Villadom Times Weekly Local Newspaper

Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • May 19, 2010 Ridgewood James Van Goor has been appointed as Ridgewood’s new fire chief and took his oath of office at last week’s public meeting of the Ridgewood Village Council. A 23-year veteran of the Ridgewood Fire Department, Van Goor is a graduate of Ridgewood High School and is the son of former Ridgewood Police Department police officer and detective James Van Goor, who attended the ceremony with about 30 family members and friends. A number of firemen also attended in civilian clothes. “We are blessed with the finest fire department that I say exists in any municipality,” said Ridgewood Mayor David Pfund. “We have had the leadership and will continue to have the leadership to make that possible. Jim, I feel that you are ideally suited for the position.” Former Fire Chief James Bombace and his brother, Captain Mark Bombace, both retired from the Ridgewood Fire Van Goor sworn in to village ﬁre chief’s position Department recently. James Bombace retired from the department after 30 years of service as a firefighter and 10 years as chief of Northwest Bergen County’s only paid fire department. Bombace joined the force on July 7, 1980 as a probationary firefighter. Mark Bombace was a captain on the department, and had served on the Ridgewood Board of Education. Ridgewood Village Manager Ken Gabbert noted that Ridgewood’s police department and the paid fire department, which is augmented by volunteers, were both spared the first round of job cuts because voluntary retirements based on longevity enabled both departments to trim their budgets. J. KOSTER Village photographers are invited to submit their photos to the Ridgewood Rotary Club’s photo contest. The Rotary Club is looking for pictures that capture the beauty, spirit, and tradition of Ridgewood. Judging will be made in the following categories: nature, architecture, family life, landscapes, outdoor fun, sports, the business district, photos of kids, photos by kids, village events and school and club activities. According to Michael Shetler, competition organizer, photos must be taken within the Village, during 2010. He noted prizes will be awarded for the first ($100), second ($50) and third ($25) finishers overall. A $5 fee must accompany each entry; there is no limit on the numbers of photos that may be submitted by a contestant. A selection of the best entries in each category will be gathered into a bound volume, “Ridgewood 2010: The Year in Pictures,” and offered for sale. The deadline for entries is Sept. 20. Photo contest focuses on village Each photo must be accompanied by the name, address, phone number and e-mail address of the photographer. Contestants under the age of 18 must provide written parental permission to be considered for the contest. A brief description of the photo, including its location within the village, is also required. Proceeds from the project will help support the more than 20 local charities and agencies the Rotary Club regularly assists. The featured sponsor of the contest is Prominent Properties Sotheby’s International Realty. PNC Bank and Atlantic Stewardship Bank are “supporting sponsors” of the photo competition. Winners will be announced on or about Oct. 15. A public display of the most outstanding entries will follow. For details, contact Michael Shetler at Michael@buyinginbergen.com or Jerry Kallman at kallmancon@gmail.com. Complete rules and regulations are online at www.Ridgewood-Photo-Contest.com. Ridgewood Fire Chief James Van Goor Budget (continued from page 3) by the village, argued that any cuts to the school budget could not only threaten the quality of education in Ridgewood’s schools but also impact property values based on the desirable school system. Conversely, several residents asserted that school and municipal taxes that drive older residents out of Ridgewood are unhealthy to a diversified community. Gary Cirillo, president of Project Pride and a contractor, said he knows of many people who planned to leave Ridgewood as soon as their children had finished high school, and that this leads to problems in the contracting business and in the demographic diversity of the community. “We should do anything we can to keep the tax rate down,” Cirillo said. “We’re forcing too many people out. Everyone loves living here, but they just can’t afford to live here. I hate it when people tell me they have to leave here as soon as their kids finish high school.” Boyd Loving, who regularly attends council meetings, said he also has concerns about the over-emphasis on schools as opposed to the need to control taxes for seniors who want to live in Ridgewood after their children have graduated and left home. “It’s not all about the school system,” Loving said. “It’s about other things as well.” Roger Wiegand, who spoke at some length, asked why the municipal government had not been able to save a million dollars on insurance costs by competitive bidding. Ridgewood Village Manager Ken Gabbert said that 10 packets had been requested, but no insurance company that picked up a packet had made Ridgewood an offer of lower insurance rates. Wiegand asked again why not. “Roger, if you were an insurance company, who would you rather insure, a teacher or a police officer or fireman?” Deputy Mayor Keith Killion asked Wiegand. “They’re in the insurance business to make money, and there are more risks for a policeman or a DPW worker than for a teacher.” Negotiations will continue for some time before the approval vote on June 9. Grand Opening Weekend! KITCHENS • BATHS • WINDOWS • DOORS • MOULDINGS LIBRARIES • WALL UNITS • WINE CELLARS • VANITIES �� 3rd , June day Thurs M - 8 PM 5P 4th , June M y Frida - 8 P Noon 5th June day, Satur M - 6 PM 10 A �� 220 West Crescent Avenue • Allendale, NJ 07401 • 201-934-0100 • www.blackmillwork.com