DEAR EDITOR:

I was at the Trumbull County Commissioners meeting today and I listened to others before I spoke. The Leavittsburg dam needs to go. This is the only dam that is being argued over with a pending lawsuit, a waste of taxpayer money. Everything that I heard from those who don’t want the dam removed came from people who are not experts.

The money for the dam to be removed has been approved, and if this fight continues, that money could be lost. Of all the nine dams to be removed, this one is being fought over. The excuse that it will disturb or stir up the sediment is without merit. If anyone watched the removal of the Summit Street dam, the sediment was removed from the river and placed on heavy-duty tarps and the dirt was later hauled away. This is the same company that is going to remove the Leavittsburg Dam.

The Mahoning River belongs to the people of Ohio to be able to use and not for the personal use of Leavittsburg to dump sewage in when the sewers for that area have been approved to be installed. I also found during the meeting that some residents in Braceville are concerned about flooding if the dam is removed because there are dams in the creeks below the dam.

If that’s the case, the Leavittsburg Dam is not the cure all for the creeks. The creeks are a separate issue and should be brought up with the state and the county to come up with a plan to clean up the creeks for the water to flow better.

PAUL YANNUCCI

Warren