As they have for several years now, both those supporting and opposing the removal of the Leavittsburg dam made their positions known to the Trumbull MetroPark Board Thursday.
The board assumed ownership of the property after ODOT originally called for it to be taken out.
After much and sometimes heated discussion, the board ultimately voted to go ahead with removal after the EPA recently signed off on it.
Board president Randy Fabrizio says it comes down to following the science.

"We have ODOT, we have Army Corps of Engineers, Ohio EPA, Eastgate Regional Council of Governments...and all the evidence points toward, all the science points toward removal of the dam," Fabrizio said.

But that isn't enough to stop those wanting to keep the dam.
While different people have different reasons, county commissioner Denny Malloy believes the park board isn't acting in the county's best interest.

"And they're making big decisions with no bank account, no insurance, nobody to back them up," said Malloy. "We listen to the public, we listen to the public, we listen to our county engineer, our sanitary engineer, health commissioner, all saying don't do this, and they decide to do it and it's disappointing because they're writing a check that we're going to have to cash ultimately in the long run."

The motion to continue with the demolition process nearly got tabled after board member Kurt Sauer tried to put it on hold, but no one seconded.

The board still wants to meet with governor DeWine's office, the county and state board of health and other agencies to review questions revealed during a county-commissioned study of alternatives.
Those concerns included changes to the floodplain and sanitary issues.
The meeting is expected to be held after the first of the new year.

Meanwhile, despite the board's vote, the fight may not be over.

"There's going to be legal action now I would imagine from not only the public that lives there, but people that utilize the waterways north of the dam," said Malloy.