Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • November 5, 2014 Glen Rock Composting, arboretum project make borough greener by John Koster The Glen Rock Borough Council has introduced two ordinances to make composing and solid waste disposal less invasive to neighbors and will soon be considering an appeal to provide some of the $550,000 to $600,000 needed to upgrade facilities at the Glen Rock Arboretum. “We’re just doing some upgrades, trying to stay current with the situation,” Mayor John van Keuren said last week after the two ordinances were introduced. Both items will be considered for adoption on Nov. 12. The solid waste ordinance defines ways of disposing of solid waste and requires that garbage be stored in sanitary, watertight containers not filled beyond the top of the con- tainer and not weighing more than 60 pounds, providing specific limits for the weight of each can. Garden refuse may no longer be placed beside the curb. The intent is to encourage residents to compost at home if the situation allows or to take grass clippings and other vegetation to the recycling center where they may used as either mulch or compost. Mandatory recyclable materials are described as alu- minum cans, glass containers, newspapers, magazines, ferrous (iron or steel) scrap, white goods, plastic contain- ers, automotive oil waste, mixed paper, used tires, corru- gated cardboard, and construction and demolition debris. Newspapers may be secured with string in bundles of less than 50 pounds or placed in paper (not plastic) bags. Alu- minum and steel cans may be placed at the curb in con- tainers provided by the borough. Corrugated cardboard that is tied or otherwise secured may be left at the curb every Monday, except on holidays. Mixed paper may be Leaf disposal contract is approved The Glen Rock Borough Council has approved the lowest of five bids on the contract for leaf transporta- tion and disposal working in tandem with the Glen Rock Department of Public Works. RVH Mulch Supply, LLC was awarded the contract at $6.15 per cubic yard of transported material. The propos- als from the four unsuccessful bidders were returned after the contract was awarded. Composted leaves gradually turning into mulch, and eventually into topsoil through the action of weather and worms, is available free to Glen Rock residents at the Glen Rock Recycling Center off Doremus Avenue. Residents should bring their own buckets and, if they have one, their own screens to remove twigs and small rocks. Sports groups hensive donation to the Ridgewood, Glen Rock, and Mid- land Park baseball groups. A former Ridgewood Council member had stated sepa- rately that when Gabbert arrived as village manager, Gab- bert found that some of the money collected from Glen Rock, Midland Park, and Wyckoff water fees was being used to support the Ridgewood Police Department, the Ridgewood Fire Department, and the administration. Gabbert curtailed the practice. Glen Rock Mayor John van Keuren, a retired financial professional, confirmed that water fees had apparently been used to fund Ridgewood functions not involved with the delivery of water to customers in the other three towns. The court case in which Wyckoff, Glen Rock, and Midland Park filed suit against Ridgewood is pending. (continued from page 3) “Ridgewood Water began a practice in 2011 to donate money to Ridgewood Baseball, Midland Park Baseball and Glen Rock Baseball (total about $2,000 per year). My understanding is that the prior village management thought that this would be a positive community gesture. The practice has now stopped.” Sonenfeld clarified the written statement verbally by identifying former Village Manager Ken Gabbert as the manager who had approved the $2,000 per year compre- J. KOSTER left at the curb in boxes. White goods, including refrigera- tors and washers, may be disposed of by arrangement with the vendor of the replacement appliance or dropped off at the recycling area. Used engine oil and tires must be taken to dealers who will accept them, not to borough facilities. The second ordinance provides that sweeping, raking, or blowing yard waste -- including fallen leaves, grass, and garden debris -- to the curb is prohibited. However, loose leaves may be raked to the curb for borough disposal if left no closer to a storm drain than 10 feet in the A1 zone or six feet in the A2 zone. Compostable material may be composted at a resident’s property in a container of no more than two square yards in size and must be closer to the resident’s house than to any neighboring house. Containers must be at least 10 feet from the property line in an A1 zone and six feet from the property line in an A2 zone. In a separate initiative, members of the Friends of the Glen Rock Arboretum are launching their new fund drive to raise $550,000 to $600,000 to build an environmental education center at the 11-acre Glen Rock Arboretum, a natural living tree museum located off Doremus Avenue. The new building is anticipated to have a footprint of 1,700 square feet with conference space, a resource room, bathrooms, and an emergency shelter for visitors in inclement weather. Exposed structural timber and large windows are anticipated and non-structural needs includ- ing microscopes, display cases, and technology are also envisioned. The Glen Rock Borough Council approved the proj- ect on the municipally-owned land in concept in 2010, but Mayor van Keuren said last week that the fundraising is completely in the hands of the Friends of the Arbore- tum and not of the borough council. The arboretum was established in 1951 with trees and shrubs from northern Europe, northern Asia, and North America. The property also features a spring-fed pond and an adjacent stream, Diamond Brook. The site is a favorite with walkers and photographers and already hosts nature tours for school children, who help out as volunteers with plantings and maintenance work. “We’re going to be hearing from them about some cash, but we don’t know when yet,” Mayor van Keuren said last week.