Ridgewood Water Lawsuit Continues To Drag On

RIDGEWOOD, NJ – Village officials could attend a mediation session Wednesday in an effort to settle a class-action lawsuit involving Ridgewood Water that has dragged on for years.

Wyckoff Mayor Kevin Rooney, Glen Rock Mayor Bruce Packer, and members of the Midland Park Borough Council met with retired Judge Peter E. Doyne Jan. 8 in an attempt to settle a class-action lawsuit brought against the village. However, elected representatives from Ridgewood did not attend the meeting. Municipal administrators from Midland Park, Wyckoff, Glen Rock, and, at the advice of counsel, Ridgewood manager Roberta Sonenfeld also attended the meeting.

“It was extremely frustrating to everyone who attended, including the mediator,” said Joseph B. Fiorenzo, an attorney with Sills Cummis & Gross who is representing Wyckoff in the case. “The lack of a governing body member made it impossible to have a meaningful dialogue regarding the lawsuit.”

Ridgewood Water, which is a public utility owned by the village, services Wyckoff, Midland Park, and Glen Rock. Municipal officials claim that the utility artificially inflated its costs. The “massive” 37 percent rate increases approved since 2010 are “unlawful” and “excessive,” Wyckoff officials said in a press release, and have costs ratepayers millions of dollars.

A law passed about nine years ago says multi-jurisdictional water utilizes don’t need approval from the state Board of Public Utilities to increase rates if the increase is the same for all customers.

“[The increases] really aren’t uniform. These other towns have subsidized Ridgewood taxes, which curbs Ridgewood property taxes, and doesn’t create uniformity,” Fiorenzo said. “Rather, Ridgewood has been bilking the taxpayers of Wyckoff, Glen Rock, and Midland Park by having the ratepayers pay for a substantial portion of the operating expenses by the Village of Ridgewood.”

If the increases are deemed invalid, Fiorenzo said Ridgewood should have to refund millions of dollars to ratepayers.

Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn said that last Wednesday, Fiorenzo expressed interest in exploring a settlement, then, the next day, Mayor Kevin Rooney issued an “inflammatory” press release regarding the case.

“It’s a shame that Mayor Rooney — unlike the other mayors involved — insists on communicating through press releases,” Aronsohn said. “He doesn’t pick up the phone, he doesn’t send us an e-mail.”

Fiorenzo said another meeting has been set up for Wednesday, which Ridgewood representatives are slated to attend.

“We remain committed to resolving this situation amicably, in a way that best serves the interests of all ratepayers in all of the four towns,” Aronsohn said, “but, if necessary, we remain fully prepared to defend this case in court.”