Saline residents packed a town hall meeting Monday night, Mar. 9, to debate the future of the city’s aging dam, with speakers split between preserving a historic landmark and removing a structure officials say could become increasingly costly to maintain.
City officials and consultants presented findings comparing the cost of repairing the Saline River dam with removing it entirely. Much of the meeting was devoted to public comment, where residents questioned the city’s estimates, raised environmental concerns and defended the dam’s historic significance.
City engineer Tesha Humphriss explained how the dam, originally built in 1935, requires manual operation during storms and carries growing maintenance obligations for the city as the structure deteriorates…