Council to Talk Irene Cleanup, Possible Ridgewood Water Rate Hikes and More Tonight

The fearsome fivesome of the Ridgewood Village Council will have a full plate of important municipal government issues to chew on at Wednesday night's work session.

According to the agenda, the council will be tackling big-time issues like possibly moving election dates to November, which would extend the terms of three sitting council members. Other items on the docket could hit you right in the wallet.

Here's a quick look at some of the important items scheduled to go down:

*There's a "Declaration for an Extraordinary Unspecifiable Service" agenda item regarding the . Village Manager Ken Gabbert is expected to have more detailed figures on cleanup costs on Wednesday. There may also be an emergency appropriation of funds to cover costs.

*Ridgewood Water is also in the news on Wednesday. There will be a discussion on the 2013 capital program, as well as a possible rate hike on the water bill in 2012. That's one to look for, no doubt.

*Also featured is a resolution to propose a Gypsy Pond cleaning program by the Ridgewood Wildscape Association and Partners.

*The council will be discussing a possible drafting of a pay-to-play ordinance, as mentioned at the last council meeting.

*Remember all that talk about the "sidewalk cafe" ordinance fee? It's baaaack. The council will be discussing drafting a revision to the ordinance Wednesday night. The last go-around led to between Councilman Paul Aronsohn and Deputy Mayor Tom Riche.

*The is also up for discussion after Village Planner Blais Brancheau last told the planning board he'd like to do away with barring fast food establishments from the B-1 area. He doesn't believe it will lead to an influx of Mickey-D's along East Ridgewood Ave.

*Make sure to also tune in for a discussion on the do-we-have-the-money-for-Habernickel? saga, as reported in The Ridgewood News. The council will talk about moving some money to the ongoing horse farm project.

The agenda has been posted to the right of this article.

We'll be there at 7:30 p.m. at the Sydney Stoldt Court Room on the 4th floor of Village Hall. Will you?