20150228 - Village Council Budget Meeting

 

A SPECIAL PUBLIC BUDGET MEETING OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE SYDNEY V. STOLDT, JR., COURTROOM ON THE FOURTH FLOOR OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ON FEBRUARY 28, 2015 AT 9:00 A.M.

 

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

 

Mayor Aronsohn called the meeting to order at 9:00 p.m. and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act.  At roll call the following were present:  Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli and Sedon.  Also present were Roberta Sonenfeld,Village Manager; Heather Mailander, Village Clerk; and Stephen Sanzari, Deputy Chief Financial Officer.

 

2.         FLAG SALUTE

 

Mayor Aronsohn led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.  There was also a moment of silence held to honor the American men and women serving in the Armed Forces as well as those serving as first responders.

 

3.         COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

 

There were no comments from the public.

 

4.         INTRODUCTION OF 2015 BUDGET PROCESS

 

Mayor Aronsohn indicated how useful the binder was in terms of setting forth all of the budget numbers and overview of each department, as well as the forward thinking that went into their strategic planning.  Councilman Pucciarelli also commended all of the Department Directors, village staff and employees for taking time out of their personal schedules to attend this meeting since it was taking place on a Saturday.

 

Village Manager Sonenfeld echoed the sentiments of Mayor Aronsohn and Councilman Pucciarelli.  She mentioned that this budget meeting was going to be held in a new format with the entire Village management team being present at the same time.  She encouraged questions, different perspectives on issues, support of colleagues, and on-going dialogue.  Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that several budget meetings had already been held and that the numbers presented at this time were the best they could come up with thus far.  She stated that some of the requests from external sources have been put in the budget and some have been left out.  She mentioned that there was not yet a “top line” figure for the budget and its impact on taxes.

 

Ms. Sonenfeld stated that not everything would be discussed at this meeting today, including the Parking Utility, Ridgewood Water, the surplus account, trust fund account, and debt service, but that they would all eventually play a role in the top line figure.  She mentioned that the agenda was very aggressive today and perhaps not everything would be completed at this meeting.  A suggestion was made to set aside two more timeframes before the March 22, 2015 meeting to finish up anything not reached at this meeting.  Capital and operating budgets would be done together.  The format of the meeting will be 2014 accomplishments, 2015 plans and strategies, and a discussion of some of the budget deltas.  The Financial Advisory Committee (FAC) sheet has been included in the binder for each of the departments.  Head counts are not available today, but will be at future sessions.  She mentioned that there will be some budget increases in certain areas, including the aging infrastructure in Ridgewood, human resources, bringing technology into the 21^st century, and the footprint of the Village and premises.

 

5.         DISCUSSION ITEMS

 

            a.         REVIEW OF DEPARTMENT BUDGETS

 

                        1.         Department of Public Works (Streets, Fleet, Yardwaste Recycling,                                               Recycling, Solid Waste)

 

Frank Moritz, Director of Operations, reported first on leaf collection.  For the first time, outsourcing was utilized for Area B.  Despite a rough beginning, he feels that this worked out well in the end.  It allowed the department to make repeat visits to different areas and do a better job of cleaning off curbs, leading to resident satisfaction.  Although money was spent for the outside leaf collection, it led to a savings by not having two village loaders on the road using up fuel and adding to the wear and tear on the loaders.  He also feels that a better job was done this year on snow removal as well.  At the Lakeview yardwaste site, over 35,000 cubic yards of leaves were processed.  In addition, 4,500 cubic yards of grass clippings had to be sent offsite for disposal, due to DEP regulations, at a cost of approximately $90,000.  Additional crew members were added for Christmas tree disposal and two departments were combined (Yardwaste and Solid Waste) to complete that task.

 

Mr. Moritz stated that one of the biggest achievements was the negotiation of the Supervisors’ contract.  An approach was utilized for long-term rather than short-term savings.  A modest raise was implemented which lowered the rates of all incoming employees in that bargaining unit by 25% from top to bottom.  This lower rate will result in substantial savings in about four to five years, when approximately 35-40% of the staff (Blue Collar, White Collar and Supervisors included) will be retiring.  In addition, a $15,000 cap was placed on terminal leave, which will also impact future savings.

 

Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that the contract was retroactive for two years and that is why the salary line items across all budgets are higher than usual (3.25% increase), since those numbers were not there for the past two years.  In those years, the funds were listed under a different budget line item entitled “salary negotiations and costs.”

 

Regarding the 2015 budget highlights, Mr. Moritz said that with retirements and so forth, the salaries are about $35,000 lower in the Recycling Department and staff capability has been improved, despite the lower salary figure.  There are some increased costs in the Street Department, due to snow removal.  Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that there was a lot of overtime related to snow removal preparedness as well as brining and salting of the streets.  Mr. Moritz explained the differences between each snowstorm, timing of the storm, and its impact on overtime and staff availability.  Ms. Sonenfeld explained that for the first time in a while, snow was removed around the meters in the Central Business District and they were attempting to do a better job of reducing the size of the snow mounds on corners of streets.

 

Regarding the Division of Solid Waste, Mr. Moritz stated that there has been implementation by the Superintendent of Operations to save 25% on overtime costs by regulating the scheduling of staff traveling to the disposal sites.  There has been a small increase in operating expense to repair sensors and wiring for the garage, which was disrupted by trucks going to the salt depository.  Contractual expenses for 2015 are lower than in 2015, and this includes outsourcing for leaf removal, snow removal, and vehicle maintenance.  Some of the outsourcing is offset by fuel cost savings and wear and tear on the loaders, but the outsourcing will be monitored on a regular basis to ensure that the cost savings do not outweigh the needs of the Village.  He gave an example of having to repair a loader in 2014 for $60,000.  Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that retiree mechanics’ salaries have been kept in the budget for the time being since they have to figure out how much it is going to cost to outsource that vehicle maintenance function to the county facility in Paramus.  John Spano, Superintendent of Operations, spoke about the strategic plan regarding vehicle replacement, including leased vehicles and the new police vehicles which are to be purchased, which all have service plans.  This will lower the impact on fleet services.

 

Mr. Moritz stated that other expenses include road salt, calcium chloride, brine, tires, lubricants, oil and snow plow equipment.  Disposal and dumping fees have held steady.  There was a large increase for disposal of grass clippings (from $65,000 to $105,000) due to DEP regulations, which are strictly enforced.  It was noted that fuel prices have gone down drastically.  All five budgets within this department have decreased by approximately 1%.  Risks include gas prices, which fluctuate and also snow removal expenses, which are uncontrollable.  Mr. Moritz stated they are looking at purchasing their own brine making equipment for Village use and also for sale to neighboring communities.  An allocation of $35,000 was established through a bond ordinance in 2011 for the brine making equipment, but was never acted upon.  Mr. Moritz stated that relocation of the salt shed will be evaluated in the future.

 

Mr. Moritz also mentioned how salaries have been impacted for temporary part-time workers for leaf removal and how after a certain time, they are considered to be permanent workers pursuant to Civil Service regulations.  Blue and White Collar contracts end at the end of 2015, and the gains made in the Supervisory contracts will hopefully be passed along to the Blue and White Collar contracts as well.

 

Mr. Moritz indicated that they are looking to outsource the operation of the Lakeview compost facility, which will save the Village money because two major pieces of equipment used there are reaching their age limit and replacing them will cost approximately $1 million.  There is a Shared Services Agreement on the tub grinder with Glen Rock, per Ms. Sonenfeld, so that will have to be worked out.

 

Mayor Aronsohn thanked everyone for their input and welcomed any questions.  Councilman Pucciarelli asked about outsourcing and its benefits, especially regarding fleet and emergency repairs.  Mr. Moritz indicated that the budget for the Fleet Division will diminish in the future due to the service contracts on the police vehicles and outsourcing of maintenance and repairs.  Councilman Pucciarelli then asked what the calendar was for snow removal, whether it ran from June to June or January to December.  Ms. Sonenfeld indicated that it ran from January to December.  A question was asked whether there was a request in the budget for a new leaf vacuum, and Mr. Moritz replied that there was, and that it should reduce some of the labor costs involved for leaf removal.  Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that the outsourced provider for leaf removal will be increasing their fee next year because they did not realize how much work was involved with Village leaf removal.  Councilman Pucciarelli asked whether the addition of the new leaf vacuum might eliminate the need for outsourcing leaf removal.  Mr. Moritz replied that the leaf vacuums are slow and are not efficient in picking up huge piles of leaves, so additional equipment will still be needed and perhaps outsourcing as well.  Another question was asked about oil prices and how much they fluctuate.  Councilman Pucciarelli asked how much money would be in the snow trust fund for 2015 and Mr. Sanzari mentioned that the current balance is $158,000 as of December 31, 2014.  Ms. Sonenfeld indicated that items not discussed at this meeting, which will impact the top line, are the trust accounts and surplus accounts.

 

Councilwoman Hauck thanked Mr. Moritz for coming in under budget for 2015 as compared to 2014.  She indicated that as a Councilwoman, the things she looks for is quality of life, safety and welfare, and budget and taxes.  She stated that after hearing Mr. Moritz give his presentation, it appeared that he impacted quality of life issues by performing them faster and better, while doing things more efficiently with cost savings.  She indicated that outsourcing was a difficult thing to do and she applauded Mr. Moritz for addressing that, since it ultimately affects the jobs of longtime Village employees.

 

Councilwoman Knudsen asked about the 22% increase on the leaf removal.  She was concerned about cost increases for outside contracts and eventually the Village having to depend heavily on outside sources for services.  Mr. Moritz indicated that the leaf removal services had been underbid by Downes Tree Service, Inc., and they had lost money on the job this year.  He explained that was why the amount was increased in the 2015 budget.  Councilwoman Knudsen asked what the savings were in Area B from the outsourcing and what would the cost actually have been if the Village had done it themselves.  Mr. Moritz replied that this will be monitored closely and that outsourcing is not necessarily cheaper in the long run.  Ms. Sonenfeld indicated that they were taking a cautious “hybrid” approach, meaning that only a portion of the leaf removal services or snow removal services were outsourced.  If the complete function were outsourced, then Ridgewood would be at the “mercy” of the outside contractor and not have anything to fall back on.

 

Mayor Aronsohn inquired about recycling revenues.  Mr. Moritz replied that all recycling revenues are market driven.  Fiber (paper) is probably a little lower than normal.  About 40% of the waste stream is recycled, so the department is doing well in that area.  The market is very dependent on China.  There is something called the “Green Fence” right now which will impact Ridgewood in the future, but it may not impact the revenues as long as product is delivered in the proper condition.  For example, they do not want certain plastics comingled with other plastics. Mr. Moritz said the revenue was approximately $250,000 to $300,000.  Mr. Sanzari mentioned that for the 2014 year for Recycling Trust, the Village realized $303,000 which is less than the prior year of $452,000.

 

Councilman Sedon indicated that members of the Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee (REAC) are looking to meet with Mr. Moritz and the Recycling Department to see what REAC can do to help educate Ridgewood residents in recycling in order to increase the revenue stream.  He said that the meeting is going to be set up in March.

 

                        2.         Revitalization of the Building Department

 

Ms. Sonenfeld indicated that the Building Department is one of the areas in which the Village would like to increase its investment spending.  Thomas Yotka, Director of the Building Department, said that there was not much to report for 2014 since he was not here long enough to benchmark any performance.  Rather, he would focus on the goals for 2015.  He said that there was clearly a need to improve customer service to residents and stakeholders.  The goal is to streamline efficiencies and implement some new procedures that will achieve those results. Three interdependent components of the revitalization of the Building Department will include people, technology and processes.  The roles of the employees are governed by the Uniform Construction Code.  However, he is looking to properly realign the staff within their technical expertise and also broaden their horizons by giving them some ancillary duties.  He would like to add a full-time technical assistant who will supplement the department’s functions and act as an assistant systems administrator for the new technology platform that they are looking to introduce in the spring.  He would like to take a more proactive approach toward code enforcement, which is mostly complaint driven, to inspect pools, fences, signs, etc., and this new assistant would assume some of those responsibilities.  The new staff member would also assist in revising the sidewalk café ordinance. 

 

Mr. Yotka stated that he would like to invest in the professional development of the Building Department personnel; therefore, there is a significant increase in the budget dealing with conferences and meetings.  The professional development of the staff members has been stagnant over the past few years and there are some courses, such as computer software and technical expertise training, which Mr. Yotka feels should be taken by the staff.  National Building Safety Month starts in May and New Jersey holds a conference at that time, which staff should attend.  He feels that proper education and training will only enhance the performance of his department.

 

The next phase in the Building Department to be undertaken is the technology platform.  The technology used at present is significantly outdated.  The funding has been approved to implement the new platform by late spring, which in turn will ultimately improve customer service and streamline operations.  In addition, some of the building inspectors and field inspectors will be equipped with iPads to help them while out of the office.  There will be a citizens’ portal on the website to schedule inspections, apply for minor permits, track the process of their permit applications, etc., which should result in cost savings and decreased phone calls and emails for the staff to answer, leaving them time to deal with more important issues. In addition, he would like to improve customer education by installing a video monitor in the lobby by the counter to broadcast some public service announcements and keep people apprised of several things including:  Building Safety Month events occurring; provide seasonal safety information regarding swimming pools and outdoor fireplaces; and special messages during Fire Prevention Week.  Customers’ building plans could also be viewed on the monitor.  He has been working closely with Dylan Hansen, Systems Administrator, to make improvements on the website which will give residents another avenue to obtain information and updates.

 

Regarding processes, Mr. Yotka indicated that requests are still being taken down by hand and that they are behind in the issuance of Certificates of Occupancy.  Updated technology will allow them to speed up this process as well.  The plan review process has been consolidated and streamlined by eliminating unnecessary steps.  They have increased the number of Building Inspectors in the field every day.  One initiative he would like to roll out this year is “Operation Closeout.”  They are inundated with permits that are stagnant (roofing, siding, swimming pools) and weather permitting, with ample public notice, he would like to start closing out these permits.  The iPads will aid in these inspections.  He would like to initiate an amnesty program whereby people who have already done work without permits would be able to apply to obtain the necessary permits after the fact, without administrative penalties. He reiterated that the rollout of the new technology platform will be essential to the success of the department.

 

Regarding capital, items include hardware and software upgrades, replacement of office furniture (desks, chairs, countertops) to present a more professional image, and digitalization of archived records over 5-10 years to speed up OPRA request times and align with State requirements.

 

Mayor Aronsohn thanked Mr. Yotka for his presentation and transformational ideas for the Building Department regarding customer satisfaction.  He asked if there were any questions.

 

Councilman Pucciarelli said that he was not troubled by the requested salary increases from $400,000 to $506,000 because there was a rationale for them.  He also stated that the Building Department still remained a profit center with $134,000 net revenue versus $271,000 last year or a delta of $140,000 less.  He believed that the budget was perfectly in line with attaining customer satisfaction and remaining a profitable department, especially since this department interacts extensively with the residents of Ridgewood.

 

Councilman Sedon asked if the materials and supplies figure included the office furniture.  Mr. Yotka replied that it did not and that a significant portion of the materials and supplies budget included, at minimum, the purchase of three complete sets of new building codes.  He indicated that later this year, the State will be adopting the 2015 codes and the Building Department personnel have to be supplied with up-to-date books.  Ms. Sonenfeld indicated that the furniture budget was included in the capital expenditures and Mr. Yotka concurred that it was a capital request.  Councilman Sedon asked if Mr. Yotka had any idea how many permits and applications could be issued with the new technology, above and beyond the capabilities at this time and whether or not it would result in increased revenue.  Mr. Yotka replied that he could not give a quantifiable number at this time, but that the numbers would be increased, along with resultant increased revenue, because the timeframes within which to issue permits and applications would be more efficient and streamlined.  The fact that residents would be able to find out answers to their questions on-line would free up personnel to focus on inspections and plan reviews. However, he added that revenue would be impacted by the market and how it affects residents’ decisions to renovate and develop.

 

Councilwoman Hauck asked if the 26% increase was for last year or projected for next year. Ms. Sonenfeld replied that the increase was for 2015.  Councilwoman Hauck indicated that when she was running for Village Council, one of the things she wanted to see were improvements in the Building Department since, as Mr. Yotka had mentioned, this is where the citizens “meet” government and it is a quality of life issue that affects residents and businesses alike.  She was in favor of this budget for the Building Department because it met three criteria:  it would improve quality of life, it would improve safety and welfare, and expenses would be recouped by increased revenue.

 

Councilwoman Hauck replied that the investment into the Building Department in terms of staffing is long overdue, due to the backlog of paperwork.  Mr. Yotka concurred that additional staffing is essential for the proper administration of property maintenance, zoning requests, and Certificates of Continued Occupancy.  Ms. Sonenfeld added that the backlog was due not only to understaffing, but also to lack of proper processes, which will be addressed going forward.  Councilwoman Hauck asked if the technology Mr. Yotka was seeking to implement was readily available for digitizing large formatted architectural plans.  Mr. Yotka replied that this type of technology is readily available.  Architects submit revisions and sketches electronically and the new technology will enable customers to view such plans on the proposed monitor.  Regarding the records management portion of the request, he has interviewed two firms in New Jersey who specialize in digitization and he is confident that either one of them would be able to properly perform those services for Ridgewood.  Councilwoman Hauck mentioned that it would be a huge boost for employee morale to update the furniture in the Building Department office and to invest in their professional training.

 

Mayor Aronsohn again thanked Mr. Yotka for his presentation and commended him on his commitment to enhancing customer service, especially through the customer portal on the website and the public service announcements.  Councilman Pucciarelli also mentioned that it was planned that fees for building permits, etc., would be increased shortly and this would result in increased revenue as well.

 

Ms. Sonenfeld brought attention to the proposed budget for the Board of Adjustment.  Mr. Yotka mentioned that the Board of Adjustment budget increased, due to increased salary and wages; it was significantly understaffed last year and a full-time employee has been added. Regarding line 28, Other Professional Services, Mr. Yotka indicates that these were fees for the attorney at the meetings.  The budget is also affected by an increased number of meetings scheduled.  Ms. Sonenfeld said that the direct and indirect expenses on the FAC sheet have not been thoroughly studied yet and those figures may change.

 

                        3.         Health Department

 

Ms. Sonenfeld briefly explained the various columns on the budget sheets for the Health Department and the comparisons between 2014 and 2015.  Dawn Cetrulo, Supervisor of the Health Department, stated that the Health Department is the first line of defense for communicable disease.  In 2014 they began to monitor the Ebola virus outbreak and in 2015 they are monitoring measles.  They also deal with food borne illnesses, monitored by food inspectors at restaurants and other food establishments, as well as rabies.  Her department has been focusing on improving community relationships. The Weight Loss Challenge was a huge success and it will be repeated in 2015.  Other programs included the blood drive, dog friendly pet committee, free microchipping for pets, and behavioral classes for pets.  Resources within the Village are utilized for these programs, so they do not cost too much money.  They have focused on changing procedures in the department such as utilizing a three-year dog license and using the crossing guards for some processing of dog licenses. The annual flu clinic for employees was done at Rite-Aid, at very little cost.  The Lunch and Learn program was performed at Valley Hospital (education, stress management and healthy eating), as well as the blood pressure clinic.  They are working on a Health Fair for 2015.  Her department received numerous complaints in 2014 about rodent problems (over 77 complaints).  They also process all of the birth and death certificates from Valley Hospital.

 

Ms. Cetrulo indicated that they hope to implement a new VIP program, which the State is working on, which will enable her department to process birth certificates electronically.  Multiple license fees will be consolidated in 2015.  Fees for restaurants and food establishments have not increased since 2007, so she plans on combining the ice, restaurant and food establishment licenses into one fee and also increasing them slightly.  Ms. Cetrulo indicated that a part-time worker last year has now become a full-time employee, which is reflected in the increased salary and wages.  In addition, the part-time inspector was replaced with utilizing a Shared Services Agreement, one of the benefits of which is that they provide their own car and equipment.  They also teach the food-handler classes and have a septic inspector.  Materials and supplies budget was increased slightly because she had to purchase a signature pad for the VIP program.  She is requesting that the inspector in her department take the lead poisoning certification class. There was a reduction in fees due to not contributing to the 501(c)(3) organizations.

 

Ms. Sonenfeld indicated that Ms. Cetrulo’s 2015 budget request is approximately 5% lower than the 2014 budget and 1% lower than the actual spend in 2014 due to outsourcing and no longer contributing to the 501(c)(3) organizations.  Mayor Aronsohn thanked Ms. Cetrulo for her presentation and hard work.  He mentioned that it was a pleasure partnering with Ms. Cetrulo on the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign and on the Weight Loss Challenge.  He asked if there were any questions.

 

Councilman Pucciarelli commented that Ms. Cetrulo did a great job of budgeting.  The net expense to the taxpayer is actually going down a bit.  Councilwoman Knudsen commended Ms. Cetrulo on the budget she presented and asked if the three-year license also applied to cats as well.  Ms. Cetrulo indicated that she would like to implement the same thing for cats in January 2016 since cats can also get the three-year vaccination.  Ms. Sonenfeld stated that this should encourage more licensing, since residents would not have to renew as often.  Councilman Sedon and Councilwoman Hauck commended Ms. Cetrulo on her resourcefulness.

 

                        4.         Parks and Recreation

 

Timothy Cronin, Director of Parks and Recreation, stated that he began working for Ridgewood in 1982 and his staff now is smaller than it was then, although they perform more functions now than they did then.  He gave kudos to Project Pride, Women Gardeners, and other groups in Ridgewood which help to beautify the Village and enable his department to concentrate on other things.  He also praised the interdepartmental support which his department receives and which is reciprocated as necessary.  Mr. Cronin said that this year has been very challenging for his department.  A key employee abruptly retired in the Recreation Division and some people unexpectedly left the Parks Division to join other communities for significant salary increases.

 

Mr. Cronin pointed out the accomplishments of the Parks Division for 2014 included the creation of the Shade Tree Commission, which would like to do a dropdown section on the Village website, and a tree inventory.  The Parks Division has been working closely with Christopher Rutishauser, Village Engineer, and his crew on the sidewalk replacement program.  Their younger crew members are being very productive.  He has been receiving increased requests for use of the parks and recreational facilities, as well as the rooms at Village Hall and The Stable.

 

Regarding budget highlights, Mr. Cronin stated that the full-time salaries in the Parks Division have fluctuated and the higher figures reflect more competitive salaries so that these employees can be retained by the Village.  Overtime was incurred mostly with the sidewalk replacement program, which sometimes required a police presence to direct traffic (both pedestrian and vehicular).  The figure for equipment maintenance and repair is to replace an old piece of equipment for field maintenance.  The Shade Tree Commission’s generated expenses are included in the Parks Division budget.  One expense is training (core credits and CEUs) as required by the state.  Once that training is completed, the Village is eligible for sustainable grants.  The training costs $4,000, $2,000 of which is recouped (a 50/50 matching grant).  In materials and supplies, there is $2,000 for saddles and climbing ropes for the tree crew, which have to be replaced periodically.  Horticultural supplies have increased by $3,200 for in-house renovation of parks with the parks maintenance crew.  In 2014, renovations took place at the Habernickel property, Citizens Park and Lower Hawes field.  Veterans Field will be done in 2015.

 

Discussion items include the tree wells in the Central Business District (CBD).  They have been working with the ad hoc landscaping committee, headed by Councilman Sedon, to keep the CBD as vibrant as it always was, which includes maintenance of the tree wells.  Mr. Cronin stated that he would like to initiate a once-a-year cleaning of those tree wells, including weeding and mulching of approximately 215 wells. The store owners would then maintain the wells during the warm weather months. That line item is in the amount of $3,300.  Ms. Sonenfeld indicated that the $3,300 figure was not indicated in the budget due to a typo, so that figure would be in addition to what everyone was looking at.

 

Mr. Cronin said that another discussion item is the maintenance of the public gardens.  The Recreation Division has three employees and the Parks Division has three employees.  He would like to outsource the maintenance of all the public gardens throughout the Village, including traffic circles, triangles, parks, and Grove Street which is about 100 yards long, at a cost of $58,000.  An irrigation project is also included among the discussion items, which would be for the plantings done by the Women Gardeners at the taxi stand.  Ms. Sonenfeld indicated that that figure would be seen in the capital requests.  Mr. Cronin indicated that the final item is the money for the Shade Tree Commission.

 

Ms. Sonenfeld indicated that the Shade Tree Commission is creating a $5,000 overrun in the budget year over year, $2,000 of which will be recouped because of a matching grant.  She mentioned that at the end of the packet, there is a list of all the parks and gardens which are tended to by the Village.  She indicated that the outsourcing of $58,000 is a big decision to be made.

 

Mayor Aronsohn thanked Mr. Cronin for his presentation and praised his department for the fine work that they do.  He asked if there were any questions.

 

Councilwoman Hauck said that, as a citizen, the first thing she notices in Ridgewood is its visual appearance, aesthetics, and the way it is maintained.  Being the liaison for the Parks Department for three years, Councilwoman Hauck stated that Mr. Cronin works 24/7, including Saturdays and Sundays, and that she is confident this department is being as resourceful as possible.  She stated that any requests they make are absolutely necessary.  One item which stood out to her is $4,000 for police coverage so that they can fix the sidewalks and she inquired why that could not be absorbed in the police budget.  She indicated that whenever an event is held in one of the Village’s parks, everyone always turns to the Parks Department to get things done, such as setting up fencing, tables and bleachers, lawn maintenance and garbage pickup, and the department does not charge back the hosting department (i.e., the Health Department for their Wellness Fairs).  These are quality of life issues which Ridgewood residents expect and receive, and she said that the members of the Village Council should keep that in mind when reviewing Mr. Cronin’s requests, considering that he has a very limited staff.

 

Ms. Sonenfeld said that the Village attempts to keep expenses where they are being utilized, which is why the police presence for sidewalk repairs is delegated to the Parks Department.  In the case of tree removals, sometimes streets have to be closed and a police presence is required.

 

Councilman Sedon concurred with Councilwoman Hauck and indicated that although some of the expenses were above and beyond, they were necessary because the Parks Department is severely understaffed for the size of the Village.  He stated that the expense for the yearly cleaning of the tree wells was justified.  He mentioned that he wanted to amend the snow removal ordinance so that after the tree wells are cleaned by the town, the responsibility to maintain the wells for the remainder of the warmer months will fall on either the shop owner or the building owner.  Councilman Sedon said that the training for the Shade Tree Commission is required and that he would actually be eligible for the training as liaison to this commission. A complete inventory of the trees in town would be developed.  The Village would be eligible for grants to replace shade trees throughout the Village.  The Forestry Management Plan could also be adopted as part of the Master Plan.

 

Councilman Pucciarelli said that the Parks Department is a steward of one of the assets that the people of Ridgewood really value.  He indicated that it is surprising how much the Parks Department does for the upkeep of all of the grounds in the Village.  He said that the modest increase of $24,000 from year to year in this budget is offset by an almost identical decrease in the Recreation Department budget.  He feels that most of the people in Ridgewood would not welcome cutting back the budget in the Parks Department.

 

Councilwoman Knudsen said that she supported Councilmembers Hauck and Sedon and the Parks Department because she feels that aesthetics are very important to Ridgewood and is in full support of this budget.  She mentioned that the Village should not rely too heavily on the volunteers for fear that they will get burned out and no longer want to volunteer.  Mr. Cronin said that if the budget is approved for the tree wells, that portion would be applied to the Project Pride budget.  Councilwoman Hauck mentioned that she has spoken to some business owners who would be thrilled to take over the management of their respective tree wells. 

 

Mayor Aronsohn praised everyone who took charge of the neglected tree wells and began sprucing them up.  He also thanked Mr. Cronin for getting the Shade Tree Commission established.  He mentioned that aesthetics were very important to the mindset of the community. Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that it was very important to remember that when an ordinance is introduced, such as business owners being responsible for snow removal on their portion of the sidewalk, or the proposed tree well responsibility, that the burden of enforcement comes into play as well.

 

Mr. Cronin then presented the Recreation Department proposed budget.  Regarding 2014 accomplishments, they did a public/private partnership with Jacobsen Landscape and Design Co. in Midland Park to present outdoor activities:  Fire and Ice, Duck Derby and Harvest Moon. All events were greatly attended and they were pleased with the organization of all activities at these events. One of these events won the State Parks and Recreation Association award and Councilwoman Hauck and Nancy Bigos, Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation, are going to accept the award in a couple of weeks on behalf of the Village.  It is an excellence in programming award in the special event category for the year 2014.  The renovation of The Stable is on-going which should be completed before day camp starts.  Mr. Cronin indicated that he would like to continue adding programs where possible, not only for the revenue, but also for resident satisfaction.

 

Mr. Cronin said that one expense in the Recreation Department is printing and binding, one way in which they announce upcoming events, in addition to the website which is administered by Marge Anderson, who does a fine job in-house.  She also does all the typesetting and formatting of the brochures.  Another expense is conferences and meetings, which includes the traveling expense to accept the State Parks and Recreation Association Award.  Regarding equipment, there is a line item for replacing broken and outdated tables and chairs.  The Municipal Alliance Grant is attached to the Recreation Division budget every year and that is the anti-drug, anti-substance abuse program that the State has put out through the County, and it trickles down to the Village.  The total amount is $15,000 and the grant is $11,500, with a $3,000 in-kind match which is paid by the Village.

 

Mr. Cronin indicated that since they lost a staff member who abruptly retired last year, they had to reorganize the department, change salaries and lower titles and the salaries that go with it to accommodate for that loss.  Ms. Sonenfeld pointed out that on the FAC sheet, the anticipated revenue of $253,000 is not the total revenue in the Recreation Division because they have a trust fund on the side, which will be reviewed later.  Councilman Pucciarelli pointed out that historical numbers are used for revenue, instead of projected numbers, pursuant to State law.

 

Mr. Cronin said that accomplishments in 2014 with Graydon Pool included, with the help of the Engineering Department, the in-house design and installation of the necessary DEP hookup.  Mr. Cronin said that it would have cost a fortune if this job had been outsourced.  Aquatic programs were increased last year, including the Red Cross swim program and diving instruction.  Revenue is increased over last year.  Expenses listed include printing and binding to announce the new diving program, maintenance of equipment, conferences and meetings.  He mentioned that all pools are required to have a CPO (Certified Pool Operator) and the existing pool manager has to be recertified.  Proposed expenditures for 2015 include the computer technology upgrade which is listed in the Technology Department budget.  With the help of the Parks, Recreation and Conservation (PRC) Board, they would like to do a customer feedback survey for the pool.  The Water’s Edge Café two-year contract ended and bids were solicited.  The bid was awarded recently to a restaurateur from Ridgewood.

 

Regarding the Community Center at Village Hall, Mr. Cronin stated that it has expanded and is more vibrant than in years past.  It is now run on a full-time basis, with health education programs run by the Health Department and other activities.  They have performed facility enhancements with the help of Councilwoman Hauck.  The part-time employee there, who was formerly a full-time employee, is now a full-time employee again.  They are trying to set up a 501(c)(3) for the Community Center similar to the Education Foundation.  Councilman Pucciarelli mentioned that the Arts Council just formed a not-for-profit corporation called the Ridgewood Arts Foundation, Inc., which was modeled after the Ridgewood Library Foundation. He stated that it only took them three weeks to get 501(c)(3) status from the time they first applied.  Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that the Community Center is a very busy center and that there is something going on there all the time, but there are expenses associated with it.

 

Mr. Cronin explained that there are two small budgets that his department runs:  one is the Kasschau Shell and the other is Project Pride.  He mentioned that Gary Cirillo had to leave the meeting early today but that he does a wonderful job chairing that committee.  Ms. Sonenfeld explained that they got a large donation for the Kasschau Shell many years ago (approximately $44,000 per Mr. Cronin) and they are only budgeting $5,000 this year.  However, she thinks that next year will be a challenge because at that point that endowment from the Kasschau family will have run out.  Ms. Sonenfeld explained that regarding Project Pride, they put in a full request of $22,000.  She said that perhaps the tree well allocation of $3,300 could be placed in this budget.  She mentioned that she received some complaints that the “kissing balls” were not put up this past holiday season (because of financing).  This budget does not include having the “kissing balls” for the 2015 holiday season.  It was decided that the Project Pride budget would be $15,000, down from the $22,000, and this would include the $3,300 for the yearly maintenance for the tree wells.

 

Councilwoman Hauck spoke about the rapid growth of the Community Center from its inception, and how all of the furniture and ping pong tables had gotten destroyed during the flood from Hurricane Sandy.  They had to start all over again to renovate the Community Center and make it waterproof, including the formation of an Advisory Committee.  She said that Ridgewood is very oriented towards families and youth and that the senior citizens enjoy the Community Center, intermingling with younger people and feeling part of the community. It has been documented that the Community Center served over 2,000 people last year.  There are knitting groups, therapy groups and free lunches for seniors, and they have hired a full-time programming director.  Councilwoman Hauck also mentioned the award received for excellence in event programming and stated that it was an amazing accomplishment.  She said that the “Come Alive Outside” events have been very successful, unique to Ridgewood, and people from all over attend these events.  These events are a revenue source and puts Ridgewood on the map.

 

Councilman Sedon thanked Mr. Cronin and Nancy Bigos for everything they have done.  Councilman Pucciarelli said that when he drove through Ridgewood in 1979, he persuaded his wife to give up Roosevelt Island and move to Ridgewood because of what she saw at Graydon Pool in the wintertime.  He recalled the time when the pool was threatened for closure a few years ago and was pleased to see the “resurrection” of Graydon Pool.  Mr. Cronin complimented Mr. Rutishauser and Robert Gillow, the Superintendent of the Water Pollution Control Facility, for the chemical they came up with to treat the water at Graydon Pool, which the DEP didn’t even have registered.  Ms. Sonenfeld echoed Councilman Pucciarelli’s sentiments and said that Graydon Pool was the “jewel” of Ridgewood.

 

Mayor Aronsohn said that the turnaround of the Community Center has been extraordinary, particularly after the flood.  He praised Councilwoman Hauck for the important changes she has made at the center.  He also praised the employees in the Parks Department for stepping up to the plate after the abrupt departure of the employee who retired.  Mayor Aronsohn agreed that the Fire and Ice event was extraordinary, and that Glenn Jacobsen did an admirable job in setting up the “Come Alive Outside” events.

 

                        5.         Fire Department

 

Fire Chief James Van Goor stated that one of the biggest highlights of 2014 was settling the contract for the unions, which was done in record time.  Over the life of the contract, a savings of $170,000 per fireman will be realized.  In 2014, the department had eight open positions through retirements, one firefighter passed away, and one firefighter resigned.  Four people were hired to fill four positions; the other four positions were covered with transfers and overtime to take advantage of the new contract.  The overtime was increased in the 2014 budget, but the actual budget was down because of the job vacancies.  Another highlight was the promotion of two lieutenants and two captains to cover retired positions.

 

In 2015, Chief Van Goor indicated that five more firefighters need to be hired and they are getting a list from Civil Service to get that process underway.  John Young will be transferred back to Fire Prevention, where he was previously before the layoffs, so that he can manage the day-to-day operations there.  Inspections have increased over the years.  He would like to reactivate fire education programs, which have faded away over the years.  In addition, he indicated that a fire engine will have to be replaced and they are in the process of researching the best option.  The overall budget for his department ($472,430) is lower this year due to the new union contract and retirements.  Revenues will stay the same or increase slightly based on inspections.  Fees will not be increased this year.

 

Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that this department will keep on “giving” over the next couple of years due to the union contracts.  She mentioned that it was a pleasure working with Chief Van Goor, the fire negotiating team, and Sharyn Matthews, in Human Resources.  She was hoping that this will be the prototype for the police contracts.

 

Mayor Aronsohn echoed Ms. Sonenfeld’s sentiments and added that the Fire Department was a very important part of this community.  He said that a new standard was set for the contract negotiations.  Chief Van Goor stated that his department appreciates the support of the Village Council.

 

Councilman Pucciarelli stated that he was impressed how reductions were taken by the present cadre of firefighters and how a higher salary in the future would benefit the incoming firefighters.  This ensures that the Fire Department will remain vibrant and well run in the future. He questioned whether the $3,000 for maintenance and other equipment will include maintenance of the fire stations.  Chief Van Goor replied that the building maintenance is found in the Engineering budget.

 

Councilwoman Hauck wanted to verify that the Fire Department budget was 9% below what it was last year, and Ms. Sonenfeld replied that it was 9% under budget for last year but 6% under actual overall budget last year.  Councilwoman Hauck indicated that she was glad the Village has a full-time paid Fire Department, even though it is the third most expensive department in the Village, because it met her criteria concerning the safety, well-being and quality of life for Ridgewood residents.  She praised Chief Van Goor for his work on the contract negotiations, his efforts to contain costs, and the professionalism of his staff.

 

Councilman Sedon thanked Chief Van Goor for his efforts and asked how the monies requested for fire prevention this year compared to prior years and to elaborate on the benefits of having a full-time Fire Prevention Officer.  Chief Van Goor replied that John Young will handle the increased workload of fire inspections and the fire education programs, which used to be quite extensively held from elementary schools all the way on up to the high school.  He indicated that the overall budget will not increase because Mr. Young will still be a fireman responding to calls.

 

Councilwoman Knudsen also thanked Chief Van Goor for his efforts. She applauded the contract negotiations and overall cost savings but stated that she was concerned about employees leaving Ridgewood and going to other communities who offer more competitive salaries.  Chief Van Goor replied that Ridgewood firefighter salaries are competitive with other towns, according to his research during the negotiations.  Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that the Ridgewood Fire Department has an excellent ISO rating which enables Ridgewood residents to realize decreased insurance costs.

 

                                    6.         Technology – Telephones, Budget & Strategy

 

Dylan Hansen, Systems Administrator, began by stating that technology is not delivered effectively or efficiently on most significant issues within the Village.  The single biggest concern of the management team and staff is the satisfaction with existing technology.  He is the only IT person in the department which results in inadequate staffing, inadequate response time, prolonged cycle time to address issues, insufficient backup, and lack of strategic planning within departments.  He indicated that there was an increased need for technology training and education of Village personnel.  Therefore, his budget includes a request to increase interdepartmental communications via “Municipality in a Box” as discussed by Mr. Yotka. For example, the Building Department may issue a Certificate of Occupancy for a new restaurant but the Health Department may not have been made aware of that fact.  This would help with OPRA requests as well and strengthen communication between all Village departments.

 

Mr. Hansen spoke about the continued implementation of remote and automated support capabilities to free up time. In the past two years, a multitude of individuals have been trained in fiber splicing and this has been very successful, creating an intranet within the Village.  All remote sites are now centrally connected so that he is able to troubleshoot problems remotely instead of traveling to each individual site, which results in more productivity.  He commended the assistance from the Signal Department which has been crucial in implementing this capability.

 

Mr. Hansen’s goals include centralizing the infrastructure, monitoring connectivity through the wide area network, and benchmarking with other municipalities with similar infrastructures.  He would like to re-establish the Technology Committee involving a Council liaison and increase in-house training of employees.  Software is useless unless employees are trained on how to use it, and increased training will result in streamlined workflows.  He would like to look at ways of delivering technology with the Technology Committee and potentially outsourcing some of the day-to-day operations such as desktop support, so a request has been made for that as well.

 

Regarding accomplishments last year, they launched a new version of Microsoft Exchange because employees now use email as a primary form of communication and this has increased efficient day-to-day operations.  There are now four satellite offices connected over the wide area network through the fiber connections, which will result in savings in telecom and internet connections.  The first successful remote video conference was held during a Village Council meeting last year.  Swipe card access has been increased throughout Village Hall through the Police Department system, to track who is accessing offices at any time.  The video camera security system is being upgraded within the Village and the first floor level is now on the newer system.  The rooftop air-conditioning system has been upgraded by digitizing the climate controls throughout Village Hall, which has dramatically decreased phone calls, complaints and electrical usage.

 

Some plan projects for 2015 include further implementation of “Municipality in a Box”; completing the main fiber loop throughout the Village; digitalizing the phone lines; and connecting the satellite offices through the system, which will result in increased telecom savings.  The voicemail system will also be upgraded in 2015 from an antiquated analog system to an IP-based system.  Upgrading internal switches is another project, but that was budgeted for in 2014 and he just recently received some quotes.  A new antivirus/malware protection has been deployed and this will be expanded to the other facilities, which has decreased the time for desktop support because it is automated.  They are also seeking to upgrade the audio recording system in the courtroom, which is 10 years old, and are researching other municipalities to see what systems they use.  He is also looking into launching the new website, pending review; when something is posted on the website, it will automatically be uploaded with one click to the public access channel, the TVs in the lobby, Twitter and Facebook.  This will be especially beneficial during inclement weather events.  He is also working with the Police Department Committee on the development of the Ridgewood e-ticket shared service software package which will be part of the e-ticket system.  This will be deployed to other municipalities with a yet-to-be-determined fee paid to Ridgewood for maintenance, so a new opportunity for revenue will be generated.

 

Mr. Hansen explained some reallocations in his budget.  Professional services are increased due to the potential for possibly outsourcing desktop support or possibly hiring a part-time employee. There is an increase in other contractual services due to software packages, including the email spam filter.  The Village receives between 11,000 and 13,000 emails a day, out of which perhaps 9,000 are spam, viruses or malware.  The spam filter eliminates those unwanted emails.  The license renews every three years; it costs more if it is purchased yearly.  The current email archiving system is extremely slow, so there is a line item for upgrading that function as well as the yearly allocation for the antivirus software.  There is an increase for IT training (CIO course through New Jersey GMIS group, of which he is a member).  This is a certification program through Rutgers and falls under leadership/staff development.

 

Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that not many people realize how smoothly the IT system runs in Ridgewood and the lack of susceptibility to hacking.  She mentioned that the Glen Rock system had been hacked into last year.  The same hacking attempt had been made on Ridgewood’s system but was unsuccessful due to Mr. Hansen’s fail-safe measures.  Mayor Aronsohn commended Mr. Hansen on his fine work in protecting Ridgewood and bringing the Village into the 21^st century, especially with regard to the new user-friendly website.

 

Councilman Pucciarelli mentioned that Mr. Hansen serves not only the needs of the Village, but the personal needs of the staff as well, such as synchronizing calendars and helping new entities such as the Ridgewood Arts Council get appended onto the Village website.  He said that Mr. Hansen’s total budget of $154,000 is money well spent.  He asked Mr. Hansen if he was going to be able to support the Park Mobile software that was mentioned at the Village Council meeting last week, which seemed to be a major technology enhancement to Village life, obliterating the need for meters.  Mr. Hansen replied that the only additional expense related to Park Mobile would be adding the handhelds for the parking enforcement officers, which is not much more equipment to handle.  Most of the system for Park Mobile is offsite, so it would just entail the maintenance of the user access.

 

Councilman Sedon asked when Ridgewood residents might expect to see the new website.  Mayor Aronsohn said that it has to be reviewed and should be accomplished by June 1, 2015, and maybe sooner.  Ms. Sonenfeld said that it was vital for Ridgewood to “catch up” to other towns regarding its technology and website.

 

Councilwoman Hauck said that 2015 was definitely the year of technology and has heard some complaints about Ridgewood’s capital investment in technology.  Ms. Sonenfeld indicated that this would be discussed later on.  Councilwoman Hauck asked whether or not there were going to be any additional employees hired for the IT department, and Ms. Sonenfeld clarified that either a part-time employee would be hired or the desktop support would be outsourced. Councilwoman Hauck stressed the importance of technology to the Village and thanked Mr. Hansen for his efforts.

 

Mr. Hansen thanked the Village Council and all Department Directors for their support.  He stated that there was a slight increase in the telephone expense than was actually listed.  Some funds have been reallocated and it was difficult to get an accurate handle on usage with all the different satellite offices and the systems that are in place.  However, this will be better determined once the connection is upgraded and fees are locked down.  This will result in a decrease in charges from telephone providers and wireless providers.  In December, they completed the consolidation of all wireless phones; at one point, there were about 22 different bills going around the Village and now there are only five.  This makes it easier to find out which phones are not being used, which are being abused, etc.  A lot of internet connections will be cancelled with the wide area network, which will result in a decrease as well. There will be a slight increase due to “Municipality in a Box” and the iPads with wireless technology capabilities to allow inspectors to do live inspections right on-site.  This will increase productivity for the Building Department and increase resident satisfaction.  With regard to the wide area network, there will be a redundancy to the facilities as well, via a fiber loop that they are building. Every facility has a generator on-site, so if a tree comes down and takes out half of the fiber loop, there is still communication with the facilities via the redundancy. 

 

Ms. Sonenfeld indicated that this budget was flat compared to last year and there may be some “wiggle room” once the actual costs are determined for the various line items.  Mayor Aronsohn thanked Mr. Hansen for his presentation.

 

On motion by Councilman Pucciarelli, seconded by Councilwoman Knudsen, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the Village Council’s Special Public Budget Meeting was suspended at 12:25 p.m. for a lunch break.  Ms. Mailander thanked Mayor Aronsohn and the Village Council for funding both the breakfast and lunch at this meeting.

 

On motion by Councilwoman Hauck, seconded by Councilwoman Knudsen, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the Village Council’s Special Public Budget Meeting was reconvened at 12:56 p.m.  At roll call the following were present:  Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli and Sedon.  Also present were Roberta Sonenfeld,Village Manager; Heather Mailander, Village Clerk; and Stephen Sanzari, Deputy Chief Financial Officer.

 

                        7.         Strategy:  The Village Footprint

 

Frank Moritz said that he reviewed most of the properties and buildings that house employee equipment.  In his report, he gave a current status of the Chestnut Street building, including the Fleet Services Garage, and the number of employees in the building, as well as his opinion as to the structural integrity of the building.  He also inspected the Water Pollution Control Facility, the buildings housing the Signal Department, Water Department, Recycling, and more.  The common theme among the outside buildings is that the sanitary conditions in them are very, very poor, at best.  Looking at outsourcing and vacating certain areas, he thinks that the Village Council needs to consider what departments are affected, how many people are affected, and where employees would be relocated.  Village Hall and the EMS building were inspected as well.  The fire stations were not included in his report.  Ms. Sonenfeld indicated that although Village Hall is in good structural shape, the layout does not function well.  If the Fleet Services Garage were to be outsourced or a garage built elsewhere, consideration needs to be given to gas tanks, salt shed location, and how it will affect the Solid Waste Department employees, Fleet Services Garage employees and Street Department employees, including all of their equipment.  Mr. Moritz stated that the small garages at the Fleet Services Garage are practically useless, except the last two are used by EMS.  That parcel could be saleable, but the Village Council would have to look at soil contamination in that area. 

 

Councilman Pucciarelli indicated that an alternative use for that parcel could be a commuter parking lot since it is right near the train station.  He said that the parcel of land housing the Fleet Services Garage should receive high priority since it will take a lot of capital to get it in shape and it is contributing to a blighted atmosphere along that whole stretch of North Chestnut Street.

 

Mr. Moritz indicated that a lot of thought needs to be given to perhaps housing like facilities in the same location, such as combining the Water Department and the Water Pollution Control Facility into one administration building, enabling them to share laboratories and the SCADA systems.  He indicated that a lot of the buildings can be repurposed and retrofitted as necessary.  Some interdepartmental discussion needs to be prioritized in order to address this issue.  Items to be decided would be outsourcing and functionality; staffing and demand on staffing; whether it would be worthwhile to repurpose a building; and the financial strategy of combining departments.  As a result of all of his inspections, his recommendation is that the Village should undertake a study to address these issues.  This could be done either through a consulting firm or an architectural firm that specializes in evaluating what the needs of the Village are, what the financial cost would be, and the functionality involved.  Ms. Sonenfeld concurred with Mr. Moritz’s recommendation to have a study done and then develop a strategic plan to carry out this initiative over the course of a few years. 

 

Mayor Aronsohn agreed that this study was an important first step.  It is the first time that he is aware of that Ridgewood has taken an inventory of its properties.  He thought it would make sense to house certain Village functions together and determine synergies.  Mr. Moritz mentioned that the two firehouses in Ridgewood are close together and perhaps different options could be looked at.  Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that the firehouses were omitted from Mr. Moritz’s report because of the emphasis on the other buildings and that the firehouses could be added when the study is performed.  Chief Ward mentioned that there is usually resistance from neighborhoods to build a firehouse in their area.  Police Chief John Ward suggested that a police/fire complex be considered since the quarters presently occupied by the Police Department at Village Hall are inadequate, which would free up room at Village Hall to house other departments.  Councilwoman Hauck asked if Mr. Moritz could submit the size of the lots in his report so that they could get a better understanding of the capacity of each.  Mr. Moritz and Ms. Sonenfeld indicated that they would do so.

 

Ms. Sonenfeld indicated that Mr. Sanzari informed her that there was some “seed” money put away in capital several years ago to do such a study.  Mr. Sanzari stated that there was a capital ordinance in 2013.  Mr. Moritz asked if that was the Facilities Master Plan and Mr. Sanzari replied that it was.  Councilman Pucciarelli asked if the pumping stations were included in Mr. Moritz’s report and Ms. Sonenfeld replied that they were.  Councilman Pucciarelli asked if the pumping stations were the only things off-site, and Mr. Moritz replied that the Midland Park facility was off-site as well, which houses all the water treatment personnel, laboratory, SCADA system and control center for the whole water system.

 

Councilwoman Hauck asked how much money was set aside for the capital expenditure in 2013, and Ms. Sonenfeld replied that $90,000 was set aside.  Mr. Moritz replied that in addition to the monies set aside in 2013, there was also a smaller amount set aside before that time.  Mr. Sanzari confirmed that an additional $3,000 had been set aside as well.  There was a discussion about how long it might take to institute a strategic buildings master plan once the study was completed and about the current poor condition in some of the offices inspected by Mr. Moritz (furniture, ceilings, and bathrooms). Councilwoman Hauck asked if the Village Council had not recently set aside some money for the Water Department to look into facility upgrades, and Ms. Sonenfeld confirmed that they had.  Ms. Sonenfeld said that an RFP for professional services would be instituted in the future and that if monies were expended for the study, the Village would need to float a bond.

 

                        8.         Police Department

 

Chief John Ward and Detective Lieutenant Forest Lyons gave the presentation for the Police Department.  Chief Ward began by stating that in 2014, the Police Department recorded 24,000 calls for service and another 4,800 administrative details.  In addition, there are a lot of mandated administrative functions that are taken care of by the Police Department. A Heroin Task Force initiated in 2013 resulted in over 300 arrests and 30 to 60 weapons taken off the street. Detective Lieutenant Lyons indicated that approximately $1 million in drugs and weapons were confiscated.  Chief Ward said that this was a very successful operation.  Burglary and luring incidents in neighboring communities spur the Ridgewood Police Department into action to protect the community, including both marked and unmarked patrols and increased police presence around schools.  Police respond to every call, which range from mundane situations to life-threatening events.  Even a bear sighting entailed 6½ hours of police involvement to protect the public.  Police officers go above and beyond the call of duty to protect the community, putting their lives at risk, from incidents like a pool chemical explosion to lending support to neighboring towns.  He also mentioned the Old Paramus Reformed Church shooting incident which resulted in speedy arrests, due to excellent police surveillance and teamwork within multiple governmental agencies.

 

Chief Ward stated that he was proud of the regularly mandated defensive tactics training given to Ridgewood Police Officers, which came into play when some Police Officers were threatened by a knife-wielding man.  Thanks to the cooperation of the Village Council and others, his department has been able to keep up with critical incident response training and providing officers with the proper equipment necessary to protect their lives and those of the public.  He mentioned that the ammunition used during the Old Paramus Reformed Church incident would have penetrated their normal bulletproof vests.  One of his budget requests is for hard armor to protect his officers from harm.  One of their initiatives in 2014 was to expand their use of tasers as another alternative to the use of deadly force.  Pedestrian traffic safety has also been emphasized and there was a significant reduction in 2014 in pedestrian-involved accidents and injuries (a total of 14 accidents).  There was also a 20% reduction in two-car accident injuries, which he believes was the result of increased speed patrols by his officers and their collaboration with Chris Rutishauser in the Engineering Department. 

 

Chief Ward indicated that significant progress has been made regarding police officer training and there is an increase in his budget for 2015 in this area.  The merger at the County level has resulted in the need to put more officers into the Police Academy.  His department leads the region in active shooter simulation training.  They have hosted training of officers from neighboring towns in Ridgewood, as well as training of Ridgewood personnel.  His department was instrumental in initiating the active shooter training program at Valley Hospital.  He has been working with Mr. Moritz in order to improve the police fleet; in 2014, they acquired eight new vehicles, five of which were leased and all of which have service plans.  They are moving toward a four-wheel drive platform to make them more effective in responding to the community in emergencies.  Chief Ward mentioned that he has utilized social media to keep the community updated about events and emergency situations.  The Community Policing Youth Ambassador Program has received recognition from the International Chiefs of Police Association as a premier youth-centered program.  One of his goals is to expand back into the schools by opening their “precinct” at Benjamin Franklin Middle School and acting on the Academic Advisory Board for the Law Enforcement Against Drugs program.

 

Chief Ward then reviewed his proposed budget increases for 2015.  Leading the way were union contracts; however, to offset this increase, he has restructured the departmental command staff to decrease supervisory overtime and cover shifts as necessary, saving approximately $60,000 and many man hours per year.  Four members of his staff will be leaving/retiring in the middle of 2015 and potentially another three by the end of the year.  His staff used to be comprised of 52 officers and currently there are only 42, a 25% reduction in staff over the past few years.  He is planning on hiring three officers:  two Intergovernmental Transfers and putting one officer candidate into the academy in July.  The budget for this is $350,000 (including overtime).  They are attempting to follow the path paved by the Fire Department regarding their contract negotiations, which will result in reductions over the next few years.  If the retiring officers are not replaced, his departmental budget will be affected by increased overtime. 

 

Chief Ward stated that his department is facing 18-month delays in orders from ammunition manufacturers; therefore, the orders will have to be doubled to ensure an adequate supply is on hand.  This will be done only once, in order to be able to stockpile ammunition to bring them up to state-mandated levels and avoid being affected by these delays in the following year (materials and supplies, the bulk of which is the ammunition).  The State Attorney General enacts mandates for training, which requires the department to attend certain ranges and obtain certain types of ammunition.  Detective Lieutenant Lyons added that the cost of ammunition is rising since manufacturers are now providing more ammunition to the civilian sector. 

 

Chief Ward stated that his department will be accredited in 2015 on-site and he explained the costs associated with that.  He has been discussing the possibility with Ms. Sonenfeld about a shared Accreditation Manager because Northwest Bergen Central Dispatch is seeing to renew their accreditation as well.  Chief Ward then spoke about the replacement of some of the police vehicles, some of which had holes in the floors.  Detective Lieutenant Lyons added that the move to all-wheel drive vehicles is being made due to severe rain and snow storms seen over the past few years.  Chief Ward stated that he plans to add a pedestrian traffic safety supervisor, who will handle that function as well as administrative duties, training, and patrol coverage as needed.  His goal is to bring his staff in line with their status as a nationally accredited agency through West Point Command and Leadership training, Bergen Leads, and the FBI National Academy.  Regarding community policing, he would like to expand the Junior Police Academy, the utilization of college interns, and reinstitution of the Explorer program.  Chief Ward stated that he was proud that his department was a flagship agency in the State of New Jersey and proud of the accomplishments they have made. 

 

Ms. Sonenfeld added that the budget would increase from $6.3 million to $6.8 million, a large chunk of which was due to union contracts.  She mentioned that the compensated time section of the budget was at risk because that line reflects only three of the retirements.  She added that it was crucial to keep the Police Department viable so that services are not compromised.

 

Mayor Aronsohn thanked Chief Ward and Detective Lieutenant Lyons for their presentation.  He mentioned that it was a difficult balance to give the Police Department what they need, which could mean the difference between life and death, and keeping taxes under the 2% cap while ensuring the residents of Ridgewood receive adequate services.  Mayor Aronsohn asked what the number of pedestrian accidents had been the prior year.  Chief Ward replied that there had been 23 pedestrian-involved accidents in the prior year.  In 2010, there were approximately 24 to 26 such accidents; in prior years, when there was a full-time traffic bureau, the accidents totaled approximately 16.  The pedestrian decoy program in 2011 resulted in great reductions in 2012; however, due to a reduction in that program because of diversion of staff to other prioritized issues, there was an uptick in the number of pedestrian-related accidents in 2013.  He reiterated that the nature of the injuries in 2014 was relatively minor. 

 

Mayor Aronsohn asked about the status of the School Resource Officer.  Chief Ward replied that they do not currently have the resources to supply a School Resource Officer.  Moving towards a greater presence of Police Officers in the schools, Chief Ward indicated that in 2014 they performed approximately 20 school talks and 300 school safety check walkthroughs; were involved in 32 lockdown or evacuation drills; and directed about 1,400 traffic safety patrols around the schools.  Chief Ward indicated that in order to accomplish all that he wanted to accomplish, he would require a staff between 46 and 48 officers; however, he acknowledged financial realities.  He mentioned that his staff coverage is also affected by the requirement of police officers at special events held around town.

 

Councilman Pucciarelli endorsed what Mayor Aronsohn said and indicated that he felt the Police Department did a fantastic job and always portrayed a professional demeanor to the public.  He balked at the 7% salary increases but acknowledged that these were in line with the contracts; however, he said that it was not acceptable considering that the GNP was only growing at about 2.5%.  He said that taxpayers were paying $500,000 more for the same services.  He indicated that, fortunately, this will be the last year for such increases and a new contract will be negotiated for 2016.  He spoke of some of the mistakes made in the last collective bargaining agreement and expressed the wish that they not be repeated.  Chief Ward praised the efforts of Ms. Sonenfeld and said she was the best Village Manager he has ever seen in the 34 years he has worked for Ridgewood.

 

Councilman Sedon spoke about the government proposal to ban 556s and he was wondering if that would render any firearms obsolete in the Police Department or whether they were exempt if this bill were passed.  Chief Ward explained that 556s and 223s were military-standard rounds. Detective Lieutenant Lyons explained that the push is to ban only certain types of 556s, the military steel core penetrator rounds, and will not affect any other types of rounds. The rounds used at the church were armor-piercing rounds, which would be banned.  The Police Department would be exempt, but they do not use that type of ammunition.  They deliberately use ammunition which will disable the intended target but not cause any collateral damage.

 

Councilman Sedon asked Chief Ward to elaborate on the benefits of accreditation.  Chief Ward said that there was an overall insurance benefit for the town.  In order to be accredited, the department has to meet 486 national Best Practice standards and this holds them accountable to not only the town and its residents, but also the International Accreditation Committee.  The standards ensure that the Police Department is providing the best safety and protection possible for Ridgewood residents.  He then described the accreditation process and how it is moving to a four-year cycle. The benefits include professionalism, effectiveness and best practices. 

 

Chief Ward mentioned that he is trying to obtain donations to purchase car-mounted cameras to monitor the parking enforcement officers as they collect monies from the parking meters.  The cameras could also be used during a crime watch.  Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that they were looking at the possibility for outsourcing the crossing guards.  However, the “sticking point” is that there is a Title 40A statute which requires that they report directly to the Chief of Police and be under his supervision.  Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that outsourcing may cost more money but would save on management and officers’ time (police officers fill crossing guards’ posts when they are absent) as well as liability insurance.  An outside vendor would employ the same crossing guards who are in place now in Ridgewood.

 

Councilwoman Hauck said that Chief Ward’s budget satisfied her indices for quality of life and safety and welfare.  She expressed the hope that a budgetary balance could be struck so as to not compromise services or the quality of the Police Department.  Councilwoman Knudsen stated that she deeply appreciated everything done by the Police Department.

 

Chief Ward explained the items in his capital budget.  The first are interrogation cameras (an unfunded AG-mandated expense) which broke down and which are in the process of being fixed by Chris Rutishauser and his department.  Sally Port storage (where prisoners are received) in the garage needs fencing and caging to store equipment in order to meet the State Department of Corrections requirements (another unfunded mandate).  A transportable camera system is another item, which hopefully can be wired into the fiber loop, and some mobile camera units.  They still have the free cameras on loan which have been great for analyzing accidents, which has saved money for the Village, and to help clear three or four burglaries.  Chief Ward mentioned that they will be particularly useful in regard to the recent luring incidents that have occurred.  These cameras serve as both preventative and investigative tools. 

 

Chief Ward mentioned the “less than lethal” tasers which his officers were almost forced to use in a recent incident; however, the officers were able to de-escalate the situation with the confrontational man.  He stated that the tasers were a move towards preventing injury and use of force.  The department presently has five tasers and the monies requested in the budget are for an additional 10 tasers.  Chief Ward mentioned that eventually he would like each officer to be able to carry one.  The body armor replacement is for the soft body armor that every officer wears.  Sometimes costs for these items are offset by State and Federal grants.  There was a requirement around the time of Hurricane Floyd that approximately 44-46 of these had to be purchased at one time.  Chief Ward said that since that time, he has been trying to strategically allocate them.  The monies requested would be for purchasing more body armor, at a cost of approximately $1,000 a vest.  They have approximately $4,800 left in grant money.  The vests only have a five-year life span.

 

The in-car camera system is a continuation of their program to switch over to a new camera system because the old one was out of date.  Weapons replacement has been a multi-year transitional endeavor.  The shotguns need to be replaced now and the handguns will need to be replaced in a couple of years.  Tactical vests (hard armor) and helmets were purchased last year but there are still more needed.  The hard armor/helmet sets cost approximately $2,000 each.  The department only currently owns four of these sets.  Radar unit replacement is an on-going expense; as the units age, they are replaced.  Facilities equipment represents shelving to elevate and store equipment and files so that it is not destroyed by flooding, as well as door locks to the room where evidence is stored.  Chief Ward explained that there is an item for access control equipment, which would represent the first phase in this project, which can be built up in units.  It serves to secure police equipment such as tasers, Narcan, defibrillators and weapons, and serves as an inventory control and reporting system in case a piece of equipment malfunctions.  It is an accountability system to make sure every piece of equipment is tracked and maintained in an orderly fashion to prevent failures.  Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that if anything needed to be omitted from the capital budget, it would be the $40,000 for the access control equipment.  Chief Ward also indicated that he could scale back the purchase of the tasers if needed.

 

Chief Ward then spoke about the vehicle weapons vaults, which are gun lockers for inside the police vehicles, especially the vehicles without cages or rear trunks.  Vehicle equipment outfitting represents radio equipment and other equipment needed to outfit the police cars.  Since this type of equipment lasts more than five years, he tried to move it into the capital expenditures rather than the operating expenses.  This equipment can be transitioned to the new vehicles and will not have to be replaced.

 

                        9.         Water Pollution Control Facility

 

Christopher Rutishauser, Village Engineer, stated that the Water Pollution Control Facility will face a lot of challenges in 2015.  Their longtime Superintendent, Robert Gillow, is retiring on June 1.  Some of their 2014 accomplishments include the fact that the combined heat and power program has increased its run time of the bio gas fuel generator.  They’re making a lot more electricity for in-house consumption as well as exportation.  Export limits have been raised, so when the engine is running at 240KW, the plant might be using only 180KW and the remaining 60KW can be exported, which is like rolling the meter back.  The heat coming off of the engine has also decreased some of the use of natural gas to heat the digesters.  They have also constructed a sanitary attenuation barrier at the liquid waste acceptance facility, with the help of their sustainable energy partner, because they received some complaints from neighbors about the truck noise.  Last January the plant had a broken anaerobic digester which had to be fixed.  They won a Natural Biogas Council award for their sustainable project, which they are very proud of, and would like to continue going forward with their sustainable energy program.

 

Mr. Rutishauser said that one of their goals for 2015 is to perform a detailed cost benefit analysis of the sustainable energy program to ascertain how much money it has saved the Village and what it has cost to run it.  It is a very unique public/private program that they have with NSU, Natural Systems Utilities.  He would like to do an energy audit for the wastewater treatment plant, financed by the New Jersey Clean Energy Program.  Once the audit is completed, he would like to apply to the New Jersey Energy Resiliency Bank for another program to see if they can increase their biogas-fueled engine electricity production.

 

Mr. Rutishauser said that, regarding opportunities and risks for 2015, most of the collection system (encompassing 100 miles or so) is at, near or beyond its normal operating life and plans have to be made to begin replacing or rehabilitating that system.  Most likely the rehabilitation will consist of CIPP (curative in place pipes) which is a minimally disruptive procedure to line the existing pipe with another pipe to give it another 50-60 years of life.  He hopes to initiate this program in 2015.  Capital is already set aside from prior years for this project and an additional capital request will not be made this year.  They may require additional funding in the future, depending on how successful they are in rehabilitating the system this year.

 

Other risks in 2015 include increased sludge which has to be trucked out.  In 2014 they lost their long-term venue to dispose of sludge because they were shut down by the USEPA and now they are hauling to Passaic Valley Sewage Commission (PVSC) in Newark.  This entails tolls on the New Jersey Turnpike and it is a longer distance.  His department recently took bids for a private contractor to haul dewatered sludge to PVSC and Mr. Rutishauser stated that the numbers are very attractive (about $52,000 for nine months of trucking disposal only).  He mentioned that the transport truck used for hauling sludge is getting quite old and needs to be replaced.  Capital has been allocated for a new sludge hauling truck from prior years and the cost to replace the truck would be approximately a $300,000 capital expenditure.  Therefore, he will analyze whether or not outsourcing will be cost effective to the Village.  Mr. Rutishauser stated that about half of the plant staff is qualified with the appropriate commercial driving license and hazmat and tanker endorsement to drive the truck.  If a driver is no longer needed due to outsourcing, that person would be utilized for plant maintenance and upkeep, which they have fallen behind in due to staffing shortage.  Mr. Rutishauser explained that if they determine after a year or so that the outsourcing does not benefit the Village, or if the outside party raises their rates, they can always fall back onto the capital funds which have been authorized (but not issued) to purchase a new truck.

 

In addition, if a suitable replacement is not found for the retiring Superintendent, they may need to privatize the plant’s operations.  He said that any proposed decision will be presented to the Village Council before finalizing.  He mentioned that there were many qualified employees at the plant.  Mr. Rutishauser stated that their sustainable energy partner, NSC, has expressed an interest in running the plant.  They run about 100 or so plants throughout the country and are experienced.  He indicated that he would still want to issue an RFP because there are a number of firms that run wastewater treatment plants and he would like to get the best bid possible.  One of these firms is United Water.  A discussion was held about the benefits and drawbacks of privatizing. Councilman Pucciarelli asked if the facility accepts sludge from outside of Ridgewood and Mr. Rutishauser replied that they do take in septage, gray water, fats, oil and grease.  The fats, oil and grease are utilized by the anaerobic digester to make biogas methane.  The grey water and septage is treated from beginning to end.

 

Mr. Rutishauser said that the plant will have a couple of potential budget variances in 2015:  an increase in treatment costs (use of a bioorganic catalyst to treat the anaerobic digester) and an increased disposal cost because the volume of dewatered sludge has increased.  He added that the cost to treat water in the Village is less than half of what Northwest Bergen County Utilities Authority (NWBCUA) charges.  He is aware of the cost because the Village gets billed for 54 Village homes which drain into the NWBCUA system.  The NWBCUA cost runs approximately $440-$460 per home and the treatment in the Ridgewood plant runs approximately $200 per home.

 

Councilman Sedon asked whether the liquid waste acceptance program generates increased revenue, and Mr. Rutishauser replied that it does.  Councilman Sedon asked if the increased tolls and gas for hauling to Newark is impacting the revenues significantly.  Mr. Rutishauser indicated that this was something he wanted to determine through his proposed cost benefit analysis, taking into consideration the additional sludge, the revenue gain, the lower price for electricity due to the combined heat and power program, and additional hauling fees.  Councilman Pucciarelli stated that he saw advantages to the outsourcing of the management of the facility in the long run, depending upon the results of the bids received and a final report.  Councilwoman Hauck asked whether the sewer collection pipes ran the same as the pipes for the water distribution system, and Mr. Rutishauser explained that they do.  Councilwoman Hauck said that it will be a huge capital investment.  Mr. Rutishauser stated that the water as a utility has slightly different funding mechanisms than they do in water pollution since Ridgewood Water is independent and the wastewater treatment plant is a department within the municipality.  Mr. Rutishauser explained the procedure to Councilwoman Hauck as to how the curative in place pipes would be installed.

 

Councilwoman Knudsen asked about the possibility of any additional waste received from Ridgewood homes and Mr. Rutishauser explained that it has remained pretty steady, since the Village is fully developed.  He added that the most recent additions were 66 homes which connected to the system from Midland Park for a $330,000 connection fee.  Councilwoman Knudsen asked what might contribute to the system from within the Village and Mr. Rutishauser explained that this would occur perhaps if a new hospital was built or something along those lines.  He stated that Valley Hospital was a significant contributor to the system and they get charged accordingly.  He added that even multifamily housing, unless it is hundreds and hundreds of units, would not impact the system significantly.  His plant is permitted for a 5,000,000 gallon a day flow and their normal dry weather flow runs around 3,000,000 gallons.  The wet weather flow during peak storm events hits 10,000,000 gallons; it could be higher, but the meter stops registering flow at that point.

 

                        10.       Engineering

 

Mr. Rutishauser explained that the Engineering Division’s accomplishments in 2014 included the completion of two New Jersey Department of Transportation grant-funded paving projects:  South Van Dien Avenue and Garber Square, although Garber Square is not quite completed yet.  They were honored by the New Jersey Chapter of American Public Works Association for the ADA accessible sloped entry into Graydon Pool.  They also did the design, permitting, bidding and construction of the permanent discharge from Graydon Pool, which he believes will truly help the water quality at Graydon.  They started using a school crossing guard in the summer instead of paying unemployment for school crossing guards.  The guards are also utilized during the summer to issue notifications to residences with defective sidewalks which was very successful. They have had some success with receiving reimbursement from FEMA, thanks to Mayor Aronsohn and some of his colleagues. 

 

Mr. Rutishauser then explained the Engineering Division’s goals for 2015.  They would like to fill the vacant position of the Public Works Inspector.  They will continue working with PSE&G on the conversion of the Village’s incandescent street lights to LED lights, which he believes will significantly improve lighting in the Village.  They have to complete the subdivision for the firehouse on West Glen Avenue.  Engineering is going to take a leadership role in development of any parking structures in the Village, either at the Hudson Street lot or the North Walnut Redevelopment District.

 

Mr. Rutishauser then described the risks and opportunities for the Engineering Department in 2015.  Scheduling with contractors has been a problem.  The Village Council awarded paving in 2014 and the contractor was not available, so Mr. Rutishauser was hoping that this can be resolved in 2015.  They are going to study the Hudson Street site for any environmental concerns before a parking facility is built on that site.  COAH and affordable housing will be another risk in 2015.  He is the Village’s Affordable Housing Liaison and the 78 units at Ridgecrest are no longer being administered by Bergen County.  Therefore, the Village has to look at how they are going to take on that task (vetting people to make sure they qualify, for example).  In addition, there are four affordable housing units on South Broad Street which need to be administered.  State legislation regarding affordable housing can also affect other projects.  Regarding budget variances in the Engineering Department, Mr. Rutishauser stated that they are anticipating overtime levels to be reduced in the future, once a Public Works Inspector is hired.

 

Mayor Aronsohn stated that the Engineering Division plays an indispensable role in the Village as reflected in their accomplishments and he thanked Mr. Rutishauser and his staff for their fine work.  Councilman Pucciarelli echoed Mayor Aronsohn’s comments and indicated that the Engineering Division covers a broad swath of responsibilities, including attendance in Municipal Court for violations, attendance at Planning Board meetings, drafting of resolutions and ordinances, helping out during hurricanes, as well as other duties. Councilman Sedon also thanked Mr. Rutishauser for his dedication and diligence.

 

                        11.       Traffic and Signal

 

Mr. Rutishauser stated that the Traffic and Signal Department touches almost every other department in the Village through their functions in building maintenance, traffic signal repairs, and work on the fiber optic network.  They have partnered with the Ridgewood Board of Education to establish the Village’s own fiber optic network.  The Board of Education has granted access to their fiber optic network and Ridgewood will maintain it.  Six people have been trained in fiber optic splicing and they have their own fiber optic splicing tool, enabling them to fix any repairs in-house and get back on-line quickly.  They are working with the IT department to connect all the outlying buildings and facilities such as the sewer and water pump stations to reduce costs by bringing everything into the Village’s private network.  Mr. Rutishauser stated that Ridgewood is one of the few communities in the country to have and maintain a Gamewell fire alarm system.  This enables the Village to have a dedicated right-of-way on the utility poles and the Village does not have to pay PSE&G for the right-of-way.  The fiber optic system is considered a public safety communication cable, similar to the Gamewell system.

 

Mr. Rutishauser indicated that the Signal Department staff is also working to improve coin collection and accountability for the Parking Utility, which was hurt by the theft that occurred. Recently this department was contracted to replace the heating plant for the main firehouse. One of the goals in 2015 is to possibly replace Jim O’Connell, the Supervisor in the Signal Division, who might retire at the end of 2015.  This will be a big loss since he has been with the Village for 37 years and is fully familiar with the infrastructure.  Another goal is to maintain the buildings in the Village as much as possible.  They had some challenges in 2014 such as replacing doors for the Fire Department and HVAC issues in Village Hall and the rental house at Habernickel.

 

Opportunities and risks for 2015 include rehabilitation of the Traffic and Signal building, such as repairing the siding which is peeling off.  They are trying to replace as many faded and non-compliant traffic signs as possible and will continue with the Village’s retroreflectivity compliance program for traffic signs.  The Federal Highway Administration has promulgated rules as to how clear and reflective a sign has to be.  Mr. Rutishauser added that this department is looking forward to upgrading some pedestrian walk/don’t walk signals, such as the intersection of North Broad Street and Franklin Avenue, due to increased pedestrian traffic at that location.

 

Mr. Rutishauser explained some of the budget variances for 2015.  Salary costs are down due to replacement of senior staff by entry-level staff, and they are hoping to hire another individual to replace one of their staff members who retired January 1.  Increases include sign materials (to ensure reflectivity) and production of new signs notifying the public of the recent parking changes.

 

                        12.       Building Maintenance

 

Mr. Rutishauser explained that they began waxing floors in-house in 2014, which saved the Village a lot of money.  He mentioned that the Signal Department repaired some lighting issues at Veterans Field.  They are trying to accomplish as many in-house repairs as possible.  For 2015, one of their goals is to do a more comprehensive job of cleaning Village Hall.  They are investigating the possibility of outsourcing building janitorial services but need to determine if this will be cost effective and if there will be enough staff to cover the numerous events at the Community Center at off hours.  They have been discussing this outsourcing with Daniel Fishbein of the Board of Education to gain some insight.  Councilman Pucciarelli mentioned that the library also outsources janitorial services and that they are very pleased with the services. Mr. Rutishauser mentioned that he has received contract materials from the library to educate themselves on this potential outsourcing.  Mr. Rutishauser stated that they are looking forward to implementing better preventive building maintenance.  Fire and security alarms have to be brought up to date, such as the fire alarm system at the Water Pollution Control Facility which is inoperable.  Fire alarms also have to be installed at the new addition at the Lester Stable and integrated into the existing system.  He reiterated that they would like to connect all of these fire alarm systems to the fiber optic network.

 

Some of the risks and opportunities in 2015 include the progressive aging of buildings owned by Ridgewood.  Ms. Sonenfeld pointed out that the budget for this department (other operating expenses) in 2014 was $49,000 yet they expended $102,000 for repairs in 2014.  She mentioned it would have cost more if they had had to outsource this corrective work.  Therefore, they built $80,000 into the budget for other operating expenses for 2015.

 

                        13.       Strategy:  Human Resources

 

Sharyn Matthews, Senior Personnel Assistant, stated that the Human Resources Department is a new department which was established on September 30, 2014.  Before that time, HR was not a centralized function and each department was responsible for its own hiring, advertising, disciplinary actions, investigations and employee relations.  As a result, the decisions being made were inconsistent and Department Directors were not able to confer with someone knowledgeable about laws and statutes relating to employee relations issues.  There was much reliance upon outside legal counsel and the Village Manager to answer a lot of questions and be involved in investigations that could have been taken care of internally.  These situations not only created potential liability to the Village, but also took a lot of time away from the duties which needed to be fulfilled by the Department Directors.  Questions regarding health insurance benefits and enrollment had been directed to payroll, which again diverted time away from the payroll staff to perform their usual responsibilities.

 

Ms. Matthews stated that the 2015 Human Resources Action Plan centralizes all of these functions to ensure increased productivity by Department Directors and make things more consistent within the Village.  A major result of this is that the Village will realize a significant reduction in legal expenses.  As of 2014, the Village expended about $95,000 for legal fees.  Not all of these fees pertained to HR issues, but Ms. Matthews stated that a good portion of the fees would not have been incurred had there been someone within the Village who could handle investigations and take care of employee relations issues.  There has been the reduced usage of counsel in labor negotiations.  As alluded to previously by Chief Van Goor, they successfully negotiated a contract with the firefighters without the use of legal counsel until the very end, when the final contract had to be reviewed.  Numerous meetings were held with the firefighters which did not require legal counsel.  Internally they wrote up the Memorandum of Agreement and revised the contract.  Ms. Matthews indicated that they are anticipating following the same procedure with the police contracts.

 

Ms. Matthews indicated that since October 2014, there have been a number of human resources issues, employee relations issues, investigations and disciplinary actions which have been taken care of in-house. There will be a continued presence from HR in the contract negotiations and union relations, and having an HR presence has avoided some grievances being filed.  A positive rapport has been established with the supervisory union, fire union, and a number of other unions.  She is working with the Village Manager in 2015 to establish a performance evaluation system for the management staff.  This will enable all Department Directors to set goals for specific areas within their departments and for the Village so that they can be measured at the end of each year, which in turn will enable the Village to issue merit-based raises rather than across the board raises.

 

The Human Resources Department is discussing the possibility of bringing in an HR system as well as a time and attendance tracking system, which will assist the Village in wage reporting and time management.  Ms. Matthews indicated that this type of system would have been particularly useful to determine the number of hours worked by Village staff during Hurricane Sandy so that they could get proper reimbursement from FEMA.  Payroll will be standardized and streamlined and employee activity can be tracked better as well.  This would prevent ad hoc agreements being made for additional overtime and comp time.

 

Another goal of the HR Department is the centralization of information, which is now spread throughout the Village, including medical benefits, optional benefits, healthcare enrollment and retirement benefits.  The HR Department depends upon Heather Mailander, the Village Clerk, who is an expert on Civil Service matters.  As the department gets underway and establishes practices, it is their hope that some of the more standard procedures can be administered by HR staff so that Ms. Mailander can focus on more complex matters.  Centralizing information within the HR Department will reduce legal expenses and liabilities to the Village, which can be incurred during interviewing, hiring and disciplinary actions, and keeping the Village abreast of the ever-changing labor laws, i.e., criminal background checks.   Having one central point of contact for employees, Department Directors and union representatives will provide consistent decision-making and streamlined management for the village.  Ms. Matthews indicated that there was a “pent up demand” by employees to speak to a knowledgeable person about their various questions.

 

Mayor Aronsohn stated that the addition of the HR Department has been a very important addition to the Village and will allow Department Directors to concentrate on their responsibilities rather than deal with employee issues.  He thanked Ms. Matthews for her presentation.  Councilman Pucciarelli asked about policies and procedures, which was not mentioned by Ms. Matthews in her presentation.  Ms. Matthews replied that she is in the process of reviewing the policy and procedure manual now in existence.  She stated that the manual is good and that she plans to review it on an annual basis with the management team and legal representatives.  Councilman Pucciarelli remarked that it was important to have clear guidelines regarding acceptable overtime, comp time, and the limits on same.  Ms. Matthews praised the cooperation of all of the departments which supplied information to her department.

 

Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that Ms. Matthews “hit the ground running” when the HR Department was established and that there was a provision in the budget to make Ms. Matthews a full-time employee instead of part time.  There was also a decrease in the legal budget because it is anticipated that legal counsel will not be needed as much as in the past.  The risk of the police contract negotiations going to arbitration is a possibility but is not built into the budget.  Ms. Matthews concurred that they will not have to utilize outside legal counsel until the very end of the negotiations.  Councilman Sedon inquired about the cost of the proposed attendance system and Ms. Sonenfeld replied that that cost was not built into the budget yet because they are still investigating that.  Councilwoman Hauck agreed with Ms. Matthews’ statement about the great need to have someone knowledgeable in employee relations with whom employees can speak on various issues, especially with regard to contract negotiations.  She mentioned that there was presently a lot of confusion amongst employees which needed to be clarified.  Ms. Matthews concurred, stating that many employees have spoken with her for clarification about retirement issues and other matters.  Councilwoman Hauck praised Ms. Matthews for being approachable and very articulate. 

 

Councilwoman Knudsen stated that she would like to see backup data to substantiate making Ms. Matthews’ position into a full-time one.  She commented on Ms. Matthews’ remark that there were ad hoc agreements being made by Village employees for overtime and comp time but felt that the Village had enough policies and procedures in place to make those types of agreements invalid.  Ms. Sonenfeld indicated that such ad hoc agreements had indeed occurred before the establishment of the HR Department and that they would no longer occur.  Ms. Matthews stated that she would provide the necessary backup data requested by Councilwoman Knudsen.  Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that if Ms. Matthews was not made a full-time employee, some of the objectives and goals enumerated by Ms. Matthews could not be accomplished.  She stated that sometimes there was a line out the door of people waiting to speak to Ms. Matthews.

 

                        14.  Capital Budgets

 

Ms. Sonenfeld and Mr. Moritz spoke a bit about how the capital budget has been developed over the past few years and whether or not the Village Council wanted to keep the sinking fund in place or revert to actual expenditures going forward.  Mr. Moritz indicated that vehicle purchases totaled $1,320,000.  Public Safety (police) has three SUVs in the capital budget, explained by Chief Ward previously.  Emergency Management Services requested money for an ambulance, which was approved.  The Fire Department would like to purchase a pumper truck for $440,000 in 2016.  The Office of Emergency Management requested a tandem axle trailer for $8,500 to carry their equipment for emergencies.  The Street Department requested a vacuum truck, which is a hook lift truck that can be used for various functions, including leaf pickup and snow plowing, at a cost of $275,000.  Fleet has requested a tire mounting and balancing machine for $12,000, a service truck (which has been put off for the time being), and various replacement parts such as fuel lines.  Requests by the Signal Division for a bucket truck costing $150,000 and a pickup truck have been approved; two other trucks which they requested will be moved into 2016.  Solid Waste and Sanitation has requested a packer truck so that they can continue to modernize that fleet to avoid downtime and repair time.  Recycling has also requested a packer truck.  They have looked at a side-loading truck which will make pickup more efficient, decrease manpower and increase safety. 

 

The Parks and Recreation Department has also requested a smaller hook lift truck (14 cubic yards for $184,000) similar to the one requested by the Street Department.  Ms. Sonenfeld added that instead of purchasing a packer truck for Solid Waste, they might purchase the hook lift truck for the Parks and Recreation Department instead.  Mr. Cronin indicated that the requested hook lift truck for the Parks and Recreation Department would enable them to perform leaf removal; the truck previously used for that purpose has been taken off the road.  Otherwise, all leaves will have to be taken care of manually.  It would replace the rack truck that is currently 17 years old.

 

Regarding risks, Ms. Sonenfeld indicated that the answer to the DEP diversion issue has not yet been built into the capital budget (purchase of land to offset the sale of Green Acres land approximately 50 years ago, on South Broad Street), which could be upwards of $4,000 to $5,000.  Another request not presently in the budget is a request from the Health Department to install some safety features in their office, i.e., a glass partition by the counter, since they sometimes are confronted by irate customers.  Ms. Cetrulo added that customers are often outraged because they do not have the proper ID to obtain their birth certificates as required by Executive Order 18, which was promulgated after 9-11.  They often have a lot of cash in the office in addition to birth, marriage and death certificates, which are not secured in any way.  Ms. Sonenfeld said that this physical security measure will be discussed at a later date.

 

Mr. Hansen pointed out an error:  line 9 should read $8,900 rather than zero (parking capital).  The $8,900 came out of line 1, which would make it $145,498.  Mr. Hansen stated that line 1 was for computers, servers and printers for various departments and, after speaking to all Department Directors, came up with a total of $154,000 for replacement of outdated computers (still running Windows XP) and new printers for new personnel such as Ms. Matthews. Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that this was a 34%+ drop from the original request.  The second line represents security cameras and card swipes.  He would like to complete the expansion of the card swipe system throughout Village Hall, to eliminate the need for keys.  Some of the cameras in the Police Department have to be replaced because they are outdated.  New cameras need to be added at the Water Pollution Control Facility, at the area behind Graydon Pool, by the recycling yard, and on the gas pumps at the fleet facility.  The next items are the public access courtroom video cameras which need to be updated, as well as the courtroom audio system.  The “Municipality in a Box” has already been funded and will be deployed to other departments besides the Building Department.  The figure of $26,927 represents the hardware costs (desktops and iPads) for the Building Department only.  The voicemail system upgrade was taken out because that was previously funded. 

 

Regarding the voice system recording for the Police Department phones, the system had a failure and it was fixed; however, the vendor no longer wants to support it and it needs to be replaced.  This is a mandated system and Mr. Hansen indicated that he has obtained a few bids.  The best price he could obtain was $17,000 for the system, including installation, programming and training.  The Environmental Systems Research Institute(ESRI) license is part of the “Municipality in a Box,” but it also gives the Engineering Department the ability to use it for other applications such as flood mapping.  AutoCAD drawings can be attached to it, as well as topology information received from the County.  The last item is a request for two projectors to be used for meetings and presentations.

 

Councilwoman Hauck inquired about the cost for the ESRI license.  Mr. Hansen replied that it would cost $8,900 (which will be corrected and taken out of the top line as previously noted).  Ms. Sonenfeld indicated that there is about $38.8 million in outstanding debts (bonds and bond anticipation notes).  They anticipate paying down from a principal standpoint about $3.785 million in principal.  Combined with the “sinking fund” (monies authorized but not yet issued), the Village is up about $48 million from what is reported to the State in total debt.  There was a discussion between Ms. Sonenfeld, Councilman Pucciarelli, and Mr. Sanzari about debt amortization and the Village’s AAA bond rating.  Councilman Sedon spoke about developing a long-term debt reduction plan in order to reduce debt service.  Ms. Sonenfeld spoke about improving the aging infrastructure of the Village.

 

Mr. Rutishauser then spoke about infrastructure and equipment.  Chief Ward previously spoke about the capital budget for the Police Department.   The Office of Emergency Management has requested the trailer previously discussed.  Chief Van Goor has requested funding to recarpet and paint the offices at the firehouse.  Regarding EMS, one approved item is a Lucas CPR assist device for $16,000, which enables them to help patients experiencing a cardiac event.  For Public Works, they are asking less in 2015 for the street paving program because a lot has been done over the past few years and this year there are other departments with more pressing needs. Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that there was still $1.5 million allocated for the street paving program from 2014.  There was a discussion regarding the construction of curbs on Morningside Road and Glen Avenue, which would prevent runoff water from the street from encroaching on residential properties. 

 

There is also a request for funding the ADA ramp program, due to the way Bergen County resurfaces their roads.  Mr. Rutishauser said that there is a reimbursement program from the County and he is trying to get information on how the Village can get reimbursed for construction of the ADA ramps.  Streets to be resurfaced include Franklin Avenue between Maple Avenue and Broad Street.  East Ridgewood Avenue is high on the list to be resurfaced from the Saddle River to Maple Avenue.  They are also looking for funding for miscellaneous drainage improvements and repairs, additional CBD bricks for the brick band along the sidewalks, and replacing the Kingsbridge Bridge, which is a small pedestrian footbridge over the Saddle River.  The salt shed is not included among the requests, due to the fact that in the future it may possible be relocated.

 

Mr. Rutishauser indicated that other requests include funding to start the design effort for upgrading the signalized intersections in the Village.  The Village pays for the design and possible land acquisition and the County will pay for the construction and future operation of those signals.  The intersections include Maple and Franklin Avenues, as well as Maple Avenue going down towards East Ridgewood Avenue.  Along with the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee, they are looking at ways to try to improve this latter intersection.  Mr. Rutishauser explained that they have changed the timing sequence and synchronization of the lights at that intersection to avoid traffic backup on Maple Avenue.

 

Mr. Rutishauser stated that they have received a request from a resident on Lakeview Drive to dredge Kings Pond and rehabilitate the downstream dam.  The pond was dredged approximately 15-18 years ago.  Mr. Rutishauser explained that this was a large budget item ($750,000) and has been left out of the present proposed budget.  This estimate was based on the work which was done at Habernickel to rehabilitate the dam and dredge the pond.

 

Mr. Rutishauser stated that the Village was given a $100,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for stream channel maintenance work (removing sand bars and debris to improve water flow).  All the paperwork has been executed.  They are asking for an additional $100,000 to make the total $200,000 for the project, which would be bid out.  Residents who live along the stream have been advocating for this project for years. 

 

There has also been a request for furniture from the Building Department and document archiving at a cost of $20,000 total.  There is a request from the Signal Department for a concrete hammer drill, which is used to drill through sidewalks to install new signs.  There is a request to replace the utility trencher since the current “Ditch Witch,” which was a hand-me-down from the Water Department, is breaking down.  A request is in the budget for installing new pedestrian warning signs at the Linwood Avenue mid-block crosswalk to Graydon Pool, which sees a lot of pedestrian traffic when the pool is open and summer day camp is in session.

 

Mayor Aronsohn inquired about the pedestrian crosswalk warning lights, located in the street along the crosswalk, which were tried a couple of years ago.  He mentioned how dim the lights were because they were solar powered and that a neighbor complained about the lights.  Mayor Aronsohn wondered if that could be revisited.  Mr. Rutishauser mentioned that the Linwood Avenue mid-block crosswalk might be a good place to try them because there are no residents living nearby.  The solar-powered ones were less than successful.  He will investigate to see if the technology has gotten any better and whether they can withstand snow-plowing equipment and traffic. 

 

Mr. Rutishauser indicated that the Signal Division is seeking funding for traffic controllers (mechanisms which control the traffic signals).  They don’t last very long because motorists hit them.  If the motorist is caught, then reimbursement is sought from the responsible party.  However, if the responsible party cannot be ascertained, the onus for repairs lies strictly with the Village.  There is also a $30,000 request for “walk/don’t walk” signal heads.  Under Building Maintenance, there is a $10,000 request for new fire alarms for fleet.  This money will not be spent until the facility analysis determines what a good course of action will be.  He mentioned that the floor drains have to be fixed in the solid waste building and the LED fixtures for the parking lot lighting at Village Hall have to be upgraded since they are 10 years old and are starting to fade.  They are also seeking $25,000 for litter can receptacle replacement (the large concrete litter can holders in the Central Business District and throughout the village) due to vandalism and traffic accidents.  Councilwoman Hauck asked whether they could be replaced with plastic litter receptacles and Mr. Rutishauser replied that they prefer the masonry ones because they are fire resistant.

 

Regarding the Water Pollution Control Facility, they would like to replace the digester covers, which are covers on the digesters that float.  They are also seeking funds to continue repairs on the collection system and for root control.  The Parks Department is requesting funds to improve irrigation systems, along with tank restoration at Graydon Pool which holds sodium hydrochloride, a regenerative blower for the chlorine pump, and a primer pump.  Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that the improvements are absolutely necessary at Graydon Pool, because the pool cannot be opened, or even filled with water, until the improvements/repairs are accomplished.  Funding is also being requested to renovate the outdoor showers.  The Village was cited for these showers by the DEP because the showers did not drain into a definitive storm sewer.  Funding is also being requested for the Lester Stable restoration (the Village’s portion for the donation by the David Bolger Foundation).  Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that this was about $25,000.  The extra money shown on the capital budget was for furniture.  The irrigation request was made by the Women Gardeners to irrigate the plantings by the train station.  Taken out of the budget were the garden restoration at Citizens Park and the lawn restoration at the Irene Habernickel Family Park.

 

Mayor Aronsohn asked about the wayfinding signs for the Central Business District.  Ms. Sonenfeld indicated that that was not included in the budget but that it was not going to cost much, perhaps $6,000 to $9,000, and that it could be taken out of the paving budget.  The Village would bear the responsibility for the footings for the wayfinding signs.  Mayor Aronsohn asked if this was a time sensitive issue and Ms. Sonenfeld said that she would discuss with Mr. Sanzari whether or not this item would fit into a similar category with allocations that have already been approved.  Mr. Rutishauser indicated that they have a quote from a contractor, who is actually the snowplow contractor, who is looking for work.  He indicated that the contractor could probably fit this into his schedule within the next couple of weeks.  Mr. Sanzari indicated that they could adopt an ordinance for this and that it could be paid out of expense and then reverse it back into capital.  Mayor Aronsohn said that he was supportive of this effort.

 

Councilman Sedon reiterated that there was still $1.5 million in the budget from 2014 for paving because the contractor did not show up, as explained by Mr. Rutishauser.  First the contractor was busy in Hunterdon County and then as the cold months arrived, he indicated that he could not guarantee the work.  This was felt to be too much of a risk to pave in the winter months, so the work was delayed.  There was $500,000 requested in the paving budget for 2015, which would make a total of $2 million.  He asked whether more streets could be paved now that oil prices have dropped, which is directly connected to asphalt prices.  Mr. Rutishauser replied that the paving contracts have an asphalt index price adjustment (asphalt is a component of oil from the fracking process).  He replied that the price per ton may have dropped only a couple of dollars because there is still a tremendous amount of labor involved.  The hydrocarbon component on it would be less expensive.  However, even though the price of hydrocarbons is reduced, he sees a lot of bills with hydrocarbon surcharges.  This also occurred when diesel prices spiked a few years ago, because vendors were adding diesel fuel surcharges.  Ms. Sonenfeld added that the Village has applied for a NJ Department of Transportation (DOT) grant for Morningside Road, but she is not optimistic that this grant will be granted, due to the state of the transportation fund.

 

 

           

 

            b.         Wrap-up and Next Steps

 

Areas which still need to be discussed include Ridgewood Water, Finance, EMS, Planning Board, Parking Utility, electric and gas, debt service, terminal leave, unfunded liabilities, Municipal Court, Village Manager, insurance, some statutory expenses, trust funds and surplus, Tax Assessor, Village Clerk, DEP fines and fees, and attorney fees. Ms. Sonenfeld suggested meeting again on two Mondays between February 28 and March 28. Last year, the budget was introduced on April 23, 2014.  She asked everyone to send her and Ms. Mailander their available dates and times and then suitable meeting dates would be set.  She had suggested March 9 and March 23 but would wait to set a date until all the available dates are received from everyone.  She thanked everyone for their time and input and felt that the experimental format of today’s meeting was quite productive and worked out well.

 

6.         PUBLIC COMMENTS

 

Nancy Johansen stated that she is the Chair of the Financial Advisory Committee (FAC).  She indicated that she agreed with Ms. Sonenfeld that the format of today’s meeting was successful.  They took notes during the meeting and will work with the Councilmembers and Ms. Sonenfeld to discuss their input and suggestions.  She felt that everything made sense when presented but that the final decision needed to make sense as well.

 

Mac Highet, also of the FAC, said that he was pleased to hear that long-range plans were being made for the future and that monies were being set aside this year in order to recognize savings in later years.  He said that there was a lot more discussion this year about strategy than last year.  He said that this was a step in the right direction.

 

Councilman Pucciarelli mentioned that Nancy Johansen, Mac Highet and Janice Willet were the three members of the FAC that were present at today’s meeting.

 

It was noted that the library was not on the list.  Ms. Sonenfeld replied that a library review will have to be done at some point.  They have started working on their presentation. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.         ADJOURNMENT

 

On motion by Councilwoman Knudsen, seconded by Councilwoman Hauck, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the Village Council’s Special Public Budget Meeting was adjourned at 4:22 p.m.

 

 

                       

 

                                                ____________________________________

                                                                                                Paul Aronsohn

                                                                                                        Mayor

 

 

 

 

_______________________________________

                     Heather A. Mailander

Village Clerk