March 20, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 11 Ridgewood Council approves resolution opposing gun violence by John Koster The Ridgewood Village Council voted 3-2 to approve a resolution to oppose and prevent gun violence. Mayor Paul Aronsohn, Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli, and Council Member Gwen Hauck voted “yes” on the resolution, while Council Members Thomas Riche and Bernadette Walsh voted “no.” “The resolution is a feel-good measure that will do nothing to address gun violence,” Riche said. Council Member Walsh said her reasons were personal and, while she supported the passion of the council majority, she could not vote as they did. Most of the measures the council’s resolution -- and The Ridgewood Village Council has approved an ordinance that increases the badge fees for Graydon Pool and for the tennis courts for 2013 and for 2014. The Graydon Pool fees for 2013 will now be $110 per summer for an adult, $100 for a child, $20 for a senior citizen over 62 years of age, $175 for a non-resident adult, $155 for a non-resident child, and $10 for a resident daily guess pass. The 2013 tennis badge fee will be $30 for an adult, $25 Fees to increase for Graydon, tennis for a child, and $5 for a guest pass. Resident senior citizens will be admitted free of charge. The fees for Gradon Pool for 2014 will be $120 for an adult, $110 for a child, $30 for a resident senior, $200 for a non-resident adult, $175 for a non-resident child, and $10 for a resident daily pass. The 2014 fees for tennis badges will be $35 for an adult, $30 for a child, and $10 for a guess pass adult, with seniors. a tandem resolution adopted by the Ridgewood Board of Education -- are already mandatory in New Jersey, which has some of the strictest gun laws in the United States. Anyone who purchases any firearm in New Jersey is required to have a Firearms ID Card that is issued by the local police after a background check. Convicted felons and people who have diagnosed mental health issues are not permitted to purchase firearms and the firearms of felons are confiscated. The council also continued three ordinances -- the two salary ordinances and the zoning ordinance restricting noise around houses of worship. There was no comment on any of these ordinances. Several residents spoke in favor of the resolution on gun violence and no one spoke in opposition. Valley renovation hearings (continued from page 5) announced, April 30 at the Ridgewood High School Campus Center, May 29 at the Ridgewood High School Campus Center, May 30 at a location to be announced, and on June 4, 18, and 19 at the Benjamin Franklin Middle School auditorium. The previous set of hearings, which lasted for two years, ended when the planning board approved somewhat larger, but basically similar, expansion plans and forwarded the plans to the Ridgewood Village Council for a proposed zoning change in the Ridgewood Master Plan. The council, however, rejected the proposed change, which took the hospital expansion and renovation “back to square one” as then-Mayor Keith Killion said at the time. Residents of the neighborhood have objected to the impact that prolonged construction would have on neighborhood safety and property values. Hospital officials say they need the one-room reconstruction and upgraded facilities to remain competitive. Contrary to reports elsewhere, the Ridgewood Planning Board had not, as of last week, decided to put the pending four multi-story residential developments aside until the hospital plan has been heard in its entirety and the board has made its determination. The prioritization of the meetings on the hospital expansion and on the developments in the downtown Ridgewood area and near the railroad right of way will be discussed at a meeting this week.