Planning Board Public Meeting Minutes 20140520

 
The following minutes are a summary of the Planning Board meeting of May 20, 2014. For more detailed information, interested parties may request an audio recording of the meeting from the Board Secretary for a fee.
Call to Order & Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act: Chairman Nalbantian called the meeting to order at 7:45 p.m. The following members were present: Mayor Aronsohn, Ms. Bigos, Chairman Nalbantian, Mr. Reilly, Mr. Joel, Ms. Dockray, and Ms. Peters. Also present were: Katie Razin, Esq., substituting for Gail Price, Esq., Board Attorney; Blais Brancheau, Village Planner, and Jane Wondergem, Board Secretary. Councilman Pucciarelli is recused from the hearing on the H – Hospital zone and was absent from the meeting.
Correspondence received by the Board – Ms. Wondergem said there was none.
Public Comments on Topics not Pending Before the Board – There were no comments at this time.
Public Hearing on Amendment to the Land Use Plan Element of the Master Plan for the H-Hospital Zone, The Valley Hospital, 223 N. Van Dien Avenue, Block 3301, Lot 51 – Following is the transcript of this portion of the meeting, prepared by Laura A. Carucci, C.C.R., R.P.R.:
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Okay.  So, we're finally at public comment, for those of you who have been through this process with us from the beginning, thank you very much for enduring this.  What I'm going to do is read my statement so I don't forget anything. 
I want to talk about the process and procedure we're going to use tonight.  I think most of you have heard this already or may be familiar because we did have some of it posted in the press.  So let me take a moment and then we will begin public comment.
Thank you all for coming and enduring the sign in process this evening.  Tonight we'll begin our process to hear public comment on the pending H Zone Master Plan Amendment. 
The Board has established certain procedures so that tonight's process goes smoothly and the Board can hear your views.
Over the course of the 24 hearings conducted since March of 2013, all interested parties have been entitled and permitted, without exception, to appear individually or with the assistance of legal counsel for the purpose of asking questions of the various facts and expert witnesses who have given testimony.  So, tonight the Board would like to hear your comments.
Each of you upon entering, received a number.  This number will be used for the order of public comment speaking.  In addition, and for everyone's safety, the number will also be used to monitor the room's capacity.  Unfortunately, that's not an issue tonight.
Those of you who have come tonight to comment should also have checked the box when you signed in indicating your intent to speak.  In a few moments I'll call each of you in numerical order.
Once your name and number is called, please move immediately to the microphone at the podium up front and then speak slowly to say your name and street address for the record, so that the transcriber is able to record that information. 
You will also be sworn in at that time since all comments must be made under oath and Laura will also    the reporter will also swear you in. 
If you change your mind about speaking when your name is called, please indicate "pass" and we'll move on to the next speaker.  We hope those of you who have indicated that you will speak will speak.  There have been one or two instances where some people came unprepared.  If your name is called, please come and see me during the break so we can see about adjusting the time of your slot.  But we do hope everybody can speak tonight who's intended to speak.
It's important to note that passing or donating your time to another speaker is not permitted.  If you choose not to speak, you will have to waive that time. 
Each speaker will be given up to three minutes for comment.  The three minutes will begin following the administration of the oath.  If you have a written statement, please be sure it does not exceed the allotted three minutes before you begin.
Jane Wondergem, the Board secretary, will indicate when you have reached three minutes.  In fact she's going to give you a 30 second warning so you know you have about 30 seconds.  At three minutes, please try to wrap it up. 
At that time, please promptly finish your statement and return to your seat allowing the next person to speak.  If you choose, you may at that time provide a written copy of your spoken statement to Jane for inclusion into the file, however, what we will be doing with those statements is verifying them against the transcription of what was spoken, to verify that there isn't any difference between the two, because we can only admit to the record words that were spoken. 
When I call the next individual's name and number, we will continue to proceed in the same fashion until we get through the list.  Please note that we will hear each speaker who wishes to make a comment only once, to give everyone opportunity.  Three minutes is customary.  And it's a customary amount of time for comment and consistent with the time given by the Village Council during the underlying 2010 process. 
Those of you who are listed as members of C.R.R. are considered to be represented by the counsel.  Remember, the public comment period is not a time to be making formal presentations to the Board, as that opportunity has already been provided by the Board throughout the hearing process.  The Board has received document submissions from two parties which Kate, the Board attorney, will further comment on in a few moments. 
Please also remember that petitions cannot be accepted by the Board, nor any written statements from someone who is not present.  This is a rule established by New Jersey case law that all parties seeking to put information before the Board must be available for cross examination.
Please be considerate to everyone in this room tonight, this is important.  We ask that your comments reflect your own personal experiences with regard to the merits of the pending H Zone Amendment and the testimony heard tonight throughout the process or throughout the process. 
Please do not use this time to criticize individuals whether of the public, the applicant, the Board or its professionals.  We also kindly ask that no one applaud, boo or interrupt the speaker who is at the podium. 
Also please use respect to time limits and appropriately bring statements to a close when we indicate that time is up.  It's fair and it will allow all persons to be heard. 
Please also try to avoid repetition.  The Board has a right to limit repetitive and irrelevant statements.  And we anticipate not needing to cut short any speakers provided this procedure is followed. 
The same procedure will be followed at the next hearing on June 2nd.  We will begin that meeting with the first person and number that didn't have time for tonight.  We, again, anticipate on June 2nd, that we will open the doors for provision of numbers and sign in sheets approximately one hour prior to the 7:30 start time, or approximately 6:30 p.m.  We anticipate both meetings will end at approximately 10:30 p.m. 
Let me summarize the remaining H Zone scheduling that is anticipated at this time.  June 2nd, is the continuation of tonight for public comment.  We expect that will be completed on June 2nd.  June 9th will be when attorney rebuttals and summations are presented, also instruction from the Board attorney for the Board.  June 17th will be Board deliberation, a motion for resolution and the vote. 
The June 2nd, June 9th and June 17th meeting will be held at the BF auditorium.  Please note that the 17th will be at the BF auditorium, not here as we anticipated before. 
All the future meetings will be at BF.
Thank you again for coming tonight and for offering your comments on the H Zone Amendment.
Katie is going to now speak about some of the documents that were provided.  And then we will begin public comment.
MS. RAZIN:  So the Board received, through our office and through Jane, two submissions from members of the public, one from Ms. Tuomey and one from Mr. Halaby.  Both included a number of articles by authors that are not present this evening, so I'd like to provide our office's legal opinion very briefly to the Board so they can determine ultimately if they are admissible into the record.
And Charles and I actually spoke to Ms. Tuomey directly about the documents that she submitted and I also spoke to Mr. Halaby as well and although the documents may say very different things, the concerns that I would have from a legal standpoint are actually very similar.  Primarily there's an issue of relevance, the documents don't speak to this particular amendment proposal or the project or the site and what's proposed here.  So there's, in my opinion, a lack of relevance by what's being proposed in the documents, in both sets of documents. 
Specifically with Ms. Tuomey, and as we explained, a lot of those documents related to air pollution and particulate matter, but there was a lack of connection to this particular project. 
The second concern, which I hinted to earlier is the fact that the articles in both cases were not presented by experts who are being put forth for testimony.  So there is not going to be sworn testimony to support the documents that are being submitted or to make formalized opinions for the Board and those individuals who authored those documents are not available for a questioning or cross exam which is a right of this Board and the public. 
And for those reasons, it would be my opinion and our office's opinion that the documents themselves be inadmissible. 
We've also received objection from Mr. Drill relative to Ms. Tuomey's documents which relatively summarizes in greater length, what I just said. 
One thing with Ms. Tuomey's documents, there were four submissions that are from governmental websites, two from the NJ DEP, one from the EPA and one from the DOT.  And how I explained this to Ms. Tuomey was that the Board could take judicial notice of these documents, which means that they will    in my opinion, they should not be admissible for purposes of relevance to the matter at hand or they don't speak to    directly to the testimony or the proofs that were provided, but the Board can take note of the facts that are contained on these websites and on these printouts because they come from reliable sources, the governmental agencies, and so there's no reason to question the facts contained into those documents.  So, I have separated out those pieces, depending on what the Board ultimately rules on right now, those can be handed out. 
But what I've encouraged both Ms. Tuomey and Mr. Halaby to do is to formalize their written presentations into their statements and to make them more personal during their speaking presentations.  And I'm sure the Board would be eager to hear what they have to say, but in the form of public comment. 
So, ultimately, it's up to the Board, but that's our recommendation.

CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  I think your recommendation is good.
I'd like to hear comments from the members of the Board on that?
MS. PETERS:  I agree with what Katie is speaking about, I have no   
AUDIENCE MEMBERS:  We can't hear.  We can't hear.
MS. PETERS:  First time I've never been heard.
I said I agree with what Katie is speaking about, the government agencies are    the documents are things that we certainly should be reviewing at this time.  And I look forward to hearing the personal comments made. 
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thank you, Michele.
MS. PETERS:  Thank you.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Anyone else? 
(NO RESPONSE.)
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Then we will accept Katie's recommendation? 
MS. BIGOS:  I accept it.  
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Okay.  Thank you, Katie.
MS. RAZIN:  Oh, and I just have two more brief comments.  All right.
Just for the public's awareness and for everyone on the Board, we did meet    Charles and I met with Mr. Drill and also with Kate Walsh who is of Mr. Kate's office, and we discussed some of the procedure for this evening and for future meetings.
So there was an understanding between C.R.R. and the hospital and the Board, a process for tonight and going forward, and we did discuss C.R.R. members speaking.  And I discussed that with Pete McKenna this evening.  And I understand that that may occur at the next meeting.  And I'll reach out to Mr. Kates in the interim to speak with him further on that, but we did encourage whoever wanted to speak, to come and speak.  So I just wanted to make everyone aware of that. 
And we also were just finalizing our procedures for the June 17th meeting, which as mentioned is going to be at BF.  And we want everyone    we welcome everyone, but we encourage everyone to be, again, respectful and peaceful.  And we hope that it's a good turnout. 
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  And, fortunately, BF has a large seating capacity so we should be able to accommodate everyone. 
Okay.  If there aren't any questions from the Board, I'd like to proceed with public comment   
MS. DOCKRAY:  Charles, I have one question. 
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Yes.
MS. DOCKRAY:  Are we allowed to question   
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Yes.
MS. DOCKRAY:     the people presenting? 
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  I'll ask you if you have questions. 
MS. DOCKRAY:  Okay.  Thank you.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  In fact, I won't.  If you do have a question   
MS. DOCKRAY:  I    well, you know I always do.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:    let me know and just indicate to me that you do have a question.
MS. DOCKRAY:  Okay.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Okay.  So the first person, number one, Mr. Rurik Halaby, please come forward. 
And for the record, please state your name and address.
MR. HALABY:  Rurik Halaby, H a l a b y, 374 Evergreen Place, resident here for 44 years. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  Sir, please spell your first name. 
MR. HALABY:  R u r i k.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Please raise your right hand to be sworn in.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give this evening is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? 
MR. HALABY:  I do. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  Thank you.
R U R I K    H A L A B Y, 374 Evergreen Place, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having been duly sworn, testifies as follows: 
MR. HALABY:  Will you start the clock now? 
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN: Yes.
MR. HALABY: Valley is one of Ridgewood's crown jewels, now I am not sure what statements or facts I can refer to, having been surprised by the last comment by Katie, but if you do any kind of internet research you will see that it is ranked as number five or number six hospital in New Jersey.  Medicare ranked it as number one, as far as    as far as emergency wait times.  And the AARP magazine basically listed the 66 top hospitals for safety in the United States and Valley was one of them.
Now, an unfortunate fact of life is that nothing good lasts forever.  And this is especially true of institutions.  Take Blackberry, ten years ago it was a mobile phone of choice.  Today, its market share is two percent. 
Do you remember Kodak?  The stock for widows and orphans.  It is now bankrupt.
What do Blackberry and Kodak have in common?  They did not work hard enough to reinvent themselves to remain viable to the markets that they served. 
This, in simple terms, is what Valley is trying to do, to reinvent itself to remain viable to the community it serves by having state of the art facilities and equipment and attracting the best physicians and staff. 
Yes, Valley is planning for a healthcare delivery future that will only get more complex and difficult.  Valley knows, you adapt or you die.  Now, some of you will say I'm conflicted since my wife served as a trustee at Valley Hospital for 13 years and is presently on the Board at Valley Home Care.  Let me state clearly, we are not beholden to Valley.  My wife served as a volunteer as a trustee, but also as a receptionist, you know, wheeling patients around and did not receive a penny for her services. 
But, as I think about it, perhaps we are beholden to Valley.  A year ago at a routine annual checkup my wife was given a diagnosis that no woman wants to receive.  This serious medical situation needed immediate attention.  We discussed what to do and where to go.  And my wife knew that she would get as good a service and treatment at Valley as she would anywhere in the country or in New York. 
Thanks to Valley, with early detection and state of the art medical care, including surgery and radiation, she is now well on her way to a full recovery. 
People talk about the quality of life in Ridgewood, they talk about ball fields and tree lined streets.  I would think health is the primary component of the quality of life.  And how do you ensure health?  Prevention, early detection and the proper cure. 
I urge you to vote unanimously and promptly to approve Valley Hospital's plan to renew.  You owe it to Ridgewood, to the community at large, and last but not least, to yourselves.  If you don't, you will be condemning a world class hospital to mediocrity. 
Thank you.  Any questions? 
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Mr. Halaby, thank you very much for your comments. 
MR. HALABY:  Thank you.  Because if anyone has any questions about any conflicts I might have, I would like to address that because there is no conflict. 
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  No questions?
(NO RESPONSE.)
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thank you, Mr. Halaby.
Okay, number two is Ms. Janet Hunt.  Come on up, Ms. Hunt. 
Please state your name and your address for the record please.
MS. HUNT:  My name is    does this work better?  Can you hear me? 
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Yes.
MS. HUNT:  Thank you. My name is Janet Hunt.  J a n e t H u n t. I live at 412 Mountain Avenue in Ridgewood.  Ridgewood, New Jersey.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Please raise your right hand.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give in this proceeding is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
MS. HUNT:  I do.  J A N E T   H U N T,  412 Mountain Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having been duly sworn, testifies as follows:  
MS. HUNT:  I thank you all for the opportunity to share my thoughts with you tonight. 
I am a 62 year resident of the Village.  I am a veteran New York City commuter who has steadfastly clung to my beloved small town roots.  I have no desire to see Ridgewood deteriorate into the urban chaos of lower Manhattan.  I'm also passionate about Valley Hospital.  I have a    I have been a grateful patient there on multiple occasions as have several members of my immediate family.  I am also a long time Valley volunteer, donor and now a Valley Foundation trustee.  I strongly support Valley's Plan For Renewal. Throughout its history, Valley has defined its mission as the delivery of high quality health care to the residents of northwest Bergen County.  The key role of the    the key goals of the Hospital have always included staying abreast of fast changing developments in medicine and attracting and retaining top flight medical professionals for the hospital staff.  As an attorney myself, I'm well aware that a lawyer who fails to remain current on the evolution of the law soon degenerates into a public menace. 
I have every reason to believe that an identical principle applies in medicine.  Valley's purpose differs from that of institutions such as New York Presbyterian Hospital and Rockefeller University, with their emphasis on basic research and teaching. However, I view the decisions of many investigators and physicians affiliated with these world renowned academic medical centers, to establish practices at Valley as well, to be persuasive evidence that Valley also ranks as an institution receiving the highest marks for scientific and clinical excellence and compassionate care. Membership in this powerful global network immeasurably benefits Valley and must be strengthened and expanded.  I believe we should count ourselves as extraordinarily fortunate to have such resources available to us here in our community.  We Villagers have the right to expect Valley to adhere to its traditional policy of good citizenship by minimizing disruptions associated with this latest modernization project.  In return    in return, Valley has the right to expect support from us Ridgewoodites for its foresighted initiatives designed to meet the demands of 21st health, science and technology. 
Again, I thank you for your attention tonight and commend you for taking on this challenging role in service to the Village we are all privileged to call home.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Ms. Hunt, thank you very much for your comments tonight.
MS. HUNT:  Thank you.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Ms. Anne Crane.
MS. CRANE:  Thank you. 
MS. RAZIN:  Jane, do you want to mark    is that the first one that you received? 
MS. WONDERGEM:  Second.
MS. RAZIN:  Second.
MS. WONDERGEM:  First one I received, yes.
MS. RAZIN:  Okay.  Do you want to mark it P    I would mark it "P" for public, that's the first one you were handed though?
MS. WONDERGEM:  Yes.
MS. RAZIN:  So one.  Okay.
(Whereupon, Statement of Ms. Hunt is received and marked as Exhibit P 1 for Identification.) 
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Sorry, Ms. Crane.
MS. CRANE:  Good evening.  My name is Anne Crane.  A n n e C r a n e.  I live at 114 East Highland Avenue. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  Thank you.
If you could please raise your right hand to be sworn? 
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give in this proceeding is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
MS. CRANE:  I do.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Thank you.
A N N E    C R A N E,  114 East Highland Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having been duly sworn, testifies as follows:  
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Laura, can you bring the microphone a little bit closer?  Do you have one there?  
THE COURT REPORTER:   No.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  You don't?  Okay. Speak up if you could the next time. 
THE COURT REPORTER:   Sure.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN: Thank you.
MS. CRANE:  I want to thank each of you for the opportunity to talk to you tonight. 
My family and I have lived in the Village for 38 years.  During this time we have had numerous occasions to be very grateful to Valley Hospital's immediacy and superb care    sorry    for Valley Hospital's immediacy and superb care.  We're all aware of the continuing evolution in healthcare and the particularly dramatic changes that are currently occurring as the field strives to meet the constant goals of safety and quality.  Consider, for example, single patient rooms, which Valley does not have, or the operating room having the DaVinci robotic surgical system, which Valley does have.  Valley surgeons use this system to remove cancerous tumors making incisions only a few inches in length, best allowing patients to recover more swiftly and return home in a much shorter period of time.  It could only be installed at Valley by converting an existing operating theatre and sacrificing an adjacent major equipment storage room.  These are just two reasons why we need to undertake this project now. 
For more than 60 years Valley has played a critical role in Ridgewood and in surrounding communities, and we'd like to be sure that it can viably continue to do so.  Valley Hospital's past building projects have demonstrated to the community that the Hospital is always concerned for the health and safety of our neighbors.  After all, their business is keeping people well.  And this project, like the previous ones, will be designed to meet the specific measures spelled out in an ordinance to be approved at the appropriate time.
I know this is a challenging decision for each of you, and I sincerely hope that for the greater good of Ridgewood you will approve this Amendment to the Village Master Plan. 
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thank you.  Thank you, Ms. Crane. 
Eli Kirshnal (sic), number four.
DR. KIRSHNER:  Kirshner.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Kirshner, I'm sorry.  It's an "r".  Please state your name and address for the record.
DR. KIRSHNER:  Eli Kirshner, 711 Upper Boulevard. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  Sir, can you spell your name please? 
DR. KIRSHNER:  K i r    Eli is E l i, Kirshner K i r s h n e r. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  And please raise your right hand.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give in this proceeding is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
DR. KIRSHNER:  I do.
EL I    K I R S H N E R, 711 Upper Boulevard, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having been duly sworn, testifies as follows:
THE COURT REPORTER:   Thank you.
DR. KIRSHNER:  Members of the town Planning Board, I thank you for listening to me today.  Unlike my other previous speakers, I've only been a member of this town, residing here, for only 18 years. 
I appear today to speak to you in support of The Valley Renewal.  I have somewhat of a unique perspective, and I'd like to share that with you today.  I am a physician.  I've been on staff at Valley Hospital since 1995.  My office, however, is located in Westwood, New Jersey.  And I was also affiliated with Pascack Valley Hospital from 1995 until it closed in 2008.  I was co chairman of the Division of Medical Oncology at Pascack Valley for three years prior to its closing.  I was a fan of Pascack Valley and was very sad to see it close.  I would like to give my perspective on why Pascack Valley Hospital closed and how it is relevant to our discussion today regarding The Valley Hospital Renewal.  Much of the blame for the closing of Pascack Valley was placed on the CEO and the hospital administration, and in particular the decision to vastly expand the facility in the year 2004. Undoubtedly, that was a bad decision and resulted in the hospital's premature closure within only a few years.  As bad a decision as it seemed in retrospect, the decision at the time was not without an important understanding of the trend in hospital care.  Pascack Valley Hospital was losing its share of patients to the other area hospitals, in particular, Hackensack and Valley, and because it was a small hospital it could not possibly afford the broad range of services available at the larger hospitals. This trend towards fewer, larger hospitals with closing a small hospitals, has been seen nationwide over the past two decades.  The decision to expand the hospital was made to improve and expand services such that the patients would be willing to be admitted to Pascack Valley and so that additional medical talent could be recruited.  Unfortunately, for Pascack Valley, the expansion came too late, the debt burden was too great and they were unable to retain their patients and unable to attract new medical talent. Although the hospital expansion resulted in the hospital closing sooner, I believe that the reason that Pascack Valley Hospital closed is that the model for smaller hospitals became obsolete.
So, why is this relevant for Valley Hospital renewal?  Currently I am proud to be affiliated at Valley and can say with all honesty that it provides superior care as evidenced by its rewards and recognition. 
So, Valley Hospital is doing so well, why would we want to change anything?  And does the experience of Pascack Valley suggest that hospital growth is a risky endeavor?  I would argue the opposite.  The problem with Pascack Valley, that it was too small and lacked the critical mass of doctors and services necessary to improve itself. On the other hand, Valley offers a broad range of services and complex medical procedures to be performed in our own backyard.  It would be naïve to believe that Valley could continue on this path of excellence, which is clearly demonstrated, without renewal, without improving the services for the next generations to come.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thank you, Mr. Kirshner, for speaking tonight. 
DR. KIRSHNER:  Okay.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Number seven, Marcia Ringel. 
Please state your name and spell your name and provide your address. 
MS. RINGEL:  Marcia    excuse me Marcia, M a r c i a, Ringel, R i n g e l, 250 Ferris Place, on the west side of town, not near the hospital. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  Can you raise your right hand.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give in this proceeding is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
MS. RINGEL:  Yes. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  Thank you.
M A R C I A     R I N G E L, 250 Ferris Place, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having been duly sworn, testifies as follows:  
MS. RINGEL:  A child says, "I want a pony".  Parent says, "how about a puppy or a guppy". Child's counteroffer, "how about a slightly smaller pony with setbacks and an aboveground parking lot"? 
They don't spend ten    eight years discussing where a horse could be stabled or where it    what it would eat.  They just say no pony.
Valley's proposal is a slightly smaller pony. 
In my 42 years in town, I have entered Valley as an inpatient, outpatient, parent and visitor.  But Valley feels much less caring to me now.  Our community has been treated with contempt by our community hospital, marketing madly with millions saved in taxes on the backs of that very community. What began as David and Goliath has morphed into David and Godzilla.  And if this thing is built it will get worse.  We have no dearth of fine hospitals.  Even New York is coming to us.  Memorial Sloan Kettering in Basking Ridge.  And in the fall, physicians offices in Paramus for the Hospital for Special Surgery.  That was in The Record this week. 
You asked us to state how we feel.  I feel perplexed as my neighbors must repeatedly remind our elected and appointed officials that we love our Village.  Begging them not to destroy it in the name of progress or from fear of litigation. I feel alarmed that almost every year a new group of residents has needed to band together to protest the handing over of public lands and space. I feel betrayed by our Board of Education which wimped out when it should have spoken out. I feel dismayed that this issue has cast a shadow over five Council elections, including a special one, one November. 
Ridgewood neighborhoods are adjacent to schools, fields, parks, shops and a hospital.  We lived in harmony for many years, that delicate balance must return.
Several years    several decades ago the late Barney Van Dyk told me that he wanted to expand his ice cream store, nestled among private homes on Ackerman Avenue, to allow indoor seating.  But he graciously accepted the Zoning Board's refusal, understanding that zoning laws are meant to protect residents.  And so we still eat our ice cream outside. 
You are our Planning Board, please plan.  And consider the future, what we don't know as well as what we do. 
Mr. Brancheau's recent report said phase two might not happen.  Of course it would, as would phase three.  We would all endure decades of unstoppable derangement, a tax exempt juggernaut that no wall, buffer or traffic island could mitigate.  And for what? 
Also, our environment is changing rapidly, if water or electricity were rationed, would a giant hospital get first dibs? 
Ask yourself, please, do I have the moral right to let this happen to my Village?  You have the authority to say yes and the responsibility to say no. 
Thank you.
(Applause.)
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Ms. Ringel, thank you very much for speaking tonight. 
Number eight is Neil Posner. 
MR. POSNER:  Good evening. 
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Please state your name   
MR. POSNER:  Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:     and provide your address.
MR. POSNER:  Neil Posner, N e i l P o s n e r, at 354 Walthery Avenue. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  Sir, please raise your right hand.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give in this proceeding is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
MR. POSNER:  I do. 
N E I L     P O S N E R, 354 Walthery Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having been duly sworn, testifies as follows:
THE COURT REPORTER:   Thank you.   
MR. POSNER: Thank you for the opportunity. 
First, some numbers to consider.  According to publicly available IRS form 990, which is a tax return or a non tax return, if you will, of organizations exempt from income tax, completed by The Valley Hospital Incorporated for 2012.  They had $102 million in revenue, less expenses; $847 million in assets, of which $441 million are liquid investments in publicly traded securities. In 2012, Valley spent 12.1 million on conferences; 5.2 million in officer compensation; 3.3 million in advertising and promotion.  They had seven employees that received greater than $400,000 in compensation.  And they paid zero to the Village of Ridgewood in taxes. Their form 990 states that 70 percent of their discharges are from 32 towns in Bergen and Passaic counties, with a population of 440,000.  Of course, the other 30 percent have to be from further away. As we know, 6 percent, approximately, of Valley's patients reside in Ridgewood.  This is a tiny proportion of their business. 
Based on my own observations of Valley's sponsorships, radio advertisements, billboards, which are ubiquitous in the area, it's clear that Valley has aspirations to be far more than a community hospital.  There is only one word to describe Valley and it is a "business".  And by    and by any measure, a highly successful one. 
People move to Ridgewood not for Valley, but as a place to set up roots for their growing families, for the quality of the schools and for the unique small town character of Ridgewood. We tolerate, in fact, the existence of Valley.  In fact many of us benefit from it.  But it is maxed out in its present form, no less what they're proposing. A regional powerhouse on that tiny little parcel of land, tilts the existing balance on its head.  This proposal does everything to hurt Ridgewood's attractiveness as a community and it does nothing to help it.  It's a hundred percent detriment and zero benefit, in my opinion. The students of one of our two middle schools, which is clearly also an inherently beneficial use, will essentially suffer forever as a result of this proposal.  And I believe Ridgewood itself will suffer permanently. I believe it is high time for the Planning Board to reject this ridiculous request and an expansion of this magnitude on a tiny parcel of land in the middle of a community right next to a middle school and its athletic field. 
The clear and lurking detriments from this proposal on my personal quality of life, my home values and on my and my own family's ability to peacefully enjoy our home and community are immeasurable.  And this proposal should be viewed as nothing but actually obscene. 
I am going to wrap it up. 
Given the chance to put forth a meaningful compromise, Valley instead has come back with no compromise, no modifications to the earlier proposal leaving the entire mass, the building, the four story parking garage untouched.  This is anything but a compromise and demonstrates a total lack of recognition or acknowledgement that the concerns voiced by many about their proposal are both real, valid and have basis in fact. 
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Please wrap it up.
MR. POSNER:  We instead    I'm going to wrap it up.  If you would please bear with me one second. 
We instead get traffic studies that get completed in the dead of winter over a school holiday and when the Village of Ridgewood is closed for business.  And we hear comparisons to hospitals that are residing in cities. The question at hand is not whether Valley is a good hospital or what it needs or whether it has proposed reasonable steps to mitigate the obvious and real problems the proposed expansion will cause to residents, students and the Village, itself.  The question is about whether an expansion of this tremendous size and scope is appropriate to begin with for the Village. 
We    and very importantly, last point, I promise.  We've told that Mr.     we've been told, you've been told by Mr. Steck, who I believe testified on behalf of C.R.R., that none, zero of the promises made by Valley in conjunction with this proposal, can actually be enforced or mandated by the Village of Ridgewood in the future.  You've been told that even the day after the approval of this proposal    
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Mr. Posner   
MR. POSNER:     plans can be changed at any time. 
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  I think that   
MR. POSNER:    you're entrusted to look after the long term   
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Mr. Posner, you've made a few promises   
MR. POSNER:    interests   
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:     I'm going to have to ask you to stop. 
MR. POSNER:  Okay.  We entrust you guys to look after long term interests of this Village and not Valley.
Thank you.
(Applause.) 
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thank you, Mr. Posner. 
David Lipson, number 10. 
DR. LIPSON:  David Lipson, 302 Heights Road. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  Sir, spell your name please.
DR. LIPSON:  D a v i d L i p s o n.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Please raise your right hand.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give in this proceeding is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
DR. LIPSON:  I do. 
D A V I D     L I P S O N, 302 Heights Road, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having been duly sworn, testifies as follows:  
DR. LIPSON:  I am also a physician at Valley Hospital.  I came to Ridgewood and to Valley Hospital in 1978 after doing my training in New York. As a young plastic surgeon trying to get a practice going, I joined eight different hospitals.  Since my first year of practice, I believe that makes me a resident of Ridgewood now for 36 years as of July. In the years since, four of those hospitals have closed.  They closed because they went obsolete.  If you don't progress in this industry, you die. Now, Valley does advertise, I think they're forced to advertise because the competition engages in aggressive marketing.  And so I don't think it's Valley's choice to do that, but they're forced to do it. Valley is a unique hospital, through my training and through my experience and practice, I've been on staff of about 14 different hospitals.  None compare to Valley.  Valley is an enlightened institution.  It's a good neighbor. 
As an enlightened administration that gets along with the medical staff, a rare thing in the world of medicine.  Those of us who know hospitals are aware of this. There is a wonderful relationship, a family feeling at Valley. Over the years I have been on staff at Valley, running to the emergency room, and I know I have several patients of mine in this room right now, Valley renewed itself three times, three previous construction projects, went through the Planning Board, were approved, were carried out.  I was there, I've always gone to the Planning Board.  And as far as I know there have been no allegations of excessive noise, excessive pollution or injury caused to any student or neighbor of the hospital. 
By the way, the hospital was there before any of the neighbors who live in the area of the hospital.  They were there first.  Anyone who moved into the neighborhood knew that there was a hospital.  Anyone who is here now knows that there was a hospital when they moved in.
So, in conclusion I just want to support Valley's application because it's the right thing to do and because Valley needs to keep up.  A hospital that does not keep up goes under as my fellow physician said earlier. 
Thank you very much.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thank you, Mr. Lipson. 
Number 11, Janet Tuomey.  Please state and spell your name and provide your address.
MS. TUOMEY:  Janet Tuomey, T u o m e y, 59 John Street, Ridgewood, New Jersey, a 44 year resident. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  Please raise your right hand.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give in this proceeding is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
MS. TUOMEY:  I do.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Thank you.
J A N E T    T U O M E Y, 59 John Street, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having been duly sworn, testifies as follows:
MS. TUOMEY:  During my over 50 years of professional nursing, I have been a pediatric head nurse, an ER nurse, a school nurse and a school nurse practitioner.  I worked for 30 years in the Ridgewood schools. 
Over the last five years I have spoken often and passionately about the dangers from pollutants that will be generated during the six to ten years of construction at Valley.
We have 95 students at BF and Travell who are diagnosed with asthma right now.  And they are not the only ones with health compromised    they are not the only ones being compromised by this.  There are others that are health compromised, that's what I wanted to say. 
Now, let me tell you a story.  One day after lunch a third grade boy came into my office, I'll call him Joseph.  Joseph's color was almost indescribably, not white, not blue, what I call the color of fresh, wet cement. I sent the other students who were in my office out to the secretary. Joseph was diagnosed with asthma since the first grade, and I grabbed a medicine box which contained his prescription of a rescue inhaler.  He had never been having to use it before. 
What happened honey?  Did you eat anything at lunch that was different? 
He shook his head no and said very quietly, and with difficulty, I was just playing outside. 
I tried to give Joseph his inhaler as I modeled how he should breathe in and deeply to get his medication. I told a mom who peeked in the room to call 911 without Joseph's hearing me. 
I asked our secretary to call his dad who lived very near the school.  I kept talking to Joseph as I cuddled next to him on the couch. I adjusted his position for breathing and pursed his lips again on the inhaler.  I had checked his respirations, his chest retractions.  I listened to his lungs with a stethoscope.  His respirations were silent.  No coughing.  No wheezing.  A very bad sign. Joseph's face became a darker cement color.  I prayed, oh, my God don't let this child go on us. He was conscious but terribly fatigued and failing. Just then Joseph's dad burst into the room holding the same two medications that I had been given.  He was terrified of the sight of Joseph and ran to him and snatched him up off the couch.  He ran out of the school with me running after him yelling that the ambulance was on its way. 
Outside we saw a single fireman holding a tank of oxygen who quickened his step as he saw us.  In seconds he had a mask on Joseph who was now on the freezing pavement, but still conscious. 
I urged Joseph, take a deep breath.  And he did and then another.  And his color became a wonderful chalk white.  As they moved him, I said you're going to be okay.  And he nodded that he knew what I meant. Joseph was treated right in the ambulance rig with oxygen and IV medications.  He was in pediatric ICU for four days, but he did return to school shortly thereafter. The chemical or substance that caused the asthma attack was never identified.  Joseph never had another attack at school. 
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Ms. Tuomey, thank you very much for speaking this evening. 
Number 12, Michael Noe. 
MR. NOE:  I pass.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  You pass?  Thank you. 
Looks like number 14, Jeanette LaRocco. 
MS. LaROCCO:  Jeanette, J e a n e t t e, LaRocco, L a R o c c o, 454 Bogert Avenue.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Please raise your right hand.
MS. LaROCCO:  Yes.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Do you swear or affirm the testimony you give in this proceeding will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
MS. LaROCCO:  I do.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Thank you.
J E A N E T T E     L a R O C C O, 454 Bogert Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having been duly sworn, testifies as follows:  
MS. LaROCCO:  There is a country song called "Give Me Back My Hometown" by Eric Church.
Ridgewood is my hometown even though I didn't grow up here.  It is because after almost 26 years of living here and having my children grow up here, I feel at home.  I am tired of having to fight in front of two Planning Boards and one Village Council to protect Ridgewood and its neighbors from Valley's overexpansion. I believe doubling the hospital will be disastrous for Ridgewood.  It's a community filled with people and businesses, of which Valley Hospital is the largest of them. Ridgewood does not, however consist solely of Valley Hospital, which if it was it would be called Valleywood, not Ridgewood. 
Ridgewood is a village made up of neighborhoods, which we are trying to preserve, as a place where people will want to keep moving into. It's a place where children are born, grow up, move out and then will want to move back to because of their wonderful experiences.  A place that when people retire, they will find a reason to remain. This is what I hoped for my family, but if Valley gets their way, I seriously doubt mine will want to return.  And I won't want to stay because who will want to live next to a sprawling and unwieldy hospital where noise, traffic, pollution, etcetera will be a serious problem for several years during construction and afterwards for the foreseeable future. If I wanted to live in Hackensack, I would have moved there. 
One of my biggest fears is that my house's value will go down and I will be forced to leave sooner, rather than later.  I live in a neighborhood with great neighbors, many of whom are friends, and wonderful children who I have enjoyed watching grow up and would miss if I am forced to move because of the expansion.  And I worry about their safety walking to and from school. If it was such a great idea, why haven't the real estate brokers come out in favor of it?  I believe it's because they know what will happen when real estate values go south.  All you have to do is drive down Summit Avenue in Hackensack to see what happens to homes near a hospital. 
I am also tired of the rhetoric surrounding the number of beds.  In my opinion, it's so people will forget that they are not increasing the breads    the beds    excuse me    dramatically but the number of rooms will be doubled. And the size of the rooms are larger than they are now, which at this point include two beds. It means that the buildings have to be larger.  And I am worried that how can we trust Valley not to change their plans to include outpatient services because they may not need all those beds because of changes in healthcare. Obamacare for businesses does not kick in until, I believe, 2016.  So we won't know the ramifications from that regarding insurance reimbursements. You must remember that Valley is a healthcare corporation, a business.  And a business is concerned with revenues and competitors like Hackensack Hospital North, which is advertising having only single rooms and a spa like atmosphere.
Valley has no choice but to be competitive.  But I ask you at what price? 
The question you as a Board need to ask is:  Should Ridgewood have to give up its future in order for Valley to be financially successful?  That is your job to decide, what is best for Ridgewood and how to achieve that without destroying all that makes Ridgewood desirable as a destination village to live in for the foreseeable future. 
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thank you, Ms. LaRocco.
(Applause.)
MS. DOCKRAY:  Excuse me.  Excuse me, I just have a quick question. 
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Ms. LaRocco, please come forward, there's a quick question for you.
MS. DOCKRAY:  I just didn't hear your    the street you lived on. 
MS. LaROCCO:  Yes, I live on Bogert Avenue   
MS. DOCKRAY:  Oh, Bogert.
MS. LaROCCO:     between Ponfield and Glen. 
MS. DOCKRAY:  Okay, thank you.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Number 18, Lorraine Reynolds. 
MS. NOE:  I'm sorry.  I was number 13 and I'm not sure what happened.  And I wanted to speak. 
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  I'm very sorry.  I did skip over your name.  My apologies, Kathie Noe.  Is it Noe? 
I think what I did was I got mixed up with somebody whose spelling was very similar.  My apologies. 
MS. NOE:  That's okay.  Can I speak now? 
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Yes, please.  Absolutely.
Please state your name and spell your name and provide your address.
MS. NOE:  Kathleen Noe, K a t h l e e n, N o e, 623 Ellington Road, down in The Lawns. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  Can you please raise your right hand.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you give in this proceeding is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? 
MS. NOE:  I do.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Thank you. 
K A T H L E E N     N O E,  623 Ellington Road, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having been duly sworn, testifies as follows:  
MS. NOE:  Thank you.  And thank you all for your time, and to my neighbors also for all their time that they've spent concerning this. I don't think anyone is against the hospital updating or modernizing.  I do not like the scope of the expansion project.  The height and the lot coverage are just too great, especially in a residential neighborhood. I've been a resident of Ridgewood for over 50 years.  I do not live in the immediate neighborhood of the hospital, my home is about two miles from the hospital.  The current proposal still impacts me greatly as a resident and taxpayer in Ridgewood. Of concern to me is the safety of the residents, especially the children going to BF, RHS and Travell during the construction and after the construction. Also of concern to me is the underground water that will need to be discharged either into the rivers or the town's sewage treatment plant. Currently, during normal heavy rains, nor'easters, hurricanes, we have flooding of homes and streets in neighborhoods near the rivers in town. Also, when malfunctions of the town's sewage pump station or problems at the sewage plant occur, backup of sewage in my neighborhood can happen and has happened. Can our sewage plant handle the extra discharge of the water from the building's usage and the underground water that needs to be displaced? With the potential of possible multiple housing units being built in town, will these questions be factored into your consideration of this hospital expansion? As residents of this town, we cannot overbuild on our lots.  This helps to preserve the character and integrity of Ridgewood.  The Ridgewood that made us want to live here. 
Any business, and the hospital is a business, should have to comply by those same rules and standards. 
We all want to enjoy the quality of life that Ridgewood offers, the peaceful enjoyment of our homes.  Please vote no to this expansion, rebuilding proposal. 
Thank you for your time.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thank you, Ms. Noe. 
Lorraine, please state your name and provide your address for the record.
MS. REYNOLDS:  Lorraine Reynolds, L o r r a i n e R e y n o l d s, 550 Wyndemere Avenue. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  Please raise your right hand.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you give in this proceeding is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
MS. REYNOLDS:  I do.
L O R R A I N E     R E Y N O L D S, 550 Wyndemere Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having been duly sworn, testifies as follows: 
MS. REYNOLDS:  Hi.  Thank you to the Planning Board for allowing this time for public comment and sitting through all of these meetings.
On March 11, 2013, Mr. Drill discussed six reasons why Council unanimously denied the ordinance following the June 2010 Master Plan Amendment to the H Zone.  He then went on to say that this new amendment has addressed these issues. He said that Valley had listened to what the Council said as well as the neighbors.  I couldn't disagree more. Number one, light and air.  The new North Building is still 360 feet long by 150 feet wide by 94 feet tall.  I can't even imagine something that massive in the residential area of Ridgewood. Number two, traffic.  Valley has promised to move select outpatient services to new locations.  The experts say this will reduce traffic.  Valley has had 14 months to move services and prove traffic will get better, but they have not done so. How do we know they are going to do it if this passes? Number three, water table disturbance.  Slight change. Number four, removal of bedrock.  Again, slight change. Number five, construction phase.  It has been shortened to six years.  Think about how long six years is.  That is six years of children going to school eight hours a day next to a construction zone.  Approximately 1400 students will be living this on a daily basis for their entire three years at middle school. Number six, the project is just too large and too intense for this site.  The marginal size reduction is an insult to the Board and all of the residents that were waiting for a real compromise.  Currently we look at an above grade building mass of 405,000 square feet.  According to Blais's report dated March 31, 2014, if this were to pass you'll be looking at an above grade building mass of 1,056,400 square feet.  And this doesn't even include the 245,000 square feet of parking deck.  This is beyond overwhelming for this 15 acre site. 
I want to remind everyone of some of the words that Mr. Steck, the planner, had spoken on September 13, 2013.  Some of his words were: "This represents an improper balance of the Hospital's interest with the interests of the neighborhood.  This proposal will have major effects on the neighborhood.  An environment that produces noise, lights and traffic is one that starts to degrade a single family area".
When speaking of the parking deck, he said:"That's like a beacon in the night.  It has a huge land use impact in terms of its presence in a single family area.  I've never  seen a parking garage at night that looks the same as the architect thinks it looks like or projects it will look like". 
When speaking about the height, he says: "It will simply look like a less residential environment.  The fact that the buildings would be shifted towards the school, it will be much more visible from a greater distance".
For all these reasons and so many more, I urge the Planning Board to vote no.  Please make a statement to Valley that this has been a waste and an abuse of the Planning Board members and the public for the last 14 months.  Do not continue this farce by sending this to Council. Since it is negligibly less horrible than the 2010 Amendment, I have no doubt that the Council will vote this down as well, so please don't waste our time, our money.  Please help us take back our town, get back to the business of planning, and stop this eight year long fiasco. We need to stop the divisiveness that everyone feels.  And we all do.  The residents feel marginalized.  We feel that our voice has not mattered. Voting no on this will accomplish making us feel like we've been heard.  Thank you so much for your time. 
(Applause.)
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thank you, Ms. Reynolds. 
Please, please don't.
Number 23 is Dina Stein. 
FEMALE AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Dina Stein had to leave.  She said she's going to pass.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Okay.  Thank you.  Number 25 is Bob Pressner. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  Katie, I think we just got another statement I don't know the markings.  I just want to keep track of the marking.
MS. RAZIN:  Okay.  Jane's gotten a whole bunch I think.  So we'll make sure you're all set with all the markings.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Thank you. 
MR. PRESSNER:  Bob Pressner, 508 Van Buren Street, P r e s s n e r.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Thank you.
Raise your right hand please.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give in this proceeding is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
MR. PRESSNER:  Yes. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  Thank you.
B O B     P R E S S N E R, 508 Van Buren Street, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having been duly sworn, testifies as follows:
MR. PRESSNER:  First let me thank you all for all of the time that you've put in on this particular issue.  I've been to a number of meetings and my hat's off to all of you for sitting through this, it's been incredible. 
I'm a 17 year resident of Ridgewood.  I'm never    it never ceases to amaze me how eloquent our    our community is, incredible people, on both sides of the issue. I wish I can speak just a little bit to my own personal feelings on this    this issue.  I'm not in favor of the changes to the Master Plan to accommodate Valley's proposal and expansion.  Throughout the year of hearing process, the simple question of is this expansion good for Ridgewood, I really don't believe it's been satisfactorily answered.  I think it has really been answered that it's not.  It's not in the short term, if ten years is a short term.  And it certainly isn't, in terms of the long lasting negative effects to the community. And not just the west side, I think it affects all of Ridgewood. Those of us who are opposed to this have been characterized as NIMBY, Flat Earthers. Well, Valley's already in our backyard.  We already live with it.  We already live with the traffic on Linwood, backed up to Route 17 by about 2:30 every afternoon.  It's not going to get better.  I don't think any of us believe that it's going to get better. And so we're already living with this.  My question is, is it really necessary that they build as big as they want? I suggest Valley reuse, revise their plans so as to meet their needs and the needs, but the needs    and the needs of the people they serve.  But, most importantly, the needs of our community. I respectfully ask the Planning Board to stand against this overreach of Valley Hospital and vote no on their request. 
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thank you, Mr. Pressner. 
(Applause.)
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Okay.  Walter Durant, number 27.
MR. DURANT:  Good evening, Walter Durant, 538 Linwood Avenue. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  Mr. Durant, raise your right hand please.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give in this proceeding is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? 
MR. DURANT:  I do. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  Thank you.
W A L T E R    D U R E N T, 538 Linwood Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having been duly sworn, testifies as follows:  
MR. DURANT:  Actually this weekend coming up would be our 29th year in Ridgewood. I was quite a bit younger then and I've aged quite a bit since then for various reasons. But at any rate, we urge you to reject this latest expansion of Valley Hospital.  The expansion is too big for a residential neighborhood:  A 94 feet tall building; a five level parking garage on Linwood Avenue, which is just obscene to think about; ten years of construction.  After construction is over, it's just even the quality of life of living within that environment.  Increased traffic during and at the completion of construction. And how are we going to pay for this project?  As they say, Valley is a big business.  And when you build a business this size, you have to increase your patient revenue to pay for it.  How is that going to take place? 
These are a few    excuse me    these are only a few, but significant reasons, to vote no on this expansion.  And I just wanted to urge the Board to do that. 
Also, thank you for your time because I know it's been tough on you and it's been tough on me also. 
So, thanks again.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thank you Mr. Durant. 
(Applause.)
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Christian Reinhardt, number 28. 
MR. REINHARDT:  Christian Reinhardt, 359 Corona Place.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Can you spell you last name please.
MR. REINHARDT:  R e i n h a r d t.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Raise your right hand please.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give in this proceeding is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
MR. REINHARDT:  Yes, I do.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Thank you.
C H R I S T I A N    R E I N H A R D T, 359 Corona Place, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having been duly sworn, testifies as follows:  
MR. REINHARDT:  Good evening and thank you for your service. 
I was not going to make a comment at first, but then I realized I have to because I am a parent of a school going child.  And I have to voice my concern as a resident of Ridgewood for over 20 years. 
My daughter, who is currently attending Travell, is going to go in BF in a couple of years.  And my main concerns with the hospital expansions are noise pollution affecting BF as well as local traffic, which is a problem already at this time. And children's safety is put at risk at this point during the busy times of traffic at the hospital. And this was very evident this couple    this week and the previous week by a parent who was observing the traffic and noticed that the hospital traffic did not respect the pedestrians trying to cross the street as well as the children trying to cross the intersection of both on Linwood as well as East Glen.  And the parent who observed had to post the comments and observation on the social media because the children were actually put at risk. And that is a major concern, besides the health reasons and everything else.  We have been patients of    our family has been a patient in Valley on a couple of occasions.  It is a good hospital, but at the same time, Valley has a lot of satellite offices that we are using at this point. Not only the main office, but you have    you have certain things that you have to do at Luckow Pavilion or whatever.  I mean it's    and it works fine. So, I mean in our opinion, the expansion of the Valley Hospital would definitely affect the quality of the family life in our neighborhoods as well as the future of our children.  So please consider that when you vote for the Valley expansion. 
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thank you, Mr. Reinhardt. 
Number 34, Joan O'Donnell. 
MS. O'DONNELL:  Pass in favor of my husband.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Okay.  Larry O'Donnell, number 35. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  Sir, please state and spell you name and give your address.
MR. O'DONNELL:  My name is Laurence, L a u r e n c e, O'Donnell, O ' D o n n e l l, 568 Wyndemere. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give in this proceeding is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
MR. O'DONNELL:  I do.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Thank you. 
L A U R E N C E   O'  D O N N E L L, 568 Wyndemere Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey,   having been duly sworn, testifies as follows:   
MR. O'DONNELL: We live several blocks south of the hospital.  My wife, Joan and I have lived in our house for nearly 40 years, raised four children of our own and a number of foster children.  We love our neighbors. Having a good hospital nearby is an asset.  We have been    I have been a patient there many times.  The medicine is always good.  And so is the service. That said, I'm deeply concerned about the scope and size of Valley's proposed expansion, it's simply too much for a 15 acre site that is surrounded by houses and a school.  In late 2011, less than three years ago, the Village Council voted five to zero to turn down Valley's expansion proposal, which was substantially similar to the one that you are now looking at.  Not identical, but still resulting in the doubling the size of the hospital. 
The residents of Ridgewood who live near that hospital are being asked to overlook or accept a number of problems that will come with the expansion, increased traffic, already heavy in part because of the hospital's earlier decision to become a regional hospital instead of a local one.  During construction of six years or more, large diesel powered construction vehicles will flow constantly in and out of the area. 
As construction is completed, the flow of traffic bringing patients and visitors from around the region will expand.  Air pollution stemming from the construction, itself, and increased traffic will endanger the health of older people, myself, children and those participating in watching sports events at the newly designated field behind Benjamin Franklin, right next to Valley. 
These are the very heavy burdens that Valley is asking, with Village approval, the residents to accept. 
The hospital should receive the strongest possible message that we don't want or need a hospital McMansion.
(Applause.)  
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thank you very much, Mr. O'Donnell. 
Next person is number 39, Meegan Shirley (sic), Meegan Shirley (sic), I'm sorry.
MS. SHEVLIN:  Hi, it's Meegan, M e e g a n, Shevlin, S h e v l i n, 512 Van Buren Street.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Please raise your right hand.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give in this proceeding is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? 
MS. SHEVLIN:  I do. 
M E E G A N      S H E V L I N, 512 Van Buren Street, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having been duly sworn, testifies as follows:
THE COURT REPORTER:   Thank you.
MS. SHEVLIN:  Hello, thank you very much for your time in these proceedings.  I know it's been a very long amount of time. 
I am a breast cancer survivor and I love Valley.  My great breast cancer surgeon and oncologist are based out of Luckow.  And all my treatments, my chemo, my radiation and both my surgeries were at Luckow.  I want Valley to modernize.  I want single rooms, please, single rooms.  And I want Valley to remain a top hospital. However, I am also a mom of a fourth grader at Travell and an eighth grader at BF.  And I cannot support the expansion in its scope and present form.  The educational environment of these schools will be negatively impacted both by the construction and the final building, if completed. 
My concerns mainly relate to the air quality, construction noise, the duration of the construction time and the traffic. A 94 foot building will tower over BF and its brand new track and field facilities.  And this will impact the health and safety of our students for generations to come. The land is just too small for this hospital to double in size.  And shifting buildings towards BF is the opposite of what should be done.  The scope and size is just too large for its present location. Valley needs to modernize, I understand that.  We all understand that.  But it needs to take into account its current location next to a school and within a residential neighborhood. This proposal is barely smaller than the first proposal, which is a bit of an insult to the residents.  And I urge this Board to vote no on this proposal.
Thank you.
(Applause.)  
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Ms. Shevlin, thank you very much for your comments this evening.
Number 41, Zigi Putnins.
THE COURT REPORTER:   Sir, can you please state your name, spell it and provide your address? 
MR. PUTNINS:  Zigi Putnins, 572 Fairway Road, Ridgewood, New Jersey. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  Please raise your right hand.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give in this proceeding is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
MR. PUTNINS:  I do. 
Z I G I    P U T N I N S, 572 Fairway Road, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having  been duly sworn, testifies as follows:   
MR. PUTNINS:  Give me one minute here, sorry.  (Pause). I'm sorry.
Okay, I have two topics I want to comment on.  First, one of the things I found frustrating about the hearings on the 2013 Amendment, was the amount of time spent on details versus the big picture.  Has there been adequate discussion about the impact of the H Zone Amendment to the immediate residential area? This Board    the Board has spent about 24 meetings on a variety of topics.  It has been pointed out that some of the testimony is at a level of detail that may be more appropriate for a development plan meeting, rather than a forward looking, overarching document like a Master Plan. 
There has been testimony on the average number of construction trucks per hour of each phase of the construction, change in average length of hospital stays over the last 20 years, we even learned that the water table at Valley's site fluctuates by 11 feet during a particular study period. However, the time spent on this type of detail took time away from talking about the bigger picture.  This testimony seems to focus on how can we can build this?  What will happen when we build this?  But not on, should we build this? There has been much time spent on detail minutia, but what about the bigger picture?  What will happen to the impact on the quality of life after the construction's complete?  What will be the impact of the mass on the aesthetics of the neighborhood?  What are the impacts of a parking deck on a residential neighborhood?  And most of all, does anyone have any idea of what Valley Renewal will look like from a ground level?  From Linwood Avenue?  From BF? I would think that this would have been a good thing for all of us to see. 
On July 30th, 2013, the Board discussed this very topic, but unfortunately declined to seek such information. But if you created such a model, you would find out that on the driveway that leads to the back of BF, the one that goes along Valley's property line, would not see the noon day sun for five months out of the year.  This should give you some idea of how immense this thing is going to be. 
My other comment is in regard to the amendment to the 2000 H Zone, in particular in keeping with the spirit of trying to scale back the project. Although there is an overall reduction in square footage of the building, according to the Burgis Association presentation on April 13th, 2013, the amended plan keeps the floor roof areas at or above grade to 1,000,025 square feet. 
My favorite comparison that I like to make is that this thing will be as big as the Paramus Park Mall.  I don't see how a project like fulfills the spirit of scaling back the project from the 2010 proposal. 
Thank you. 
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thank you, Mr. Putnins. 
(Applause.)
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Okay.  Number 45, John Krause. 
MR. KRAUSE:  John Krause, I live at 70 Monte Vista Avenue. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  I'm sorry.  K a   
MR. KRAUSE:  K r a u s e.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Please raise your right hand.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give in this proceeding is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
MR. KRAUSE:  Yes.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Thank you. 
J O H N     K R A U S E, 70 Monte Vista Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having been duly sworn, testifies as follows:  
MR. KRAUSE: So everyone's giving their pedigree about how long they've lived here.  My family moved here in the late '30s.  We lived on Linwood Avenue right across from where the hospital is now.  At that time there was an open field, there was no BF, there were    I think there was one house on that whole piece of property. My wife and I both graduated from Ridgewood High School and have been property owners here since the '60s.  I lived in my present house for 39 years.  So we know the town well and we don't want the town to change either. On the other hand, having Valley Hospital in this town is a wonderful thing.  And I think the danger in not allowing them to do what they want to do as far as their growth goes, the danger is taking a risk that it won't last, that it will fail, because I have read in many articles, other than just what Valley wants to do, that the thing of the future is to have single occupancy rooms in hospitals.  If that's what they need to have, I think we should let them do it. 
As far as the building size goes, we're used to large buildings, I work in New York every day, there's    big buildings are not a detriment, I don't think. 
(Audience outburst.)
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Please.
MR. KRAUSE:  The problem is we have    we have a 90 some foot high building, I don't think that's a    that's not going to be something that's going to bother people. The one    the one negative that people have said about the hospital is that the building time that will, of course, be a problem, but once it's over I think we'll have a hospital that will come up to standards and be able to last in our town.  And I think that's a very important thing. 
I second what Mr. Halaby had to say and Dr. Lipson and so on.  I think we need to    to move promptly to do this.  We've been talking about it for too long, I agree with that too.  We've been talking about this whole project for way too long.  It's time to do what the hospital needs.  It's important to have a hospital.  It's important to    to do what they need to do to stay viable. 
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thank you, Mr. Krause. 
Number 46, Wayne Angelback. 
MR. ANGELBACK:  I'll pass.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Okay.  Well, why don't we use this as a time to take a short break.
It's 9:05.  Let's resume again at 9:15.
(Whereupon, a brief recess is taken.) 
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Okay.  Ladies and gentlemen, we're about to resume our meeting.  Please take your seats.  (Pause.)
Okay.  Ladies and gentlemen we're beginning. 
Jane, roll call, please.
MS. WONDERGEM:  Mayor Aronsohn?
MAYOR ARONSOHN:  Here.
MS. WONDERGEM:  Ms. Bigos? 
MR. BIGOS:  Here.
MS. BIGOS:  Here.
MS. WONDERGEM:  Mr. Nalbantian?
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Here.
MS. WONDERGEM:  Mr. Reilly?
(NO RESPONSE.)
MS. DOCKRAY:  Mr. Reilly.
MR. REILLY:  Oh, yes.  Here.
MS. WONDERGEM:  Mr. Joel?
VICE CHAIRMAN JOEL:  Here.
MS. WONDERGEM:  Ms. Dockray?
MS. DOCKRAY:  Here.
MS. WONDERGEM:  Ms. Peters?
MS. PETERS:  Here.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Okay.  Thank you everyone for your comments, I'm going to ask if, again, during the period if you agree or disagree with someone, it really isn't fair to that individual to interrupt them or to applaud or make comments if you don't agree with their statements.  I'm going to ask you again to refrain from that. 
We're going to begin this half with number 49, sorry number 48    number 49, I'm sorry.  Vincent Loneto. 
FEMALE AUDIENCE MEMBER:  He left.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Okay.  Thank you.  Number 51, Janet Daly.
MS. DALY:  Janet   
THE COURT REPORTER:  Please state your name for the record please and spell it. 
MS. DALY:  Janet Daly, D a l y, 386 Ponfield Place, Ridgewood, New Jersey.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Please raise your right hand.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give in this proceeding is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
MS. DALY:  I do. 
J A N E T    D A L Y, 386 Ponfield Place, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having been duly sworn, testifies as follows:  
MS. DALY: Good evening. 
I hope everyone is well and holding up.  And thank you for all the years that you've given to this.  It's been eight years since the first CD came out about Renewal.  It will be eight years in September. 
Okay. I was debating today as I was driving home what to speak about this evening when I got stuck in traffic on Linwood Avenue.  And I said, okay, here we are.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN: It's a sign.
MS. DALY:  So    and I did type up my statement so I will try to stick to it and read it.
I have lived in Ridgewood for 40 years.  I moved from New York City to live in a charming, quiet, suburban community with decreased traffic and clean air.  I live 0.4 miles from Valley Hospital.
Since I live northwest of the hospital, I frequently pass the hospital on my way home.  Today, May 20, 2014, it took me five minutes to travel from Paramus Road to North Van Dien. I locked    I clocked my trip from the intersection of Linwood and Paramus at 4:18 p.m.  And I arrived at Linwood and North Van Dien at 4:23.  That's five minutes to travel one half mile or six miles in one hour, when you are allowed to travel 25 miles per hour. This traffic jam did not have an ambulance causing the traffic to pull over.  It did not have the BF middle school students' dismissal.  It was not during the hospital's change of shift.
Over the years, I have seen the traffic increase.  Unfortunately, this is a typical traffic jam on this section of Linwood Avenue.  This is not a onetime event. Linwood Avenue is not able to handle normal traffic around the hospital, how then can it handle six to ten years of construction? If this long term expansion of the hospital goes forward, the traffic jams will increase in volume and frequency. I will be sitting in traffic jams on Linwood Avenue while construction trucks enter and leave the hospital.  While I sit there I will be exposed to diesel particulate from the construction vehicles, construction dust and the loud noises of the construction. 
Thank you very much.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thank you, Ms. Daly. 
(Applause.)
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Ed Daly, number 52. 
MR. DALY:  Edward Daly, D a l y, 386 Ponfield Place.      
THE COURT REPORTER:  Please raise your right hand.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give in this proceeding is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
MR. DALY:  I do.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Thank you.
E D W A R D     D A L Y, 386 Ponfield Place, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having been duly sworn, testifies as follows:
MR. DALY:  Thank you. 
I want to also say, as my wife said, thank you so much for all the time that you've spent here.  We've spent about half as much and we consider it a lot. 
At one point during these proceedings, the C.R.R. planner broached the subject of Valley's holdings in Paramus.  And Mr. Drill objected saying you're the Ridgewood Planning Board you're not the Paramus Planning Board. Well, I agree, but it's also true that you're the Ridgewood Planning Board and not the Board of Directors of Valley Hospital. So, when you consider this or anything that comes before you, you really have to consider the impact on this Village. Had this upside-down planning process gone normally, you would have taken up the issue of coming up with a fundamental plan for the H Zone or Valley's site. 
Would any of you have seriously come up with the idea of allowing 94 foot tall buildings there?  I mean the Village residents were in an uproar over 65 foot tall telephone poles.  And they're telephone poles.  And I agree with them by the way. This is a building that is about 50 percent more than that.  The height limitation on cell towers is 75 feet, just towers.  The height limitations on structures adjacent to the railroad tracks is 50 feet. Why would anyone consider it appropriate to build a 94 foot building in the middle of a residential neighborhood.  Also, during these proceedings, we learned that it's not necessary to build a multi tiered parking garage to accommodate the 1700 cars Valley will be limited to. Again, Mr. Drill objected that the underground parking is in phase two.  But you're considering a Master Plan, not a site proposal. This community doesn't want a multi tiered parking garage in the CBD.  Surely it doesn't want one in a residential neighborhood. 
For these two reasons I ask you to vote no.  And I know that voting no leaves the previous plan on the books, but I ask you not to lend credence to this seriously flawed proposal, even if it is less onerous than the existing plan.  Please vote no.  Then we can use this experience that we've gained over these years and put together a good Master Plan for the H Zone and I know the town would support you in that effort.
Last point, if anyone tells you that you have to vote a certain way, please don't listen to them.  If you're entitled to vote, you're entitled to vote the way you see fit. 
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Mr. Daly, thank you very much.
(Applause.)
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Number 66.  Forgive me, Jerry D'Ambrea (sic). 
MR. D'ANDREA:  It's close.  It's Jerry D'Andrea.  J e r r y D ' A n d r e a.  And it's 340 North Van Dien in Ridgewood.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Please raise your right hand.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give in this proceeding is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
MR. D'ANDREA:  I do. 
J E R R Y     D ' A N D R E A, 340 North Van Dien, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having been duly sworn, testifies as follows:   
THE COURT REPORTER:  Thank you.
MR. D'ANDREA:  I really wasn't planning on speaking tonight, I'm going to try to make this very quick, just some things that I wrote down as I was listening to everyone speak. 
My family has been a part of this community for about 20 years now.  And I would like to go on record stating that I am not in favor of this Valley Hospital expansion. Any additional growth to this hospital would depreciate this character of this town and create a negative impact on our quality of life. 
The Village's infrastructure, its roads, its utilities, its water supply cannot accommodate this expansion.  And its residents should not be burdened with the wants of Valley Hospital. As part of the community, I consider myself a good neighbor to Valley.  They are our guests and we take very good care of them.  We tolerate their noise and traffic and provide them with a free place to live and added security from our great police and fire department. This expansion will compromise our    most importantly, this expansion will compromise our children's safety and their education. Children that are not even born yet will be affected by this expansion.  It is impossible that a project of this magnitude can be managed safely without affecting their lives. 
I am asking our elected officials here to deny Valley's expansion so we, as a community, can move forward and add closure to this matter. 
Thank you so much, have a great night.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thank you, Mr. D'Andrea. 
Number 70, Linda Robins. 
MS. ROBINS:  Linda Robins, R o b i n s, 752 Linwood Avenue.  
THE COURT REPORTER:  Please raise your right hand.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give this evening is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
MS. ROBINS:  I do.
L I N D A     R O B I N S, 752 Linwood Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having been duly sworn, testifies as follows:   
THE COURT REPORTER:  Thank you.
MS. ROBINS:  I want to join with my neighbors in thanking you for all the time and consideration you have given, and thanks to my neighbors for putting up with eight years of these hearings as well. 
Hospitals are good things.  Keeping up to date is a good thing, but not in this community, not in Ridgewood.  Please vote no. 
We are desperately fighting for the quality of our lives, our life investments, and the quiet enjoyment of our homes. 
Thirty five years ago I put my life savings into the purchase of my house on Linwood Avenue by the Saddle River, neighboring the beautiful historic Tudor estate of the Janke who have lived there for generations. 
I was happy to live down the street from a hospital and my daughter was born in Valley, the first of my traumatic experiences at the hospital.  While our two children were in BF we endured the endless chain of trucks rumbling by on Linwood Avenue dropping dirt and all other consequences of the last Valley Hospital expansion. 
Thirty five years later, in what is supposed to be my golden years, I am totally depressed and agonizing about the conditions I live under and what threats hang over my property's value in our neighborhood. 
I feel we are the stepchildren of Ridgewood.  I look out on rubble as another so called non profit has destroyed the estate it promised the Janke it would keep. 
I do my gardening to the exhaust fumes of bumper to bumper traffic every afternoon in front of my home daily.  I am awakened by the flashing lights of ambulances that do not turn off their sirens although they should, even when there are no cars on the road at night. 
Getting out of my driveway frightens any visitors and requires great patience and skill.  If I attempt to cross Linwood Avenue at anytime on foot, my heart is in my mouth. 
What is even more terrifying at present is what the future holds.  It seems that no one at the helm is seeing the total picture and the certain consequences.  And nobody is looking beyond the borders right across the river. 
If Valley Hospital were allowed to expand, the added traffic would pool with what is happening on our eastern border on Linwood Avenue.
The hospital     well, the Tudor estate has been destroyed as you know.  And they are putting up, as far as I understand, they are putting up a dormitory and the entrance and exit will be on Linwood Avenue.  So that will be traffic.
The two lots that used to belong to the Janke estate are now being proposed to be joined and have erected a two story daycare center for 169 students with ingress and egress on Paramus Road and Linwood Avenue. 
Valley Hospital has bought up the blood bank.  And I today, trying to go onto Route 17, there was a working car right in front on the    on Linwood and just before Stop and Shop that was holding up traffic. 
Of course there's the approved office building that's also on Linwood Avenue.  And then there's the strip mall down the way.  All of this is affecting what's happening. 
Neighbors in Ridgewood have joined those in Paramus to try to fight this daycare construction.  At the last set of hearings, Ridgewood's learned Council, here at these hearings, Ridgewood's Council spoke of broadening of Linwood Avenue by the County.  The next would be the broadening of Paramus Road. 
Do we want highways cutting through our Village?  If this expansion were to go through, this future is certainly not implausible.  And I do not want to spend my old age in such an environment.
This is not why I came to Ridgewood. 
My most recent experiences inside Valley Hospital have shown me an institution more concerned with rules and regulations than with compassion for its patients and its sufferings. 
It excels at soliciting its patients for complimentary comments on its performance and staff.  Outside it has shown total insensitivity to what it proposes to do to its surrounding neighborhood. 
It seems to want to own this Village.  It has bought up homes in Ridgewood, according to a newspaper article.  And has so much money that it even gives cooking lessons at the mall.  It has earned my enmity. 
The voters have spoken recently with a resounding vote of no to this expansion and in my opinion, any expansion on the part of Valley Hospital at this site. 
Valley has 102 millions, I endorse all the wonderful facts that have been brought before you.  Let them find another site. 
Please listen to Susan Knudsen's ideas to protect our zoning laws from constant challenges by those who would destroy the unique nature of the Village of Ridgewood with ambitious over planning.  Save our Village. 
I urge the Planning Board to vote no.
Thank you.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thank you, Ms. Robins. 
(Applause.)
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Number 81, Andy Weissberg.  I'm sorry.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Sir, state your name. 
MR. WEISSBERG:  Andy Weissberg, 344 Walthery Avenue in Ridgewood. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  Spell your name please? 
MR. WEISSBERG:  W e i s s b e r g.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Please raise your right hand.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give in this proceeding is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
MR. WEISSBERG:  Yes, I swear. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  Thank you.
A N D Y     W E I S S B E R G, 344 Walthery Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey, having been duly sworn, testifies as follows: 
MR. WEISSBERG:  Thank you Planning Board for all of your hard work, I know this is probably grueling, I    to be honest I've only been involved in    as a resident for, I want to say 2003, so ten    ten and a half years.  So I really haven't been as attuned to what's been going on for    only until the last couple of years, I thank, you know, my neighbor on Walthery. But as a parent of two young kids, both at Travell, one going to BF next year, it would sort of be selfish for me to just speak about their safety and their wellbeing and all of the pollution concerns and traffic concerns that everybody here has been talking about. I'm also a member of the R.V.S.A. Board of Directors, actually came here just some coaching.  And I'm also on the Ridgewood Soccer Association Board. I don't speak for    in that capacity for the boards, for those respective boards, but as a member, as a coach, I coach three softball teams right now.  I coach two soccer teams.  I'm on these fields.  I'm coaching kids that are not even from this area or the immediate area.  And I can tell you with 1500 kids in just R.V.S.A. alone, another thousand or so in the soccer program, and being on those fields, year in, day in, day out.  I also am part of the blacktop mafia.  I pick up my kids at school. The traffic is horrendous, but I can tell you just from a sports perspective, this would be a disaster. One of the gentlemen earlier mentioned about the path near the field that would have no sun, forget the aesthetics, just the safety alone.  The kids here depend on these programs.  The adults depend on these programs.  The safety of the kids walking to BF is at risk. 
And I use the sports analogies here; partially because I see it work when there's good planning. 
Tonight I literally had a group of nine year old kids turn two, 1 2 3 innings, make two double plays, because before we started the innings we talked about situations and preparing for situations.  And the "what if" scenarios of, hey, if there's a runner on first and a runner on second and where's the play to third.  And sure enough they made the play to third.  And they made the play to second.  And they made the play to first. Point being, these kids were prepared enough because they actually thought about it.  And having been involved in these meetings the last couple of years, just doesn't seem like there's any thought being put to the real issues, the bigger picture issues.  So I would hope that the Planning Board would think a little bit harder about the real    the real life issues for these kids.  And for the families.
Thank you. 
(Applause.)
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thank you, Mr. Weissberg, and also for your contributions as a coach. 
Mr. Weissberg was the last person on my list for this evening.  But I would like to extend an opportunity if I missed somebody on the list or if there was someone who came who at this point would like to speak this evening. If so, please let me know now.  Okay.  Please did you sign the document already? 
MS. PILLA:  I said no.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  What is your number? 
MS. PILLA:  I'm 83.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Come on forward.  So Mary Pilla.
MS. PILLA:  Yes, I    I will go now though who knows I might have the baby beforehand. 
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Very calm.
MS. PILLA:  I'm Mary Pilla, "P" as in Peter i l l a.  And I live at 333 Meadowbrook Avenue.
THE COURT REPORTER:  Please raise your right hand.
Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give in this proceeding is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? 
MS. PILLA:  Yes. 
THE COURT REPORTER:  Thank you.
M A R Y     P I L L A, 333 Meadowbrook Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey,  having been duly sworn, testifies as follows:
MS. PILLA:   Thank you again.  You guys are getting a lot of thank yous.  So last thank you of the night. 
Ten years ago I came from Tappan, New York to have my son Johnny.  I chose to deliver at Valley only because my father had died at Nyack Hospital.  And I didn't want to deliver a baby at the same place where I lost my dad. A few years later my husband and I decided to move out of Rockland County and we immediately began to look in Ridgewood, not because of the lovely nurses or the gem of a hospital or the obstetric care, it was because of the beautiful families, the beautiful neighborhood, the happy families, the excellent school system and the peacefulness of Ridgewood. Expanding Valley Hospital threatens the peaceful neighborhood, the happy families and the excellent school system.  It also affects the safety of the neighborhood around. This is all, by the way, just very quick notes.  I'm a literacy specialist.  I'm very annoyed that I'm not as prepared.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  That's okay.  Take your time. 
MS. PILLA:  But, in two months I will be back delivering at Valley Hospital.  And if this expansion goes through, my son or daughter will not have the experiences that my son Johnny has each day.
My son Johnny walks to school every day and loves to walk along Meadowbrook Avenue.  That will be very different with the trucks and the transportation issues that will be coming. But putting that aside for a moment, I think about the common core and the state tests that we're going to be undertaking with PARCC and all of these other major testing events that will be happening in our school district very shortly. Half of Ridgewood will be attending Ben Franklin.  These students will be    these students will be dealing with taking state tests.  And those state tests will impact our property values. 
Those students will be filtering into Ridgewood High School.  Ridgewood High School brags about their ranks and their scores. My concern is how will students learn in a place where there will be major noise, major health issues and other things that will be coming down the pike.
Again, ten years ago I came to Ridgewood, not because of the hospital, but because of the community.  And I hope to consider that the community will be the first place that you'd consider    sorry.  I hope that we think about our community first and the hospital second. 
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thank you, Ms. Pilla.
(Applause.)
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Is there anyone else? 
(NO RESPONSE.)
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Okay.  Well, that will end tonight's portion of public comment.  This meeting will be carried without further notice to   
MR. DRILL:  Mr. Chairman, before you carry   
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:    to June the 2nd.
Yes.
MR. DRILL:  Before you carry it, I think there's a bit of housekeeping that should be done.  I think you should have Jane read into the record, the P 1, however many numbers there are and identify whose statements they are, even though they're not being admitted into evidence, they're being marked for identification.  I think you should make it part of the record. 
MS. RAZIN:  I think we intended to do so, but I spoke to Jane at the break and some of the speakers provided their statements after they spoke.  So   
MR. DRILL:  Right, it doesn't matter, but are they   
MS. RAZIN:  They're not in order.  We would like to go back and make sure everybody is in order.
So, Jane, what number are we at for the "P"s, do you know? 
MS. WONDERGEM:  We're Up through P 13. 
MS. RAZIN:  We're up to P 13. So I think it would be best if we    are you settled, you have the order of them? 
MS. WONDERGEM: I have them in order.
MS. RAZIN:  You do.  Okay. So then we can go    do you want to start   
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN: Yes, let's do it.
MS. RAZIN:  Okay. We can do it tonight.  Just Jane needed a moment to reorganize. And, again, these are being marked for ID at this point.
MS. WONDERGEM: So P 1 is for Janet Hunt. P 2 Anne Crane.
(Whereupon, Statement of Anne Crane is received and marked as Exhibit P 2 for Identification.)
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  I notice folks are leaving, please remember that June 2nd, will be the continuation of this.  And it will be at the BF middle school auditorium. 
MS. RAZIN:  At 7:30.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  At it will begin at 7:30, but we'll open the doors for sign ins at 6:30 roughly. 
We hope to see you then. 
Continue, Jane.
MS. WONDERGEM:  P 3 is Eli Kirshner.
(Whereupon, Statement of Eli Kirshner is received and marked as Exhibit P 3 for Identification.)
MS. WONDERGEM:  P 4, Marcia Ringel.
(Whereupon, Statement of Marcia Ringel is received and marked as Exhibit P 4 for Identification.) 
MS. WONDERGEM:  P 5 would be Mr. Posner.
MR. DRILL:  First name is Neil. 
MS. WONDERGEM:  Neil, right.  Yes.
(Whereupon, Statement of Neil Posner is received and marked as Exhibit P 5 for Identification.)
MS. WONDERGEM:  P 6, Janet Tuomey.
(Whereupon, Statement of Janet Tuomey is received and marked as Exhibit P 6 for Identification.)
MS. WONDERGEM:  P 7, Jeanette LaRocco.
(Whereupon, Statement of Jeanette LaRocco  is received and marked as Exhibit P 7 for Identification.)
MS. WONDERGEM:  P 8, Lorraine Reynolds.
(Whereupon, Statement of Lorraine Reynolds is received and marked as Exhibit P 8 for Identification.)
MS. WONDERGEM:  P 9, Walter Durant.
(Whereupon, Statement of Walter Durant is received and marked as Exhibit P 9 for Identification.)
MS. WONDERGEM:  P 10, Laurence O'Donnell.
(Whereupon, Statement of Laurence O'Donnell is received and marked as Exhibit P 10 for identification.)
MS. WONDERGEM:  P 11, Janet Daly.
(Whereupon, Statement of Janet Daly is received and marked as Exhibit P 11 for Identification.)
MS. WONDERGEM:  P 12, Edward Daly.
(Whereupon, Statement of Edward Daly is received and marked as Exhibit P 12 for Identification.)
MS. WONDERGEM:  And P 13, Linda Robins.
(Whereupon, Statement of Linda Robins is received and marked as Exhibit P 13 for Identification.)
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thank you very much.
MS. RAZIN:  Thanks, Jane.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thanks, Jane.
MS. RAZIN:  Marla, do you want to come to the mic?
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Yes, come up.
MS. RAZIN:  Thank you. 
MS. SHERMAN:  Marla Sherman, do I have to give my name and address?  No.  Okay.
You used a    you just said something that just made    I don't understand the whole process.  What's    is there a difference between evidence and testimony? 
MS. RAZIN:  What I meant when I said marked for ID at this point and not moved into evidence at this point, the statements that everybody made at the microphone is their testimony.  And then the statements    some of the statements were provided to Jane in written format. What we would like the opportunity to do is just to make a comparison because we anticipate and hope that they would match each other.  If that's the case, likely everything will be moved into evidence, which means they will become part of the record. 
MS. SHERMAN:  Part of the record.
MS. RAZIN:  It's just for now we're doing it as ID just to make that comparison.
MS. SHERMAN:  Okay. 
MR. DRILL:  And just for the record, if they match up, the Hospital will consent that they be moved into evidence.  If they don't match up, then we'll have to discuss it. 
MS. RAZIN:  Then we can have a    we'll have a discussion. But the point is that    I mean everybody had an opportunity to provide their testimony, so I don't foresee there being a huge issue.
MS. SHERMAN:  No, I was just wondering if there was a difference. 
MS. RAZIN:  Yes, so that's the point.  It will   
MS. SHERMAN:  The testimony is evidence.  Is evidence testimony? 
MS. RAZIN:  It will happen, it's just    it will happen, we just need a few days to get up to work. 
MS. SHERMAN:  Okay.  Thank you.
CHAIRMAN NALBANTIAN:  Thanks. Are there any other questions before we move on to a new topic?  Okay. 
Thank you for coming and hopefully we will see you on the continuation of the public comments portion of Valley on June 2nd at BF.

The hearing was carried to June 2 at 7:30 p.m. at Benjamin Franklin Middle School.
9:48 p.m. - Approval of Minutes – The minutes from November 5, 2013 and November 26, 2013 were approved as drafted.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:50 p.m.

      Respectfully submitted,
      Jane Wondergem
      Board Secretary

Date approved: