Vote to Let State Harvest Lake's Weeds Delayed

One more week.

The Lake Hopatcong Commission Tuesday decided to hold off a vote that would hand the responsibility of the lake's growing weed-harvesting problem over to the state until next week.

But Chairman Russell Felter said the commission had little choice but to approve the agreement, which would give the Department of Environmental Protection ownership of its weed harvesters, trucks and trailers through at least Dec. 31.

"Either we do this and we harvest," he said at the Hopatcong State Park, "or we don't do this and we don't harvest."

The move comes at a crucial time for the cash-strapped commission. Created in 2001 and given $3 million in start-up costs to maintain the lake, it has run out of funding in recent years and, in 2011, had to ask the DEP for $400,000 to continue weed-harvesting.

With the state running weed-harvesting operations, the commission would be able operate under a smaller budget.

DEP representative Kerry Kirk Pflugh said the state would be a reluctant, but willing, partner.

"This is not something we sought out," she said, "but we're in the service to provide something necessary for the lake. Obviously, if there is a more viable and appropriate alternative, then we'll support that as well."

Felter said under the agreement, the harvesters would only be used at Lake Hopatcong and that they would be returned if the commission decided to opt out of the deal, which expires yearly. He also said the state would insure the equipment.

What was still up in the air was the fate of the commission's employees.

Felter said the state hopes to hire six seasonal workers and a full-time foreman, but initial salary offers to employees were considered too low. Kirk Pflugh said the DEP was working with the Civil Service Commission to settle the issue.

Despite the looming vote, the commission could end up with funding.

Felter said he plans to travel to Trenton on Monday to speak before the Senate Environmental Committee about a bill that would create a $400,000 Lake Hopatcong Fund—down from the original $700,000 proposal. The bill has earned support from Gov. Chris Christie and Sens. Steven Oroho, Anthony Bucco, Sandra Cunningham, Joe Pennacchio and Bob Smith.

That doesn't mean, however, funding would be immediately available if the bill passed. Felter said it would be possible the commission wouldn't get the money until August or September, limiting Lake Hopatcong to an extremely shortened weed-harvesting season.

Lake Hopatcong residents Tom Clancy and John Kurzamn each said during the meeting that they backed giving the state control.

"Every single concern I had has been addressed," Clancy said. "I don't see why anybody wouldn't support it. Without it, there's nothing. And if there's a Hail Mary pass down the road that's a lot of get-out-of-jail cards. So I'm very comfortable, all things considered, with this."

Kurzman, however, worried about having just one full-time employee caring for the harvesters during the winter and that the agreement was a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding.

"It's a pretty agreeable agreement," Clancy said, "and the best we could have hoped for under these circumstances."

The commission will vote on the agreement next at the Mount Arlington municipal building at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Should the state take over the Lake Hopatcong Commission's weed-harvesting? Tell us in the comments and take our poll.