Funny thing happened last night at Village Hall. I went to a Village Council Candidates Night, and a Board of Ed debate broke out. (That's supposed to sound like the old joke about going to a fight and a hockey game broke out...sound familiar? Anybody?)
Well, not really a BOE debate, more like a repetitive airing of grievances and misinformation.
I thought it was odd how so much of the conversation focused on the new lights at RHS Stadium and Stevens fields, as well as the Council's handling of the defeated school budget last spring. And by "conversation," I obviously mean mis-statements and vague promises.
Contrary to one of the candidates' statements, at no time did the school district approach the Village for funding of the lights, and the current funding arrangement was not developed following any "heated discussions" of any kind.
It was odd to hear such criticism of the users of the lighted fields, consistently referred to as "them," as those "others" who are somehow benefitting. Hello? They are the thousands of children of our town, children of our taxpayers. They are us, and we are all going to benefit from better, more efficient use of our limited field space.
To those candidates who lamented the short timeframe the Council had in which to cut (or not cut) the school budget (with the implication being, if they only had more time, they could have cut the budget more): Board of Ed members and Dr. Fishbein were all over town prior to the budget vote, offering to review the budget in detail and answer any questions. Long before the vote, the Board invited the Councilmembers to a meeting to review the budget and answer any questions -- in as much detail as desired. And as for the "new" idea that a Village councilperson could serve as a liaison to the BOE -- there has been one for a long time. Anne Zusy was the liaison to the BOE...prior to that Jacques Harlow was the liaison. My point is, there are many opportunities for communication and (no pun intended) education between the BOE and the Council. I don't believe communication or lack of time is what determined the Council's decision on the budget. As I've said before, the leading factor was undoubtedly the fact that we had already cut $6.9 million from the budget. There really was not room to cut more without damaging the district.
Anyway, back to the Candidates' Night: it was surprising to me how few questions there were from the audience. Not sure what that means...more voter apathy, I suppose.
I heard the Stop Valley people will be naming "their" candidate soon (possibly tonight). It should be an interesting couple of weeks till the election.
Showing posts with label Valley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Valley. Show all posts
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
The Federated HSA-Valley Hospital meeting. What gives?
You may have heard that the members of the Federated Home & School Association (made up of the presidents of each school’s HSA, plus an executive board and member-at-large) will be meeting with representatives of Valley Hospital on Wednesday 9/22. It seems there are some community members who have misinterpreted this meeting, and are up in arms.
As one of the Board of Ed liaisons to Federated (and a former Secretary/Treasurer of the group and former member as Somerville HSA president), I hope I can shed some light on the facts of the situation, and help tone down some of the anxiety.
Wednesday’s meeting was conceived and scheduled by Federated following a brainstorming session in June. They decided to hold a "special" Federated meeting in September, to address the Valley Hospital Renewal project. Federated invited representatives from Valley Hospital, along with reps of the Village Council and the Board of Ed, to address questions and concerns regarding the health, safety and well being of our students should a hospital expansion project go forward. The purpose is simply to learn, listen and gather facts as they exist at this point in time, just as Federated has done in the past at their meetings on all important issues facing our educational community.
Federated’s President, Elizabeth Resnick, has stated that she sees Wednesday’s meeting is a beginning for these HSA presidents (don’t forget, they only started in their positions in June) to “get a grasp of the current status so they can be ready to decide how to best involve their parent communities moving forward.” The only motivation for Federated is to try and keep communication open and work together as a school community.
Some residents refer to Wednesday’s meeting as “the closed Valley meeting,” implying that there is something to hide or something untoward going on. The only reason it was scheduled as a special meeting was so that there would be enough time – those Federated meetings are long! And it’s not “open” or “closed.” It’s just a Federated HSA meeting. A meeting of the members of the Federated HSA. I guess in that sense it’s closed.
Others have questioned why Valley is being presented with questions in advance. Mrs. Resnick is trying to plan for an efficient meeting. Remember, the purpose is to get information, that’s it.
Some have asserted that “the other side,” the Concerned Ridgewood Residents, should have their opportunity to present “their side” to Federated. This isn’t about “sides.” It’s not about whether the master plan should be amended. It’s not about the decision that the Planning Board made, and it’s not about the decision that the Village Council will be making. It is about this: IF the project, in its current form, goes forward, these HSA presidents (and their constituent parents) have questions about how it will work and how their kids will be protected from harm.
Some residents have expressed their belief that Valley will simply present “slick powerpoints” or that they will lie or bamboozle the Federated members. That’s fairly insulting to these Home & School volunteers. They may not represent every single parent in town, but in attempting to do the right thing for their communities, why can’t they be trusted to ask the questions they feel are important and, likewise, to judge the answers they are given?
I find it particularly sad that our Village has degenerated to such a state of mistrust. How in the world are we going to face the challenges that we need to face, if no one trusts each other?
Any resident of this town has the right to pick up the phone or send an email to Valley and ask whatever questions they want. This group of residents, members of Federated HSA, has that same right. And by limiting their focus to health and safety around the proposed project, they are also exercising their responsibility to not get caught up in the politics.
Did I mention that the minutes of Wednesday’s meeting (taken by a professional court reporter, so no worries about accuracy) will be posted on the Federated HSA website? They will be.
As one of the Board of Ed liaisons to Federated (and a former Secretary/Treasurer of the group and former member as Somerville HSA president), I hope I can shed some light on the facts of the situation, and help tone down some of the anxiety.
Wednesday’s meeting was conceived and scheduled by Federated following a brainstorming session in June. They decided to hold a "special" Federated meeting in September, to address the Valley Hospital Renewal project. Federated invited representatives from Valley Hospital, along with reps of the Village Council and the Board of Ed, to address questions and concerns regarding the health, safety and well being of our students should a hospital expansion project go forward. The purpose is simply to learn, listen and gather facts as they exist at this point in time, just as Federated has done in the past at their meetings on all important issues facing our educational community.
Federated’s President, Elizabeth Resnick, has stated that she sees Wednesday’s meeting is a beginning for these HSA presidents (don’t forget, they only started in their positions in June) to “get a grasp of the current status so they can be ready to decide how to best involve their parent communities moving forward.” The only motivation for Federated is to try and keep communication open and work together as a school community.
Some residents refer to Wednesday’s meeting as “the closed Valley meeting,” implying that there is something to hide or something untoward going on. The only reason it was scheduled as a special meeting was so that there would be enough time – those Federated meetings are long! And it’s not “open” or “closed.” It’s just a Federated HSA meeting. A meeting of the members of the Federated HSA. I guess in that sense it’s closed.
Others have questioned why Valley is being presented with questions in advance. Mrs. Resnick is trying to plan for an efficient meeting. Remember, the purpose is to get information, that’s it.
Some have asserted that “the other side,” the Concerned Ridgewood Residents, should have their opportunity to present “their side” to Federated. This isn’t about “sides.” It’s not about whether the master plan should be amended. It’s not about the decision that the Planning Board made, and it’s not about the decision that the Village Council will be making. It is about this: IF the project, in its current form, goes forward, these HSA presidents (and their constituent parents) have questions about how it will work and how their kids will be protected from harm.
Some residents have expressed their belief that Valley will simply present “slick powerpoints” or that they will lie or bamboozle the Federated members. That’s fairly insulting to these Home & School volunteers. They may not represent every single parent in town, but in attempting to do the right thing for their communities, why can’t they be trusted to ask the questions they feel are important and, likewise, to judge the answers they are given?
I find it particularly sad that our Village has degenerated to such a state of mistrust. How in the world are we going to face the challenges that we need to face, if no one trusts each other?
Any resident of this town has the right to pick up the phone or send an email to Valley and ask whatever questions they want. This group of residents, members of Federated HSA, has that same right. And by limiting their focus to health and safety around the proposed project, they are also exercising their responsibility to not get caught up in the politics.
Did I mention that the minutes of Wednesday’s meeting (taken by a professional court reporter, so no worries about accuracy) will be posted on the Federated HSA website? They will be.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Planning Board votes yes on amendment to Master Plan.
Wow, what a meeting tonight at GW Middle School. I got there at 7:00 and I think I got the last seat in the auditorium. It was HOT and the room was packed with loud, angry, aggressive people, chanting, shouting, clapping, waving signs. By the time the meeting started at 7:30, there were a few hundred people outside, chanting and yelling and even banging on the fire exit doors.
(And, for all of you who were mad about the move to GW, part of some evil strategy...the meeting was moved ONLY because of Project Graduation at BF. That's it! I promise! The District never should have approved the meeting at BF, but as soon as the conflict was realized, they told the Planning Board they would have to go somewhere else. That's it, folks. Nothing more nefarious than that.)
What most of the people in attendance didn't realize or care to understand, is that the Planning Board was there to hold an actual meeting...to conduct business. They are governed by very specific laws as to how they conduct that business. One law they must follow is to conduct their business according to the rules of evidence and sworn testimony (which means everything from random shouts to sidewalk chants to emails to Planning Board members and even petitions, are not to be considered in the Board's deliberation). And the other important rule for tonight was that they needed to create a record of the meeting...there needs to be a record so that if anyone wants to challenge their decisions, or to understand those decisions, there is a record to consult. It's hard to create a record when there is so much shouting and yelling that the Planning Board members cannot even hear each other speak.
I have to be honest, it was a little scary inside the auditorium at one point. I'm all for freedom of speech, but this was getting extremely tense and tempers were high. I was worried that one person might shove another person and then all hell would break loose. It came close a couple of times, near where I was sitting. I know there was one arrest outside (not sure what for).
In the end, the Planning Board voted to amend the Master Plan. What I hope people would understand is that this is just one step. There will now be work at the Village Council, there will need to be an ordinance, it will require public comment, the Council will have to vote, etc. Then there would be site plans, with hearings and comments and approvals. And so on. Lots of public comments, votes. Possible legal challenges. And so on. And on.
We're in for a marathon, Ridgewood. Let's pace ourselves.
(And, for all of you who were mad about the move to GW, part of some evil strategy...the meeting was moved ONLY because of Project Graduation at BF. That's it! I promise! The District never should have approved the meeting at BF, but as soon as the conflict was realized, they told the Planning Board they would have to go somewhere else. That's it, folks. Nothing more nefarious than that.)
What most of the people in attendance didn't realize or care to understand, is that the Planning Board was there to hold an actual meeting...to conduct business. They are governed by very specific laws as to how they conduct that business. One law they must follow is to conduct their business according to the rules of evidence and sworn testimony (which means everything from random shouts to sidewalk chants to emails to Planning Board members and even petitions, are not to be considered in the Board's deliberation). And the other important rule for tonight was that they needed to create a record of the meeting...there needs to be a record so that if anyone wants to challenge their decisions, or to understand those decisions, there is a record to consult. It's hard to create a record when there is so much shouting and yelling that the Planning Board members cannot even hear each other speak.
I have to be honest, it was a little scary inside the auditorium at one point. I'm all for freedom of speech, but this was getting extremely tense and tempers were high. I was worried that one person might shove another person and then all hell would break loose. It came close a couple of times, near where I was sitting. I know there was one arrest outside (not sure what for).
In the end, the Planning Board voted to amend the Master Plan. What I hope people would understand is that this is just one step. There will now be work at the Village Council, there will need to be an ordinance, it will require public comment, the Council will have to vote, etc. Then there would be site plans, with hearings and comments and approvals. And so on. Lots of public comments, votes. Possible legal challenges. And so on. And on.
We're in for a marathon, Ridgewood. Let's pace ourselves.
Carpool or walk to Planning Board meeting tonight (and here's why the meeting was moved)!
updated 1:16 PM
The Planning Board meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at George Washington Middle School, and I just learned that parking will NOT be permitted in the West Side Presbyterian Church parking lot across the street. I'm not sure if this is because the church has a previously scheduled event tonight, or because the Village didn't want to pay for parking -- West Side does not allow their parking lot to be used for events at GW without being paid. The District pays to allow teachers to park there during the day, and West Side charges us if we encourage people to park there for other school events.
I'm going to give West Side the benefit of the doubt...it's their parking lot and if they need it tonight, then they need it. I just don't want this to somehow become the BOE's fault!
FYI -- the meeting was moved from BF to GW because our RHS Senior Parents are working like crazy tonight at BF to get Project Graduation ready for Wednesday. Tonight is one of their biggest work nights and they will have dozens of volunteers working in the gym, hallways around the gym and cafeteria, the cafeteria itself and parking lot. They need to have materials spread out all over, and they need to constantly cross the parking lot back and forth to the storage room. Not to mention parking for their volunteers. And of course, for all of this, they need to maintain the secrecy which is one of the hallmarks of the 50-year tradition.
So hopefully everyone can remain civil tonight at GW...in the parking lot and in the meeting. (Good thing I already have a parking place lined up in the driveway of a friend!)
The Planning Board meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at George Washington Middle School, and I just learned that parking will NOT be permitted in the West Side Presbyterian Church parking lot across the street. I'm not sure if this is because the church has a previously scheduled event tonight, or because the Village didn't want to pay for parking -- West Side does not allow their parking lot to be used for events at GW without being paid. The District pays to allow teachers to park there during the day, and West Side charges us if we encourage people to park there for other school events.
I'm going to give West Side the benefit of the doubt...it's their parking lot and if they need it tonight, then they need it. I just don't want this to somehow become the BOE's fault!
FYI -- the meeting was moved from BF to GW because our RHS Senior Parents are working like crazy tonight at BF to get Project Graduation ready for Wednesday. Tonight is one of their biggest work nights and they will have dozens of volunteers working in the gym, hallways around the gym and cafeteria, the cafeteria itself and parking lot. They need to have materials spread out all over, and they need to constantly cross the parking lot back and forth to the storage room. Not to mention parking for their volunteers. And of course, for all of this, they need to maintain the secrecy which is one of the hallmarks of the 50-year tradition.
So hopefully everyone can remain civil tonight at GW...in the parking lot and in the meeting. (Good thing I already have a parking place lined up in the driveway of a friend!)
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Somerville HSA meeting today.
I'll be heading over to the Somerville HSA meeting today at 1:30. (Sorry I don't know what room it's in -- probably the library?) Dr. Fishbein will also be there, too. I try to attend as many Somerville HSA meetings throughout the year as I can, and this one I felt was especially good to attend due to the recent questions about the BOE's response to Valley Hospital and the proposed Master Plan amendment. If you have questions, I hope to see you there.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Beware the survey? That’s just silly.
I hope all parents will complete the survey that we’re currently conducting regarding your opinions about our schools. Why now? If you recall, the Board has been talking about the survey for over two years now. The Communications Committee worked on the survey last year, but didn’t get it complete before the year was over. This year we worked on it in the Fall, but then we agreed we had to put it on the back burner while were consumed with the budget vote in March, April and into May. We got back to work a few weeks ago, and got the survey out as quickly as possible.
In the best of all possible worlds, I would not recommend running this survey so close to the very end of the school year. I know how distracted parents can be this time of year, with all the events, parties, deadlines, etc. A survey from the school district is probably not going to be a priority. But what could we do? The budget took longer than we expected, and the clock keeps ticking...
Then there’s the recent activity surrounding the Valley Renewal. The BOE has been in the news lately because a group of parents wants the Board to oppose the Master Plan amendment. They also want us to pressure the Village to conduct certain environmental studies sooner rather than later. We haven’t done it and that has upset some parents. What I find laughably curious is the contention that the timing of the survey and the Valley proposal are somehow related. What? What? I can’t even pretend to understand the logic of the argument, but trying to make some connection at all is very odd to me. Come on, people. How can I put this diplomatically…recently I’ve joked that you are giving us far too much credit to think we have masterminded some sort of conspiracy and that somehow this survey will be used for nefarious purposes re: Valley. Really.
As for the anonymity of the survey...it was always a priority. The survey is completely anonymous. We are NOT connecting survey results with email addresses. We are ONLY using email as a way to validate that survey-takers are parents or guardians.
Look, when I ran for the Board I mentioned that I thought the District should do some sort of annual report card for each school, showing what parents think. The Board made improving two-way communication one of its goals last year and again this year, and the communications committee worked on a survey as part of that goal, beginning over two years ago. We’ve discussed it at Board meetings. We’ve discussed it at HSA meetings. I’ve mentioned it to parents here and there. Every single time, I got nothing but positive feedback from parents, as in, “I’m glad to hear the District wants to hear our opinions.” This isn’t something we just quickly cooked up.
The survey questions are simple and straightforward. They have nothing to do with Valley or any other current event. They are "timeless." Please, parents, even if you are angry with the Board about Valley or any other issue, please answer these simple questions to share your opinions about your child’s school, day in and day out.
The deadline for participating in the online survey is Thursday June 17 at midnight. Any questions, comment here or email survey10@ridgewood.k12.nj.us
In the best of all possible worlds, I would not recommend running this survey so close to the very end of the school year. I know how distracted parents can be this time of year, with all the events, parties, deadlines, etc. A survey from the school district is probably not going to be a priority. But what could we do? The budget took longer than we expected, and the clock keeps ticking...
Then there’s the recent activity surrounding the Valley Renewal. The BOE has been in the news lately because a group of parents wants the Board to oppose the Master Plan amendment. They also want us to pressure the Village to conduct certain environmental studies sooner rather than later. We haven’t done it and that has upset some parents. What I find laughably curious is the contention that the timing of the survey and the Valley proposal are somehow related. What? What? I can’t even pretend to understand the logic of the argument, but trying to make some connection at all is very odd to me. Come on, people. How can I put this diplomatically…recently I’ve joked that you are giving us far too much credit to think we have masterminded some sort of conspiracy and that somehow this survey will be used for nefarious purposes re: Valley. Really.
As for the anonymity of the survey...it was always a priority. The survey is completely anonymous. We are NOT connecting survey results with email addresses. We are ONLY using email as a way to validate that survey-takers are parents or guardians.
Look, when I ran for the Board I mentioned that I thought the District should do some sort of annual report card for each school, showing what parents think. The Board made improving two-way communication one of its goals last year and again this year, and the communications committee worked on a survey as part of that goal, beginning over two years ago. We’ve discussed it at Board meetings. We’ve discussed it at HSA meetings. I’ve mentioned it to parents here and there. Every single time, I got nothing but positive feedback from parents, as in, “I’m glad to hear the District wants to hear our opinions.” This isn’t something we just quickly cooked up.
The survey questions are simple and straightforward. They have nothing to do with Valley or any other current event. They are "timeless." Please, parents, even if you are angry with the Board about Valley or any other issue, please answer these simple questions to share your opinions about your child’s school, day in and day out.
The deadline for participating in the online survey is Thursday June 17 at midnight. Any questions, comment here or email survey10@ridgewood.k12.nj.us
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
The latest on Valley.
I would like to thank every parent who has asked questions, expressed concerns or shared opinions regarding the proposed changes to the Village’s Master Plan. Please know that your concerns are taken very seriously and have been given much consideration. The Board of Ed believes that governing bodies should interact in a professional and respectful manner, and according to established processes. It is for this reason that the Board has not taken an official position on the question before the Planning Board.
Yesterday a group of parents presented Superintendent Dan Fishbein with a petition signed by 600+ residents, asking the Board of Ed to ask the Planning Board for an environmental impact study before the decision is made on the Master Plan. First of all, I'm not totally sure why these petitions aren't being presented directly to the Planning Board. Why do you need the BOE to ask for the study? With all due respect, residents have had many, many opportunities to make their opinions known to the Planning Board over the past three years, and a request for an environmental impact study could have been made at any time directly. Why ask the BOE, when we've made it clear we're not going to get involved in the merits of the Master Plan amendment?
Even if we wanted to press for an environmental study, it is our understanding that such environmental studies are completed only when a fully engineered site plan is developed, not when the Planning Board is considering a Master Plan amendment. It's not the appropriate time. Concept plans currently submitted are not defined enough to make an environmental impact assessment. The DEP or other reputable environmental entity would not be able to come to environmental conclusions with the current concept plans.
The BOE’s testimony to the Planning Board is available on the district website. It contains detailed information on the health, safety and educational concerns that the BOE has regarding the proposed project. If the plan is amended and a project submitted for site plan approval, the developer's agreement will be the place for us to enumerate and put into writing specific safeguards for student health, safety and learning. At that point the BOE will take an active role to define our needs, and ensure they are met. The Board reached this position after careful consideration, discussion and community input.
I can also report that Federated HSA is establishing a committee specifically to gather parent input on Valley’s plans and activities. Board of Ed President Michele Lenhard and I will participate actively in this committee, and will share all concerns with the full Board and district administration.
Finally, I have to comment on one of the more ludicrous and desperate allegations I've heard -- that Dr. Fishbein is somehow involved in a conflict of interest on the Valley issue, since his wife is a doctor with admitting privileges at Valley Hospital. Oh brother. This is like saying he has a conflict of interest as superintendent because he has children in the schools. Since the BOE and the administration have not taken a position on the master plan amendment (see the XX number of times I've already said this), where's the conflict? Fail.
I believe the Planning Board has all the info it needs to make a decision. The Planning Board is appointed by the Village Council (whom we elected), to make that decision. They've heard the opinions. They've talked to experts. Let's see what they decide.
Yesterday a group of parents presented Superintendent Dan Fishbein with a petition signed by 600+ residents, asking the Board of Ed to ask the Planning Board for an environmental impact study before the decision is made on the Master Plan. First of all, I'm not totally sure why these petitions aren't being presented directly to the Planning Board. Why do you need the BOE to ask for the study? With all due respect, residents have had many, many opportunities to make their opinions known to the Planning Board over the past three years, and a request for an environmental impact study could have been made at any time directly. Why ask the BOE, when we've made it clear we're not going to get involved in the merits of the Master Plan amendment?
Even if we wanted to press for an environmental study, it is our understanding that such environmental studies are completed only when a fully engineered site plan is developed, not when the Planning Board is considering a Master Plan amendment. It's not the appropriate time. Concept plans currently submitted are not defined enough to make an environmental impact assessment. The DEP or other reputable environmental entity would not be able to come to environmental conclusions with the current concept plans.
The BOE’s testimony to the Planning Board is available on the district website. It contains detailed information on the health, safety and educational concerns that the BOE has regarding the proposed project. If the plan is amended and a project submitted for site plan approval, the developer's agreement will be the place for us to enumerate and put into writing specific safeguards for student health, safety and learning. At that point the BOE will take an active role to define our needs, and ensure they are met. The Board reached this position after careful consideration, discussion and community input.
I can also report that Federated HSA is establishing a committee specifically to gather parent input on Valley’s plans and activities. Board of Ed President Michele Lenhard and I will participate actively in this committee, and will share all concerns with the full Board and district administration.
Finally, I have to comment on one of the more ludicrous and desperate allegations I've heard -- that Dr. Fishbein is somehow involved in a conflict of interest on the Valley issue, since his wife is a doctor with admitting privileges at Valley Hospital. Oh brother. This is like saying he has a conflict of interest as superintendent because he has children in the schools. Since the BOE and the administration have not taken a position on the master plan amendment (see the XX number of times I've already said this), where's the conflict? Fail.
I believe the Planning Board has all the info it needs to make a decision. The Planning Board is appointed by the Village Council (whom we elected), to make that decision. They've heard the opinions. They've talked to experts. Let's see what they decide.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
The Big Valley.
I (along with the rest of the Board) received several emails last week from parents or other community members concerned about the Planning Board’s impending decision on whether to amend the Village Master Plan to accommodate Valley Hospital’s intended “Renewal.” The theme of the emails was that the Board of Education should “take a stand” and “protest” the project. Some people are confused as to why the BOE has not done this yet, and imply (or state outright) that we are shirking our duty to protect our students. (See today's Bergen Record for a story about those frustrated parents.) I would like to explain my personal reasons for my actions on this topic. (And this means, once again, that I’m only speaking for myself since it would not be proper or legal for me to speak for the Board or any other Board members.)
I believe it is right and responsible for the Board of Education to protect our students from the affects of a project that could impact their health, safety or education. Right now, there is not a specific project under review. There are ideas and intentions, certainly, but the Planning Board is considering amending the Master Plan. Later, when there is an actual project’s site plan and construction permits being reviewed, then the BOE will participate in the process to create the Developer’s Agreement. In that Developer’s Agreement, all the parties – Valley, the Village, the BOE, the neighbors, the County (I presume, due to the adjacent roads) and other major stakeholders will hammer out requirements, standards and expectations with regard to construction activity. I expect the BOE to play an active role in the process as a strong advocate on behalf of our students. I expect to be firm in our requirements and to participate fully and completely every step of the way, from the initial development of the Agreement through enforcement over the life of the project. That is the correct and most effective time, in my opinion, for BOE involvement.
I realize this is in direct opposition to what some parents/neighbors believe, but I do not believe it is right for the Board of Education to try and influence the Planning Board’s decision regarding the Master Plan. What does this mean? It does not mean I don’t care about children. It does not mean I’m stupid or irresponsible or naïve. It simply means that we disagree. Reasonable people can do that, you know? I am a firm believer that two people, when presented with the same information, can come to different conclusions.
This explanation isn’t going to please most of the people who emailed Board members last week. Maybe some of them will understand. All of them will have received Board President Michele Lenhard’s response on behalf of the Board. (According to our bylaws the Board president responds on the group’s behalf.) But for those who are able to listen, even to information you don’t like, thanks for reading.
I believe it is right and responsible for the Board of Education to protect our students from the affects of a project that could impact their health, safety or education. Right now, there is not a specific project under review. There are ideas and intentions, certainly, but the Planning Board is considering amending the Master Plan. Later, when there is an actual project’s site plan and construction permits being reviewed, then the BOE will participate in the process to create the Developer’s Agreement. In that Developer’s Agreement, all the parties – Valley, the Village, the BOE, the neighbors, the County (I presume, due to the adjacent roads) and other major stakeholders will hammer out requirements, standards and expectations with regard to construction activity. I expect the BOE to play an active role in the process as a strong advocate on behalf of our students. I expect to be firm in our requirements and to participate fully and completely every step of the way, from the initial development of the Agreement through enforcement over the life of the project. That is the correct and most effective time, in my opinion, for BOE involvement.
I realize this is in direct opposition to what some parents/neighbors believe, but I do not believe it is right for the Board of Education to try and influence the Planning Board’s decision regarding the Master Plan. What does this mean? It does not mean I don’t care about children. It does not mean I’m stupid or irresponsible or naïve. It simply means that we disagree. Reasonable people can do that, you know? I am a firm believer that two people, when presented with the same information, can come to different conclusions.
This explanation isn’t going to please most of the people who emailed Board members last week. Maybe some of them will understand. All of them will have received Board President Michele Lenhard’s response on behalf of the Board. (According to our bylaws the Board president responds on the group’s behalf.) But for those who are able to listen, even to information you don’t like, thanks for reading.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
BOE testimony to Planning Board on zoning change
Here is the testimony that Sheila Brogan gave to the Planning Board hearing last night, on behalf of the Board of Education.
It's long, but I thought it was better to give the entire text here, rather than just a link. (If you want the full text on RPS letterhead, click here.)
Over the last year, the Board of Education has watched the proceedings before the Planning Board and is aware of Valley’s request for changes to the Village of Ridgewood’s Zoning Code, Chapter 190-117 H Hospital District. We understand that granting this request may lead Valley Hospital to move forward with their plans for Renewal.
Throughout the community, there are those who support Valley Hospital’s Renewal and those who do not. It is not our intention to become intertwined in this debate as to whether or not Valley Hospital should be allowed to modernize their facilities. We are not experts who can determine safe construction noise and dust levels or how to protect our students during any hospital expansion that may take place. However, speaking for the Ridgewood Board of Education I come before you tonight to give voice to the health, safety, and educational concerns that may arise should the Planning Board amend the Master Plan for the hospital zone and subsequently approve plans for construction at Valley Hospital as proposed in
their Renewal Plan.
The Board of Education has heard concerns from many parents about the proposed changes to the zoning code and the possible construction at Valley Hospital. The size, scope of work, and the duration of the construction project that is being discussed is unprecedented in our community. I am sharing the Board of Education’s concerns tonight and request that the Planning Board consider them in your deliberations and adopt procedural requirements for construction for inclusion in the Master Plan for the H Hospital district zone. We ask for this inclusion because of the size, scope and duration of the project proposed. If the Master Plan is amended as requested by Valley Hospital and construction approved, the following concerns exist and we hope these concerns are given consideration in your deliberations:
Air Quality and Noise Pollution: We are concerned about the air quality due to dust and dirt during demolition and construction. There are 691 students who currently attend Benjamin Franklin Middle School, 5.7% of these students have asthma. There are 417 students who attend Travell Elementary School, 8.2% of these students have asthma. The Board requests that an environmental baseline study be done at the hospital’s expense. This study would measure the air quality prior to construction and then during construction. We also request that there be a continuous monitoring system installed at the construction site that would monitor the air quality regularly and signal when the levels of dust, dirt, pollutants become higher than acceptable based on specific guidelines established by an independent expert. Should the air quality monitoring show an appreciable change for the worse in air quality, the Board would like to know what plans the hospital will have to deal with the adverse effects which may result, including the effects on children with asthma. It would be preferable to have any demolition of buildings done in the summer when students are on recess. In addition, truck and construction equipment idling should be prohibited so as to not contribute to air pollution. There is concern about the air pollution generated by diesel trucks.
We are concerned about dust and debris from the construction site finding its way to BF and to Travell, coating the windows, building exteriors, the surrounding grounds, playground equipment, and the athletic fields. Consideration to controlling dust in the air and cleaning the outside of BF and Travell should be part of any construction agreement.
We are concerned about excessive noise during construction that may negatively impact the learning environment at Benjamin Franklin Middle School. We recommend a continuous monitoring system be installed to alert the construction workers to noise levels above a certain decibel standard established by an independent expert knowledgeable about current and researched base guidelines.
We agree with the testimony of the Village Engineer provided on June 3, 2009. He advised and we concur that “noise abatement technology be installed as part of the construction process and post construction. Use of noise canceling technology, buffers and dampers should also be considered.” It is of great concern that construction will be ongoing for five years for phase one and that subsequent phases will prolong the construction period. This could seriously impact the learning environment for thousands of students at Benjamin Franklin unless efforts are made to monitor and control noise levels. For both noise and air pollution, consideration should be given by the Village to hire, at Valley's expense, an independent Environmental Safety Expert to monitor the construction and its impact on the environment.
Time of Construction Trucks Entering and Exiting the Site: We request that no trucks or shuttle buses be permitted to enter or exit the construction site or the hospital entrance nor travel near the school between the hours of 7:15 and 8:45 AM and 2:30 and 3:30 PM, when children are going to and from school. Alterations to this schedule should be accommodated on specific days when there may be planned early dismissals.
There are days and times when the field is heavily used by student athletes. The Board has been discussing the possibility of making improvements to the BF field and constructing a new 400 meter track there. If this improvement is made, we will relocate our track and field competitions to BF and, at times, we will host track and field meets. At such time, there would have to be alterations to the construction schedule. There needs to be ongoing communication with the hospital about these athletic competitions which may require construction to halt to ensure that our student athletes, coaches and visitors are safe.
Route of Construction Trucks: We ask that no trucks be allowed to travel along the perimeter of the Benjamin Franklin Middle School building on East Glen and Van Dien Avenues during school hours to protect the integrity of the learning environment from excessive noise and for the safety of our students. As mentioned above, there may also be the need to curtail trucks traveling the perimeter of BF after school due to athletic events being hosted there.
Securing the Construction Site: The construction site might be attractive to students and we request that a plan be in place to secure the construction site against curious students. We also support the idea of having an independent construction engineer appointed by the Village to monitor construction and ensure compliance with the provisions in the developer’s agreement. We also request that security guards be posted at the construction site 24 hours a day.
We ask that all construction employees be subject to criminal history background checks and if a worker does not pass the criminal history background check, he or she not be permitted to work on the hospital construction site.
Crossing Guards: We have heard the recommendation that students walking along Van Dien during construction be requested to walk on the west side of the street. Although we understand the intent, it is
unrealistic to think that this request will be enforceable unless pedestrian access in front of the hospital is completely blocked. We believe that hiring additional security and crossing guards and keeping the existing crossing guards at the hospital entrances is a more realistic plan. The additional guards should be in place for the duration of the construction project, and should there be changes to the hospital entrance or to the construction entrance location that the Board of Education be notified so that our school communities can be alerted to the change. We would also recommend that the crossing guards be in place during the hours of construction thereby creating a safer pedestrian area for all pedestrians walking along
Van Dien by the hospital. The presence of crossing guards at the Valley entrance should continue after the construction is completed as it appears that there will be an increase in the number of cars entering and leaving the hospital grounds.
Pedestrian Safety and Traffic Congestion: We are concerned that the proposed Renewal Plan will lead to increased traffic congestion and that this may lead to pedestrian safety issues. Students attending Travell, Benjamin Franklin, and Ridgewood High School cross at Van Dien and Linwood Avenues. Should this intersection be widened to allow for turning lanes, pedestrians will be in the street for a longer period of time while crossing the intersection. We agree with the Village Engineer’s recommendation that if the intersection is widened a pedestrian refuge island be installed for pedestrians crossing Linwood Avenue along the east side of Van Dien Avenue. We further concur with the Village Engineer’s recommendation for new pedestrian traffic control signals with a countdown feature. We also agree with the Village Engineer in recommendations to improve traffic and pedestrian safety at John Street and Linwood Avenue. Installation of a traffic light at East Glen and Van Dien Avenues would assist with safer crossing for students and slowing traffic on East Glen Avenue. Should the intersection at Linwood and Van Dien be improved and the current traffic backups eliminated, more cars may travel on Glen to Van Dien on route to the hospital. We further recommend that these traffic and pedestrian safety improvements be made prior to the start of any construction at the hospital.
Parking: We request that there be continuation of parking restrictions and enforcement of these restrictions on streets surrounding the hospital to eliminate the possibility of hospital and construction
company employees parking on these streets. We would request that all construction and hospital employees park off-site during the construction and that buses bringing employees to and from the hospital follow the same route as construction trucks thereby avoiding traveling the perimeter of Benjamin Franklin Middle School during school hours.
In printed materials that Valley Hospital distributed regarding the Renewal Plan, they compiled two pages of items to be included in a Developer’s Agreement. All of these items should be carefully studied and addressed as they pertain to the safety and health concerns of the students and staff at BF. There are many concerns that would arise from approval of the proposed changes to the Master Plan. With this testimony, we have attempted to highlight the most significant concerns pertaining to our
students’ safety, health, and education.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify this evening.
It's long, but I thought it was better to give the entire text here, rather than just a link. (If you want the full text on RPS letterhead, click here.)
Over the last year, the Board of Education has watched the proceedings before the Planning Board and is aware of Valley’s request for changes to the Village of Ridgewood’s Zoning Code, Chapter 190-117 H Hospital District. We understand that granting this request may lead Valley Hospital to move forward with their plans for Renewal.
Throughout the community, there are those who support Valley Hospital’s Renewal and those who do not. It is not our intention to become intertwined in this debate as to whether or not Valley Hospital should be allowed to modernize their facilities. We are not experts who can determine safe construction noise and dust levels or how to protect our students during any hospital expansion that may take place. However, speaking for the Ridgewood Board of Education I come before you tonight to give voice to the health, safety, and educational concerns that may arise should the Planning Board amend the Master Plan for the hospital zone and subsequently approve plans for construction at Valley Hospital as proposed in
their Renewal Plan.
The Board of Education has heard concerns from many parents about the proposed changes to the zoning code and the possible construction at Valley Hospital. The size, scope of work, and the duration of the construction project that is being discussed is unprecedented in our community. I am sharing the Board of Education’s concerns tonight and request that the Planning Board consider them in your deliberations and adopt procedural requirements for construction for inclusion in the Master Plan for the H Hospital district zone. We ask for this inclusion because of the size, scope and duration of the project proposed. If the Master Plan is amended as requested by Valley Hospital and construction approved, the following concerns exist and we hope these concerns are given consideration in your deliberations:
Air Quality and Noise Pollution: We are concerned about the air quality due to dust and dirt during demolition and construction. There are 691 students who currently attend Benjamin Franklin Middle School, 5.7% of these students have asthma. There are 417 students who attend Travell Elementary School, 8.2% of these students have asthma. The Board requests that an environmental baseline study be done at the hospital’s expense. This study would measure the air quality prior to construction and then during construction. We also request that there be a continuous monitoring system installed at the construction site that would monitor the air quality regularly and signal when the levels of dust, dirt, pollutants become higher than acceptable based on specific guidelines established by an independent expert. Should the air quality monitoring show an appreciable change for the worse in air quality, the Board would like to know what plans the hospital will have to deal with the adverse effects which may result, including the effects on children with asthma. It would be preferable to have any demolition of buildings done in the summer when students are on recess. In addition, truck and construction equipment idling should be prohibited so as to not contribute to air pollution. There is concern about the air pollution generated by diesel trucks.
We are concerned about dust and debris from the construction site finding its way to BF and to Travell, coating the windows, building exteriors, the surrounding grounds, playground equipment, and the athletic fields. Consideration to controlling dust in the air and cleaning the outside of BF and Travell should be part of any construction agreement.
We are concerned about excessive noise during construction that may negatively impact the learning environment at Benjamin Franklin Middle School. We recommend a continuous monitoring system be installed to alert the construction workers to noise levels above a certain decibel standard established by an independent expert knowledgeable about current and researched base guidelines.
We agree with the testimony of the Village Engineer provided on June 3, 2009. He advised and we concur that “noise abatement technology be installed as part of the construction process and post construction. Use of noise canceling technology, buffers and dampers should also be considered.” It is of great concern that construction will be ongoing for five years for phase one and that subsequent phases will prolong the construction period. This could seriously impact the learning environment for thousands of students at Benjamin Franklin unless efforts are made to monitor and control noise levels. For both noise and air pollution, consideration should be given by the Village to hire, at Valley's expense, an independent Environmental Safety Expert to monitor the construction and its impact on the environment.
Time of Construction Trucks Entering and Exiting the Site: We request that no trucks or shuttle buses be permitted to enter or exit the construction site or the hospital entrance nor travel near the school between the hours of 7:15 and 8:45 AM and 2:30 and 3:30 PM, when children are going to and from school. Alterations to this schedule should be accommodated on specific days when there may be planned early dismissals.
There are days and times when the field is heavily used by student athletes. The Board has been discussing the possibility of making improvements to the BF field and constructing a new 400 meter track there. If this improvement is made, we will relocate our track and field competitions to BF and, at times, we will host track and field meets. At such time, there would have to be alterations to the construction schedule. There needs to be ongoing communication with the hospital about these athletic competitions which may require construction to halt to ensure that our student athletes, coaches and visitors are safe.
Route of Construction Trucks: We ask that no trucks be allowed to travel along the perimeter of the Benjamin Franklin Middle School building on East Glen and Van Dien Avenues during school hours to protect the integrity of the learning environment from excessive noise and for the safety of our students. As mentioned above, there may also be the need to curtail trucks traveling the perimeter of BF after school due to athletic events being hosted there.
Securing the Construction Site: The construction site might be attractive to students and we request that a plan be in place to secure the construction site against curious students. We also support the idea of having an independent construction engineer appointed by the Village to monitor construction and ensure compliance with the provisions in the developer’s agreement. We also request that security guards be posted at the construction site 24 hours a day.
We ask that all construction employees be subject to criminal history background checks and if a worker does not pass the criminal history background check, he or she not be permitted to work on the hospital construction site.
Crossing Guards: We have heard the recommendation that students walking along Van Dien during construction be requested to walk on the west side of the street. Although we understand the intent, it is
unrealistic to think that this request will be enforceable unless pedestrian access in front of the hospital is completely blocked. We believe that hiring additional security and crossing guards and keeping the existing crossing guards at the hospital entrances is a more realistic plan. The additional guards should be in place for the duration of the construction project, and should there be changes to the hospital entrance or to the construction entrance location that the Board of Education be notified so that our school communities can be alerted to the change. We would also recommend that the crossing guards be in place during the hours of construction thereby creating a safer pedestrian area for all pedestrians walking along
Van Dien by the hospital. The presence of crossing guards at the Valley entrance should continue after the construction is completed as it appears that there will be an increase in the number of cars entering and leaving the hospital grounds.
Pedestrian Safety and Traffic Congestion: We are concerned that the proposed Renewal Plan will lead to increased traffic congestion and that this may lead to pedestrian safety issues. Students attending Travell, Benjamin Franklin, and Ridgewood High School cross at Van Dien and Linwood Avenues. Should this intersection be widened to allow for turning lanes, pedestrians will be in the street for a longer period of time while crossing the intersection. We agree with the Village Engineer’s recommendation that if the intersection is widened a pedestrian refuge island be installed for pedestrians crossing Linwood Avenue along the east side of Van Dien Avenue. We further concur with the Village Engineer’s recommendation for new pedestrian traffic control signals with a countdown feature. We also agree with the Village Engineer in recommendations to improve traffic and pedestrian safety at John Street and Linwood Avenue. Installation of a traffic light at East Glen and Van Dien Avenues would assist with safer crossing for students and slowing traffic on East Glen Avenue. Should the intersection at Linwood and Van Dien be improved and the current traffic backups eliminated, more cars may travel on Glen to Van Dien on route to the hospital. We further recommend that these traffic and pedestrian safety improvements be made prior to the start of any construction at the hospital.
Parking: We request that there be continuation of parking restrictions and enforcement of these restrictions on streets surrounding the hospital to eliminate the possibility of hospital and construction
company employees parking on these streets. We would request that all construction and hospital employees park off-site during the construction and that buses bringing employees to and from the hospital follow the same route as construction trucks thereby avoiding traveling the perimeter of Benjamin Franklin Middle School during school hours.
In printed materials that Valley Hospital distributed regarding the Renewal Plan, they compiled two pages of items to be included in a Developer’s Agreement. All of these items should be carefully studied and addressed as they pertain to the safety and health concerns of the students and staff at BF. There are many concerns that would arise from approval of the proposed changes to the Master Plan. With this testimony, we have attempted to highlight the most significant concerns pertaining to our
students’ safety, health, and education.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify this evening.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Agenda for tonight's meeting
Good morning! On the agenda for tonight's Board of Ed meeting:
• Review of projects for the proposed referendum
• Discussion of Valley Hospital proposed zoning change and impact on students
• Various other approvals of staff appointments, field trips
• Rescinding of approval of resignation of Angelo DeSimone, Business Administrator
Watch the meeting online by clicking here or come on down to the Ed Center. We start at 7:30.
• Review of projects for the proposed referendum
• Discussion of Valley Hospital proposed zoning change and impact on students
• Various other approvals of staff appointments, field trips
• Rescinding of approval of resignation of Angelo DeSimone, Business Administrator
Watch the meeting online by clicking here or come on down to the Ed Center. We start at 7:30.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Reader question re: BOE and Valley
A reader wrote this morning:
Sorry to go off topic here, but what is the Board's position on the Valley expansion? At the planning board meeting the other night it was revealed that 20 trucks and 40 buses an hour are expected to travel through the local streets during the 6 year construction time frame. That, and the noise, dust, and distraction are going to inevitably hurt the learning environments at BF and Travell, not to mention potential safety issues for the students. Has the BOE been involved in any of these discussions?
My response later in the afternoon was:
I cannot speak for the Board, but I can report that we have not publicly taken a position on the issue before the planning board. The Board has not been involved in the planning board discussions, but the administration has had discussions with Valley, and some individual Board members have attended information sessions and planning board meetings and hearings.
With that being said, I can report that Dr. Fishbein has stated publicly that should a project be approved, the District will work with the Village and the hospital to ensure that our students are safe, and their learning is not compromised, at all times.
As for my personal opinion, I can say that I will be looking for the establishment of any and all necessary practices, policies, plans and procedures to keep our students safe. If the project goes forward, I will want/expect full and thorough input from the district and especially the closest schools, to create a very clear and detailed developer's agreement (I think that's what it's called) in advance of any work. I've seen past agreements with Valley and they were quite specific as to testing, monitoring, acceptable levels, corrections required, timeframes, etc.
Sorry to go off topic here, but what is the Board's position on the Valley expansion? At the planning board meeting the other night it was revealed that 20 trucks and 40 buses an hour are expected to travel through the local streets during the 6 year construction time frame. That, and the noise, dust, and distraction are going to inevitably hurt the learning environments at BF and Travell, not to mention potential safety issues for the students. Has the BOE been involved in any of these discussions?
My response later in the afternoon was:
I cannot speak for the Board, but I can report that we have not publicly taken a position on the issue before the planning board. The Board has not been involved in the planning board discussions, but the administration has had discussions with Valley, and some individual Board members have attended information sessions and planning board meetings and hearings.
With that being said, I can report that Dr. Fishbein has stated publicly that should a project be approved, the District will work with the Village and the hospital to ensure that our students are safe, and their learning is not compromised, at all times.
As for my personal opinion, I can say that I will be looking for the establishment of any and all necessary practices, policies, plans and procedures to keep our students safe. If the project goes forward, I will want/expect full and thorough input from the district and especially the closest schools, to create a very clear and detailed developer's agreement (I think that's what it's called) in advance of any work. I've seen past agreements with Valley and they were quite specific as to testing, monitoring, acceptable levels, corrections required, timeframes, etc.
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