Borough OK's contract with Aquatic Technologies

Weed killing to start earlier this year at Franklin Pond, By Mark J. Yablonsky FRANKLIN — The borough council last week approved a $13,450 one-year contract with a local aquatic vegetation management firm to treat the Franklin Pond. Aquatic Technologies of Branchville will use a newer, more direct way of treating unwanted vegetation for a second straight year. Until last year, the town had used the traditional way of treating weeds by dumping the chemical into the pond. By that method, the chemicals were diluted in the water. But the new method is more direct. “They just inject a chemical directly into the weed bed of the pond before it starts to germinate in the spring,” explained borough administrator Richard R. Wolak. “And it basically kills the weed.” This year, Franklin intends to apply the treatment in March, at least a month earlier than last year. History The Franklin Pond came into being when the Wallkill River was dammed up a century ago to provide the town with more water and it helped alleviate the lack of water in some areas, where mining activities at the time used up groundwater. The pond had also served as a summer swimming haven until about 1990, when higher bacteria counts forced the town to prohibit it. In other business Franklin Council agreed to consolidate its insurance coverage with one carrier, Statewide Insurance Fund. The move is expected to save the town about $38,000.