Waldwick August 17, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 3 The Waldwick Council decided last week to commission an engineering estimate using funds originally budgeted for debris harvesting to determine the cost of dredging White’s Pond. The harvesting operation will be put off until spring subject to review of the information gathered. “We owe it to them (Friends of White’s Pond). Let’s do our due diligence. Get the numbers so we know what we are up against; then make our decision,” said Councilman Frank Palladino after a thoughtful discussion among council members. Borough Administrator Gary Kratz said the $20,000 budgeted for the harvester would be reallocated to the engineer, and the state would be asked not to restock the pond next spring until after the harvesting operation takes place in March or April. He said the engineer’s estimates would be “best case,” based on the soil meeting good quality standards. “If the soil has issues, there is no guessing how much it would cost,’ Kratz said. A Mayor’s Committee of borough officials and Friends members had met prior to last week’s council meeting to discuss the dredging request and the answers needed before any definitive decision can be made. Points of discussion included environmental testing, flood control, grant possibilities, costs for dredging and sediment disposal and sale of naming rights, among other issues. During the council discussion leading to the decision, council members expressed reservations and frustrations. Cost estimate to be sought for White’s Pond dredging Councilman Don Sciolaro voiced concern about flooding downstream this coming spring if the raking is not done as originally planned. Councilman Charles Farricker said that if dredging was predicated on getting federal grant moneys, he was not optimistic. “The FEMA money will go to towns like Wayne of Little Falls, not here. And we have the raking set up for September,” Farricker said. Kratz said the harvester had been scheduled to work two full weeks right after Labor Day. “Their (the Friends) idea of the costs is way lower than what we have… They are talking about bonding. Where are we going to get that?” said Councilwoman Anita Bozzo, who chaired the meeting in the absence of Mayor Russell “Buddy” Litchult, who is recuperating from orthopedic surgery following an accident. Kratz said that the Friends were not taking several things into consideration in their comparison of costs with previous estimates or with a dredging project in Mahwah. They include: • The county Mosquito Control Commission is now not in a position to do the dredging, so Waldwick would have to hire and pay a contractor to do the work. • There is no end user for the sludge. The Meadowlands Development Commission might welcome it, but would charge. Previous estimates had included dumping the material at Overpeck Park for free. Transportation costs now would also be higher because diesel fuel costs are higher. The estimate to truck to Overpeck a few years ago was $3 million, he said. • Mahwah has had its permits in place for its Winter’s Pond project for several years and received Open Space grants, which are not likely to be available now. Dumping is being done in a hole on the premises, thus eliminating transportation costs and dumping fees. • Winter’s Pond has 18,000 cu. yards of silt to be removed, and had received a low bid of $240,000 in a favorable market. White’s Pond has 40,000 to 60,000 cu. yards. The depth of the dredging is also an issue because it has to correspond to the structure of the dam. Previous engineering work would have to be acquired, Kratz said. He added the dam needs only minor repairs. The 7.8-acre lake was last dredged in 1974, and the dam, built in the 1930s as a WPA project, was rebuilt then. The lake was used as the town’s swimming pool until the new pool was constructed on Hopper Avenue.