Dam Hard Convincing South Whitehall

Last evening I again tried to convince South Whitehall Commissioners that Wehr Dam must be saved, for both historical and aesthetic reasons. Visiting that dam has become a generational tradition for thousands of valley residents. Although the Wildlands Conservancy has not been given explicit permission to demolish the dam, the commissioners have allowed them to continue planning for it's removal. Ironically, last night the commissioners also passed an ordinance creating an historic overlay district, including Wehr Covered Bridge. Had they been willing to add two simple words to the ordinance, and dam, they would have been fulfilling the spirit of the ordinance, not just the letter. At their meeting with the Wildlands Conservancy the commissioners asked how to deal with the residents who might want to keep the dam. The Conservancy replied that they must be educated about the fish and natural habitat. I believe that the commissioners must be educated about the values and traditions of their constituents.