Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • February 20, 2013 Ridgewood Council adopts dangerous dog fine by John Koster The Ridgewood Village Council has adopted an ordinance that will allow the municipality to charge the owners of dangerous dogs $700 a year, but also accepted the help of a contingent of dog fanciers and experts to prevent negative interactions between people and pets. “We’ve had at least two bites in the last two weeks that I know of,” said resident Jeffrey Bell, the lead speaker. “Our goal would be to educate the public and prevent these problems.” Mayor Paul Aronsohn and council members cordially thanked Bell and the other dog experts who spoke at last week’s meeting, but the council unanimously adopted the ordinance as a point of departure. Other ordinances were continued until March 13. Ordinances continued until next month’s public meeting include the management salary ordinance, the land use ordinance for regulations around houses of worship, schools, and public utilities, and the designation of parking spaces on Heermance Place for teachers only. Ball praised Ridgewood for its consideration in accepting expert advice, but added that, in some other towns, a tough attitude toward dogs could be used to abuse the dogs and the owners alike. “Here in Ridgewood we have a great interpretation (of a dangerous dog)...but it might not work in other towns.” The other dog experts at the meeting -- most of them residents of other towns -- included Kira Wright of Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs, Dorice Stancher of Canines Can Do, Diane Seymour, Linda Heitzman, and Danielle Weite. They all volunteered along with Ball to help work up an education program to prevent bad relations between people and pets. The other ordinances approved included: The establishment of a weight limit on Glenwood Road, the approach to the Ho-Ho-Kus railroad station, to prevent trucks of more than four tons from using the road. Village Manager Ken Gabbert explained that the steep road includes a sharp turn and, in inclement weather, it can be dangerous for heavy vehicles and a cause of traffic delays. “In any weather conditions we get slipping and sliding,” Gabbert said in response to questions from resident Roger Wiegand. “It’s a solution to keep the bigger vehicles off the road.” “It’s a good idea to keep them off the road, but how are we going to be able to enforce this to keep them off the road?” Wiegand asked. Gabbert said Bergen County will handle enforcement. Resident Boyd Loving asked about a refunding bond ordinance. Gabbert explained briefly that the ordinance would enable Ridgewood to retire $23,750,000 in existing municipal bonds and purchase new ones at a lower rate of interest, saving $25,000 to $75,000 a year. The council also adopted an ordinance essentially correcting the insurance rates for insurance on taxi cabs and limousines to conform with state standards. The council also unanimously adopted an ordinance to provide a stop sign at the Habernickel Park driveway. Of the ordinances continued, the salary ordinances and the Heermance Place ordinance were held for further discussion. The land use ordinance was continued so George Williams, an informed resident, could offer some advice to the Ridgewood Planning Board. “I don’t think there’s any urgency to this,” said Deputy Mayor Albert Puciarelli, who is also a planning board member. He said he thought the planning board could benefit from Williams’ advice. The council also postponed the vote on a resolution to finalize payment for the Graydon Pool entry. Gabbert said Bergen County was still studying the plans and that March 13 would be a more effective date for the vote. The council also approved Wendy Dockray’s move from first alternate on the Ridgewood Planning Board to regular member, replacing Costantino Suriano, who has retired. Jane Shinozuka, the board’s second alternate member, had resigned a few days earlier. The band was named Silver Fox, but the performances were all about platinum and gold as vocalist Rhonda Denet and her band took Ridgewood Library visitors on a grand tour of modern music from blues to Motown to soul on Sunday, Feb. 10. Denet, backed by guitarist John Smith and drummer Chuck Batton, started with jazz sophisticate Ella Fitzgerald, who did show tunes sometimes written by George and Ira Gershwin, and “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess. She also told the audience how Billie Holiday wrote “God Bless the Child That’s Got His Own” after Chuck Batton, Rhonda Denet, and John Smith. she got into an argument with her mother, who refused to bail her out of a financial The audience -- white, black, and Asian -- smiled, problem. slapped time, and sometimes sang along. Ridgewood Denet’s voice, which moved effortlessly from a mellow would not let Denet, Smith, and Batton leave without sevrumble to flawless high tones in perfect pitch, and her eral encores. touching anecdotes about the singers’ lives and times capDenet holds a BA in musical performance from NYU tured the honesty and the energy of two generations of and an MA in arts administration from Florida State UniAfrican-American music. versity. She regularly performs at clubs, concerts, and Smith backed Denet with guitar playing had the audi- weddings all over the New York area and has sung at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Lincoln Center Theater, ence gasping and applauding. and the Waldorf Astoria. “What happened in 1964?” Denet asked. On March 30, Kitty Kelly, one of the Ridgewood “Motown!” a single voice from the audience called out. Denet then burst into a high-energy performance of Library’s all-time favorites, will sing Irish music from the “Dancin’ in the Street,” an anthem most famously sung by Catskills and share affectionate banter with the audience. Martha Reeves, followed by “My Guy” by Mary Wells -- Kelly’s performance will begin at 3 p.m. Early arrival is the audience formed a spontaneous chorus -- and “Chain of advised. J. KOSTER Fools” by Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul. Silver Fox rocks Ridgewood Library