March 6, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES III • Page 3 Waldwick The Waldwick Council voted last week to apply for a federal grant to help fund the second phase of work on the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook. The borough will now apply to the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service – Emergency Watershed Protection Program. This program provides funding to municipal governments to address watershed impairments created by natural disasters that “pose imminent threats to lives and property,” the council’s resolution states. According to the resolution, the borough “desires to further the public interest by obtaining a grant from the Borough seeks grant for work on Ho-Ho-Kus Brook Natural Resources Conservation Service to fund up to 75 percent of $97,500” for the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook project. The resolution further states that, if the grant is awarded, but is less than the amount requested, the borough council will secure the balance needed to complete the project, or modify the project as necessary. Specifically, the borough is committed to providing 25 percent of the cost in cash or in-kind services, the resolution states. Asked about the grant application, Waldwick Borough Administrator Gary Kratz told Villadom TIMES that, after Hurricane Irene hit the area in 2011, the Village of Ridgewood had sustained damage along stream Riley and Lauren Toolen of Waldwick took part in the second stage of the District Knights of Columbus Foul Shooting Contest in Hasbrouck Heights. Having already won the local competition, they represented the Saint Luke’s Knights of Columbus in the district finals. Lauren won the girls’ 12-year-old bracket, making 18 of 25 shots. Riley won the boys’ 14-year-old bracket, making 23 of 25 shots. This is the second year in a row Lauren has won and the fifth consecutive year Riley has won. They both now advance to the regional finals to be held March 9 at Paramus Catholic High School. Hot shots banks within the village. Ridgewood officials filed with the National Resource Conservation Agency, and were successful in receiving aid. Kratz said he became aware of Ridgewood’s success, and attempted to secure funding for Waldwick, but the application deadline had already passed. “Then Sandy came,” Kratz said, referring to the devastating hurricane that hit New Jersey on Oct. 29, 2012. “We were ready the second time.” When the application period was opened to local municipalities, Waldwick contacted the agency’s officials. The administrator noted that sandbars have been developing in the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook in the area of the Riverside Condominiums. Those sandbars were exacerbated by Hurricane Sandy, he said. Representatives from the Natural Resource Conservation Agency, who are based in central New Jersey, came to Waldwick to review the situation, and indicated that the work on the brook would be (continued on page 15)