Cleanup Work at the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook Stalled

Village Manager Ken Gabbert said at Wednseday night's council meeting that the village remains committed to clearing the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook but admitted progress has been slow due to more pressing needs and the usual slow-moving wheels of government.

Resident Maryanne Kopp asked the village elders what the current status of the cleanup process. by the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook in October and vowed to develop a plan that will at least mitigate some of the problems. Residents said a total lack of maintenance in clearing debris and sandbars has widened the brook and rendered it more shallow, exacerbating existing .

Unfortunately for those residents, the village's numer one priority related to flooding remains the restoration of the severely . Beyond that, Gabbert said, there is "no specific plan for your area at this point."

The village has requested that the DEP allow for relief from its restrictions in dredging through the brook, Gabbert said. "At this point we don't have anything back from them but they're very much aware that it is our number two request...it's not off our agenda."

Desnagging and de-silting has been requested and while the village is permitted to go into the brook with wheelbarrels and shovels, it would take "thousands of hours," Gabbert said. "If we can get in there with large equipment even for a brief period of time to remove sandbars, de-snag, take out the trees it would be very effective."

Most towns are in the same position, Gabbert said. He could not provide a timeline in which work might begin.