Goodrich – The recent village dam inspection report has council members perplexed.
Dam safety inspector Paul Wessel from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality completed the extensive site report of the 100 year old dam last May. A copy of the study was presented to the council last week.
Ed York, council president said he is disappointed with the findings.
‘The report sounds like they want us to remove the dam and turn it into a waterway. I think it’s because there is money from the Department of Natural Resources Fisheries to remove (the dam) but no money from the state to replace it,? said York. ‘It’s going to be the residents around the mill pond who will have to pay to have the dam replaced.?
York said he received the report later than promised by Wessel. ‘This report was due over a month ago. Now they have given us a Dec.31 deadline to get our reports to them.?
Wessel said the council is required to follow the recommended actions of the report. ‘The village will have to develope an operation plan for stooplog and lift gate removal by Dec. 31,? said Wessel.
The report states this was requested in the previous inspection report and has not yet been completed.
The report is also asking the village to conduct a complete study on the long term costs of dam repair, as well as a dam removal or replacement study to put forth a proposed plan of action to Wessel’s office by Dec. 31.
The report also cites that the structural elements of the dam continue to deteriorate indicating the Goodrich Dam has a significant hazard potential due in part from the amount of structures and residents downstream from the dam.
For that reason the report is asking the village to update their EAP (Emergency Action Plan) by Dec. 31, in conjunction with the Genesee County Emergency Management. The report states the most recent copy of their plan on file is dated March 31, 2001.
Wessel said, ‘The village was given options in our report to them. We are not mandating that the village remove the dam. We are also willing to work with them if they need to ask for an extention past the Dec. 31 deadline.?