Ridgewood June 2, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 5 Lame duck council urged to seek Graydon proposals by John Koster One of the proponents of a comprehensive pool reconstruction at Graydon Pool attempted to convince the Ridgewood Council that the village has nothing to lose by sending out a request for bids before the council roster changes in July and both members of the Pool Study Committee are out of office. “Instead of just waiting for problems to occur, why not be pro-active?” said Jane Morales, who worked with Mayor David Pfund, Councilman Patrick Mancuso, and fellow members of Ridgewood Pool Project. Morales asserted that the request for proposals was now ready to roll and the council had approved the details, but not the actual filing of the proposals. Morales advanced the belief that Graydon Pool as it now exists would be subject to continued problems related to water quality, which would impinge on efforts to increase enrollment and make the pool economically viable, instead of having it operate at a loss. “The facility is antiquated,” she said. “Every year, the recreation staff faces new challenges.” Morales said better filtration had led to better penetration of sunlight into the depths of the lake-like pool, which in turn fostered the growth of more algae. She said that in one day last week, a dozen village employees had been recruited to rake the sand and prepare the pool for summer operation due to existing design defects. She said she understood the priority is for “clear, clean water in a natural setting” and that a concrete complex was no part of Graydon’s future, but urged the council to put out the request for bids that the Ridgewood Pool Project members had worked out with Pfund and Mancuso as Ridgewood Village Council representatives before they leave the council at the July 1 re-organization meeting. The council made no comment on her request. The recent election was seen by some observers as a referendum on Graydon’s future, with the two candidates who originally advocated a comprehensive overhaul defeated by those who urged fiscal caution by a margin of about 3 to 2 in favor of fiscal caution. Even before the election, the scale of opposition to multiple concrete pools replacing the lake-like Graydon Pool – coupled with the general economic problems – had stopped the proposal for a $10-million bonded renovation. The Preserve Graydon group had rallied significant support for the concept that Graydon was aesthetically superior as it is, and that improved water quality through better filtration could solve most of the pool’s problems. Observers also noted that municipally-operated pools in other communities are also experiencing dwindling membership even when there are no significant problems with water quality. Race Track Road parking limits eyed Members of the Ridgewood Council told the two resident families who live along the village’s portion of Race Track Road that the council would seriously consider plans for a “no stopping or standing” sign and enforcement in response to their requests. The two families said the short stretch of Ridgewood road just off Route 17 is frequently used by commuters who leave their cars parked in front of residential homes while they take buses to New York City. Even more troublesome, the neighbors said, are the youngsters who park to drink and smoke and then leave bags of trash on local curbs or lawns. “I don’t feel it’s my job to pick up somebody else’s garbage,” one resident said. A third problem is that contractors who pick up day laborers from urban centers to work in Ridgewood sometimes wait for the laborers parked in front of the residential homes on Race Track Road. A woman said she was afraid to leave her children on the front lawn because she was unsure who might be in the cars in front of the house. “This seems to be a constant issue with cars idling in front of the house,” one resident said. “We don’t have an issue with neighbors parking because we know who they are.” Deputy Mayor Keith Killion told the residents that it was not possible to ignore neighbors who park in front of homes and still ban parking for commuters and contractors. A “no stopping or standing” sign, with enforcement thus made possible as needed, was seen as the answer. The two families represented at the council work session last week said they concurred. The council will now formally discuss, and probably introduce and adopt, an appropriate regulation. J. KOSTER NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LEADER IN CONTEMPORARY VARICOSE VEIN TREATMENT CHUBACKVEINCENTER A NEW STANDARD OF VEIN CARE 265 Ackerman Ave. Ridgewood, NJ 201-693-4330 ����������������� Remodeling Renovations & Repairs ����������� ���������������� ����������� ������������� ���������������������� ���� ���������� �������������������������������� ���������������������������������������� ���������������������������������� �������������������������������� www.hawthornehandyman.com 973-949-4431