When I made my presentation to the County Commissions on Wehr's Dam, I was preceded by Farmland Preservation advocates. I knew that farmland preservation is a fashionable topic, and even referenced it in my speech. In addition to being met with silence at that time, I have heard since, that the commissioners are not taken with the idea of adopting the dam. But, I have just learned that while they want to dwell on the farmland topic, Lehigh County has already preserved 22,000 acres, at up to $5,000 an acre. It's hard for me to imagine spending so many millions of dollars preserving land that may not be developed anyway, but not caring about preserving an irreplaceable historic structure of beauty, which has been treasured by generations of people from Lehigh County.
For those new to this blog, I'm no diplomat. I tend to become somewhat blunt when it comes our historical structures which cannot be replaced, once gone. Readers may be surprised, especially the ones who comment with a pseudonym, that I see and talk to the officials that I criticize. Yes, it can be awkward, but along the way I saved a couple of structures, and caused a few more to be repaired. Could I have done it more diplomatically, perhaps, but I'm an old dog.
The Wildlands Conservancy are hypocrites, who harvest state dam demolition grants because they're allowed to keep 15% for administrative fees. The South Whitehall Commissioners are reneging on their 2014 vote to keep the dam, and are disingenuously greatly inflating the repair cost, to accommodate the Wildlands and justify a referendum. Let us hope that the County Commissioners show more respect for the things that matter to the residents of Lehigh County, and save the dam.
I think local politicians are going to rue the day that they drank the Wildlands' Kool-Aid. People in the north and southwest of Allentown are becoming more and more vocal about their dislike of that group.
ReplyDeletethe Wildlands Conservancy is a sacred cow which has depreciated allentown's parks with generalized concepts which do not apply to the specifics. how absurd to have riparian buffers when the storm sewers are piped directly into the creeks. how absurd to tear down a 10inch high dam in lehigh parkway, which was built with the robin hood bridge. how sad to tear down another dam built as part of the fish hatchery water system. how outrageous to tear down wehr's dam, which has been a destination for over 100 years.
ReplyDeleteThe WC (toilet comparison intentional) needs to honor their leader's publicly declared word, and BACK OFF WEHR DAM.
ReplyDeleteIf they want to impress me, they can get a grant to clean up the estimated 200 million tons of COAL SLAG along route 54.
jerks
MM,
ReplyDeleteIn all the local waterways that these grant grab specialist have destroyed, I haven't caught a one trout that lived through too a second stocking?! Now one must travel to the WalNUTport area and above?! I am sure these types already have there designs going up too butt not limited to Jim Thorpe?!
They have added to the toilet dump and catastrophe of the parkway?!
You are extremely myopic on this topic!! You only examine an outdated state report.I have had experiences with these state dam inspectors.DO NOT believe everything you read...I have walked the jordan with an engineer with expertise in dam removal.have you?? You condemn the recreation manager for SWT because of his fathers position. Well I am here to tell you he is very aware of conflict of interest issues AND RECUSES himself from decisions .my final issue is this MM what about the Jordan 110 years ago?? You only concern yourself with the dam since it was built.EXTREMELY MYOPTIC
ReplyDeleteobserver@6:03, the dam is the heart and soul of covered bridge park. without the dam, the park would have likely never been created. your song would sound better in state gamelands and other more natural settings. this is a public park and part of our history. i observed mr. cope at thirteen S.W. meetings, he did NOT recuse himself.
ReplyDeleteMM,
ReplyDeleteThis subserviaint observer is is talking about the jordan that has also corraled the trout speices that once populated the jordan to a few very small holes?! There were trout ladders built in the 70's that were little v like damm so the water flow would flow faster and not have the stagnantion like it is now?! Native trout like swift moving water to keep the oxygen in the water for them to even have a chance of living a he da lther life and quite possibly surviving past a 2nd stocking?!
The fish seem to have been starved in many ways before they are dumped into waters that even starve them of there basic lifes needs since these reprehencible grant grab crimes were perpatrated?! This is not only limited too the human estetics factor but has also infected gods creatures that once inhabited the area?! Now it is only by design that fish are put there for the taking immediatly?! :(
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/warren-county/index.ssf/2016/06/poll_should_columbia_lake_dam.html#incart_river_home
ReplyDeleteThis is not a debate limited to Wehr's Dam, either.