Ridgewood Village Council hears plan for two food-scrap sites
The recycling supervisor proposed two more drop-off locations as the food-scrap program aims to grow beyond its 220 registered households.
Two hosts walk through the week’s edition in conversation — recycling and sanitation presentation, village updates hohokus brook flood monitoring, and what’s coming next. Generated by Aware, from this week’s verified summaries.
Since the pilot began in 2021, participating households have helped keep 128 tons of food scraps out of the regular waste stream.
More food scraps could find a recycling bin closer to home. At a Ridgewood Village Council meeting, the recycling and sanitation supervisor proposed two additional drop-off sites: one near the community garden at Habernickel Family Park and another behind a school, positioned to avoid bus and parking conflicts. The supervisor set a goal of 500 participants by the end of next year. No opening dates were announced.
The food-scrap program began in March 2021 with 80 households and now has 220 registered households representing 730 residents. The supervisor said participation peaked in 2023–2024 and dipped in 2025. A container added in 2025 offers round-the-clock access through an app-controlled foot pedal and is emptied daily. The supervisor said controlled access has helped keep contamination low and cautioned residents to check compostable bags before buying them.
The supervisor reported that the Village has recycled 43,000 lbs of expanded polystyrene since 2022, saving 33,000 cubic feet of landfill space. The Village has foam-recycling agreements with 10 other towns and has earned $16,421.68 from marketing the material. The presentation covered vegetable oil, broken Christmas lights, and mattress and box spring recycling. For now, the next proposed step for food scraps is adding the two drop-off sites.
Village updates Hohokus Brook flood monitoring and sediment work
Village staff told the Ridgewood Village Council that NJIT graduate students are placing cameras along the brook to monitor flooding over two years. The mayor described additional stormwater cameras and said residents who had reported flooding would receive updates. Camera reporting was expected around March.
Staff said the Village’s engineering division had identified about a dozen spots along the brook where sediment or obstructions need attention. Bid specifications were being prepared for work planned in the spring, after a winter bidding process. Staff cautioned that the Village must obtain state permits before removing sediment and cannot simply send in a backhoe.
A broader flood study remains conditional. Staff said the U.S. House had voted for an appropriation to start an Army Corps of Engineers study, but the measure still needed U.S. Senate approval and the President’s signature. Staff reported separately that a county-led sustainability grant application involving nine municipalities was not selected. The applicants planned to review it before the next funding round.
Clerk directs mail voters to library ballot box
At a Ridgewood Village Council meeting, the Village Clerk said the mail-ballot box had moved to the library entrance and warned voters not to use the municipal building’s mailbox. The Clerk said voters assigned to the library auditorium would vote in the courtroom because of construction and gave October 13 as the registration deadline.
Using the correct box and polling room helps voters avoid misdirected ballots and a trip to the wrong location.
Council reviews second year of emergency alert contract
The Ridgewood Village Council reviewed entering the second year of a three-year Everbridge contract for emergency notifications. Staff described plans to reach water utility customers and to have police dispatch send texts about paving and recycling center closures. Councilmembers voiced general agreement; no roll-call vote was reported.
The expanded system could reach more customers and give residents direct notice of service changes.
Manager lists market hours and October events
At a Ridgewood Village Council meeting, the Village Manager said the Sunday farmers market would run through November 1, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the train station’s west side. The Manager listed an October 24 harvest festival and Council meetings scheduled for October 28, November 4 and November 9.
Residents have a market end date and specific Council meeting dates to put on their calendars.
Mayor reminds residents of irrigation and leaf schedules
At a Ridgewood Village Council meeting, the mayor said the two-day irrigation schedule remained in effect: odd-numbered addresses could water Tuesday and Saturday, and even-numbered addresses Wednesday and Sunday. The mayor said leaf collection would begin the week of October 12, with schedules mailed and posted online.
The address-based watering days and posted leaf schedules tell households when to water and prepare for collection.
- Ridgewood Village Council. A resident described seeing NJIT graduate students installing additional flooding-monitoring cameras near Stevens Field/Maple Field and asked for updates on flooding initiatives and whether cameras would cover additional sections. The resident also pointed out a “sandbar”/rock pile constricting Hohokus Brook and expressed support for progress on flooding work.
What we didn’t fit in this Sundays edition
Ridgewood had 19 more items this week. Here are sixfour — the rest are on Aware.
- GOVERNANCEAgreement — Bergen County services for cancer control, education/early detection, tuberculosis control, and public health emergency preparedness. The Council reviewed a second agreement with Bergen County covering services including a comprehensive cancer control plan, cancer education and early detection, tuberculosis control, and public health emergency preparedness. Staff indicated the term was acceptable and the Council moved forward without recorded opposition.
- GOVERNANCERidgewood Water — purchase of additional chlorine reagent sets (Hach) for sodium hypochlorite testing. Ridgewood Water recommended awarding a contract to purchase additional chlorine reagent sets used to determine sodium hypochlorite disinfection levels. The purchase was for 314 reagent sets in the amount of $24,849.96 under a state contract, funded from the water utility operating budget.
- GOVERNANCEMemorandum of Understanding — local public health outbreak preparedness and response (Bergen County Health Department services; July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027). The Council reviewed approval of a memorandum of understanding for local public health outbreak preparedness and response services coordinated by the Bergen County Health Department. Staff said the County is the lead agency with grant funding and provides services to local health departments; the agreement term was July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.
- GOVERNANCECouncil reports — COPE Center visit, adult inclusion/access initiatives, League of Women Voters talk, flood group walkthrough, tree planting, and “quiet hour” event. A Councilmember reported on a tour of the COPE Center and discussions about autism services and adult inclusion, including coordination with a Ramsey-based organization. The Councilmember also noted attendance at a League of Women Voters talk, a residential flood group walkthrough about runoff and tree planting with Glen Rock, an upcoming sapling planting, and a “quiet hour” event.
- GOVERNANCEResolution to Meet in Closed Session (Personnel and Legal Matters). The Council adopted a resolution to meet in closed session on September 23, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. or soon thereafter in the caucus room, to discuss personnel matters (boards/committees) and legal matters including Warner Theater and Valley Hospital, with minutes to be released when matters are completed.
- GOVERNANCECouncil Reports: Rotary Firebox Painting, Porchfest, Chamber Sidewalk Sales, and Halloween Dog Parade. A councilmember reported missing Coffee with Council due to a Rotary commitment, described Rotary volunteers painting Gamewell fireboxes and stanchions downtown, praised Porchfest, and shared Chamber of Commerce updates including sidewalk sale days (October 1–3) and a planned Halloween event with a dog parade sponsored by a real estate firm.
- GOVERNANCEChange order authorization — fleet services equipment/supplies/parts (state contract) up to $100,000 through December 31, 2026. The Council considered a change order for various equipment, supplies, and parts/services for fleet services at the Chestnut Street garage under a New Jersey state contract. The Village engineer requested authorization to exceed $100,000 in purchases through December 31, 2026.
- GOVERNANCECouncil Reports: Oak Street/West Glen Signal Project, Shade Tree Updates, Holiday Decorations, Access Programming, and Coffee with Council. A councilmember reported on the Oak Street/West Glen traffic signal upgrade, Shade Tree Commission activities (Adopt a Sapling, big tree registry entries, and a forthcoming map), holiday decoration improvements, Access-related sensory-friendly programming, and a Coffee with Council event for new residents.
- GOVERNANCECouncil Reports: Historic Preservation Committee, Library Renovations and Polling Location Impact, Porchfest, and Coffee with Council Reflections. A councilmember reported that the Historic Preservation Committee met and conducted a site visit, and that the library is renovating the auditorium largely with private funding. The councilmember noted the polling location move due to construction, thanked Porchfest organizers and hosts, and described Coffee with Council as a long-running welcome event.
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