A SPECIAL PUBLIC BUDGET MEETING OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE SYDNEY V. STOLDT, JR., COURTROOM OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2014, AT 5:00 PM.

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

Mayor Aronsohn called the meeting to order at 5:05 P.M., and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. At roll call, the following were present: Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn. Also present were Heather Mailander, Acting Village Manager/Village Clerk; and Stephen Sanzari, Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Councilman Riche was absent.  

Mayor Aronsohn led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag and asked for a moment of silence in honor of the American men and women serving in our Armed Forces, as well as those serving as first responders.

2. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

Mayor Aronsohn stated that they would now have comments from the public and advised anyone wishing to address the Village council to come forward.

Boyd Loving, 342 South Irving Street, commented regarding the guilty plea that was accepted this morning in the Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack, concerning the coin theft of parking meter monies suffered by the Village. Mr. Loving prefaced his remarks by saying that he understood there was a plea agreement, and that all of the money that was reportedly taken would be returned to Ridgewood taxpayers. However, Mr. Loving said he did not think the Village Council took an active leadership role with respect to the parking meter revenue. He referred to a letter he wrote to the Village Council in June 2011, when Mayor Aronsohn, Councilman Riche, and Councilwoman Walsh served on the Village Council. The letter detailed Mr. Loving’s observations concerning how the meter revenue was collected and stored. He received a response from the Village Manager at that time, Dr. Gabbert, who indicated that no changes would be made as a result of his comments. In January 2013, after an arrest was made in the coin theft occurrences, Mr. Loving wrote again to the present Councilmembers, to which he received no response. Although it seems that one change has been made in the process used to store the money since that time, Mr. Loving pointed out that the money is still collected in the same manner, and it is all cash money that is being collected. Mr. Loving is upset because nothing was done, although he pointed out what he believed were some security flaws. Now, nearly a half-million dollars has been stolen from the Village by one employee. Although part of the plea agreement provides for the return of the money that was stolen, Mr. Loving hoped that the Village Council would take more of a leadership role in resolving the issue to keep the cash secure so that nothing like this can happen again. In his email of 2011, Mr. Loving cited an example of how the money is collected in Paterson, New Jersey, where the process is entirely secure. After witnessing the process used in Ridgewood, Mr. Loving observed people walking up and down the street with buckets full of quarters that are wide open and clearly visible. Mr. Loving cannot understand why such a procedure is followed, nor can he understand why he received an email from Dr. Gabbert indicating that the process had been reviewed and no flaws were found. In addition, Mr. Loving said he is disturbed that one of the department supervisors has recommended that the Village should not accept credit cards, but the only form of payment that should be used for parking meters and kiosks is cash. Due to what has happened as a result of having too much cash around, Mr. Loving cannot understand why credit cards and other payment options are not explored. He referred to a recent newspaper article which stated that the Borough of Palisades Park will be installing parking meters that will accept a variety of different payment options. Mr. Loving pointed out that Ridgewood is in the forefront of so many things, and he asked why the issue regarding parking meter revenues cannot be straightened out. He reminded the Councilmembers that the Village Manager works for the Village, and serves by vote of the Village Council. If the Village Manager is given a specific direction about what the Councilmembers want him/her to do, s/he should follow those directions.

Mayor Aronsohn clarified three points made by Mr. Loving. One is that Mr. Loving referred to the Village Manager in 2011 as “she,” and Mayor Aronsohn pointed out that Ms. Mailander was not the Village Manager at that time. The second clarification is in response to Mr. Loving’s statement that no additional steps have been taken since January 2013, which is not true. In fact, Mayor Aronsohn stated that a series of steps have been taken toward better security measures. The third clarification is that Mayor Aronsohn did not recall any department supervisor recommending that credit cards should not be accepted, and in fact, the current Councilmembers have said on several occasions that they want to move forward and use new technologies.

Councilman Pucciarelli said he agreed with Mr. Loving’s idea that other forms of payment should be accepted by the Village, including smart phones, credit cards, and other ways to pay. However, as has been discussed at previous Village Council meetings, as the opportunity for a new parking garage is explored, parking revenue will have to go toward servicing those bonds. That will require the Village to be smarter about how parking revenue is collected. Councilman Pucciarelli believes at that point, there will be another opportunity to revamp the entire parking rate system, and the way people are allowed to pay at the meters. Councilman Pucciarelli pointed out that the same situation exists with commuter parking, which also needs to be updated.

There were no other comments from the public at this time, and Mayor Aronsohn closed the time for public comment.

3. DISCUSSION ITEMS

                    A. BUDGET OVERVIEW– DEPARTMENTAL MEETING PROCESS:  Ms. Mailander explained the process of the budget. The 2014 Village budget process began in December 2013, with budget reviews with the various Department Directors, Mr. Sanzari, and Ms. Mailander as the Acting Village Manager. During these discussions, the budget requests were reduced. The next step was for Mr. Sanzari and Ms. Mailander to meet with members of the Financial Advisory Committee (FAC) to discuss the budget process. The FAC developed new sheets to show the total expenditures by department, including such things as benefits costs, vehicles, gasoline usage, as well as revenues realized from each department. Ms. Mailander and Mr. Sanzari also met with Mayor Aronsohn, Councilman Pucciarelli, and members of the FAC several times to discuss the budget, with recommendations for where reductions in expenses, or increases in revenues, could possibly be achieved. Mr. Sanzari and Ms. Mailander met again with some of the larger departments in order to get additional reductions in their budgets, which they were able to do. The goal is a 0% tax increase, which has not yet been achieved for the 2014 budget. Beginning with this meeting, the Department Directors will be discussing their budgets with the Village Council, and members of the FAC are also in attendance at this meeting. In discussing the department budgets, the Village Council is able to gather information about department requests; learn about new programs or revenues; and ask questions, which will allow final decisions to be made about the individual department budgets.

This evening, three sections within the Department of Community Services will be presenting their budget proposals, including the Building Department; the Zoning Department; the Health Department, which includes Animal Control; and the Tax Assessor. The second budget meeting is scheduled for Friday, March 21^st, at 5:00 P.M.

                 B. REVIEW OF DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS

                             1. Building Department

 Michael Barker, Director of the Department of Community Services; and Tony Merlino, the Village Code Official/Zoning Officer, presented the budget for the Uniform Construction Code Enforcement Department. Mr. Barker provided a chart showing the realized revenues and expenditures for 2012 and 2013, as well as anticipated revenues and expenditures for 2014. The vast majority of the revenues come from fees and permits. He noted that 2013 was a “banner year” for the Building Department, both in volume and in revenue. Mr. Barker pointed out that in 2009, revenues were approximately $638,000, and the number of permits processed was approximately 1,572. Since that time, revenues and the number of permits issued have increased significantly. Mr. Barker commented that one of the tasks performed in 2009 was a review of the fees charged, with the results that fees were restructured over a two-year period. Prior to 2009, it had been quite a while since fees had been adjusted. That fee restructuring has made quite a difference in revenues over the past four years, although the economy has not been strong, and new home starts have not been as high as they could have been. However, the renovation world seems to be doing quite well, according to Mr. Barker. Mr. Merlino just informed Mr. Barker that in the first two months of 2014, the trend seems to be continuing.

As far as the 2014 budget is concerned, Mr. Barker said they are asking for one additional part-time Building Inspector to help with the increased volume, because the department has been unable to meet the required timeframes for inspections. Another inspector would help alleviate that situation. It would also help if the part-time Inspector holds multiple licenses to aid in inspections for the various sub-Codes, in addition to Building Codes. That is the most significant change that is requested for 2014. Mr. Barker noted that there was also a change in the expenses from other professional services, having to do with software maintenance due to a billing mix-up between the software company and the Village. The Village has not been billed for software maintenance for several years, and it must be paid in 2014. Otherwise, the budget remains the same as that of 2013.

Councilman Pucciarelli asked Mr. Barker if he said that the projected revenue of $935,000, which is the revenue that was realized in 2013, is based on the same fee structure without any increase in fees, which Mr. Barker confirmed. Mr. Barker added that fees have not been increased, but have reached their maximum level approximately three years ago when the fees were restructured. There are some minor fees that can be increased, but that will not generate any significant revenue increase. The projected revenue for 2014 cannot be more than what was actually collected in the prior year. Councilman Pucciarelli clarified that there is no anticipated fee increase for 2014, and Mr. Barker confirmed this, saying that the current fee structure is adequate to cover costs. Mr. Merlino said he has made comparisons, and the Village fees are close to the maximum that can be charged, and are higher than some other comparable communities. In addition, the current fee structure meets the financial needs of the Village. Councilman Pucciarelli observed that this department is one of the few that makes a profit in the Village, gaining net revenue of $175,000 in 2013, which is approximately $20,000 less than the previous year. He asked if there is some way to target the same profit for next year or for this year. The answer may not be immediately available, but Councilman Pucciarelli thinks it would be worthwhile to set a goal of at least making the same profit this year. It is possible that the volume of permits, which cannot be projected due to the laws regarding budgets, would help to realize that revenue. Mr. Barker said it is difficult to predict such trends, but once the spring calms, it is possible to get a better idea of how busy this department will be. The only other indication of an increase in permits would be if the real estate market were to suddenly make an upswing, and people were to start looking for homes to purchase, and would thus be interested in renovating their present homes in order to sell them.

Councilwoman Walsh recalled that Mr. Barker mentioned that the software company has not been billing the Village for the past several years, and she asked where that obligation is shown in the budget. Mr. Barker responded that the past obligation is not shown in there, but the current amount of $2,500 is shown under the line item of “Other Professional Services”. Councilwoman Walsh asked if that amount includes the rolled over charges from previous years, and Mr. Barker explained that $2,500 is the annual fee. Councilwoman Walsh wondered if the software provider did not ask to be paid for the years in which the Village was not billed for the software. Mr. Merlino responded that there were no updates during those years, and the department did not encounter any problems with the software necessitating service calls or any other type of contact. Councilwoman Walsh assumed that was why they were no charges from the software provider, but Mr. Merlino said there should have been charges assessed, but his department was informed at the beginning of this year that the software provider was under the impression that the Village was not using the software any longer, so they did not contact the Village, nor did they send any invoices. Mr. Merlino added that it did not occur to anyone to question why no invoices were being received, mainly because no problems had been encountered with the software. He also pointed out that the software fees were removed from the budget, although he does not know why. Mr. Barker believes it was removed because there were no expenditures made. However, the Village does have to pay the $2,500. This was the result of a problem that was encountered during the past year, and the billing situation was negotiated. Mr. Barker said both parties have agreed to move forward. Councilwoman Walsh clarified that there would be no other obligations to the software provider, and Mr. Barker answered that there would be no other obligations in the 2014 budget for this software provider.

Councilwoman Hauck had questions regarding the overtime charges, which are minimal. Mr. Barker responded that the majority of the overtime charges are from property maintenance issues. Greg Moritz performs property maintenance for the Village, which includes issuing summonses for sidewalks that have not been shoveled by property owners; grass that has not been mowed by property owners; and removing garbage from properties. The costs involved in the overtime are the court costs incurred by Mr. Moritz when he has to go to court for the summonses issued. Councilwoman Hauck noted that the overtime costs increased slightly this year, and Mr. Barker explained that Mr. Moritz has been busier than in the past, with more court appearances involved.

Councilwoman Hauck also noticed an increase in the private permit fees, and a decrease in public permit fees. Because it is such a good revenue source, she wondered if Mr. Barker had also noticed the trend, and if there is any explanation for it. Mr. Merlino responded that the public permit fees are for schools and other Village-owned properties, for which revenue is not generated, although a percentage of what the permit would cost is collected from the Board of Education to pay for Planning Board review. The Village is not permitted to collect any other types of permit fees from government entities. Public permit fees are for any permits issued to the Village or Board of Education. Councilwoman Hauck asked if they had noticed any big difference between residential versus commercial permits. Mr. Merlino asked if she was talking about permit revenue or the number of permits, and Councilwoman Hauck answered that she was referring to revenue. Mr. Merlino said that is difficult to assess, because fees are calculated in different ways, including such factors as estimated costs and volume. He said he could get that information together for Councilwoman Hauck, but at this time, it depends on how many jobs are occurring, and what the costs of those jobs are for commercial jobs, while volume is the bigger consideration for residential permits.

Mayor Aronsohn followed up Councilwoman Hauck’s question about overtime, because Mr. Barker explained that most of the overtime fees were incurred because of the necessity for Mr. Moritz to appear in court, and he asked if it was necessary for Mr. Moritz to go to court every week, and if it would be possible to include the court appearances as part of the job, rather than paying overtime for weekly court appearances. Mr. Barker explained that the property maintenance job had already been folded into another job, so Mr. Moritz works as an inspector supervising some of the various Village sites, including the Recycling Center. Before the former Animal Control Officer, Steve Wyder, retired, he took care of property maintenance, because he was on the road most of the time doing dog inspection work. Mr. Barker explained that this has been a long-time practice in the Village, by taking advantage of people who spent most of their time on the road to perform multiple functions, but only being compensated for one of those functions. Therefore, when Mr. Moritz has to appear in court, it is in addition to his normal working hours, making it difficult to include that time and the wages paid as part of his job. Mayor Aronsohn said he could appreciate that, but overtime costs more than normal hourly wages. Therefore, if it is known that an employee must appear in court on a regular basis, perhaps that issue could be revisited to try to reduce some of those expenses. Mr. Barker agreed that the situation could be reviewed. He added that during the summer months, Mr. Moritz appears in court fairly often, perhaps once a week at least, for approximately 1.5 hours each time. At other times of the year, his appearance is not required so often. Mayor Aronsohn asked Mr. Barker to revisit that situation.

Next, Mayor Aronsohn said he had a more general question. He noted that over the last few years, and particularly in 2013, when department supervisors had to formulate their budgets, they were asked to think differently in terms of ways to do their jobs faster and more efficiently. Mayor Aronsohn asked Mr. Barker to give examples of things he has done in his department toward those goals, including things that have worked, as well as things that have not worked, and any savings in time or money that have been realized as a result. Mr. Barker responded that for this particular department, it is simply a matter of keeping the flow moving, because there is a lot of activity. There were many unanticipated personnel changes over the past year, including one part-time employee moving to a full-time job. In addition, Mr. Barker noted that he has received many ideas for ways to use technology, as well as other ways to look at what his department does, and how other states are doing the same things. Mayor Aronsohn recalled that one of the attempts made toward efficiency was to make a tracking system available on-line, and he asked Mr. Barker how that was going. Mr. Merlino responded that the process has been streamlined, so when a permit application is received, it is routed through this department via individual reviewing officials. It has been possible to track the permits much more efficiently using this process, and the public has also been able to go on-line to see the current status of each permit. He added that the larger problem is that there are things for which permits cannot be issued, such as missing information, which requires a phone call and then waiting for the information to come back. The Building Department is not allowed to issue any permit if the paperwork does not indicate that everything is Code-compliant. That is the main reason why some paperwork sits in the office for long periods of time. It also interrupts the smooth flow of the permit process. Mr. Barker added that one of the things for which he has met with Councilmembers is process itself, involving going through approvals, and he sought input from members of the Ridgewood business community for help in making that process flow more smoothly. In addition, Mr. Barker noted that this department has addressed how things are done; looked to see whether the processes were being followed; if there were any ways to improve, which led to some modifications made by the Site Plan Exemption Committee to expedite the process of getting everything to the permit phase; and communications with other departments, because there is a lot of interaction with the Village Engineer, Recycling Center, and in some cases, the Health Department. Mayor Aronsohn asked if emphasis could be placed on putting as many services as possible on-line.

Councilman Pucciarelli noted that Janet Willet from the FAC was present at the meeting, and he reminded everyone that the FAC had proposed a format for presenting the budget. Because this was the first time this new format was being implemented, he asked Ms. Willet if this new format was implemented in the way the FAC had advised. Ms. Willet responded that compared to previous years, there has been good progress made. There has been more transparency, especially in pension numbers and health care costs, by each department. The process is not quite where the members of the FAC had envisioned it would be, but it is coming along.

                            2. Zoning

Mr. Barker explained that the Zoning Board of Adjustment primarily deals with residential and business applications for variances seeking relief from zoning ordinances. The Zoning Board of Adjustment is independent of the Zoning Office, but the Zoning Office provides services to the Zoning Board, such as clerical services. There is really no revenue in the Zoning Office, because any monies taken in are deposited into escrow accounts that cover the costs of the professionals that are required, including the Zoning Board Attorney. For the past couple of years, the Zoning Office has not had any staff. Mr. Merlino, as the Zoning Board Secretary, as well as serving as the Zoning Officer, has shouldered all of the responsibilities, including putting together the meeting packets; ensuring that applications are complete; ensuring that public notices are prepared and distributed; and preparing the agendas and minutes for the Zoning Board meetings. Mr. Merlino has encountered some problems in getting all of that done due to a lack of time to do all of the jobs he must do. In the past, a full-time clerical position has been associated with the Zoning Board to handle many of these administrative tasks, freeing Mr. Merlino to review the meeting minutes, as well as ensuring that applications are correct and complete, and legal advertisements are properly done. Therefore, Mr. Barker said he was again requesting in 2014 that a dedicated clerical person be hired to provide these functions for the Zoning Board. He also requested a part-time Assistant Zoning Officer. Mr. Barker noted that the position titles currently reflected in the budget need to be modified because the position listed as “Secretary Board/Commissions” is actually the Zoning Board clerk, and the Zoning Board Secretary is actually an Assistant Zoning Officer. When talking about efficiencies and inefficiencies within the Building Department, which includes the Zoning Office, there seems to be a delay in the Zoning portion of the building process. It is taking longer to get the applications out of the Zoning Office and move them into the permit phase. That is an area that has been identified as one in need of an assistant to allow more time to perform inspections, because at this time, the Zoning Office has not been able to be proactive in performing the zoning processes around Ridgewood. Ms. Mailander pointed out something that people may not realize, which is that every application that comes into the Building Department must first be processed by the Zoning Office, and Mr. Merlino is the only Zoning Officer in the Village, which means that he must review every application, after which time it goes out to other officials for action. Adding another person, even on a part-time basis, would allow this process to proceed more quickly and the applications could be given to other inspectors more quickly. Mr. Barker noted that there are applications that come in for roofs, which do not need approval from the Zoning Office. However, it is still necessary for Mr. Merlino to review those applications to determine whether a full Zoning review is warranted.

Mayor Aronsohn asked why Mr. Merlino is reviewing every application. Mr. Merlino explained that the job must be done, and Mayor Aronsohn asked if he had always done it. Mr. Merlino responded that when an application comes into the Zoning Office that is easily reviewed and approved, there is a staff member who can deal with it. However, if it is not a simple application, Mr. Merlino must take care of those. Mr. Barker answered that Mr. Merlino has been doing this for a very long time. Before Mr. Merlino became the Construction Code Official, he was also doing the Zoning reviews, as well as building inspections. Mr. Merlino added that he has been the Zoning Officer since 1988. Councilman Pucciarelli asked why Mr. Merlino must also be the Secretary to the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Mr. Merlino responded that he was given both titles when he became the Zoning Officer. At the time, those were the only two tasks he had. That was how it had been done in the Village for many years before Mr. Merlino stepped into the positions. Mr. Merlino commented that he made a comparison of Ridgewood to eight or nine other communities, and with the exception of Fair Lawn, no other community has a Zoning Office, Zoning Officer, or Zoning Board in their Building Departments. They only do what is required by the Uniform Construction Code for new construction. Councilman Pucciarelli stated that Mr. Merlino is an expert on building codes, and the Uniform Construction Code in particular. However, it seems to Councilman Pucciarelli that it would be a distraction, and a possible cause of inefficiencies in the Building Department, for Mr. Merlino to also be required to prepare packets for the Zoning Board, which meets twice a month, as well as having the responsibility for the minutes of those meetings. Mr. Merlino must also attend those meetings. Councilman Pucciarelli said the Councilmembers need to evaluate whether that is an appropriate use of Mr. Merlino’s time.

Mayor Aronsohn clarified that the proposal is to have another position created for Secretary to the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Mr. Merlino responded that attending the Zoning Board meetings does not interfere with his Zoning work, and he enjoys being able to wear the three hats that he currently wears. The position that is being proposed is basically an administrative one, for clerical work for the Zoning Board. That person would be the one to prepare the packets for the Zoning Board meetings. Mr. Merlino refers to the position as a “clerk,” but the official title is “secretary”. The administrative title used in the Village is “Board Clerk”. Ms. Mailander explained that the position requested is a full-time clerical one, for someone to assemble the Board packets; accept applications; prepare the minutes of the Zoning Board meetings, and attend the Zoning Board meetings to assist with the recording system. If the Building Department gets busy, the Zoning Clerk could also help out in the Building Department. In addition, the Zoning Office is requesting a part-time Zoning Officer, because every application that comes into the Building Department must be reviewed by a Zoning Officer. This will help move the applications along to be processed more quickly. Mr. Barker offered clarifications for the titles shown in the budget report, because they did not get fixed. The first title shown as “Zoning Board Secretary” should read “Assistant Zoning Officer,” which is a part-time position for $26,000 annually. The “Secretary Board/Commission” is a full-time position at $35,348, which is budgeted for seven months of 2014, in anticipation that the budget would be adopted in May. Mayor Aronsohn asked if the part-time Assistant Zoning Officer would take on some of the clerical work that Mr. Merlino is now doing, which Mr. Barker said was not the case. The full-time Secretary Board/Commission would take on the clerical work. The Assistant Zoning Officer would assist in the Zoning reviews for every application received.

Going back to the point raised by Mayor Aronsohn and Councilman Pucciarelli about the best use of Mr. Merlino’s time, Mayor Aronsohn recalled that the suggestion was to take some of the clerical work away from Mr. Merlino and give that work to a part-time staff member. He wondered if, as the Zoning Board Secretary, Mr. Merlino receives an additional stipend for doing that work. Mr. Merlino responded that his salary is one amount that covers all of the positions he holds. It is not divided up between the Building Department and Zoning Office. He receives no stipend for anything that he does.

Councilwoman Walsh commented that the plan presented in the budget makes a lot of sense. She noted that there have been previous discussions in which it was acknowledged that Mr. Merlino, as the Zoning Official, has been spread pretty thin. However, helping to alleviate that situation always depended upon the budget status at the time. She believes it will be a good move forward to hire extra staff to take some of the pressure off Mr. Merlino, and will help to make the process smoother.

Councilman Pucciarelli pointed out that no revenues are shown for the Zoning Board of Adjustment, and he asked if there are any application fees or escrow fees, or any other fees, as there are in the Planning Board, and why those fees are not reflected in the budget. He also noted that there is some revenue generated by the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Mr. Sanzari explained that he did not include the Zoning Board escrow fees on the sheets that he prepared, because they support the other fees that are charged to the applicants, such as engineering and attorneys’ fees. Those fees come out of the trust fund. There might be some application fees which Mr. Sanzari said he could not separate from the other fees in the current computer system used by the Village, but he will go back and look at those fees. He added that there is a significant amount in the trust fund from the Zoning Board applicants. Councilman Pucciarelli asked if those fees are reflected elsewhere in the budget, and Mr. Sanzari responded that they are shown in the trust fund. Councilman Pucciarelli pointed out that the monies paid for those fees are allocated to the various Village departments, and Mr. Sanzari noted that they are not always allocated to Village departments, but are also paid to the attorneys involved, or any special professional consultants who might be required to be engaged in a particular job. Councilman Pucciarelli said the bottom line is that those fees are not used to absorb the net costs of the Zoning Department, which are shown to be approximately $64,000, which Mr. Sanzari confirmed. In addition, Mr. Sanzari suggested that perhaps that could be something that is reviewed in the future, so a fee could be charged by the Zoning Board, just as the Planning Board charges a fee to review applications. The work done by the Engineering Department, and that of Blais Brancheau, Village Planner, are charged to the applicants. At a minimum, Councilman Pucciarelli believes the application fee itself for the Zoning Board of Adjustment should be charged to offset the $64,000 in expenditures. Mr. Barker, after consulting with Mr. Merlino, said that they could try to isolate what the actual application fee is. Councilman Pucciarelli pointed out that the Zoning Board deals with many more applications than the Planning Board. He also pointed out that there is some revenue generation in the form of application fees that could show that the real costs of this department may not be as high as $64,000. Mr. Merlino said he would go back and get that information.

Councilwoman Hauck commented that she is looking forward to further scrutiny of the Building Department, because she understands that there are some issues with customer satisfaction, which could be due to the fact that the department is understaffed. However, Councilwoman Hauck also believes the tracking process needs to be scrutinized to find out why it is not working, and to make it more accurate. She is willing to work with everyone in the Building Department in order to streamline things, and she is not sure if simply increasing staff is the solution to the problem. Councilwoman Hauck believes that management could be part of the problem, and she hopes that the new Village Manager will have an opportunity to work with the Building Department to try to resolve such issues. Regarding the tracking system, Mr. Barker commented that it was found that the majority of permits that are issued are going to the contractors, so when information is given, it is not always passed on to the homeowner, who might also want to keep track of what is going on. He believes that what should be addressed is a better way of educating the public about tools that are available to them, and perhaps finding a better way to deliver information to them. The system has been in place for well over a year, and it has come to Mr. Barker’s attention that many homeowners do not know about it. As soon as they find out about it, they are surprised that it exists.

Mayor Aronsohn stated that he thinks the point is that there should be a better way to do things in this department. The current staff is very frustrated, because they believe they need more staff and are constantly working against deadlines, and Village residents are also very frustrated, because they are not kept abreast of what is happening. Mayor Aronsohn believes the focus should be on figuring out what is wrong and fixing it, for the sake of everyone.

Regarding Councilman Pucciarelli’s point about absorbing some of the costs, Mayor Aronsohn said he appreciates the idea of going back to see if some of the costs can be absorbed by the fees, but he noted that some of the additional expenses requested would be helping the Building Department, not just the Zoning Department. He asked if Mr. Barker or anyone else in the Zoning Department had thought about absorbing some of those costs within the Building Department itself. Mr. Barker responded that they are currently re-examining one of the ways in which Zoning review fees are charged, because at this time, there is no separate Zoning fee charged when someone comes in to apply for a building permit. If someone asks for a simple Zoning review, the Zoning Department can charge for that according to its fee structure. Mr. Barker pointed out that they are trying to set up a fee structure wherein the fee charged for a Zoning review is not a flat fee, but could perhaps be on a sliding scale, depending upon how involved the Zoning review process is. Mayor Aronsohn thought that was a good idea, because as Councilman Pucciarelli pointed out, since they are asking for more staff, it would be a good idea if that could be paid out of Zoning Department funds, instead of possibly having another department fund those costs. Mr. Barker reiterated that they are working on it, but they do not yet have any hard numbers to provide.

                3. Health Department

 Dawn Cetrulo, Supervisor of the Health Department, spoke about the budgets for the Health Department and the Division of Animal Control. Ms. Cetrulo started by discussing some of the ideas she has in mind for 2014 to increase revenue. They include increasing the licensing fees for food establishments and restaurants, which have not been increased in seven years. Ms. Cetrulo said she hopes to increase the fees by approximately $50 per establishment. Another proposed increase is in dry cleaning fees, which have not been increased in approximately nine years. There are currently more regulations associated with dry cleaning that must be evaluated, causing more time to be spent on those inspections. Ms. Cetrulo also pointed out the reductions in expenses in her department, including the three-year dog licensing fees, which has saved her department a lot of time while increasing revenue, and has been more efficient overall. Another savings has been realized through the use of email for the dog licensing renewals. Ms. Cetrulo noted that she is now trying to start using emails for the restaurants regarding food handling classes; restaurant renewals; recalls; or for any other reason. In addition, due to the overwhelming success of the three-year dog licensing system that is been implemented, Ms. Cetrulo now wants to apply that same system to cat licensing. There are not as many cats that are licensed in Ridgewood, but that has proven to be a much more efficient system with dog licenses, and Ms. Cetrulo believes it will be the same for cats. Emails would also be applied to cat license renewals, as with the dog licenses. Ms. Cetrulo said she has also been discussing with Dylan Hansen, Network Administrator, the possibility of accepting credit cards, which has been previously discussed. At one time, there was an ATM in Village Hall, so Ms. Cetrulo said it was necessary to send applicants who wished to pay by credit card downstairs to get cash. However, if her department could accept credit cards, it would save a lot of time and be more convenient for everyone, especially since there is no longer an ATM in Village Hall. There is a way to accept credit cards using PayPal.

Mr. Barker interjected a comment about reviewing the revenue of the Health Department. He noted that the Health Department is actually made up of a number of different tasks: the Division of Vital Statistics; the division that takes care of retail inspections; and the animal licensing division. The revenue shown for the Health Department does not include revenue generated by dog and cat licenses. However, the office time, energy, and supplies come out of the Health Department. That is because the money goes into a trust, and the Animal Control Officers and any costs associated with licensing of dogs and cats are paid out of the trust. So Mr. Barker wanted to point out that the revenues are not included in the budget, because they must be put into the trust, although the Animal Control/Health Department staff are utilizing and collecting that money. Ms. Cetrulo added that the fees collected amounted to approximately $60,000.

Regarding staffing, Ms. Cetrulo stated that there is a part-time Deputy Registrar who works 27 hours per week for the Village, and Ms. Cetrulo has requested that her hours be increased to 35 per week. She currently receives health benefits from the Village, since her husband also works for the Village, so she would not be entitled to the stipend. Her husband also works for the Village. Increasing the hours for the Deputy Registrar would eliminate the need for a part-time temporary assistant, as long as the current crossing guard program could be maintained, which has been very successful. There are employees who come in during the summer to help process dog licenses, as well as employees from other departments who help with various tasks.

Ms. Cetrulo stated that she would like to continue the Responsible Pet Ownership Committee, which has been very successful. There are also some other upcoming pet care programs to be hosted in the Village, which have not cost the Village anything. Information is sent via email, and volunteers help with these programs. There are also some wellness initiatives with Village employees and residents that Ms. Cetrulo is hoping to continue, such as the weight loss challenge; lunching-in programs; monthly blood pressure checks; and the walking club. They have also been very successful for the Village, while costing the Village nothing.

Councilman Pucciarelli commended Ms. Cetrulo for doing a great job with a very small amount of money, while noting that there is a $24,000 budget increase for 2014, and the net cost to the Village will have doubled in two years. He also mentioned that there is an increase of approximately $5,500 budgeted for “Other Expenses,” and he does not know what those expenses are. Ms. Cetrulo explained that money is put in the budget for such things as septic inspections, but the money is not always used. Councilman Pucciarelli explained that when a budget increase of $24,000 is shown, it would be helpful if that number could be reduced to zero. However, because it is not clearly shown where the $24,000 is to be spent, there is no way to evaluate where cuts could be made. He also pointed out that the net cost to the Village has more than doubled over the past two years, and he believes it could be due to the fact that the fee levels are too low. Ms. Cetrulo responded that many of the fees charged by the Village are already at a maximum level. Mr. Barker added that, as with the Building Department, there is reliance on fees that are decided by other people. For example, fees are only paid if someone gets married, has a baby, passes away, or opens up a business. He pointed out that there was a tremendous drop in revenue from 2012 to 2013. Ms. Cetrulo also noted that there was a 10% decrease in deaths in 2013. There has been an increase over the past two years in the amount of birth certificates issued, because insurance companies, the Division of Motor Vehicles, and the United States Passport Offices were audited. Now that those audits are nearly finished, the number has no longer been increasing. However, birth registrations in the Village have increased.

Mayor Aronsohn asked a question about the three-year dog licenses, because he thought that all of the revenue was collected upfront. Ms. Cetrulo pointed out that there is no discount for the three-year license. Mayor Aronsohn asked if the revenue is divided over the three years when that license is purchased, and Ms. Cetrulo responded that the entire amount is included in the revenue for the year in which it was collected. She did note that the licenses are issued on a rolling basis, and people become eligible to purchase those licenses for their pets every year. Mayor Aronsohn explained that the point he was trying to make was that when the three-year licenses were implemented, there must have been a spike in the amount of licenses purchased that first year, which Ms. Cetrulo confirmed. Mr. Barker added that at this point, there has not been a significant drop in the number of licenses purchased. He believes it will be easier to track the actual number of licenses sold once the first three-year cycle is completed, which will be in 2015.

Councilman Pucciarelli stated that the Health Department has shown an 18% increase in costs over 2013, and more than 100% increase in costs from 2012. While he understands that those are relatively small amounts of money, they do add up for each department. Mr. Barker suggested that perhaps the budgets for the Health Department over the past five years could be reviewed to see if the changes in the past two years might be an anomaly, as well as to determine what happened in the years prior to 2012, and perhaps it could quantify what happened in 2012.

Councilwoman Hauck had a question about the money held in escrow for licensing. She asked what payouts are made from the funds in escrow. Ms. Cetrulo explained that those funds are paid to the Animal Control Officer. Councilwoman Hauck asked what percentage of those funds are recouped by the department, and when. Mr. Sanzari responded that in the Animal Control budget, there is a $30,000 allocation for the Dog Trust Fund, which offsets the Bergen County Contract that the Village has with the County to pick up stray animals. Councilwoman Hauck asked if the Village ever gets that money back. Mr. Sanzari explained that the Village is entitled to a specific amount of money from each dog or cat license that is issued, which is deposited into the Trust Fund. The other portion of the license fee goes to the State of New Jersey. The Village’s share offsets operations for Animal Control. There is no allocation of those funds that goes to the Health Department for issuing those licenses. Councilwoman Hauck pointed out that those funds could never be included in the budget. Mr. Sanzari answered that historically, based on the contract, what is taken from the Trust Fund is approximately equal to what the Village collects for the fees. Councilman Hauck noted that it would be wonderful if some of that money could be allocated back to the Health Department.

Councilwoman Hauck also noticed that there was a big spike in contractual services, and she asked if there was anything notable in that. Ms. Cetrulo answered that those figures are the ones she referred to earlier, which included the septic inspections. Those funds must be included in the budget, although they are not always spent. For example, she did not spend those funds in 2012, but they were spent in 2013.

Mayor Aronsohn recalled that Ms. Cetrulo had discussed the possibility of increasing restaurant licensing fees, and he asked if those proposed increases were reflected in the 2014 budget. Ms. Cetrulo said they were not. Mr. Barker added that the numbers shown in the budget are carried over from the previous year, reflecting the same fees being charged. Mayor Aronsohn asked what the current restaurant licensing fee is. Ms. Cetrulo responded that a restaurant/food establishment licensing fee is commonly $380 annually, which she proposes to increase by $50 to $430 annually. In addition, Ms. Cetrulo noted that restaurants/food establishments also pay an ice license fee of $25, which causes a lot of confusion and incurs a lot of extra paperwork, and she proposes to include the ice license fee with the new restaurant/food establishment licensing fee. Mayor Aronsohn asked how much the dry cleaner fee is. Ms. Cetrulo responded that it is $75, which she proposes increasing to $125. Mayor Aronsohn then asked if she had calculated how much additional revenue that would bring into the Health Department. Ms. Cetrulo estimated that it would mean an additional $2,000 for the restaurants, and approximately $500 for the dry cleaners.

4. Building Department

 Tony Merlino, Director of the Building Department, stated that their operating budget has decreased by $2,050, but the rest of their financial situation remains the same. Mr. Merlino noted that his department is no longer reimbursed for such things as attending conferences, so they cut down their expenses in that area. However, Mr. Merlino said he is requesting some additional full-time staff due to the increased workload. He pointed out that his department suffered when all the layoffs occurred, but the workload has not decreased. In fact, the opposite appears to be true. Every year, the number of permit applications and reviews that must be done has increased. The increase in staff will also help to make the response time in performing the reviews and responding to permit applications much faster. Mr. Merlino said that in the past, there were four full-time administrative staff members in his department, which was reduced to one person in 2010-2011, and two more part-time staff members have been hired since 2010.

5. Tax Assessor 

Mr. Barker commented that, from a housing market standpoint, 2013 was a very good year. The reassessment put the Village in a good position moving forward, so the assessment base can be defended. However, there will be appeals, because residents have the right to appeal all tax assessments. Mr. Barker said he anticipates a lower number of appeals. In 2013, there were only 74 appeals, of which one-third were withdrawn when the owners discovered that their appeal was based on the previous year’s assessment, rather than the current one. The Tax Assessor’s Office is still working on a backlog of commercial cases from 2009-2010. Mr. Barker said that he and Mr. Rogers work on these cases together, and try to get them resolved in the most efficient way. They are also going to reevaluate the process to see if it can be streamlined, and to avoid duplicating procedures.

Mr. Barker noted that his office does not have a “traditional” revenue source that can be relied upon every year, such as fees, permits, and other construction-related sources of revenue. The method by which revenue is generated is when projects are completed in the middle of the year, those assessments have to be modified, and the owners are billed for the additional portion when the work is complete. That revenue is unanticipated revenue, and goes into surplus for the following year. In a sense, Mr. Barker said that is “creating” revenue. There is no way to predict such revenue gains, because it is generated from and affected by construction permits. Mr. Barker said they try to keep expenses as stagnant as possible. He pointed out that his department shows a decrease in its budget request, primarily because the first year of the reassessment payment was in the budget in 2012, so they did not need as much money in 2013. There are some slight increases in the 2014 budget, due to such things as postage increases; an increase in the cost for software maintenance; an anticipated increase in the cost of toner; and other such increases. The staff remains the same, with no additional staff requested. Mr. Barker commented that the Assistant Tax Assessor now assists other departments, including the Finance and Health Departments, and in whatever other locations where help is needed.

Councilwoman Walsh asked for clarification that the 74 appeals mentioned by Mr. Barker were for 2013 assessments. Mr. Barker responded that they are all County Tax Board appeals. Councilwoman Walsh then asked if any of those appellants received any refunds, and what was the total of any refunds paid. Mr. Barker said there were some refunds, and he did not have the total amount, but he could get the information. Finally, Councilwoman Walsh noted that the Councilmembers receive a monthly statement of Mr. Rogers’ services, which is broken down by department. She wondered why the fee for services rendered for the Tax Assessor’s Office was not included in this budget, because she believes it would give a better picture of how much it costs for the Village to defend itself in the tax appeals. If that amount shows a steady increase, it might be something that needs to be re-evaluated.

Councilman Pucciarelli asked for clarification on the point that, according to the added value chart Mr. Barker provided, the budget shows that annually, the Village realizes approximately $250,000 in added assessed valuations, or added revenue. Mr. Barker responded that it is added revenue. Councilman Pucciarelli recalled his comments during the discussion about the Health Department budget that their expenditures far exceeded their revenue, especially over the past two years. He pointed out that the Tax Assessor’s Office is in the opposite position, with a decrease of approximately $50,000 over the past two years. Councilman Pucciarelli wondered if the figure from 2012 was inflated due to the amounts of tax appeals, or if there had been any kind of efficiencies made in the department. Mr. Barker responded that 2012 was the down payment on a five-year emergency appropriation for that account for the reassessment. Mr. Sanzari explained that the rest of the payments are being funded out of a five-year special emergency appropriation. The payment is $48,000 per year. Councilman Pucciarelli estimated that the tax assessment appeal process costs the Village approximately $300,000 annually, and he does not see any way to reduce that expense. Mr. Barker agreed, saying that he and Mr. Rogers have reviewed and re-evaluated to see where any savings could be found, and they have determined that so far, it is being handled in the most efficient manner possible. There is not a lot of money spent on appraisal fees and other expenses.

Finally, Councilman Pucciarelli noted that the recent reassessment has reallocated the tax burden, which might be considered to be unfair in some cases, and overly generous in others. Since 2013, when the reassessment was done, the market has been rather robust, and Councilman Pucciarelli asked us to Barker when he anticipates the next reassessment might be required. Mr. Barker answered that historically, reassessments have followed a 7 or 8-year cycle. They are traditionally more frequent when the market takes a downward turn, and less frequent when the market is growing. There was a revaluation in 2001 and another in 2008, when the housing market was in a peak growth period. In a rising market, Mr. Barker explained that municipalities reap the benefit of something called the “assessment corridor,” which is a 15% plus-or-minus range off of the average, which gives added protection to municipalities. An appellant would have to be outside of the corridor in order to prove his/her case. Councilman Pucciarelli noted that the number of successful tax appeals should also be an indicator that it might be time to do a revaluation. Mr. Barker responded that in a rising market, the number of appeals is fewer, because it is more difficult for people to prove their cases. That is what occurred in 2006-2007.

Councilwoman Hauck clarified that Mr. Barker was not asking for any additional employees in the Tax Assessor Department, which Mr. Barker confirmed.

Ms. Mailander announced that there were no more departments scheduled for this evening, and reminded everyone that the next budget meeting is on Friday, March 21, 2014, at 5:00 P.M. She also reminded the Councilmembers that one of the documents given to them was regarding the capital budget, and they should bring that document with them to each budget meaning. Some departments will have capital budget requests. Mayor Aronsohn asked that the capital budget requests be reflected in the up-coming budget discussions, and Mr. Sanzari responded that the capital budget requests will be on separate forms from the operating budget requests, and will be discussed separately, after each operating budget is discussed. Mayor Aronsohn commented that, as recommended by the FAC, it would be nice to have some type of sheet indicating the actual costs incurred by each department, including such costs as Mr. Rogers’s fees; depreciation of vehicles; and other pertinent expenses. Mr. Sanzari explained that each department does have that information available, and it is provided to the Councilmembers as part of their budget presentations. Councilman Pucciarelli noted that it is also good for the taxpayers to have an indication of what it costs to provide services to the residents.

4. ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Councilwoman Walsh, seconded by Councilwoman Hauck, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the meeting was adjourned at 6:39 P.M.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    _____________________________

                                                                                                 Paul S. Aronsohn

                                                                                                         Mayor

_________________________________

            Heather A. Mailander

                Village Clerk

A REGULAR PUBLIC MEETING OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE SYDNEY V. STOLDT, JR. COURTROOM OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2014, AT 8:00 P.M.

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

Mayor Aronsohn called the meeting to order at 8:00 P.M., and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. At roll call, the following were present: Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn. Also present were Heather Mailander, Acting Village Manager/Village Clerk; and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney.

The Webelos Cub Scout Pack 33 led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. Mayor Aronsohn then asked for a moment of silence to honor the men and women in the United States Armed Forces who protect and defend our freedom every day, as well as those serving as first responders.

2. ACCEPTANCE OF FINANCIAL REPORTS

Mayor Aronsohn moved that the Bills, Claims, and Vouchers, and Statement of Funds on hand as of February 28, 2014, be accepted as submitted. Councilman Riche seconded the motion.  

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS: None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Mayor Aronsohn moved that the Village Council minutes of January 8, January 29, and February 19, 2014, having been reviewed by the Village Council and now available in the Village Clerk’s Office, be approved as submitted. Councilman Pucciarelli seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS: None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

4. PROCLAMATIONS

        A. Declare March Red Cross Month

Councilman Riche read the following proclamation:

        B.   Declare March Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

            Councilman Pucciarelli read the following proclamation:

        C. Declare March as DeMolay Month

            Councilwoman Walsh read the following proclamation declaring the month of     March “DeMolay Month”. Prior to the reading of the proclamation, Nick, a  member of DeMolay, explained that DeMolay is a young men’s fraternity, open     to ages 12-21. Its goal is to teach young men to be good leaders and upright    citizens. Members follow seven core values on which to build their lives: filial      love; reverence for sacred things; courtesy; comradeship; fidelity; cleanliness; and patriotism. Members participate in membership events, as well as performing community service.

 5. SWEARING-IN OF FIREFIGHTER TIMOTHY BOMBACE

Mayor Aronsohn administered the Oath of Office to Firefighter Timothy Bombace, while his daughter held the Bible and his parents looked on.

6. SWEARING-IN OF FIREFIGHTER BRIAN KELLY

Mayor Aronsohn administered the Oath of Office to Firefighter Brian Kelly, while his mother held the Bible and his father and brother looked on.

7. SWEARING-IN OF FIREFIGHTER DANIEL KOSTRO

Mayor Aronsohn administered the Oath of Office to Firefighter Daniel Kostro, while his mother held the Bible and his family looked on.

8. SWEARING-IN OF FIRE LIEUTENANT JOHN JUDGE

Mayor Aronsohn administered the Oath of Office to Fire Lieutenant John Judge, while his son held the Bible and his wife and parents looked on.

9. SWEARING-IN OF FIRE CAPTAIN SCOTT SCHMIDT

Mayor Aronsohn administered the Oath of Office to Fire Captain Scott Schmidt, while his daughter held the Bible and his wife and son looked on.

10. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

Mayor Aronsohn asked if anyone from the public wished to speak regarding any of the agenda items.

Martin Walker, 114 Cottage Place, said he has lived in Ridgewood for approximately 7 years, and he is a clinical psychologist with a post-doctoral certification in organizational consultation, which he has used as a consultant to communities and various organizations. Mr. Walker said he is also a Fulbright scholar and a professor of the integration of three countries for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). He said he is very concerned about how Ridgewood is growing as a community, and he has read about a lot of initiatives in Ridgewood, but he is not seeing the two things that he feels are key to any community in any controversies or other issues that divide communities. Mr. Walker said he does not see the word “community,” “family,” or “future” in any of the things that he reads about Ridgewood. He feels it is essential that any kind of leadership authority in community organizations must deal with how far into the future the community and its residents can project themselves. People are discussing telephone poles, building heights, and the impact of what is happening with Valley Hospital, among other things, but Mr. Walker said he does not hear anything about a vision for the entire community, and he would like to know where that leadership will come from. It seems to Mr. Walker that the two perennial certainties are aging and taxes, and they provide the most stable variables around which to articulate any family community’s future. Every one of us will age, and the fact that tax revenues are tied to property values means that taxes will increase indefinitely. Visionary leadership must articulate some way of dealing with those two issues for Ridgewood. As far as aging is concerned, Mr. Walker said he does not know whether Ridgewood is an aging-in community or an aging-out community. He wonders if Ridgewood should be required to provide space in which people can live for all their lives, or only parts of their lives, and whether old age should take place within Ridgewood, with easy access to the places people love, or should the elders have to go somewhere else.

Mr. Walker continued by saying that as far as taxes are concerned, currently Ridgewood’s greatest human asset is that children often return to create new families in the Village, and he questioned whether that should be encouraged. The current tax structure demands that children be wealthier than their parents in order to live in Ridgewood in the future. As one of the wealthiest communities in New Jersey, Mr. Walker said that is a statistical impossibility. Visionary leadership requires clear choices. He asked if the future of this family-based community should be reserved exclusively for those who earn more, and if the elderly residents should be exiled to some far away location.

In closing, Mr. Walker said that he personally would like to see a Ridgewood that calls for a future of increased tax revenues and decreased family tax burdens by way of over-55, high-density housing in the CBD, as well as assisted living facilities in the CBD, which can also increase economic activity without burdening the schools. Visionary leadership is required in order to make that happen.

Mary Romano Micale, 239 Heights Road, thanked the Councilmembers for their service to the community, and expressed her support for their choice for Village Manager, Roberta Sonenfeld. Ms. Micale and Ms. Sonenfeld work together on the Ridgewood Education Foundation, and Ms. Micale found Ms. Sonenfeld to be smart, capable, and deeply committed to the community. Ms. Sonenfeld is also well-versed in best practices for organizations, and exercises sound financial judgment. In addition, she is a rational and thoughtful decision-maker. Most importantly, Ms. Sonenfeld listens. Ms. Micale said she has no doubt that Ms. Sonenfeld will bring her skills and passion for Ridgewood to the position of Village Manager.

Inés Bunza, 335 Jeffer Street, said she also wanted to support Roberta Sonenfeld for the position of Village Manager. Years ago, when Ms. Bunza served as Federated Home and School President, she crossed paths with Ms. Sonenfeld as they were implementing computer systems, and Ms. Sonenfeld was extremely helpful with that endeavor. Some years later, their paths crossed again through the Ridgewood Historical Society and the Ridgewood Education Foundation. As the Treasurer of both of those organizations, Ms. Bunza said she could count on Ms. Sonenfeld to ensure that her numbers and finances were on track.

Mac Highet, 219 Madison Place, said he worked for 40 years in finance and operations management. For the past six months, he has worked with Ms. Sonenfeld on the Financial Advisory Committee. That gave him an opportunity to better understand what goes on in the Village; what some of the issues are; and what some of the challenges are. It was a wonderful opportunity for Mr. Highet to gain an understanding of what challenges are faced by Ridgewood. He also was on the Board of the Volunteer Center of Bergen County with Ms. Sonenfeld. One of the things he has come to realize during his time on the Financial Advisory Committee is that there is a need for strategic thinking, including thinking more about the next five or 10 years, rather than focusing on just the year ahead. Strong financial and operational skills are clearly needed, as well as the ability to prioritize. Hands-on management skills are essential. Mr. Highet said he has been very impressed with many of the people he has worked with in the Village, but they do need a manager, and it must be someone who can work with them to get things done. In addition, the Village Manager should be someone who can reach outside the community to see what other towns are doing, as well as what the State and County are doing. The Village Manager must be someone who can make decisions, because time is critical. Mr. Highet said it has upset him that there are quite a few issues in Ridgewood that have been around for 10-15 years without being resolved. Lastly, Mr. Highet believes the Village Manager must be loyal to Ridgewood, and someone who will work in the best interests of the taxpayers and continue to make Ridgewood the best place to live. Mr. Highet believes that all of the skills he has enumerated can be found in Ms. Sonenfeld. He can vouch for her input when sitting on a Board, as well as working with her on the Financial Advisory Committee. Mr. Highet thinks the Village is very lucky to have someone as strong as Ms. Sonenfeld, who is willing to step up and do this very difficult job.

John Johansen, 115 Lincoln Avenue, said he also supports Ms. Sonenfeld for the job of Village Manager. He believes Ms. Sonenfeld is exactly the person needed to be the Village Manager of Ridgewood. She has the operational management experience to do the job very well. In addition, she is a student of Lean and Six Sigma operational excellence, and forward-thinking communities all over the country are including these tenets in their municipal governments with great success. They are increasing the transparency of their municipal operations; increasing satisfaction levels in their communities; and minding the bottom line. Mr. Johansen pointed out that that is a tall order, and Ms. Sonenfeld has the experience to achieve those goals. She has also successfully lead and motivated teams. There is a great workforce in the Village, and harnessing their talent is critical to the success of the Village Manager. Ms. Sonenfeld has worked with large and diverse teams, and motivated them toward common goals. She is a self-admitted “policy wonk,” who digs into the details of issues, understands them, works them out, and implements solutions. Given a few minutes walking from one meeting to the next, she is less likely to ask about the weather, and more likely to ask for thoughts about what she has heard another municipality working on. Mr. Johansen calls Ms. Sonenfeld a “connector,” because she is able to constructively connect people in groups, and will work to improve the connection between Village Hall and the community, as well as the connection Ridgewood has with surrounding communities, the County, and the State. Finally, Mr. Johansen pointed out that Ms. Sonenfeld is a customer for the very services to be provided by her team. Ms. Sonenfeld is the right person at the right time for Ridgewood, according to Mr. Johansen.

Janice Willet, 207 Prospect Street, added her support of Ms. Sonenfeld as the new Village Manager. Ms. Willet thinks that is the best possible news for the people of Ridgewood. Ms. Sonenfeld is a seasoned executive with a proven track record of success in the private sector, and she has a deep sense of commitment to the Village. Ms. Willet said she has known Ms. Sonenfeld for just the few months that they have worked together on the Financial Advisory Committee, but her professionalism, integrity, and intelligence were evident from the start. In addition, Ms. Sonenfeld possesses excellent listening, organizational, and operational management skills, making her exactly what the Village needs. Ms. Willet believes that under Ms. Sonenfeld’s leadership, Ridgewood will address its fiscal and operating challenges and set an example for other municipalities. Ms. Willet praised the Councilmembers for making this appointment.

Kim Bangash, 208 Crest Road, said he also applauded the nomination of Roberta Sonenfeld for Village Manager. Mr. Bangash met Ms. Sonenfeld through the Ridgewood Education Foundation, where they were both members. He has witnessed her sharp, sober professionalism, as well as an impressive level of energy.

Suvajit Basu, 101 Heights Road, stated that he also supports Ms. Sonenfeld for the position of Village Manager. Mr. Basu is also a member of the Ridgewood Education Foundation, and he noted that Ms. Sonenfeld has made the Foundation better in many constructive ways. She is very inclusive, and makes every effort to bring people together to go over every detail and keep everything on track. Mr. Basu thinks that is a very necessary trait for the Village Manager.

Jim Griffith, 159 South Irving Street, mentioned that he is also pleased that Ms. Sonenfeld will be the new Village Manager. However, Mr. Griffith wanted to comment about his activities in connection with the Community Center. Mr. Griffith said that the members of the Community Center Advisory Board have looked at other communities to see what they should do, and have implemented as much as they possibly could. Mr. Griffith believes the activity at the Community Center in the past nine months has increased by 50%-100%. He added that they are currently in the process of putting together specific numbers for the Village Council. Mr. Griffith is impressed by the fact that the group has reached out to the entire Village to bring them in to take advantage of what is going on in the Community Center. It is a surprise to Mr. Griffith that the Village senior bus has become so loved by the senior citizens in Ridgewood, and he believes it will have to increase its operations from its current level of two days a week. The senior citizens refer to it as “their” bus.

Mr. Griffith noted that there are some shortcomings in the Community Center room on the first floor, and some of them are serious. He is surprised at the number of people who use the room, and what its limitations are. Mr. Griffith understands that the Councilmembers are entering the budget process, and he asked if it is possible to make that level completely Code-compliant. Many different groups use that area.

Mike Stern, 71 John Street, stated that he also supports Ms. Sonenfeld for the position of Village Manager. Others have spoken to the character of Ms. Sonenfeld, and Mr. Stern noted some of the behaviors and qualities that he has seen. They work at the Volunteer Center Bergen County together. Mr. Stern commented that Ms. Sonenfeld is the type of person who admits when she makes a mistake; she does what she says she will do; she tells the truth; she speaks out when she sees something wrong; she gives constructive feedback; she accepts feedback gracefully; she is respectful; she says yes if she means yes; and while she may not have management experience in a municipality, Mr. Stern applauds the Councilmembers’ choice because he thinks it is a courageous move to take someone without that experience, but who has values and qualities that are important.

Gary Cirillo, 260 South Pleasant Avenue, said he also welcomes Ms. Sonenfeld as the new Village Manager. Mr. Cirillo commented that he has lived in Ridgewood for more than 20 years, and that parking and taxes were issues more than 20 years ago, and they will be issues more than 20 years in the future. He pointed out that when one considers the taxes in Ridgewood, the fact that senior citizens remain in Ridgewood is amazing. Mr. Cirillo believes that anything that can be done to help the senior citizens to stay in Ridgewood should be done, including taking care of the Community Center.

Next, Mr. Cirillo pointed out that there was a lot of snow this year. He saw a lot of people out on their sleds at Citizens Park, and he does not understand why there is a section of rocks left on the hill coming down the slope. It looks dangerous to him, and he has asked before why it has not been removed.

As President of Project Pride in Ridgewood, which is a volunteer organization that provides all of the flowers and “kissing balls” in the CBD, as well as planting those flowers and getting rid of all the cigarette butts, Mr. Cirillo said it is becoming very difficult to continue with those beautification efforts. The gift ordinance in Ridgewood prohibits anyone from donating $100 to him, because that person would be prohibited from applying for any type of permits or any other requests from the Village. Mr. Cirillo asked if there is any threshold for receiving gifts. Mr. Rogers responded that the gift ordinance was amended in 2010, and it now gives the Village Manager the authority to establish parameters for accepting gifts. If necessary, and at his/her discretion, the Village Manager could get approval from the Village Council. Mr. Rogers did not believe that a $100 gift ever created a problem in the Village. Mr. Cirillo stated that someone wanted to donate $100 to Project Pride, and when he spoke to the previous Village Manager, the amounts of $500 and $5,000 were discussed, but no definite amount had ever been decided. Mayor Aronsohn suggested that this matter be put on the agenda for discussion at the March 26, 2014, Work Session meeting.

In closing, Mr. Cirillo reiterated that Project Pride is comprised of volunteers, who do everything in the CBD. Last year, their budget was cut by nearly 50%. Mr. Cirillo believes that what they do is extremely important, and he asked that their budget be restored as much as possible.

Cynthia Halaby, 374 Evergreen Place, is the Vice President for the Conservancy of Ridgewood Public Lands. Ms. Halaby said they are trying to maintain the parks, and are currently working on North Broad Street alongside Project Pride volunteers. In addition, Ms. Halaby is a member of the Women Gardeners, who maintain the gardens at Memorial Park at Van Neste Square.

Mike Velicu, 250 Hope Street, said he also owns a restaurant that is one of Ms. Sonenfeld’s favorite restaurants. He apologized to Ms. Sonenfeld for all the evenings he ruined by commenting and whining, and said that Ms. Sonenfeld always calmly and honestly listened to what he had to say. She often came up with solutions for him. Mr. Velicu believes that Ms. Sonenfeld will be a wonderful addition to the Village staff.

Leonard Eisen, 762 Upper Boulevard, stated that about a week ago, he attended for the first time one of the luncheons sponsored by Councilwoman Hauck. Mr. Eisen found it to be outstanding. A photographer was showing some beautiful color slides of nature, after which an Irish lunch was served of corned beef, cabbage, and soda bread. Mr. Eisen was very impressed.

There were no other comments from the public at this time, and Mayor Aronsohn closed the time for public comment.

11. MANAGER’S REPORT

Ms. Mailander noted that Ridgewood was recognized by the Joint Insurance Fund (JIF) with its Safety Incentive Program Excellence Award for safety practices and training in 2013. The award includes a grant of $1,000.

Ms. Mailander reminded everyone to sign up on the Village website at www.ridgewoodnj.net to receive Ridgewood information. E-notices are used by the Village to provide electronic information to residents regarding Ridgewood emergency alerts; anticipated and current severe weather conditions; as well as sanitation and other service changes. Anyone who has not yet signed up is encouraged to take a few minutes to do so. Postcards are also available at Village Hall to sign up.

The Ridgewood Service Request System (RSR) is currently active for people to register and report locations of potholes. The link to register is located on the right side of the Village website. Pictures of potholes can be uploaded. In the future, this will be expanded to include other service requests.

As this was her last Public Meeting as the Acting Village Manager, Ms. Mailander wanted to thank some people for their help: the Village Council for their faith in her, and for giving her the opportunity to serve as Acting Village Manager of Ridgewood; and the Department Directors, Supervisors, and all of the Village employees who work so hard every day for Ridgewood residents. Ms. Mailander also pointed out that in this unusual year, with leaves that came down all at once; near-record snows; and record-breaking low temperatures, she wanted to thank all of the Village residents who are willing to be flexible in bringing their garbage cans to the ends of their driveways in order to keep Village employees safe. Finally, to everyone who encouraged her and was available to her for guidance and input, Ms. Mailander said she appreciated it from the bottom of her heart. She wished Ms. Sonenfeld the best as she takes on the position of Village Manager, and Ms. Mailander looks forward to working with Ms. Sonenfeld in the years to come.

Mayor Aronsohn thanked Ms. Mailander for stepping in and accepting the challenges of the position, as well as maintaining her position as Village Clerk.

Councilman Pucciarelli remarked that Ms. Mailander is the most patient as well as the most efficient person. Nearly every email sent by a resident to a Councilmember was given to Ms. Mailander to deal with, and she got the job done.

Councilwoman Walsh commented that Ms. Mailander is the “rock” for all of the Councilmembers, who takes care of everything they need, and responds instantly to whatever is asked of her.

Councilman Riche noted that he and Ms. Mailander have the longest relationship of anyone on the Village Council. One of the things he thinks is so wonderful about her is that she has a great capacity to listen, and while they do not always agree, because Ms. Mailander has been in the Village for a long time, she seems to know what can be done, and how to get around things that cannot be done. Moreover, she is always accessible. This has been a very heavy burden for Ms. Mailander and her family, and Councilman Riche thanked her for everything that she always does.

Councilwoman Hauck pointed out that emails come in around the clock, every day of the week. Ms. Mailander responds to every email that is sent to her. She is very firm, but also very kind, and leads by example.

Ms. Mailander thanked the Village Council for their kind words and also thanked her family for their love and understanding in allowing her to serve as Acting Village Manager. The Village Council and those in the audience gave Ms. Mailander a standing ovation for the work she had done over the past seven months as Acting Village Manager.

11. COUNCIL REPORTS

Bergen County League of Municipalities – Councilwoman Walsh said she traveled down to Trenton with the members of the Bergen County League of Municipalities, where they listened to several different panels discuss go-forward plans for New Jersey; Council on Affordable Housing (COAH); and shared services.

Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee (REAC) – Councilwoman Walsh stated that REAC had applied for two Sustainable New Jersey grants, and one of the grants was received today. At the time the grant application was made, the members of REAC were also trying to develop the Shade Tree Commission, and it is hoped that the grant money will go to the Shade Tree Commission to help start some of their projects.

Councilman Pucciarelli commented that he has raised four children in this community, and he believes it is a wonderful place in which to raise children. However, as previously mentioned, it can also be a wonderful place for senior citizens. Mr. Walker challenged the Village Council to create a vision for Ridgewood that makes it an accommodating place for senior citizens. Councilman Pucciarelli hopes that the vision from the Planning Board, Village Council, the Historic Preservation Commission, and throughout all the other community groups can make a place for alternative housing for senior citizens. He thanked all of the groups and individual residents for their challenges and their efforts.

Ridgewood Arts Council – Councilman Pucciarelli reported that the Ridgewood Arts Council, as previously mentioned, has expanded its mission to include, among other things, the provision of art and music in the first floor rooms of Village Hall. They will be presenting their ideas at the March 26, 2014 Work Session meeting.

Fourth of July Committee – Councilman Riche said that although it is March, the Fourth of July Committee is already at work planning for the Fourth of July celebration in the Village. New volunteers are always welcome, as well as donations. The entire day is funded by volunteers and donations.

Public Library Board of Trustees – Councilwoman Hauck reported that the luncheon sponsored by the Friends of the Public Library was held today at Seasons Restaurant in Washington Township. There were 375 guests, including author Meg Wolitzer, author of the book “The Interestings,” who was phenomenal and thought-provoking.

Planning Board – Mayor Aronsohn reported that the Planning Board met this week to discuss Valley Hospital. They will be meeting again next week to discuss Valley Hospital and the Redevelopment Zone that was requested by the Village Council.

Mayor Aronsohn also went to the League of Municipalities meeting in Trenton, and it was his first opportunity to see Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno in action. Mayor Aronsohn was impressed by the Lieutenant Governor, who discussed the importance of working with local business communities.

12. RESOLUTION 14-77 – Appoint Village Manager

Mayor Aronsohn commented to everyone what a long and difficult process it was to hire a new Village Manager. The Village Manager is basically the Chief Executive Officer overseeing the day-to-day activities of the Village. The Councilmembers were not interested in getting a new Village Manager quickly, instead they were more concerned with choosing the right person. The entire process has taken more than six months, and the Councilmembers are confident that they have chosen well.

Ms. Mailander read Resolution #14-77, in full, as follows:

Prior to voting on the resolution, the Village Councilmembers made their comments. Mayor Aronsohn commented that he has known Ms. Sonenfeld for several years, and that he has gotten to know her better as a member of the Financial Advisory Committee.

Councilwoman Walsh agreed that this was an arduous task for the Councilmembers. More than 50 applications were received from highly qualified individuals. Councilwoman Walsh said she treated this as a human resources function. She never worked with Ms. Sonenfeld, and Councilwoman Walsh did not know any of the other candidates, although she thought she might have met some of them once or twice over the years at different Village functions. However, she had no knowledge of their backgrounds or what they might have been involved with. Councilwoman Walsh felt that there were several more qualified candidates than Ms. Sonenfeld, and she expressed her concerns to Ms. Sonenfeld more than once during their meetings. Ms. Sonenfeld responded that she will do the best job that she can possibly do for Ridgewood, and Councilwoman Walsh wishes her well.

Councilwoman Hauck believes that the Village Manager should be the face of the Village and set an example for everyone, residents as well as employees. Ridgewood needs someone who has the natural ability to lead it through the very choppy waters of people, politics, and finances. Councilwoman Hauck thinks that Ms. Sonenfeld is eminently qualified to do so. Moreover, she believes that Ridgewood is extremely blessed to find someone who lives in the Village and wants to combine her passion for people and her passion for Ridgewood with the talents that she has developed over 30 years of managing large departments and large budgets. Ms. Sonenfeld has a great deal of experience in Ridgewood, working with so many different committees and on a significant number of volunteer endeavors. Her experience covers a great deal of the scope of Ridgewood.

Councilman Riche pointed out that the Village of Ridgewood is a $50 million per year business, with nearly 300 employees. The Village services almost 25,000 residents, as well as many visitors who come to the CBD for dining and shopping, as well as people who come for sporting events. The services delivered by the Village require resources, competent staff, leadership, and significant resident support through property taxes. The Village Council has a responsibility to create policy as well as funding mechanisms to ensure that all services are delivered in an effective and financially sound manner. The Village government is completely in the hands of the CEO, or the Village Manager, on a daily basis. The Village Council, by law, is prohibited from directing any employee. The oversight falls solely on the Village Manager. The process of selecting a new Village Manager should always recognize the importance of that job description. It is critical for the CEO to have extensive experience in State Civil Service regulations and procedures; union negotiations, because there are seven unions in Ridgewood; bargaining skills; and acumen to navigate the day-to-day morass of State regulations and requirements. During the interview process, as Councilwoman Walsh noted, many qualified candidates came forward, with a breadth of municipal experience. Their knowledge of Civil Service and State regulations was extensive. Their experience with union contract negotiations was commendable. Many of the candidates also had a thorough knowledge of the intricacies of running a utility, such as Ridgewood Water. The pool of candidates represented the best of what municipal government veterans could offer. This appointment, in Councilman Riche’s view, is much too important for the residents and the taxpayers of Ridgewood to have an on-the-job training program. Councilman Riche said he wishes Ms. Sonenfeld all the best, but for that reason, he cannot support this appointment.

Councilman Pucciarelli said he had the pleasure of working with Ms. Sonenfeld on the “Tiger Team,” and then most recently, on the Financial Advisory Committee. Ms. Sonenfeld attended every meeting of the Financial Advisory Committee, and she contributed so much to their body of work. The inescapable conclusion for Councilman Pucciarelli is that she is very bright, and a very quick study. He does not believe that she will learn on-the-job, but has already learned, and she is well-equipped for the position that he hopes she will undertake after this vote. Ms. Sonenfeld is a critical thinker, and not a “yes” person. Her alternatives to the Village Garage problem prove that point. Councilman Pucciarelli believes it is necessary to find new ways to approach government, having seen where the old ways would take us. The Tiger Team report supports that view, showing that the budget is always going up, and always for the same reasons, without improving services, but eroding them. In Councilman Pucciarelli’s view, it is an inescapable fact that new ways must be found to look at things and approach problems, and he is convinced that Ms. Sonenfeld, among all the candidates interviewed, is the best person to accept those challenges.

Ms. Sonenfeld thanked the Councilmembers, and everyone who spoke during the public comments. She said that this is her dream job, and that after spending 30 years in very senior positions that she was lucky to have, and several more years serving on Boards and Committees at the municipal and County levels, she believes the combination of all of that brought her to this point. Ms. Sonenfeld is passionate about Ridgewood, and she loves Ridgewood. She is also passionate about the fact that Ridgewood must institute some financial sustainability. However, as she noted in one of the Financial Advisory Committee reports, Ridgewood’s success cannot be measured solely on financials. Success has to be measured in at least four different ways, and one of them is definitely financial, but another one is the “customers,” who are the residents of Ridgewood. Customer satisfaction is the key to success. Another key measure of success is employees, because happy employees make happy clients. Ms. Sonenfeld said she is interested in staff development, and she is rather surprised that there is no human resources professional in the Village. The fourth area for success is to examine the way things are done and the quality of the processes, which entails looking at what others are doing and finding opportunities across the County in order to move ahead.

13. 13. ORDINANCES
14. a. Introduction – #3409– Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Establish Fees for Use of Mobile Concession Stand

Mayor Aronsohn moved the first reading of Ordinance 3409. Councilwoman Walsh seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS: None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

The Village Clerk read Ordinance 3409 by title:

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 145-6 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD ENTITLED “ENUMERATION OF FEES RELATING TO CODE CHAPTERS”

Councilman Riche moved that Ordinance 3409 be adopted on first reading and that April 9, 2014, be fixed as the date for the hearing thereon. Councilwoman Walsh seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS: None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

1. b. Introduction – #3410 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Graydon Pool – Establish Membership Fee for a Resident Patron with a Permanent Disability

Mayor Aronsohn moved the first reading of Ordinance 3410. Councilman Pucciarelli seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS: None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

The Village Clerk read Ordinance 3410 by title:

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 145-6 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD ENTITLED “FEES”

Councilwoman Hauck moved that Ordinance 3410 be adopted on first reading and that April 9, 2014, be fixed as the date for the hearing thereon. Councilman Pucciarelli seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS: None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

1. c. Public Hearing – #3405 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Significant Sewer Discharge Fees

Mayor Aronsohn moved the second reading of Ordinance 3405 and that the Public Hearing be opened. Councilwoman Walsh seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS: None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

The Village Clerk read Ordinance 3405 by title:

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 145 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, FEES, AT SECTION 145-6, “ENUMERATION OF FEES RELATING TO CODE CHAPTERS”

Mayor Aronsohn announced that the Public Hearing was open. There were no comments from the public, and Mayor Aronsohn moved that the Public Hearing be closed. Councilwoman Walsh seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS: None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

Councilman Riche moved that Ordinance 3405 be adopted on second reading and final publication as required by law. Councilwoman Walsh seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS: None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

   d. Public Hearing – #3406 – Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Day Camp Fees

Mayor Aronsohn moved the second reading of Ordinance 3406 and that the Public Hearing be opened. Councilwoman Hauck seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS: None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

The Village Clerk read Ordinance 3406 by title:

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 145, FEES, OF THE VILLAGE CODE FOR DAY CAMP FEES

Mayor Aronsohn announced that the Public Hearing was open. There were no comments from the public, and Mayor Aronsohn moved that the Public Hearing be closed. Councilwoman Hauck seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS: None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

 Councilwoman Walsh moved that Ordinance 3406 be adopted on second reading and final publication as required by law. Councilman Pucciarelli seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS: None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

     e. Public Hearing – #3407 – Amend Chapter 249 – Streets and Sidewalks – Parking Charges for Bagging Meters in the Central Business District

 Mayor Aronsohn moved the second reading of Ordinance 3407 and that the Public Hearing be opened. Councilman Riche seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS: None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

The Village Clerk read Ordinance 3407 by title:

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 249 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, AT SECTION 249-42, “PERMIT REQUIRED” AND SECTION 249-48, “CONDITIONS FOR PERMIT”

Mayor Aronsohn announced that the Public Hearing was open. There were no comments from the public, and Mayor Aronsohn moved that the Public Hearing be closed. Councilman Riche seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS: None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

Councilman Pucciarelli moved that Ordinance 3407 be adopted on second reading and final publication as required by law. Councilman Riche seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS: None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

14. RESOLUTIONS

THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS, NUMBERED 14-61 THROUGH 14-75, WERE ADOPTED BY A CONSENT AGENDA, WITH ONE VOTE BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL, AND WERE READ BY TITLE ONLY:

 15. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

Mayor Aronsohn stated that they would again have comments from the public and asked anyone wishing to address the Village Council to come forward.

Anne Loving, 342 South Irving Street, commented that it is now known from reading the newspapers that Councilman Riche and Councilwoman Walsh will not be seeking re-election, and there are still several months of Village Council work ahead of them, but Ms. Loving wanted to thank them for all the work they have done. She also thanked the candidates who are stepping up to run for Village Council.

Ms. Loving wished Ms. Sonenfeld all the best, but she does have concerns about her appointment as Village Manager. Ms. Loving has been very impressed with the reports from the Financial Advisory Committee, but she does not know Ms. Sonenfeld or her work at all, and Ms. Loving was shocked to read that the Councilmembers planned to hire someone with no experience running a municipality. As a clinical microbiologist, Ms. Loving said that in order to get a job in her field, it was necessary to have specific education in that field. In order to get better jobs in her field, ones that are comparable to being the Village Manager of Ridgewood, it would have required significant experience. Ms. Loving commented that she trusts that the decision of the Village Council is the right one, but she was shocked that no one with all of Ms. Sonenfeld’s qualities, plus experience with municipalities, could be found to be the Village Manager.

Leonard Eisen, 762 Upper Boulevard, congratulated Ms. Sonenfeld on her appointment as the Village Manager. He also noted that the vote was not unanimous, and he hopes that, over time, Ms. Sonenfeld will be able to prove herself so that eventually all of the Councilmembers can agree about her appointment.

There were no comments from the public, and Mayor Aronsohn closed the time for public comment.

16. RESOLUTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION

The following resolution, numbered 14-78, to go into Closed Session, was read in full by the Village Clerk, as follows:

12. ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Councilman Pucciarelli, seconded by Councilwoman Hauck, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the meeting was adjourned at 9:23 P.M.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    _____________________________

                                                                                                Paul S. Aronsohn

                                                                                                         Mayor

_________________________________

            Heather A. Mailander

                Village Clerk

A REGULAR WORK SESSION OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE SYDNEY V. STOLDT, JR., COURTROOM OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2014 AT 7:30 P.M.

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

Mayor Aronsohn called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M., and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. At roll call, the following were present: Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, and Walsh. Also present were Heather Mailander, Acting Village Manager/Village Clerk; Donna Jackson, Deputy Village Clerk; and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney.

Mayor Aronsohn led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag and asked for a moment of silence in honor of the American men and women serving in our Armed Forces, as well as those serving as first responders.

2. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

Mayor Aronsohn asked if anyone from the public wished to speak regarding any of the agenda items.

There were no comments from the public at this time, and Mayor Aronsohn closed the time for public comment.

3. MOTION TO SUSPEND WORK SESSION AND CONVENE SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING

At 7:32 P.M., upon a motion by Councilman Pucciarelli, seconded by Councilman Riche, and carried by unanimous voice vote, the Village Council suspended the Work Session.

4. MOTION TO RECONVENE WORK SESSION

At 7:33 P.M., upon a motion by Councilman Riche, seconded by Councilman Pucciarelli, and carried by unanimous voice vote, the Village Council reconvened its Work Session. At roll call, the following were present: Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn. Also present were Heather Mailander, Acting Village Manager/Village Clerk; Donna Jackson, Deputy Village Clerk; and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney.

5. DISCUSSION

    a. Budget:
        1.)  Award of Contract – Flo’s Market – Train Station Coffee Bar at the Ridgewood Train Station Building 

Ms. Mailander reminded everyone that there has been no concession at the train station for several years due to the train station renovation/reconstruction. Six entities picked up packets, with four bids received, ranging from $1,500 monthly to $660 per month. After reviewing the bids, the recommendation is to award the bid to Be Power, LLC, trading as Flo’s Market. They had everything in order, with all of the correct documentation, including the New Jersey Business Registration Certificate. The contract would be for two years. Mayor Aronsohn asked when the concession would be open. Ms. Mailander responded that the opening would be within 30 days of the award. Councilman Pucciarelli pointed out that not only was Flo’s Market the highest bidder, but the Village is satisfied that they have experience in this type of business. Ms. Mailander confirmed this. This will be put on the agenda for the March 12, 2014, Public Meeting.

   2.) Extraordinary Unspecifiable Services – Foley, Inc. – Water Pollution Control Facility

Ms. Mailander said this was held over from the previous Village Council meeting. It concerns the extraordinary unspecifiable service for the repair of the backup generator at the Water Pollution Control Facility as a result of the power outage on December 31, 2013. Several questions were asked, and Ms. Mailander has obtained the requested information. One of the questions dealt with the fact that there are no hourly labor rates quoted on the invoices. Because the service was performed on an emergency basis, and the generator was not working on New Year’s Day, the hourly rates have not yet been received, although that information has been requested. In any event, the rates must be paid, due to the fact that the generator had to be repaired. Ms. Mailander expects to have the rate information available prior to the Village Council meeting next week.

There was another question about the notation on the invoice regarding an annual service contract in the amount of $1,381, which Mr. Rutishauser and Bob Gillow, Superintendent of the Water Pollution Control Facility, prepared a requisition for an annual service of the generator in January 2013. At that time, it was denied by the Finance Department, so the unit had not been serviced for several years. Ms. Mailander does not currently have any additional information about why the request was denied, but she will get that information. However, there should be an annual service contract.

Travel charges were also questioned, and why some travel charges were higher than others. It was explained that the travel charges are dependent upon where the specialized technician is coming from with the service truck, and sometimes the technician could be several hours away.

Regarding the number of hours worked and the hourly rate charged for the work, Ms. Mailander said that she has not yet received that information from Foley. The cost of $8,000, plus the $15,000 which was authorized in February 2014, for a total of nearly $24,000, was also questioned. Those totals are correct, according to Ms. Mailander. When Mr. Rutishauser appeared before the Village Council in February for approval of the $15,000 charge, he did mention that there would be additional charges that had not yet come through, and those additional charges total $8,603.81.

There were also some questions regarding why the generator was not tested on a regular basis, and that the NJDEP has some issues with the discharge. Ms. Mailander stated that according to the information she received, it was indicated that to test any generator above a certain size, like the one at the Water Pollution Control Facility, the air quality must be checked and the NJDEP website. The air quality must be logged, and if it is acceptable, the unit must be tested. Test logs for the generator at the Water Pollution Control Facility are maintained, and they show that it was tested on a fairly regular basis. In August 2013, a key employee was lost for a while due to injuries sustained from falling into a manhole, causing a reduction in staff. Due to the lower staffing levels, the testing was not done as it should have been. As a point of information, Ms. Mailander stated that it takes approximately three employees at least one hour at startup and shutdown to operate the generator. The generator is a 500KW unit, five times the size of the unit at Village Hall. It is a specialized piece of machinery, and cannot be serviced by just anyone.

Another question was asked about the procedure that will ensure that all generators are operational. Ms. Mailander pointed out that the Village Fleet Service mechanics, who are specialized technicians, have been able to service some of the ones that are much smaller than the generators at the Water Pollution Control Facility. Efforts are now underway to finish the electrical connection at the Andover pump station for the large portable unit. Ms. Mailander asked if any additional expenses will be coming from the Water Pollution Control Facility power outage in the issue with the backup generator, and she was told that this would most likely be the total amount to be spent for these repairs.

Councilman Riche noted that the Councilmembers get many unexpected change order requests, as well as requests for payment for unspecified extraordinary services out of the Engineering Department. He said it is inexcusable that the generator had not been tested, and if there are no personnel on staff who can do it for whatever reason, the Village should contract an outside vendor to perform quarterly or monthly service. Councilman Riche also suggested that an RFP could be generated for standby emergency services to be performed on an hourly basis, and with travel time paid, so that preparations could be made in the event of another similar occurrence. These service providers would only be paid if they render services, and it would hopefully avoid paying these large amounts for unforeseen circumstances. Councilman Riche does not believe it is acceptable to agree to pay whatever the service provider will charge. It is very simple to put out a bid that includes normal business hours and non-business hour response times, and competitive bids can be received with good prices.

Councilwoman Hauck asked how many generators in the Village are so large that they need air quality approval from the NJDEP. Ms. Mailander said it is her understanding that the one at the Water Pollution Control Facility is one of the biggest ones in the Village, and she is not sure if there is another one that is comparable in size to this particular one.

   3.)  Award of Contract under County Contract – Mechanical Fleet Services

Ms. Mailander explained that the County goes to various vendors to see what they would charge to repair various vehicles. Agreeing to be part of this County contract would allow the Village to send Village vehicles to the particular vendors if, for some reason, the Village Repair Facility is unable to repair any particular vehicle. This would be especially helpful in the case of emergency vehicles, such as police, fire, or other emergency vehicles, needing repair quickly with a quick turnaround time, which could not be done at the Village Repair Facility. Any vehicle that would be repaired by one of the County vendors would be repaired at a preset rate, and the vendors are all fairly local.

Councilman Riche commented that this is exactly what he was talking about in his previous comments about the unspecified expense at the Water Pollution Control Facility. He asked if the County has some type of generator maintenance contract, and Ms. Mailander said she would find out.

Councilman Pucciarelli pointed out that this is one of the parameters that the Financial Advisory Committee was considering: outsourcing repair of Village vehicles, which works when there is overflow work. The members of the Financial Advisory Committee are trying to determine if that would be just as effective in all situations when repairs are needed. Councilman Pucciarelli noted that it is nice to have vehicles repaired when they are needed in the Village.

This will be put on the agenda for the March 12, 2014, Public Meeting.

   4.) Temporary Emergency Budget Appropriations

 Ms. Mailander stated that this is an annual resolution allowing the Village to establish an emergency temporary budget to allow operations to continue through mid-year, when the budget is actually adopted. It also allows payment for the annual debt service and the annual pension appropriations. This will be put on the agenda for the March 12, 2014, Public Meeting.

   b. Policy:

      1.) Graydon Membership for Persons with Disabilities – 2014

Ms. Mailander explained that this ordinance creates a new category for Graydon Pool membership/admission, for residents who are permanently disabled as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ordinance contains a preamble outlining what could be considered a disability. For example, a disability would be indicated on a Social Security check, which could be used as proof of a disability. The person with the disability would also have to prove that s/he is a Ridgewood resident, using a driver’s license; a utility bill; or some other accepted method to prove residence in the Village.

Councilman Riche recalled an incident from the previous year in which he was waiting to enter Graydon Pool, and there was a resident with a disability in line, and the staff refused entry to the family. Councilman Riche thought an accommodation should have been made to allow them to enter. He understands that a verification process is necessary, but if there is someone who obviously has a disability, such verification should not be necessary. Staff members at Graydon Pool should have such discretion in those matters.

This will be put on the agenda for the March 12, 2014, Public Meeting.

   c. Operations:

1.) New Jersey Tree Recovery Campaign – DEP

Ms. Mailander noted that this campaign is sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), due to the many trees that were lost due to Hurricane Sandy in many municipalities throughout New Jersey. NJDEP is providing up to 2,000 seedlings to communities to distribute free to residents, and Timothy Cronin, Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, and Councilwoman Walsh have worked together and will be distributing the seedlings on Earth Day, April 26, 2014. Councilwoman Walsh confirmed that seedlings will be given out to anyone who attends the Earth Day festivities, which can be planted on their own properties.

This will be put on the agenda for the March 12, 2014, Public Meeting.

2.)  Shared Service Agreement Bulk Water Sale

Ms. Mailander explained that this is a Shared Services Agreement with the Borough of Hawthorne. The Village buys bulk water from Hawthorne, and the current rate paid is $2.45 per 1,000 gallons. That rate has been the same since 2010. Hawthorne Water will be increasing its rates charged to retail customers from 2014-2017 by 6%, 4%, 4%, and 4%. In addition, they will be increasing the rates charged to the Village, but at a lower rate. The current price is $2.45 per 1,000 gallons, which will increase to $2.60 in 2014; $2.70 in 2015; $2.81 in 2016; and $2.92 in 2017. The minimum charge is $51,000. The Borough of Hawthorne would like the Village to adopt this resolution no later than May 2014, so that the shared services can continue. The Village also has a Shared Services Agreement with United Water for bulk water, for which the Village is charged $3.19 per 1,000 gallons. The purpose of having these agreements is to ensure that Ridgewood has enough water in the event that the Ridgewood Water tanks should be depleted. This will be put on the agenda for the March 12, 2014, Public Meeting.

3.)  CBD Sign Post Project

Ms. Mailander reminded everyone that Paul Vaggianos of the Chamber of Commerce came to the Village Council some months ago to talk about signposts to be placed on street corners in the CBD to indicate what stores are located down that particular street. At that time, the Councilmembers gave their approval for the project to move forward. The signs and brackets have arrived, and the joint venture between the Village and the Chamber of Commerce is now ready to proceed. The first proposed location is at the corner of East Ridgewood Avenue and Oak Street, near Raymond’s. The Chamber of Commerce has obtained sponsorship for nine shingles, representing businesses located on Oak Street. The shingles are black with brass trim, similar to the colors of the clock. Each shingle is printed on both sides with the business name. All that remains is to install them. The Village will be installing the signs. The first year includes plaque and installation costs of $250 for Chamber of Commerce members, and $295 for non-members. The annual fee for following years will be $75 for Chamber of Commerce members, and $95 for non-members. The shingles will only be changed once a year. East Ridgewood Avenue and Oak Street will be considered the prototype going forward, and the next location could possibly be at East Ridgewood Avenue and Chestnut Street. However, if there is no pole at a particular proposed location, a pole will have to be installed, with further discussions to be held regarding funding for the poles and how they might be installed.

Councilman Riche asked Mr. Rogers if there any liability issues associated with installation of these signs, and if the Village assumes any liability that might be associated with the signs. Mr. Rogers asked what issue of liability could there be. Councilman Riche answered that it is possible that a pole could be knocked over and cause injury, or a sign could fall and cause injury. Mr. Rogers answered that it would depend upon the circumstances causing the pole or sign to fall. Moreover, if the Village erects something, there is a responsibility or obligation to ensure that it is properly installed. The Village is covered by the New Jersey Torts Claim Act with regard to any of those occurrences. Mr. Rogers explained that the Village would have to be aware that there is a dangerous condition existing, and ignore the existence of that dangerous condition, for any liability to arise. It is similar to the liability incurred when a stop sign is erected, or any other street signs.

Councilman Pucciarelli asked a question about the design of the signs, and whether the lettering will be consistent on each sign, or whether each business can specify its own logos or choice of lettering. Tom Hillman of the Chamber of Commerce responded that the lettering will all be the same, and each business is limited to two lines on any sign. No advertising will be allowed on the signs. He added that if it is necessary to install poles on any street corners, it might be necessary to move the street signs to accommodate the business signs.

Mayor Aronsohn thanked Mr. Hillman and the other members of the Chamber of Commerce for their efforts in this project. This will be put on the agenda for the March 12, 2014, Public Meeting.

4.)  Authorize Execution of Administrative Consent Order – Graydon Pool – and Payment of Fine 

Ms. Mailander explained that this was briefly discussed at a previous Village Council meeting, when it was indicated that Graydon Pool is undergoing a new process in which water will empty into the sanitary sewer system. The payment is for the TWA permit to allow the Village to do that. This resolution would authorize signing the administrator consent order acknowledging that the Village agrees to the fine, which was reduced by approximately 50% to $25,000, as well as payment of the penalty. Councilman Riche asked if there is any further appeal process available for this. Ms. Mailander responded that the Village has appealed as far as possible, and the fine reduction cannot go any lower than 50%. This will be put on the agenda for the March 12, 2014, Public Meeting.

6. REVIEW OF MARCH 12, 2014 AGENDA

Ms. Mailander announced that the Public Meeting would include the following proclamation: Declare the Month of March “Red Cross Month”; Declare the Month of March “Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month”; and Declare the Month of March as “DeMolay Month”. In addition, three firefighters will be sworn in, as well as one Fire Lieutenant, and one Fire Captain.

Ordinances to be introduced: Establish Application Requirements for Use of Mobile Concession Stand; Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Establish Fees for Use of Mobile Concession Stand; Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Graydon Pool Membership for Resident Persons with Disabilities.

The Public Hearings include: Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Significant Sewer Discharge Fees; Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Day Camp Fees; Amend Chapter 249 – Streets and Sidewalks – Parking Charges for Bagging Meters in the Central Business District.

Resolutions include: Endorse Submission of Recycling Tonnage Grant; Approve Budget Reserve Transfers; Approve 2014 Emergency Temporary Budget Appropriations; Award Contract – Custom Data Collection Solution Provider – Ridgewood Water; Title 59 Approval – Sodium Hypochlorite Solution – Ridgewood Water; Award Contract – Sodium Hypochlorite Solution – Ridgewood Water; Award Contract – Train Station Concession Stand; Award EUS Contract – WPCF Generator; Award Contract under County Contract – Mechanical Fleet Services; Approve Shared Services Agreement – Bulk Water Sale (Hawthorne); Authorize Execution of Administrative Consent Order and Payment of Fine – Graydon Pool; Appoint Member to Open Space Committee.

7. MANAGER’S REPORT

Ms. Mailander noted that the Ridgewood Service Request System (RSR) was fully launched on Monday, March 3, 2014. There are 40 registered users. In order to submit a request, it is necessary to register with the system. There have been 16 submissions so far, reporting locations of potholes. The comments have been acknowledged, and the location has been added to the pothole map. Registered users are encouraged to send pictures of potholes, if possible. Residents can register for the service through the Village website at www.ridgewoodnj.net.

E-notices continue to be great tools for communicating with residents. Ms. Mailander encouraged anyone who is not yet signed up for e-notices to do so through the Village website, on the right side of the page.

Ms. Mailander recalled that there had been some comments about the potholes on Van Dien Street. She stated that South Van Dien Street from East Ridgewood Avenue to Grove Street is part of an NJDOT grant. The pothole on North Van Dien Street was turned down for a grant, but the application has been resubmitted for the current grant cycle. No response has been received at this time.

8. COUNCIL REPORTS

Bergen County League of Municipalities – Councilwoman Walsh said that the Bergen County League of Municipalities will be meeting next week, and Legislative Day is March 12^th.

Citizens Safety Advisory Committee – Councilwoman Walsh said the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee met last week to discuss the different initiatives at the schools. One of the residents is working with a grant right now, and requested involvement from the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee to help restore some of the programs that have worked really well in Ridgewood, such as Drive 25 and Keep Kids Alive. The seminar is also being planned, and a location is now being sought. Sheila Brogan was going to see if the schools might be available, but it is a difficult time of year to use the schools.

Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee – Councilwoman Walsh noted that the seedlings are now being received for Earth Day. In addition, REAC will be sponsoring a poster contest for the younger children. The winning posters will be used for the Earth Day celebrations.

Mayor Aronsohn asked if anything is being done at this time regarding the Green Team. Councilwoman Walsh responded that the Green Team does not exist right now, and must be reconstituted. Members will have to be appointed. Councilwoman Walsh said that, to her knowledge, the Green Team never met, and it was formed at around the same time that the Sustainable New Jersey initiative was starting. However, it seems that the idea for the Green Team never got off the ground.

Ridgewood Arts Council – Councilman Pucciarelli had previously mentioned that the Ridgewood Arts Council plans to bring some art and music into Village Hall, and members of the Community Center Advisory Board have now invited the Ridgewood Arts Council to work with them to accomplish that goal, especially in the Community Center rooms on the first floor of Village Hall. Lou Lembo has been designated as the liaison between the Community Center Advisory Board and the Ridgewood Arts Council to find ways to bring some art and music into the downstairs rooms.

Open Space Committee – Councilman Riche said that there is a newly-constituted Open Space Committee, and they will be meeting later this month.

Parks, Recreation, and Conservation (PRC) Board – Councilwoman Hauck said that Ridgewood is joining the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign this year. There are 173 municipalities, and out of 565 municipalities in New Jersey, that are already enrolled. Councilwoman Hauck said that the members of the PRC Board will be meeting with other groups in the community concerned with health and wellness. On Monday, March 10^th, at 6:00 P.M., the Health Department will be hosting the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign weight loss challenge. It is a 12-week challenge that goes through June 1, 2014. The challenge is for the group to collectively lose 500 pounds. On June 1, 2014, there will be a “weigh-out”.

Girl Scout Cadet Troop 1326 had its Silver Award presentation. They presented an idea for fundraising for a multiple-piece fitness zone to be installed near Northern Parkway and Veterans Field.

With respect to the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign, Mayor Aronsohn said the idea came to him during a meeting with other mayors, and the fact that so many people make many efforts on behalf of fitness and wellness. Mayor Aronsohn’s idea was to bring everyone together to be a part of this initiative and set a good example for other communities.

Mayor Aronsohn also mentioned that the Ridgewood Symphony would be giving a free family concert at the West Side Presbyterian Church on Thursday, March 6^th.

Planning Board – Mayor Aronsohn said the Planning Board met last night as part of the hearing process on the high-density multi-family housing units. The process is moving forward. In mid-March, the Planning Board will be initiating discussions on the redevelopment zone proposed by the Village Council.

9. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

Mayor Aronsohn stated they would again have comments from the public and asked anyone wishing to address the Village Council to come forward.

Keith Killion, Jr., 346 South Broad Street, thanked the Village Council, Mayor Aronsohn, the Village Manager, and Chief Ward for allowing him the opportunity to serve the Village. He also thanked the Ridgewood residents who supported the ordinance that allowed the position to remain open.

There were no other comments from the public at this time, and Mayor Aronsohn closed the time for public comments.

10. RESOLUTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION

The following resolution, numbered 14-60, to go into Closed Session, was read in full by the Village Clerk, as follows:

 11. ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Councilman Riche, seconded by Councilwoman Hauck, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the meeting was adjourned at 8:18 P.M.

                                                            PAUL S. ARONSOHN, Mayor

DONNA M. JACKSON, Deputy Village Clerk

A SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE SYDNEY V. STOLDT, JR., COURTROOM OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2014, AT 7:30 P.M.

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

Mayor Aronsohn called the meeting to order at 7:32 P.M., and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. At roll call, the following were present: Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn. Also present were Heather Mailander, Acting Village Manager/Village Clerk; Donna Jackson, Deputy Village Clerk; and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney.

2. PUBLIC HEARING – Ordinance #3408 – Amend Chapter 3-43(D) – Police Department Personnel

Mayor Aronsohn moved the second reading of Ordinance 3408. Councilman Riche seconded the motion.
Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN:None

The Village Clerk read Ordinance 3408 by title:

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 3, SECTION 43 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD ENTITLED “ADMINISTRATION OF GOVERNMENT, POLICE DEPARTMENT, PERSONNEL”

Mayor Aronsohn announced that the Public Hearing was open.

William Corcoran, 371 William Street, commended the Village Council because he believes they are doing the right thing by adopting this ordinance. Mr. Corcoran noted that there were some mistakes made, for which he publicly condemned the Councilmembers, but he now thinks they are taking the right steps to correct those actions.

There were no other comments from the public, and Mayor Aronsohn moved that the Public Hearing be closed. Councilman Riche seconded the motion.

 Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None 

Councilman Riche moved that Ordinance 3408 be adopted on second reading and final publication as required by law. Councilman Pucciarelli seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote
AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, Riche, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None

Councilman Walsh thanked everyone for sending emails and being involved in this ordinance. As the Councilmembers reviewed and discussed it, they acknowledged that public safety is very important to the residents of Ridgewood, and the Councilmembers wanted to do the right thing in the right way, and Councilwoman Walsh believes they did so. She asked Ms. Mailander how soon could the two candidates be given new letters of employment or sworn in. Ms. Mailander responded that, after speaking with Police Chief John Ward, he needs at least two weeks to make the necessary preparations for the two candidates, including purchasing and preparing new uniforms for them; paperwork that must be completed for the Police Academy; and the pre-assessment that is required at the Police Academy. All of that must be completed before the next Police Academy session on March 13^th, so the sooner those letters can be given out, the better it would be.

Councilman Pucciarelli pointed out that in addition to resolving the situation for the two candidates in question, there is another equally important aspect of this ordinance, which is that going forward, the staffing level of the Police Department will not be determined by ordinance. The Village Manager and Chief of Police will work together will now determine the number of staff necessary on an annual basis, which should be done based upon the personnel who are in the Department at any time; the staffing needs at any time; and budgetary constraints for staffing.

Councilman Riche noted that once the two new candidates have completed their Police Academy course work, Councilman Riche will be looking for them to patrol the CBD to help with some of the pedestrian issues there.

Mayor Aronsohn commented that there are two things he likes about the new ordinance. One of them is that it finally eliminates the “ceiling” that was mandated for the Police Department, and allows the public safety needs of the community to drive the number of staff required by the Department. The other point is that it is hoped that amending the ordinance will mean that the position of School Resource Officer will be reinstated, which is a strong recommendation included in the amendment.

3. ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Councilman Riche, seconded by Councilman Pucciarelli, and carried by voice vote with one absence, the Special Public Meeting was adjourned at 7:33 P.M.

                                                                                                PAUL S. ARONSOHN, Mayor

DONNA M. JACKSON, Deputy Village Clerk