A SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE FOURTH FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY ON AUGUST 17, 2017 AT 6:00 P.M.

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

Mayor Knudsen called the meeting to order at 6:00 P.M. and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. At roll call, the following were present: Councilmembers Hache, Sedon, Voigt and Mayor Knudsen. Councilwoman Walsh was absent. Also present was Donna M. Jackson, Deputy Village Clerk.

1. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLICPamela Perron, 123 Kenilworth Road, stated that she believed the public did not have adequate notice of the special public meeting and claimed the meeting had not been properly noticed. She also stated that she had many questions regarding the resolution to hire Mr. Woods. Ms. Perron was concerned that neither Mr.Woods nor his partners live in Wyckoff, Midland Park, or Ridgewood. She asked what Mr. Woods would be charging for his hourly rate.Mayor Knudsen responded that the special public meeting had been properly noticed on the Village website and she remembers the Village Manager mentioning the special public meeting in the Manager’s Report in a recent Village Council meeting and that the special public meeting would be in the 5^th Floor Conference Room. Mayor Knudsen also mentioned that she, herself, had added the special public meeting to her Facebook posting. Regarding the resolution for Mr. Woods, Mayor Knudsen remarked that there are no conflicts; that Mr. Woods is independent; his fee will not exceed $52,000; and he has filed all the appropriate paperwork. Mr. Woods was interviewed by Mayor Knudsen, Councilwoman Walsh, Village Manager, Heather Mailander, and Village Attorney, Matthew Rogers.
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5. RESOLUTION

THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION, NUMBERED 17-247 WAS ADOPTED BY CONSENT AGENDA, WITH ONE VOTE BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL, AND WAS READ BY TITLE ONLY:

1

Village Council Special Public Meeting

August 17, 2017

1. ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Councilman Sedon, seconded by Councilman Voigt and carried unanimously by voice vote, the Village Council’s Special Public Meeting was adjourned at 6:05 p.m.

                                                                        ____________________________________

                                                                        Susan Knudsen

                                                                        Mayor

____________________________________

Donna M. Jackson

Deputy Village Clerk

2

Village Council Special Public Meeting

August 17, 2017

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, MAY 28, 2014, AT 7:30 P.M.

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

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 Roberta Sonenfeld, Village Manager; Heather Mailander, Village Clerk; and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney.

2. 2014 BUDGET HEARING

a. Presentation of 2014 Budget

Ms. Sonenfeld commented that this is the third time the budget is being presented. The in-depth presentations were presented twice before, so this evening the budget will be summarized.

The operating and capital budgets were done together. The operating budget is $46.2 million, and a $2.8 million requested capital budget. The budget reflects a 0% tax increase. It was submitted to the State of New Jersey, and it has been approved by the State for adoption. The overall approach was to maximize the anticipated revenue, and the 2013 actual expenditures were used as a guide for the 2014 expenses. There are also some modest investments in capital.

Ms. Sonenfeld pointed out that, as with most municipalities, the budget for public safety comprises approximately 41% of the budget. Working with the members of the Financial Advisory Committee (FAC), a different approach was taken by including in the costs of the Departments the amounts paid for pensions, benefits, and FICA. This is an effort to show the real costs of running each Department. Key considerations were: employee health insurance, which rose 11.8%, or $624,000; debt service, which increased by $956,000; public safety salary increases, which represent more than half of the total salary increases of more than $900,000; substantially higher costs for snow removal in 2014 of $571,000; terminal leave payments for 11 known employees of approximately $420,000; purchasing and leasing of Police Department vehicles, which cost approximately $100,000; salaries for two new Police Officers of approximately $80,000 total; money put aside for the Building Department to address some of the issues there; increases in the cost of mulching; forensic review of Village processes and Six Sigma training to prepare for the future; a decrease in Fire Department salaries of approximately $161,000 due to retirements and new hires; and increased funding for the Community Center.

Regarding revenues, Ms. Sonenfeld commented that revenues have been maximized. Most of the revenue derived from fees and permits come from Municipal Court fees, which total approximately $379,000. Other fees and permit revenue include: Graydon Pool, which brings in approximately $362,000; sewer use for tax-exempt organizations is approximately $322,000; fees for ambulance services of approximately $366,000; and the cable television franchise, which brings in approximately $344,000.

Overall, Ms. Sonenfeld said everyone believes that the anticipated revenue can be realized. The risks are some potential Municipal Court fines, particularly parking tickets, because the Village had fewer Parking Enforcement Officers in the first part of the year. In addition, there is the usual Graydon Pool risk, which is the weather. There is also less revenue in the Recycling Department, because prices paid to the Village are down.

Looking at opportunities, Ms. Sonenfeld pointed out the increase in fees for side jobs by Police Department personnel, which will have an impact on the entire year. There has also in quite a bit of new construction in Ridgewood, leading to an increase in building permit fees.

The Village faces some challenges, according to Ms. Sonenfeld. She noted three anticipated challenges. The first is that there are some unfunded liabilities in the amount of $7.1 million, covering accumulated sick time; accumulated vacation time; and compensatory time. There is a reserve of $479,000 against that $7.1 million. Another challenge to be dealt with is that the Village has used surplus fund balance, one-time revenues, and trust funds, for a total of $4.8 million, which will need to be replenished. The surplus fund balance, in particular, had a balance of $4.4 million, but $2.9 million is being used in the 2014 municipal budget. The remaining surplus is now $1.4 million. However, there will be money coming in from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the amount of $300,000, as well as more funds coming into replenish the surplus balance. The Recycling Trust Fund has been virtually wiped out. Ms. Sonenfeld noted that $294,000 of that fund was allocated against expenses, and another $150,000 was used to offset the tax levy. In addition, due to the amount of snow removal that was needed this past year, the entire Snow Removal Trust Fund of $211,000 was depleted. There were some one-time revenues in the past year. Funds were received from FEMA; the Green Acres trust, which is being reserved for debt service; and there were some deferred charges from the Parking Utility which were used this year. Overall, Ms. Sonenfeld estimated that the Village used approximately $500,000 more of one-time revenues this year compared to the previous year. That is another challenge.

Ms. Sonenfeld commented that basing the budget on actual expenditures gives the Village more discipline but less flexibility. Therefore, when she referred earlier to surplus balances, in order to add to a surplus, it is necessary to either decrease expenses, or increase revenue. Because revenue was maximized, and expenses are very tight, it makes the ability to replenish surplus a bit riskier than it has been in the past.

Switching to the capital budget, Ms. Sonenfeld stated that the capital budget is $2.8 million. Some of the larger items included in the budget are: the purchase of a salt truck with a plow for $236,000 to aid in snow removal; the Police and Fire Departments are purchasing new vehicles and equipment; some planned improvements to the parks; and installing a new audio/visual media system in the Public Library, as well as investing in some technology for the Public Library. Perhaps the most important item in the capital budget is the inclusion of funds for paving various streets around the Village. The current budget proposal includes two scenarios for the Councilmembers to consider. One of those scenarios is the complete capital budget, which includes paving. Because Ms. Sonenfeld noticed that it did not seem that the total capital budget would pass when it was presented several weeks ago, she took the paving element out of the capital budget and made it a separate capital budget issue for the Councilmembers to decide. The intent is to facilitate getting all of the paving done in 2014. Currently, the paving that is being done is covered by the 2013 capital budget. Ms. Sonenfeld would like to get all of the paving covered by the 2014 capital budget done in 2014. She is concerned that the paving will not get done with so many delays on voting for the funds to do the paving.

Breaking it down into individual tax dollars, Ms. Sonenfeld noted that 25% of each tax dollar goes to the municipality, while 65% of each tax dollar goes to the Board of Education. Approximately 10% of each tax dollar goes to Bergen County, but that is still an estimate due to the fact that the tax information is still not available from the County. Therefore, and average homeowner will see a decrease of approximately $5 in taxes paid for the 2014 municipal budget. That gives the Village a 0% tax increase for the second consecutive year.

Ms. Sonenfeld and the rest of her team believe that there are opportunities to be explored, including different ways of delivering services, whether that means collaboration with others; collaboration with the County; in- sourcing or outsourcing; or shared services arrangements. All of those possibilities will be reviewed, but that will take time. There are some modest improvements, which include investments in capital; human resources developing operational reviews; and more emphasis on people and people development. In addition, there are some opportunities presented by the expiration of four collective bargaining agreements in 2014 and 2015.

b. Village Council’s Comments

Councilman Pucciarelli noted that in 2012, he distributed a pamphlet asking the people of Ridgewood to vote for him, because he said, among other things, that he wanted to see Ridgewood have a government that is fiscally responsible. Councilman Pucciarelli does not consider it fiscally responsible to assume, year after year, that the budget will increase. He does not believe an increase is bad, as long as it remains close to the increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). However, he believes that is a lazy approach to budgeting. This year and last year, with the help of Village employees, and the FAC, a long, hard look was taken at every budget line, and savings were found. While that is not quite zero-based budgeting, it is nearly that. Moreover, it has raised awareness that the level of salary and benefit increases year after year has one of two outcomes: the increases can be passed along to already overburdened taxpayers; or ways can be found to do things differently. Everyone now has a real sense that the structural changes in how things operate, plus opportunities presented by the expiration of four collective bargaining agreements for uniformed services, will make future tax increases no longer inevitable. Instead, they will be targeted to areas that have long been neglected, such as capital expenditures. That is why Councilman Pucciarelli is proud to vote for this budget. Just as importantly, he looks forward to addressing the 2015 budget very soon. Councilman Pucciarelli is mindful of the fact that it is now May 28^{th, and the discussion is now focused on the budget for a year that is nearly half over.}

Councilwoman Hauck thanked Councilman Pucciarelli for the comment about the year being half over, because she believes the budget should be a guidepost and should be used to make decisions within the Departments. Councilwoman Hauck said she will also be voting for the 0% tax increase budget with a heavy heart, because she understands the burden it places on everyone to concentrate and focus on ways in which the Village could operate more efficiently. Ridgewood is extraordinary because it provides layers and layers of services and comforts for the residents. Councilwoman Hauck believes sometimes people forget that people move here for those services. Therefore, she does not want to take away any services, but she would rather take away the inefficiencies, while being cognizant of the fact that New Jersey and Bergen County are ranked the highest in the United States for property tax values. In Bergen County in 2013, the average resident was spending 8.3% of his/her yearly income on property taxes. That puts everyone in the position of having to squeeze things financially, which is painful, but Councilwoman Hauck said she is proud that no one is afraid to do it. That is the job of the Councilmembers as leaders of the community.

Ms. Mailander read a statement prepared by Councilman Riche, who was absent, due to previously scheduled obligations. However, Councilman Riche felt it was important to put his thoughts and statement on the record with regard to the operating and capital budgets. Regarding the capital budget for the Parking and Water Utilities, he urged the Councilmembers to pass those budgets. Both of those are self-funding authorities, and the capital requests are appropriate. The municipal operating budgets and capital budgets, in the opinion of Councilman Riche, do not meet the criteria for prudent long-term fiscal planning. The substantial increase in debt service payments of approximately $1 million, as well as drawing down most of the available reserve funds, is counterproductive to sound financial planning. A 0% municipal tax increase eliminates any safeguards for unanticipated unfunded events, such as storm recovery or catastrophic failure of any Village infrastructure. For these reasons, in absentia, Councilman Riche said he would not cast a vote for the proposed budgets. Ms. Mailander explained that she indicated to Councilman Riche that he could not vote against the budget in absentia, and his vote would be registered as "Absent". However, he did want his statement to be read into the record.

Councilwoman Walsh commented that she and Mayor Aronsohn agreed on nearly everything that was said at the meeting last night, but that would not be the case tonight. Recently, Councilwoman Walsh said she met a lifelong Ridgewood resident in Allendale, whose children grew up in the Village and have moved out. Councilwoman Walsh noticed that the woman was reading the budget newsletter in an ice cream store, and the woman told her it was because she was very concerned about what is happening in Ridgewood. She is worried that the services are decreasing, and she was reading the newsletter to see if she could understand it. During the subsequent conversation between Councilwoman Walsh and the resident, the woman mentioned many things that Councilwoman Walsh had already been thinking. Councilwoman Walsh appreciated all the work Ms. Sonenfeld has done over the past several weeks for Ridgewood, and she believes that Ms. Sonenfeld is putting her heart and soul into the budget, as well as a lot of time. After the many conversations about different things that have happened in Ridgewood, and things that could happen, and listening to the budget summary tonight, a couple of things stick out in Councilwoman Walsh’s mind. She noted that Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that the Recycling Trust Fund is "wiped out". The Snow Removal Trust Fund is "empty". The remaining surplus is $1.4 million, with an unfunded liability of $7.1 million, against a reserve of $479,000. Those words resonate with Councilwoman Walsh, and they are things in the proposed budget that give Councilwoman Walsh pause. She has maintained all along that a balanced budget does not necessarily mean a 0% tax increase, but it means trying to balance obligations while ensuring that there is some kind of budget planning going on. Councilman Walsh believes that the current budget process is still somewhere in the middle, and there are still a lot of things that need to be implemented, as well as things that are planned that give absolutely no flexibility in the budget.

Councilwoman Walsh worked with the numbers provided, and after considering the individual Councilmembers against the current property assessments provided by Ms. Sonenfeld, and if the Councilmembers approve the 1% tax increase, as Ms. Sonenfeld initially suggested, the amount that the municipal taxes would increase for each Councilmember is: Mayor Aronsohn – a $30 tax increase; Councilwoman Hauck – a $77 tax increase; Councilman Pucciarelli – a $51 tax increase; Councilman Riche – a $26 tax increase; her taxes would increase by $42; and Ms. Sonenfeld’s taxes would increase by $58 in 2014. That is why Councilwoman Walsh supports the initial plan for a 1% tax increase, but she cannot support the 0% tax increase.

Mayor Aronsohn was thinking while Councilman Pucciarelli was talking that when the Village Council was reorganized two years ago, there was a lot of discussion about recognizing the new normal. What is meant by that is that within the context of the Village, the tax burden on Ridgewood residents was too great. There are many people living in Ridgewood who are making less money than they were five years ago, or they are underemployed, or have been impacted in some other way. The current Councilmembers recognized that there was a need for some tax relief. The budget newsletter notes that there were some years in which the budget increase was 7% or 8%. The Councilmembers recognized that there was not just a new normal, but also the need to express their commitment and determination to do something about it. That determination was first expressed in the formation of the financial "Tiger Team," which was a new concept at that time. A committee of Village residents from different backgrounds came together to review the budget and give the Councilmembers some input to help them do government differently. They came up with a compelling report, which led to the formation of the FAC. The determination was also expressed that February or March is not the time to be engaged in the budget process, but the process should be started the day after the current budget is adopted. The hiring of a new Village Manager who came from the private sector was yet another way in which that determination was expressed. Mayor Aronsohn said he is excited that this is the second consecutive year in which a budget that does not increase the municipal tax burden on Ridgewood residents will be adopted. He believes that could be historic. Even more importantly, it not only helps the current government, but could set the path for the future. A 0% tax increase is not something that can be done every year, but when it can be done, it should be done. Moreover, the Councilmembers are thinking differently about government, and doing government differently. Mayor Aronsohn said he is proud of the work everyone has done on the budget, whether they agree or disagree. Everyone has been involved in the process, and everyone has made a difference.

c. Public Hearing on 2014 Budget

Ms. Mailander noted that this is now the Public Hearing on the 2014 Ridgewood Municipal Budget, and Mayor Aronsohn opened the time for public comments on the budget.

Boyd Loving, 342 South Irving Street, noted that Councilwoman Hauck spoke about getting rid of inefficiencies, and Ms. Sonenfeld spoke about revenue opportunities, as well as revenue in general. Mr. Loving has some concerns about getting rid of the inefficiencies in light of the fact that it seems that the Village Council is about to approve a 0% municipal tax increase. He has some family members who live in Hoboken, and when he visits them, he notices that they are now using automated summonses for parking enforcement. Last year, Hoboken collected approximately $1 million more in parking fines than they did the previous year. Mr. Loving knows that the issue of using automated summonses in Ridgewood has been discussed for some years, although that service is still not being used in Ridgewood. Ms. Sonenfeld pointed out that the Village showed decreases in parking enforcement fines. Therefore, Mr. Loving wonders if it is possible to use an automated summons system, and if it will lead to more revenue being generated from summonses. He also wondered if there is enough money in the budget with a 0% municipal tax increase to implement such a system.

Ms. Sonenfeld noted that in the more detailed budget presentation she did several weeks ago, e-tickets were not specifically mentioned, but there is money set aside in the budget to implement the system. She asked Captain Luthcke to comment on the time frame. Mr. Loving asked if anyone could also comment on whether that will increase revenue when it is implemented. Captain Luthcke stated that it is hoped that such a system could be implemented within the next few months. The current delay is due to the fact that the Police Department is working with a new vendor, and there is a delay on the administrative side in the response from the State. Once the system is implemented, it should increase revenue because of how much easier it will be to generate a summons, as well as how much easier it will be for Court personnel to properly read the summons. Due to difficulty in reading handwriting, there have been many errors made in the processing of tickets, and going to an automated system will help to prevent those types of errors. Ms. Sonenfeld added that she believes it would be a good idea to put a cost-benefit analysis together for the automated summons system to give a better understanding of what will be gained from such a system. Mr. Loving reiterated his concern of whether there is enough money in the budget to implement the system.

In addition, Mr. Loving recalled Ms. Sonenfeld’s comments about single-stream recycling. He asked if Mr. Moritz, the Director of Operations, could answer some questions about that. Mr. Loving pointed out that many years ago, he noticed that when the sanitation trucks went down the streets to collect recycled material, the sanitation trucks were compartmentalized. High-quality paper went to one side of the truck, while other paper products went to the other side. Now, when materials are picked up at the curb, the process is single-stream as far as paper is concerned, and it is Mr. Loving’s understanding that the Village gets less money from that process. If the paper is taken to the Recycling Center, the segregated process is still used, which brings in more money. Mr. Loving wondered how much money is being lost due to the single-stream recycling process, and why the paper cannot be segregated, as it once was. He asked if using the compartmentalized trucks costs more.

Mr. Moritz responded that the Village does not lose money using the current process, because the Village is paid for high-quality fibers, which is why the paper is no longer separated at the truck.

Leonard Eisen, 762 Upper Boulevard, said he does not understand why comments were made that there is no increase in the budget. The municipal tax levy is only approximately 25% of the monies that are collected. The school budget must also be discussed, which will increase taxes by approximately 1.9%. Mayor Aronsohn responded that when Ms. Sonenfeld showed the slide about the tax dollars, it included the fact that 64% of each dollar goes toward the Board of Education budget. The 25% of each dollar that goes toward the municipal budget is not being increased.

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

Roll Call Vote

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

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Councilman Riche

ABSTAIN: None

3. RESOLUTIONS

Ms. Mailander read Resolutions numbered 14-133 and 14-134 in full as follows:

3. ORDINANCES

a. Continued Public Hearing – #3413 – General Capital Bond Ordinance

Mayor Aronsohn moved the third reading of Ordinance 3413 by title and that the Public Hearing thereon be continued. Councilman Pucciarelli seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

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

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Councilman Riche

ABSTAIN: None

The Village Clerk read Ordinance 3413 by title:

BOND ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR VARIOUS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN AND BY THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, IN THE COUNTY OF BERGEN, NEW JERSEY, APPROPRIATING $2,836,500 THEREFOR AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $2,700,000 BONDS OR NOTES OF THE VILLAGE TO FINANCE PART OF THE COST THEREOF

Mayor Aronsohn explained that the Public Hearing on ordinance 3413 was continued from the May Public Meeting as the budget had to be adopted prior to the adoption of this ordinance in order to provide for the down payment. The Public Hearing was continued, and Mayor Aronsohn asked for comments on this ordinance at this time.

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

Roll Call Vote

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

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Councilman Riche

ABSTAIN: None

Councilwoman Hauck moved that Ordinance 3413 be adopted on third reading and final publication as required by law. Councilman Pucciarelli seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS: Councilwoman Walsh

ABSENT: Councilman Riche

ABSTAIN: None

b. Continued Public Hearing – #3414 – Water Capital Ordinance

Mayor Aronsohn moved the third reading of Ordinance 3414 by title and that the Public Hearing thereon be continued. Councilman Pucciarelli seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

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

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Councilman Riche

ABSTAIN: None

The Village Clerk read Ordinance 3414 by title:

BOND ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR VARIOUS WATER UTILITY IMPROVEMENTS IN AND BY THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, IN THE COUNTY OF BERGEN, NEW JERSEY, APPROPRIATING $2,126,500 THEREFOR AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $2,000,000 BONDS OR NOTES OF THE VILLAGE TO FINANCE PART OF THE COST THEREOF

Mayor Aronsohn explained that the Public Hearing on ordinance 3414 was continued from the May Public Meeting as the budget had to be adopted prior to the adoption of this ordinance in order to provide for the down payment. The Public Hearing was continued, and Mayor Aronsohn asked for comments on this ordinance at this time.

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

Roll Call Vote

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

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Councilman Riche

ABSTAIN: None

Councilwoman Hauck moved that Ordinance 3414 be adopted on third reading and final publication as required by law. Councilman Pucciarelli seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

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

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Councilman Riche

ABSTAIN: None

c. Continued Public Hearing – #3415 – Parking Utility Capital Ordinance

Mayor Aronsohn moved the third reading of Ordinance 3415 by title and that the Public Hearing thereon be continued. Councilman Pucciarelli seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

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

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Councilman Riche

ABSTAIN: None

The Village Clerk read Ordinance 3415 by title:

BOND ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PARKING UTILITY IN AND BY THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, IN THE COUNTY OF BERGEN, NEW JERSEY, APPROPRIATING $127,200 THEREFOR AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $100,000 BONDS OR NOTES OF THE VILLAGE TO FINANCE PART OF THE COST THEREOF

Mayor Aronsohn explained that the Public Hearing on ordinance 3415 was continued from the May Public Meeting as the budget had to be adopted prior to the adoption of this ordinance in order to provide for the down payment. The Public Hearing was continued, and Mayor Aronsohn asked for comments on this ordinance at this time.

Boyd Loving, 342 South Irving Street, recalled that he had a question about this ordinance at the previous meeting, which the Village Manager answered by pointing out that the specifics were available in section 3(a). After reading the section in question, Mr. Loving still has some concerns. Section 3(a) indicates that a portion of the money will be used for multi-space parking meter units, and the Chestnut Street multi-space meter unit. Mr. Loving wanted to know what other units are being purchased besides the one at Chestnut Street. In addition, he had a concern about Chestnut Street, because several months ago, Mr. Rutishauser was involved in a discussion about the multi-space units that were to be installed at the Park-and-Ride location, and the question arose about the multi-space unit at Chestnut Street. At that time, Mr. Rutishauser indicated that it was "a lemon". Mr. Loving is worried about the amount of money the taxpayers will be asked to spend on that unit, because it has never worked correctly. After making an OPRA request, Mr. Loving learned that there were multiple instances when the unit did not work properly, and summonses had to be voided because the Parking Enforcement Agents were not told that the unit was not operating properly and people were still issued tickets. Revenues have gone uncollected, and Mr. Loving asked why he, as a taxpayer, should be forced to pay to replace the unit. He suggested that the manufacturer be called and informed that the unit has never worked, and nothing will be paid until it is replaced; or Mr. Rogers could institute a lawsuit against the manufacturer for all the monies that have been lost due to the unit being inoperative, as well as the aggravation caused to the taxpayers. Mr. Loving is very angry that money will be spent to replace something that has never worked without seeking redress from the manufacturer of the unit.

Ms. Sonenfeld said she appreciates Mr. Loving’s concerns, and her thought on this particular capital request is that it is very broad. In fact, Section 3(a) is broader than any similar sections in any of the other capital requests, with a very good reason. Ms. Sonenfeld explained that all of the parking meters will be re-evaluated as the forensic accounting process continues, and no decisions have been made at this time about what action will be taken. A recommendation will be made, and ideas are already being discussed, but no decision has been reached. She asked Mr. Rutishauser to address the particular unit mentioned by Mr. Loving.

Mr. Loving stated that he appreciates Mr. Rutishauser’s expertise in this matter, but he still believes that the ultimate decision rests with Mr. Rogers as to whether any redress is sought with the manufacturer. Mr. Rogers pointed out that normally, potential litigation is discussed in Closed Session. He suggested that Mr. Rutishauser could give background regarding the item in question, without discussing any legal aspects or contractual obligations. Mr. Rutishauser noted that the unit at Chestnut Street is manufactured by a company called Matrix, and it was purchased approximately 6-7 years ago. He does not believe there is any existing warranty on the unit, and the Village currently pays for parts and service, which are requested from the manufacturer. As far as litigation is concerned, Mr. Rutishauser said that would be for Mr. Rogers to address.

Finally, Mr. Loving commented that he strongly opposes any situation similar to the one at Chestnut Street, where there is only one unit. When that unit breaks, no money can be collected, and patrons are frustrated. He suggested that what New Jersey Transit has done at the train station with respect to their automated ticket dispensing units should be considered, because more than one of those units has been installed at the train station. Mr. Rutishauser suggested that one multi-space unit be installed at the Park-and-Ride location, and Mr. Loving spoke out vehemently against that idea when it was suggested. He asked Ms. Sonenfeld to please keep that in mind when she makes a recommendation about how the money should be spent.

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

Roll Call Vote

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

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Councilman Riche

ABSTAIN: None

Councilwoman Hauck moved that Ordinance 3415 be adopted on third reading and final publication as required by law. Councilman Pucciarelli seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

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

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Councilman Riche

ABSTAIN: None

d. Public Hearing – #3419 – Bond Ordinance – Paving

Mayor Aronsohn moved the second reading of Ordinance 3419 by title and that the Public Hearing thereon be opened. Councilman Pucciarelli seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

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

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Councilman Riche

ABSTAIN: None

The Village Clerk read Ordinance 3419 by title:

BOND ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR VARIOUS ROAD IMPROVEMENTS IN AND BY THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, IN THE COUNTY OF BERGEN, NEW JERSEY, APPROPRIATING $1,549,000 THEREFOR AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $1,330,000 BONDS OR NOTES OF THE VILLAGE TO FINANCE PART OF THE COST THEREOF

Mayor Aronsohn explained that Ordinance 3419 was introduced at the May Public Meeting in order to provide funding for the paving budget. The Public Hearing was opened, and anyone wishing to speak on this ordinance could do so at this time.

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

Roll Call Vote

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

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Councilman Riche

ABSTAIN: None

Councilwoman Walsh asked for clarification about the 2013 paving. She noted that there was a schedule for the 2013 paving, and she asked how much was paid according to that schedule. Ms. Sonenfeld responded that she understood that the 2013 capital budget, which was approved in October 2013, has been rolled over into the 2014 capital budget for paving. She asked Mr. Rutishauser if all of it had been rolled over, or if only a portion had been. Mr. Rutishauser explained that the paving work that is currently under way is part of the 2013 capital budget, from a 2013 NJDOT grant, as well as a 2012 NJDOT grant as components of the paving work. Councilwoman Walsh asked if Mr. Rutishauser anticipates receiving a grant from NJDOT in 2014, and Ms. Sonenfeld and Mr. Rutishauser answered that such a grant has already been received for the work to be done on North Van Dien Avenue, in the amount of $149,000, which was added to the capital fund, rather than using it outright. Councilwoman Walsh asked if this Ordinance is approved, how much paving remains to be done from the list that Mr. Rutishauser prepared. Mr. Rutishauser said he would have to look at the estimated costs for each street, because each street has different work that needs to be done. Councilwoman Walsh asked if he could estimate the total, and Mr. Rutishauser responded that he thinks adopting this Ordinance would allow a significant amount of paving work on the current list to get done. He added that streets are constantly being evaluated against the criteria set by the Village to determine if paving or other repairs need to be done. Mayor Aronsohn interjected that this is arguably one of the most important issues to be decided by the Councilmembers, because street paving has both public safety and quality of life implications. Ms. Sonenfeld noted that she believes this is one of the largest paving budgets ever in the Village. Mr. Rutishauser said it is certainly one of the largest paving budgets in the last 10 years. Councilwoman Walsh explained that she had stated in previous Village Council meetings that her concern is that there was a capital budget, and different things have been pulled from that budget, including paving, which is a big part of the capital budget. However, she pointed out that it is not the only public safety issue affecting Ridgewood, which is affected by leaf removal; snow removal; running out of salt; or accidents occurring when the streets are icy.

Mayor Aronsohn pointed out that voting against the paving budget does not help the issues mentioned by Councilwoman Walsh, and in fact, it could possibly exacerbate those problems. He also clarified that the only reason paving was pulled from the capital budget was due to the fact that Councilwoman Walsh voted against the capital budget, so it could not move forward. Ms. Sonenfeld pulled out paving from the capital budget and made it a separate capital budget item to address the public safety imperative. Mayor Aronsohn added that waiting until the new Councilmembers are sworn in to adopt this ordinance simply delays the necessary paving. It is hoped that even if Councilwoman Walsh cannot support the entire capital budget, she can support at least this part of it, and the paving can move forward. Councilwoman Walsh asked the other Councilmembers if they are all confident that if the capital budget for paving is passed, there will be no issues with leaves in the streets or snow removal needs that might cause problems with the capital budget.

Councilman Pucciarelli answered that he is interested in getting the streets paved, which is what the current vote is about. He does not understand why it is necessary to mention snow and leaves, unless one wants to revisit the entire capital budget. Councilman Pucciarelli suggested that the Councilmembers should at least get the streets paved, and if it is necessary to deal with each problem one at a time until the new Councilmembers are sworn in, things will simply have to be done that way. He does not see any advantage in postponing paving the streets to make the point that Councilwoman Walsh is doing this because she does not agree with the capital budget, or what is achieved by not moving forward with this.

Councilwoman Walsh responded that her concern with pulling out pieces of the capital budget is that one thing is removed from the capital budget, while there are still many other items that are unbalanced, in her opinion. That is why, when she talked about the operating budget, it is very easy to go for a 0% tax increase, but the budget is not balanced at all. Mayor Aronsohn said he understands Councilwoman Walsh’s concern about the operating budget, but his concern is that she is holding paving hostage to her preference for a tax increase. Councilwoman Walsh said that the term "hostage" indicates that she is being irrational, and she maintains that she is trying to make a rational decision about the entire budget. Part of the capital budget was pulled from the capital budget, and while all of the Councilmembers agree that this paving is necessary, she is trying to make the point that the overall budget is not correct, and this approach is not good practice. Mayor Aronsohn said he respects her right to make a point, and he feels she has made the point. However, it has now gone beyond simply making the point, and Councilwoman Walsh is now preventing the paving from happening.

Councilman Pucciarelli moved that Ordinance 3419 be adopted on second reading and final publication as required by law. Councilwoman Hauck seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

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

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Councilman Riche

ABSTAIN: None

e. Public Hearing – #3420 – General Capital Bond Ordinance

Mayor Aronsohn moved the second reading of Ordinance 3420 by title and that the Public Hearing thereon be opened. Councilman Pucciarelli seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

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

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Councilman Riche

ABSTAIN: None

The Village Clerk read Ordinance 3420 by title:

BOND ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR VARIOUS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN AND BY THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, IN THE COUNTY OF BERGEN, NEW JERSEY, APPROPRIATING $1,356,000 THEREFOR AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $1,290,000 BONDS OR NOTES OF THE VILLAGE TO FINANCE PART OF THE COST THEREOF

Mayor Aronsohn explained that Ordinance 3420 was introduced at the May Public Meeting in order to provide funding for the general capital budget, which does not include funding for paving. The Public Hearing is now opened, and anyone wishing to speak on this ordinance could do so at this time.

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

Roll Call Vote

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

NAYS: None

ABSENT: Councilman Riche

ABSTAIN: None

Councilwoman Hauck moved that Ordinance 3420 be adopted on second reading and final publication as required by law. Councilman Pucciarelli seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES: Councilmembers Hauck, Pucciarelli, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS: Councilwoman Walsh

ABSENT: Councilman Riche

ABSTAIN: None

4. ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Mayor Aronsohn, seconded by Councilman Pucciarelli, and carried by voice vote, the Special Public Meeting was adjourned at 9:00 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, MAY 28, 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 8:01 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 Roberta Sonenfeld, Village Manager; Heather Mailander, Village Clerk; and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney. 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 who serve as first responders in Ridgewood and throughout the United States.

2. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

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

Boyd Loving, 342 South Irving Street, said he had read an article in the newspaper regarding a meeting that occurred last night which was attended by more than 30 people, and Mr. Loving believes the topic might be of general interest to all Ridgewood taxpayers. Mr. Loving heard a rumor that there might be such a meeting on Tuesday night, and he monitored the Village website to see if there was any announcement about the meeting. However, no such announcement was ever made on the website, so Mr. Loving assumed that it was just a rumor. Therefore, he was surprised to read the article about the meeting, and he was curious to know why the meeting took place, and why there was no information posted on the website about the meeting so that members of the public who might have had an interest in the subject could have gone to the meeting. Mayor Aronsohn responded that some Ridgewood residents had requested a meeting to discuss the construction that is occurring at Garber Square. The meeting on Tuesday night was not a public Village Council meeting. Mayor Aronsohn, Ms. Sonenfeld, and Councilwoman Walsh, as the Chairperson of the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee, attended the meeting. It was open to anyone, and there can be another meeting to discuss the situation further if people wish to have one. Mr. Loving asked how it came about that two members of the press were invited, yet no taxpayers were invited to attend. Mayor Aronsohn said he could not speak for anyone else, but he assumed it was because some of the residents have members of the press included in their email exchanges. Mr. Loving asked if any member of the Village Council or Village administration invited the press to the meeting, and Ms. Sonenfeld and Councilwoman Walsh responded that they did not invite the press to the meeting. Mayor Aronsohn answered that he spoke to a member of the press, but he did not extend an invitation to the meeting. Ms. Sonenfeld agreed that she believes that some members of the press may have been copied on the emails that were exchanged. Mr. Loving said he was concerned that there was a meeting taking place on a topic of general interest, which was attended by more than 30 people and members of the press, as well as Councilmembers and the Village Manager, yet no one had any idea of this meeting was taking place. Mayor Aronsohn reiterated that no one was intentionally left out of attending the meeting, and certainly Mr. Loving could have attended it if he wanted to do so. Mayor Aronsohn explained that he, Ms. Sonenfeld, and Councilwoman Walsh were simply responding to a request made by some Ridgewood residents. Mr. Loving noted that he did not know the time or location of the meeting, and Mayor Aronsohn responded that a phone call could have taken care of that. He added that Mr. Loving calls or sends emails regarding a lot of Ridgewood issues, and it was surprising that he would not have called about this one. Ms. Sonenfeld said that she would give details about the meeting during her Manager’s Report.

Nancy Greene, Director of the Ridgewood Public Library, commented that everyone at the Public Library is deeply honored that the family of Roger Wiegand selected the Friends of the Ridgewood Public Library, as well as the American Heart Association, as the recipients of donations in his honor. Ms. Greene noted that she had seen Mr. Wiegand at Village Council meetings for many years, and she always admired how he conducted himself. She added that the Ridgewood Public Library appreciates the donations in his name.

Rahul Bhatia, 309 Stevens Avenue, said he is a new resident of Ridgewood, and he loves it here so far. However, he has one reservation about the Village, which has been reinforced while driving on Van Dien Avenue, which is that the roads are not in very good condition. Mr. Bhatia commented that if anything can be done to improve the conditions on the roads, he would be in favor of it, even if it meant increasing taxes to focus on infrastructure. That is something he believes Ridgewood needs. Ms. Sonenfeld noted that during the budget presentation, more information will be forthcoming about paving the roads. She believes that the paving of South Van Dien Avenue is currently underway, and grant money has been obtained for the paving of North Van Dien Avenue. Once the capital funds are allocated, bids can be sought for the work on North Van Dien Avenue.

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

Ms. Sonenfeld made some comments regarding the meeting on Tuesday night about the construction being done at Garber Square, in response to Mr. Loving’s earlier comments. Ms. Sonenfeld pointed out that she first discussed the project at Garber Square several weeks ago at a Village Council meeting, due to the fact that it would cause some traffic issues in that area, as well as to give information about the project design. The construction is based on a Complete Streets plan, and its purpose is to enhance pedestrian, vehicular, and bicycle safety, as well as to provide much-needed aesthetic upgrades. More information is available on the Village website.

Initially, the construction met with some resistance, particularly on the west side of town. Residents in that area were concerned about the lack of communication, and the congestion that the construction might cause. As a result, some residents requested a Town Hall-style meeting, which grew to encompass more than 30 people. A detailed presentation was made at the meeting by Christopher Rutishauser, Village Engineer, who went over the plans in great detail. Police Chief Ward, Captain Luthcke, and Fire Chief Van Goor were also present to answer questions.

After listening to the residents’ concerns, and doing some internal evaluations, Ms. Sonenfeld said that several different courses of action will be pursued. Some of these might involve a working with members of the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee, so Councilwoman Walsh may be consulted on those aspects of the work. Traffic plates to record vehicle speed will be placed on certain roads. Heights Road might be the first street to get the traffic plates, due to the number of residents who were present at the meeting last night who complained about speeding cars. After that, the next locations will likely be West Ridgewood Avenue, Godwin Avenue, and Franklin Avenue. The point of using the traffic plates is to provide empirical data about the traffic flows in those areas. Another course of action will be to install mobile cameras at Garber Square and Franklin Avenue to film traffic for several weeks, in order to obtain more empirical data about the traffic flow. Another way to address some of the speeding concerns and Heights Road will be to install a stop sign at the corner of Heights Road and Woodland Avenue, which should help to calm the traffic.

More significantly, in looking at the design and listening to concerns about contingency plans in case traffic does get backed up, alternatives were considered to the design that would narrow the median from an eight-foot median to a four-foot median. That would leave approximately 20 feet on each side of the median at its narrowest point. This contingency will be considered if the traffic does not react in the way that is expected under the original plan.

All of these discussions began today, as Ms. Sonenfeld noted. Consideration was given to the amount of work that would have to be undone in order to do all of the work stated. For example, approximately $45,000 worth of curbing that has already been installed will have to be cut, as well as some additional saw-cutting that will be necessary. Some of the beautification component of the design will be lost due to the fact that the eight-foot median provides an opportunity to plant trees. As a result of the progress made toward this recommendation, it was decided today to rearrange the work that is currently going on at Garber Square, and stop working on the curbs and median, so that it will not be necessary to undo more work in the future. This is all based on a determination being made with input from Councilwoman Walsh and the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee to proceed with the project, including the four-foot median. The people who are currently working in that area have been relocated to do other work. Ms. Sonenfeld pointed out that a decision must be made soon in order to avoid unnecessary delays. She also suggested that it might be necessary to convene a special meeting of the Citizens Safety Advisory Board to discuss the project.

Mayor Aronsohn stated that he thought it was a good idea to have a contingency plan, because if it is decided some years in the future that more changes are necessary, the contingency plan gives more options. Regarding the time sensitivity, Mayor Aronsohn noted that work will continue for the other aspects of this project, but the work currently being done on the curbs and median in that area will be stopped temporarily. He asked Councilwoman Walsh whether it would be possible to present this idea to the members of the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee as soon as tomorrow, and come back to the Councilmembers with their input so that action can be taken sooner rather than later. Ms. Sonenfeld said she is confident that the contingency plan can work, and that it will aid the traffic flows in the area. She also noted that everyone feels strongly about all of the safety issues being considered.

Councilwoman Walsh stated that the next meeting of the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee, which will be her last meeting, is scheduled for the end of June. She thought it would be possible to poll the members via email, and she knows that many of them were in attendance at the meeting last night. Councilman Walsh asked if the grant application allows the Village to change the configuration. She noted that the reason behind the question was because the topic kept coming up at the meeting last night, since many people wanted to know if the plan could be changed back to the original if they do not like the current one. Mr. Rutishauser responded that minor changes are allowed under the grant. He pointed out that Ms. Sonenfeld proposed that the median from West Ridgewood Avenue, around the Garber Square curve, and down to North Broad Street be narrowed from the original proposed design of eight feet to four feet. The eight-foot median allows for landscaping and lights, while the narrower one only permits lights. Mr. Rutishauser does not think that will present an issue with the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT).

Councilwoman Walsh asked what would happen in the event the bike lane is removed, and if that would be considered a minor change. Mr. Rutishauser answered that if the bike lane is deleted before reimbursement is received from NJDOT, they might take a closer look at the project. Ms. Sonenfeld noted that currently, there is no intention to eliminate the bike lane, and the only change is a narrower median. Councilwoman Walsh said she understood that, but in conversation with residents last night, it was mentioned several times that eventually the bike lane could be eliminated if it did not work. Mr. Rutishauser commented that as Mayor Aronsohn pointed out, it might become necessary to change something as traffic patterns change in the future. That is something that the NJDOT understands, and they usually accept such changes. However, Mr. Rutishauser thought they might have a problem with an application that is presented with bike lanes as part of the project, and those bike lanes are later deleted when the final project is presented. Councilwoman Walsh asked if the bike lanes are removed, what percentage of the grant could be withheld, in Mr. Rutishauser’s opinion. Mr. Rutishauser answered he does not know at this time. Ms. Sonenfeld noted that the grant is for $146,000. Councilwoman Walsh stated that she only asked the questions for clarification purposes, because the issue was raised several times at the meeting. Mr. Rutishauser said he believes that several years after the project is completed, if traffic pattern changes should occur that would require elimination of the bike lanes, it should not be a problem at that time.

Councilman Pucciarelli asked if the median is narrowed from eight feet, what width is being proposed. Mr. Rutishauser said that the median would be approximately 4-4.5 feet wide. He pointed out that the median must be wide enough to fit the streetlight pole foundation between the two curbs. Once the foundation is installed, the rest would be filled with an aggregate mix, and then it would be topped with pavers for color distinction, or perhaps concrete. Councilman Pucciarelli commented that obviously, no trees or shrubs would be planted in the narrower median, which Mr. Rutishauser confirmed. Councilman Pucciarelli observed that, as someone who travels in that area several times every day, the two lanes are rarely used. Mr. Rutishauser noted that if they are used, it is most frequently done by aggressive drivers. Councilman Pucciarelli also stated that several months ago, several bicyclists spoke at a Village Council meeting, and the Councilmembers promised to do what they could to enhance their movement through the Village, and to encourage people to use bicycles and other ways to get to the train station. Therefore, he is happy to see that efforts are being made to promote the idea of bicycling, and a way can be found to allow cars and bicycles to move compatibly through the area. That is required by law on State and County roads. Mr. Rutishauser pointed out that bicycles are entitled to the same right-of-way on the roads as motor vehicles, which also means that bicyclists can be issued summonses for motor vehicle violations.

Councilwoman Hauck noted that unfortunately, only two Councilmembers can be present at these types of meetings, so she tried to stand in the hall in order to hear as much as possible. Mr. Rutishauser said that audio was recorded from the meeting, and she was welcome to access it at any time. Councilwoman Hauck stated that the people who attended the meeting are requesting wider roads, and she wondered what will happen to the traffic calming feature, which helps to prevent aggressive driving. Mr. Rutishauser responded that at the beginning of the Garber Square portion, there will still be a pedestrian refuge island for pedestrians crossing Garber Square from the train station to West Ridgewood Avenue. However, the road that any pedestrian must cross in order to get to the refuge island will be a bit wider, so that in the future, if need be, two traffic lanes can be established. The other traffic calming feature in this project is the planned bump out by North Broad Street, which will be constructed. In addition, an island will be constructed in front of the Playhouse at Wilsey Square to help delineate the lanes that are designed for left turns. That island is not an official pedestrian refuge, but it is anticipated that it will be used as such. Striping may also be considered once the project is completed to effect traffic calming, which has worked quite well in the past. Ms. Sonenfeld pointed out that the traffic channelization that is being planned will certainly help in the calming process.

Mayor Aronsohn summarized that the plan is that Councilwoman Walsh will reach out to the members of the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee as soon as possible and bring their input back to the Councilmembers. Ms. Sonenfeld added that it is hoped a decision can be reached by the middle of next week at the latest, so that the construction does not interfere with the Fourth of July activities.

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

At 8:00 P.M., upon a motion by Councilman Pucciarelli, seconded by Councilwoman Hauck, and carried by unanimous voice vote, the Village Council suspended the Work Session.

5. MOTION TO RECONVENE WORK SESSION

At 9:01 P.M., upon a motion by Mayor Aronsohn, 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, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn. Also present were Roberta Sonenfeld, Village Manager; Heather Mailander, Village Clerk; and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney. Councilman Riche was absent.

6. DISCUSSION

a. Budget:

1.) Request Bergen County to Restore Open Space Tax

Ms. Sonenfeld explained that the Open Space Committee prepared a letter to urge the County Executive and Freeholders to fully fund the Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund. Mayor Aronsohn suggested that, unless someone has comments to make about this, perhaps this discussion could be tabled until Councilman Riche is present. The other Councilmembers agreed.

Councilwoman Walsh noted that when she prepared her calculations based on a hypothetical 1% tax increase, Mayor Aronsohn’s tax burden would increase by $.25 annually; and the highest tax increase would be for Councilwoman Hauck, whose burden would increase by $1.41 annually.

2.) Award of Contract – Landscaping Services – Ridgewood Water Properties

Ms. Sonenfeld commented that this is to award a contract for landscaping services. Eight bid proposals were picked up, and four bids were received. The lowest bidder is being recommended. This resolution will be put on the agenda for the June 11, 2014 Public Meeting.

3.) Award of Contract – Lightning Detection System

Ms. Sonenfeld pointed out that this is for the lightning detection system, and it is a shared cost with the Board of Education. This contract will add nine locations in the Village, meaning that every field will have some sort of lightning detection apparatus. The Village’s share of the cost is $25,000, and the Board of Education’s share is $43,875. This resolution will be put on the agenda for the June 11, 2014 Public Meeting.

b. Policy:

1.) Requalification for Community Development Block Grant Program

Ms. Sonenfeld noted that this is a resolution to re-authorize inclusion in the Community Development Block Grant Program. She added that over the years, this program has enabled curb cuts throughout the CBD in residential neighborhoods; the elevator at Village Hall; automated door openers at several locations; ramp entries at The Stable and Graydon Pool; and the latest project is the installation of a ramp from the Graydon Pool parking lot to the Linwood Avenue sidewalk to provide entry to the Graydon Pool facility. This resolution will be put on the agenda for the June 11, 2014 Public Meeting.

2.) Honoring Roger Wiegand

Mayor Aronsohn stated that he and Mr. Loving had a brief discussion, at a previous Village Council meeting, about ways for the Village Council to honor Roger Wiegand’s memory. Three ideas were discussed in particular: a plaque to be placed on the podium facing the member of the public who is speaking at the time; planting a tree somewhere in the Village; and the last was to rename the street near his house in Mr. Wiegand’s memory. In addition to one or more of those possibilities, Mayor Aronsohn thought it might be nice to have a reception in the Sydney V. Stoldt, Jr., Courtroom.

Councilman Pucciarelli said he thought implementing all three of the suggestions made by Mayor Aronsohn would be a good idea, and it fits within the qualifying criteria for the dedication of Village property, unless Mr. Rogers disagrees.

Councilwoman Walsh believes the idea of placing a plaque on the podium would be the best way to honor Mr. Wiegand’s memory. She also pointed out that at this time of year, Mr. Wiegand would ride his bike around the Village and paint the poles for the Fire Department, and perhaps a "painting day" could be organized in his memory.

Councilwoman Hauck recalled that when she was running for Village Council, Mr. Wiegand was very warm and friendly to her, and encouraged her to feel comfortable at meetings. She does not believe they shared the same views on everything, but she felt very comfortable around him. Mr. Wiegand was a very warm and friendly person to all. In addition, Councilwoman Walsh pointed out that Mr. Wiegand was a gadfly, yet the Councilmembers all have great affection for him, and that is what made him so unique and special, because somehow he managed to be a gadfly without being abrasive or irritating. He was able to, as Socrates said, "sting the people out of complacency, preventing the city from becoming intolerant and careless, without offending anyone". Mr. Wiegand never showed any disrespect or needled or sabotaged anyone, but he was always polite and good-natured, as well as being committed to listening. Councilwoman Hauck would like to distinguish his service as a prodder, an energizer, and a civic volunteer.

Mayor Aronsohn suggested that they wait for Councilman Riche to be present before they make a final decision about how to honor Mr. Wiegand. He also suggested that perhaps the Shade Tree Commission could consider honoring residents like Mr. Wiegand by planting trees in their memory.

c. Operations:

1.) Snowplowing Agreement with Bergen County

Ms. Sonenfeld stated this will approve the snowplowing agreement with Bergen County, in which the Village receives payment from the County to plow County roads in Ridgewood. This resolution will be put on the agenda for the June 11, 2014 Public Meeting.

7. MANAGER’S REPORT

Ms. Sonenfeld gave an update on the status of Cottage Place Lot 12, which is the parking lot between The Gap and the Gilsenan Real Estate Office, for which an RFP had been issued. Two proposals were received, one of which looks lucrative. It is in the amount of $75,000 for the ground lease and Mr. Rutishauser will be evaluating them over the next couple of weeks and bring a recommendation to the Councilmembers.

Councilwoman Walsh stated that one of her concerns has been who is determining whether that lease valuation is appropriate, and she asked Ms. Sonenfeld about the process. Ms. Sonenfeld said it was agreed that it would be necessary to find someone with the technical expertise to do that appraisal.

Next, Ms. Sonenfeld commented on the ordinance regarding abandoned property in the Village. Processes and procedures are now being developed, and the committee who will be doing those evaluations has been formed.

Regarding the coin theft, Ms. Sonenfeld reported that the overall revenues for the Parking Utility have increased by approximately 4%. However, she still has not received the engagement letter from the Joint Insurance Fund (JIF) about the forensic accounting review. Mr. Rogers has been monitoring the issue very closely, and he spoke with the attorney for the JIF, who said they were still working on the letter, and the situation is being decided by a committee. The contractual arrangements must be made for the forensic accounting review.

Turning to the subject of the Redevelopment Zone, Ms. Sonenfeld met with Blais Brancheau, Village Planner, and discussed the situation with Mr. Rutishauser. They are now working on an RFP that will be discussed with the Councilmembers when it is ready. She estimates that it will probably be another three weeks before the RFP will be ready.

In her responses to residents’ comments, Ms. Sonenfeld brought up an issue first raised by Mr. Loving about the Town Garage site, and whether or not it could be used for surface parking. A letter has been received from the owner indicating his potential interest in surface parking, and she said she will discuss it with Mr. Rutishauser.

Another resident had expressed some anger about the condition of North Road, and Ms. Sonenfeld visited that area with Mr. Rutishauser. There was no traffic, except for two people coming out of their driveways. There were no significant potholes or depressions, and the Village had done some work on the road the day before. Therefore, the current recommendation, which has been shared with the resident by letter, is that the street will be put on the paving schedule for 2015-2016. Ms. Sonenfeld pointed out in the letter that there was an opportunity to demonstrate a piece of equipment that possibly could have put a layer of asphalt over the current layer, and the resident has not yet responded to that opportunity.

At one of the "Meet the Mayor" events, another resident was concerned about Twinny Park. Her house backs up on the park, and she is concerned about the appearance of the park. The resident would like the dead trees, stumps, and branches to be removed from the park. Ms. Sonenfeld and several other Village employees visited the park, but because Twinny Park is considered a conservation area, little maintenance is and can be performed there. As a result, when trees fall, they are allowed to decompose, which provides an environment for the wildlife. A protected redheaded woodpecker resides in one of the trees that has fallen, so that tree cannot be moved. In addition, the park is also a glacial cattle pond, and it is viewed as a riparian habitat, which means that areas that are 50 feet from the water’s edge cannot be disturbed. The only maintenance that is performed there is maintenance to alleviate areas that are precarious to individuals who are hiking, such as a tree hanging over a trail, or a large branch impeding the trail. Ms. Sonenfeld spoke to the resident, and sent a letter to her, telling her that normal cleanup activities will be performed in the park, after which time it will be revisited with her.

Mr. Loving had also raised the issue of the Glen Avenue Recycling Center being used for the rabies clinic. After observing the area, Ms. Sonenfeld said there seems to be a confluence of issues. One of those issues is that the rabies clinic that was recently held also offered the micro-chipping service for pets, causing an increase in the volume of people attending the clinic, which led to the traffic volume increasing. There was also a parking issue. The consensus is that because the dogs are sheltered at that location, while there is no shelter available at Graydon Park, it would again be held at the Glen Avenue Recycling Center, but the rabies shots and the micro-chipping would be split to avoid the traffic problems. The cat clinic will be held in Ho-Ho-Kus in January. The next shred day is scheduled for September 27, 2014, and consideration is now being given to moving that to Graydon Park. Mayor Aronsohn said that the possibility of separating the micro-chipping service from the rabies clinic should be discussed, because he believes holding the services together provides a great opportunity to educate people who do not know about the advantages that go along with micro-chipping their pets.

Ms. Sonenfeld pointed out that Graydon Pool is scheduled to open this Saturday, May 31, 2014. The good news is that the temporary pipe from Graydon Pool to the sanitary sewer is working, but the bad news is that the temporary pipe is still there. Tomorrow, the laying of the permanent pipe will begin, which will take approximately two weeks. In addition, the sloped entry railing has been installed.

The "Meet the Manager" event will be held on Saturday, May 31^{st, from 9:00 A.M.-12:00 Noon. Appointments have already been scheduled. The Junior Police Academy will be held June 26-July 2, 2014, and the application deadline is June 1st.}

8. COUNCIL REPORTS

Citizens Safety Advisory Committee – Councilwoman Walsh said she would be sending an email to the members of the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee to poll them about the situation at Garber Square.

Bergen League of Municipalities – Councilwoman Walsh stated that she, along with the rest of the Bergen County League of Municipalities representatives, toured the Bergen County Utilities Authority.

Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee (REAC) – Councilwoman Walsh pointed out that there is no meeting scheduled for another couple of weeks.

Councilman Pucciarelli commented that Mayor Aronsohn said something about "responsible government," and Ms. Sonenfeld, in her Village Manager’s Report, also noted that the government is responsive, which makes a difference. Councilman Pucciarelli also commented on the number of Village employees and Department Supervisors who attend the Village Council meetings, and he thanked them on behalf of the citizens of Ridgewood for their attendance at the meetings, which is not required.

Planning Board – Councilman Pucciarelli stated that the entire Planning Board is scheduled to meet tomorrow evening to honor Morgan Hurley, a member of the Board who has served for many years, and has also been Chairman of the Planning Board. Mr. Hurley resigned from the Planning Board, and he will be honored at a local restaurant for his many years of service.

Parks, Recreation, and Conservation (PRC) Board – Councilwoman Hauck said she did not have a lot to add about the issue of abandoned structures and properties, because it is simply a matter of watching that come to fruition. It will also make enforcing good neighborly behavior a lot easier in the future. There are some people in Ridgewood who would like things to move faster, but the ordinance will not be adopted until June 11, 2014, and all of the abandoned properties that are found will be addressed at that time.

Councilwoman Hauck reiterated that Graydon Pool will be opening on Saturday, and she hopes that membership increases this year.

Public Library Board of Trustees – Councilwoman Hauck stated that the Public Library Board of Trustees discussed two new things at the Public Library. She noted that the Homework Help Center is not new, but it has not seen a lot of use. Honor students at Ridgewood High School are selected every year by a committee, and they go to the Public Library and give free tutoring in any subject to anyone who needs the help. They do this from 3:30 P.M.-5:30 P.M., Monday-Thursday from October to May. In addition, Nancy Greene is teaching a course on business etiquette to college graduates, which will start on Tuesday, June 24th.

Planning Board – Mayor Aronsohn noted that the Planning Board has two meetings scheduled for next week. The meeting on Monday is to continue the public discussion on the Valley Hospital proposal, and there is another meeting scheduled for Tuesday night.

Access Committee (Ridgewood Community Access Network) – Mayor Aronsohn said the Access Committee will be showing a movie at the Public Library on Thursday, June 5th, called "Murder Ball". The movie’s plot is about a quadriplegic rugby team that played in the Paralympics, and Mayor Aronsohn invited anyone who is interested to come and watch. The movie is scheduled to begin at 7:30 P.M., in the Public Library Auditorium.

Just before this Village Council meeting, Mayor Aronsohn said there was a program in the Courtroom presented by the Ridgewood High School Teen Leads Program. Ms. Sonenfeld added that it was something that is been worked on for a long time. The Teen Leads Program has been modeled after the Bergen County Leads Program, which is currently in its seventh year. Ms. Sonenfeld highly recommends the program, particularly for people who are activists. It is a leadership program in which the participant spends nine months learning about different facets of Bergen County. There is a seminar day every month, and different experts come in to offer their expertise on various facets of Bergen County, as well as experiential visits by the participants. Participants are also given a project to do over the nine-month program, which is presented in a public forum. The head of the program is Pat Schuber, the former Bergen County Executive, and Lynne Algrant, a Councilwoman from Englewood. Ms. Sonenfeld said the idea for the Ridgewood High School Teen Leads Program came from her daughter, who asked why a program like the Adult Leads Program could not be developed for teenagers. This pilot group was given a challenge called the "Mayor’s Challenge," which was to determine the current state of civic participation in Ridgewood in voting and other areas, and how that could be improved. The participants made their presentations today, and their efforts are very commendable. The program is funded by the Ridgewood Education Foundation, and the Volunteer Center of Bergen County. It is currently an extracurricular program at Ridgewood High School, and it will also be an extracurricular program next year. It is hoped that in the third year, it will be made part of the curriculum. Mayor Aronsohn added that one of the major conclusions given during the presentations was that people do not appreciate the importance of local government.

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

11. RESOLUTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION

The following resolution, numbered 14-135, to go into Closed Session, was read in full by the Village Clerk, as follows:

10. ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to come to 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 9:33 P.M.

PAUL S. ARONSOHN, Mayor

HEATHER A. MAILANDER, Village Clerk

A REGULAR WORK SESSION OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGEOF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE SYDNEY V. STOLDT, JR., COURTROOM OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 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, Walsh, and Mayor Aronsohn. Also present were Roberta Sonenfeld, Village Manager; Heather Mailander, 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.

Patty Infantino, 6 Betty Court, said she was at the meeting as the President of the League of Women Voters. The League members concern themselves about governance and decision-making in government, and they have not yet taken a position about the road work being done at the train station. Instead, they are concerned about the provision of the Open Public Meetings Act which provides that all citizens should have advance notice of all public meetings, as well as the right to attend meetings at which any business affecting the public is discussed or acted upon. The League members do not have an opinion on the roadway, but they do have an opinion on the fact that they would like to see another meeting conducted with notification given before the meeting in the newspapers, as well as on the Village website, to let people know that Councilmembers will be discussing this particular venture, to allow people to respond. Ms. Infantino believes the way to respond to all of the various discussions about the road work would be to have another meeting that is advertised and similar to the one attended by Mayor Aronsohn and Councilwoman Walsh several weeks ago, where people are allowed to state their opinions. Ms. Sonenfeld agreed with Ms. Infantino’s remarks, and noted that this issue is part of the agenda tonight, so there will be a public discussion on this matter tonight.

Mayor Aronsohn explained that the meeting was held in response to requests from several residents who asked to meet with some of the Councilmembers because they were concerned about the proposed work. The Councilmembers made themselves available, and the meeting attendance seemed to grow exponentially. It was merely an effort to be responsive to some residents who wanted to share their concerns with the Councilmembers as soon as possible.

Anne Loving, 342 South Irving Street, stated that she also wanted to discuss the meeting held on Tuesday, May 27^{th about the Garber Square renovation. She heard what Mayor Aronsohn said about the meeting, and Ms. Loving appreciates the fact that the issue was on the agenda tonight. However, she pointed out that the meeting in question was not openly advertised, and it seemed to her that selected individuals were advised in advance of the meeting taking place. This meeting was not posted on the Village website, which is typical procedure for a public meeting of this sort. At least two reporters, as well as a newspaper photographer, were apprised of the meeting, and they attended the meeting. In addition, several Department Supervisors, as well as the Village Manager, attended the meeting. At least three, and possibly four, Councilmembers were also at the meeting, although it seemed that they were very careful to only have two Councilmembers in the room at the same time.}

When her husband, Mr. Loving, asked why the meeting was not advertised, Mayor Aronsohn responded that Mr. Loving should have called about it, which Ms. Loving felt was an inappropriate response. Residents should not have to hope that they will hear a rumor about a meeting that might take place, and then resort to obtaining information by telephoning elected officials. Residents have a right to see such public meetings announced on the Village website, and although the Councilmembers may not have violated the Open Public Meetings Act in fact, Ms. Loving feels they violated it in spirit, which she believes is just as bad. Moreover, Ms. Loving was shocked to learn that the two newly-elected Councilmembers were not advised of the meeting, which Ms. Loving believes does not bode well for a smooth transition. Ms. Loving appreciated Mayor Aronsohn’s prompt response to her email indicating that one of the elected officials had not been officially advised of the meeting, but she happened to be in the building at the time and found out about it. Mayor Aronsohn’s email also included basically the same remarks he made earlier, that the meeting was held in response to requests from residents, but he also said in the email that this type of thing is done "all the time". Ms. Loving said she is very curious to know if the Councilmembers have meetings "all the time" in which a number of Department Supervisors are present, as well as the Village Manager, and three or four of the Councilmembers, even if only two of them are in the room at the same time. Ms. Loving said she would be shocked if that were the case.

Mayor Aronsohn responded that when he said that the Councilmembers "do this all the time," it means that residents come to the Councilmembers with issues, and they try to be responsive. This particular issue required input from Village personnel, such as the Village Engineer, as well as other experts, and Mayor Aronsohn said the Councilmembers meet with residents all the time on different issues, because they see as part of their job to be as responsive and accessible as possible. That is what they were trying to do on Tuesday, May 27th, and Mayor Aronsohn stated that he thought it was to be a small meeting, but when he was asked if the meeting could be opened up to others, he did not refuse. It is all part of the effort to move this issue forward.

Rurik Halaby, 374 Evergreen Place, noted that today marks the 74th anniversary of the Battle of Dunkirk, which was Britain’s worst military defeat since the Battle of Yorktown. It is been referred to as a colossal military disaster. Mr. Halaby stated that the Garber Square renovation project is Ridgewood’s monumental fiasco. He noted that sadly, politicians are responding to it by distracting the public with red herrings and false assurances. Mr. Halaby said he is a big proponent of pedestrian safety in Ridgewood. He walks around the Village whenever possible, and every time he crosses the street, he feels that he is taking his life into his hands. Mr. Halaby suggested a few simple steps that Ridgewood could take to help improve pedestrian safety, which includes having police officers patrol on foot to catch people on cell phones and those who are speeding; prohibiting right turns at red lights; and implementing four-way stop signs at critical intersections, such as that at Ridgewood Avenue and Broad Street. Mr. Halaby commented that he has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in civil engineering from MIT, and after graduation, he worked as a civil engineer at Bechtel, which was at that time the largest engineering firm in the world. While there, he had several interesting assignments, including being the Dam Engineer on the third-highest dam in California, as well as a job taking soil samples for the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system. However, in his worst nightmare, Mr. Halaby said he could not imagine a situation where an engineering project like the Garber Square renovation is undertaken without detailed studies on its impact. For Christopher Rutishauser, Village Engineer, to say that no traffic study was done before the planning was implemented is irresponsible, according to Mr. Halaby. Furthermore, Mr. Halaby considers that this goes beyond negligence to gross negligence, and if someone should die in an ambulance that is stuck in traffic in that area, it could be claimed as criminal negligence. Mr. Halaby believes that the Village Engineer and his staff have failed miserably, although he has no doubt about the sincerity of their motives. He considers that Village personnel are victims of tunnel vision, and are only considering one problem without giving any consideration to the unintended consequences of the project. Mr. Halaby commented that he has seen this twice before: once when an ordinance was adopted to limit the height of snow piles; and the other was when it was decided to provide homeowners with bags to bag the debris on their lawns. In the case of the Garber Square renovation, Mr. Halaby said he is sure that the Village Engineer and his staff are hoping to calm the traffic, but he believes it will only create a stranglehold on the most important traffic artery connecting the east and west sides of Ridgewood. Mr. Halaby finished by saying that it is not too late to stop the project.

Dave Slomin, 36 Heights Road, commented that he is one of the residents who requested the meeting on May 27th. He explained that the reason for the meeting was due to the fact that several residents were very concerned about the work to be done around Franklin Avenue, and no one seemed to know what was happening. The immediate concerns were bike safety, and traffic congestion and diversion. Residents felt it was imperative to act quickly because the work was already starting. It was planned as a small meeting, but because there was so much concern, more and more people asked to be included. It grew from one email circulated among a few neighbors and residents to a petition with 557 signatures today. One of the issues is finding a way to make people aware of what is going on in Ridgewood, and it should be up to residents to determine what is important, and how to respond to those things. Mr. Slomin suggested it would be nice if there was a way for residents to be kept apprised of what is happening in Ridgewood, such as a way to sign up through the Village website for notifications, or if there was a page on the website devoted to any occurrences around the Village, and where more information could be obtained. He agreed that the Garber Square renovation project is a debacle. Mr. Slomin was also happy to find that the issue was to be discussed tonight, and that a contingency plan has been formulated to allow for the possibility of the traffic lanes to be put back. However, Mr. Slomin felt that the process could have been easier from the beginning if two steps to been taken: giving clear notice to residents about the project, and seeking public input about the project. It also disturbs Mr. Slomin that there was no traffic study done, and the Village Engineer seemed to lack a lot of necessary information about the traffic patterns and volume in that area, while at the same time residents were being asked to "trust" the Village Management and Engineering staff. Mr. Slomin added that many people feel that the bike lanes are a danger to adults and children, and he is one of them. He also believes there are some good parts to the current plan, but the bike lane is not one of those good parts.

In conclusion, Mr. Slomin said he would email a copy of the petition to each Councilmember. Mayor Aronsohn thanked Mr. Slomin for his leadership and partnership over the last several weeks.

Tony Damiano, owner of Mango Jam and President of the Ridgewood Guild, said he understands there is a huge concern among the residents about the proposed work at Garber Square, but there is an even bigger concern among the business owners in that area, because that is the main artery into the CBD. The CBD is the heartbeat of Ridgewood, and it is the number one reason to move to Ridgewood. Mr. Damiano recalled that he was living in Ridgewood during the two-year, $27 million renovation of the train station that occurred several years ago, when single lane access was all that was available in and out of the Village in that area. During the holiday season, Mr. Damiano said it was a nightmare. Accessing that area is the main artery, and the only alternative is to head south on Ackerman Avenue into Glen Rock, then come up South Broad Street, or to head out of the way on Glen Avenue. That main thoroughfare is so important, and Mr. Damiano believes that the Village must start becoming more customer-sensitive. Little to no employee parking is provided around Ridgewood, so employees are forced to park on the streets, where metered parking has a two hour limit. Now, there will be even more restricted access into the CBD. As a business owner, Mr. Damiano said he does not receive a weekly paycheck, and he depends upon customers to come through his door, as many other Village business owners do. Having only single-lane access will not make the Village more customer-friendly. The area in question is not just for residents on the west side of town to have access to the CBD, but for people coming from all of the towns west of Ridgewood. People from Hawthorne, Midland Park, and Wyckoff love to come to Ridgewood, but must continually fight to have a pleasant experience, and Mr. Damiano feels that this will hurt the businesses in the CBD.

Bonnie Chalek, 110 Sheridan Terrace, commented that she walks into the CBD all the time, and uses the Franklin Avenue underpass for access all the time. Ms. Chalek only wanted the underpass area to be paved, and she thinks it would be a nightmare to have a bike lane going through that area. In addition, Ms. Chalek is concerned about the New Jersey Transit 163 bus, because there is a concern among residents in that area that the 163 bus will stop going to upper Ridgewood. Therefore, Ms. Chalek strongly believes that the two lanes are necessary, particularly heading into the CBD. It is a safety issue, especially for ambulances.

Ed Feldsott, 67 Heights Road, thanked Mayor Aronsohn and the other Councilmembers who attended the impromptu meeting which was supposed to be attended by only a few people. However, Mr. Feldsott believes that the fact that the meeting increased in size so rapidly only demonstrates the overwhelming level of concern for the proposed project in that area. Many people believe this project is a tragic mistake, and a disaster waiting to happen. Although no traffic study was done, residents have been told that they should accept the project based upon the opinions of the Village Engineer and his staff. Mr. Feldsott said he is impressed by an engineer who graduated from MIT, but he is not sure what qualifications the members of the Village Engineering department hold. In conclusion, Mr. Feldsott said that many people are upset about this project, and feel that it will bring nothing but disaster and lawsuits.

Jeffery Carlson, 263 Franklin Avenue, said he was a classmate of Roger Wiegand, from the Ridgewood High School class of 1961. Mr. Carlson stated that he understands there has been some talk about some type of commemoration for Mr. Wiegand, and he wants to get involved. Moreover, Mr. Carlson is in contact with many of their former classmates, and offered his support in any planned activities in Mr. Wiegand’s honor. Mayor Aronsohn asked Mr. Carlson to leave his contact information with Ms. Sonenfeld or Ms. Mailander.

Rick Boesch, 64 Park Slope, thanked Mr. Slomin for holding the meeting about the proposed project around Garber Square. Mr. Boesch also agrees that the data-driven objective process needs to be welcomed by the Councilmembers. Mr. Boesch believes decisions are being made based on results from coarse data, and no one knows how old the data may be. He would like to see the process changed, not just because it would make the process more efficient and gets residents more comfortable and involved, but it also helps to enhance the credibility of the leaders in the Village.

Mr. Boesch related a personal experience he recently had to illustrate his points. His wife noticed that when she goes through that area, people in front of her are now taking the left off of West Ridgewood Avenue to go down to the now-single lane by the light in front of the train station. Therefore, because the people in front of her are going slower, she must also go slower, because the turn is tighter, with more obstructions. That problem does not seem to exist when one is traveling under the trestle, because there seems to be a lot more room to make a left when one is traveling west. Mr. Boesch does not necessarily believe that is what is causing the problem, because there are already backups on Ridgewood Avenue; however, anyone who drives would understand that even a small problem can cause a long wait in traffic.

Next, Mr. Boesch asked the Councilmembers why they decided against stopping the project and reassessing the situation, and instead opted to consider the contingency plans that were presented. Mayor Aronsohn responded that his question would be answered when that issue is addressed as part of the agenda tonight.

Karen Abraham, 415 Red Birch Court, stated that she moved back to Ridgewood last year, and that she had been born in Ridgewood, and her mother spent most of her life in Ridgewood. Ms. Abraham noted that the Underpass area has been a problem for a long time, and she would like to go into the CBD more than she currently does, but parking is also a problem. She explained that she usually goes around through Midland Park in order to visit her parents who live on the other side of Ridgewood. Ms. Abraham said she likes the idea of making it easier to go into the CBD without sitting in traffic, because she is sure that she is not the only person with children who feels that way. She agrees that the process was not handled in the best way, and it seems like the project simply popped up at the last minute. Ms. Abraham believes that this is not the right move for Ridgewood to take, and it will end up choking traffic in that part of Ridgewood, which no one wants.

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

3. DISCUSSION

a. Budget:

1.) Garber Square Complete Streets Program

Ms. Sonenfeld stated that she wanted to provide some context and history on the Garber Square Complete Streets project, and how it got to this point. In 2011, the Village adopted the Complete Streets protocol, as did the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee. "Complete Streets" means that the streets are an important part of the livability of a community, and they should be accessible to every mode of transportation. Instituting a Complete Streets policy ensures that transportation planners and engineers consistently design and operate the entire roadway with all users in mind. Ms. Sonenfeld said that the Complete Streets program has been adopted throughout the United States. The first Complete Streets project was Grove Street, where traffic calming was done. The design for Garber Square was worked on by the Engineering Department for almost two years. That department is a dedicated staff of professionals who have worked here for a long time, and who know the streets, the traffic flows, and the neighborhoods. Ms. Sonenfeld noted that based on the discussions she has had, the biggest concern and driving principle behind this project is safety. Therefore, she takes exception to statements made that this would be creating a dangerous situation. Between 2007 and 2013, there were 86 calls to the police from that area, leading to 61 reportable accidents. That is what everyone hoped to avoid now. Many people seem to think that traffic will be calmed "too much," but no one is trying to cause congestion. The goal is to slow the traffic down, because there are many people who were traveling at 35 miles per hour in a 25 mile per hour zone, which is not safe for children and other pedestrians, or bicyclists. Another goal of this project is to improve the aesthetics of the area.

As a result of the items mentioned by Ms. Sonenfeld, the key results, from a safety/traffic calming point of view, are to provide a refuge island for pedestrians crossing the street; providing a bump out of Franklin Avenue to shorten the crosswalk; and to provide better visibility to motorists. The median is currently eight feet wide, and the new medium would also be eight feet wide, reducing the possibility of cars jumping over the median into oncoming traffic. The traffic would be channelized; however, there would be a dedicated second lane for right turns. The addition of bicycle lanes will significantly improve the safety of bicyclists who currently travel in that area. Moreover, it will also increase pedestrian safety, because bicyclists who do not want to travel in the street currently use the sidewalks, battling for sidewalk space with the pedestrians. The pedestrian walkway that goes through the Underpass is fine for pedestrians and those who walk their bicycles through there, but there are cyclists who ride their bicycles through there, and it becomes a danger for people with baby strollers, or people who are walking their pets. She also noted that information has shown that synchronizing the traffic lights in that area will allow traffic to move more smoothly, with less congestion in that area.

Regarding the aesthetics, the addition of the eight-foot median will allow for low maintenance landscaping, with trees and a woodchip surface covering the median, as well as lighting that fits with the overall look of the Village, resulting in a much improved appearance for the area.

The project was submitted to the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) for review, and a grant of $146,500 was received for the project. The Village Council approved the plans via a Title 59 resolution on September 18, 2013, by unanimous vote. Ms. Sonenfeld said she understood that leading up to the Councilmembers’ consideration, there were some discussions with the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee, as well as discussions within the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee, which Councilwoman Walsh will address.

At the May 7, 2014, Village Council meeting, Ms. Sonenfeld asked Frank Moritz, Director of Operations, to mention that the area would be closed for construction, and she addressed the topic again at the May 14, 2014, Village Council meeting. However, Ms. Sonenfeld does agree with the speakers who said that communications on the subject could have been better in the process.

After construction started, concerns continued to grow, particularly from a group of residents on the west side of Ridgewood, especially around the Heights. There were many emails going back and forth addressing these concerns, coordinated by Mr. Slomin, who spoke earlier this evening. A meeting was suggested to address the concerns with him and other residents who were being kept in the loop. It is not unusual for Councilmembers to grant such requests when citizens ask for discussion on a particular matter, and in the meantime, the number of residents who had concerns increased. The meeting was held on May 27, 2014, in the Community Center. As reported in the newspaper, there were more than 30 people at the meeting. The Councilmembers present and Ms. Sonenfeld presented the project and said they wanted to discuss it in three ways: they wanted to talk about the substance of the project itself; they wanted to discuss the process that the Village Council went through; and they wanted to talk about the construction phase of the project. Based on the emails, phone calls, and information gathered from the May 27th meeting, and some internal brainstorming, a plan modification was created. It was also suggested that the Councilmembers consider placing a stop sign on Heights Road to slow traffic down, as well as to perform some additional traffic monitoring around the area using traffic plates.

Last Thursday, traffic plates were installed. The plates count the number of cars; distance; and speed. Results will probably be available within one week, and the plates will continue to be used on the streets surrounding Garber Square. In addition, it has been decided that cameras would be installed on both sides of Garber Square, which are now in place.

As far as the plan modification is concerned, Ms. Sonenfeld pointed out that the modification calls for the narrowing the median to four feet. The benefit to that is that it is a quick and easy fallback if congestion that is not treatable should occur. However, Ms. Sonenfeld and the Councilmembers believe that they will not face that problem. The negative aspect to that approach is that it increases the potential for a vehicle to jump the median into oncoming traffic; loss of some of the aesthetics; and it would eliminate the possibility of landscaping, which would force the Village to do some hardscaping instead. This is because a narrow median results in a hotter environment, and plants are not recommended in such an environment. The ability for groundskeeping crews to work on a four-foot median is different than working on an eight-foot median, and it would require traffic control, including stopping traffic, which is to be avoided. Another negative aspect of the modified plan is the Fourth of July parade. Although the area would be usable for the Fourth of July, it will not be ready for photographs. The last negative is that 800-900 feet of curb has already been laid in the median, and it would cost approximately $45,000 to tear that up.

The proposal has been discussed by several residents, as well as the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee, and several of the Councilmembers. The Citizens Safety Advisory Committee is split on this issue. Some of its members have proposed completing the project as is, because they have faith in the project, and they do not want to spend the $45,000 at this time to rip out the curbing. However, if, after the project is completed, it is determined that it does not work, the curbing could be ripped out at that time. Ms. Sonenfeld is confident that the new traffic flows will work and will be controlled by better timing of the traffic lights.

The project will cost a total of $535,000. Ripping out the curb would cost $45,000, and redesigning the project has resulted in some decreases, because having no trees planted in the modified plan would save approximately $5,000, and another $20,000 in the irrigation system. It is not known at this time the difference between what is available in the capital budget and what will be needed for this project, but if more money is needed, it will be recommended that the Village Council approve a change order to add the necessary amount to the capital budget. It has been suggested to Ms. Sonenfeld that money that has already been appropriated from the 2014 capital budget for paving could be used to cover the potential overage, but that is something that Ms. Sonenfeld refuses to recommend.

Some lessons have been learned during this process. Ms. Sonenfeld said she remains fully in support of this project, as do the Councilmembers, the Engineering Department, the Police and Fire Departments, and the NJDOT. As noted above, the members of the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee are divided on the issue of whether to switch to a narrower median, or to go with the original design. Ms. Sonenfeld said she has also learned that the process with regard to communication could clearly be improved. When Ms. Sonenfeld first learned of this project several weeks ago, she was very impressed with it, and asked if it had been presented to the public, or to the Councilmembers. Mr. Rutishauser responded that it had not been presented in its entirety, but different parts of it had been. Ms. Sonenfeld thought that if she develops a plan, she would want to showcase it, because it is a progressive plan. However, she has committed herself to improving communications going forward as part of the process.

From a construction point of view, there will be times when traffic is very congested as this project continues. That is to be expected, but the Village hopes to continue to mitigate that problem by constant monitoring, using the cameras that have been installed. Public questioning and input are appreciated and welcomed by Ms. Sonenfeld and the Councilmembers. However, Ms. Sonenfeld cautioned that people should not be quick to blame every traffic accident on what is happening at Garber Square.

In conclusion, Ms. Sonenfeld said she would recommend going with the modified plan. She thanked her staff for all their help in researching the plans and putting all the information together.

Mayor Aronsohn thanked Ms. Sonenfeld for her very detailed report, and added that it helps to put everything in proper context. He also thanked her staff, and the staff of the Engineering Department, for their commitment to getting this right.

Councilman Walsh noted that many people have asked her about the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee over the past couple of weeks. She explained that the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee is an advisory board, and its members are appointed by the Village Council. They are all volunteers. One of the members is an engineer; another is a municipal manager; one of them is a member of the Ridgewood Police Department; one member is an attorney; two members are also members of the Board of Education; another member is in the finance industry; one member is from the Village Engineering Department; and another individual is EMS-certified. Some of the members have donated not just hours, but years to the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee. In fact, some of them have been on the Committee since its inception, which was more than 10 years ago. Every month, the agenda is set by the residents. Any resident who has a question or concern can make a request to the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee, and it will be discussed at the meeting. Any issue that is safety-related is likely to be discussed at one of the meetings. Councilwoman Walsh often brings some of the questions and concerns raised at their meetings to the Village Council. The Police Department also addresses some of the questions and concerns. Moreover, Councilwoman Walsh noted that since she has been on the Committee, there have been issues raised that might not have seemed to be safety-related issues. One of those issues was the opening of Habernickel Park, and a decision to place the parking lot at the back of the park, with the soccer field in front of the park. Many parents did not want to park at the back and have to walk all the way up to the front of the park for soccer games. Those parents were trying to park along the road, and residents who live very close to the park came to the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee with their concerns about people parking along the streets, blocking their driveways, and causing safety issues. The Police Department put some traffic plates out to study the issue, and it was found that there were people speeding in that area. A request was made to the Fields Committee to tell all of the parents who were bringing their children there for sports activities that they should respect the properties of the residents in that area, not speed, and they should not be parking in a hazardous or unsafe manner.

Councilwoman Walsh also mentioned the safety concerns that have been raised regarding pedestrians in the CBD, and she learned about the decoy program from Police Chief Ward. The Committee talks about issues in the CBD, and they have discussed issues around Valley Hospital, where congestion reaches its peak during shift changes and school dismissal times. The Complete Streets program was designed to make the Village safer, so that the roads could be shared by pedestrians, drivers, and bicyclists. Councilwoman Walsh pointed out that no one should be riding bikes on the sidewalks, but they can walk their bikes along sidewalks.

Mayor Aronsohn noted that in addition to the modified plan, which would make the eight-foot medians four feet wide, it is also proposed that the work be paid for by using a change order, which Ms. Sonenfeld estimates would be approximately $45,000, some of which could be absorbed in some of the costs. Ms. Sonenfeld confirmed that at some point, a change order might be necessary for the modified plan.

Councilwoman Walsh said that she could not speak for the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee, because the members are divided on the issue, with some members saying they like the original plan and want to continue with that, while others are supportive of the modified plan. Councilwoman Walsh said she agreed with Ms. Sonenfeld’s recommendation to go with the modified plan.

Councilman Pucciarelli thanked everyone for their comments on this issue. He added that this has been an interesting and challenging subject because of the many different comments that have been received from Ridgewood residents and Village staff. Councilman Pucciarelli recalled that some of the speakers during the public comment portion of this meeting stated that the spirit of the Open Public Meetings Act was violated, and he could understand that it might have looked as though a large public meeting was being held with only some members of the public being chosen to attend. It was also mentioned that three or four of the Councilmembers attended the meeting, and Councilman Pucciarelli wanted to point out that he came to the meeting to hear what people had to say. Mayor Aronsohn reminded Councilman Pucciarelli that Councilwoman Walsh, as the Chairperson of the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee, was expected to attend the meeting. When she arrived, Councilman Pucciarelli left, because the rule is that there can be no more than two Councilmembers in the room at the same time. However, Councilman Pucciarelli does not believe that wanting to hear what she had to say violates the spirit of democracy, or the spirit of good government. He also noted that Councilwoman Hauck was very conscientious about staying out of the room so that the rule would not be violated.

Next, Councilman Pucciarelli pointed out that these types of projects do not just pop up out of nowhere. He recalled that several months ago, some bicycle enthusiasts were at a Village Council meeting, including the President of the New York City chapter of a cycling group. The bicyclists were urging the Councilmembers to do whatever was necessary to encourage the flow of bicycles through Ridgewood streets. Therefore, this project includes a conduit from east to west for bicycle traffic. Councilman Pucciarelli admitted that the intelligent comments made so far in criticism of the project have suggested that a second look should be taken at it. This compromise allows the Councilmembers to do exactly that. By shrinking the median, some of the aesthetics are given up, and an additional financial burden is incurred. There may also be a safety implication in the modified plan. However, it does provide the flexibility of returning to two lanes in each direction. Councilman Pucciarelli also admitted that he is a bit skeptical of the idea of two lanes, because he has never seen cars driving side-by-side through those curves, and he travels through that area on a daily basis. He urged that a monitoring schedule and the expected goal be established before a decision is made to go back to the idea of having two lanes, so that the decision is not premature or arbitrary. There should be some criteria established that must be met in order for the bicycle lanes to be removed.

Councilman Riche stated that he considered this from a different perspective. He spends a lot of time in the CBD, and he will often call Chief Ward to address issues that he observes. Councilman Riche noticed a disregard and disrespect for speed limits and proper driving by drivers traversing through the CBD. As elected officials, the Councilmembers represent 100% of the community. Councilman Riche understands that each individual voice is important, but decisions should be made for the entire community, not based on the loudest voices. A petition signed by 557 people represents less than 2% of the community. Councilman Riche also took umbrage with the comment made to the effect that an engineer from MIT could do a better job than any of the Village engineering staff. He said he supports the plan as originally designed, because Ridgewood needs all the traffic calming that can be provided. Too many pedestrians are being hit, and too many people are driving in an effort to get to their next stop as fast as they can. This project is ideal for slowing people down. Moreover, Councilman Riche said he is not in a position to approve a $45,000 change order on a 0% tax increase budget that has no room for any additional capital projects.

Councilwoman Hauck said she cannot support the change order, although she does understand that it is costly. However, out of deference to the community and all other points of view, everyone’s opinion is heard whenever possible, although it always slows down the proposed project. Councilwoman Hauck said she also agrees with Mr. Halaby’s suggestion that the timing of the lights should be checked, and allowing a right turn on a red light at the intersection of Broad Street and Franklin Avenue should be allowed. Councilwoman Hauck also agrees that one of the biggest errors made was that the project was not unveiled in the right way. It was not intentional error, but the project was unveiled as a paving project, and approval was given along with many other paving projects at a Village Council meeting, but this particular project should have been discussed as a redesign and paving project.

Ms. Sonenfeld noted that the light system at Broad Street and Franklin Avenue will be examined as part of this project. Part of the long-range plan is to evaluate whether smart lights might be a better choice for intersections like that one, although they are more costly. Discussions are also underway with the County to collaborate on the purchase of smart lights, which will give the Village more flexibility.

Councilman Pucciarelli asked if the re-stuccoing of the overpass and the light system for the Underpass are still part of the plan. Ms. Sonenfeld answered that the re-stuccoing of the overpass will be coming up later on in the project, as part of a grant discussed later. The lighting under the overpass is being considered as part of the project, but it could also be done as part of the other grant.

Mayor Aronsohn commented that he also supports the original plan, because it considers pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle safety, as well as the fact that the area is dangerous, with too many accidents occurring there. He also likes the modifications that have been suggested, and believes they are actually improvements to the plan.

Councilwoman Hauck asked if the project will be finished by the Fourth of July, and Ms. Sonenfeld said it would not. The area will be ready for the Fourth of July, but it will still look like a construction area, not suitable for photographs.

This resolution will be put on the agenda for the June 11, 2014 Public Meeting.

2.) Request Bergen County to Restore Open Space Tax

Ms. Sonenfeld explained that this is a request for Bergen County to restore the Open Space tax. Councilman Riche pointed out that the Open Space Committee wrote a letter to the County Executive and the Freeholders to request their support in the form of a resolution. The letter points out that open space acquisitions in Ridgewood have been predicated upon not only Ridgewood’s own Open Space tax, but also County grants. Between 2000 and 2012, Ridgewood received $4.9 million in Open Space grant monies. However, the county reduced the tax in 2010, which has, in essence, depleted the Open Space fund. Currently, the Ridgewood Open Space fund is in debt for the acquisition of Habernickel Park and the Schedler property, and will be for several years to come. That means that the taxpayers of Ridgewood are carrying the burden of that deficit. Therefore, the Committee asked that the County restore the Open Space tax, which is very minimal. The reduction of the Open Space tax in 2010 also made the county ineligible for the 50% matching New Jersey State Green Acres funds for County Open Space acquisitions.

Councilwoman Walsh said she agreed with Councilman Riche. She said that when residents come to the Councilmembers to ask what will be done about a particular project or issue, as well as how to increase the use and maintenance of the fields, having the Open Space funds available would be a reasonable use of those funds.

Councilman Pucciarelli estimated that the amount of Open Space tax that would be levied on a property with an assessed value of $500,000 would be approximately $50, and the tax would be $100 on a property with an assessed value of $1 million. While Councilman Pucciarelli did not think it was acceptable to ask the County to increase taxes, even by a small amount, while at the same time pushing for a 0% municipal tax increase in Ridgewood, he believes that the preservation of vacant land is a worthy goal, because if it is not preserved, the land will be lost forever. That is why he wants to encourage the County to do this, and history has shown that Ridgewood usually receives its fair share of these funds.

Councilwoman Hauck said she supports the request, because she thinks it is important that, with the current interest rates and the density in Bergen County, as well as with all of the development that occurs around the County, there needs to be a counterbalance to all of that with the preservation of open space.

Mayor Aronsohn asked what these funds could be used for in Ridgewood, if the tax is reinstated. Councilman Riche responded that it would make Ridgewood again eligible to receive New Jersey State Green Acres grants. It may help with maintenance on existing facilities, as well as some projects that might be developed for the Schedler property, or any other Open Space-related project. Janet Fricke, Assistant to the Village Manager, noted that Timothy Cronin, Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, has been very successful in the past in getting grants from the County for park improvements, such as when the turf field at Maple Field was damaged, and he was able to get some money from the County Open Space fund for that repair. In addition, a lot of the money that funded the improvements at Habernickel Park came from Mr. Cronin going year after year to request funds for the various projects at that park. Ms. Fricke confirmed that any of the Open Space funds would be available for improvements to municipal parks, as well as to purchase land.

Councilman Riche noted that grants in the amount of $88,000; $25,000; $1.5 million; $26,000; $100,000; $37,000; $356,000; $46,000; $263,000; $50,000; $1 million; and $126,000 have been received over the years for all sorts of improvements to and purchases of municipal parks over the past several years.

This resolution will be put on the agenda for the June 11, 2014 Public Meeting.

3.) Award Contract – Purchase of 2 SUVs – Police Department

Ms. Sonenfeld noted that this is for the purchase of two SUVs for the Police Department, using funds from the 2013 capital budget. The Police Department is moving toward pursuit-rated Tauruses and Explorers as patrol cars. The Police Department currently has 11 Crown Victorias, which is a decrease from the 13 that they formerly had. Two of them had catastrophic engine failures.

This resolution will be put on the agenda for the June 11, 2014 Public Meeting.

4.) Award Extraordinary Unspecifiable Services Contract – Repair Brookside Field Sanitary Sewer

Ms. Sonenfeld stated that this is a contract for an extraordinary unspecifiable service. On May 6th, several sinkholes were found in Brookside Field. Due to the circumstances of sinkholes, the proximity to the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook and the activity at the field, Mr. Rutishauser contacted Conquest Industries, who had a crew available to start the work immediately. Funds to pay for this contract are found in Ordinance #3111. Councilman Pucciarelli asked what the cost is, and Ms. Sonenfeld responded that it is approximately $20,500.

This resolution will be put on the agenda for the June 11, 2014 Public Meeting.

5.) Appoint Safe Routes to School Coordinator

Ms. Sonenfeld explained that the Village received approval in 2011 to proceed with the non-infrastructure portion of the Safe Routes to School Grant. At that time, no Coordinator was identified to work with NJDOT and the Village. This resolution authorizes payment to be made to Jeannie Johnson from those grant funds. Activities completed under the auspices of this grant for which Ms. Johnson was responsible, include attending quarterly meetings in New Brunswick and Trenton; meeting bi-monthly with the Village Engineering Department, as well as with the NJDOT Manager bi-annually; coordinating the bi-annual "Ridgewood Walk/Bike to School Month;" coordinating advertising for various print media; sustaining the "Keep Kids Alive – Drive 25" initiative; and coordinating bike rodeos and inspections. This is only necessary to identify Ms. Johnson as the Coordinator and the funding to pay her can be provided out of the grant.

Councilwoman Walsh commented that the need for grant writers has been discussed before, and that is basically what Ms. Johnson does. She has dedicated her time and has been instrumental in obtaining necessary funding for many activities associated with Safe Routes to School. Ms. Johnson is being paid from grant monies, not from Village funds.

Councilwoman Hauck noted that she had not been involved in this, and knows very little about it. She does know about the Safe Routes to School project, but she does not know anything about Ms. Johnson or the grant writing. Councilwoman Walsh pointed out that this started in 2011, and Councilwoman Hauck asked if this is the first year that Ms. Johnson is being paid for her efforts. Ms. Sonenfeld explained that the money covers the past three years, since Ms. Johnson started working on this project. At the time, the Village was asked to identify a Coordinator, and that is what is happening now. Councilwoman Hauck asked if the payment was a retroactive one, and Councilwoman Walsh responded that initially, Ms. Johnson had not asked to be paid for her work, but as her working hours increased, it was felt that some type of pay was necessary. Ms. Sonenfeld added that the sponsors of the grant insisted that a Coordinator be named.

This resolution will be put on the agenda for the June 11, 2014 Public Meeting.

6.) Grant Authorization – Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) – Beautification of the Approaches to the Historic Village Train Station

Ms. Sonenfeld commented that this is a grant authorization for a Transportation Alternative Program, which is being called the Beautification of the Approaches to the Historic Village Train Station. TAP provides Federal funds for community-based, non-traditional projects assigned to strengthen the cultural, aesthetic, and environmental aspects of the nation’s intermodal system. The primary purpose is beautification, and the goal is to replace some sidewalks with brick walkways; decorative lighting; landscaping; and the application of California stucco on the wall. Part of the grant application process requires a resolution of approval by the governing body of the municipality submitting the application. This resolution will be put on the agenda for the June 11, 2014 Public Meeting.

b. Policy:

1.) Honoring Roger Wiegand

Mayor Aronsohn recalled that the last time this was discussed, some ideas were suggested. One of the ideas was to place a plaque on the inside of the podium where the public makes comments at Village Council meetings; another was to put a sign on the street where he lived marking it as "Wiegand Way," or some other way of indicating that he lived there; and the third was to plant a tree in his memory. Another suggestion was to hold a reception to honor Mr. Wiegand, which Mayor Aronsohn said would probably be done in any case. After speaking to different people, Mayor Aronsohn commented that many people seem to like the idea of the plaque, and is not sure if anyone wants to move forward with just that idea, or perhaps doing all three of the suggestions, along with a reception. Councilman Riche suggested that the plaque could read something like "In Honor of Roger Wiegand, the Sixth Councilmember". All of the Councilmembers like the idea of the plaque, coupled with a reception, which could be held when the plaque is dedicated.

Jeffery Carlson, 263 Franklin Avenue, addressed the Councilmembers again. Mr. Carlson wanted to contact former classmates of his and Mr. Wiegand’s. He learned recently that Mr. Wiegand is the 63rd person to die out of a class of 447 students at Ridgewood High School. Mr. Carlson asked if he could ask for input from their classmates about what they would like to do to honor Mr. Wiegand, and Mayor Aronsohn agreed. Mr. Carlson commented that he knew that Mr. Wiegand kept daily records of rainfall and temperatures for quite a few years, and it occurred to Mr. Carlson that some type of digital thermometer placed at Graydon Pool, facing Veterans Field, might be another appropriate way to honor Mr. Wiegand’s memory. Mayor Aronsohn suggested that Mr. Carlson discuss the idea of the plaque with his former classmates, and come back to the Councilmembers with their input and suggestions. Mayor Aronsohn asked that Mr. Carlson do this as soon as possible, because it is hoped that everything could be accomplished during the summer.

4. REVIEW OF JUNE 11, 2014 AGENDA

Ms. Mailander announced that the Public Meeting would include the following Proclamation: Mayor’s Wellness Campaign.

There are no ordinances to be introduced next week.

The Public Hearings on ordinances include: Lease of 1057 Hillcrest Road; Establish Abandoned Property Guidelines; Establishment of a Green Team.

Resolutions include: Waive Fourth of July Vendor Fees; Grant Permission to Fireworks Company for Fireworks Display; Approve Liquor License Renewals; Title 59 Approval – Landscaping Services – Ridgewood Water; Award Contract – Landscaping Services – Ridgewood Water; Award Contract Safe Routes to School Grant Work; Award Contract – Animal Control Services and Waterfowl Management; Award Contract under County Contract – Lightning Detection System; Award Contract under State Contract – Two SUVs for Police Department; Award Extraordinary Unspecifiable Services Contract – Repair Brookside Field Sanitary Sewer; Authorize Snowplowing Agreement with Bergen County; Grant Authorization – Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) – Garber Square Historic Beautification; Authorize Participation in the Community Development Block Grant Program and Home Investment Partnership Act Program – 2015-2017; Appoint Safe Routes to School Coordinator; Memorialize the Garber Square Beautification Project; Request Restoration of the Bergen County Open Space Tax.

5. MANAGER’S REPORT

Ms. Sonenfeld gave an update on the quarter theft situation. The Judge has been assigned for sentencing, but the sentencing has been rescheduled from Friday, June 6th, to Thursday, July 10th, due to Court calendar issues. The Village is still waiting for the engagement letter from the Joint Insurance Fund (JIF) for the forensic accounting review.

At her first "Meet the Manager" event on Saturday, May 31st, Ms. Sonenfeld was pleased that it was well-attended. She met with 11 people. The next "Meet the Manager" date is scheduled for Saturday, June 28th, from 9:00 A.M.-12:00 Noon. During the sessions, Ms. Sonenfeld said there was negative feedback on the new budget newsletter, which was the first time negative feedback had been received. She provided that input to the Financial Advisory Committee (FAC). In addition, some issues were reported at King’s Pond Park, as well as the grounds around the Ridgewood Water Cedarcroft area. Tomorrow, Ms. Sonenfeld is planning to accompany Mr. Rutishauser, Mr. Cronin, and John Spano to take an investigative look at those areas and come back with recommendations. Three people who came to meet with Ms. Sonenfeld discussed ways in which they could volunteer for the Village. One resident expressed concern about the intersection at Paramus Road and Linwood Avenue, where there was a house that was taken down. At this time, there is a plan to build a two-story day care center on the site, as well as a home for autistic children. The property, located in Paramus, requires 14 variances, and the Ridgewood resident asked that an elected official from Ridgewood act as an advocate for Ridgewood residents at the June 12th Paramus Planning Board meeting.

As part of her "Response to Residents" report, Ms. Sonenfeld said there has been progress made on the e-ticket program. The Administrative Office of Courts has assigned someone to finalize approved usage of the new system. Once that approval is obtained, the new system will be implemented.

Mr. Rutishauser had a lengthy conversation with the owner of the Town Garage site, and that will be brought back to the Village Council for a possible discussion on the pros and cons of temporary parking in July.

Signs have been installed at Oak Street and East Ridgewood Avenue to highlight the businesses located on the side streets. This was a joint project with the Chamber of Commerce, and it may require some tweaking, because it may be necessary to install another pole to accommodate the signs. The next streets scheduled to get such signs are Broad Street and East Ridgewood Avenue; and Chestnut Street and East Ridgewood Avenue.

Graydon Pool opened last Saturday, and will be open every day throughout the summer. The temporary pool drain line was rolled up to make the parking lot fully accessible to everyone. Ms. Sonenfeld commended all of the Village staff members who worked to ensure that access to the Graydon Pool parking lot was not impeded. The permanent installation of the parking lot part has been completed, and the rest will be installed over the next several days. In addition, a solution has been found regarding how to skim the pool in a more effective manner, which will be implemented in approximately one week.

There are some free outdoor summer concerts scheduled at the Kasschau Band Shell, which start on Thursday, June 5th, at 8:00 P.M. After that, free concerts are scheduled for every Tuesday and Thursday night, starting at 8:30 P.M. People who wish to attend should bring chairs and/or blankets.

"A Taste of Ridgewood" will be held on Sunday, June 8th, 1:00 P.M.-4:00 P.M. Approximately 20 restaurants are involved in this event, as well as a beer garden.

"Movies in the Park," a free event sponsored by the Ridgewood Guild, starts on Wednesday, June 11th, at Memorial Park at Van Neste Square. The first movie to be shown will be "The Maltese Falcon".

The Bergen County Utilities Authority will collect computers and electronics, tires, recycling, and paper to be shredded on Sunday, June 7th, from 9:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M., at Campgaw.

At the intersection of Walnut Street and Franklin Avenue, buckets have been installed with flags in them. They are for pedestrians to use when crossing the streets. This is another project that Jeannie Johnson helped to make possible.

6. COUNCIL REPORTS

Fourth of July Committee – Councilman Riche stated that the Fourth of July Committee is looking for volunteers, and is preparing for another great Fourth of July celebration in Ridgewood. The theme is to honor the 200th anniversary of the United States flag.

Community Center Advisory Board – Councilwoman Hauck reported that Liz Kloak, Nancy Bigos, Janet Fricke, and many others went to the Community Center to host the Teen Step Up Party, which is mostly funded by the Municipal Alliance grant. This was the first time that the fifth-graders from all of the elementary schools come together to meet each other in anticipation of attending middle school the following year. On the east side, approximately 200 children attended; and on the west side, approximately 180 children attended the event. Door prizes were awarded, and the children behaved very well. This is part of the success of the Community Center, where teenagers learn to socialize responsibly and enjoy themselves.

Mayor’s Wellness Campaign – Mayor Aronsohn said that there are so many different types of activities scheduled as part of this campaign, and efforts are being made to coordinate all of the various activities in Ridgewood. Councilwoman Hauck initiated a logo contest for the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign, and two winners have been found, although they have not yet been contacted. There is also a dance party at Graydon Pool scheduled for Monday, June 16th, and Councilwoman Hauck said that approximately 150 people are expected to attend. It is the "weigh out" for the Fair Lawn and Ridgewood weight loss challenge. The winners of the logo contest will be invited to attend the next Village Council meeting, when the Proclamation is read. Councilwoman Hauck commented that all of the institutions and entities in the Village that provide health and wellness facilities for residents are collaborating under the umbrella of the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign. There is a Facebook page devoted to it, and information about it can also be found on the Village website.

Planning Board – Mayor Aronsohn noted that the Planning Board met twice this week. On Monday night, there was a hearing about Valley Hospital, which was also the last night on which public comment was held on the process. Next Monday, June 16th, the Planning Board will again meet about Valley Hospital, at which time closing arguments will be heard, as well as the Planning Board attorney presenting the charge to the members of the Planning Board. On June 17th, members of the Planning Board will express their own views and vote on the Valley Hospital application.

Ridgewood Community Access Network – Mayor Aronsohn stated that the Access Committee will show a film in the Public Library Auditorium called "Murder Ball," a very compelling film that tells the story of a quadriplegic rugby team at the Paralympics. The movie starts at 7:30 P.M. on Thursday, June 5th.

7. 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.

Leonard Eisen, 762 Upper Boulevard, commented that he favored the plaque suggestion to honor Mr. Wiegand. In addition, Mr. Eisen hopes that any memorial would include a full-length portrait of Mr. Wiegand.

Boyd Loving, 342 South Irving Street, noted that Ms. Sonenfeld mentioned that the Garber Square project was unanimously approved by the Councilmembers in September 2013. Mr. Loving thinks the lesson to be learned from that is that although it was approved unanimously, it was approved as part of a consent agenda, along with a number of other items. It was not a separate item that was discussed, but was incorporated with other items for approval. Mr. Loving pointed out that the lesson learned there is that it is very important to read everything that is included in a consent agenda.

Next, Mr. Loving noted that it was stated that the proposed changes that would be memorialized next week would not be classified as substantive changes with respect to the NJDOT grant, so the Village would not be in jeopardy with respect to that grant. Mr. Loving wanted reassurance that everyone is comfortable that such is the case, and that someone has verified that with the NJDOT. Ms. Sonenfeld responded that everyone is "very sure" about that. Mr. Loving asked if the assurance was obtained in writing, and Ms. Sonenfeld said that she does not have it in writing. Mr. Rutishauser responded that he has not contacted the NJDOT, and the median width is a minor change. The greater intent of the project remains the same, and that is how the change will be presented to the NJDOT. The NJDOT requires Mr. Rutishauser to sign off on the project in order for them to release the funds. In addition, some post-paving testing will be required to show that the asphalt was properly placed and compacted to the correct thickness and density, which will also be submitted to the NJDOT.

Mr. Loving said with respect to the landscaping on the median, it sounded to him as if there would be on-going maintenance costs with respect to the trees, which has been eliminated in the modified proposal. Ms. Sonenfeld said that would depend on what decision is ultimately made, and that she and the other collaborators are trying to come up with ways to enhance the aesthetics of the area. Most of the maintenance for the trees would have been the application of weed killer over the wood chips. Mr. Loving asked Ms. Sonenfeld for clarification that she was recommending that the extra money to pay for the modifications would come out of the capital budget funds for paving, and Ms. Sonenfeld responded that she said the opposite. She recommended the authorization of the change order to cover any differential in costs, and the paving budget would not be touched.

Regarding the discussion held earlier about ambulances, Mr. Loving noted that last night at approximately 5:15 P.M., there was a serious accident at the intersection of Doremus Avenue and Godwin Avenue, and emergency vehicles had difficulty getting to the scene as a result of the traffic congestion. Ms. Sonenfeld had mentioned the idea of installing smart lights in that area, and Mr. Loving thinks it would be a good idea to investigate that possibility. He has read that it is possible to use the smart lights to control traffic congestion, such as turning all the lights green in order to allow the traffic to flow so that emergency vehicles can pass through.

Finally, Mr. Loving asked a question regarding Brookside Field. He said he understood that Brookside Field is owned and maintained by the Board of Education, and he wondered why the Village Council budgeted $20,000 to repair the sanitary sewer there. Mr. Loving said he knows that the sanitary sewer is something for which the Village is responsible, but he wondered if any work done at Brookside Field by the Board of Education when truckloads of dirt were brought in, could have caused the collapse of the sanitary sewer there. Mr. Rutishauser responded that when he investigated the area where the sinkhole opened, there is no evidence that any heavy loads from trucks or any other vehicle had been involved. The pipe that failed is a DCP pipe, which is commonly used in the Village. Approximately 4-5 years ago, there was a similar failure of a DCP pipe in an area south of where the current incident occurred.

Bill McCandless, 71 Ridge Road, asked a question about the traffic lights that will be installed around Garber Square. Mr. McCandless wondered where in the sequence of the project would the installation of the lights be scheduled, and if that would be when the work is completed, or if the lights that are currently in that area would still be there when the work is done. Ms. Sonenfeld responded that the lights that are currently in use in that area will be there when the project is completed. The manual adjustment of those lights will be done over the next several weeks, working with the Engineering Department, as well as a traffic expert on the Citizens Safety Advisory Committee. Using the information provided from the traffic cameras that have been installed, the lights will be adjusted accordingly. Any installation of the new smart lights would be done on County roads, which include Franklin Avenue and Broad Street. Councilwoman Walsh noted that the County has pledged to provide three of the smart lights to Ridgewood. Mr. Rutishauser commented that the Village Council approved this resolution last year in partnership with Bergen County. Initially, three intersections were suggested as locations for the smart lights, including Franklin Avenue, Maple Avenue, and East Ridgewood Avenue; Oak Street and Franklin Avenue; and the Lincoln Avenue/Ackerman Avenue/South Monroe Street intersection. The County apparently has some money allocated to the Village for the lights, and they are currently waiting for the Village to take care of the necessary design and survey work at the various locations. That will be part of the 2015 capital budget requests. Mr. McCandless wondered about the possibility of having a dedicated left turn arrow installed, and he asked if that could be generated from those types of lights, as well as if the lights could be overridden to allow access by emergency service vehicles. Mr. Rutishauser answered that a signal override system can be considered for emergency service vehicles, but there are benefits and drawbacks to such a system. For example, implementing a system of sequential green lights to facilitate the passage of emergency vehicles would also allow the traffic to lead or follow those emergency vehicles. Those types of issues must be taken into consideration. Different timing sequences can be considered for the traffic lights, such as a leading left turn, or a right turn only lane, as well as prohibiting right turns on red at certain corners. Mr. McCandless pointed out that the inability to make left turns is a source of frustration to drivers from west to east. He is also concerned about the elimination of the long left turn, near the Exxon station, and if that is removed to make an area for two left hand turns, with an island, one going to West Ridgewood Avenue and the other going into the train station parking lot, that the traffic will back up even more in that area. Ms. Sonenfeld said that they may remove the island and paint it instead, which would save $5,000 in project costs.

Mr. McCandless finally discussed the lighting in the median strip. He asked why the historic lights, which have broadcast beams, instead of the downcast lights are being used in the median strip. Mr. McCandless believes that the downcast lights would provide better lighting. Mr. Rutishauser stated that the historic lights are being used because it would maintain the continuity of the design of the lights from the east side to the west side of the Village. Mr. Rutishauser assured all present that when all of the lights in the median strip are on, it will be well lit.

Ms. Sonenfeld, referring to an earlier comment made by a resident, added that it really does not matter what school one attends, but what has been learned and the experience it brings. She pointed out that it is quite obvious that Mr. Rutishauser has experience and credentials, and she respects his judgment. Ms. Sonenfeld attended Hunter College in New York, and she is very proud of her education. She indicated that one does not have to attend an Ivy League School to be educated. She said that she hired people in the private sector for positions of great responsibility who had great work ethics and worked hard at their education. She thanked Mr. Rutishauser for his input and his expertise.

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

8. RESOLUTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION

The following resolution, numbered 14-137, to go into Closed Session, was read in full by the Village Clerk, as follows:

9. ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Councilman Riche, seconded by Councilwoman Walsh, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the meeting was adjourned at 9:35 P.M.

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Paul S. Aronsohn

Mayor

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Heather A. Mailander

Village Clerk