What We Do

The Ridgewood Community Task Force and Municipal Alliance oversees the use of the Municipal Alliance Grant to fund programs and projects to reduce alcohol, tobacco and other drugs (ATOD) use and abuse. In the winter of 2008, the Task Force conducted a Village wide needs assessment to identify goals for the next three years. Through this assessment it was discerned that early first use of alcohol among our middle school and high school students was a problem in our community. Ridgewood has a high density of students age 5 to 18 and is the largest school district in Bergen County with 5,800 students. We are a wealthy community where our youth have money to spend and availability of alcohol in their homes. We know that our students are experimenting and using ATOD products. The Community Task Force and Municipal Alliance has made a concerted effort to work closely with our middle school and high school principals and our Crisis Intervention Counselors. Municipal Alliance grant funding is used to support programs for our middle school students at the Community Center and Kids Write Now in 6th grade health classes, support participation in the Heroes and Cool Kids Program for our high school students, fund speakers and training for our high school Peer Counseling and Freshman Focus programs, and design and develop a web site to provide information and resources regarding ATOD prevention for parents and students.

Meet the Members

Sheila Brogan, Chair 

Paul Vagianos, Mayor

Deanna Schablik, Grant Administrator

Forest Lyons, Chief of Police, Ridgewood

Elizabeth Lucas, Valley Hospital Community Health

Dawn Cetrulo, Ridgewood Health Department

Heather Wilke, Drug and Alcohol Counselor

Mark Schwarz, Superintendent of Ridgewood School District

Jeffery Nyhuis, Principal Ridgewood High School

Dave Bailey, Principal George Washington Middle School

Stacey Swisniewski, Principal Benjamin Franklin Middle School

Lauren Carr, Assistant Vice Principal, Benjamin Franklin Middle School

Kevin Feeley, Crisis Counselor Ridgewood High School

Lauren DePinto, Student Assistance Coordinator, Ridgewood High School

Kelly Nakasone, Home and School Association (HSA) President , Ridgewood High School

Carolyn Holt, HSA Federated

Priya Trevedi, Home and School Association Co-President (GW Middle School)

Anna Salerno, Home and School Association Co-President (BF Middle School)

Claudia Fortunato, Home and School Association Co-President (BF Middle School)

Surbhi Kapadia, Ridgewood Health Department

Danielle Pagani, Ridgewood Health Department

Marla Klein, Representation from the County of Bergen

Melinda Cronk, Realtor and Chamber of Commerce Representative

Kelly Buchsbaum, Private Citizen with Interest and Expertise in Issues Concerning Alcohol and Drug Use

Jaden Lee, High School Student and Municipal Alliance Webmaster

Nancy Bigos, Director Ridgewood Parks and Recreation Department