Letter to Citizens of Saline

The issue of the dam’s future has been a focal point of concern in our community, and as members of Friends of Saline Mill Pond, we feel it’s important to share our perspective

Lack of Maintenance and Oversight:

We believe the City is wasting precious time and taxpayer money on pursuing million-dollar grants that may never materialize. The reality is that grant money is never guaranteed, and the responsible solution is to budget the necessary funds to maintain City-owned structures, like the dam, from our own resources.

Urgency of Immediate Repairs:

Regular maintenance is essential, just like a car requires oil changes and tire checks to function properly. The City has already identified repair issues in a previous 2021 Spicer Engineering study noting cement erosion and exposed rebar in photos, acknowledging the need for immediate action. However, the City ignored the recommendations of this study and few repairs have been made.

SOLUTION: IMPLEMENT DPW MAINTENANCE AND OVERSIGHT SCHEDULE

Debris removal in the inlet and watching for erosion of the berm are simple tasks that should be part of regular visual maintenance checks.

It should be noted that more than two decades have gone by with little to no repairs or money or time allocated.

Citizens of Saline are not given the correct information but given some rosy eyed view of what dam removal would look like with an AI generated rendering .

Take note: Tecumseh has a similar situation and when they were faced with repairs or removal of the Evans Street dam they chose repairing it. They made this decision in 2024 and work has already begun on making those repairs in 2025. The Saline dam study recommending repairs was made in 2021 and here we are in 2025 with no money allocated in the budget or plans for repairs.

The City of Saline has gone down this road before – consider the Rec Center study in 2021 that specified repairs needed. However the City did not allocate funds and do the necessary repairs which resulted in major water damage resulting in a hefty price tag. And now they have a request for 24 million dollars for the Rec Center which has never broke even and continues to be a drain on resources needed in other areas of the City.

The City has cited there is more grant money available for removal than for repairs. That’s like saying you should pull all your teeth out rather than fix the one that is really bad!

Here are the financial realities of Dam Removal and the tax implications they are not telling you about:

Here is a list of government agencies that have available funding for dam repairs:

• Federal funding for dam repairs in local communities is available through various programs like the Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams (HHPD) Grant Program, the National Dam Safety Program, and the Corps Water Infrastructure Financing Program (CWIFP). These programs offer grants and loans to help local communities repair, rehabilitate, or remove high-hazard dams (which our dam’s rating is not listed as a high hazard), reduce flood risk, and improve dam safety.
  • Specific Programs and Funding:
    Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams (HHPD) Grant Program:
    This program provides grants for technical, planning, design, and construction assistance for dam rehabilitation projects that reduce risks and increase community preparedness, according to FEMA.gov.
  • National Dam Safety Program (NDSP):
    This program includes grant funding to support state dam safety programs, encouraging the establishment and maintenance of effective state programs that ensure dam safety and protect human life and property.
  • Corps Water Infrastructure Financing Program (CWIFP):
    This program offers low-cost, long-term loans for dam safety projects, including rehabilitation, repairs, and dam removals.

List of sixteen dams that have received funding for repairs

Link to FREEONLINE Full Training video for Dam and Maintenance for DPW
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt9aDt7bNpdyznSsZzgqhS4DgbWLV2YrW

• Dams 101
• Dam Inspections
• Spillways & Outlet Works
• Operation & Maintenance Plans
• Emergency Planning
• Extreme Rainfall Events
• Hiring an Experienced and Qualified Dam Engineer
• Rehabilitation Projects
• Plants & Animals on Dams
• Learning From Dam Failures
• Concrete Problems & Repairs
• Seepage, Slope Stability & Seismic Issues
• Public Safety at Dams – NEW IN 2024
• Removing a Dam – NEW IN 2024
• Dam Safety 3.0 & Recent Advancements to Improve Dam Safety – NEW IN 2024

If the City moves forward with the removal project, we fear that it could cost taxpayers millions of dollars, potentially resulting in the destruction of the dam and the surrounding historical structures. The consequences of pursuing this path could be disastrous, both financially and aesthetically, for the City and its taxpayers.

Conclusion:
We need a long-term, responsible solution to preserve and maintain our history, and Friends of Saline Mill Pond will continue to advocate for that.

Let’s work together to preserve this vital part of our community. It’s not too late to make the right choice for the future of Saline.