Village Council Meeting

A REGULAR PUBLIC WORK SESSION OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD HELD IN THE SYDNEY V. STOLDT, JR. COURT ROOM OF THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE HALL, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ON NOVEMBER 6, 2024 AT 7:30 P.M. 1. CALL TO ORDER – OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT – ROLL CALL – FLAG SALUTE Mayor Vagianos called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. At roll call, the following were present: Councilmembers Reynolds, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos. Deputy Mayor Perron was absent from the meeting. Also present were Keith Kazmark, Village Manager; Heather Mailander, Village Clerk; and Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney. Mayor Vagianos led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. Mayor Vagianos stated that he was pleased about the large number of voters who came out to vote yesterday. He welcomed Councilmember-Elect Frank Mortimer and said that he looked forward to working with him on the Village Council. Mayor Vagianos congratulated HyunJu Kwak, who has served Ridgewood for many years on the Board of Education, and campaigned strongly during the recent election. Mayor Vagianos also congratulated Deputy Mayor Perron on her successful re- election to the Village Council. 2. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC Anne Loving, resident of Ridgewood, congratulated Mayor Vagianos, Deputy Mayor Perron and Frank Mortimer for their success in winning the election to the Village Council. She noted the huge turnout of voters at the various polling locations. Ms. Loving thanked HyunJu Kwak for her service to the Village. Ms. Loving acknowledged that serving on the Village Council is not an easy job. Frank Mortimer, resident of Ridgewood, thanked all of the Ridgewood residents who voted for him yesterday. He said that the large numbers of voters who came to the polls demonstrate how engaged and civic-minded Ridgewood residents are in matters that affect them. Mr. Mortimer congratulated Mayor Vagianos and Deputy Mayor Perron for being re-elected to the Village Council, stating that they garnered the most votes in the history of Ridgewood. He said that this record proves the great work that they have done for Ridgewood, while serving on the Village Council. Mr. Mortimer thanked Councilmember Reynolds for serving on the Village Council for many years. He stated that Councilmember Reynolds has always stuck to her principles and voiced her opinions, however unpopular. He wished the best of luck to her in the future. Rurik Halaby, resident of Ridgewood, congratulated Mayor Vagianos and Deputy Mayor Perron on their successful re-election to the Village Council. He also congratulated Mr. Mortimer for his 1 Village Council Public Workshop November 6, 2024 successful election to the Village Council. Mr. Halaby was confident that the incoming Village Council will bring Ridgewood to a new level of excellence in the next couple of years. He said that he was also amazed by the vast number of Ridgewood residents who went to the polls to vote. He said that he fully supported, “One Ridgewood, One Vote.” Mr. Halaby said that he foresees two major areas in the Village that will require attention: the Central Business District (CBD) and the Schedler property. He said that the CBD faces long-term, systemic challenges that require the services of a Professional Planner, who will take a strategic look at the problems facing the CBD and develop effective solutions. Mr. Halaby recommended that the Village Councilmembers view the development of the Schedler property as a whole, rather than in segmented pieces. He said that a turf playing field is desperately needed. The soil contamination issues and uses for the Zabriskie-Schedler house will need to be resolved. Mr. Halaby said that the current Village Council has “set the bar” for transparency by inviting ideas from the public. He said, however, that the Village Councilmembers need to aggressively fact-check comments by the public. He wished the Village Councilmembers the best of luck and said that they have his full support. Hans Jurgen Lehmann, a resident of Ridgewood, congratulated Mayor Vagianos, Deputy Mayor Perron and Councilmember-Elect Mortimer for their successful election to the Village Council. He commended the Village Councilmembers for the service they have rendered to the Village. Mr. Lehmann indicated that he wanted to show his dedication to democratic values. He had a lawn sign during the days preceding the election, which simply said “Vote” on one side. The other side of the sign read, “Agree to disagree is reserved for things like ‘I don’t like coffee.’ Not racism, homophobia, sexism; not basic common decency; not human rights; not the right to be treated equally regardless of race, religion, color, creed, or sexual orientation. We do not have a difference of opinion; we have a difference in morality.” He mentioned that he does not know the author of this quote. Cynthia O’Keefe, a resident of Ridgewood, congratulated Mayor Vagianos and Deputy Mayor Perron on their re-election to the Village Council, and also Frank Mortimer, who was newly elected to the Village Council. Ms. O’Keefe said that she agreed with Mr. Halaby that the comments made by residents during public comments need to be fact-checked. She added that she feels all comments, even those made by the Village Councilmembers, need to be fact-checked for accuracy. Ms. O’Keefe indicated that she takes issue with misinformation that is given to the public as fact. During the candidate debate held by the League of Women Voters, Mr. Mortimer stated that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) ruled that artificial turf is safe. However, Ms. O’Keefe stated that she read both volumes of the USEPA report cover to cover, and it did not state that artificial turf was safe, although there were many disclaimers contained in the report. Ms. O’Keefe said that it is irresponsible for anyone to tell the public that something is safe when it is 2 Village Council Public Workshop November 6, 2024 not, as evidenced by the testimony of doctors and other specialists in various studies regarding artificial turf. Regarding the Schedler property, Ms. O’Keefe stated that residents have been asking for a traffic study for a long time. She said that a car traveling at a high rate of speed crashed into the garage of a house at the intersection of West Saddle River Road and Terhune Road on November 4th. This occurred directly across the street from the Schedler property. She said that many people walk around that neighborhood and someone could have been killed. Ms. O’Keefe stated that the driveway to the Schedler property is very close to the exit from Route 17 onto West Saddle River Road. She said that a traffic study of that area should be the Village Council’s number one priority. Suzanne Ruane, a resident of Ridgewood, congratulated Mayor Vagianos, Deputy Mayor Perron, and Councilmember-Elect Mortimer for winning the election to the Village Council. She also thanked HyunJu Kwak for serving on the Board of Education. Regarding the Kingsbridge Lane Pedestrian Bridge, Ms. Ruane said that she wanted to know if the sidewalks will be constructed in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). She also asked what the white markings were on the sidewalks near the bridge. She mentioned that she spoke with Sheila Brogan, of the Board of Education, and Dr. Mark Schwarz, Superintendent of Schools, about the pedestrian bridge and they felt that it would be very educational for Ridgewood High School engineering students to observe when the bridge is being removed. Dr. Schwarz indicated that he would contact Mr. Kazmark regarding same. Ms. Ruane then spoke about the dangerous intersection of West Saddle River Road and Terhune Road, across the street from the Schedler property. She mentioned that this intersection is a bus stop for schoolchildren. She spoke with Dr. Schwarz about the installation of a bus stop sign to alert drivers exiting off of Route 17 to slow down in that area. Regarding the soil contamination at the Schedler property, Ms. Ruane asked what the process is after the soil has been remediated. She said that she read somewhere that there is a two-year waiting period after remediation is completed before the property can be used. Naha, a Ridgewood resident, began by congratulating all of the newly elected officials to the Village Council. Regarding the large artificial turf field planned for the Schedler property, she stated that although she believes that children should enjoy sports and fresh air, they should not do so at the cost of removing mature trees, installing a “plastic rug,” and destroying an entire ecosystem. The artificial turf field will have adverse effects to the groundwater and cause air and noise pollution. She said that the proposed development of the Schedler property is in stark contrast to the green initiatives planned by the Village, such as planting more trees to enhance biodiversity and carbon sequestration, improving the water quality, and taking steps to reduce flooding. She also expressed her concern about the dangerous traffic situation on West Saddle River Road, since cars exiting off 3 Village Council Public Workshop November 6, 2024 of Route 17 do not observe the speed limit. She said that the recent incident of a speeding car crashing into a house was terrifying. Many children play on the streets and there is a school bus stop near Terhune Road, where the accident occurred. Increased traffic at the Schedler property will greatly reduce safety in that area. She said that the soil contamination is also of great concern, and she would like to see more transparency, communication, and updates from the Village Council regarding the soil remediation plans and processes. There were no further comments from the public. Addressing Ms. Ruane’s comments regarding the soil testing at the Schedler property, Mr. Kazmark said that there was a conference call this afternoon between representatives from Matrix New World Engineering and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). Matrix is in the process of finalizing their delineation testing plan and, once completed, this scope of work needs to be approved by Tom Farrell, who is in charge of the Bureau of Solid Waste at the NJDEP. Mr. Kazmark was not on that conference call, but he expects to be updated shortly. He anticipates that the physical testing of the soil will occur this month, but he will not know for sure until the plan is approved by the NJDEP. Regarding the comments about transparency concerning the Schedler property, Mr. Kazmark indicated that the public outreach plan, developed by Matrix and approved by the NJDEP, was posted last week on the Village website. A letter outlining same will be mailed out to all residents living within 200 feet of the Schedler property. Mr. Kazmark said that there are over 100 questions, which were submitted by concerned residents to Matrix and the Village regarding the Schedler property. He said that they are working on formulating extensive answers to these questions, and he anticipates that the questions and answers will be publicly available on the Village website sometime next week. 3. VILLAGE MANAGER’S REPORT Mr. Kazmark said that he received correspondence from Beth McManus, Village Planner, regarding the Village’s affordable housing obligations. The fourth round of the affordable housing plan covers the years from 2026 to 2035. The Village has been assigned 427 new affordable housing units during the fourth round. He will be meeting with Ms. McManus and the “ordinance working group” regarding the affordable housing obligation. The Village Council will consider and adopt a resolution on or before January 31, 2025, that identifies the affordable housing obligation. The Village must adopt an affordable housing plan by June 30, 2025. Mr. Kazmark said that he was very pleased to learn that the Village has been allocated almost $225,000 in grant funds since the beginning of 2024. Grants were received by the Fire Department and Police Department. In addition, grants were received from the Open Space Commission and Board of Public Utilities for planning sustainability and local recreation 4 Village Council Public Workshop November 6, 2024 projects. There is a total of $4 million in pending grant applications. Determination of these pending grants should be received later this year or in early 2025. He thanked the staff of Millennium Strategies for their assistance in this regard, as well as Carol Bialkowski, Director of Communications and Special Events, and all Department Directors who work diligently every day to take advantage of as many grants as possible. Mr. Kazmark stated that communication mailers were sent to all Ridgewood households. The mailer contained QR codes which, when scanned by residents, would enable them to sign up for various communication channels online. He announced that 171 new residents signed up for the Village’s weekly E-Newsletter, and over 300 residents downloaded the My Ridgewood app. Twenty new people signed up for the emergency reverse 911 notification system, and 13 people signed up for the weekly newsletter from the Ridgewood Library. He thanked Ms. Bialkowski in his office for gathering the data to give him an update and all of the residents who signed up. Regarding the Kingsbridge Lane Pedestrian Bridge, Mr. Kazmark indicated that there was a pre- construction meeting held this morning between the Engineering Department and the contractor hired by the Village to do the repairs to the pedestrian bridge. Within the next 30 days, depending upon the required cooperation from the utility companies to relocate some wires so that the crane can be accommodated, Mr. Kazmark stated that the bridge will be physically removed to the contractor’s shop for repairs, and then re-installed approximately 90 to 120 days after removal. Mr. Kazmark said that concrete work will be done around each side of the bridge, on Kingsbridge Lane and East Saddle River Road. He stated that the bridge cannot be made fully ADA compliant, but the concrete work will be performed to provide as much access as possible to the bridge. Once the bridge is removed, concrete barriers will be installed to prevent anyone from accessing the area, until the bridge is repaired and replaced. Mr. Kazmark said that residential tree planting is ongoing in the Village, beginning with the Adopt-A-Sapling program a few weeks ago. He mentioned that a number of new trees have been planted in the Schedler neighborhood and at other locations throughout the Village, including the Central Business District. Leaf collection season has commenced. Mr. Kazmark asked all residents to pay close attention to the leaf collection schedule for their specific area. He reminded everyone that the dates on the schedule are the dates during which leaves may be placed curbside, and pickups will begin after the placement dates. Village Hall and all Village offices will be closed on Monday, November 11th, in observance of Veterans Day. There will be no recycling or trash pickups on that date. At 11:00 a.m. on Veterans Day, there will be an event held in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square, hosted by American Legion Post 53, in honor of those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. 5 Village Council Public Workshop November 6, 2024 Upcoming Village Council meetings are as follows: Public Meetings on November 13 and December 11, 2024 and a Work Session on December 4, 2024. All meetings start at 7:30 p.m. 4. VILLAGE COUNCIL REPORTS Councilmember Winograd thanked all candidates who participated in the election this month, with special thanks to the staff of the Village Clerk’s Office. She said that she will miss Councilmember Reynolds and wished her the best of luck in the future. Councilmember Winograd said that the Adopt-A-Sapling was a great success, but there has been very little rain lately. She reminded everyone to water their saplings frequently, to ensure that they thrive. She thanked everyone who participated in this program. In 2025, the saplings will be planted in the area of Willard School. Some members of the Green Team from George Washington Middle School will be assisting during the next planting of the saplings. Councilmember Winograd reported that approximately 200 street trees were planted in the Central Business District in 2023. She said that there was no problem supplying saplings to those who requested them, although each resident was limited to one sapling. Areas were highlighted, through the Geographic Information System (GIS), where trees were needed in the Village. However, Councilmember Winograd stated that there was a disproportionate rate of refusal (50%) by some homeowners to have a sapling planted in front of their homes, particularly on Hopper Avenue. Out of 65 saplings to be planted near the Schedler property, 12 homeowners refused the offer. She thanked the Shade Tree Commission for proactively sending out notices to homeowners whose properties were identified by the GIS as needing trees planted. Three homeowners have requested that the trees planted on their property be removed. Mr. Kazmark stated that all planting requests will be completed and the three uprooted trees will be planted elsewhere, as determined by the Shade Tree Commission. There have also been requests to plant some trees in Village parks, upon advice by Declan Madden, Village Arborist. Twelve trees will be removed at Hawes Field and some trees had to be removed at Graydon Pool. Councilmember Winograd added that the designated areas to plant trees cannot be readily changed, since there need to be mark-outs indicating where utility lines are located. Councilmember Winograd thanked the ACCESS Committee for organizing this evening’s sensory-friendly dinner at the Pancake House, which was well attended. She thanked Jamie Davis for her efforts in this regard and Mayor Vagianos who attended the dinner. Councilmember Winograd encouraged everyone to attend the next scheduled sensory-friendly dinner. A special sensory-friendly Christmas tree lighting will be held around the holidays and she encouraged everyone to attend. 6 Village Council Public Workshop November 6, 2024 Councilmember Weitz said that some of his committees have not met within the past two weeks. There was one meeting held, which he was unable to attend. Councilmember Weitz thanked all of the individuals who worked at the polls during the election and the Village Clerk’s Office for their assistance during the election. He remarked that there was a great turnout of voters on Election Day. He congratulated Councilmember-Elect Frank Mortimer for a well-run campaign, and Mayor Vagianos and Deputy Mayor Perron on their re-election to the Village Council. Councilmember Weitz also congratulated HyunJu Kwak for running for a seat on the Village Council. He said that he will miss Councilmember Reynolds when she steps down from the Village Council. Councilmember Weitz also congratulated the successful winners of the Board of Education election. Councilmember Reynolds stated that Project Pride will be meeting on Sunday, November 10, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square, to remove the fall mums, cabbage and grasses in the Central Business District. She said that anyone who wants a mum (perennial) or cabbage should contact her. The perennial grasses will be given to the Parks Department, since Nancy Bigos, Director of the Parks and Recreation Department, has indicated that there are some locations where she would like to plant the ornamental grasses. She asked any individual who is interested in helping in this endeavor on November 10th to contact her via email at lreynolds@ridgewoodnj.net. No prior experience is necessary. Councilmember Reynolds congratulated Mayor Vagianos and Deputy Mayor Perron on their successful re-election campaign, and also Councilmember-Elect Mortimer on his successful bid for the Village Council. She thanked Ms. Kwak for running for the Village Council. Councilmember Reynolds said that she was a bit disappointed that there were only seven candidates running for six available seats on both the Village Council and Board of Education. She wished everyone the best of luck in the future. Mayor Vagianos thanked Councilmember Winograd for her tireless efforts in planting trees in the Village. He expressed the hope that Councilmember Reynolds will continue her participation in Project Pride, after leaving her position on the Village Council. 5. DISCUSSION 1. RIDGEWOOD WATER A. AWARD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT – STAGE 3 ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATA RECOVERY – CEDAR HILL PFAS FACILITY SITE Mr. Kazmark explained that this matter pertains to the awarding of a professional services contract to Hunter Research of Trenton, New Jersey, for a Stage 3 archaeological data recovery 7 Village Council Public Workshop November 6, 2024 study, regarding the Cedar Hill PFAS treatment facility in Wyckoff, New Jersey. On March 8, 2023, a contract was awarded to Hunter Research to complete a Stage 1 archaeological survey. The findings from the Stage 1 survey required a Stage 2 survey. On November 8, 2023, a contract was again awarded to Hunter Research to complete the Stage 2 survey. The Stage 2 survey resulted in findings requiring a Stage 3 archeological investigation. It is recommended that this contract be awarded to Hunter Research in an amount not to exceed $158,024.00. This survey is required by the NJDEP. B. AUTHORIZE CHANGE ORDER – INFRARED ASPHALT SURFACE REPAIR Mr. Kazmark stated that this item pertains to the authorization of a Change Order for infrared asphalt surface repair. On September 4, 2024, Atlantic Infrared, Inc., was awarded a four-month, $100,000.00 service contract to provide infrared asphalt surface repair services for a backlog of locations in the Ridgewood Water service area. At this time, an additional $18,629.00 over the contract amount is required to complete the contract. Atlantic Infrared has restored 144 locations where Ridgewood Water had to dig up the road to replace service lines, and they have done excellent work. It is recommended that Change Order No. 1 in the amount of $18,629.00 be awarded to Atlantic Infrared, Inc., of Wall, New Jersey. Funding is contained in the Ridgewood Water Operating Budget. C. AUTHORIZE EXECUTION OF MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WITH USEPA AND NJSHPO ADDRESSING IMPACTS OF CULTURAL RESOURCES AT CEDAR HILL PFAS TREATMENT FACILITY Mr. Kazmark explained that this matter deals with the authorization to execute a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the New Jersey State Historic Preservation Office (NJSHPO), regarding the cultural resource actions that must be implemented by Ridgewood Water, so that they can proceed with the construction of the Cedar Hill PFAS treatment facility in Wyckoff, New Jersey. Comments on the MOA draft are due back to the NJDEP before November 23, 2024. Mr. Kazmark has reviewed the document terms and found them to be in agreement with the recommendations that have been discussed between Ridgewood Water, the Cultural Resources Consultant, Hunter Research, and Mott MacDonald, the PFAS engineering consulting firm. Approval of the MOA is necessary to proceed with construction of the PFAS treatment facility and maintain compliance with the NJDEP Consent Order. It is recommended that this MOA be executed by Richard Calbi, on behalf of Ridgewood Water and the Village of Ridgewood. 8 Village Council Public Workshop November 6, 2024  2. BUDGET A. 2024 BUDGET TRANSFERS Mr. Kazmark indicated that this matter is in regard to the first round of budget transfers in the amount of $89,500.00. B. 2024 EMERGENCY BUDGET APPROPRIATION This year, Mr. Kazmark stated that the Fire Department has encountered significant staffing issues regarding workers’ compensation, absences, personal injuries, and two military deployments. This has resulted in the necessity for overtime in the Fire Department. The Village was aware of one military deployment and considered same in this year’s budget, but the other deployment was unexpected. While some monies will be recouped through workers’ compensation for work-related injuries and from the Federal government due to the military deployment, an emergency appropriation of funds is being sought to cover the overtime wages for this year. Fire Chief John Judge added that the Fire Department also had one retiree. Although there were two new hires to replace the retiree and the second deployed individual, Chief Judge stated that the new hires did not begin work until September of this year. Therefore, there was overtime required to cover the first 9½ months of 2024, in order to maintain adequate staffing. They transferred personnel to cover management positions and handle deficiencies in staffing. Chief Judge stated that three employees were out of work for part of 2024 due to on-the-job injuries. He said that there were four significant off-the-job personal injuries this year, resulting in these employees being unable to work for various lengths of time. He said that in the months of February, March, June, and August, staffing was decreased by five people, for various reasons. Currently, staffing is down by four members, through the end of the year. Robert Rooney, Chief Financial Officer, said that although the Village will be able to recoup some of the funds on workers’ compensation issues through insurance and military repayment, the Village will not receive these funds, in the approximate amount of $32,000.00, until next year. Mr. Rooney said there is currently a projected shortfall of approximately $130,000.00 before they hit the next payroll period, and then another $120,000.00 shortfall once the next payroll period arrives. That is how he arrived at the $250,000.00 emergency appropriation request. These funds are needed to pay the salaries this year in accordance with State law. This appropriation shall be provided for in full, in the 2025 budget. Upon questioning by Councilmember Weitz, Mr. Rooney indicated that the Fire Department will be short-staffed at the beginning of 2025 and they are currently looking to hire several firefighters to fill the ranks. Councilmember Weitz asked what the total annual budget for the 9 Village Council Public Workshop November 6, 2024 Fire Department is each year. Mr. Rooney replied that salaries and wages are approximately $6,500,000.00. Councilmember Weitz asked if anything different could have been done to prevent the injuries to Fire Department staff. Chief Judge said that the personal injuries incurred off duty were significant and were events that just “happened.” Mr. Kazmark added that besides the one military deployment that they knew about, all of the other injuries/absences were unanticipated and were not considered when developing and adopting the 2024 budget. There is another retirement in the Fire Department, which is slated for December 1, 2024, which was not pre-planned. There is a recruit currently in the academy who will begin work in January 2025. Councilmember Weitz asked Mr. Rooney if any part of the money reserves, which are set aside for unplanned expenses, has been utilized. Mr. Rooney said that terminal pay is reserved, and some of that money will mitigate the unanticipated retirement. However, there are insufficient funds to cover the payroll that he has to cover right now. There was a brief discussion between Councilmember Winograd and Chief Judge about the academy, its enrollment cycles, and the courses offered by the academy (Fire 1, Fire 2, and EMT). Since the new recruits missed the January cutoff enrollment date for the Bergen County Fire Academy, they were enrolled in March in the Passaic County Fire Academy. C. AWARD CONTRACT – REMOVAL OF ABANDONED UNDERGROUND FUEL STORAGE TANKS – NORTH WALNUT STREET Mr. Kazmark explained that this matter pertains to the awarding of a contract for the removal of abandoned underground fuel storage tanks underneath the North Walnut Street parking lot. Six bids were received on October 16, 2024. There were nine registered plan holders eligible to bid. The bids ranged from a low of $196,475.00 to a high of $346,632.46. Three of the bids had mathematical errors in tallying up their prices. The lowest bidder by price, Aurora Environmental, submitted a flawed bid package, with their bid bond and consent of surety on the incorrect forms. It is recommended that this contract be awarded to T. R. Weniger, Inc., of Piscataway, New Jersey, which was the lowest bidder submitting the correct forms. This contract is not to exceed $197,800.00. The low bidder will be a new contractor for the Village. The work of this project is to be funded from the North Walnut Street Redevelopment District funding. Councilmember Winograd asked when the work will begin, after the contract is finalized next week. Mr. Kazmark said that once the contracts are signed, a pre-construction meeting will be scheduled. If the winter is mild weather-wise, Mr. Kazmark anticipated that the contractor would begin work after the holidays. 10 Village Council Public Workshop November 6, 2024  D. AWARD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT – PUBLIC HEALTH AND NURSING SERVICES Mr. Kazmark stated that this matter pertains to the awarding of a professional services contract for public health and nursing services. Valley Community Health has submitted their 2025 Community Programs Service Bid. They provide nursing services for communicable disease investigations, child health clinics, adult health clinics, school audits and influenza clinics. It is recommended that this contract be awarded to Valley Community Health in an amount not to exceed $12,699.00, which has been the same for the past four years. The charge for public health nurses is $51.00 per hour. Valley Community Health bills for hours used, which has averaged under $10,000.00 per year, in prior years. Dawn Cetrulo, Director of the Health Department, has requested that home visits be added to the contract this year, so that a nurse can accompany the social worker, when needed. Valley also provides health education services to satisfy the requirements of the Public Health Practice Standards of Performance, at no charge to the Village. E. AWARD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT – COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR SCHEDLER PROPERTY Mr. Kazmark explained that this item pertains to the awarding of a professional services contract to Matrix New World Engineering for community outreach regarding the Schedler property at 460 West Saddle River Road. Services will include development of a Public Outreach Plan for submittal to the NJDEP, appearances at Village Council meetings, answering questions from the public via phone or email, sending out public notification letters, preparing publicly distributed documents, consultation with subject matter experts and legal counsel, and correspondence with the NJDEP. Due to the heightened interest in the environmental investigation of the Schedler property, Matrix has developed a Public Outreach Plan, which has been approved by the NJDEP. Matrix has provided additional public outreach and engagement, beyond the requirements set forth in the NJDEP’s Administrative Requirements for the Remediation of Contaminated Sites and the NJDEP’s Public Notification & Outreach Guidance document. This contract is not to exceed $30,960.00. Upon questioning by Councilmember Winograd, Mr. Kazmark explained the process of public outreach in more detail. This outreach will entail notifications about the proposed soil remediation plan for the Schedler property to all residents who live within 200 feet of the Schedler property. Mr. Kazmark also explained the process for submittal of questions from the public. 11 Village Council Public Workshop November 6, 2024  F. AUTHORIZE SHARED SERVICES AGREEMENT – MUNICIPAL VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT FUELING (HO-HO-KUS) Mr. Kazmark explained that this matter pertains to the authorization of a Shared Services Agreement between the Village of Ridgewood and the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus. This agreement will permit the Village to purchase fuel for its vehicles and equipment, while the underground fuel storage tanks at the Village’s Fleet Services on Chestnut Street are replaced. Ridgewood and Ho-Ho-Kus use the same fuel supplier. The agreement would be effective for the remainder of 2024 and will expire on February 1, 2025. G. PARTIALLY CANCEL TAXES – 112 PROSPECT STREET Mr. Kazmark indicated that this is a proposed resolution authorizing the partial cancellation of taxes on property located at 112 Prospect Street, which is owned by a nonprofit organization seeking an 84% property tax exemption. A portion of the building is rented out to a tenant, so only a partial exemption will be granted. H. AMEND BUILDING DEPARTMENT FEE SCHEDULE Mr. Kazmark explained that this matter deals with an amendment to the Uniform Construction Code permit fee schedule for the Building Department. Anthony Merlino, Construction Code Official, researched rates in municipalities that are comparable to Ridgewood, including Summit, Westfield and Montville. Amendments include adjustments to the existing fee schedule, the addition of items that require permits but do not appear in the fee schedule currently, and notes explaining some of those amendments and corrections. Mayor Vagianos asked when these fees were last increased, and Ms. Mailander said that she believed the last increase was in 2015 or 2016. 3. POLICY A. IMPLEMENTATION OF ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT ANNUAL REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS – CIRCULAR DRIVEWAYS AND FRONT YARD FENCES Mr. Kazmark explained that this matter deals with implementation of recommendations contained in the Zoning Board of Adjustment 2023 Annual Report, regarding circular driveways and front yard fences. The proposed amendment will permit multiple curb cuts for circular driveways, for properties with at least 100 feet of lot frontage and established front yard setbacks that meet the ordinance requirements. Regarding fences, the proposed amendment will prohibit fences in front yards, except for corner lots, where a fence may be necessary for privacy and 12 Village Council Public Workshop November 6, 2024 safety in a side or rear yard area that becomes a technical front yard. Where a fence is permitted in this type of corner lot front yard, a ten-foot setback from the property line will be required. The ordinance introduces diagrams to assist with interpretation of the language. 4. OPERATIONS A. REVISED STORMWATER ORDINANCE Mr. Kazmark indicated that this item pertains to a revised Stormwater Management Ordinance. The NJDEP has required all New Jersey municipalities to revise their Stormwater Management Ordinance, in accordance with new NJDEP requirements. Ms. Mailander explained that the Village Council adopted Ordinance No. 4006 on June 26, 2024, and it was sent to the Bergen County Department of Planning and Engineering (BCDPE) on July 5, 2024, who had to approve the ordinance within 60 days, per NJDEP regulations. On September 30, 2024, well after the established deadline, the BCDPE provided the Village with their comments. Only four minor edits were required in order for them to provide their full approval of this ordinance. The edits have been made, and the revised version of the ordinance has to be reintroduced. This will be followed by a Public Hearing, and then consideration for adoption by the Village Council in December 2024. The ordinance would become effective in January 2025. Once the revised ordinance is adopted, it will be sent again to the BCDPE for their full and final approval, and it will be sent to the NJDEP as well. Mayor Vagianos said that he and others spent many hours reviewing and revising this ordinance, which is more stringent than Stormwater Management Ordinances in other municipalities. He believes that many municipalities just simply adopted the model ordinance, with minimum standards supplied by the NJDEP. B. BEST PRACTICES INVENTORY Mr. Rooney explained that every October, the State mails out a Best Practices Inventory to all municipalities and counties in the state. This inventory is used to determine the amount of State aid which a municipality or county will receive. There is a grid that requires a certain number of “yes” answers in order to get 100% State aid. The Village answered yes to 41 inventory questions. There are “unscored items” in the inventory. Each year, the State picks out topics that are new to the survey, such as affordable housing, in order to determine how municipalities and counties coordinate their efforts in certain areas. The inventory questions were reviewed by Department Directors, and Mr. Rooney attended a meeting with Department Directors to discuss the answers to the inventory questions. Mr. Rooney stated that Ridgewood will receive 100% State aid this year. The inventory was filed this year in a timely manner. 13 Village Council Public Workshop November 6, 2024 Mr. Kazmark said that there are approximately six questions that they are working on, such as multifactor authentication under cybersecurity, in preparation for answering the inventory next year. Dylan Hansen, Director of the I.T. Department, is currently working with the Joint Insurance Fund, in order to update the Village’s cybersecurity. Mayor Vagianos said that Deputy Mayor Perron asked him to ask some questions in her absence this evening. Mr. Kazmark indicated that Mr. Rooney has already responded to Deputy Mayor Perron’s questions, and she was satisfied with the answers. Mayor Vagianos was pleased to hear that Deputy Mayor Perron’s questions were answered. C. STRUCTURAL REVIEW OF RIDGEWOOD BUS STATION Mr. Kazmark brought to the attention of the Village Councilmembers a report by Cividini Consulting L.L.C., Structural Engineering, of Hillsdale, New Jersey, which dealt with their inspection of the Ridgewood Bus Station on September 9, 2024 and October 25, 2024. Mr. Kazmark thanked Roger Schlicht of RDS Architects and Bruno Cividini for their assistance in this regard. Site inspection revealed that the main structural members have deteriorated and need repair and replacement. Mr. Cividini is recommending that the existing bus station structure be demolished in its entirety and replaced with a new bus station structure. Mr. Kazmark said that in the past, the Village pursued financial assistance (approximately $100,000 to $125,000), through the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), to offset expenses, and actually a commitment was received from the Commissioner of the NJDOT. Councilmember Weitz said that it was a shame that this historic bus station structure has to be demolished, but the Cividini Consulting report points out many areas of deterioration that pose serious safety concerns for people utilizing the bus station structure and serious liability issues for the Village. A heavy snowstorm could make the roof cave in. Therefore, Councilmember Weitz said that he was in favor of razing the bus station structure. Mr. Kazmark said that if the Village Councilmembers agree this evening to demolish the bus station structure, he would make arrangements to possibly have the Streets Division remove the bus station structure after leaf season concludes. If the staff in the Streets Division cannot remove the bus station structure, then the project would go out for bid. Mr. Kazmark said that the bus station structure serves no real purpose, since it does not provide protection against the elements, and it is an eyesore. Mayor Vagianos asked what would occur once the building was removed. He asked whether discussions on this topic could begin “sooner rather than later.” Mr. Kazmark said that this topic has been discussed in the past, with one suggestion being to replace the bus station structure with a traditional New Jersey Transit bus stop building. There was also a suggestion about moving the bus station near the train station. He suggested that Christopher Rutishauser, Village Engineer, 14 Village Council Public Workshop November 6, 2024 attend a Village Council meeting in December, to discuss options. Mr. Kazmark said that Mr. Rutishauser has presented multiple renditions of plans to move the bus station to the train station, to prior Village Councils. Councilmember Weitz thought that the idea of moving the bus station to the train station would make the CBD safer, since the buses would then travel along the Franklin Avenue corridor, rather than on East Ridgewood Avenue, which is narrow and hazardous when cars are parked on both sides of the street. Councilmember Weitz said that he would first like to speak with some business owners in the CBD to get their feedback, citing the fact that some businesses see an increase in sales with the foot traffic generated by people walking to the bus station. He said that he would brief the Historic Preservation Committee on the plans for the bus station and show them the Cividini report. Councilmember Reynolds recalled that when the proposal was made previously to move the bus station near the train station, there was a lot of opposition from residents in the area. Ms. Mailander said that perhaps a solution could be found where parking could be found elsewhere to make up for the loss of parking spaces by businesses in the CBD, if the bus station were moved by the train station. Councilmember Winograd agreed that the bus station structure needs to be removed because it is unsafe. Since the bus station has many emotions tied to it, Councilmember Winograd said that the Village Councilmembers need to be very thoughtful when deciding on a replacement bus station structure. She added that some of the street lights are nonfunctional near the current bus station, and it is very dark in that area. Mr. Kazmark added that a lot of time and attention has been spent in an effort to try to preserve this historic bus station structure. All Village Councilmembers were in agreement that the existing bus station structure needs to be removed. D. DECLARE PROPERTY SURPLUS – PARKS DEPARTMENT Mr. Kazmark indicated that this matter deals with declaring Parks Department property surplus. The property consists of equipment and vehicles that are no longer needed or used. There are four trucks, three trailers, an infield groomer, and a mini stump grinder, along with some miscellaneous tools and equipment. E. ACCEPT DONATION – THERMAL IMAGING CAMERA KITS – FIRE DEPARTMENT Mr. Kazmark stated that this matter pertains to a resolution to accept a donation of four thermal imaging camera kits for the Fire Department from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. Thermal imaging cameras permit firefighters to quickly detect heat signatures and provide 15 Village Council Public Workshop November 6, 2024 visibility in smoke-filled and/or dark environments. They enable firefighters to see through smoke, locate fire and victims quickly, and identify hotspots that may reignite. 6. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC Cynthia Halaby, a resident of Ridgewood, congratulated Mayor Vagianos, Deputy Mayor Perron and Councilmember-Elect Mortimer on their successful campaigns running for the Village Council. Ms. Halaby said that the bus station is very dear to her heart, although she acknowledged that the bus shelter does not provide protection to travelers during inclement weather. She added that there is also not enough seating at the bus shelter, which she described as embarrassing. She is delighted to see that some action is being taken to renovate the bus shelter. Ms. Halaby feels that an expert town planner should be consulted before moving the bus station next to the train station. She wondered whether the bus station could be moved to the former Town Garage property. Ms. Halaby said that the Village Councilmembers need to consider the fact that there are no public restrooms in the Central Business District. She felt that adding one at the new bus station shelter or Hudson Street Parking Garage would be a good idea. Boyd A. Loving, a resident of Ridgewood, began by stating that the acoustics were terrible in the courtroom tonight, and he and others had a hard time understanding what was being said. Mr. Loving said that some comments were made by Councilmember Winograd about residents rejecting the offer of planting a tree in front of their homes. He stated that too many people rejecting trees being planted in front of their house will cause serious problems for the Village tree canopy in the future. He questioned whether a homeowner had the right to say that the Village cannot plant a tree on Village property. Mr. Loving said that he would appreciate an answer to this question. Mr. Kazmark stated that nine residents living on Hopper Avenue refused the offer to have a tree planted in front of their home, and 11 people refused tree plantings near the Schedler property. Mr. Loving reiterated his question as to whether or not homeowners have the right to refuse to have a tree planted in front of their homes, on Village property (right-of-way). Mr. Loving noted the large numbers of people who went to vote at the polls this past Election Day. He voted at Ridgewood High School (District 13) and stated that there was a very long wait at that polling place, all day long. He feels that there may be a similar situation during next year’s gubernatorial election. Mr. Loving asked if the Bergen County Board of Elections is going to make some adjustments next year, such as placing more voting machines and poll workers in districts where there is heavier voter turnout. Anne Loving, a Ridgewood resident, stated that the scene at the end of the voting period on Election Day was “Third World chaotic” when the receptacles holding the paper ballots were opened. The ballots were all mixed up and folded over, and it took three people to retrieve all of 16 Village Council Public Workshop November 6, 2024 the ballots and put them into a bag. She acted as a challenger during Election Day and took some pictures of the scrambled up paper ballots. Ms. Loving said that she agreed with the comment made from the dais that it was sad that only seven people ran for six open positions in Ridgewood. She stated that the cost of political campaigns has become staggering. Since campaign contributions are public information, Ms. Loving noted contributions being made from outside of the Village. She said that the average person who wanted to run for office would probably not be able to raise tens of thousands of dollars to run an effective campaign. Ms. Loving mentioned all of the political endorsements received from all over the State, and stated that not everyone has those kinds of political connections. She feels that these are the reasons why not too many people ran in the election this year. Regarding the bus station shelter, Ms. Loving wondered if a temporary bus station structure could be erected after the bus station shelter is demolished, so that bus riders could be afforded some type of protection during inclement weather. Frank Mortimer, a resident of Ridgewood, spoke about the new revised ordinance, which bans the construction of front yard fences, except under certain conditions (front yard frontage of 100 feet or more). He noted that some families living in Ridgewood have autistic children and that is why some of them have fences in their front yards, to ensure the safety of their children. Mr. Mortimer feels that some exceptions should be made to this regulation, for families with autistic children. Suzanne Ruane, a resident of Ridgewood, again asked about the purpose of the white markings on the sidewalks near the Kingsbridge Lane Pedestrian Bridge and whether or not the grassy areas near the sidewalks are going to be removed. Ms. Ruane again asked if engineering students from Ridgewood High School would be permitted to observe the removal of the bridge. She also again asked if a sign alerting drivers that there is a school bus stop near Terhune Road could be placed near the exit from Route 17 onto West Saddle River Road, or, in the alternative, the installation of a speed bump in that location to slow down cars exiting off of the highway. Ms. Ruane stated that she grew up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and they moved their bus station near the train station. She feels that moving the existing bus station to the train station in Ridgewood would offer more convenience to commuters. Ms. Ruane again asked if there is a two-year waiting period after the soil remediation is completed at the Schedler property before the property can be used by the public. There were no further comments from the public. 17 Village Council Public Workshop November 6, 2024 Councilmember Winograd asked Ms. Ruane to send an email to the Village Councilmembers, along with pictures of the white markings on the sidewalks near the Kingsbridge Lane Pedestrian Bridge. Mr. Kazmark stated that during the pre-construction meeting this morning, Mr. Rutishauser had the contractor working on the bridge call in the mark-outs to him. Therefore, he said that he had no idea what the white markings on the sidewalks, referred to by Ms. Ruane, represented. In addition, a resident in the Schedler neighborhood sent an email to Police Chief Forest Lyons recommending that a school bus stop sign be placed near Terhune Road. Chief Lyons and the Traffic Division are already investigating this matter. Mr. Kazmark indicated that he would reach out to Dr. Schwarz to determine the feasibility of having high school engineering students observe the removal of the Kingsbridge Lane Pedestrian Bridge. Councilmember Winograd said that she shared the same concerns expressed by Mr. Loving about residents refusing to have trees planted in front of their homes. She said that the Village has the legal right to plant shade trees on property owned by the Village. Before the trees were planted, a letter was sent out to homeowners advising them that the Village planned to plant a tree in front of their property. Some of these offers were rejected, even trees that were going to be planted in a flood plain. This data was collated so that the Shade Tree Commission could assemble statistics on how many trees were accepted and how many were rejected, which, in turn, would affect the amount of money allocated for tree plantings during budget season. She said that homeowners need to take ownership of the newly planted trees by watering them diligently, and if a homeowner does not want a tree, they will not water the tree and it will eventually die. It was felt that it would be better to get consent from a homeowner, rather than plant a tree against the homeowner’s objections. Councilmember Winograd said that the Village Councilmembers and Shade Tree Commission will need to discuss the rejection rate in more detail, in order to come up with a solution. Councilmember Reynolds asked if homeowners who live in a flood zone and rejected having a tree planted realize how important trees are in mitigating flooding. Councilmember Winograd said that when she and Deputy Mayor Perron visited flood-prone areas to find ways to alleviate flooding, they often spoke to homeowners about the fact that tree roots absorb a lot of water. Councilmember Reynolds asked why homeowners rejected the trees. She wondered if it was because they did not want to have to rake more leaves in the fall or because the trees usually uplift sidewalk slabs. Councilmember Winograd replied that the raising of sidewalks from tree roots was a big issue. Another issue is that some homeowners have illegally placed underground irrigation systems in the right-of-way owned by the Village. In addition, some people do not want a tree in front of their house blocking their view from the streetscape. Mr. Kazmark suggested that favorable locations (with homeowner’s permission) for tree plantings be identified prior to allocating money for trees in next year’s budget. Councilmember Weitz agreed with Ms. Loving’s statements about how difficult it is for an average person to run for office in the Village, citing how exorbitantly expensive it can be to run 18 Village Council Public Workshop November 6, 2024 for public office. He felt that the biggest barrier to getting people to run for office is their fear of the vitriol slung at candidates on social media. He cautioned everyone to abstain from online bullying, since it effectively eliminates very qualified candidates from running for office. Mayor Vagianos agreed with Councilmember Weitz that slanderous comments made on social media prevented many people from running for either the Village Council or Board of Education. Mayor Vagianos stated that people should concentrate on the important issues facing the Village, rather than making personal attacks on candidates. Councilmember Reynolds asked Matthew Rogers, Village Attorney, if a limit on campaign spending for Village Council or Board of Education elections could be initiated. Mr. Rogers said that he has never seen such an issue raised before. He said that political speech is the most protected speech in the nation, and limiting such by cost would “fly in the face” of free speech. He opined that such a limitation would probably not be allowed. Mr. Vagianos said that many cases heard by the U.S. Supreme Court dealt with limitation of campaign funds, and decisions have been rendered, by both conservative and liberal courts, ruling that the amount of money spent on a campaign is considered “speech” and is akin to “getting the message out.” In the same vein, it would not be possible to limit the amount of donations made to a political candidate in Ridgewood or to limit who can donate (i.e., only Ridgewood residents) to a political campaign. Councilmember Weitz said that he would like to see another organization, other than the League of Women Voters, hold candidate debates or public forums during an election. He said that these free debates would level the playing field for candidates who do not have a lot of money to spend on campaigning. Councilmember Winograd added that it was financially expensive and sometimes emotionally crippling for her when she ran for the Village Council. She raised her own campaign funds by utilizing her marketing background. Councilmember Winograd remarked about the vast amount of money spent by candidates during the recent election. She said that limiting the ability of candidates to raise funds would encourage only wealthy people to run for public office. She spoke about all of the vitriol she witnessed on social media during this most recent election. Councilmember Winograd said that the social media rhetoric has disincentivized regular people from running for Village Council. 19 Village Council Public Workshop November 6, 2024 7. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Councilmember Reynolds, seconded by Councilmember Weitz, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the Village Council’s Regular Public Work Session was adjourned at 9:20 p.m. ____________________________________ Paul Vagianos Mayor _____________________________________ Heather A. Mailander Village Clerk 20 Village Council Public Workshop November 6, 2024