By David Fleet
Editor
Goodrich-The cost to repair the dam will be significantly less, following a closer investigation of the century old structure.
DPW Director Matt Mayne provided the village council on Monday night with an update on needed repairs of the village dam.
The report followed a June meeting where the village council voted 4-0 to approve $26,300 to repair a breach in the village dam. The cost included $21,800 for Midland-based Fisher Contracting and $4,500 for Wade Trim. Council President Pro-Tem Tim Light was absent with notice.
On Monday night the council voted 5-0 to resend the June motion and voted 5-0 to spend up to $3,500 for dam repair. No date for the repairs were indicated.
At that time Troy Andrews, Wade Trim project manager commented on the extent of the repairs in a report to council.
The locations for the dam repairs are on the western side of the westernmost first pier where the concrete comes into contact with the angle iron and western side of the second pier from the west bank. The project will include repair to the concrete spalling, the source of the leak. Spalling is the result of surface or sub-surface fatigue, which causes fractures to form in the running surfaces.
“While this should not be considered a long-term solution to the ailing dam structure, it will provide immediate repairs to address the specific area of the deteriorated structure at the point of the breach,” wrote Andrews regarding the project summery.
Since that time, Mayne along with representatives with Wade Trim, examined the dam regarding the extent of the repairs. Mayne further questioned the repairs and the cost of the project presented by Wade Trim.

“I’d rather set that money aside (for the dam repairs) for a more permit solution,” Mayne said. “It’s not as bad as we thought. Water is getting behind the iron and scarred out the concrete.”
The other option would cost about $2,000, and include a diver and using burlap sealing around the leaking area. The repairs would then require yearly routine maintenance. No permits or water reduction would be required.
“Hopefully within the next few years we could have more permit fix,” he said. “It’s not life threatening structure-wise. It’s (the water) is seeping around the wooden gates which are never going to seal 100 percent.”