Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • January 25, 2012 Ridgewood Church application is back before planning board The Ridgewood Planning Board has begun the hearing of a re-introduced application for an expansion of the Ridgewood Church of God on Godwin Avenue and continued what planners expect to be a lengthy hearing until the March 6 session of the planning board. Hector Munoz-Baras, the architect for the proposed church building expansion, began to introduce the new plans at the Jan. 17 meeting, which will continue next month. The church is seeking approval to add three pastoral bedrooms on one side of a new second floor addition, and a room labeled for storage on the opposite side. Ridgewood officials said they have no problem with the pastoral bedrooms, but would not want the storage space turned into additional bedroom space. Added sleep space on the far side of the roof, they said, could represent problems in terms of the zoning code and the fire code due to lack of immediate exit passages. The application has been before the Ridgewood Planning Board on and off since 2008. Village officials do not expect a decision for some months. Neighborhood objectors have hired the legal firm of Beattie Padovano to represent them. J. KOSTER Reading marathon fundraiser begins Patricia Shih The Friends of the Ridgewood Public Library will launch the Annual February Reading Marathon fundraiser Feb. 1 at 4 p.m. with a Magical Musical Winter Wonderland program featuring singer Patricia Shih. Participants will celebrate the start of the marathon with winter activities, featuring ice skating around an imaginary lake in the library auditorium, “snowball” fights, and snowy songs. Children from pre-K through grade five are welcome. Preregistration is required. Call (201) 670-5600, extension 110, or visit www.ridgewoodlibrary.org. Reading Marathon strives to promote literacy and foster a love of reading among village children and serves as an important fundraiser for the library, raising valuable monies that go toward new books, media, and programs for the entire family. Participants keep track of the number of books and pages they read (or have read to them) throughout the month of February on forms distributed through Ridgewood’s schools. Forms will also be available on Feb. 1 at the library’s children’s center or at www.ridgewoodlibrary. org. Every student who returns a completed form by March 2 will receive a coupon for a free ice cream cone, courtesy of Ridgewood’s Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream, a program sponsor. Participation in the marathon is free, but families are asked to consider supporting the library by sponsoring a student or making a donation to the library. The Ridgewood Public Library is located at 125 Maple Avenue.