bite his tongue.” He stated that whatever policy is adopted, should apply to those speaking at the podium, as well as to those on the dias.

 

Anne Loving, 342 South Irving Street, said that, for once, she agrees with Mr. Halaby and she looks forward to seeing how the public is going to be allowed to behave during Village Council meetings. According to the rules, members of the public cannot make personally offensive or abusive comments. However, her neighbor, Laurie Weber, made an impassioned statement earlier this evening about what she perceived to be a violation of the Open Public Meetings Act, and Councilmember Weitz responded sarcastically to her comment, which Ms. Loving stated was not funny. Ms. Weber did not suggest that Councilmember Weitz and Councilmember Winograd went to the bathroom together. Ms. Loving said that if the Village Councilmembers were going to start dictating whether the members of the public can be sarcastic, clap or shout at meetings, she said that the Village Councilmembers ought to police themselves as well. She said that Councilmember Weitz’s comment was rude.

 

Chris Dobson, 408 Eaton Court, said that over the years, a lot of the roads in Ridgewood have been upgraded and paved, only to have Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) come back and dig up the roads again to perform their utility work. He said that when this occurs, only half of the road is repaved after the work has been completed, and the other half of the road is left as is (such as was done on Fairfield Avenue and Pleasant Avenue). He asked whether any relevant policy has been instituted in Ridgewood whereby the utility company is notified prior to any paving work contemplated by the Village, to determine if the utility company has any plans in the near future to perform work on that particular road. He said that he was not sure whether the utility company has been reimbursing the Village for tearing up the road soon after they have been repaved.

 

Mr. Dobson said that Linwood Avenue, from Route 17 onward towards the Central Business District, is in horrible condition. Since it is one of the main arteries leading to Ridgewood, Mr. Dobson said that the condition of the roadway “sets a tone” for visitors coming to the Village from out of town. He said that Linwood Avenue really needs to be resurfaced as soon as possible. He thanked the Village Councilmembers for their hard work and said that he looked forward to receiving answers to his questions.

 

Cynthia O’Keefe, 542 West Saddle River Road, said that she has spoken many times before the Village Council expressing her concerns about traffic, safety, and the environment regarding the Schedler property. She believes that the historic preservation of the Schedler property and house is important. Ms. O’Keefe said that everyone should “tap into” their humanity and moral compass, so that the people who live in the Schedler community are not marginalized. She expressed the hope that the Village Councilmembers will carefully listen to the petitions of the residents for completing the sidewalks along West Glen Avenue, since it is a matter of safety and well-being for those residents. Ms. O’Keefe said that the neighbors who live near the Schedler property have the same exact concerns as the residents who live on or near West Glen Avenue, primarily speeding cars and dangers to children.

 

Ms. O’Keefe said that the property is called Schedler Park, not Schedler Sports Complex. She said that the neighbors near the Schedler property would like to preserve the trees, which serve as a natural barrier and sound reducer from the traffic on Route 17. After some of the trees were removed from the Schedler property and the berm was built, Ms. O’Keefe stated that she noticed a substantial difference in the amount of noise emanating from Route 17. She said that once more trees are removed to make way for the large field, the noise pollution will become even worse. She reminded the Village Councilmembers that this is an area in which people live. These residents do not want to be marginalized and they have the same rights to clean air and water as everyone else. Ms. O’Keefe said that she and her neighbors pay a lot of taxes to live in Ridgewood, and they should all get the same respect and consideration as the other taxpayers in the Village. The residents are worried about the traffic and about children running into the road and getting hit by a car.

 

Suzanne Ruane, 705 Kingsbridge Lane, said that additional barricades were recently installed this past Friday at the Kingsbridge Lane Bridge, after the Village was notified that some members of the Ridgewood High School men’s track team were climbing over the barriers at the footbridge during training. Ms. Ruane stated that Village workers were instructed by the Village Manager to perform this work, yet neither the Village Manager nor the Village Attorney have ever visited the footbridge. Ms. Ruane stated that she mentioned the fact that the track team was using the footbridge back in October 2022, yet the Village Attorney was only worried about people using the footbridge, rather than about the safety of the people who now have to take alternate dangerous routes due to the closure of the footbridge. After that time, she observed the girls’ track team running along the side of the highway between ramps on Route 17. She said that they weren’t using the footbridge, but she wondered what harm could come to them from running along Route 17. She said that the worst thing that could have happened on the footbridge was a sprained ankle.

 

Ms. Ruane noted from last week’s Village Council meeting that the costs keep rising regarding the repairs to the footbridge. She wondered why there was such a long delay in placing the footbridge on the agenda for discussion. She said that the cost for repairing the footbridge was the same cost for replacing the footbridge in 2021.

 

Ms. Ruane asked Mr. Rogers, Village Attorney, if the Village would be held liable if someone gets hurt or killed, if they were forced to take a dangerous alternative route, due to the bridge closure.

 

Mary Lou Handy, 695 Kingsbridge Lane, expressed the hope that each Village Councilmember would visit the Kingsbridge Lane Bridge to view what she and her neighbors have to look at every day. She said that the barricades look like an inner-city barricade, which encourage more graffiti as was done on the caution signs near the river. Ms. Handy said that she and her family have lived in the Kingsbridge Lane area for many years, and one of the attractions for living there is their ability to walk to Glen School, via the footbridge, for her daughters and grandchildren to play soccer.

 

Ms. Handy said that they could always drive there in their car, but they like the convenience of being able to walk over the bridge to get to the Glen School. She said that her daughter can no longer walk home safely from the Glen School after soccer practice. In order for her daughter to walk home now, she has to walk on East Saddle River Road to Hollywood Avenue, and then walk over Route 17, then another mile to Kingsbridge Lane. Ms. Handy emphasized that the residents in that area need the bridge repaired as soon as possible. She has been told that the bridge is not structurally unsound, but just needs to be repaired. She expressed the hope that the Village Councilmembers would visit the bridge to understand how far residents in that neighborhood need to travel, just to get to town. She expressed the hope that a less unsightly barricade could be erected at the bridge.

 

Robin Fisher, 412 North Monroe Avenue, thanked the Village Council for reconsidering their position regarding the West Glen Avenue sidewalks. She stated that the sidewalks would enhance safety for children, adults, and disabled individuals. She said that no other street in Ridgewood has cars speeding along it, as West Glen Avenue does. Ms. Fisher urged the Village Councilmembers to take a walk along West Glen Avenue to understand what the neighbors experience, as they walk along that busy road.

 

Joann Loyka, 685 Kingsbridge Lane, said she echoed all of the comments made by Ms. Handy and Ms. Ruane this evening. The recently erected barricades look horrible at the end of Kingsbridge Lane. She said that it is unconscionable that the bridge has been closed for over two years, without residents being able to access it. Ms. Loyka said that she has lived in Ridgewood for 44 years, 37 years on Kingsbridge Lane. She urged the Village Councilmembers to visit the site and to get the bridge fixed as soon as possible.

 

There were no further comments from the public.

 

Mayor Vagianos asked Ms. Mailander if she could reply to the comments made by Mr. Dobson. Ms. Mailander stated that Linwood Avenue is a County road, and it will be paved by the County sometime this year. Regarding the digging up of roads that were recently paved, Ms. Mailander explained that there is a fine imposed upon utilities who dig up a road after it has been paved, unless it is emergency work. She added that PSE&G usually sends a notice to the Village beforehand of the sites where they will be performing work. Recently, it seems as though every street is being dug up, because PSE&G is working on their “Energy Strong” program. PSE&G is advised by the Village when they plan to pave roads and told that they should complete their work before the street is paved.

 

Regarding the barricade at the Kingsbridge Lane Bridge, Ms. Mailander stated that the barricade was erected, because people have been going on the bridge, which cannot be allowed by the Village, from a liability perspective.

 

Councilmember Reynolds said that Mr. Dobson had also asked who pays for the repaving of the street if it is dug up by PSE&G. Ms. Mailander replied that PSE&G pays a fine for digging up the street, and they must also restore the street to its original condition after their work is completed, at their own expense. Mayor Vagianos added that the fine was just increased this year.

 

Councilmember Reynolds asked whether a sound study had ever been performed at the Schedler property to determine the decibel levels emanating from Route 17, before any trees were removed. Ms. Mailander said that sound studies were done both before and after the trees were removed. Councilmember Reynolds asked what the results of those studies were, and Ms. Mailander indicated that she would find that information and furnish it to Councilmember Reynolds.

 

Councilmember Winograd said that the Village Councilmembers take the Open Public Meetings Act seriously. She said that she did not follow Councilmember Weitz out of the courtroom in order to have a private conversation with him, but instead went to the ladies’ room. She said that some Village Council meetings are very long, and there are hardly any breaks, although they have discussed having them. Councilmember Winograd said that she has problems with her lower back and it is hard for her to sit too long.

 

Councilmember Winograd also stated that the report mentioned by Ms. Gruber earlier this evening sounded fascinating, and she asked Ms. Gruber if she could supply copies of the report to the Village Councilmembers. Ms. Gruber said that she would supply it to the Village Council for copying and distribution. Ms. Mailander said that she would check to see if a copy of that report is somewhere in the Village Manager’s Office.

 

 

 

 

3.         MANAGER’S REPORT

 

Ms. Mailander stated that “Council Chat” is held on the first Saturday of every month. The next “Council Chat” is scheduled on Saturday, May 6, 2023 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in the Village Hall Courtroom. Interested individuals should call to make a reservation at 201-670-5500, extension 2207. Walk-ins are welcome, but priority will be given to those who have made reservations. 

 

Ms. Mailander reminded everyone that all dogs aged seven months or older must be licensed. Dog license renewals were sent out via email, and the deadline for renewals of dog licenses is before June 30, 2023, in order to avoid a late fee. Dog owners should contact the Health Department for more information.

 

The Ridgewood Health Department, Stigma-Free Committee and community partners will present a Mental Health Comedy Show on Thursday, May 18, 2023 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Ridgewood Library Auditorium. Admission is free, and individuals are encouraged to attend this hilarious and unique performance, which will offer a comedic look at mental health. Registration is required. Interested individuals may call 201-670-5500, extension 2312, for further information or to register, or can send an email to dpagani@ridgewoodnj.net. This program is recommended for individuals aged 18 years or older. Refreshments will be provided.

 

Ms. Mailander stated that “No Mow May” is underway. This is an initiative where Ridgewood residents pledge not to mow their lawns in the month of May, in order to preserve the habitats of many insects and bees and to promote conversations about the environment. All participants have “No Mow May” signs on their lawns.

 

Preseason badge distribution or in-person badge payment assistance for Graydon Pool will be available on May 13 and May 20 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Graydon Pool. Individuals may also register on Community Pass. For the 2023 Graydon Pool season, families may now purchase a babysitter’s badge for $195.00. This badge can be used by live-in nannies, au pairs, multiple daily babysitters over the age of 18, or grandparents caring for a child that day. This badge cannot be used unless the babysitter is accompanied by the child badgeholder, and the babysitter is not permitted to bring guests during any visit to the pool. Online registration for tennis and pickleball badges is also available on Community Pass.

 

Ridgewood “Learn to Ride and Safe Skills” bicycle course will be held on May 13, 2023 at the Graydon Pool parking lot. Children can learn how to ride a bike with a “balance first” approach. Instructors will teach children how to balance and control their bikes with the pedals removed, and will also teach basic safety skills. Learn to Ride Session 1 for children ages 5 and over will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. The Safe Bike Skills Course for children in grades 3-11 will be held from 10:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Learn to Ride Session 2 for children ages 5 and over will be held from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. The cost is $15.00 for Ridgewood residents and $30.00 for non-residents. Interested individuals may register at www.ridgewoodnj.net/communitypass and should only sign up for one session before May 5, 2023. All of this information is posted on the Village website.

 

Ms. Mailander reminded everyone that the two day per week irrigation regulations are in effect year round. Odd-numbered addresses may irrigate their lawns, shrubs, flowers and trees on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and even-numbered addresses may irrigate on Wednesdays and Sundays. No irrigation is allowed on Mondays, Thursdays or Fridays.

 

Ms. Mailander indicated that the 2023 Wellness Series will promote healthy eating, exercising, financial literacy, environmental sustainability, mental health, reducing stigma, and increasing social support. As part of the wellness events, the Parks and Recreation Department is offering “Chill Out – Gentle Yoga” on Mondays in May from 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m., and “Fishing to Free the Mind” on Saturday, May 29^th, with two sessions to choose from: 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. or 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Interested individuals should register via Community Pass.

 

Ms. Mailander announced that the last day to register to vote in the Primary Election is May 16, 2023. Individuals may register during the day at the Village Clerk’s Office or from 4:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Ridgewood Library lobby. Anyone registered by 9:00 p.m. that day will be eligible to vote in the Primary Election.

 

The annual “Touch A Truck” event will be held on Thursday, May 18, 2023 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square. Children will be able to take a seat behind the wheel of a real police cruiser, climb aboard a shiny firetruck, and closely explore other emergency and public works vehicles. There will also be a Safety Town kiddie car driving track hosted by the Ridgewood Police Department and Little Ivy Learning Center. A special truck story time will be hosted by the Ridgewood Library.

 

Ms. Mailander announced that Project Pride planting day will take place on Saturday, May 20, 2023 beginning at 7:45 a.m. The committee is looking for volunteers. It is approximately a two- to three-hour commitment. Everyone is encouraged to volunteer, so that the Central Business District can look beautiful. Anyone with questions, or individuals who wish to sign up, should email Councilmember Reynolds at lreynolds@ridgewoodnj.net.

 

The Ridgewood Recreation Department and Totes, Goats, LLC will be hosting goat yoga on Saturday, May 20, 2023 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Lester Stable. Ms. Mailander encouraged everyone to participate in this fun experience for “yogis,” beginners and goat lovers. People will practice the art of yoga while taking pictures and interacting with goats, who will climb on top and cuddle with participants. Tickets are $50.00 per person for ages 18 and older. Interested individuals can register on Community Pass. There will be a 3% convenience fee charged for all credit card purchases.

 

Ridgewood Emergency Services and Joe Trivia are hosting “Trivia Night” to kick off EMS Week. This event will be held on Sunday, May 21, 2023 in Village Hall at the Youth Center. Doors will open at 6:15 p.m. and trivia games will begin at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are free, but individuals must register online in order to attend this event. The event is funded by F.O.R.E.S.T. Some prizes will be awarded for participants earning the most points.

 

The Fred D’Elia 46^th Annual Ridgewood Run will take place on Memorial Day, May 29, 2023. The course starts at Veterans Field and is sponsored by the North Jersey Masters. All participants must be registered. Interested individuals should go online at njmasters.com for further information.

 

The pedestrian plaza, where streets are closed to vehicular traffic from Walnut Street to Broad Street along East Ridgewood Avenue, will be held on Saturdays and Sundays from June 3 to October 9, 2023. Music and entertainment will be provided in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square on Saturday and Sunday nights. There will be a cultural theme each month and special activities for children. Ms. Mailander encouraged everyone to shop, dine and enjoy the entertainment in the CBD this summer.

 

The Kasschau Memorial Shell at Veterans Field is celebrating its 65^th anniversary of providing music under the stars this summer. Performances are held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from June through the beginning of August. The Kasschau Memorial Shell Committee is running a community donation campaign, with a goal of raising $25,000.00 to support upcoming events and a scholarship fund. There are five contribution levels for the fundraiser. Online donations may be made online at www.kasschaumemorialshell.com. All contributing donors will be recognized on the website. Any contribution of $50.00 or more will be recognized on a donor wall, which will be present at all concerts throughout the 2023 season.

 

Upcoming Village Council meetings are broadcast live from the Village Hall Courtroom, on the Village website, on FIOS Channel 34 and YouTube. Meetings can now be attended either in person or via Zoom or phone. The next Public Meetings are scheduled for May 10 and June 14, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. The next Village Council Work Sessions will be held on May 24, June 7 and June 24, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.

 

Councilmember Reynolds said that the Project Pride planting day was changed from Saturday, May 20, 2023 (Townwide Garage Sale will be held on that day and several Project Pride members are participating) to Sunday, May 21, 2023 at the same time.

 

 

4.         COUNCIL REPORTS

 

Councilmember Winograd said that on April 28, 2023, she participated in an integrated community project called “Self-Awareness for Municipalities” as the ACCESS representative. This was held by an outside organization that applies a score card showing how Ridgewood is doing with respect to access for disabled individuals. She said that Inez Bunza could not attend the event with her, but Jesse Schwartzman attended the event with Councilmember Winograd as a Ridgewood resident. They answered many questions. She was provided with a “Tool Kit,” which will be provided to all Village Councilmembers by Ms. Mailander. Councilmember Winograd said that Ridgewood earned a lot of points for running hybrid meetings, since online participation opens doors for those with disabilities. Nationally, there are 61 million adults (1 out of 4 adults) with disabilities. She encouraged everyone to attend the next meeting with her.

 

In addition, on April 28, 2023, Councilmember Winograd and others attended the Annual YMCA Gala held at the Hackensack Country Club. She said that this was a lovely event which honored Valley National Bank and Rev. Dr. Donald Wheeler. A lot of money was raised for community outreach programs.

 

On May 2, 2023 at 7:00 a.m., Councilmember Winograd attended the Fields Committee meeting, which is also held as a hybrid meeting. There were many discussions regarding field allocations, the Master Library rollout, and scoreboards. The scoreboards in the Village, owned by the Village and by the Board of Education, are old, and some sports organizations are exploring a “blue tip technology” which would allow use by multiple operators. Everyone was relieved that there was no flooding on the sports fields, after the recent heavy rains.

 

On May 2, 2023, Councilmember Winograd attended a meeting of the Pride Day Committee. The flyer was posted on social media (Facebook and Instagram). The Pride Day celebration will be held on Saturday, June 10, 2023 (rain or shine) from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square. The flyer for the event was developed by students in the SAGA (Sexuality and Gender Association) group at Ridgewood High School. They are working on organizing entertainment for the event. Councilmember Winograd urged everyone to attend.

 

Councilmember Weitz said that he also attended the YMCA Gala at the Hackensack Country Club and stated that it was a wonderful event. He congratulated Dr. Wheeler for his wonderful presentation. Councilmember Weitz thanked all Village staff who were involved in the budget process, and he thanked Ms. Mailander and Mr. Rooney for all of their hard work. Councilmember Weitz said that he was looking forward to attending the pedestrian plaza when it opens up a month from now.

 

Councilmember Reynolds stated that she wanted to make some statements, since she was absent from the Budget Adoption Meeting on April 27, 2023. She thanked Mr. Rooney and his staff in the Finance Department, Ms. Mailander, all Department Directors and Village staff for their work and cooperation during the budget process. She said that this year’s budget was tough and there were many concessions made.

 

Councilmember Reynolds said that she was very verbal about several items during the budget process. She stated that she was always against furloughing Village employees and always against hiring a new Village Manager, which she stated will cost taxpayers $84,000.00 this year and $225,000.00, plus benefits, next year and each year thereafter. She said that Police Chief Luthcke had asked for permission to hire five new police officers this year, and only one new hire was approved. Councilmember Reynolds opposed this, and stated that residents are being put at risk by not hiring an appropriate number of police personnel. She said that many Village departments are understaffed and there will be no new hires this year for those departments (except Police). If Ms. Mailander were kept as Village Manager, two to three new people could have been hired this year. Councilmember Reynolds said that she was always against removing the West Glen Avenue sidewalk project, most of the tree money, and most of the stormwater management money from this year’s budget.

 

In addition, she stated that she was always against allocating $500,000.00 towards the Schedler project, when $1.9 million has already been bonded. She said that this $500,000.00 will not be spent this year. She said that Village Councilmembers take an oath when they are sworn in, to do their due diligence and be financially responsible to all residents of Ridgewood, not just a select few. Councilmember Reynolds stated that she does not feel that the budget approved this year accomplishes those goals, but instead places many projects above safety, which she feels should be the Village Council’s first priority. She said for the record that she would have voted “no” on the adoption of the budget and “no” on spending $39,000.00 for the creation of a new Village website, stating that the money could have been better spent elsewhere. Councilmember Reynolds said that her vote would not have changed anything and wished that her Village Council colleagues felt the same way as she does about safety.

 

Councilmember Reynolds said that she has not had any committee meetings since last week, so she has nothing to report.

 

Regarding “No Mow May,” Deputy Mayor Perron said that there are currently 255 households participating in this initiative. The deer and tick forum at the Ridgewood Library will be held on May 31, 2023. Anyone who is interested in deer overpopulation and how that is affecting our community should attend. There will be a panel of experts present, with a question-and-answer forum.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron congratulated the Ridgewood Guild on the film festival which was held at Bowtie Cinemas. There was a huge crowd in attendance and very interesting films were shown. She met one of the actors in one of the films, who walked from Bangkok, Thailand to Barcelona, Spain.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron said that the Orpheus Men’s Club Choir gave a beautiful performance on Sunday at the First Presbyterian Church to celebrate the retirement of their director, John Pallatucci, who has been the director for over 30 years. She read a Proclamation on behalf of the Village Council in his honor. She said that if anyone is interested in joining this choir, they should Google “Orpheus Club Ridgewood” to sign up for an audition.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron said that she and Mayor Vagianos met with American Legion Post 53 and viewed a presentation of the proposed Gold Star Families Monument. She said that it was very gratifying to see how happy the American Legion members were with this proposal. This matter will be listed on the agenda for the May 24, 2023 Village Council Meeting. She thanked Mayor Vagianos for engaging Tess Giuliani and Lynne Brady to cast a professional eye on the project.

 

Mayor Vagianos said that the Community Center Advisory Board (CCAB) met to announce new programs. May is “Older Americans Month” and on May 11, 2023, there will be a program honoring older Americans at the H.I.L.T. meeting at Village Hall. On May 13, 2023, there will be a bike safety program with the Ridgewood Police Department at the Easy Ride from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. On May 20, 2023, the CYC (Civic Youth Corps) is holding an event with Zumba and strength and toning for seniors at 10:30 a.m. on the patio at Village Hall. On May 29, 2023, the CCAB will be hosting a Ridgewood Run water table on Fairfield Avenue from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. On June 8, 2023, there will be a Country Fair at 3:30 p.m. at the Lester Stable. On June 9, 2023, there will be a Cookie Contest and Bake-Off at 7:00 p.m.

 

Mayor Vagianos mentioned that he also attended the YMCA Gala at the Hackensack Country Club. He congratulated former Mayor Ramon Hache, who is now the Executive Director of the YMCA in Ridgewood.

 

This morning, Mayor Vagianos attended a Stigma-Free Symposium at Biagio’s Restaurant in Paramus, where the Ridgewood Health Department had a table. He said that he was gratified to see over 300 people in attendance at 8:30 a.m. The theme was “It’s Okay Not to Be Okay.”

 

Mayor Vagianos mentioned that, yesterday in the courtroom, there was a presentation by Tess Giuliani and Lynne Brady, who are both members of the Historic Preservation Commission. He said that they both worked tirelessly for months to come up with a design for the Gold Star Families Monument to be erected in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square. Mayor Vagianos said that the design took his breath away. The members of American Legion Post 53 really loved the design. Someone stated that “Tess and Lynne hit it out of the park.” He said that the Village Councilmembers were confident that these two professionals could come up with a great design that was worthy of Gold Star Families.

5.         PRESENTATION

 

            A.        ELECTRIC VEHICLES FOR VILLAGE DEPARTMENTS

 

Ms. Mailander explained that Richard Calbi, Director of Ridgewood Water, and Christopher Rutishauser, Village Engineer, will give a presentation regarding electric vehicles for Village departments. Late last year, Ms. Mailander had asked them to research electric vehicles on behalf of the Village, since their respective divisions have the greatest number of vehicles in the Ridgewood fleet. Ms. Mailander also credited Sean Hamlin of the Recycling Divison, Mike Junta of the Streets Division, Yovan Mehandzic of the Engineering Department, and Chargepoint, a vendor, for their assistance in preparing this presentation.

 

Mr. Calbi said that the presentation this evening entitled, “Reimagining Ridgewood’s Fleet,” would begin to explore the process of eventually purchasing electric vehicles (EVs) for the Village’s fleet. He said that there are some challenges in doing so, but that they can be overcome. Mr. Calbi said that they will review Federal, State and local plans and regulations, the Village fleet inventory and five-year plan (in anticipation of vehicles that may need to be replaced), some industry highlights (such as supply chain issues), and vehicle charging plan (which must logistically be in place before any EVs are purchased).

 

Mr. Calbi said that at the Federal level, President Biden has mandated that 50% of vehicles sold by the year 2030 need to have zero emissions. On a State level, the NJ Electric Master Plan adopted in January 2020 encourages electric vehicle adoption, with a goal of 100% clean energy by 2050, and recommends an early focus on light duty/passenger vehicles. Bill S3223 was passed by the New Jersey Legislature in July of 2021, which set zoning rules for the installation of charging equipment and set requirements on the number of make-ready spaces associated with new development. This year, Governor Murphy set a new goal that all new cars sold in New Jersey by 2035 must have zero emissions. Accordingly, the State set up a plan whereby 25% of State non-emergency vehicles (light duty) should be electric by 2025 and 100% of State vehicles should be electric by 2035.

 

Mr. Calbi said that the Village’s new Master Plan, which was adopted in October 2022, contains a Green Building and Sustainability Element which requires that a timeline be created to phase EVs into the Village fleet, and also contains a Circulation Element which requires the development of an EV infrastructure and incentives to encourage use. He said that in addition to electrifying the Village fleet, the Village also needs to look at ways locally, to promote and support public use of EVs.

 

Mr. Calbi described the Village fleet inventory, which consists of 345 vehicles. There are 125 light-duty vehicles (passenger cars, SUVs, and crossovers), which are generally under 10,000 pounds, and this includes all trailers and generators owned by the Village. There are 71 medium-duty vehicles, which generally weigh under 14,000 pounds, such as pickups and work utility vehicles. In addition, there are 72 heavy-duty vehicles, which generally weigh over 14,000 pounds, such as firetrucks, garbage trucks, rolloffs, tandems and service trucks. Included in the fleet are 38 Police Department vehicles, including traffic detail leased vehicles and two trailers; 15 Fire Department vehicles, including fire engine apparatuses; three ambulances; two Office of Emergency Management vehicles, including one trailer; and 19 Emergency Services vehicles, including five trailers and some specialty vehicles.

 

Mr. Calbi stated that out of that group of vehicles, the Fleet Department has recommended that 32 vehicles be replaced within the next five years. This number can vary based upon the current needs of each Village department. These include 14 light-duty vehicles, including one Emergency Services vehicle and three Fire Department vehicles; 7 medium-duty vehicles; and 11 heavy-duty vehicles. It still has to be determined which Police, Fire and EMS Department vehicles will need to be replaced.

 

Mr. Calbi then gave some highlights and concerns that he has identified during this process. He mentioned that Sean Hamlin, of the Recycling Division, has been researching electric cars for years, as has the Engineering Department and Water Utility. Mr. Calbi said that the market has to catch up to the demand for EVs and that there are still a lot of supply chain issues which exist, which is causing a lot of cost increases in the market. Light-duty EVs, such as the Ford Escape and Ford Mustang MachE, can cost upwards of $12,500.00 to $18,000.00 over the standard version; light-duty EV pickups, such as the Ford F150 Lightning, can cost upwards of $25,500.00 more; and EV garbage or recycling trucks can cost upwards of $200,000.00 to $300,000.00 more than the traditional standard versions. Mr. Calbi indicated that many vendors are requiring upfront payment for any EV ordered (to hold place in production line). He said that there is a concern about operating the EVs during a power outage, if the entire Village fleet is electrified. Therefore, he said that it was important for the Village to carefully choose which vehicles to electrify.

 

Mr. Calbi then spoke about the need for the establishment of charging stations to charge the electric vehicles. He thanked Jovan Mehandzic of the Engineering Department for preparing this part of the presentation. Mr. Calbi said that there are a variety of charging stations, with three levels of charging. Level 1 allows for 120 volts, 12-16 amps, suitable for single- or multi-family units; level 2 allows for 208 or 240 volts, 12-90 amps, suitable for commercial or municipal/private fleets; and level 3 allows for 480 volts, 60 amps, suitable for larger heavy-duty vehicles. Level 1 charging stations range in price from $500 to $1,000 per port; level 2 range in price from $600 to $5,000 per port; and level 3 range in price from $7,000 to $50,000 per port. Level 3 charging stations require a new power source. The charging speeds increase from level 1 (slowest at 6+ hours or overnight charge); level 2 (2 to 6 hours); and level 3 (high turnover).

 

Mr. Calbi then discussed the logistics involved in establishing charging stations. He said that it needs to be determined if a facility is capable of supplying power to the charger or whether a new electrical service connection would be required from the street utility pole. Companies such as Chargepoint, which provides charging stations, offers mixed public and fleet charging with a card or fob. Chargepoint also offers at-home charging for Village employees, but Mr. Calbi said that the logistics of this would need to be figured out (how an employee would get reimbursed for expenses and what would occur if the employee no longer worked for the Village). Mr. Calbi stated that Level 1 and Level 2 chargers are the most cost effective when installed with two ports.

 

Mr. Calbi said that the costs involved with the charging stations include the conduit that must be run from the utility pole or building to the charging station. Level 3 chargers require a new electric source and can charge two trucks at a time, which will offer a 100-mile range. Level 1 and 2 chargers can be shared by multiple vehicles. Spaces can be ordinanced for fleet night parking only and opened up during the day for use by the public. This will offer a 200+ mile range and will last one to two weeks between charges. Mr. Calbi indicated that charger companies also have software that can track usage and determine whether it is a “public facing” vehicle or a Village vehicle that is using the charging port. Other costs involve maintenance/labor fees and construction costs for installing the charging stations.

 

Mr. Calbi then described possible locations within the Village where charging stations could be constructed. Locations under consideration include the Department of Public Works (DPW) Garage located at 220 Chestnut Street; the recycling facility area on East Glen Avenue (which is also shared by the Fire Department, Water Utility and Parks Department); the Schedler property at 460 West Saddle River Road; the Hudson Street Parking Garage at 25 Hudson Street; the property at 111 North Maple Avenue (new Ridgewood Water Headquarters); and 131 North Maple Avenue (Village Hall).

 

Mr. Calbi stated that the parking area near Village Hall is located in a flood zone, which will limit the options for installing charging stations in that area, but he stated that this is the area where there will be the most demand for a charging station for Village vehicles. Two additional utility poles would need to be installed from the street at significant expense, to allow for mixed use by the public and the Village fleet on the south side of the property. The north location of the property (Police Department lot) could be designated for use by Village staff only. He said that it would be much cheaper to bring the power in from the street in this northern location. Mr. Calbi said that the new Ridgewood Water Headquarters already has a conduit in place and charging stations could easily be installed in this location (except for Level 3).

 

The Hudson Street Parking Garage already has four Level 1 chargers on the second floor, which are very slow. These parking spaces have a three-hour time limit, which would not afford much charging within that timeframe (only 2%-3%). Mr. Calbi said that if a higher level charging station were installed there, then the Village would have to look into installing a higher level charger or change the time limit for those parking spaces. He said that the third floor of the Parking Garage is also pre-wired with conduit, for future expansion. The Parking Garage stations could be used for both the public and the Village fleet. Mr. Calbi recommended starting the program at this location with Chargepoint.

 

At the DPW Garage on Chestnut Street, Mr. Calbi said that this is an area with probably the second greatest demand, since it serves as a hub for the DPW and Sanitation Department. There is potential in this location for the installation of both medium-duty and heavy-duty chargers (Levels 2 and 3). However, the facility’s current electrical system is totally maxxed out and new power would have to be brought in, to run the charging stations, and a transformer would be needed. He said that this facility is due for renovations sometime in the future for the fuel pumps, and the existing lower garage is in a state of disrepair and should be taken down. He said that it was not feasible to install chargers at this location, until a master plan for renovation is planned.

 

Mr. Calbi said that the East Glen Avenue property is greatly overused, serving as the recycling facility and used by the Parks Department, Fire Department, and Water Utility. The existing electrical system is maxxed out. In 2017, there was an expansion performed in anticipation of the Styrofoam densifier and some compacters for cardboard, and new power would have to be brought in to run the charging stations. A Level 3 charger would be required at this site, in order to charge heavy-duty trucks.

 

Mr. Calbi stated that light-duty vehicles, used with Level 1 and 2 chargers, are the most economical to purchase for Village Hall staff. Directors and inspectors from various departments (Tax, Building, Health and Water) share cars, with low mileage used per day. Level 1 and 2 chargers could also be used for medium-duty, work utility vehicles. However, there is an issue with this area (Village Hall) being in the flood plain. The Water Department lot is out of the flood plain, but only has room for four vehicle charging stations (Level 2).

 

Mr. Calbi recommended the development of a solid plan for a charging station build-out, identifying any available grant funds applicable to this project, and then contracting with a company to manage facility chargers. A plan should also be developed, and funding investigated, for purchasing replacement vehicles for the Village fleet over the next five years. A plan also needs to be developed of ways in which the public can be encouraged to use EVs, such as installing charging stations in the CBD. Mr. Calbi recommends that the Village employ an individual to be the “point person” on electric vehicles, preferably someone who is knowledgeable about the Village fleet, aware of what vehicles will need to be replaced, and familiar with EV infrastructure and EVs.

 

Mayor Vagianos praised everyone who worked on assembling this comprehensive presentation. He said that he attended the League of Municipalities Convention last November, and sat in on a couple of classes on electric vehicles. They said that the first steps were fleet and infrastructure analyses.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron said that it was her understanding that maintenance on EVs is less expensive than for gasoline-powered vehicles. She asked whether this fact would counterbalance the initial higher cost of the EVs. Mr. Rutishauser said that electric motors may generally require less maintenance, but Village mechanics would have to be trained on servicing EVs, since they are only primarily trained to work on diesel and gas internal combustion engines (ICE).

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked if the purchase of plug-in hybrids would be feasible, taking into account supply chain issues for light-duty EVs at the current time. Mr. Rutishauser said that in 2004, the Village purchased two Toyota Priuses but, unfortunately, they had a very short service life. The one which he was using got flooded and never started after that time. The other one was involved in a head-on collision and was totaled. The Village also purchased two Ford Escapes for use by the Parking Enforcement Officers (PEOs). Mr. Rutishauser explained that hybrids work best when they are driven 50 to 100 miles per day, and the PEOs only drove them 15 to 20 miles per day. Therefore, the savings on fuel were never really realized when compared to the upcharge for the hybrid system.

 

Mr. Rutishauser stated that the Village also has experience with two BMW all-electric Minis as part of a pilot program ten years ago. He said that he drove one, and the acceleration of the vehicle on the highway was amazing, but the vehicle was very small (no back seat). There was a concern that employees may not make it all the way to Trenton for a meeting at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. However, Mr. Rutishauser said that a lot has progressed over the last 10 years, regarding EVs.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron said that the vehicles mentioned by Mr. Rutishauser were not plug-in hybrids. She said that range/distance traveled is not an issue with plug-in hybrids, since both gas and electric are used. Deputy Mayor Perron urged Mr. Calbi and Mr. Rutishauser to consider the possible purchase of plug-in hybrid vehicles. Mr. Rutishauser stated that he is unaware of any EV F-250 and F-350 pickups which are capable of performing snow plowing. Deputy Mayor Perron asked if plug-in hybrids (light-duty) could be considered for use by Village staff. Mr. Rutishauser replied that there are several Ford Focuses in the Village fleet, which were purchased in approximately 2008 and which have very low mileage. These vehicles would be an excellent choice to replace with an EV.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked about the possible installation of charging stations in the Cottage Street lot, which is underutilized. Mr. Rutishauser replied that this was possible, and the costs would involve the infrastructure to run the wiring for the connection to a power source. He said that the State has mandated that any new land use applications have “make ready” spaces (conduits) for EV chargers, such as for the parking lot at the Schedler property. He said that the copper wiring used in such connections is what drives up the costs of installing EV charging stations.

 

Councilmember Weitz said that he thinks the electrification of the Village fleet is a great concept, but he is concerned about the costs associated with doing so. He also liked the idea of bringing in a consultant to develop an appropriate plan. He stated that he was mostly interested in hearing about what grants would be available to assist the Village in funding this initiative. Mr. Calbi replied that a majority of the available grants require that the chargers be made publicly available. He said that they will have to research the hybrid installation where the charging stations would be used by both the public and Village staff. There are grants available from the Federal government which will pay for the charger, and Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) also has incentive programs which assist with power installation for the charging stations.

 

Councilmember Weitz asked Mr. Calbi if he has researched adjacent municipalities to see if they have obtained relevant grants for EV charging stations. He said that he wanted to make sure that the charging stations would be available for use by the Village fleet, if they were also made available to the public. Mr. Calbi said that he has not yet researched what other municipalities are doing, but he will do so. Mr. Rutishauser said that, at one point, the Village was offered free chargers on the public streets in Ridgewood. A similar charger is installed at Van Saun Park by the zoo. The manufacturer of the chargers makes money by advertising on the chargers themselves, which Mr. Rutishauser referred to as a “flashing billboard.” The chargers are approximately six feet tall and are 30 inches wide, and are usually Level 1 chargers, which do not provide a rapid charge. However, when Mr. Rutishauser and Ms. Mailander investigated several samples of the chargers, they decided that these chargers would not be a good fit for the Village. Mr. Rutishauser stated that most multifamily housing projects built in the last few years in the Village all have EV charging stations, due to high tenant demand.

 

Councilmember Weitz said that he felt the next step for the Village should be to find a consultant who could draw up an appropriate plan and also write grant applications, and to explore how other municipalities are dealing with electric vehicles. He said that it was one thing to have a plan in place, but it was useless if the Village did not have enough funding to roll out the plan. He thanked everyone involved in putting together this EV presentation.

 

Councilmember Reynolds also thanked everyone involved in preparing the comprehensive EV presentation. She feels that the Level 1 chargers are almost a waste of time, unless one will be used by a Village employee to charge a Village vehicle overnight. Mr. Rutishauser agreed with Councilmember Reynolds. Councilmember Reynolds said that she agreed with Councilmember Weitz about finding out what other towns are doing regarding EVs. She stated that EVs are the wave of the future, and the Village needs to discover ways to fund this initiative without overburdening taxpayers.

Councilmember Winograd also thanked everyone who assembled this presentation. She asked if the charging stations at the Hudson Street Parking Garage could be replaced with better charging stations. Mr. Rutishauser explained that when the garage was built, the Village pushed for the EV charging stations but no one was astute enough to push for the higher-level chargers. Therefore, that is why the Level 1 chargers were installed, which were the least expensive. Upgrading those chargers to Level 2 or 3 chargers would require an investigation to see if some of the current wiring could be reused and how much it would cost to rewire. Mr. Rutishauser added that there is an emergency generator in the Hudson Street Garage, but he believes its capacity is only enough for the elevator. He does not think it has enough capacity to power a Level 2 or Level 3 charger. Councilmember Winograd stated that she is happy with the commitment to purchase EVs in the future, but she is just concerned about how those vehicles will be charged.

 

Mayor Vagianos stated that General Motors is going to stop producing gas-powered vehicles in 2035, and he assumes that most car companies will follow suit. He said that this is only 12 years away, and he assumes that the dates mandated by the Federal and State governments are not set in stone. Mayor Vagianos asked if 25% of the Village’s non-emergency vehicles (approximately 60 to 70 vehicles) need to be electric by 2025. Mr. Calbi replied that this is a goal set by the State for its own fleet, but it is not a requirement for local government.

 

Mayor Vagianos asked Mr. Calbi what he would recommend as a next step. Mr. Calbi stated that a Village staff member should be appointed as a “point person” who would deal with everything associated with EVs, such as searching for appropriate locations to install charging stations in the Village, developing a plan for the build-out, and researching costs, requirements and lead times to purchase electric vehicles. This person would also meet with Mr. Calbi and Mr. Rutishauser to review the Village’s fleet inventory and identify which vehicles can easily be replaced with electric ones. All of this information, once collated, would then be presented to the Village Council.

 

Mayor Vagianos said that it was his understanding that before the Village purchases more electric cars, the charging infrastructure needs to be in place. Mr. Calbi agreed, but stated that there are some “easy wins” which could be done, such as replacing two Jeeps used by Ridgewood Water, which are at the end of their useful lives, with electric vehicles, which could be charged at stations by the Ridgewood Water Headquarters (conduit is already in place). However, he said that other sites will not be as easy.

 

Mayor Vagianos stated that he was aware that the Federal government passed an infrastructure bill in the past year that included $7.5 billion for charging stations. He asked Mr. Calbi if he knew anything about this and whether some of those funds would be available to the Village. Mr. Calbi said that he did not, but that he would look into it. Mayor Vagianos indicated that he would like to move forward with appointing a senior staff member to be the “contact person” for the Village regarding electric vehicles and have that staff member give a presentation before the Village Council to advise of what the next steps would be, since time is of the essence. He agreed with Councilmember Weitz that the Village also needs to find ways in which to pay for the additional infrastructure and electric vehicles. Everyone was in agreement.

 

Councilmember Reynolds asked Mr. Calbi if he knew of any Village staff member who was very knowledgeable about electric cars. Mr. Calbi said that he would recommend a gentleman in the Engineering Department who has done a lot of research in this field. Ms. Mailander thanked Mr. Calbi and Mr. Rutishauser for their comprehensive presentation.

 

6.         DISCUSSION

 

A.        RIDGEWOOD WATER

 

1.         LEASE OF WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATION ANTENNAS – GLEN AVENUE

 

Ms. Mailander indicated that this matter was discussed at the Village Council meeting held on April 26, 2023.

 

2.         AUTHORIZE CONSENT ORDER WITH NJDEP FOR COMPLIANCE SCHEDULE

 

Ms. Mailander indicated that this item pertains to the Mayor and Village Clerk entering into and signing an Administrative Consent Order with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NDEP). The Consent Order is necessary to outline the compliance schedule and requirements of the NJDEP for the whole system solution for eradicating PFAS from the drinking water. This will allow the Village to work with the NJDEP so that the Village will not have to complete the PFAS treatment within the short timeframe that the NJDEP originally set. The NJDEP will be advised of the plans Ridgewood Water will undertake to bring the levels of PFAS detected in the water from the wells, below the new standards established by the NJDEP for potable water.

 

Mr. Calbi agreed and stated that this Order will not change the plans or schedule, but will just codify the schedule to the State. The NJDEP is granting extensions of time beyond one year for water utilities to rectify the PFAS contamination. Mayor Vagianos asked if Ridgewood Water will still be required to send out the notices mandated by the State. Mr. Calbi said that they will continue sending out the advisory notices on a quarterly basis, until the last treatment plant is online.

 

Mayor Vagianos asked Mr. Calbi to briefly speak about the Federal proposed guidelines regarding PFAS, and how Ridgewood Water’s efforts to mitigate the contamination compares with other water companies. Mr. Calbi stated that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is proposing new rules, which could become effective by the end of 2023, setting much lower standards for potable water regarding chemical compounds (PFOA, PFOS, and four other compounds in a class of PFAS), which are currently regulated by the State of New Jersey.

 

Mr. Calbi said that he had the foresight to know that these regulations would be enacted, so he made sure that the technology they are constructing (treatment plants) will treat for these compounds. He said that Ridgewood Water has been testing for a lot of these compounds for years. Mr. Calbi stated that many water utilities throughout the country have not been paying attention to PFAS, and there are many states that have not even regulated PFAS, and they will find themselves in a tenuous position when they have to scramble to find ways to mitigate the PFAS in their potable water. He said that Ridgewood Water is way ahead of any other town or state in remedying this problem. Mr. Calbi stated that some states do not even have a Department of Environmental Protection and have been relying upon the old standards set by the USEPA.

 

Mayor Vagianos asked what the PFAS levels would be in the water, once the PFAS remediation program is completed, in about three years, by Ridgewood Water. Mr. Calbi replied that they are filtering to “non-detect.” Mayor Vagianos asked where other New Jersey municipalities would stand once the new Federal guidelines are enacted, and Mr. Calbi replied that they will be in violation. In three years, the Ridgewood Water Utility will be in compliance, where other New Jersey water companies will not be in compliance. Mayor Vagianos praised Mr. Calbi for his foresight and efforts regarding PFAS remediation.

 

3.         AWARD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES – PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this item pertains to the awarding of a professional services contract for a public communications consultant for 2023 for Ridgewood Water. Raftelis has been providing communication services for public messaging on PFAS and water conservation. They have provided support for public outreach programs, and their goal is to provide a messaging platform and materials that assist consumers in understanding the PFAS treatment plan, operational strategy, conservation goals, regulatory compliance, rates, public dedication and governance. It is recommended that the contract be awarded to Raftelis of Charlotte, North Carolina, in an amount not to exceed $36,245.00. Funding is contained in the Water Utility Operating Budget. Deputy Mayor Perron stated that Raftelis has done an excellent job so far and she would be in favor of awarding this contract. Councilmember Winograd agreed and said that this will be money well spent.

 

4.         AWARD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES – CORROSION CONTROL INHIBITOR EVALUATION

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this item pertains to the awarding of a professional services contract for a corrosion control inhibitor evaluation. Ridgewood Water has used a sole source, proprietary poly-orthophosphate blend for system corrosion control since 2015. Ridgewood Water is recommending the evaluation of the suitability of other products on the market to serve as a substitute to the sole source vendor. The process to determine suitability involves bench testing to evaluate the impact of each alternative product on corrosion. The New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) has offered to perform this work at cost, plus 10% for overhead. The project will be managed by Dr. William Pennock of NJIT, and the agreement will be for a six-week period, with potential for extension. It is recommended that the contract be awarded to NJIT of Newark, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $17,500.00.  Funding is contained in the Water Utility Operating Budget.

 

5.         AWARD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES – GREEN ACRES CONSULTANT

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this item pertains to the awarding of a professional services contract for a Green Acres consultant. As part of Ridgewood Water’s PFAS facility construction, an evaluation of the impact of improvements on Green Acres properties is required. Five facility improvements currently exist within property listed as Green Acres. Each site will be evaluated so that recommendations may be made for best steps for permitting each facility, for these necessary improvements. It is recommended that this contract be awarded to Topology NJ, LLC, of Newark, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $15,000.00. Funding is contained in the Water Utility Operating Budget. Topology has performed successfully for the Village as an environmental consultant and recently completed Ridgewood Water’s diversion application for the Linwood replacement well. Topology has also performed other work regarding the Village’s diversion of the playground on North Broad Street.

 

When questioned by Councilmember Winograd, Mr. Calbi explained that the wells and treatment plants are historic and located within parkland. However, they were not exempted when the ROSI (Recreation and Open Space Inventory) was created. A ROSI amendment may have to be done, instead of a diversion. There is some work being done statewide to amend the rules that would allow such structures as wells and treatment facilities to be exempt from a Green Acres diversion.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked about pending legislation which would loosen the Green Acres restrictions. Mr. Calbi said that legislation was proposed to allow the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to exempt utilities for the purposes of constructing PFAS treatment plants, based upon the need for public health. This was approved by the Assembly and moved forward to the State Senate for a vote, where it was delayed to allow the NJDEP to comment. He understands that, at the current time, they are making some minor changes to the legislation, and it will come up for a vote either this month or next month.

 

                        6.         CHANGE ORDER – PSE&G ENERGY SAVER PROGRAM

 

Ms. Mailander indicated that this matter concerns a Change Order for the PSE&G Energy Saver Program. A Change Order is needed which reduces the lighting cost slightly, based on the completed work, and increases the HVAC cost, due to additional work involved with making the system compatible with the current Village control system. The cost for Change Order #2 is in the amount of $44,084.30, with the Village paying approximately 25% of that cost and PSE&G paying 75%. The monthly cost for five years at 0% interest is $734.74. Funding will be through PSE&G energy bills, billed to various Village departments. Deputy Mayor Perron remarked that it was nice that it was a zero percent interest rate.

 

Mayor Vagianos wondered why PSE&G would assist with such a program, when they will eventually be billing customers less for energy costs. Mr. Calbi replied that he believes that PSE&G receives incentives from the Federal government to reduce energy usage, and they may be receiving some State funds as well for the Clean Energy Program.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron pointed out that Change Order #2 refers to the Cinnamonson Board of Education as the customer. Ms. Mailander replied that this typo would be corrected.

 

B.        BUDGET

 

1.         RENEWAL AND UPGRADE SPATIAL DATA LOGIC SOFTWARE

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this item pertains to the the license renewal and upgrade for the use of the SDL (Spatial Data Logic) software for the Village. This will allow for the continued use of the SDL program for next year, and it includes an upgrade for 25 additional licensed users for use throughout the Village. A grant received from the Health Department will pay for part of the cost (since the Health Department uses this software) and the remainder will be paid from the IT Department Operating Budget. This will be an award of a contract under State contract to SHI of Somerset, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $50,200.00.

 

Mayor Vagianos asked about the question mark in the proposed resolution which reads “Grant ? ($13,000.00).” Dylan Hansen, Director of the IT Department, said that a question mark was inserted at that point, because he wasn’t sure at that time which account would be used to pay for the renewal and upgrade. He has since found out that the monies need to come from the IT Department Operating Budget. He then needs to submit it to the grant provider to get reimbursed.

 

2.         AWARD CONTRACT – REPLACEMENT WASTE RECEPTACLES

 

Ms. Mailander indicated that this item deals with the awarding of a contract to purchase new waste receptacles to replace the old ones in the Central Business District (CBD) and auxiliary streets. There was a meeting held between Ms. Mailander; Nancy Bigos, Director of Parks and Recreation; Matthew Andreula, Supervisor of the Parks Department; Sean Hamlin, Supervisor of Sanitation and Recycling; and Richard Tarleton, Supervisor of the Signal Department. They met to discuss the requirements which they felt were most important in the selection of the best product for the needs of the Village. The priorities included health and safety for employees and residents with a “no touch point product” (steel ring with open hole for disposal); durability of a proven product (pilot program with container on North Maple Avenue); reduction of rainwater (rain bonnet lid); stability of product (32 gallon and portable); and recycling option (using 12 blue ring lids). Four quotes were received, and they unanimously decided that the best product could be purchased from BP Barco Products of Batavia, Illinois, in an amount not to exceed $59,123.22. Funding is in the Capital Budget.

 

A discussion ensued about the colors and shapes offered for the waste receptacles. Deputy Mayor Perron remarked that she has seen the Hunter Green cans in parks in other towns. Ms. Mailander said that these trash receptacles would be used on the streets only. Deputy Mayor Perron said there was a recommendation from Green Ridgewood that illustrations be placed on top of the blue recycling can lids to show which types of items can be recycled, along with pictures with a line through it showing which types of items cannot be recycled. Ms. Mailander replied that they will check with the manufacturer to see if this can be provided to the Village. Deputy Mayor Perron indicated that she liked the product, especially the rain lids so that water does not get into the receptacle, which would add weight to the inner receptacle which must be lifted by the sanitation crews. She expressed the hope that these cans will prove to be a deterrent to animals and vermin.

 

Councilmember Reynolds asked if this was the type of can that is outside of Jersey Mike’s on North Maple Avenue. Councilmember Winograd replied that it is not. She and Deputy Mayor Perron initially attended a meeting with the Police Department, Signal Department, DPW, and Parks Department, where pictures of various types of waste receptacles were reviewed. Mr. Tarleton had presented the type of can with a dome on it (which was referred to by Councilmember Reynolds). The domed cans were ruled out, because the staff of the Sanitation Department felt that they couldn’t move them around as much (such as during parades). There was also feedback that the domes bend and break easily when people try to shove oversized items into the can. Therefore, they started looking at cans with an opening on top. The color black was chosen for the cans to match the existing benches, and it was decided that there should be recycling cans in the CBD with blue lids.

 

Councilmember Reynolds asked if the rain would go into the proposed cans. Councilmember Winograd stated that Mr. Hamlin had mentioned drilling holes in the bottom of the cans so that rainwater can drain out of the holes. When questioned by Councilmember Reynolds, Councilmember Winograd replied that there is a separate canister inside the main body of the waste receptacles, which is what would be emptied by sanitation crews. Generic plastic bags will be used on the inside canisters. When Councilmember Reynolds stated that the rainwater would still get caught up in the bags, Councilmember Winograd remarked that Mr. Hamlin felt that the sludge would be minimized by drilling holes at the bottom of the inside canister. There was further discussion about the rain bonnet lids. Deputy Mayor Perron said that she would like to see a picture of the actual rain bonnet lids from Barco.

 

Councilmember Reynolds stated that she still felt that $60,000.00 was too much money for the Village to spend at this time for trash cans. She said that the old cement receptacles, which were formerly used in the CBD, should be used since there is nothing wrong with them and they are just sitting idle behind the Signal Department building. Mayor Vagianos said that there were concerns about using the concrete cans, due to possible terrorist activity, with an incendiary device exploding in the can causing a lot of dangerous debris hurling through the air. The clear plastic cans, which the Village then began to use, proved not to be durable enough and were also very unsightly.

 

Councilmember Winograd added that the concrete receptacles are not used anymore, since they are too heavy to move by Village staff when there are events held in the CBD, such as during parades, and staff members were getting injured. The Police Department has also recommended that these concrete cans not be used. During events in the CBD, the Police Department is concerned about bombs being placed in the cans, and that is why the cans are removed. Councilmember Winograd mentioned bombing incidents in Asbury Park and during the Boston Marathon. She stated that the existing waste receptacles have exceeded their lifespan and present their own safety hazards. Councilmember Winograd also mentioned that one part of the Village has seen an enormous uptick in population, which has resulted in more trash being generated.

 

Councilmember Winograd added that the garbage cans at the train station are not welcoming, charming, historic or safe. Some of the cans outside vacant storefronts in the CBD are terrible, and Councilmember Winograd stated that this reflects badly on the Village Council. She added that the more businesses thrive in the CBD, the more the Village will thrive regarding taxes. Having unsightly, unwelcoming and unsafe garbage cans in the CBD will deter people from shopping and dining in Ridgewood and cast a bad light on the Village. Councilmember Winograd mentioned that the pedestrian plaza will soon start, and the CBD needs to be aesthetically pleasing so that more people will visit the downtown area. The infrastructure needs to be maintained for the vibrancy of the CBD and the safety of employees and residents.

 

Mayor Vagianos asked what the lead time for delivery would be for the waste receptacles. Ms. Mailander said that the contract cannot be awarded until next week, and she believes it is a fast turnaround time of about six weeks. There was further discussion between Councilmember Winograd and Councilmember Reynolds about the necessity for new waste receptacles in the CBD.

 

Councilmember Weitz stated that he feels that the new garbage cans are needed in the CBD. He said that if Village staff is recommending this particular model of can, then it is easy for the Village Councilmembers to make a decision. He said that the CBD needs to be attractive so that people from out of town can shop and dine in Ridgewood, and this will result in businesses flourishing. He agrees from a safety perspective that the concrete receptacles should not be used, and he said that the Village Council should abide by the expert recommendations of its staff. Councilmember Reynolds countered by saying that the existing receptacles were also recommended to the Village Council.

 

3.         AWARD CONTRACT – INFRARED ASPHALT SURFACE REPAIR

 

Ms. Mailander explained that this item pertains to the awarding of a contract for infrared asphalt surface repair. The Village received bids on April 26, 2023 from three registered plan holders. The bid also included repair and restoration of sidewalk slabs, driveway aprons, patching of trenches with stabilized base asphalt mix, and concrete curbs. It is recommended that the contract be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, J. Fletcher Creamer Construction, Inc., of Hackensack, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $250,000.00. Funding is contained in the Ridgewood Water Department’s Operating Account, since these services are shared with Ridgewood Water. The bid will also be shared with other communities which have expressed an interest in using this low bidder for their pavement/concrete restoration work in the past. Ms. Mailander stated that the intent of this contract is to have available a means to restore Village streets to a “new condition” after an excavation has been made in them.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked about the other interested communities. Mr. Rutishauser said that he has discussed this contract with Midland Park in the past. He said that he wrote language in the bid to allow the Village to share it with other communities, if the opportunity presents itself.

 

 

 

 

4.         AWARD COOPERATIVE CONTRACT – PARTS AND SERVICES FOR FLEET

 

Ms. Mailander indicated that this item pertains to the awarding of a contract, through the New Jersey State Cooperative Purchasing Program, for the purchase of various parts, materials and supplies that are necessary and used to keep the Village’s equipment and vehicles operational by the Fleet Services Division. It is recommended that this contract be awarded to the lowest responsible bidders for each particular item, in an amount not to exceed $165,000.00.  Funding is in the Fleet Services Division Operating Budget.

 

5.         AWARD CONTRACT EXTENSION – POLICE VEHICLE LEASING

 

Ms. Mailander stated that this item pertains to the awarding of a contract extension for police vehicle leasing. She mentioned that, last week, the Village Council spoke about awarding a contract under a Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Contract for the leasing and maintenance of six administrative, Detective Bureau and traffic van vehicles for the Police Department to Enterprise Fleet Management of Wayne, New Jersey. At that time, Deputy Mayor Perron asked about leasing EVs. Sergeant John Chuck of the Police Department had mentioned at that meeting that there were some challenges with EVs.

 

Sergeant Chuck indicated said that he was asked to look into electric vehicles for the patrol fleet, and he stated that he has some concerns that they are not cost effective and are overwhelmingly expensive. Each patrol car is using, on average, four gallons a day of gasoline (costing the Village less than $10.00 a day and about $3,400.00 a year). He said that he did some research concerning the types of batteries that would be needed for patrol cars, and he also spoke to representatives from other towns which are using EVs. Sergeant Chuck said that he is very disappointed in how inefficient EVs are. He had estimated that each car would have to be charged once every 12-hour shift, but he found out that they actually have to be charged every six to eight hours after speaking with different municipalities.

 

Sergeant Chuck stated that even with the use of a fast charging station, the charging station alone costs $4,000.00 (without installation). He calculated that charging a patrol car at a rapid charging station (based on having to charge every four hours) would cost the Village $14.76 each time based upon current electric rates. This totals $30.00 per day or almost $11,000.00 per year to charge one car. For the first year, an electric vehicle would cost the Village $15,000.00 in charging costs alone (including the charging station).

 

Another concern Sergeant Chuck has with EVs is the life of the battery. He said that the expected life of a battery is normally five to ten years, and the batteries would have to be replaced during the police car “cycle.” He stated that the cost to replace one battery is approximately $9,000.00. The only electric car for police use that any company is endorsing currently is the Ford Mustang MachE. The only version of this vehicle which has enough power to operate the lights, radios and ancillary equipment is the GT version, which costs between $74,000.00 and $84,000.00. He stated that the car will basically cost the Village $100,000.00 in the first year of use.

 

Sergeant Chuck said that the Police Department uses larger SUVs, such as the Ford Explorers, Dodge Durangoes, and Chevrolet Tahoes. The Tahoes are costing the Village approximately $51,000.00 and the Explorers are costing approximately $46,000.00 to $48,000.00, depending upon the model. He said that it would cost double to use EVs.

 

In addition, Sergeant Chuck indicated that prisoner cages would not be able to be installed in the electric vehicles, since they are not big enough, and the EVs have so many technologies contained within them and are not really built for the “police world.” The MachE has backseat airbags, which are built into the seats and cannot be removed. Sergeant Chuck concluded by stating that he does not feel that electric vehicles are a good match for the Police Department’s fleet. Regarding hybrids and cars which are leased for detectives, supervisors and administrative staff, Sergeant Chuck stated that there is a police car made by Ford that is a traditional hybrid vehicle. He said that Deputy Mayor Perron had suggested the plug-in hybrids, but he stated that these are still basically electric cars with the same limitations. The traditional hybrid cars allow for more gas when more power is needed, and more electric when more power is not needed. Ford Police Interceptors are making a hybrid version, where more of the battery is used when a car is idling, rather than wasting gas. Some neighboring municipalities are using these hybrid vehicles and they have told him that they have noticed an increase in gas savings (approximately one-quarter of the gas usage than normally with gas-powered vehicles).

 

Sergeant Chuck said that the hybrid cars are certainly an option for the Police Department. However, they have already committed to the purchase of some cars this year, which are in the process of being built. However, Sergeant Chuck said that if the Village Council wants the Police Department to look into some electric or hybrid vehicles, he said that he could certainly try to find the funds to purchase one (approximately $47,000.00). He indicated that he has some spare parts from other patrol cars, including lights which he can install on an electric or hybrid vehicle. Other than patrol cars, Sergeant Chuck said that some police departments have been using Toyota Highlanders and similar models for their detectives and administrative staff. He indicated that to buy or rent a Highlander at the current time is very expensive. He asked Enterprise if they could price these vehicles for him, and due to their popularity, the leases are astronomically expensive, with 9% interest on a new lease (as opposed to last year when it was 3%).

 

Sergeant Chuck indicated that the Police Department is currently in a lease with Enterprise for the cars that they currently have. They did a “turnover” of their fleet during the last calendar year, when used car values were great, and realized approximately $68,000.00 in revenue. On a 36-month lease for the five cars that they were leasing from Enterprise, they paid for those cars for about 22 months rather than 36 months. While Sergeant Chuck feels that EVs would be great for other Village staff, he does not feel that they are suitable for the Police Department.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked Sergeant Chuck if he could keep his “eyes open” for the Ford hybrid for the administrative staff. Sergeant Chuck said that they are pretty well set with administrative vehicles. If the Ford hybrid were purchased, he said that he would love to add it to the patrol fleet to test its capabilities. However, money is the only issue at the current time. Deputy Mayor Perron thanked Sergeant Chuck for developing this analysis.

 

Mayor Vagianos also thanked Sergeant Chuck and stated that it appears that without the appropriate infrastructure in place, the Village cannot start buying EVs right now. He said that it was his understanding that over the life of an electric vehicle, the costs balance out when compared to a gas-powered vehicle, even taking into account the initial increased cost of the vehicle. He did not think that an electric vehicle would cost more than a gas-powered vehicle over the lifespan of the EV, despite the cost of gasoline. Sergeant Chuck said that he thought the same thing, until one starts to charge their vehicle at home. He said that is why many owners of EVs go to charging stations to charge their vehicles, because many times they do not have to pay for the charge. If someone owns a Tesla and they want to travel to Florida, Tesla will plan out the trip and direct the vehicle owner to Tesla charging stations along the way, where EV owners can charge their cars for free. Sergeant Chuck said that it is very expensive and inefficient for EV owners to charge their cars at home, with high electric bills being incurred. Mayor Vagianos thanked Sergeant Chuck for his presentation.

 

Mayor Vagianos asked if the Village Councilmembers could take a short four-minute break.

 

6.         KINGSBRIDGE LANE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE

 

Ms. Mailander said that design recommendations have been received from Eric Lahita, P.E., of Lahita Engineering, the design firm hired by the Village to prepare the plans and specifications to repair the Kingsbridge Lane Pedestrian Bridge. She said that the estimated cost to replace the bridge amounts to $625,000.00. The sum of $32,125.00 was paid to Lahita Engineering for the design plans and specifications for the bridge, and they estimated that it would cost $396,192.26 to repair the bridge, for a total of $428,317.26.  It would cost an additional $200,000.00 over that amount to replace the bridge in its entirety.

 

When questioned by Mayor Vagianos, Mr. Rutishauser stated that the replacement bridge would need to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG). However, a repaired bridge does not. He said that he spoke with Congressman Gottheimer’s office regarding this matter and they had asked if the Village had looked into applying for any applicable grants. Mr. Rutishauser said that he had not, but the representative from Congressman Gottheimer’s office said that he would notify Mr. Rutishauser if any applicable grants should arise.

 

Councilmember Reynolds asked what the timeframe would be for repairing the bridge versus replacing the bridge. Mr. Rutishauser said that if the repairs to the bridge were bid out either this month or next month, the bridge repairs could possibly be completed this year. He said that he did not know what the lead time would be to obtain a prefabricated replacement bridge from a manufacturer. There was a discussion between Councilmember Reynolds and Mr. Rutishauser about the requirements to make the bridge ADA compliant (approach ramps, switchback ramps, slopes, higher decking, and handrails) and the fact that there are no sidewalks along East Saddle River Road once a disabled person exits the bridge on that side.

 

Councilmember Winograd said that the Village has a social responsibility to embrace all aspects of the population and make all new construction ADA compliant, despite the fact that there are no sidewalks along East Saddle River Road. She asked if sidewalks could be constructed along East Saddle River Road. Mr. Rutishauser replied that it was possible, but that it would “not be cheap. The Village would need to work with the County and determine what minimum lane width would be required and determine how much of the right-of-way the Village could work with when constructing sidewalks. There was further discussion regarding how this could possibly be accomplished. Mr. Rutishauser stated that Bergen County is not a “Complete Streets” community like Ridgewood is, which is an approach to planning, designing and building streets that enables safe access for all users. The County is more concerned with traffic movement.

 

Ms. Mailander stated that the Village Councilmembers need to make a decision about how they wish to proceed in this matter. Mayor Vagianos mentioned that there are currently no funds allocated in this year’s Capital Budget for this project. Ms. Mailander stated that out of the $100,000.00 initially allocated for the Kingsbridge Lane Bridge, there is approximately $67,000.00 left. In order to perform the bridge repairs, the Village would need to adopt a bond ordinance. Mayor Vagianos said that, in that case, the Village would exceed the regular bond allotment that it uses every year.

 

Councilmember Reynolds asked where the money for the West Glen Avenue sidewalk construction is coming from, and Mayor Vagianos replied that it would come from the $500,000.00 allocated in the Capital Budget for the Schedler property improvements.

 

Councilmember Winograd asked what the thought methodology was in 2021 when the prior Village Council rejected the $325,000.00 to replace the Kingsbridge Lane Bridge. Mr. Rutishauser replied that, in 2021, he met with a bridge manufacturer onsite to discuss the project, and it was estimated that a factory built bridge could be made at an estimated cost of between $325,000.00 and $375,000.00. He presented this proposal to the prior Village Council, but he stated that there seemed to be a lot of attachment to the current bridge design at that time (to repair it rather than to replace it). Therefore, he proceeded to solicit an engineering firm through the proposal process, and that is how the Village came to hire Lahita Engineering to prepare the plans and specifications to repair the bridge. He said that he would have to get a different proposal from Lahita Engineering, if the Village Councilmembers want to replace the bridge instead of repairing it.

 

Mayor Vagianos added that, in 2021, the Village Councilmembers were looking for a less expensive alternative than replacing the bridge. Councilmember Reynolds agreed with Mayor Vagianos. Deputy Mayor Perron added that they were also reluctant to take on the burden of having to make the replacement bridge ADA compliant.

 

Councilmember Weitz said that he is having difficulty making a decision regarding the Kingsbridge Lane Bridge, while also considering the funds needed to do the West Glen Avenue sidewalks. He feels that a decision should first be made regarding the sidewalk cost estimates. Deputy Mayor Perron and Councilmember Winograd said that they agreed with Councilmember Weitz. Councilmember Winograd asked Ms. Mailander if she could obtain a comprehensive list of all the capital expenditures in 2023. Ms. Mailander replied that this list is contained within the bond ordinance, but she could send it out again. Councilmember Winograd asked if it could be put into an Excel document, and Ms. Mailander said that perhaps the Finance Department has the list in Excel format.

 

Councilmember Weitz asked what the complete price would be for a new replacement bridge, as opposed to repairing the bridge. Mr. Rutishauser replied that it would cost $396,192.00 to repair the bridge, plus charges by Lahita Engineering of $32,125.00, so approximately $432,000.00. He added that it would also cost $25,000.00 extra if the Village wanted the designer (Lahita Engineering) to provide construction oversight services or periodic visits to the site to make sure the work is progressing according to specifications. A replacement bridge would cost approximately $550,000.00, plus engineering design services of approximately $50,000.00, or $600,000.00 in total. Mr. Rutishauser said that these numbers would remain stable barring an international world crisis, such as the war in Ukraine. The original price to replace the bridge of between $325,000.00 and $375,000.00 was quoted before the Covid pandemic, after which time there became issues with the supply chain for materials and supplies.

 

Ms. Mailander pointed out that if the Village Councilmembers decide to reappropriate money for the Kingsbridge Lane Bridge project, a new ordinance would have to be introduced to rename the ordinance, which would involve a two-month process, plus an additional 20 days from publication for it to become effective. However, if money were reappropriated for the West Glen Avenue sidewalks, it would be immediate since the funds could be reappropriated from the allocation set aside for the Schedler property improvements (because of the way in which the original bond ordinance is worded).

7.         WEST GLEN AVENUE SIDEWALKS

 

Ms. Mailander stated that there was going to be discussion regarding the West Glen Avenue sidewalks and that Sergeant Chuck will speak about safety in that area. She mentioned that Mr. Rutishauser has distributed enlarged diagrams to the Village Councilmembers, and that Dylan Hansen, IT Director, would show the plans on the large screen in the courtroom.

 

Mr. Rutishauser stated that sidewalks have already been constructed in front of the first three houses going eastward on West Glen Avenue from North Monroe Street (#232, #228, and #224 West Glen Avenue). He said that the houses with sidewalks are shaded grey on the plans, and the unshaded areas are the houses still without sidewalks, except for the little corner piece that goes down to S Hill Road. When questioned by Councilmember Winograd if there remained 1,300 linear feet of sidewalks still to be constructed, Mr. Rutishauser said that he has not checked the footage recently.

 

Councilmember Weitz asked how utility poles and fire hydrants are relocated in order to make room for the sidewalk construction, since some of them are located very close to the street. Mr. Rutishauser said that he would speak with someone from the Ridgewood Water Department to see if the fire hydrants could be moved, albeit at a cost. He said that utility poles are more difficult. He said that the utility poles are situated approximately 125 feet apart. Councilmember Weitz asked what can be done with properties on West Glen Avenue which have retaining walls located very close to the street. He asked if these walls will have to be removed and, in that case, who will bear the cost of same. Mr. Rutishauser stated that some residents along West Glen Avenue have constructed their own parking spots along the right-of-way. Without retaining walls, those residents will lose those parking spaces. Mr. Rutishauser said that the Village may have to pay for the removal of the retaining walls, depending upon how far they intrude into the sidewalk work area. He stated that the cost to remove the walls was included in the estimate he gave to the Village Council last week of $300,000.00.

 

Councilmember Weitz asked if the property owners living along West Glen Avenue will be consulted regarding the work which will be done in front of their properties, and Mr. Rutishauser said that there are a lot of residents who are interested in the sidewalk construction. He said that once a decision is made by the Village Councilmembers regarding the sidewalks, then a letter will be sent out to the residents advising them of the work to be performed and how it might affect them, individually.

 

Mr. Rutishauser said that when the initial phase of the sidewalk construction was performed, there was a lot of interaction with the residents. He mentioned that Councilmember Reynolds also met with some of the residents. Councilmember Reynolds stated that some of the neighbors were furious and did not want their trees removed or sidewalks constructed in front of their homes. She praised Mr. Rutishauser and his crew for the beautiful job they did on the sidewalks. Mr. Rutishauser stated that the sidewalks on the north side came out very nice, although some shrubs had to be moved or replaced. He stated that the Village has the right to perform whatever construction is deemed necessary along the public right-of-way on West Glen Avenue. He said that no “land takings” were necessary when the initial phase of the sidewalk construction was performed, and none are anticipated for the next phase of the work. He assured Councilmember Weitz that adequate notice will be given to all residents who will be impacted by the sidewalk construction.

 

When questioned by Councilmember Winograd, Mr. Rutishauser confirmed that there are 15 more properties where sidewalks will have to be constructed. Mr. Rogers confirmed to Councilmember Winograd that when there is a parking space or retaining wall within a right-of-way, the Village has the right to do whatever it deems necessary on the right-of way without legal challenge from property owners.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron stated that she cannot imagine how sidewalks could be constructed by some of the homes with a steeply sloping front yard without the construction of retaining walls. Mr. Rutishauser said that his initial request for the sidewalks of $1 million allowed for the construction of retaining walls. When asked by Deputy Mayor Perron which homes on West Glen Avenue have the most slope, Mr. Rutishauser estimated that it would be three to four houses on either side of Alpine Terrace.

 

Councilmember Reynolds asked Mr. Rutishauser what he planned to do at the intersection of S Hill Road and West Glen Avenue, since that intersection is where several streets converge. Mr. Rutishauser said that Jovan Mehandzic, of the Engineering Department, gave him a rendering of this area, where there are proposed bumpouts on Heights, Hillcrest, and S Hill Roads, with the construction of a crosswalk. He said that they are considering making S Hill Road a one-way street and eliminating the left turn. Councilmember Reynolds stated that the bumpouts and crosswalk are even more important than the sidewalks, in order to improve safety, although she stated that a lot of trees will probably have to be removed by S Hill Road. Mr. Rutishauser said that they have not figured that out yet, but the portion of Heights Road where they are considering the bumpouts is on the north side of West Glen Avenue. They have not yet determined what they are going to do on the portion of Heights Road on the south side of West Glen Avenue. Mr. Rutishauser stated that this may be an area suitable for a pedestrian refuge island, similar to what was constructed by the clock near Memorial Park at Van Neste Square.

 

Councilmember Reynolds asked Mr. Rutishauser if the quote of $300,000.00 for completion of the sidewalks, which he gave to the Village Council last week, included the construction of the bumpouts. Mr. Rutishauser replied that he has not yet priced out the cost of the bumpouts, but he would estimate that everything could be accomplished, including the bumpouts, for under $400,000.00. Councilmember Reynolds feels that the project should resume by S Hill Road and go westward along West Glen Avenue towards North Monroe Street, since that represents the most dangerous part of West Glen Avenue, where people are forced to walk in the street. Mr. Rutishauser said that it all depends on what kind of funding is allocated by the Village Council for this project.

 

Mayor Vagianos said that he agreed with Councilmember Reynolds, stating that it is a very dangerous intersection by S Hill Road, considering the wideness and steepness of the road in that area. He agreed with Mr. Rutishauser’s plans to construct bumpouts with no left turn out of S Hill Road, onto West Glen Avenue.

 

Sergeant Chuck said that the accident rate is pretty low near the intersection of S Hill Road, Heights Road, Crest Road and West Glen Avenue, considering how dangerous this intersection is. He said that the biggest concern of the Ridgewood Police Department is the speeding that takes place along West Glen Avenue. He said that because of the steepness and curve of the road in this area, it is extremely difficult to perform enforcement with radar. He said that it would be a positive move to protect pedestrians at this intersection, with the use of bumpouts and other pedestrian safety measures.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron said that she could not tell from the diagrams whether the brown shaded areas are sidewalks or retaining walls. Mr. Rutishauser said that the brown shaded areas represent land that is graded. The sidewalks are delineated by white areas with speckles in them. He said that the retaining walls and driveways are not shown in great detail on the drawings.

 

Councilmember Reynolds asked Mr. Rutishauser if he could estimate how much it would cost to install sidewalks from S Hill Road up to North Monroe Street. Mr. Rutishauser said that it was difficult to estimate how much it would cost, because there has been discussion about installing bumpouts and improvements by S Hill Road where several roads intersect and he has not yet priced these out. He said that no conceptual work has yet been done on the southbound portion of Heights Road, where he mentioned the possibility of constructing a pedestrian island. Councilmember Reynolds asked if it would be possible to obtain some cost estimates within a week or two. Mr. Rutishauser said that it would be more realistic to expect pricing near the beginning of June.

 

Councilmember Weitz said that he would like to hear some “hard numbers,” so that the Village Councilmembers know in which direction to proceed.  Ms. Mailander said that real numbers will not be received until the job is sent out to bid. However, Mr. Rutishauser will attempt to estimate pricing as close as possible, based upon the 2023 paving bid, which includes linear footage of curb and square yards of sidewalk. Mr. Rutishauser cautioned that sometimes bidders adjust their numbers, so that they end up being the low bidder on a project.

 

Councilmember Winograd stated that she felt that reducing the original $1 million request to $300,000.00 for the sidewalk project was a good move. However, she said that she was concerned about the neighbors being notified about the impending sidewalk construction. She said that she agreed that the intersection of S Hill Road and Heights Road needs to be looked at, so that it can be made safer with bumpouts, a no left-hand turn, and a pedestrian island.

 

Ms. Mailander said that the next Village Council meetings are scheduled for May 14 and June 7, 2023. Mr. Rutishauser said that he could get some pricing in time for the June 7, 2023 meeting.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked how many speed limit signs are currently posted along West Glen Avenue (east of North Monroe Street). Sergeant Chuck said that he was not sure, but he would get that information to Deputy Mayor Perron tomorrow. Mr. Rutishauser stated that the speed limit is 25 miles per hour. Deputy Mayor Perron said she was aware of the speed limit, but stated that drivers ignore the speed limit signs. Mr. Rutishauser cautioned everyone that if the Village requested a speed study on West Glen Avenue by Bergen County (since it is a County Road), they will most likely increase the speed limit to 35 miles per hour. Sergeant Chuck said that West Glen Avenue is a designated truck route and it is heavily regulated, so the Village needs to “tread lightly” with what is done on that road. Mr. Rutishauser said that, in the past, there have been requests to lower the speed limit on a County road, and the County Engineering Department warned Mr. Rutishauser not to be surprised if the speed limit were increased after the performance of a speed study.  Mayor Vagianos asked if the Village can install speed limit signs on a County road, and Mr. Rutishauser said that this can be done, as long as it is the speed to which the County has agreed. He said that the Village cannot impose its own speed limit on a County road.

 

C.        POLICY

 

1.         VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD CITIZENS’ GUIDE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS

 

Ms. Mailander said that this item pertains to the Village of Ridgewood’s “Citizen’s Guide to Public Comment” (both a redlined version and the final version). This document details the number of Village Council meetings per month, how voting is scheduled, descriptions of an ordinance and resolution, how the Mayor is the Presiding Officer, how a point of order is called, and rules governing public comments both during a public comments portion of a meeting and during a Public Hearing regarding an ordinance. The document also details what is in the Codebook and about personally offensive or abusive remarks not being tolerated.

 

Councilmember Winograd said that she and Deputy Mayor Perron participated in a program hosted by the League of Women Voters called “Observacore.” This made her aware of the various nuances of meetings, of the specific procedures undertaken when discussing ordinances and resolutions, and of the rules governing public comments. She felt that, in order to foster information and communication, a document should be drawn up outlining all of the rules governing Village Council meetings. The goal of this document is to enable members of the public to understand the difference between a Work Session and Regular Public Meeting, the limitations set for public comments, and the differences between a resolution and an ordinance. She said that Mr. Rogers will need to review the final document, since many changes were made to the original document.

 

Mr. Rogers stated that this document primarily deals with guidelines to enhance the public’s understanding of the protocols followed during public comment. He said that this 3-page document could be made into a 20-page document if one wanted to throw in all of the laws governing a municipal government meeting. He said that there is a lot on the first two pages about adequate public notice of meetings/agendas and publication of ordinances, which he felt was unnecessary for the public to understand and should be redacted. However, he stated that this decision was up to the Village Council.

 

Councilmember Weitz asked if this document would be formally adopted by the Village Council or if it was merely an informal document that would be posted on the Village website. Mr. Rogers said that it would merely entail a resolution to adopt and support this document. Councilmember Weitz said that he thought it was a great document set out in layman’s terms, but he was a bit concerned about the language at the end of the document concerning offensive remarks. He said that while he does not want to be at the receiving end of an offensive remark, he is a big believer in the First Amendment, unless the speech becomes boisterous or disturbs the peace of the meeting. Councilmember Weitz stated that he likes that the document is called “A Citizens’ Guide” without the force of law behind it, but that it sets forth what type of behavior is expected from the public. Mr. Rogers stated that some of the language in this document mimics language contained in an ordinance relating to public decorum, which has been in effect for quite a while. There was a discussion between Mr. Rogers and Councilmember Weitz about members of the public being allowed to say a Village Councilmember’s name and criticize that Village Councilmember, depending upon the demeanor of the person speaking and barring any slanderous or impertinent remarks. Councilmember Weitz thanked Councilmember Winograd for all of her efforts in drafting this document.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron said that the part in italics on the first page does not have to be italicized, and the citation does not need to be included, either. She said that she felt that the title was sort of narrow and speaks to all procedures observed by the Village Council and not just pertaining to public comment. She felt it should be named, “A Citizens’ Guide to Village Council Procedure.”

 

Mayor Vagianos said that he was fine with the title being “A Citizens’ Guide to Public Comment.” He said that this document is merely a guide and represents what the Village Council hopes to achieve. He said that there is extra information in the document which does not pertain to public comment (such as how often meetings are held and public notices), but this serves to provide information to a resident who has never spoken at a Village Council meeting previously. However, Mayor Vagianos agreed with Mr. Rogers that the information regarding public notices probably does not need to be in the document.

 

Councilmember Winograd said that it was important for people seeking information to know that the Village Council is required to post public notices about meetings and meeting agendas, especially since she was seeking this information before she was elected to the Village Council. Mr. Rogers said that the only problem is that all aspects of public notices are not delineated in the guide, and he wondered if only certain aspects of public notices should be written in the document.

 

Deputy Mayor Perron asked if something should be added in the document to the effect that residents may view meetings via Swagit, and Councilmember Winograd said that this was already mentioned in the document. She said that she and Ms. Mailander added a line about hybrid meetings. Councilmember Winograd thanked Deputy Mayor Perron, Ms. Mailander, and Mr. Rogers for all of their assistance while developing this document. Mr. Rogers said that he would review this document by Friday. Deputy Mayor Perron saw the reference to hybrid meetings in the document, but felt that Swagit access should be specifically mentioned. 

 

            D.        OPERATIONS

 

                        1.         RESCIND ACCESS RESOLUTION

 

Ms. Mailander stated that this item deals with rescinding Resolution #22-102 that was adopted on March 9, 2022 to provide ACCESS with additional structure, support, and direction. The resolution also changed some of the appointments made to the ACCESS Committee and changed the length of the terms. The Village Council must decide if the changes incorporated in Resolution #22-102 are to be made permanent, in which case a new ordinance will be introduced to amend Ordinance #3533. If the changes made to ACCESS in Resolution #22-102 are not to be made permanent, then Resolution #22-102 will be rescinded. An ordinance must be amended with an ordinance and cannot be amended via resolution.

 

Councilmember Winograd said that she and Councilmember Reynolds felt that Resolution #22-102 was no longer applicable and that it would be easier to rescind the resolution and let Ordinance #3533 stand as is. Deputy Mayor Perron and Mayor Vagianos concurred. 

 

7.         PUBLIC COMMENTS

 

Boyd A. Loving, 342 South Irving Street, said that he recalled prior discussions in which it was stated, according to the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), that the governing body could not censor comments from the public simply because they did not agree with the comments. He said that there was an incident where Ms. Weber was censored by Mayor Vagianos because she mentioned Councilmember Winograd’s name. Last week, Mr. Halaby was interrupted by Mayor Vagianos because he said something that Mayor Vagianos did not like. He said that the OPMA of New Jersey specifically prohibits censorship. Mr. Loving said that the proposed “Citizens’ Guide to Public Comment” is allowing censorship. He said that posting this guide is an attempt to intimidate the public, stating that certain portions of the document are inappropriate. A determination of whether a person says something demeaning, offensive, abusive, or impertinent is subjective in nature. Mr. Loving said that someone can determine if a person is being disorderly or disruptive, since those things are objective.

 

Mr. Loving stated that this Citizens’ Guide to Public Comment seeks to force members of the public to only say good things about the Village Councilmembers. He said that the Village Councilmembers cannot control what he is able to say during public comments, while he is exercising his First Amendment rights, as long as he is not disruptive or disorderly. He is against the publication of the “Citizens’ Guide to Public Comment.” He said that the Village Councilmembers are trying to control dialogue, just as some Facebook groups try to control the message. Mr. Loving said that he would sue the Village if his public comments are controlled or censored. He said that people should not be afraid to come to the podium to “speak their peace.”

 

Mr. Loving added that $59,000.00 to purchase garbage cans for the Central Business District is an absolute waste of money.

 

Niti Mistry, 416 Colwell Court, thanked the Village Councilmembers for reconsidering the allocation of funds for the West Glen Avenue sidewalk project. She also thanked Mr. Rutishauser, Mr. Mehandzic, and all of the other staff in the Engineering Department for all of their work. Ms. Mistry said that there were perhaps one or two residents residing on West Glen Avenue who had objections to the sidewalk construction. One former objector who lived at 172 West Glen has moved, and the new owners have no objection to the construction of sidewalks in front of their home.

 

Ms. Mistry said that her property on Colwell Court has an easement in her front yard, with a sewer grate to allow for drainage into the creek on West Glen Avenue. When Ms. Mistry did some landscaping and grading work on her property, she was warned that the easement was Village property and that she should not put any permanent structures or plantings along the easement. Ms. Mistry said that the same restrictions apply to the residents who live on West Glen Avenue, with the easements in front of their properties. She mentioned that some residents have made cutouts on the easement for parking spaces and, while she sympathizes with them, she said that the easement is owned by the Village and the Village can do whatever it likes with the easement. Ms. Mistry said that the safety of an entire community cannot be sacrificed for the inconvenience of one resident.

 

In addition, Ms. Mistry does not feel that it is fair to “pit” certain capital projects against each other, such as the West Glen Avenue sidewalks and the Kingsbridge Lane Bridge repairs. She feels certain that there are ways in which both projects can be completed at the same time, such as through bonding. She again thanked the Village Councilmembers for reconsidering the allocation of funds for the West Glen Avenue sidewalk project.

 

Anne Loving, 342 South Irving Street, stated that she agreed with the statements made by her husband (Boyd A. Loving) previously and would not repeat them. She said that it was interesting that the Village Councilmembers were not writing a document setting forth guidelines for their own behavior. If words such as “demeaning” or “offensive” are going to be used, Ms. Loving said that she found it demeaning, personally offensive, and slanderous to have Councilmember Winograd state that the “Citizens’ Guide to Public Comment” was being developed for “regular people.” She wondered what “regular people” were, and whether the Village Councilmembers consider themselves to be “higher up” than regular people. She suggested that guidelines be written setting forth how the Village Councilmembers should conduct themselves.

 

Ms. Loving said that the opening comments made by Mayor Vagianos at the beginning of public comments, delineating what the public can and cannot say, are demeaning and offensive. She personally feels that the “Citizens’ Guide” should not even exist, because it has “no teeth.” Ms. Loving said that members of the public have the right to say anything they want during public comments, as long as they are not boisterous or use vulgar language or threats.

 

Chris Dobson, 408 Eaton Court, thanked the Village Councilmembers for giving the public the opportunity to make public comments during two portions of Village Countil meetings. He thanked Ms. Mailander for replying to his earlier comments, but he stated that his comments pertained to newly paved roads. He wondered if there was anything in the Village Code which defines what a “newly paved road” is. Mr. Dobson said that it is not equitable when a utility pays a $500.00 fine for digging up a newly paved road, yet it will cost $10,000.00 to repave the road at taxpayer expense. He recommended that the fine be a percentage of the estimated cost for repaving the road, once the utility work is completed.

 

Regarding the “Citizens’ Guide to Public Comment,” Mr. Dobson said that he has observed a lot of division in this country, where public discourse leads to disunity and uproar, and people treat each other disrespectfully. He said that the guide is acceptable as a recommendation only, as long as the Village Council does not seek to infringe on citizens’ First Amendment rights.

 

Rurik Halaby, 1 Franklin Avenue, suggested that the title of the “Village of Ridgewood - Citizens’ Guide to Public Comment” be changed to “Village of Ridgewood – Citizen Guide to the Way the Village Operates.” He said that no one understands how the Village Council operates. Mr. Halaby said the Village Council is trying to control what members of the public can or cannot say. He said that no one, not even his best friend, will tell him what he can or cannot say. If he hears something stupid or mean being said on the dais, he will not hesitate to point it out.

 

Regarding the Schedler property, Mr. Halaby said that many people misunderstand what he is trying to say or do. He said that he wanted to read a letter which he wrote in 2019 regarding the Schedler property:  “Instead of zeroing in on just the Schedler house, why doesn’t the Village Council take a look at the Paramus Church, the Schoolhouse Museum, the Valleau Cemetery, and the Schedler property as one integrated historical complex to be named ‘Ridgewood Historical Park.’ The needs and uses can be addressed as one and, in looking at the park as a complex, one can address the Schedler house. How historic is the house and, considering limited resources, is it worth saving, and as what? One alternative to restoring the house, a huge expensive proposition, considering the state of disrepair, is to tear it down and replace it with a house with identical architecture that will provide a place for storing Ridgewood’s historic artifacts. The Schoolhouse Museaum would then be filled up as a venue for meetings and social events. In turn, the Schedler property could be turned into a beautiful park, two-thirds active and one-third passive.”

 

In looking at the historical park as a complex, and addressing the isolation of northeast Ridgewood, an idea broached by Mr. Halaby in the past is to build a footbridge across Route 17, with one anchor close to the old Shell gas station and one at Schedler. Along with the footbridge, Mr. Halaby said that a 12-foot wall could be built along Route 17 that would offer soundproofing. He said that one of the biggest “games” being propagated by some people is the notion that a lot of trees will provide soundproofing. Mr. Halaby said that he walked around the Schedler property in the middle of the winter, when there were no leaves on the trees to provide protection from the noise emanating from Route 17. He said that a wall needs to be built if the Village wants to protect the Schedler neighbors from the noise coming from Route 17. He said that the various diversions and deflections do not make any sense, and he fully supports the plans approved by the Village Council for the Schedler property. He described the term “sports complex” being used by the residents in the Schedler community as “newspeak.” He concluded by stating that he takes his First Amendment rights very seriously.

 

Mayor Vagianos announced that there were three people waiting to make comments remotely and that it was already 11:00 p.m. He asked the Village Councilmembers whether they wanted to extend the meeting time to allow these persons to make comments. Deputy Mayor Perron stated that she needed to go home. Councilmember Weitz reminded the public that there was also a Closed Session taking place after the closure of public comments. He said that he was in favor of extending the meeting by ten minutes. Councilmember Reynolds was in favor of extending the meeting to allow everyone to make comments. Mayor Vagianos said that he was not feeling well and was going to excuse himself for a few minutes from the meeting. He asked Deputy Mayor Perron to act in his stead.

 

Suzanne Ruane, 705 Kingsbridge Lane, said that it was her understanding that the Village Councilmembers made no decision regarding the Kingsbridge Lane Bridge this evening and that the matter was going to be “kicked down the road” again. She said that further delays on this project will result in higher costs, similar to what occurred in 2021. Ms. Ruane said that if the Village Council decides to replace the bridge in its entirety, which will require that the footbridge be made ADA compliant, she asked that sidewalks be constructed along East Saddle River Road. She said that it makes no sense to make the bridge ADA compliant, when a disabled person will have no alternative route after leaving the footbridge, other than to go directly onto the busy roadway.

 

Ms. Ruane stated that when the Village Councilmembers were discussing the purchase of new garbage cans for the CBD, they mentioned quality of life and infrastructure, yet those same words were not used when discussing the Kingsbridge Lane Bridge or the West Glen Avenue sidewalks, which are both infrastructure problems. She feels that these two projects should be given priority over the purchase of garbage cans. Ms. Ruane said that the quality of life for commuters living near the footbridge has dramatically deteriorated, since the bridge has now been closed for two years. The quality of life for the children living in this area has also been altered, for those who wish to walk to the CBD. In addition, the quality of life will be reduced for the Schedler residents if the approved plans are completed, particularly for those living along West Saddle River Road.

 

Ms. Ruane asked the Village Councilmembers to stop pitting neighborhoods against each other and making people adversaries. She said that the West Glen Avenue sidewalks and the repairs to the Kingsbridge Lane Bridge both represent safety issues and are more important than completion of the Schedler project.

 

Kevin Wang, 147 West Glen Avenue, thanked the Village Councilmembers for reconsidering the sidewalk project on West Glen Avenue, which shows that they care about the safety of Village residents and shows that they are listening to the residents. He particularly thanked Councilmember Reynolds for suggesting that the recommencement of the sidewalk construction begin at the dangerous intersection of S Hill Road, Heights Road, and West Glen Avenue.

 

Mr. Wang said that there was a comment made this evening by a Village Councilmember as to whether or not the residents who live along West Glen Avenue are aware of the discussions being held regarding the sidewalks. He said that he was appalled by this comment, since over the past few weeks, many residents who live on West Glen Avenue have appeared before the Village Council expressing their concerns and advocating for the completion of the sidewalk construction. He said that he, along with many of his neighbors, have been closely watching the Village Council meetings, during which the sidewalk project was discussed, and they are waiting for the Village Councilmembers to “knock on their doors” to discuss the sidewalk project individually with each resident. Mr. Wang gave a shout out to Ms. Mistry for unofficially representing the West Glen neighbors.

 

Mary Lou Handy, 695 Kingsbridge Lane, suggested that perhaps the Village Council could allow only in-person comments to be made at the beginning of a Village Council meeting and then allow only call-in comments at the end of the meeting. She suggested even alternating in-person and hybrid speakers, in an effort to try to balance both sides during public comments. She said that she understood the difficulties faced by the Village Councilmembers in having to choose between two very important capital projects.

 

There were no further public comments.

 

Councilmember Winograd stated that the bulk of the “Citizens’ Guide to Public Comment” did not concentrate solely on the protocols for public comments, but also include the methodology for conducting meetings. She said that she personally feels very strongly that it is important to explain how Village Council meetings work. Councilmember Winograd said that there was never any intention to squelch anyone’s First Amendment rights. She encouraged members of the public to contact her or the other Village Councilmembers to comment on what they either like or do not like about the document. She said that Mr. Rogers will ensure that no wording in the document would affect one’s First Amendment rights.

 

Mr. Rogers stated that he respected all comments made regarding the draft of the “Citizens’ Guide to Public Comment” and emphasized that in no way was there any attempt being made to try to control what people say. He said that people are allowed to say what they want. However, he disagreed with the residents who stated that disorderly or disruptive conduct is not subjective. He said that judging whether a person is being disorderly or disruptive is just as subjective, on an individual basis, as offensive language or slanderous remarks. Mr. Rogers said that the Presiding Officer of the meeting has recognized rights during a public meeting to be able to control such disorderly or disruptive behavior.

 

Mr. Rogers stated that the sole purpose of the “Citizens’ Guide to Public Comment” document is to provide information to the public. He said that he will review the document within the next 48 hours and will take a specific look at the sensitivity of the issues that have been raised by the public this evening, to ensure that there is no language which infringes on one’s First Amendment rights or tries to control what anyone is able to say. Mr. Rogers said that there is nothing wrong with a resident criticizing a particular Village Councilmember, but action needs to be taken when these actions become disruptive, disorderly, slanderous or offensive.

 

8.         RESOLUTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION

 

Village Manager Heather Mailander read Resolution #23-159 to go into Closed Session:

 

 

 

9.         ADJOURNMENT

 

There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Councilmember Winograd, seconded by Councilmember Weitz, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the Village Council’s Work Session was adjourned at 11:15 P.M.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                           

                                                                                                Paul Vagianos

                                                                                                                     Mayor

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                       

                  Heather A. Mailander

           Village Manager/Village Clerk