Hauck Won't Recuse Herself From Valley Hearings

Should the Ridgewood Planning Board green-light the Valley Hospital expansion proposal in the coming months, Gwenn Hauck has every intention of being one of the council members casting a vote at the council dais.

Hauck, elected to the council last summer, previously served as the Valley Hospital Auxillary's vice president, volunteering and raising money for the hospital. At the council meeting Wednesday, Concerned Residents of Ridgewood (CRR) member Lorraine Reynolds asked Hauck point-blank if she'd recuse herself from the hearings.

The West Side councilwoman said she won't.

"I'm no different than anyone else," Hauck said, adding she can – and will – remain objective should the hospital hearings reach the council level.

Reynolds disagreed, saying her personal involvement with the hospital over the years represents a conflict.

"I think you're lying to yourself," Reynolds scoffed.

The planning board is currently nearing the end of its review of Valley Hospital's latest expansion plan though it seems increasingly unlikely the board will render a decision before July 1. Should the application continue past that date, the current members of the planning board will be reappointed to allow the application to continue without delay, officials have told Patch.

Valley aims to entirely convert its 451 beds to 454 private occupancy rooms, increasing its floor space by 77 percent. The construction for the first phase is expected to last about six years. Buildings would be knocked down with new ones – including a parking garage – hoisted up in their place.

Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli has abstained from the hearings; his law firm had done work for Valley Hospital in previous years. 

Three of the current council members in November of 2011 voted down the hospital's previous expansion proposal. Hauck herself in an interview with Patch last year said she did not support the voted-down-plan, known as "Phase 6".

It would appear Valley still has an uphill battle should it receive approvals from the planning board. If the planning board approves the plan and kicks it up to the council, Valley would need three out of the four council members to sign off on an ordinance.

Mayor Paul Aronsohn during planning board hearings has expressed skepticism with various aspects of the "Renewal" proposal. Councilwoman Bernadette Walsh has not been particularly warm to Valley's prior expansion aims, while Councilman Tom Riche voted for a prior planning board amendment and then voted no as a councilman in 2011.