By John Tredrea, Staff Writer
The Hopewell Township Committee agreed Monday night to try to bring residents of the Elm Ridge Park development to the table during ongoing negotiations with state and federal officials on the fate of the dam that keeps Honey Lake in place.
The 23-acre lake is located in Elm Ridge Park, in the eastern section of the township.
The committee also agreed to continue negotiating with the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on getting more time to decide what should happen to the dam.
The DEP has redesignated the safety status of the dam to “high hazard,” and has ordered that the dam either be upgraded, which officials say would be very expensive, or eliminated.
Township Committeewoman Vanessa Sandom said the dam is owned by the Mercer County Soil Conservation district, but that, under the chain of events that began with redesignating the dam, ownership would go to either the township or Mercer County.
About a dozen Elm Ridge Park residents attended Monday’s session to implore the township to try to save the dam and to bring the residents into the talks with state, county and federal officials about the matter. The residents say the lake is a valuable recreational resource. In addition, they fear loss of the lake could result in Elm Ridge Park wells going dry.
That concern, said township Administrator/Engineer Paul Pogorzelski, is a legitimate one that has not been sufficiently addressed by the DEP.
Another concern is that loss of the lake would mean loss of a water source for firefighters in Elm Ridge Park, which has no hydrants.
”We need three things,” Elm Ridge resident Kevin Kuchinski told the committee Monday. “We need more time and space with this issue. We (the residents) want a seat at the table. And we’re looking for your help on how to preserve the lake.”
Hopewell Borough resident Leslie Potter, of the staff of U.S. Congressman Rush Holt, said he is willing to work with the township and residents in their effort to get the DEP to extend the talks on Honey Lake before making a final decision.
IN A SIMILAR DECISION Monday night, the committee agreed to bring residents of Washington Crossing Estates into the dialogue on the township’s ongoing effort to sell the water company that serves that 100-home development, located in the western section of the township.
Washington Crossing Estates resident Natalie Jaroni noted that the system’s 36-year-old well is considered near the end of its useful life and that the system has been plagued with leaks. She said she and her neighbors are concerned about maintenance and repair of the system while the attempt to sell it is under way. They hope the township will earmark adequate funding to address those concerns.
