Frustrations Aired Over Perceived Delays In Approval Of Gold Star Memorial In Ridgewood

RIDGEWOOD, NJ — Appearing yet again before the Village Council last week, Ridgewood American Legion Post 53 representatives expressed frustration over the alleged hoops they have had to jump through to install a Gold Star Families Memorial Monument at Van Neste Square Memorial Park.

Having participated in "due diligence" discussions with the council and community members, and effectively receiving that feedback, particularly in regard to placement, Ridgewood Post 53, according to representative Chris Stout, was of the opinion that the conceptual site plan provided to the council last week would be the final one.

Stout, representing Post 53, asked for the council's favor to install the donated monument in the public park, and after a nearly 40-minute discussion regarding whether additional input was needed from the Parks Department and / or the Parks and Conservation Board, he queried what other changes need to be made to "appease" the council.

Councilman Paul Vagianos and Deputy Mayor Pamela Perron both agreed that they would like to hear from Parks Department Director Nancy Bigos before proceeding with installation, suggesting that, though they are committed to making sure this gets done, they simply want the monument to look the best that it possibly can.

"I don't see why we have to continue going around in circles," Post 53 Vice Commander Jack Marcasciano said at the meeting. "This is a Legion project, not a Village project."

Vagianos said that he had just received the newly revised site plan that same day, and that he had never approved installation of a monument in the village before.

"I am not trying to make anyone jump through hoops. I am just trying to get a little input from our professional who has overseen these monuments (in the past)," Vagianos said, referring to Director Bigos.

"I want this to be a beautiful monument to Gold Star Families, and I think it can't hurt to engage more of the public and get them on board for this," Perron said. "I don't do this is a delaying tactic. I do it to improve this."

But Councilwoman Lorraine Reynolds and Mayor Susan Knudsen both suggested that the approval process for this has become unnecessarily complicated and that there have been disparate standards applied to different groups asking for similar things.

"I think it is insulting to Post 53 to have made them go through everything they've got through to get to this point," Reynolds said. "They have listened to us and come back with something that is the right size and right location. And we have approved so many things similar to this in a 5- to 10-minute period with just a presentation."

Knudsen said it is the job of the council to make this determination, not to ask another, and that requiring the Legion, which has already incorporated the Council's feedback on monument size, placement and mass, to "jump through another hoop," is offensive to her, particularly as someone whose father-in-law is a Purple Heart recipient.

"I am not sure when we are discussing a Gold Star Monument if we are contemplating the real meaning of it, and what it means to die for your nation and leave your family members behind," she said. "I must be missing something here, because I am embarrassed."

"I am very happy to proceed," she added. "But I guess we have two council members who aren't."

Vagianos said that he believed "with all of my heart" that everyone, himself included, in the Village Hall that night wants to see the monument installed, and asked that this matter pertaining to Gold Star Families not become contentious.

"We are all on the same team. We want to get this done," he said, apologizing that Post 53 representatives felt that his wanting Director Bigos to visit the site and offer input before installation makes it seem as though he is asking the organization to jump through hoops.

"This is going to get done," he said, "and the fact that we have questions about it doesn't make unpatriotic or not wanting to do this, nor does it mean we do not have the greatest admiration and respect for Gold Star Families."

He asked, in light of the fact that he just saw the new site plan for the first time that afternoon, and that the monument would ultimately exist for years and years to come, if another week of deliberations would make a difference.

Knudsen asked if Bigos could visit the site sometime in the next few days to see if there are any issues, and that if she is OK with moving forward with installation, then this matter could be resolved at the next council meeting.

"We are going to automatically put this on our next agenda," Knudsen said.

Bigos, who was present at the meeting, was asked at one point to come before the board to share her thoughts, stating, in response to a question from Councilman Vagianos if she was glad she was invited forward, that she, "to be quite honest," felt uncomfortable.

"The variables of an installation like this need to be considered as part of a team," Bigos said. "Safety, anchorage and lighting all need to be considered before we accept a gift like this, or in working with the committee to accept a gift like this."

A vote on installation is still pending, not for approval of the monument, but for acceptance of this as a gift to the village, and, as such, three favorable votes are needed, according to Village Attorney Matthew Rogers.