Warren Township trustees have hired two attorneys to try and stop the removal of the Leavittsburg dam.

One attorney is expected to file an injunction that if approved would prevent the demolition; the other will be fighting to try and revoke the permit to remove the dam.

“We do plan to fight for our residents to the end,” Trustee Ryan Yoho said. “I mean it's what we're here for.”

The Ohio EPA and the Trumbull County MetroParks Board approved for the dam to be removed.

Those in favor of tearing it down say it's a drowning hazard and that the removal would enhance biological diversity in the Mahoning River.

Trustees say they want the dam to stay the way it is but they would also agree to just modifications. 

“Our agreement would be for as is or for a rock ripple and fish ladder to be installed … to take the safety concerns away from the dam,” Yoho said. 

The battle over what to do with the dam has been going on for more than five years.

Trumbull County engineers have previously said they’re worried about a public health nuisance if the dam is removed because there are not proper sanitary sewers in the area. Others are worried about erosion along the Mahoning River if the water line goes down. 

Yoho has previously been outspoken about concerns of the nearby bridge collapsing due to slothing of the concrete supports underneath it.

“All these things are concerns that were in charge of protecting our residents,” Yoho said. 

All three trustees voted in favor of hiring the attorneys. They will be paid for from the township’s general fund. The total cost of the attorneys is unclear.