Ho-Ho-Kus June 23, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 11 Private funds, grant cover lightning detection system by Jennifer Crusco Funding for a new lightning detection system is falling into place, and Ho-Ho-Kus resident Carol Tyler is now asking the borough council to draw up and approve an ordinance that would make it a violation for people to remain on North Field or Lloyd Road Field after the alarm sounds or the strobe light is activated. After such an ordinance is in place, appropriate warnings would then be posted on the signs planned for the two fields. Tyler, who is president of the Ho-Ho-Kus Ambulance Corps, has been working with the Ho-Ho-Kus Office of Emergency Management and the Ho-Ho-Kus Recreation Department to bring the lightning detection system to the borough’s fields. She recently spearheaded a fundraising campaign that, as of last week, netted over $13,000 in private donations for the detection system. The private funds will be combined with a matching grant from the Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund the borough received last year so the project will be effected without the use of tax dollars. Tyler’s fundraiser was so successful that, after only 12 days, she had raised $9,000. While she previously stated that her goal was $12,000, Tyler told Villadom TIMES last week that any donated funds that are not needed for the purchase and installation of the system will be used for the system’s maintenance. She previously estimated the cost at approximately $24,000. Ho-Ho-Kus OEM officials John Hanlon and Jay Ludwig attended last week’s council meeting and advised the governing body of their research regarding shared services. After approaching multiple local municipalities, Hanlon and Ludwig found that sharing lightning detection services with another municipality via a remote system would result in alarms that are not necessary, since some storm systems that require warnings in one area will be too far away from Ho-Ho-Kus, and would result in unneeded alarms. Hanlon described the possibility of sharing this service as complicated, adding that the borough would not gain anything by combining forces with another town. Councilman Gordon Hamm asked if the borough had (continued on page 21) NEED MULCH? Hardwood • Hemlock Cedar • Oak Colored: Black, Brown, Red Top Soil • Compost Decorative Stone Installation • Free Estimates Wholesale and Retail RVH MULCH SUPPLY WYCKOFF, NJ 201-304-5055 5-19-10 Pat/Janine RHVMulchColor3x3(5-19-10) 3 x 3” Rev1 Summer specials available now for a limited time only. Call Robin at 973-636-7000