Area November 14, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 9 The New Jersey Botanical Garden will sponsor two hands-on Wreath-making Workshops at the garden, on Saturday, Nov. 17. Sessions will be held at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The workshops are an annual tradition at NJBG. Those who participate in these two workshops will learn how to assemble and decorate holiday wreaths to grace their homes using a variety of fresh and dried plant materials. Each participant will make two wreaths: one to take home with you and one for use at NJBG’s Holiday Open House. All materials will be provided; however, participants should bring clippers, gloves, and any special ribbons or decorations they might wish to incorporate into their designs. The fee is $25 for NJBG members and $30 for non-members. For tickets and more information, visit the website at www.njbg.org or call (973) 962-9534. NJBG is located on Morris Road in Ringwood. Call (973) 962-9534 or visit www.njbg.org for more information about the NJBG, membership, volunteer opportunities, events, or directions. The New Jersey Botanical Garden is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Admission to the garden is always free; parking is also free in the autumn, winter, and spring. Originally assembled from pioneer farmsteads of the 1890s, the New Jersey Botanical Garden has a venerable history. In 1922, Clarence McKenzie Lewis, an investment banker and trustee of the New York Botanical Garden purchased the property and original Victorian mansion from Francis Lynde Stetson. Over the next three decades, Lewis built the current 45-room Tudor manor house and transformed Skylands into a botanical showplace, engaging prominent landscape architects to design the grounds and collecting plants from all over the world. In 1966, the State of New Jersey purchased the 1,117 acres of Skylands as the state’s first acquisition under the Green Acres preservation program. Governor Thomas Kean designated the central 96 acres surrounding the manor house as the state’s official botanical garden in 1984. The gardens Botanical garden hosts Wreath-making Workshops Attendees pose with their creations after last year’s NJBG Wreath-making Workshop at the New Jersey State Botanical Garden. This year, the two hands-on workshops will be held on Saturday, Nov. 17. (Photo courtesy of NJBG.) contain many unique features, including an extensive collection of statuary, historic trees, a formal annual garden, perennial beds, and an heirloom collection of lilacs. Call the NJBG office for additional information. The Ridgewood Village Council opened a special public meeting on Nov. 7 to take care of some matters that required council action. The firm of Computil of Milford, Connecticut was awarded a professional services contract for $209,750 to conduct billing and related services for the Ridgewood Water Company. A study to examine the possible divestiture of assets of the Ridgewood Water Company was awarded to Hatch Mott McDonald of Millburn for $76,000. The council also voted a series of resolutions to fund narrow-band radios under a state mandate for improved Village funds professional services communications. Resolutions approved spending $130,653 for narrow band radios for the police department, $62,042 for narrow-band radios for the fire department, $140,516 for the emergency medical services and $75,419 for the department of public works. Another resolution appointed Louis Mai of Pompton Plans as an auditor. He will receive $25,000 for his services, including $2,400 from the Ridgewood Library. Construction fee permit costs for repairs made necessary by the destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy were also approved. J. KOSTER