The lack of fields (if one choses to believe this line)or amount of use has no baring on whether one cleans up the debris from the fireworks or fills in holes on pitcher’s mounds or orders new benches does it?
This is really simple stuff here. Nothing complicated and nothing out of the ordinary.
It has nothing to do with man power, use of fields or any thing else other than laziness and incompetence on the part of Parks & Rec. from top down.
As for the budget you would have to ask each sports organization what they contribute in addition to the Parks Dept. budget for fields.
For instance, in the Spring, the RBSA spends more than 30k per year to ready the fields. And in past years as much as $52,000.00.
This amount from the RBSA is used for all of our fields, including the High School fields for Baseball and Softball, regardless of whether they are owned by the BOE or Village.
It is real simple, we pay high taxes and get poor results when it comes to the Parks & Rec. services.
The Ridgewood Blog 
You people never stop, do you? All you ever do is demand that good people lose their jobs because of something you don’t like.
However, your efforts to change leadership at The Stable will be as successful (hahaha) as your efforts to change leadership at Cottage Place.
319 ask betty and jack about changes in leadership …..
319 why dont you ask marty brooks hehehehehehehehehehe a-hole
those fileds are a disgrace the pics dont lie stop defending this crap…
yes annything to avoid doing any work …as the man said the pics dont lie
The only “disgrace” are the people who keep badmouthing the Village, thereby reducing our property values.
If only these Chicken Little “sky is falling” types would find something more productive to do than predict Ridgewood’s imminent demise.
The problem is not leadership.. but a clarification of “Who Does What” “When and with What personnel”. “PARKS and RECREATION” covers a lot over lapping duties. The PRC board, in my opinion, over the years, does not function with any authority or power to “get things done” it’s just another one of those “committees” that is used only as a sounding board. Talk, Talk, Talk…. sound familiar?
3:19,
“Like.” What does “like” have to do with anything?
Do you like your tax dollars wasted?
Do you like the fact that the P&R doesn’t properly maintain the playing fields?
Do you like defending incompetence?
Do you like always being on the wrong side of issues?
“The only “disgrace” are the people who keep badmouthing the Village, thereby reducing our property values.”
if you a-holes did your job no one would have to worry about theri prperty values
347 i cant believe you are trying to bs you way out of this
Sounds like PJ and the baseball dads are a little miffed. Maybe instead of whining on this useless blog they should ask to have a constructive conversation with the fields committee. Oh wait, the Fields Committee meets at 7am. That is probably not convenient for these cry babies.
543 instead of making wise cracks i would suggest you do you job ,your smugness over your very poor performance is rather pathetic
Accused kidnappers caught
Monday, July 14, 2008
Last updated: Monday July 14, 2008, EDT 5:03 PM
BY KIPP CLARK AND MIKE DALY
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Local police arrested two Allendale men accused of kidnapping, robbing and assaulting an acquaintance from Ridgewood.
The 41-year-old man victim was found injured on the side of a road in Harriman State Park in Rockland County, N.Y. yesterday. New York State Park Police said he told them he’d been assaulted by acquaintances who broke into his apartment., said Ridgewood Detective William Hemmer.
The intruders got in through a window after climbing a fire escape, police said.
The man told police they pulled him from his bed, took cash and then led him down the stairs and out into the parking lot. They then forced him into a car, drove him a remote area of the park and led him to a wooded section where he was beaten and threatened, he said.
Several departments combined to investigate the case — among them, Ridgewood Police, New York State Park Police, the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department and Allendale Police.
After interviewing him, detectives obtained arrest warrants for Cullen Schlesiona, 31, and Matthew Staudt, 24, and then arrested them last night at an apartment they share.
Schlesiona and Staudt are being held on $500,000 cash bail each at the Bergen County Jail, charged with kidnapping, robbery, burglary, terroristic threats and criminal restraint.
The alleged victim was treated at a Rockland County hospital for minor injuries to his face and arms and released, police said.
An investigation is continuing and additional charges could follow, police said.
FYI…
You may not like the facts and you can choose to ignore them, if they don’t suit your argument. Nonetheless, there are state and national recommendations for active recreational space (field acres) per capita. According to the independent consultant that spent a year preparing recommendations for Ridgewood’s long-term master plan for open space, the total available fields for active recreation in Ridgewood only meet 50-60% of the minimum recommended standard.
Like I said, you can can choose to ingnore the facts. But, rational and reasonable people understand that shortage of supply and high demand leads to over use. Baseball fields require special maintenance that other fields do not. On top of that, budgetary limitations and unskilled workers leads to inadequate maintenance. There it is…
Of course I haven’t heard any of you refencing the lack of pride that many Ridgewood kids have in their facilities and how many of them do considerable damage to their fields, baseball backstops, benches, etc through their senseless vandalism. I guess their parents are the ones who want to blame the leadership at the Stable.
let me get this right the benches are broken and the fields look like crap because we dont have enought field space ….yea right and i have a bridge you can buy
maybe if the kids got paid a little faster when they umped they might not want to wreck the place
Oh wait, the Fields Committee meets at 7am. That is probably not convenient for these cry babies.
Hahaha…best line of the day!
get that guy from that other dept.he can change things atound he will have the hole dept working.he is the man fot the town.and ps he is not going to take no ones bull shit.thats him,big balls.he will be tuning more then you think.so we will see.
No 6:20…the benches and backstops are broken because your kids weren’t raised with a proper sense of value or respect for community property, and they think it’s OK to mistreat property that doesn’t belong to them.
6:03 I could not agree with you anymore. I am elderly and walk the track at vets field everyday. I observe the recreation guys working everyday. What I also see is the small shacks being spray painted, spray paint on the flood walls, board’s on benches being broken, out houses over turned, and the worst that I have seen was kids smashing bottles all over the music stand. Most of the time these problems are taken care of right away. I am not here to defend anyone or down talk anyone. I am here to tell you what I see on a day to day basis. I have called the police once and also reported it to town hall, but by the time officers arrive the kids are long gone. Some parents now a days do not teach their children respect. I am not looking for any, but I felt it was right on me to tell you all what I see on a day to day basis. I have lived in the Village for over 44 years now and only with in the past 10 or so years have I seen this going on. One thing I would like the to see the park’s men do is get new fence to put up for 4th of July. Other then that parents must teach their children to respect their park land.
Thank you,
Dottie
6:26 – So…the 3 or 4 umps whose paychecks were late are responsible for all of this?
I have a great idea! Why dont we hang cameras at the band shell to catch the kids!!!!
6:03 PM,
I laughed when I read 6:20’s response to your missive.
You and 5:43 PM should get together and relay our concerns at the 7am Field’s Committee meeting.
It is obvious that the two of you possess a far more sophisticated understanding of how our village’s government and quasi-governmental institutions function in serving the modest citizens of Ridgewood.
I am certain that if you brought these concerns to the Committee’s attention, the benches would be replaced in a timely manner and the boys and girls who pitched would not be doing so from a hole in the mound and the trash left from the fireworks would be cleaned up.
You guys get that done and I’ll vote for your slate in the next VC election.
Are you still bitching about the umpires not getting paid…get over it will ya, we did!!
try 500 927
yea blame your kids the apple dosnty fall far form the tree
523 no I wont I still cant believe I live in a town where so many of you cowards stuck up for not paying kids ! welcome to low life land !
i love it blame you own kids instead of doing your job? real low ….
Amen to Dottie! You’re the one here making sense. I have younger children (in middle school) and I am appalled by the behavior of MOST of their peers. Forget about them respecting communal property; they don’t even respect their own property. Why? Because their parents to not want to go through the headache of punishing them. It’s too much trouble. Parenting is hard work. I really feel sorry for those kids.
With respect to the actual fields themselves, I think the Rec. Dep’t could do a better job but as pointed out, lots of times they’re busy picking up other peoples messes.
pj i am always amazed how so many in town will make excuses for anything no matter how stupid ….and yes “your” kids are brats heheheheheheh the apple dosnt fall i second that motion …your kids suck because you suck now thats ,”just the facts joe friday and as for adults blaming kids because they cant sit in a truck all day drinking coffee …hummm 7am meeting i have news for you welcome to the real world! your next job you are most likely gonn a have to work a bit a get up a bit earlier than say 930 ….
“The benches are broken because of the kids.” Now that is rich.
The benches fell apart from age. They literally rotted.
As for the backstops, they too rust and need repair. No kids have “trashed” them.
Kids breaking bottles ad knocking over Porta Potties (and why don’t we have real bathrooms yet?)is not the reason our Parks & Rec don’t do their jobs.
Nice try though but let us stick to the topic at hand. we need new leadership at the Parks & Rec Dept.
During the 4th of July parade we gave thumbs down to the county parks commissioner for all of the reasons originally mentioned. The Duck Pond is a disgrace compared to other parks in bergen county and we are of the belief that Ridgewood leaders should be putting pressure on them. And as a tennis player, the courts around town are a disgrace, there’s more grass growing on them then my front lawn and NONE of the water fountains are operational. We’re thinking about taking pictures and bringing them to the next Town Counsil as evidence. Where are our taxes going?
Are the water fountains broken because they have malfunctioned or because they have been vandalized, like the brand new ones at Maple Park?
Dottie, I also would like to thank you for your insight. It is nice to see people who actually keep an eye out. 8:32 Thank you also for your input but I would like to give my thoughts on your topics….
First the benches do not fall apart. As you can see they are painted and as we all should know the paint will keep the moisture out of the wood. I sit on those benches on a regular basis and they are not all rotted. I am not sure on what backstops that you are referring to. About the bathrooms if you will remember we did have permanent ones on vets field that were removed for the play ground. I have used them and they were always clean so I am not so sure that I understand why you would make that comment. I guess you are new to the village. I disagree with you that we need new leadership in the parks and rec dept. You have to realize that it is tough times. Budgets have been cut and so has work forces. I remember years ago when we all pitched in and even made our kids clean up after themselves. I dont see that at all anymore and it is a shame. Thank you for your time.
9:31 PM,
I know all that my children’s coaches make their players clean up after themselves when a game is finished.
As for the benches. They rotted for lack of paint. Not to mention they are thrusting out of their moorings. Take a close look for yourself.
You are making excuses for what should be normal operating procedures at P&R.
The grass growing through the tennis courts, mentioned above, is just another example of the lack of maintenance provided by Cronin and Co. at Parks & Rec.
Sounds like we need an extra "Park & Field Tax" passed by the council to those that use these items like they are doing to the businesses with the additional sewer tax.
yea the way sports are going.its god but we need more workers we can not keep up.
After all the whining and random shots at volunteers and paid village employees quiets down, might I suggest that the Fields Committee meets at an “more convenient” time? Wait…. dont start rambling about baseball dads, etc… Just think it through: The Fields Committee is a private/public group that discusses issues from our lack of fields to the port-o-johns, etc… If they met in the evenings, then concerned (and hopefully informed) citizens could attend the meetings from time to time, just to ask a question or bring up a topic of interest to be considered. Whats the harm? I realize that this group meets at 7am for a reason. Just not sure what that reason is. Those of us with kids cannot make it, as we’re getting ready for school during the academic year. Those who commute are long gone by 7am.
Why not meet monthly at an evening time. Granted, some people will still have conflicts. If they do, fine… too bad. But I think more people would end up feeling “in the loop” if we were able to attend and observe these meetings.
8:43 AM,
Gee, I didn't see any "random shots" at volunteers.
What I did read were comments by folks trying to deflect valid criticism of the poor job done by Parks & Rec.
I love the way all the flack is thrown up to diffuse the original observation.
The original post was not pointing out anything other than lack of routine maintenance. Which is inexcusable.
The reason they meet at 7 am is so that people won’t show up and complain or ask questions, which is a shame because if they actually cared about the needs of the people who use the fields they’d meet at a more convenient time like 8:43 suggested
so who is going to help fix the problem.hope the man who we all like.you all know him and like him.
So, which of the VC members is going to fix this problem?
We sure as heck know it wont be a know-nothing mayor. Maybe our deputy mayor will take the bull by the horns.