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Briar Hill Dam project may be delayed
(by Sue Reid - March 03, 2010)
Briar Hill Dam project may be delayed
By SUE REID
A chance exists that the Briar Hill Lake dam reconstruction project, which has been discussed for seven years and had been planned for this fall, may not get under way this year.
Public Works Director James S. Stanek asked City Council's public works committee during a special meeting Monday to place the project on contingency.
He said a lot has to happen before the project can begin, including obtaining approval from three regulatory agencies. They are Ohio Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.
"Unfortunately, in our experience, that could be a long, drawn-out process," Mr. Stanek said. In addition, he said, financing has to go through its process. Briar Hill residents will be assessed for a portion of the project's cost.
"While we believe the project is necessary, it is uncertain whether we can get it off the ground for this year," Mr. Stanek said. "We don't want to start something we can't finish. We've been down that road before."
Mr. Stanek's comments stemmed from a prioritization discussion on projects that can be funded in 2010. The Briar Hill project, which carries a price tag of $1.5 million, previously was one the priority-one list.
The joint project between the city and the Briar Hill subdivision homeowners involves reconstructing the dam to the 4.5-acre lake and modifying it to accommodate storm-water management for the city as well as to help protect downstream residents.
Briar Hill homeowners will pay one-third and the city will pay two-thirds. Briar Hill homeowners' contribution is capped at $500,000.
Councilman and committee chair Robert N. Pelunis asked Mr. Stanek if the city will have problems with ODNR if the project is not done this year.
"We can't push this forward faster then we are," Mr. Stanek said. "As long as we do our due diligence, I believe the ODNR will be satisfied."
"We've got a lot of money invested in this already," Mr. Stanek said of the project. "It's not like we've been dragging our feet.
He said that in the next couple of weeks, the city's engineering department will perform a "critical view" of the project's design.
Councilman and committee member William D. Mooney said the project has been discussed long enough. "We have to commit to it if it comes due this year," Mr. Mooney said. "It is a top priority for all of the obvious reasons."
"I will certainly support funding it if it takes reserves or notes," Mr. Mooney said.
"We will do everything we can to make sure it happens this year," Mr. Stanek said. "The commitment to do it hasn't changed," Mr. Stanek said. "We're looking at what we have to spend."
Adam Fair, a Briar Hill resident and dam committee member, said Tuesday, "We're OK with this. It's just a progression." He said the city is making sure all of the engineering and regulatory bodies are up to speed.
"I'm hopeful that the project still happens this year," Mr. Fair said. "That is our goal."
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