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 MAY 7, 2025 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 7:34 p.m. and read the Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act. At roll call, the following were present: Councilmembers Mortimer, Perron, Weitz, Winograd, and Mayor Vagianos. 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. 2. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC Cynthia O’Keefe, a resident of Ridgewood, said that she wanted to address a few points of interest from yesterday’s Fields Committee meeting, particularly regarding the application submitted by the Village to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) for development of the Schedler property. She stated that there were some misrepresentations made in the application. The application indicated that there are five Village-owned fields and 12 fields owned by the Board of Education (BOE). However, after researching the number of athletic fields in the Village on the Master Library schedule, Ms. O’Keefe stated that there are 37 fields and 45 play sites. She asked why the number of fields in the Village was misrepresented on the application. Ms. O’Keefe said that Kelly Ruffel, the Village’s Cultural Resource Consultant, met with the Schedler neighbors a while ago and she was not initially in favor of the proposed development of the Schedler property. Ms. O’Keefe said that Mr. Kazmark called Ms. Ruffel and literally asked her, “What do I need to do to get a turf field on that property?” to which she replied, “Oh, I’m going to help the neighbors. I can’t believe Ridgewood would do this.” However, Ms. O’Keefe said that Ms. Ruffel eventually changed her mind, because she was “happy to take Ridgewood’s money.” Ms. O’Keefe said that at the Fields Committee meeting, she was horrified to witness incidents of bullying. She stated that Scott Muller, President of the Ridgewood Baseball and Softball Association, stated at the meeting that the contaminated soil on the Schedler property should be dumped on former Ridgewood Mayor Susan Knudsen’s front lawn. Ms. O’Keefe was even more horrified that no one admonished Mr. Muller for his inappropriate statements and for violating the Code of Conduct. Former Ridgewood Mayor Ramon Hache, who attended the Fields Committee meeting, stated that the contaminated soil was not Ms. Knudsen’s problem, but it was up to the professionals hired by the Village to inform the Village Council whether or not the soil was contaminated. 1 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025 There were some technical difficulties with the hybrid access system, and Mayor Vagianos noted that Denise Lima was waiting to speak. He tried calling Ms. Lima from his cell phone, but was unable to get through. There were no further comments from the public. Addressing Ms. O’Keefe’s comments, Mayor Vagianos said that when calculating the number of playing fields in Ridgewood, one must compare “apples to apples.” He said that there are many different kinds of fields. He stated that a Little League baseball game cannot be played on a varsity baseball diamond, and vice versa. Baseball games cannot be played on a soccer field, and soccer cannot be played on a baseball field. Mayor Vagianos said that Councilmember Mortimer prepared a list of all of the different fields in the Village, and Mayor Vagianos said that he would furnish this list to Ms. O’Keefe. He stated that there are five Village-owned, multipurpose fields on which soccer, football, and lacrosse games can be played, and all of these fields are located in the same flood zone. He believes that there are two fields owned by the Board of Education that could be used for similar purposes. Mayor Vagianos requested that any resident who has a question about information disseminated by the Village to first ask Village officials about it, rather than stating in public that the Village is making misrepresentations. He said that there were no misrepresentations made on the SHPO application, but that Ms. O’Keefe did not have all of the requisite information at her disposal. Councilmember Weitz said that there was not much disagreement in the Village that there are not enough playing fields to accommodate all of the children who want to play sports. He mentioned that, last week, his son was supposed to play a soccer game on Maple Field, but he could not play, because the field had been double booked. Councilmember Winograd said that the Village owns five physical geographic locations: Citizens Park, Habernickel Park, Maple Park, Veterans Field, and Hawes Field. These locations encompass seven defined fields which can accommodate various sports. Within Master Library, there are multiple playscapes and booking locations. Councilmember Winograd explained that a varsity athletic field could be used to accommodate six teams of young athletes. The Board of Education owns 12 physical locations, with multiple booking locations. She explained that Master Library is used to reserve playing fields, either those owned by the Village or those owned by the Board of Education. Councilmember Winograd said that although Orchard Field is only one location (Orchard East and Orchard West), there are a myriad of activities that can take place on that field at the same time. Mr. Kazmark confirmed that the Village owns five fields. Within Citizens Park, there are four areas that can be booked for athletic play, and Habernickel Park offers three areas that can be booked. There are three areas on which games can be played at Hawes Field, four locations 2 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025 which can be used for sports at Maple Field, and eight locations on Veterans Field that can be booked for athletic play. These various locations cannot be booked at the same time. A full-sided soccer game cannot be played at Veterans Field, while a varsity baseball game is being played. Mr. Kazmark explained that the fields at the same location “overlap one another.” These are the facts that Mr. Kazmark attempted to relate to SHPO on the Village’s application for the Schedler Park development, as well as to the attendees at the recent Fields Committee meeting. Mr. Kazmark stated that he wanted to clarify his conversation with Kelly Ruffel, the Village’s Cultural Resource Consultant. He met Ms. Ruffel through professional relationships, and he was aware that Ms. Ruffel played an instrumental role in SHPO’s approval of the application by Passaic County for development of Goffle Brook Park. Mr. Kazmark stated that he called Ms. Ruffel and asked her what approach was taken by Passaic County in successfully getting their application approved by SHPO, since the proposed development of the Schedler property posed similar circumstances. They spoke about some objections which had been made, during the proposed development of Goffle Brook Park, by Hawthorne residents and officials. Mr. Kazmark said that the content of his conversation with Ms. Ruffel, as related by Ms. O’Keefe, is a patent misrepresentation of what their conversation actually was. 3. VILLAGE MANAGER’S REPORT Mr. Kazmark began his Village Manager’s report by announcing that, largely through the efforts of Richard Calbi, Director of Ridgewood Water, there was extensive drug and alcohol awareness training held in the Village last week for all Village Directors, Supervisors, and rank-and-file employees. The training was performed by Intervention Strategies International, which administers the Village’s Employee Assistance Program. Dr. Tracey Waldman implemented this training to help Village employees identify drug and alcohol issues with co-workers, how to properly report issues, and how to provide support to employees when necessary. Mr. Kazmark said that the Village will be conducting a deer study, along with 13 other Northwest Bergen County municipalities. The municipality of Franklin Lakes will take the lead on applying for a Shared Services Grant. Two goals of the proposed study are to calculate the number of deer which are currently in Bergen County, and to discuss ways in which the deer population can be managed. Mr. Kazmark emphasized that the Village would not condone culling of the deer population. He said that the explosion of the deer population in this area has become a serious issue. Mr. Kazmark stated that the revised application for the development of the Schedler property was resubmitted to SHPO last week for their review and approval, and notifications of this submittal were sent via email and social media. He thanked Carol Bialkowski, Director of Communications and Special Projects, and the I.T. Department for their assistance in this regard. The Schedler property application has been posted on the Village website. He encouraged 3 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025 Village residents to contact him if they have any questions regarding the contents of the application. Mr. Kazmark said that he spoke with representatives of Matrix New World Engineering today, regarding the soil testing they are performing at the Schedler property. Approval was received this week from Tom Farrell, Chief of the Bureau of Solid Waste Compliance & Enforcement, of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), to move forward with the scope of work submitted by Matrix. It is anticipated that additional soil testing will be performed at the Schedler property later this month. Online purchase of Graydon Pool badges, as well as tennis and pickleball badges, opened on April 1, 2025. Individuals may purchase badges through Community Pass, as well as in person, Monday through Friday, at The Lester Stable, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and at the Graydon Pool Badge Office on May 10 and May 17, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Touch-A-Truck Day will take place on Thursday, May 15, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at Van Neste Square. The Ridgewood Beautification Team will be holding a planting day on Saturday, May 17, 2025, beginning at 7:45 a.m., which would entail a two- to three-hour commitment. This committee is looking for volunteers, and anyone interested in volunteering should contact Councilmember Winograd. Mr. Kazmark stated that the last day to register to vote in the Primary Election is May 20, 2025. Late-night registration will be held at the Ridgewood Library from 4:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Mr. Kazmark stated that irrigation regulations are in effect, which limit watering to two days per week. Residents with even-numbered addresses are permitted to water on Wednesday and Sunday, and residents with odd-numbered addresses are permitted to water on Tuesday and Saturday. No irrigation is allowed on Monday, Thursday or Friday. Yard waste collection began last month. Residents should check the Village calendar for pickups in their specific area. Upcoming Village Council meetings are as follows: Work Sessions on May 28, June 4 and June 25, 2025; and Public Meetings on May 14 and June 11, 2025. All meetings are held at 7:30 p.m. 4. VILLAGE COUNCIL REPORTS Councilmember Mortimer said that he attended the Daffodil Festival and Earth Day Fair a couple of weeks ago, and a great time was had by all, despite the windy day. He participated in Council Chat this past Saturday with Councilmember Weitz, and he stated that it was wonderful to interact with different residents and resolve some of their issues. 4 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025 Councilmember Winograd thanked everyone from the Shade Tree Commission who gave out 300 whips to the public during the Daffodil Festival and Earth Day Fair held a couple of weeks ago. She reminded everyone to make sure to water the whips so that they can survive. On April 27, 2025, Councilmember Winograd and Mayor Vagianos attended a Law Enforcement Appreciation Day event at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Glen Rock, which she described as a lovely and thoughtful event. She thanked Linda Scarpa for her continued efforts in organizing these events. Councilmember Winograd said that a sensory-free dinner, sponsored by the ACCESS Committee, was held at Raymond’s on April 15, 2025, which she stated was well attended. Police and fire personnel were also in attendance, and some of the children attending the dinner were able to have a “micro visit” with the firetrucks outside of the restaurant. On Friday, May 2, 2025, Councilmember Winograd attended the soft opening of a new business, Tatte Bakery & Café, on East Ridgewood Avenue. There are currently only ten vacant storefronts in Ridgewood, and Councilmember Winograd expressed the hope that new businesses will open in Ridgewood in the summer months. Councilmember Winograd said that she attended the Fields Committee meeting which was held yesterday morning at the Zabriskie-Schedler house. She said that it was “standing room only” and the donated furniture in the house, looked great. There was hybrid access during the meeting. Deputy Mayor Perron also attended the meeting. During the meeting, they spoke about the limitations of grass fields during inclement weather and about Master Library. They are contemplating inserting a penalty clause in Master Library if a field is reserved, but then it is not used. Councilmember Winograd thanked the staff of the Parks and Recreation Department who assist in implementing the Master Library. She said that Fields Committee meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every month at 8:00 a.m., and members of the public are welcome to attend. During the Fields Committee meeting, the Board of Education stated that their architect has confirmed that a full-sided athletic field can fit on the footprint of the existing field at Benjamin Franklin Middle School. A decision has yet to be made as to whether the field will be grass or artificial turf. It was agreed by the members of the Fields Committee that the more foot traffic that is brought to the Schedler property, the better chances there will be to find a tenant for the house. It was suggested that the Zabriskie-Schedler house could be used for sports organization meetings, film viewing and tutoring, and the kitchen could be used for after-game refreshments and snacks. Councilmember Winograd announced that the Ridgewood Beautification Team’s “Planting Day” will be held on May 17, 2025, and she encouraged everyone to volunteer. She said that if anyone is looking for a unique Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift, they should consider purchasing a rain 5 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025 barrel, an initiative which is being promoted by Green Ridgewood. The rain barrels can be purchased at Backyard Living in Ridgewood. Councilmember Weitz stated that none of his committees have met since the last Village Council meeting. He enjoyed participating in last week’s Council Chat with Councilmember Mortimer, and he thanked all of the residents who came to Council Chat. Councilmember Weitz thanked the Ridgewood Arts Council for sponsoring an event in collaboration with John Luckinbill, who is the Marching Band Director at Ridgewood High School. Councilmember Weitz described Mr. Luckinbill, who spoke at the “Artist Talk,” as incredibly inspirational and charismatic. This past Saturday, Councilmember Weitz spent some time at the Ridgewood Art Institute, when he covered for Mayor Vagianos. During this time, the winners of the art raffle were announced. The fundraiser was held to raise money for the Ridgewood Art Institute. Councilmember Weitz said that the summer schedule for the entertainment at the Kasschau Memorial Band Shell has now been posted on the Village website. He pointed out the upcoming “Music in the Park” events which will be held during summer weekends as well. Councilmember Weitz thanked Ms. Bialkowski and Mr. Kazmark for their communication efforts in making the public aware of these upcoming events. Deputy Mayor Perron said that regarding the Daffodil Festival and Earth Day Fair held recently, she wanted to thank the Conservancy for Ridgewood Public Lands and Nancy Bigos, Director of the Parks and Recreation Department, who helped to organize this event, along with Green Ridgewood, Ridgewood Water and the Sanitation Department. Deputy Mayor Perron also thanked Andy from the Signal Division who set up the sound system in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square. She said that she had a wonderful time leading the Daffy Dog Parade on that day. Deputy Mayor Perron said that a very nice plaque was presented by Congressman Josh Gottheimer, commemorating the Daffodil Festival and Earth Day Fair event. Deputy Mayor Perron said that Green Ridgewood subsidizes the purchase of rain barrels when they are purchased at Backyard Living. They contribute the amount of $25.00 per rain barrel. Deputy Mayor Perron said that two rain gardens in the Village were refurbished this weekend. One rain garden is located in the center of the driveway at Habernickel Park, and the other rain garden is located by the ramp, near the bridge, at Graydon Pool. Green Ridgewood, the Engineering Department, and members of Grace Church helped to refurbish the rain gardens. Deputy Mayor Perron said that rain gardens are a very important environmental Best Practice for filtering stormwater, which removes contaminants from the water. The stormwater is able to filter into the ground, instead of running off and flooding the area. She encouraged Ridgewood residents to construct rain gardens on their properties, if they have the room for one. Deputy Mayor Perron said that some students from Ridgewood High School are planning to construct two more rain gardens, one near the parking lot on the east side of Veterans Field and the other on the grounds of the high school. 6 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025 Deputy Mayor Perron said that Columbia University graduate students agreed to work with Green Ridgewood to rehabilitate Saddle River Park, which runs through several towns in Bergen County, starting on approximately June 1, 2025. Ridgewood Water held a roundtable on Monday, May 5, 2025 with representatives from all four municipalities serviced by Ridgewood Water (Ridgewood, Midland Park, Wyckoff and Glen Rock). Deputy Mayor Perron said that during the meeting, they discussed the replacement of lead service lines from the curb to home. Homeowners who have lead or galvanized pipes must replace these lines by 2031. Deputy Mayor Perron urged all homeowners to take advantage of one of the options to get their lead service lines replaced. Yolanda McCollom, Environmental Engineer with Ridgewood Water, is seeking volunteers to do door-to-door canvassing at homes which have not yet replaced their lead service lines. Deputy Mayor Perron said that the Central Business District Advisory Committee (CBDAC) will meet tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. in the courtroom at Village Hall. The topic of discussion will be “Parking Downtown.” Robert Rooney, Chief Financial Officer and Parking Utility Director, as well as two representatives from ParkMobile, will be speaking to members of CBDAC at that time. Members of the public are welcome to attend the meeting. Deputy Mayor Perron said that the Planning Board met last night. A resolution was approved for the renovations at 245 East Ridgewood Avenue, which is subject to certain conditions. Regarding the Fields Committee meeting which took place recently at the Zabriskie-Schedler house, Deputy Mayor Perron said that the house looked beautiful with the new donated furniture, which was historically appropriate. Deputy Mayor Perron said that “Music in the Park” has been organized and entertainment has been scheduled. This event will be held in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square on Saturday nights during the summer. Mayor Vagianos stated that he attended many recent activities, including Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, the opening of Tatte Bakery & Café, the Artist Talk featuring John Luckinbill, and the Daffodil Festival and Earth Day Fair. The Community Center Advisory Board met last week and they discussed expansion of senior programming in Ridgewood, which Mayor Vagianos said that he supports wholeheartedly. He anticipates that a presentation will be made before the Village Council regarding same within the next month or two. Mayor Vagianos said that he met with the Pride Day Committee recently, and Pride Day is scheduled for Saturday, June 7, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. The Ridgewood Guild has also rescheduled 7 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025 their Spring Vendor Festival in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square, on the same day that the Pride Day celebration will be held. About ten days ago, Mayor Vagianos said that there was a meeting held in the courtroom at Village Hall to discuss the recent rash of burglaries that have occurred in Ridgewood and surrounding communities. Police Chief Forest Lyons met with approximately 50 to 60 residents and offered them some tips on how to prevent burglaries and make their homes safer. One tip was to engage burglar alarms, if a home is equipped with one, as well as better lighting. A subsequent meeting will probably be held later this month to update the public on the ongoing investigation by the Ridgewood Police Department. A vigil was held on April 27th in remembrance of the 26 people who were murdered in India. This was organized by the Hindu community in Ridgewood, and about 200 people attended the vigil. Many community leaders spoke during the vigil, and Mayor Vagianos said that the vigil was very touching. 6. DISCUSSION A. RIDGEWOOD WATER 1. AWARD SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT – UPGRADE SCADA SYSTEM HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE FOR PFAS FACILITIES Richard Calbi, Director of Ridgewood Water, stated that this matter pertains to the awarding of a sole source contract for the upgrade of the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system hardware and software for PFAS facilities. It is recommended that this contract be awarded to Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions, Inc., of Freedom, Pennsylvania, in an amount not to exceed $34,399.89. Emerson is the only supplier and provider of this particular software system, which allows the utility operators to communicate, control and record the equipment and resulting data points within the water system. Emerson will provide onsite staff to assist with the upgrade. The SCADA system has not been upgraded since 2016. Funding is contained in the Water Utility Capital Budget. 2. AWARD SOLE SOURCE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT – ENGINEERING FIELD SERVICES – ONSITE PROGRAMMING, WIRING AND STARTUP SERVICES – NEW WELLS Mr. Calbi indicated that this item deals with the awarding of a sole source professional services contract for engineering field services for Ridgewood Water, in connection with onsite programming, wiring and startup services for new production wells, including the Linwood 8 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025 Well, Marr Well, Ravine Well, Goffle Well, and King Well. This contract will cover ten days of engineering field services. It is recommended that this contract be awarded to Emerson Process Management Power & Water Solutions, Inc., of Freedom, Pennsylvania, in an amount not to exceed $18,717.78. Emerson is the only supplier and provider of this particular software system, which allows the utility operators to communicate, control and record the equipment and resulting data points within the water system. Funding is contained in the Water Utility Operating Budget. 3. AWARD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT – PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES - HYDRAULIC MODELING Mr. Calbi stated that this matter pertains to the awarding of a professional services contract for professional engineering services, regarding the provision of hydraulic modeling in order to assist Ridgewood Water in improving its system pressure characteristics and operational strategies. It is recommended that the second year of this contract be awarded to Circular Water Solution, of Evesham Township, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $66,620.00. The use of this system will illuminate any needed infrastructure improvements. The hydraulic model will be used to design capital projects related to transmission mains. Funding is contained in the Water Utility Operating Budget. Councilmember Mortimer asked if Mr. Calbi could describe the hydraulic modeling process and how the water distribution infrastructure is viewed. Mr. Calbi said that they take their water distribution system map from the Geographic Information System (GIS) and upload it into hydraulic modeling software. This replicates the levels of demand in the system, during different times of the day. These scenarios are modeled through the system, which depicts when wells or pumps are either turned on or off, when tanks are depleting or filling. It shows in real time how the system is operating, which helps to determine where weaknesses are in the system, and also gives recommendations on how to remedy those weaknesses. Councilmember Mortimer asked if he could be given a demonstration of how the hydraulic modeling works. Mr. Calbi replied that Deputy Mayor Perron asked for a demonstration as well, so Mr. Calbi said he would add Councilmember Mortimer’s name to the list and give them both a demonstration. 9 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025  4. AWARD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT – PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES – HVAC MODIFICATIONS AND CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION FOR RIDGEWOOD WATER HEADQUARTERS Mr. Calbi explained that this item pertains to the awarding of a professional services contract for professional engineering services, regarding HVAC modifications and construction administration for Ridgewood Water Headquarters at 111 North Maple Avenue. Mr. Calbi said that there have been persistent seasonal issues with temperature and humidity control in the building, which cannot be controlled with the HVAC equipment. Since humidity controls were not in the original scope of work, design modifications are necessary to resolve these issues. It is recommended that this contract be awarded to Great Meadows Design Group, LLC, of Great Meadows, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $24,100.00. Funding is contained in the Ridgewood Water Capital Budget. Mayor Vagianos asked why there are already problems with the HVAC system, since it was only about three years old. Mr. Calbi replied that the original equipment was not designed to handle the level of humidity that they have been experiencing in the building for the last three summers. Mayor Vagianos asked who originally designed the HVAC system, and Mr. Calbi replied that Great Meadows Design Group was the consulting firm that designed the HVAC system when the building was refurbished in 2021-2022. Mayor Vagianos said that it was incredulous that Great Meadows Design Group would have to be paid more money now to correct the HVAC system that they originally designed, which apparently was wholly inadequate. Mr. Calbi said that humidity control was not in the original scope of work. He acknowledged that air-conditioning removes some level of humidity, but the levels of humidity experienced in the building have been very high. Mayor Vagianos said that he was very concerned about the design work originally done by Great Meadows Design Group, since it is their job as consultants to recommend humidity controls. Mr. Calbi said that he did not know what recommendations should have been made, but he said that he would find out and let Mayor Vagianos know. Mayor Vagianos said that he would like representatives from Great Meadows Design Group to appear before the Village Council, since he does not feel that they did a very good job from the beginning when designing the HVAC system for Ridgewood Water Headquarters, and now they are asking for more money to redesign the system. Mayor Vagianos stated that they should make the necessary modifications at no charge, since they failed to recommend the installation of humidity controls when the HVAC system was original installed. Mr. Calbi was agreeable to the meeting with Great Meadows Design Group, and requested that the discussion be held in Closed Session. It was suggested that perhaps the Village could seek out a different vendor for this work. 10 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025 Mr. Kazmark suggested that he and Mr. Calbi review the original proposal from Great Meadows Design Group, to determine what specifications were called for when the building was originally being retrofitted, and to determine what the Village requested in the scope of work. He recommended holding off on this resolution until this review can be accomplished and a discussion can be had with this vendor. It was agreed that this matter will be brought back for discussion at a later date. 5. AUTHORIZE CHANGE ORDER – PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES – PFAS TREATMENT PLANT – RAVINE WELL SITE Mr. Calbi stated that this item deals with the authorization of a Change Order for professional engineering services, regarding the PFAS treatment plant at the Ravine Well site. Mott MacDonald was hired by the Village to be the Engineer of Record for this project, with the original contract not to exceed $496,500.00. On December 11, 2024, Change Order #1 increased the original award by $64,000.00. Mott MacDonald has already expended more effort than anticipated on several tasks, including shop drawing and coordination time, as well as security upgrades for the Ravine PFAS treatment plant. Additional work is now required, consisting of construction administration tasks, including monthly progress meetings and possible on-site meetings, review of payment applications, coordination and communications to facilitate proper execution of the work, observation, and project management. The amount of the current requested Change Order #2 is $37,000.00. Funding is contained in the Ridgewood Water Capital Budget. This will bring the new contract total to $597,500.00. This was necessitated by delays in securing the building for the new PFAS facility. Mr. Calbi stated that the contractor is on their fifth building vendor at this point. With the hopes of securing a building and finishing the work, Mott MacDonald has provided Mr. Calbi with a contingency plan to get the system operational without the building, free of charge, until the building can be delivered. B. BUDGET 1. AWARD SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT – SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE SOLUTION – GRAYDON POOL Mr. Kazmark indicated that this matter pertains to the awarding of a sole source contract for the purchase of sodium hypochlorite solution for use at Graydon Pool in 2025. It is recommended that this contract be awarded to Buckman’s Inc., of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, in an amount not to exceed $23,000.00. Buckman’s is the sole source vendor/supplier for this product within the State of New Jersey, and is the sole vendor licensed by the NJDEP to provide this product. As approved by the NJDEP, the Village obtained an Aquatic Site permit in order to disseminate this 11 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025 product into the water at Graydon Pool. Buckman’s Inc. holds the only Restricted Use Pesticide label FIFRA Section 24 © Special Needs Registration EPA SLN-NJ-14004. 2. AWARD SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT – E-TICKETING APPLICATION Mr. Kazmark indicated that this matter pertains to the awarding of a sole source contract for the purchase of upgrades to the E-ticketing software and hardware used by the Ridgewood Police Department and the Ridgewood Parking Utility. It is recommended that this contract be awarded to Mobizent LLC, of Manalapan, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $20,500.00. The TicketWorks application is used to issue citations efficiently and effectively, while eliminating errors and entry duplication. It reduces the amount of time spent on traffic stops as well. Mobizent has recently updated their platform to provide immediate returns from the Division of Motor Vehicles for drivers and vehicles. The monthly cost has increased to $55.00 per license. There are 26 mobile licenses, bringing the total annual cost for these licenses to $17,160.00. Due to the significant enhancements and improvements in the amount of $3,340.00, the total cost for 2025 will be $20,500.00. This contract will cover the period from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026. 3. AWARD CONTRACT UNDER STATE CONTRACT – AMMUNITION – POLICE DEPARTMENT Mr. Kazmark explained that this matter deals with the awarding of a contract, under State contract, for the purchase of ammunition for the Police Department, which they require for their mandatory training and duty use. It is recommended that this contract be awarded to Eagle Point Gun/T.J. Morris & Son – New Jersey, of Thorofare, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $43,713.09. Councilmember Mortimer asked what happens to the ammunition that is not used. Mr. Kazmark said that he believes there are guidelines set forth by the New Jersey Attorney General regarding the proper disposal of unused ammunition. Councilmember Mortimer asked if ammunition has a shelf life, and Mr. Kazmark said that there was an expiration date for ammunition. Councilmember Mortimer said that a lot of ammunition is being purchased, and he wondered how much of this ammunition will actually be used. Ms. Mailander said that the staff of the Police Department have to qualify every six months, so ammunition is used for this purpose as well. Mr. Kazmark said that most of the ammunition is used for training purposes, and not primarily for use in the field. Councilmember Mortimer said that he would be interested in knowing what the shelf life of ammunition is, and how much per year goes unused by the Ridgewood Police Department. Mr. Kazmark indicated that he would speak with Chief Lyons to get answers to Councilmember Mortimer’s questions. 12 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025  4. AWARD CONTRACT UNDER NEW JERSEY COOPERATIVE PURCHASING ALLIANCE – EMERGENCY MASS NOTIFICATION SYSTEM Mr. Kazmark indicated that this item pertains to an award of contract, under the New Jersey Cooperative Purchasing Alliance, for year three of a three-year contract for a Mass Notification System for the Village and Ridgewood Water. The official award must be made each year, and it is recommended that this contract be awarded to SHI International, of Somerset, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $35,772.30. The Office of Emergency Management Operating Budget will cover $8,818.08 of this amount, and the Water Utility Operating Budget will cover the amount of $26,454.22. Mr. Kazmark said that this Mass Notification System is used to notify the public in the event of an emergency. 5. AWARD CONTRACT UNDER EDUCATIONAL SERVICES COMMISSION OF NEW JERSEY – ASPHALT HOT PATCHER DUMP TRAILER Mr. Kazmark explained that this matter deals with the award of a contract, under the Educational Services Commission of New Jersey, for the purchase of an asphalt hot patcher dump trailer for the Village’s Street Division. This “hot box” is used for transporting and maintaining hot asphalt for road and street patching, and it replaces a previously old and worn out hot box trailer. With the trade-in of the old hot box ($5,000.00), this new hot box will cost approximately $40,746.00. It is recommended that this contract be awarded to McGrath Municipal Equipment, LLC, of Springfield, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $40,746.00. Funding was allocated for this purchase in the 2025 Capital Budget. 6. AWARD PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT – ESTABLISHMENT OF SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT CORPORATION, BUDGET, AND ASSESSMENT LIST Mr. Kazmark indicated that this item pertains to the award of a professional services contract for the establishment of a Special Improvement District (SID) corporation, budget, and assessment list. This relates to Phase III of the feasibility study, which study is being undertaken by the SID Steering Committee appointed by the Village Council. Economic Development Strategists, LLC, is the consulting firm which is helping the SID Steering Committee with this feasibility study. Deputy Mayor Perron said that the SID Steering Committee has been meeting with Stuart Koperweis of Economic Development Strategists for over a year, and he guided the SID Steering Committee through Phase I of the feasibility study. They are now finishing up Phase II of the study. The Phase II report is being finalized by the SID Steering Committee, and the report will be presented to the Village Council in the future, along with the draft ordinance for consideration 13 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025 to create the SID. Deputy Mayor Perron said that the conclusion in the report states that the SID Steering Committee feels that a SID will be a valuable tool for the business community and could really help the Village in terms of economic growth, marketing, and vibrancy. She said that if the Village does not move ahead with the SID at this time, other local municipalities which are developing a SID in their downtowns will be way ahead of Ridgewood in the long run. Phase III will cost $14,000.00. Councilmember Mortimer asked Deputy Mayor Perron when she thought the presentation would be given before the Village Council, and she replied that it will probably be in September of this year, or possibly earlier. Upon questioning by Councilmember Mortimer, Deputy Mayor Perron indicated that Phase III will take about three months to complete, or longer. Phase III will involve not only the drafting of the ordinance, but also setting up the District Management Corporation, having an election for their Board of Trustees, setting up a bank account, applying for nonprofit status, and opening an office. Deputy Mayor Perron said that all of the questions asked by the Village Councilmembers will be answered before they vote on the proposed ordinance. Once the ordinance is adopted and the District Management Corporation is up and running, the SID Steering Committee will appear once again before the Village Council with a proposed budget for the year. Councilmember Mortimer said that before the ordinance is considered by the Village Council, he would like to see the financials (what is being assessed against the various businesses in the Central Business District), and what the proposed budget will be. He said that he is in favor of forming the SID, but he wants to make sure that it is financially realistic for businesses to be a part of the SID. He thanked Deputy Mayor Perron for all of her work regarding the formation of the SID in Ridgewood. Councilmember Winograd remarked that the Ridgewood Beautification Team (RBT) will meet with Deputy Mayor Perron to discuss how the RBT can work in collaboration with the businesses that will become part of the Special Improvement District. Councilmember Winograd and Mayor Vagianos thanked Deputy Mayor Perron for all of her efforts in forming the SID. 7. AUTHORIZE CHANGE ORDER – KINGSBRIDGE LANE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE Mr. Kazmark indicated that this matter pertains to the authorization of a Change Order regarding the Kingsbridge Lane Pedestrian Bridge. The bridge is currently being structurally repaired. Now that it has been removed from its location, the contractor has been able to examine the bearings, joints and trench drains for the bridge at each abutment. This could not be done before the bridge was removed, due to a lack of accessibility. An engineer from Fred Devens Construction, the contractor on this project, examined the abutments to see what additional work might be required to safely place the refurbished bridge back in its original location. The Village’s consulting 14 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025 engineer for the project, Eric G. Lahita, P.E., has reviewed the proposal rendered by Genesis Engineering. Genesis was less expensive than Lahita Engineering for this work. It is recommended that Change Order #2 for design work services be awarded to Fred Devens Construction, of Ringwood, New Jersey, in an amount not to exceed $10,073.95. Councilmember Winograd asked if Fred Devens Construction and Lahita Engineering have ever worked together before, and Mr. Kazmark said that he was not sure. Mayor Vagianos asked when the bridge might be reinstalled, and Mr. Kazmark said that he anticipates the bridge to be reinstalled in approximately the beginning of June. 8. RESOLUTION #24-164 – CHANGE NAME OF CONTRACTOR – BELLAIR PUMP STATION REPAIRS Mr. Kazmark indicated that this matter pertains to changing the name of the contractor performing the Bellair Pump Station repairs, pursuant to Resolution #24-164. Precision Electric Motor Works, Inc., was awarded this contract. They have since changed their name to Integrated Power Services, LLC. This new resolution will replace Resolution #24-164 with the correct name of the contractor. This work is for the repair of the Bellair Pump Station’s Flygt Dry Pit Submersible Pump No. 1 in the amount of $23,942.18. 9. RESOLUTION #23-407 – CHANGE NAME OF CONTRACTOR – PREPARATION OF VILLAGE COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES Ms. Mailander explained that the preparation of the 2024 Village Council meeting minutes was awarded through Resolution #23-407 to Prestige EVAs, LLC. She explained that Resolution #23-407 must be rescinded and a new resolution adopted to replace that resolution, to reflect the correct business name of the vendor. The name will be changed from a company with an LLC designation to a company without an LLC designation. This new resolution is necessary for this vendor’s bank to be able to accept checks from the Village with the correct name of the vendor. 10. AUTHORIZE CHANGE ORDER – SCHEDLER PROPERTY – COMMUNITY OUTREACH Mr. Kazmark indicated that this matter pertains to the authorization of a Change Order for work done by Matrix New World Engineering for community outreach regarding the Schedler property remediation. Matrix developed a plan for public outreach that was approved by the NJDEP. Questions from the public have been received regarding the soil contamination at the Schedler property. Mr. Kazmark said that he was notified by Matrix this week that the original funding that was awarded to Matrix has run out, and there is an estimated additional amount of $23,410.00 due to Matrix for their continued public outreach. Mr. Kazmark said that ever since the Village submitted the application to SHPO for the development of the Schedler property, he 15 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025 has received a number of additional questions submitted by the public (at least five or six new submissions, some of which contained 30 to 40 questions). These questions must be answered by Matrix staff as well as Village staff, and that is why this Change Order is necessary. Councilmember Mortimer asked how much has already been spent on public outreach regarding the Schedler property. Councilmember Mortimer surmised that it was approximately $23,000.00. Mr. Kazmark said that he did not know how much has already been spent, but he stated that he would find out that information and give it to Councilmember Mortimer. Mr. Kazmark said that if the additional questions being asked by the public are redundant or have already been answered, he has directed Matrix and Village staff to refer back to the original question and answer. He is trying to cut down on costs by not having to answer the same questions twice. The Village is required to undertake this endeavor of answering questions from the public, pursuant to the guidelines of the NJDEP, as part of the remediation process, regardless of the cost. Councilmember Mortimer said that even though only eight people, without some of them living in Ridgewood, asked all of these questions, at a cost of over $20,000.00, the Village has to keep spending money to answer more questions. Mr. Kazmark concurred, stating that there were eight people who asked questions in the last round, and some of those same people have asked additional questions, along with a couple of new people who asked questions. He said that this latest round of questions is the fourth round of questions submitted by the public. Councilmember Winograd said that she believed the rounds of questions will remain open for the duration of the remediation of the Schedler property, so it would behoove the Village to get the remediation completed as soon as possible. C. POLICY 1. PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT ORDINANCE Mr. Kazmark said that this matter deals with consideration by the Village Council of passing an ordinance regarding the execution of a Project Labor Agreement (PLA). He said that passing this ordinance will guarantee the quality of high-end projects in the Village (projects that exceed $5 million). The PLA ensures trained, certified, and licensed contractors to work on these projects, such as the PFAS Treatment Facility Buildout Project. These contractors include trained carpenters, laborers, electricians, and plumbers. Mr. Kazmark said that the contractors do not necessarily have to be unionized, but the PLA does require prevailing wages. The PLA also allows for educational programs, such as apprenticeships. Mr. Kazmark said the PLA requires that labor from either Ridgewood or Bergen County be utilized first. All work on the PFAS Treatment Facility project would be done to satisfy the requirements of the Administrative Consent Order approved by the NJDEP, for the removal of PFAS and related compounds from the drinking water distributed by Ridgewood Water. 16 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025  D. OPERATIONS 1. BERGEN COUNTY HISTORIC PRESERVATION TRUST FUND GRANT – JAMES ROSE CENTER IMPROVEMENTS Mr. Kazmark said that this matter pertains to a Bergen County Historic Preservation Trust Fund grant application in the amount of $50,000.00, to be used for improvements at The James Rose Center. Improvements will consist of the replacement of deteriorated exterior doors and windows and the restoration of an exterior staircase. Kevin Rose, a Ridgewood resident, stated that he is Associate Director of The James Rose Center, located at 506 East Ridgewood Avenue. This is the historic home of James Rose, a landscape architect. He said that he has recently applied for a grant from the Bergen County Historic Preservation Trust Fund. This grant application requires an endorsing resolution from the Village Council. Mr. Rose said that the planned improvements will cost approximately $47,500.00 to complete. They would like to replace the exterior doors and windows at the center, as well as a central staircase which leads to the second floor garden area. He said that this is a “3 to 1” matching grant, so The James Rose Center will be contributing 25% of the cost of the improvements. A 3 to 1 matching grant means that for every dollar an entity (like a school district, non-profit, or individual) contributes to a project, the grant provider will contribute three dollars. Mr. Rose stated that the funding will repair broken and cracked windows and doors with rotting sills. Deputy Mayor Perron asked if the public will be able to tour the second floor of The James Rose Center once the staircase is fixed. Mr. Rose said that right up to the end of 2024, the public was able to go to the second floor. The second floor space is open, except for a Zendō (Japanese meditation space) which was closed after a tree fell on it some years ago. Mr. Rose added that he has been working with an historic preservation architecture firm to develop design drawings to renovate the Zendō. However, that work will not be done with this current grant application, since it will cost approximately $1.5 million to renovate the Zendō. Councilmember Mortimer said that The James Rose Center is very important to the Village, since it is an international structure. He encouraged all Ridgewood residents to visit the center. Councilmember Mortimer asked if the doors and windows will be replaced in accordance with historic rehabilitation guidelines. Mr. Rose replied that in order for the doors and windows to be historically correct, they would need to be single-paned, plate glass windows. However, from a public safety standpoint, Mr. Rose stated that this is not exactly what they have planned. They are looking into options that provide similar “indoors to outdoors” clarity as the old-fashioned windows do, but they will be utilizing safety glass. 17 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025 Councilmember Mortimer mentioned that The James Rose Center is located within the flood plain, but it never floods. Mr. Rose commented that the center was built at the old trolley stop that used to run along there, and the center is located on one of the highest points in the area. He said that they have never experienced any flooding problems. Councilmember Winograd added that yoga sessions are offered at The James Rose Center, on the second floor. She attended a yoga session there and described it as a wonderful “treetop” yoga experience. Mr. Rose said that the center will be reopening on May 17th, and yoga will be offered on that day. He added that there will be a “Volunteer Day” on May 10th for anyone who wants to help the center get ready for the season. Ms. Mailander added that a Proclamation will be read at the May 14, 2025 Village Council meeting regarding The James Rose Center. 7. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC Boyd A. Loving, a resident of Ridgewood, thanked Mr. Kazmark and Dylan Hansen, I.T. Director, for expediting the installation of Wi-Fi at the Zabriskie-Schedler house, which enabled many residents to join the Fields Committee meeting held at the house recently, via hybrid access. Mr. Loving echoed the concerns expressed by Ms. O’Keefe this evening, regarding what happened during the Fields Committee meeting recently. He said that this is the second time that a woman has been berated by a man during the course of a meeting. Mr. Loving said that this type of behavior is totally unacceptable. No one admonished Mr. Muller for his outrageous remarks against former Mayor Susan Knudsen, and no one admonished the remarks made by an officer of the Ridgewood Lacrosse Association, who berated HyunJu Kwak at a different meeting. Mr. Loving said that this type of behavior has to stop, and some rules of conduct need to be developed and followed, to prevent this type of behavior from ever happening again. Mr. Loving said that Mr. Kazmark mentioned the restriction of irrigation twice a week in Ridgewood. Mr. Loving said that it seems unfair to him that those residents who use hoses or sprinklers to water their lawns and shrubs are restricted to doing so twice a week, during certain hours only, while those residents with Smart Controllers are allowed to water every day of the week, at any time of the day. Mr. Loving said that he understood that Smart Controllers are supposed to irrigate based upon temperature conditions and amount of rainfall, but he feels that some residents have turned off or disabled this function so that they can irrigate whenever they want. He asked if there was some way that Ridgewood Water personnel could investigate the Smart Controllers used by some residents to make sure that the controls are set in the proper manner. Anne Loving, a resident of Ridgewood, echoed the comments made by her husband, Boyd A. Loving, and Ms. O’Keefe. She said that no one stepped up to tell Mr. Muller that he was out of 18 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025 line with his comments. Ms. Loving said that Mr. Muller basically threatened to damage Ms. Knudsen’s property. She recited 16 timestamps from this evening’s meeting during which one or several Village Councilmembers laughed. While she is not opposed to laughter, Ms. Loving wondered whether these various moments of laughter would be included in the Village Council meeting minutes. Cynthia O’Keefe, a resident of Ridgewood, said that she was only repeating comments she heard during a Fields Committee meeting, regarding conversations held between Ms. Ruffel and Mr. Kazmark about development of the Schedler property. Ms. O’Keefe said that she was merely restating what Kelly Ruffel indicated was asked of her by Mr. Kazmark. She reiterated that Ms. Ruffel said that Mr. Kazmark asked her what had to be done to get artificial turf on the Schedler property. Ms. O’Keefe felt that the SHPO application submitted by the Village was very disingenuous and contained misrepresentations. She said that she has already written to SHPO about her concerns. Ms. O’Keefe said that it was not the problem of Ridgewood residents that some artificial turf fields have been installed in a flood zone. She wondered why Ridgewood officials do not fix the constant flooding that occurs after a heavy rain, on the artificial turf fields. Alex Feinstein was present at the Fields Committee meeting, and he asked why more innovative solutions were not being generated. Ms. O’Keefe suggested that a group be formed, comprised of residents, so that some strategic planning and brainstorming of ideas can be done. Ms. O’Keefe said that at the Fields Committee meeting, Mr. Muller referred to the Schedler neighbors as “those people.” She said that using such a term does not unite the Ridgewood community, but further marginalizes the residents who live near the Schedler property. Ms. O’Keefe said that the Village Councilmembers are choosing plastic over people. Amy McCambridge, a resident of Ridgewood, said that she was concerned that some of the Village Councilmembers are upset that questions from eight people, concerning the remediation of the Schedler property and the SHPO application, have to be answered by the Village and by Matrix, in accordance with NJDEP requirements. She said to the Village Councilmembers, particularly Councilmember Weitz, that they work for the residents of Ridgewood and should just do the job that they were elected to do. She said that if answering questions from the public seems like a burden to any of the Village Councilmembers, then they are sitting in the “wrong seat.” Ms. McCambridge said that she will ensure that hundreds of new questions will now be sent from the public, from different people, so that the Village will be more inundated than before with questions. Regarding the recent Fields Committee meeting, Ms. McCambridge noted that the panel was dominated by grown men, representing sports groups and pushing their own agendas that will hurt the children of Ridgewood. Ms. McCambridge stated that she is a soccer coach, and other professional trainers with whom she works, all agree that artificial turf is dangerous for children and the environment. She said that Mr. Muller’s misogynistic remark about dumping 19 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025 contaminated soil on Ms. Knudsen’s front lawn was disgusting, narcissistic and disrespectful. She stated that the fact that no one admonished Mr. Muller for making this remark seems to indicate that such behavior is condoned by Village officials. Ms. McCambridge said that there is no place in the Village for artificial turf, which creates heat islands that reach 180° on a summer day. Ms. McCambridge indicated that the Board of Education has decided not to install an artificial turf field at Benjamin Franklin Middle School, and some sports parents were irate about this decision. Ms. McCambridge also spoke about an 87-year-old neighbor of hers who was in tears after receiving a summons from Ridgewood, on Christmas Eve, because she had to remove part of her garden on the corner of Linwood Avenue and Steilen Avenue, due to a sight triangle obstruction. She said that the Village is taking away her neighbor’s lifeline, and denied that there is a sight triangle obstruction at this intersection. Rurik Halaby, a resident of Ridgewood, said that when he listens to Village Council meetings online, he has no problem hearing what is being said. He stated that he does not believe the sound quality in the courtroom is due to the microphones, but rather with the acoustics in the room. Mr. Halaby said that he has lived in Ridgewood for 55 years, and he has never felt as comfortable with the integrity, compassion, and intelligence of the leadership in Ridgewood as he does now. He said that the Village Councilmembers are doing a fantastic job, and that they should “stay the course” with their proposed plans for the development of the Schedler property. Mr. Halaby said that the accusations flung at the Village Councilmembers this evening are just ludicrous. He thanked the Village Councilmembers for all of their efforts on behalf of Ridgewood residents. Kristina Milian, a resident of Ridgewood, said that the reason residents are asking so many questions regarding the Schedler property remediation and the SHPO application is because they are not getting clear answers from the Village or from Matrix. She stated that she was told today by a representative from Bergen County that the soil that was taken from Bergen Community College and brought to the Schedler property was clean, and that the soil only became contaminated when it was mixed in with the soil that was imported to the Schedler property from other sources. However, today she spoke with Tom Farrell, Chief of the Bureau of Solid Waste Compliance & Enforcement, of the NJDEP, who said that the soil imported from Bergen Community College to the Schedler property was contaminated with mercury. Ms. Milian said there have been so many questions asked by the public because they keep getting different answers from different entities, entities that the public should be able to trust. Ms. Milian said that Ridgewood Water was internally reviewing how contaminated soil from two of their sites ended up being brought to the Schedler property. She asked how this could have happened and whether or not the soil testing was bypassed by the Licensed Site Remediation Professional (LSRP) who works with Ridgewood Water. Ms. Milian said that another reason so 20 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025 many questions are being asked by the public is because residents have asked for a two-way dialogue and public FAQ session with Matrix, which has been declined by Village officials because the results of the soil testing have not yet been received from Matrix. She said that the Village Councilmembers ranting about the costs of performing public outreach is really disgusting. There were no further comments from the public. Councilmember Mortimer said that when he gathered field information from the Master Library, he was told that when one option was chosen, the other options shut down. He suggested that a demonstration of how the Master Library functions should be done at a Village Council meeting, so that residents understand why all 45 fields cannot be booked at the same time. Mr. Kazmark said that in lieu of such a demonstration, he would prefer to ask the I.T. Department to do an “overlay” showing the different usages of various fields in the Village (i.e., baseball, soccer, softball). He confirmed that if the varsity baseball field is booked, no one else can reserve a field at the same time. Deputy Mayor Perron said that she has also spoken with Keith Fisher and other members of the Clean New Jersey Sports Field Management Association. She indicated that she forwarded the bid from the Board of Education for a ground management company to various companies that she respects. Councilmember Winograd said that the bulk of the work done by the Village Councilmembers is done by Village committees. She is Village Council Liaison to the Fields Committee, and both she and Deputy Mayor Perron were present at the last Fields Committee meeting. Councilmember Winograd said that another “member at large” is also a female. People had to take time off from work to attend the Fields Committee meeting at the Zabriskie-Schedler house. She said that the primary purpose of meeting at the house was to spark interest with sports groups to have meetings at the house in the future. However, she was disappointed that most of the discussion during the meeting revolved around the proposed artificial turf field. She said that she was glad that members of the public and members of the Fields Committee left the meeting to have further outside discussion about certain matters. Councilmember Winograd said that there was a comment made during the Fields Committee meeting regarding gender equality that was irresponsible, which had to do with the fact that football should not be expanded to apply to girls as well. There was an immediate reaction to this comment, with people asking why girls should not be allowed to play football alongside boys. She said that the Fields Committee members are mostly men, because it is usually men who coach sports. She feels that these members did a good job articulating their frustration, as well as their desire for grass fields and the maintenance of grass fields. Councilmember Winograd said that the public’s assertion that the Village Councilmembers are not interested in grass fields is 21 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025 totally untrue. She reiterated that the main purpose of holding the meeting in the house was to discuss future uses for the house, and she was disappointed that this did not occur, especially since the amount of $2.6 million has already been invested in the house. Not long after arriving home from the Fields Committee meeting, Councilmember Winograd said that she saw various posts on social media commenting about what occurred at the meeting. She said that people were being mocked online, and this created a very uncomfortable situation. Councilmember Winograd acknowledged that there were some “unproud moments” during the meeting, but that people self-regulated. She said that it was dangerous for Village Councilmembers to tell members of a committee not to say something, because the Village Councilmembers represent the Village government. Regarding the public asking questions regarding the remediation of the Schedler property, Councilmember Winograd said that the public should ask every question that they want, despite the expense to the Village. She said that the existing Village Council did not create the soil contamination at the Schedler property, but they intend to abide by the requirements of the NJDEP regarding public outreach. Mr. Kazmark said that regarding the Village’s commitment to grass fields, he had a conversation with the Parks Department recently. When Habernickel Park was developed, there was a commitment to installing a grass field there. Mr. Kazmark said that the multipurpose field at Habernickel Park is beautiful. He pointed out that the Village Council recently allocated the amount of $100,000.00 to rehabilitate Hawes Field, which is also a natural grass field. He said that for any member of the public to say that the Village Councilmembers do not have a commitment to grass, where appropriate, is not an accurate statement. He learned yesterday that there is an established board (with trustees) for the Zabriskie-Schedler house (Friends of the Zabriskie-Schedler House). Mr. Kazmark said that he is going to invite this Board of Trustees to discuss future usage of the house. He said that it does not make sense to have the house sit vacant after so much money has been spent to renovate the house. 8. RESOLUTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION Ms. Mailander read Resolution #25-226 to go into Closed Session: 22 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025 9. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Village Council, on a motion by Deputy Mayor Perron, seconded by Councilmember Mortimer, and carried unanimously by voice vote, the Village Council’s Regular Public Work Session was adjourned at 9:15 p.m. ____________________________________ Paul Vagianos Mayor _______________________________________ Heather A. Mailander Village Clerk 23 Village Council Regular Public Work Session May 7, 2025