Deep Run drainage woes to get close examination

Resident thanks mayor
and council for moving
forward with action

BY LARRY RAMER
Staff Writer

Deep Run drainage woes
to get close examination
Resident thanks mayor
and council for moving
forward with action
BY LARRY RAMER
Staff Writer

MARLBORO — Municipal officials have developed a plan of action to deal with drainage problems caused by Deep Run stream.

The Township Council has awarded a $28,500 contract to Birdsall Engineering Inc., Eatontown, to "perform a detailed field assessment of existing storm water impairments within the Deep Run watershed," according to Acting Township Engineer James Priolo.

Priolo is a vice president of Birdsall Engineering.

The firm will also "provide an evaluation of various remedial actions/strategies to address those impairments," Priolo wrote.

The council awarded the contract during its Aug. 12 meeting by a vote of 4-0. Council members Grover Burrows, Patti Morelli, Joe Pernice and Barry Denkensohn voted in favor of the measure. Council President James Mione was not present.

Several residents who live near the Deep Run stream in the Morganville section of the community off Crine and Tennent roads have complained about flooding on their properties. Priolo and former Township Engineer William Schultz have said that cleaning the stream would help improve the drainage situation in the area.

Under the terms of the contract, Birdsall Engineering will estimate the cost of remediating impairments within Deep Run. These impairments could include clogging, heavy siltation and malfunctioning culverts, Priolo wrote in a report to the council.

The firm will also indicate the requirements for obtaining an individual permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for cleaning the entire watershed, the engineer wrote.

Priolo noted that Marlboro has already cleaned 500 feet of Deep Run under the terms of a general permit from the DEP. However, Birdsall Engineering believes that more of the stream needs to be cleaned. In order to remediate more of Deep Run the township must obtain an individual permit from the DEP, Priolo said.

In carrying out the contract awarded by the municipality, Birdsall Engineering will "perform field reconnaissance activities to identify existing impairments within the entire watershed," according to Priolo. The firm will prepare an evaluation report identifying the impaired segments of Deep Run and suggesting remedial actions for these sections of the stream.

Birdsall Engineering will then prepare a formal meeting request that will be sent to the DEP. Representatives of the firm will meet with DEP administrators to discuss the application, Priolo added.

In a separate resolution, the council authorized Mayor Robert Kleinberg to apply for a Flood Control Grant from the DEP. Marlboro will apply for $1.05 mil­lion to subsidize its remedial activi­ties involving Deep Run. The total project is expected to cost $1.4 mil­lion. However, $350,000 of the total amount will be spent on in-kind services provided by the town.

According to Acting Business Administrator Judith Tiernan, the township is in the process of doing this work.

Resident Patricia Korabiak, whose Crine Road property is ad­jacent to Deep Run, said her prop­erty is eroding due to flooding. She thanked Kleinberg and the council members for the steps they have taken to remediate the problem.

"My neighbors and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts," Korabiak said. "This is something we’ve hoped and worked for since 1990."

She said the current mayor and council have done more than their predecessors to tackle the flooding problems.

"Mayor Kleinberg and the pre­sent council have accomplished more in five months than past ad­ministrations in Marlboro, who did nothing to deal with the flooding problems for the past 14 years de­spite our many efforts," she said.

Pernice said cooperation be­tween the mayor and council has borne fruit in the issue of flooding.

"This council and mayor … have moved in the right direction to deal with the town’s water problems," the councilman said. "This is not a cure, but it’s part of the remedy."