Grafton residents call for dam to be repaired

Grafton residents concerned about the fate of the Bridge Street dam, which failed in early May and has led to a shallow river and created mudflats along its shores, appealed to the Village Board last week to repair the structure in an economical way, not remove it.

“At the heart of Grafton is the dam. It’s more than concrete and steel,” Erin Blum, 1108 Sunset Ct., told the board.
“The decision before us is not only whether to repair a gate. It is whether we will preserve an important dam that protects our upstream waterways, supports recreation and strengthens our local economy.

“If gone, it will never be restored. Repairing the gate is an investment in environmental stewardship and the future of Grafton.”

Without the dam, she said, invasive species such as the sea lamprey that’s present in Lake Michigan could make inroads into the river system. Trying to rid the river of lamprey could cost $300,000 or more every three to four years, she said.

And, Blum said, tourism would decline, saying the millpond “creates the scenic views that attract visitors to our downtown.”

Wendy Freitag, 1114 Riverview Ct., told the board the only reason she purchased her home was its river frontage.

“This (removing the dam) would be extremely detrimental to the view I look out at,” she said. “If the dam was taken out, the $500,000 I’ve spent on the hardscape and the landscape all would be for naught.”

Christopher Austin, 925 17th Ave., agreed, saying that the waterfront views were touted by the real estate agent when he bought his home.

“Right now, we can barely see the Milwaukee River,” he said.

He told the board that he is seeking a home equity line of credit, but with the dam in its current shape the bank is requiring a new assessment.

“If it affects property values, it’s extremely important,” Austin said. “I would urge you to weigh that in your decision-making process because it also affects the overall tax base.”

The millpond has resembled a mudflat since the hydraulic cylinder failed during the night of May 1, sending a surge of water downstream and substantially draining the millpond.

A village crew unsuccessfully tried to move the gate from its lowest setting, and a study by dam consultant J.F. Brennan Co. of La Crosse then revealed the cause of the failure was a faulty hydraulic cylinder.

The cost of repairing the cylinder is estimated to be $154,000 if a refurbished cylinder is used or $180,000 if a new one is used, and the village staff recommended buying a new one to repair the dam.

In June, the Grafton Village Board voted unanimously not to immediately repair the Bridge Street dam but instead postponed a decision about the future of the dam for 60 days while officials research whether it makes long-term sense to fix the dam or remove it.

While they acknowledged that residents voted in  2010 to preserve the dam, officials said times have changed and the matter deserves another look.

But Nick Havlik, 911 17th Ave., told the board last week that voters in 2010 “overwhelmingly” decided to keep the dam.

“I have confidence the same could be said today,” Havlik said. “Some expenses are important to protest assets. The Milwaukee River and millpond are assets to this community.”

But, he said, he was shocked by the proposed $180,l000 cost of repairs.

Corey Shebesta, 1622 16th Ave., concurred, saying he had worked in the hydraulic cylinder industry and believes the work could be done quickly and for less money.

“It seems just like somebody doesn’t want it fixed, and the quote we got was also ridiculous,” Paul Mulloy, 1701 10th Ave., added. 

Hydraulic cylinders like the one used in the dam gate were meant to be rebuilt, he said, and can be done economically.

Mulloy told the board it’s imperative to retain the dam, saying it’s woven into the village’s history and culture.

“If we didn’t have that mill, if we didn’t have that dam, we’d probably be called Cedarburg,” he said. “I think this would be a great opportunity to dredge it (the millpond), return it to what it was and make that a real asset for Grafton.”

Several people called on the village to get competitive bids for the repair work.

“We need to get competitive bids. We’re not in an emergency situation anymore,” Bill Harbeck, 907 17th Ave., said, noting it’s required by village and state law for work costing $50,000 or more.

He asked if the village is in the process of obtaining bids.

Village Administrator Tim Wellnitz said competitive bids will be among the options considered by the board when it meets to discuss the dam again at 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 3.

“Why aren’t we doing that now?” Harbeck asked. “We have time.”

Village President Dan Delorit said the village plans to hold a public hearing before making any decisions on the dam and will answer the public’s questions then.

The hearing will be held at the Aug. 3 meeting at Village Hall, Wellnitz said.