Mark Bombace for the 40th District Assembley seat

I hope The Fly and other TRB will join me in supporting Mark Bombace for the 40th District Assembley seat.

Let us review the reasons Mr Bombace is eminently qualified for this position:

"John Agostinelli and Mark Bombace will bring real representation to the residents of the 40th District. They have a record of getting things done in their communities, and once elected, will bring a fresh perspective to Trenton. Scott Rumana and David Russo have not been accountable to their constituents, and are more interested in political partisanship than solving the problems facing our families and residents. In these tough economic times we need Assembly Members who are more interested in getting things done then fighting political wars."

Mayor David T. Pfund – Sour Grapes over Death of Parking Garage?

At the conclusion of last night’s Village Council Work Session, Mayor David T. Pfund directed that the resolution which will cancel a $3 million bond intended to partially fund construction of the now defunct parking garage project be removed from the list of resolutions scheduled to be approved by a “single vote – consent agenda” process during next week’s Village Council Public Meeting. By doing this, the Mayor has signaled his intention to vote “no” on the resolution.

What’s the matter Dave? Pissed off that you didn’t get your way? You requested a unanimous “yes” vote to approve the project; why can’t you suck it up and show a unified Council front now that the project is officially dead?

Give it a rest Mr. Mayor. Despite the last minute public plea made by your pal Mr. Jacques Harlow, the garage is now history! It’s over Dave; let it go. Be a man about it.


The Fly

BOE Cancels Building and Grounds Maintenance Contract with Village – Layoffs of Village Employees Likely

From BOE May 4, 2009 Meeting Agenda:

Approval: Award of Bid for Grounds Management,
Landscaping and Snow Plowing Services Contract

Whereas, the Ridgewood Board of Education advertised a bid for Grounds Management, Landscaping and Snow Plowing Services on March 23, 2009, Whereas, one bid was received and opened at 11:00 a.m. on April 2, 2009; now therefore, Be it Resolved, that the Ridgewood Board of Education award a contract to GCA Services, Pennsburg, PA, in the amount of $173,785.

Approval: Award of Bid for Landscaping and Snow
Removal Services Contract

Whereas, the Ridgewood Board of Education advertised a bid for Landscaping and Snow Removal Services on March 23, 2009, Whereas, five bids were received and opened at 11:00 a.m. on April 16, 2009; now therefore, Be it Resolved, that the Ridgewood Board of Education award a contract to Jacobsen Landscaping, Design and Construction, Inc., Midland Park, New Jersey, in the amount of $105,806. The hourly rates for snow removal are as follows: One Dump Truck $125 per hour One Front End Loader $130 per hour

BOE Administrator Resigns

From BOE May 4, 2009 Meeting Agenda:

Resignations

Administrator

DeSIMONE, Angelo – Assistant Superintendent for Business/Board Secretary, Education Center, effective July 1, 2009, with four years of Ridgewood service.

Village Council Poised to Spend $500K on Ridgewood Avenue "Streetscape" Enhancements

By a 4-1 vote (Councilwoman Anne Zusy cast the lone “no” vote), Village Council Members agreed last night to enhance the Central Business District portion of Ridgewood Avenue by spending an estimated $500k on the following “streetscape” enhancements:

1.) Design and installation of traffic calming bump outs at selected intersections
2.) Purchase and installation of pedestrian activated LED warning lamps for selected crosswalks and installation of decorative/brick print crosswalks
3.) Installation of electrical outlets in tree wells (to facilitate decorative lighting of all trees)
4.) Purchase and installation of light pole brackets (for kissing balls and banners)
5.) Removal of overgrown trees and replacement with new “decorative” trees
6.) Repairs to concrete sidewalks, brick bands, and tree wells
7.) Decorative sleeves and bases for parking meters

The $500K will be raised through the sale of bond notes.

Village Council Says "No" to North Walnut Street Parking Garage/Retail Complex

By a 3-2 informal vote taken during their Wednesday night Work Session, Village Council members nixed the idea of moving forward with plans to construct a 54 foot high, 400+ parking space, 36,000 square foot garage/retail complex on North Walnut Street.

Voting in favor of the project were Mayor David T. Pfund and Councilwoman Anne Zusy. Opposed to the plans were Deputy Mayor Keith D. Killion, and Councilmen Patrick A. Mancuso and Paul Aronsohn.

A formal vote will be taken during the Council's May 13th Public Meeting in the form of a Resolution that will cancel the currently open $3 million bond ordinance used as initial funding for the now defunct project.

Closed NJ bank was cited for 'unsafe' practices

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iZnHCegwMlJVSyJag5fH-4CipmTgD980BQH01
By ELI SEGALL – 1 day ago

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — A small bank in northern New Jersey has been shut down by state banking regulators, and an industry advocate says he cannot rule out future failures.

Citizens Community Bank was shuttered Friday night. Banking regulators had ordered the Bergen County bank to stop a range of "unsafe or unsound" business practices, saying it had violated several state and federal regulations.

Among other problems, the 4 1/2-year-old bank had deficient management, an "unrealistic" budget plan and poor lending policies, officials say.

All of Citizens' deposits were transferred to North Jersey Community Bank. Officials with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. are working out of Citizens' former office in Ridgewood to sell off its assets. The office is now a branch of North Jersey Community.

Dennis Trimper, the federal official leading the liquidation, said the main reason for Citizens' closure was its failing loan portfolio. Many customers, he noted, weren't making their payments.

It was the first time since 1992 that a state-chartered bank had been shuttered, said Ed Rogan, a spokesman for the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance. He said the closure was "an isolated situation," as banks in the state are generally healthy.

At least one industry advocate says future bank failures are always possible.

"When you've got a deep recession, that affects banks that otherwise would be fine," said James Silkensen, co-chief of the New Jersey Bankers Association.

Silkensen said he was not aware of any banks that could soon be shuttered, but said closures can happen in good and bad economic times.

The banking industry has been taking a beating. Layoffs have swept the industry, and several once powerful firms have been toppled, in part, by risky investments that soured, such as mortgage-backed securities. More than 30 banks nationwide have been shuttered this year.

Meanwhile, New Jersey's community banks largely avoided those risky ventures, making simple, traditional loans to their customers, state and private sector officials have said.

At a state Assembly hearing in February, bankers association co-chief John McWeeney said some of New Jersey's community banks faced a grim future of loan defaults and thinned profits, despite performing well during the economic crisis.

Closing Citizens did not mean officials came to padlock the bank. Trimper and eight state and federal officials walked into its only branch, on East Ridgewood Avenue, around 4:15 p.m. Friday to say the bank had lost its charter.

Trimper said the bank was given no advance warning of the closure, which is normal procedure. However, state and federal officials had been openly monitoring the bank since September, when they issued Citizens a 39-page "cease and desist" order for a host of allegedly bad banking practices.

"They have this suspicion, all right, and they see us all walking in around 4:15 on Friday, they can draw their conclusions," Trimper said.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iZnHCegwMlJVSyJag5fH-4CipmTgD980BQH01

A Travell Parent Speaks Out.....

Those of you who know first, second, or third hand about the issues at Travell and are willing to contribute to this blog **in an honest effort to improve the situation***-by all means, keep your collective mouths open.

I say this as an active Travell parent who does not fear public debate.

Travell has been the unfortunate and unwilling subject of a multi-year Cottage Place experiment on inquiry-based instruction that has gone awry, as it was bound to do. By all that is right and good in this world, this experiment will soon be brought to a screeching halt. By no means, however, does this make Travell a 'laughing stock'. On the contrary, it should make Travell an object of sympathy by anyone of good will who lives in Ridgewood and pays the taxes here.

TRB readers should know that Travell parents are making important contributions to a powerful state-wide effort to improve New Jersey's math standards, much to the chagrin of a large coterie of entrenched state bureaucrats and ideologically motivated "educators" bent on dumbing down our curriculum to make their jobs easier.

I wonder what the anonymous insulter of Travell parents is doing with his or her spare time.

BOE supporter attacks Travell Parents and belittles there concern for their Children

You should not address the Principal as "Margy".

Is 100 families the same as 100 signatures? Isn't it just 100.

Travel is the laughing stock because they have a group of parents who think that they run the school. A petition is meaningless against a school contract. Maybe one of the parents should run for the board of ed - O wait, they tried that already. We don't want them running any of our schools.

At the BOE Reorganization Meeting:

· Mr. Robert Hutton was sworn in as the new Board member.
· The Board re-elected Mr. Joseph Vallerini as President.
· The Board re-elected Mr. Robert Hutton as Vice President.
· The Board approved the continuation of the position of Student Representative to the Board.
· The Board approved various adoptions or appointments, including:
o the current Board of Education Policy Manual, the NJSBA Code of Ethics.
o The Record and The Ridgewood News as official newspapers for all legal advertisement and notices for the 2009-2010 school year.
o the firm of LAN Associates, Midland Park, as Board of Education Architect for the period July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, at fees negotiated for each individual project.
o the firm of McKinley, White & Co., L.L.P., Paramus, to serve as Board of Education Auditor and provide accounting services to the School Board for the period July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, to conduct the 2008-2009 audit of the Ridgewood Board of Education for an estimated fee of $37,200 to $38,800.
o Anthony Sciarrillo, Esq. of Lindabury, McCormick, Estabrook &
Cooper, P.C., Westfield as Board Counsel for the period July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, at the rate of $160 per hour.
o McManimon and Scotland, Newark, as Bond Counsel for the period July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, at the rate of $160 per hour.
o David B. Rubin, Esq., P.C., Metuchen, as Special Education Counsel for the period July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010, at the rate of $170 per hour.
o Adams Stern Gutierrez & Lattiboudere, LLC., Newark, as Special Counsel to continue handling a certain Board legal issue to its conclusion, at the rate of $150 per hour, for the period July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010.
o Willis HRH, Morristown, as health insurance broker of record for the 2009-2010 school year.
o continuation of participation in the Northeast Bergen County Insurance Group (NESBIG) for Workers’ Compensation Insurance for the 2009-2010 school year. NESBIG is a shared services cooperative purchasing arrangement whereby member school districts acquire lower rates for insurance through joint purchasing. This is the second year of a previously approved two-year agreement.
o continuation of The Burton Agency, Westwood, as insurance broker of record for property/casualty insurance and risk manager for the 2009-2010 school year. This is the second year of a previously approved two-year appointment.
o student activity fee of $75 at the middle schools and $100 at the high school for those students who participate in any co-curricular activity for the 2009-2010 school year.o tuition rates for the 2009-2010 for out-of-district-students and staff members’ children, as listed below:Kindergarten $ 9,517 $ 500
Grades 1-5 $ 12,730 $ 1,000
Grades 6-8 $ 13,824 $ 1,000
Grades 9-12 $ 13,159 $ 1,000
LLD $ 26,613 N/A
Autism $ 63,432 N/A
o substitute rates of pay for the 2009-2010 as listed below:
Teachers (first five days of one consecutive assignment): $ 90 per diemDaily/Permanent(6th day of consecutive assignment in system): $125 per diem
Long-term Determined by administration after evaluation of educational
background and experience
Nurse $130 per diem
Secretaries $ 12.50 per hour
Former RAES members $ 13.25 per hour

Was Vallerini's rant about public speaking an attempt to silence dissent?

"The facts speak for themselves... over 100 families signed the petition regarding Margy, with a marginal percentage for approving her tenure. Vallerini's rant about public speaking before moving into public comment kept people from saying anything negative at the mic. View the webcast for yourself. Vallerini ranted about "after consulting with our attorneys...". These scare and bully tactics happen all of the time from Cottage Pl. Do you think it is coincidental that RPS server went down right before a BOE meeting that brought in many, many concerned parents?"

It’s Official – Multi-Space Meters to Replace Valet Parking at Chestnut Street Municipal Lot

During tomorrow evening's Village Council Work Session, Village Council members are scheduled to award a contract for the purchase of multi-space parking meters to be installed in the Chestnut Street Municipal Parking Lot.

Upon the completion of meter installation and re-striping, the lot will be converted from valet parking only to self service.

The conversion process is taking place by recommendation of Village Manager James Ten Hoeve based on his receipt of a formal request from the current valet service provider for an increase in compensation payments.

At this time, the proposed hourly parking rate has not been established by ordinance. Previously, Village Council members indicated a desire to double metered rates in the Central Business District. This may be the first location at which it will cost 50 cents an hour or more to park. Stand by!

Travell Parents Take to the Microphone

They dominated the public comment of the evening. Travell parents came out to last night's board meeting to tell members that they wanted wrongs righted: specifically, a beloved and accomplished music teacher who was not recommended for tenure by principal Margy Leininger. Oh, and they didn't want Margy Leininger granted "early" tenure. Ms. Leininger recently had help from consultant Beth Fisher Yoshida to moderate what many feared would have been a contentious meeting between Margy and her teaching staff. The board paid Ms. Yoshida to aid the communication process. Being able to lead and communicate with her staff must not be part of her job description. A petition, outlining their pleas and signed by more than half of the parent body, was delivered in the hope that board members and the superintendent would finally pay attention to what many parents describe as a "toxic" atmosphere at the school. So the Fly wants to know...if a principal just doesn't like or get along with what parents describe as an excellent and gifted teacher, should that be enough to deny the teacher tenure?

Because this comes up over and over....

"things to consider. Mayor Pfund was a personal donor to Valley Hospital until 2006, his law firm (Reiseman, Rosenberg & Pfund, LLP) listed Valley hospital as one of its clients on their website until the listing mysteriously disappeared, Pfund’s father has willed part of his estate to Valley after he dies! Yet Pfund has not rescued himself from the considering the H-Zone issue? Others on the Planning Board have for less association."

Can we put this to rest once and for all ?....or not?

Who Woulda Thunk it : New Jerseyans aren't sold on the proposed state budget

New Jersey has doubts about state budget plan, poll finds

Posted by pcox May 04, 2009 06:23AM

A poll found many New Jerseyans aren't sold on the proposed state budget.

The Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey Poll released Sunday found more than 80 percent of respondents have heard about the spending plan. Nearly half of them say it does too little to cut spending, while 17 percent say it cuts too much.

Patti Sapone/The Star-LedgerHundreds of New Jerseyans protest April 23 at the State House to keep our public lands open, including at least nine parks that have been slated for closure due to the Governors proposed budget cuts.

However, respondents overall differed on how to address the state's fiscal woes.

Seventy-five percent support plans to boost income taxes on those earning more than $500,000 and 69 percent back higher taxes on cigarettes and liquor. But 68 percent don't want state aid cut to municipalities and 63 percent oppose cutting arts funding.

The poll also found 53 percent oppose ending property tax rebates for those earning more than $75,000, while 45 percent support it.

The telephone poll was conducted April 23-27 with 803 New Jersey adults and has a sampling error margin of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

New Jersey GOP gubernatorial candidate Christie backs school vouchers

Posted on Sat, May. 2, 2009

tp://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/20090502_New_Jersey_GOP_gubernatorial_candidate_Christie_backs_school_vouchers.html
New Jersey GOP gubernatorial candidate Christie backs school vouchers

By Cynthia Burton
Inquirer Staff Writer

New Jersey Republican gubernatorial candidate Christopher J. Christie pledged yesterday to create a school voucher program that allows students from failing districts to attend schools in districts that accept them.

In a conference call about the state's fiscal crisis, Christie decried the high costs of education in 31 mostly poor districts where the state is under a court order to spend additional money. About 55 percent of state education aid goes to those districts - known as the Abbott districts - which educate about 23 percent of New Jersey's students.

Christie would address the cost problems, in part, by giving parents vouchers for schools outside of those failing school districts. That means, for example, a student in Camden could attend school in Cherry Hill, as long as Cherry Hill agreed to accept the voucher.

Speaking of poor educational outcomes in some of the state's Abbott districts, he said, "In those districts, we need to increase competition to make sure we get a better educational product."

Though long-discussed, New Jersey does not have a school voucher system. It does have charter schools, which Christie said he would expand.

"You have to bring more charters and more competition to those Abbott districts," he said. "If you do that, you will bring costs down because charter schools are spending less and producing better results."

Christie's voucher plan differs from a plan by his Republican primary opponent Steve Lonegan, which would not allow students to attend schools outside their district.

"Steve has a fake voucher program - I have a real one," Christie said.

Lonegan said he wanted "to drive competition within a school district. One of the critical elements to economic growth is to reopen closed schools."

Allowing students to take their vouchers and attend school outside their towns and cities "would siphon students off to other cities and leave behind empty schools and empty neighborhoods," Lonegan said.

In the news conference, Christie also chided Gov. Corzine, a Democrat, for revenue projection shortfalls. The governor announced Thursday that the state's projected revenue between now and June 2010 would be as much as $2 billion less than expected.

Christie said revenue projections should have given more weight to rising unemployment levels, which, in turn, have lowered the state's income tax collection.

Contact Cynthia Burton
at 856-779-3858
or cburton@phillynews.com.

How did the newspaper know the village of Ridgewood denied a permit

A story in the Sunday Record contains this pgh:

The marchers originally intended to continue into Ridgewood and protest in front of The Valley Hospital, but they turned back at the Ridgewood line, because the village denied Birkner parade and public assembly permits for the march. A lawyer hired by the village warned him in writing that if he proceeded into Ridgewood, the marchers would be subject to "appropriate legal action, damages and any other enforcement costs incurred by the Village of Ridgewood."

1)How did the newspaper know the village of Ridgewood denied a permit (The article contains no attribution for this statement.)
2)What was the reason for the denial
3)What is the name of the lawyer
4)Who in the village government hired this lawyer
5)Was the lawyer hired for this specific purpose

Valley Rains on its own parade

The “Walk on Valley” by the Mayor of Westwood and other supporters of the re-opening of Pascack Valley’s 128 beds went ahead today.

Valley Hospital decided that it would welcome the marchers so it setup bright blue information tables at every entrance. To man the tables, it paraded out most of Valley’s management, men in dark business suites sweltering in the hot afternoon sun, Megan Fraser and her assistant, resplendent in matching flaming red pant suits and some medical staff wearing white coats festooned in ID badges.

Unfortunately, the hospital did not get the morning memo (or read the blog) that the march organizers were not able to secure the correct permit to enter Ridgewood Village and, desiring to follow the law, stopped half a mile away at the boundary between Ridgewood and Washington township where they were interviewed by the press.

In another spectacular example of how the hospital is not even able to control a single contractor, at about 2:45pm, a serviceman set off the hospital’s lawn sprinklers sending the Valley’s parade of managers scurrying for cover.

So the damp Valley folks waited for marchers that never came!

Upper Hawes

Citzens Community Bank CLOSED by FDIC

On Friday, May 1, 2009 , Citizens Community Bank, Ridgewood, New Jersey was closed by the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance. Subsequently, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was named Receiver. No advance notice is given to the public when a financial institution is closed.

All deposit accounts have been transferred to North Jersey Community Bank, Englewood Cliffs, NJ . For more information on North Jersey Community Bank, visit us at www.njcb.com.

The FDIC has assembled useful information regarding your relationship with Citizens Community Bank. Besides a checking account, you may have Certificates of Deposit, a business checking account, a Social Security direct deposit, and other relationships with the institution.

http://www.ccbnj.com/

Westwood mayor plans to protest hospital action

The mayor of Westwood will lead a walk from Westwood Borough Hall to The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood on Saturday to protest Valley's efforts to block the reopening of Pascack Valley Hospital.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/health

Westwood mayor plans to protest hospital action

Friday, May 1, 2009
BY LINDY WASHBURN
NorthJersey.com
STAFF WRITER

The mayor of Westwood will lead a walk from Westwood Borough Hall to The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood on Saturday to protest Valley's efforts to block the reopening of Pascack Valley Hospital.

"I will not sit idly by without bringing attention to what it is they are trying to do," Mayor John Birkner Jr. said of efforts by Valley and Englewood Hospital and Medical Center to prevent the reopening of the bankrupt former hospital.

Hackensack University Medical Center has applied with a for-profit partner for state permission to reopen the facility as a 128-bed community hospital.

A spokeswoman for Valley said the planned 4 1/2-mile walk "reinforces one of our points" about access to health care services since Pascack Valley closed in November 2007.

Quality health care services "are available close to home," said Megan Fraser, the spokeswoman. "In fact, they are within walking distance."

In contrast to an earlier news release from the borough, no demonstration is planned in Ridgewood and no buses will be provided to transport those who can't walk, Birkner said. He has no plans to disrupt traffic, interrupt access to the hospital or make a speech, he said.

He said he will carry a sign, "People First: Reopen Pascack Valley Hospital."

"I'm not looking to be confrontational," said Birkner. "I'm a gentleman."

Birkner expects fewer than 100 people to participate, but he encouraged "any other like-minded citizens who would like to exercise their First Amendment rights" to join him at 1 p.m.

Next Thursday, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Rosemary Gambardella is expected to decide whether to approve a deal between Hackensack and the estate of the bankrupt hospital to buy the former hospital's license for $800,000.

Valley has offered $2 million to buy the license and kill it. Along with Englewood, Valley has argued that the sale to Hackensack should not be approved. Hackensack needs the license to complete its state application.

E-mail: washburn@northjersey.com