By Maya Lora
Rockbridge County decided to not move forward with a proposal from American Dams to save the Jordan’s Point Dam at a called meeting Wednesday.
The dam is currently owned by the city of Lexington. Lexington City Council insisted the dam be transferred to Rockbridge County before American Dams could make a purchase. The council previously voted in June 2017 to remove the dam. With this decision, the council will likely move forward with dam removal with the state Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Thursday.
American Dams submitted a proposal last week to the county to purchase the dam but County Administrator Spencer Suter said it was still missing a key element: cost estimates. Executive Director Wayne Dyok said dam repairs shouldn’t cost more than $200,000, a far cry from the 2.5 to three million dollars estimated in 2007. But an official estimate did not appear in the engineering report commissioned by American Dams.
Additionally, the Department of Conservation and Recreation wanted a three million dollar bond from the county in order for the transfer to go through. The county would have to post $300,000 to meet that demand.
Dyok understands those challenges.
“I don’t think they had any choice in the matter last night,” Dyok said.
Dyok still wants more time to conduct a full investigation of the dam, which he said was previously prevented by high water levels.
He said he spoke with Robert “Bob” Duncan, executive director of Virginia’s DGIF, about continuing the dialogue on the dam with the city and county.
Dyok said he hopes Lexington city council does not make an “irrevocable” decision Thursday, the state-imposed deadline on any decision to transfer and sell the dam.
The council will discuss the matter at its regular meeting Thursday night.