County, township officials fight to save dam

WARREN -- Trumbull County Commissioners on Wednesday unanimously voted to seek a temporary injunction in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court to prevent the Trumbull County MetroParks board from continuing to work on removal of the low-head Leavittsburg Dam.

Also Wednesday, Warren Township trustees, through their attorney, filed a notice of appeal with the Environmental Review Appeals Commission over a recent decision by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency allowing demolition of the dam to proceed.

Commissioner Denny Malloy said commissioners are taking the legal action to allow time for the commissioners, the parks board, Warren Township officials and representatives of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to sit down to discuss the ramifications of the dam's removal.

"Once the first chunk of the dam is gone, it is a dead issue," Malloy said. "There are alternatives that are available."

Malloy emphasized commissioners are looking for a peaceful solution.

Critics of the dam removal were especially concerned this week because trees are being removed around the area of the dam.

Commission President Rick Hernandez agreed they need to work on behalf of all citizens and their safety concerns.

"That's the main thing," Hernandez said. "The safety of our citizens."

In the meantime, Malloy said he does not expect the commissioners to take action on the Metroparks board's budget request for $136,381 from the county's 2025 general fund budget.

Commissioners are expected to present their recommendations for the budget to department heads today during a special meeting. They have spent several weeks reviewing $81 million worth of budget requests presented to the commissioners at the end of last year to just over $66.5 million available this year.

Deborah Roth, a Warren Township resident and a critic of the metroparks board, suggested during the commissioners meeting on Wednesday that since commissioners will have to reduce the amount given to different departments that serve the public, they should not provide money to a board that is ignoring the concerns of township residents.

"It has proven to be a rogue board," Roth said. "They are not financially prudent. They don't care about citizens. They have attacked elected officials, including members of your office and township officials.

"We ask that you don't take taxpayer money and give it to the very parks board that has employed an attorney to fight the taxpaying citizens of Trumbull County," she said. "Please work with us and stop this from happening."

Fay Smith, another township resident, said the Mahoning River is one of the top five most polluted rivers with sediment in the nation. She is concerned that any dredging of the river will release pollutants into its waters.

"As the sediment is now, the waters and the sediment are deep enough that it is controlling the poisons in the water from Denman Rubber, Copperweld and any of the industries that were dumping in the river," she said. "I'm hoping we can move this forward."

Smith recommends everyone on the metroparks board be replaced.

Warren Township Trustee Kay Anderson said the removal of the dam will affect Canoe City park tremendously.

"I am very critical of the board," Anderson said. "They have been very disrespectful. The DLZ study presented an alternative to the removal of the dam."

Anderson said Warren Township has been dumped on for many years.

"Just withhold the funding of the metroparks board until this is settled," she said.

Warren Township resident Nancy Ritz reported Canoe City park already has been blocked so residents cannot use it. Ritz questioned how John Brown, who is a member of Warren City Council, can be on the metroparks board.

She said Brown is concerned with the development of Warren city.

Warren Township Trustee Ryan Yoho said trustees believe the Ohio EPA erred in issuing the demolition permit in December. He said trustees feel the decision did not take into account sanitary sewer discharges, dangerous sediments behind the dam, erosion and alternate options that were presented in the DLZ study.

Trustee Ed Anthony said trustees want any work being done on the dam to stop until their appeal with the ERAC is heard before a judge.

"The commissioners made a very good decision that will benefit many residents who do not want to see the dam removed," Yoho said.

He said trustees will wait on the appeal with ERAC to review the basis behind issuing of the permit for removal.

For several years there have been many meetings, discussions and debates between the Warren Township trustees and residents who want to see the dam remain. Braceville residents also have been vocal in the discussions with many wanting the dam removed, saying it will help alleviate flooding in their township.

Zachary Svette, executive director of the MetroParks board, said previously he and other park board members would not make any comments on the matter because of legal action being taken.