Ridgewood January 20, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 3 Council cancels funding for Walnut Street parking by John Koster The Ridgewood Council held a special public meeting last week to cancel the balance of the fund set aside to purchase land for a parking lot on Walnut Street rather than continue to pay $18,000 a year in interest on the money. The unanimous vote means no further interest payments will be necessary on the $1.7 million left in the parking lot fund. The Ridgewood Council had decided not to proceed with construction of a multi-deck parking building in the middle of the business district last year. The vote at last week’s special meeting left the existing ordinance for a parking garage intact at no further cost to the village, but eliminated the need to pay interest on the money held in place under the ordinance effective Jan. 22. Interest costs had been estimated by Ridgewood Village Manager Kenneth Gabbert at $1,685 per month and are now obviated. But the village can revitalize a fund for parking lot land in a few months if deemed necessary, according to Village Attorney Matt Rogers, because the cancellation last week did not terminate the ordinance. The vote merely returned the money to the lender. “I just want to find a way so that the taxpayers do not have to pay $4 million,” Mayor David Pfund said as he joined the unanimous vote. “Let’s talk about it, hash it out, and move forward,” said Councilman Patrick Mancuso, who has been on board for much of the struggle to add a parking garage to Ridgewood’s inventory of on-street and lot parking. Prior plans had included a subterranean parking garage beneath Van Neste Park and, more recently, a multi-deck parking area where the ground-level parking between Ridgewood Avenue and Franklin Avenue is today. These plans have all been dismissed as either impractical or too expensive. Council members said that sites now being considered include an area on Hudson Street and possible purchase of the Walnut Street lot for surface or single-deck parking. Councilman Paul Aronson said the council should approach New Jersey Transit, now renovating and improving the Ridgewood railroad station, to see if some mutually beneficial parking arrangements could be worked out. Boyd Loving and Roger Wiegand, residents who regularly attend the council meetings, agreed before the vote that it was a mistake to go on paying interest on the fund if it was not to be used, and approved of the council’s vote. “I don’t think we should buy it,” Wiegand said of the Walnut Street lot. “I think we should just let it go and let the current owners sell it to whoever they want to.” Police detective charged with taking PBA funds Ridgewood Police Detective Sergeant Willam Hemmer has been charged with stealing $65,000 from the Ridgewood Policemen’s Benevolent Association fund. His case has been referred to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office. Hemmer was suspended from the Ridgewood Police Department on Oct. 30, 2009, as the investigation into the alleged transfer of money from the PBA Local #20 account to his own account started. The money was said to be in excess of $65,000. Discrepancies had turned up in the PBA funds, and Hemmer, 40, a Sussex resident, was the treasurer. An investigation by Detective Captain John Ward, Police Captain Thomas Landers, and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office concluded on Jan. 14 with charges being filed against Hemmer. He has been charged with theft by deception, a third degree crime, and official misconduct, a second-degree crime. Police sources said the crimes charged, if proven, could result in a substantial jail sentence and forfeiture of all pensions and other benefits. Police officers said they were stunned and had no immediate explanation of why a veteran officer would take such a risk. “This was handled as an internal investigation with the Prosecutor’s Office involved and now it will go to trial,” said Ridgewood Village Manager Ken Gabbert. “Of course this is a very hard time for the sergeant and his family.” Gabbert said he had just notified the mayor and council on Jan. 14. At present, it is not clear what happened to the money. J. KOSTER ����������������������������� ������������������������ �����������  Grand Opening  Eileen’s Consignments and Tailoring Designer Clothing, Handbags, Shoes & Accessories Expert Tailoring – Reasonable Prices 40-70% Off Designer Prices 13 S. Broad St., Ridgewood 201-389-6126 • 201-389-6127 ������������ YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSPAPER HARDING WINE&SPIRIT 1-13-09 Kathy/Janine We are beside ourselves about this wine EileensConsignments2x2(1-13-10) we found. It’s called Coastal Vines and 2 x 2” the quality blew us away. 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