Village Council Special Public Meeting Minutes 20141022

A SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE SYDNEY V. STOLDT, JR., COURTROOM OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2014 AT 7:30 P.M.

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

Mayor Aronsohn called the meeting to order at 7:45 P.M., and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. At roll call, the following were present: Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn. Also present were Roberta Sonenfeld, Village Manager; Donna Jackson, Deputy Village Clerk; and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney.

2.         ORDINANCES

a.         PUBLIC HEARING – Ordinance #3437 – Supervisors Salary Ordinance

Mayor Aronsohn moved the second reading of Ordinance 3437 and that the Public Hearing be opened. Councilwoman Knudsen seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS:None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

The Village Clerk read Ordinance 3437 by title:

AN ORDINANCE TO FIX A SALARY, WAGE, OR COMPENSATION OF AND FOR THE SUPERVISORY EMPLOYEES OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, COUNTY OF BERGEN, AND STATE OF NEW JERSEY

Mayor Aronsohn announced that the Public Hearing was open. Councilman Pucciarelli noted that he had some questions about the longevity aspect of this Ordinance, and he was happy that Ms. Sonenfeld explained that the Village is “grandfathering” the concept of longevity, not just for this particular group of employees, but in general. Councilman Pucciarelli believes the concept of longevity is an anachronism in 2014, and that it has no place. There is an automatic cost-of-living adjustment across the board in public contracts, and on top of that, longevity allows someone who has stayed in a particular job for a number of years to get another increase, which can be as high as 10% of the base salary. Councilman Pucciarelli believes that uses money that could be used for merit increases. Moreover, it is not just a question of “surviving” in a job, and doing enough work to avoid termination. Those types of increases should be for merit, according to Councilman Pucciarelli, not just for survival in a position. That is why he would like to see the concept of longevity be eliminated from public contracts and be replaced by merit increases that are above and beyond cost-of-living adjustments. This particular longevity increase applies to employees hired before January 1, 2005.

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

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS:None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

Councilwoman Knudsen moved that Ordinance 3437 be adopted on second reading and final publication as required by law. Councilman Pucciarelli seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS:None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

b.         INTRODUCTION – Ordinance #3438 – Establish Central Business District Employee Parking

Mayor Aronsohn moved the second reading of Ordinance 3438 and that the Public Hearing be opened. Councilwoman Knudsen seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS:None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

The Village Clerk read Ordinance 3438 by title:

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 265 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, ENTITLED “VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC” BY CREATING A NEW ARTICLE X ENTITLED “CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT EMPLOYEE PARKING”

Mayor Aronsohn announced that the Public Hearing was open.

Boyd Loving, 342 South Irving Street, asked if the employees would receive hangtags with license plate numbers on them to identify them as Village employees in order to be entitled to use these parking facilities, or would they receive decals with license plate numbers on them. Mr. Hillman and Mr. Vaggianos had commented about the number of part-time employees who work in the Village, and noted that many of them could not afford to buy permits for themselves. That is why Mr. Loving wondered if the administrative process would allow one employee to give his/her parking identification to another employee, so that if that employee does not work every day of the week, another employee could use it. Ms. Sonenfeld confirmed this, saying that the employees would receive hangtags, but there would be no license plate numbers on the hangtags, to allow part-time employees to share them.

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

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS:None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

Councilwoman Hauck moved that Ordinance 3438 be adopted on second reading and final publication as required by law. Councilman Sedon seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS:None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

c.         PUBLIC HEARING – Ordinance #3439 – Amend Chapter 265 – Vehicles and Traffic – Change Two-Hour Parking Meters to Three-Hour Parking Meters

Mayor Aronsohn moved the second reading of Ordinance 3439 and that the Public Hearing be opened. Councilwoman Hauck seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS:None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

The Village Clerk read Ordinance 3439 by title:

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 265 OF THE CODE OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC, AT SECTION 265-29, “PARKING METER ZONE DESIGNATED”

Mayor Aronsohn announced that the Public Hearing was open.

Boyd Loving, 342 South Irving Street, noted that there was a lot of discussion about this matter, yet he still does not understand why the parking meters are being changed from two-hour to three-hour meters. He asked for synopsis of the benefits of making this change. Ms. Sonenfeld responded that there is a strong feeling that two hours is just not enough for shoppers and other visitors to Ridgewood to get their business done in the CBD. She recalled that, during the discussion, there were some Councilmembers who thought that the meters should go to four hours. However, it was decided that three hours would be the limit for the meters for various reasons, including the fact that it would not enable part-time employees to use up all of the metered spaces while they are working in Ridgewood.

Councilwoman Knudsen pointed out that, in her opinion, it gives a shopper or visitor to Ridgewood an option to spend an hour, or two hours, or three hours, which encourages people to come to Ridgewood, and perhaps have a meal and do some shopping without feeling pressured to feed the meters. Most people who go back to their meters after two hours leave, rather than put more quarters in and do some more shopping, so Councilwoman Knudsen feels this might be an opportunity to allow visitors to spend some more time in Ridgewood. She added that she was one of those who supported the idea of four-hour meters. Mr. Loving said he remembered the discussion about the four-hour meters, and he noted Ms. Sonenfeld’s comment about the part-time employees in Ridgewood, which he said was also his concern with respect to three-hour meters. He wondered if there are part-time employees who are working three-hour shifts, and that this might encourage them to park their cars on the street, rather than using a parking lot. Mayor Aronsohn mentioned that there is no “perfect system,” but that three hours are better than two hours, and if it does not work, the issue can be revisited. The situation will be monitored. Ms. Sonenfeld also pointed out that the 15-minute meters will still be in place. Mr. Loving asked if this will also apply to meters in the parking lots, as well has the meters in the streets. Ms. Sonenfeld said it would not, because currently, the meters in the parking lots are 12-hour meters. Only the two-hour meters on the streets would go to three hours.

Councilman Pucciarelli noted that the other advantage is that this plan gives some uniformity to the parking meters, because some of the meters are 2.25 hours, while others are one-hour meters, creating a hodgepodge.

Renée Geller, 130 Prospect Street, said she believes extending the meters to three hours is a very good idea, because it is true that people do not want to rush, and be forced to stop in the middle of their meals to check the parking meters. Ms. Geller has a placard for handicapped parking, so it does not affect her, but generally speaking, she thinks it would be better people could be free to roam around, without having to constantly watch the time.

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

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS:None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

Councilman Sedon moved that Ordinance 3439 be adopted on second reading and final publication as required by law. Councilwoman Knudsen seconded the motion.

Roll Call Vote

AYES:             Councilmembers Hauck, Knudsen, Pucciarelli, Sedon, and Mayor Aronsohn

NAYS:None

ABSENT:        None

ABSTAIN:       None

3.         RESOLUTION

THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION, NUMBERED 14-266, WAS ADOPTED BY A CONSENT AGENDA, WITH ONE VOTE BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL, AND WAS READ BY TITLE ONLY:

14-266             Approve Renewal of Liquor License – M & C Drugs t/a Harding Pharmacy

4.         ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Mayor Aronsohn, seconded by Councilwoman Hauck, and carried by voice vote, the Special Public Meeting was adjourned at 7:57 P.M.

                                                            PAUL S. ARONSOHN, Mayor

DONNA M. JACKSON, Deputy Village Clerk