It's a dam fact

To the Editor, 

In 2012, the Monticello City Council passed Resolution 12-35, which essentially supports removing the Mon Maq Dam. The plan back then, which included whitewater and walking trails, is no longer being considered by the Jones County Conservation Board (JCCB). 

The two options being considered today are: “No Action” (which would leave the dam alone), and removing the south half. The latter would leave an ugly land scar in the form of a 220-foot concrete wall, surrounded by a mudflat with no water flowing over it. 

Although this is significantly different than the 2012 version, the public record still reflects our town’s support. 

I addressed this concern to the city council at their Dec. 16 meeting and asked that the city reconsider its level of support for the project. 

The next step in determining the future of our dam is an upcoming Environmental Assessment (EA) that takes into account how the public feels about the project. The city’s position going into the EA should be current and relevant, not a seven-year-old document that may be outdated. I requested that the council reconsider this at their next meeting on Jan. 6.

Friends of Mon Maq Dam believe that removing half the dam would not only destroy our beautiful dam, it will also drain Riverside Gardens pond, eliminating two of our most notable water features. There will also be infrastructure issues at Kitty Creek, Main Street Bridge and the golf course. 

The costs to repair them are not included in the current project plan, so who pays? We feel the city should take these impacts into consideration. (i.e. does it really benefit our community?) 

The residents of Monticello have had plenty of opportunity to express their feelings regarding the dam. There is the Jones County Historical Preservation Commission survey where 93 percent favored saving the dam, a grassroots petition with 3,281 signatures to preserve the dam, and a JCCB/DNR survey where the most popular option was “No Action,” and the top priority was to leave the dam alone. Additionally, dozens of Monticello area businesses have gone on record supporting the dam. It is pretty clear how the community feels and we ask that the council also consider this in their determination. Of course, if they were to ask us, we would tell them to “Save Our Dam.”

Tom Osborne, president

Friends of Mon Maq Dam