New Council Avoids Major Shakeups with Board Appointments

Planning board member didn't suffer the , a former council candidate and zoning board member who was in 2011 by political rivals.

A planning board member since Oct. 2010, Shinozuka ran for a village council seat in the spring but of Paul Aronsohn, Al Pucciarelli and Gwenn Hauck. There was idle chatter in the village that she might not be reappointed on Sunday.

But the new council – which includes holdovers Bernadette Walsh and Tom Riche – at its reorganization meeting unanimously decided to keep Shinozuka around, though she didn't quite get a ringing endorsement.

Shinozuka will serve as alternate #2 until June 30, 2013. Until Sunday, she had been the #1 alternate. She was leapfrogged by alternate #2 Cyril Grant– now a regular member – and a new appointee, , who was selected as #1 alternate member.

There are faint parallels to last summer's board appointments.

Ridgewood residents might remember that . When his term on the zoning board – along with that of Dean Vellis – was to be renewed, he was surprisingly dropped in a move of apparent retribution. Walsh and Riche came under criticism for leading the charge to dismiss the pair.

Along with Shinozuka's appointment, Parks and Recreation Deputy Director Nancy Bigos was reappointed to serve another term as Class II member. , a long-term member of the planning board, will remain on the board after his council victory. He was appointed deputy mayor on Sunday. Aronsohn, now the mayor, will take over for the departed mayor, Keith Killion.

Zoning board members Gary Negrycz and Diana Rul were appointed as regular members of the zoning board for four-year terms. Jeff Voigt and Alyssa Matthews were selected as alternate members. Zoning board chairman Dave Larsen will not be serving another term, retiring with close to 30 years of service on the board.

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