Marianna will move forward with dam removal project
Scott Beveridge/Observer-Reporter
Marianna Borough secretary Erica Pinkney is joined Wednesday at a council meeting by councilmen, from left, Nick Temas, Jerry Kerr, Jim Faure and Wes Silva.
Scott Beveridge/Observer-Reporter
In this photo, fishermen stand in the water at the base of a dam along Ten Mile Creek in Marianna.
MARIANNA – A dam that has been identified as a safety hazard will be removed along Ten Mile Creek in Marianna despite opposition from a group of outdoorsmen that wants to save the manmade waterfall as a tourist attraction.
Marianna Council voted Wednesday to enter into an agreement for the removal of the crumbling dam with American Rivers, a charitable organization known as the nation’s leading river conservation group.
The decision followed months of discussions about the dam, including a town meeting held in an attempt to save the structure, an online petition drive and opposition from Marianna Outdoorsmen Association.
“It’s been back and forth so much,” said Marianna Council President Wes Silva, who voted to approve the agreement along with councilmen Jim Faure, Jerry Kerr and Nick Temas. Councilman Jeremy Berardinelli cast the only no vote on the motion.
The century-old, low-head dam is a concrete wall across the stream that creates a rush of water that churns and drags people under if they get to close to the waterfall. At least four people have drowned there since the 1940s.
“It’s leaking in multiple points,” Silva said.
In a related move, council terminated a land use agreement with the outdoorsmen involving property just downstream of the dam. The association constructed a steep ramp to the water’s edge and also announced further development plans that included a trail and small bridge.
Silva said the major concern from council involved further development at the borough-owned property. He also said the area around the dam will be off-limits while American Rivers restores the stream bank, work that will help to reduce flooding.
He said the borough had other questions about whether or not the association had insurance for the property on the south side of the creek and how a fish habitat area was created there without council’s knowlege.
There also were allegations that members of the association told borough residents to leave “private property” after the borough was told the fishing area would be open to the public, Silva said.
He said the borough has no plans to remove the ramp or prevent the group from hosting its popular small boat races in the area.
Ed Thomas replaced Jason White as association president after White became chief of staff this year for state Rep. Bud Cook, R-Daisytown. Thomas could not be reached Thursday. The association did not respond to a message seeking comment, and White also could not be reached.
The 10-year land agreement with the association was signed by White in November 2014 and required that it be renewed annually, borough records show. Silva, Temas and Faure voted to end the agreement. Berardinelli voted no and Kerr abstained from voting.
Berardinelli said the association wouldn’t be happy about losing its rights to the property.
“They’ve been trying to get them out of here all year,” Berardinelli said.
Meanwhile, the agreement with American Rivers will not cost the borough any money and it gives the organization until December 2022 to complete the work, which also includes the creation of a park with water access on the other side of the creek.