HUBBARD TOWNSHIP — A dam that was slated for removal in 2026 could see new life thanks to a deal in the works, according to a trustee.

Trustee Jason Tedrow told trustees and residents at Thursday’s special meeting that he’s been working with the Western Reserve Land Conservancy with assistance from the Community Foundation of Western PA and Eastern Ohio to finalize a purchase agreement with the owner of the Coalburg Lake Dam. Coalburg Land Partners LLC owns the property on which the dam is located.

The Coalburg Dam is more than 100 years old, and the dam’s owners were previously ordered by the local court to have it removed last summer because it is in poor condition. A group of residents formed a committee to save it.

Tedrow said the conservancy was looking to get some funding for the lake through the CleanOHIO fund, which would require them to know who the final recipient of it was. For that reason, he wanted to speak to trustees about who would be interested, as well as clarify that the township would not have to maintain ownership.

“This would be set up so that we could say, ‘Hey, we’re going to take it so they can put in for the fund,'” Tedrow said. “And then at any point, we can transfer that property to another nonprofit or government entity, whether it be like a MetroPark or something down the road.”

Tedrow said the conservancy was under a time crunch, as the paperwork had to be done in the next two months. Representatives of the conservancy would be “more than willing” to speak to trustees and answer their questions, he added.

Tedrow clarified that the lake’s purchase would not include the dam itself, which will be segregated from the transfer when the deal is concluded, meaning the township wouldn’t be taking on any liabilities associated with it.

“Once we get this purchase agreement put in place, we’ll be able to leverage the fact that it’s going to become open to the public in some form down the road to potentially try to secure some more funding for the rehabilitation of the dam,” Tedrow said.

Tedrow said the FEMA funds he applied for have been frozen by the President Donald Trump administration, so they don’t have any release date, but there was a “good chance” they could receive it for the initial studies. It would include a local match.

Tedrow reiterated they were looking for a recipient who would be willing to take the lake and hold it, so that they could have more time. The purchase agreement would not close on the dam until the end of 2026 — giving them a year and a half, he added.

Tedrow said he’s reached out to Brookfield trustees to see if they were willing to collaborate, adding he felt the lake would be an asset to the community that could draw in some small businesses.

Trustee Bill Colletta suggested that Tedrow should set up a special meeting for the lake, bringing the conservancy, the township’s legal counsel and Brookfield trustees to discuss it.