Gadfly Files Ethics Complaint Against Ridgewood Mayor, Manager

A gadfly who blogs about New Jersey state and municipal government has filed an ethics complaint against village Mayor Paul Aronsohn and manager Roberta Sonenfeld claiming they used a video to exhort people to vote in favor of the Hudson Street parking deck later on this month.

John Paff, who says he is chairman of the New Jersey Libertarian Party’s Open Government Advocacy Project, reportedly filed the complaint with Patricia McNamara, a member of the Local Finance Board. The board enforces the Local Government Ethics Law.

Paff claims that a video on the village’s website is an “advocacy piece intended to persuade residents to vote ‘yes’” on June 21. If the referendum passes, $11.5 million in bonds will be issued to finance the deck.

“As with all matters, we consulted closely with legal counsel and feel absolutely sure that we have both a right and a responsibility to provide as much information to the public as possible and to express support for a parking deck,” Aronsohn said.

Paff did not respond to a email requesting comment.

Tammori Petty, director of communications for the state’s Department of Community Affairs, said the department could neither confirm nor deny receipt of the complaint. Ethics complaints are only subject to public disclosure 30 days after either a notice of dismissal or notice of violation is mailed, Petty said.

Aronsohn has defended the village’s record of releasing information to the public about the parking deck.

Village residents overwhelming approved building a 350-space garage to alleviate parking in the congested downtown. The approval meant officials could bond up to $15 million for the project. The Village Council approved bonding $11.5 million for the project after nearly entering into an agreement with the Bergen County Utilities Authority to bond and construct the structure, but that proposal was rejected.

Getting the project off the ground has dragged on for months longer than expected because of a small grassroots group of residents. The group got enough signatures from residents to put the $11.5 million in bonds up for vote June 21.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com. Sign up for Patch N.J. email newsletters here.