There are strong opinions in Trumbull County on whether the Leavittsburg Dam should stay or go. 

According to the Leavittsburg Dam Removal Project Preliminary Schedule provided to 21 News by the park board, the removal of the dam is expected to formally begin in August.

21 News has followed updates on the potential removal for years and reported a trial scheduled for May. People living in Warren Township gathered Tuesday to speak their minds and discuss all options at a community town hall.  

"The trustees, residents, the township employees were not consulted or considered by the park board," said Warren Twp. Zoning Inspector Tyler Wilson. "Once the dam is out, there are going to be so many side effects."

"Our reason isn't just about saving a dam. Our reason is to save our community," explained Debbie Roth, President of Our Lives Count. "The hope is that MetroParks realize the risks of removing the dam. For example, we fear the roads collapsing, the toxins in the sediment they won't remove, the trees collapsing on the property, or the fire station could fall in. We also fear it compromises safety services because they're on this side of the river and a lot of our township is on the other side."

The township filed a review with the Environmental Review Appeals Committee. A permit injunction hearing is scheduled for May 19 to determine if demolishing the Leavittsburg Dam is the right move.

"The MetroParks Board is currently not listening to what the residents of our township want," explained Warren Twp. resident Matthew Griggs. "The longer this goes on, the more that our township is spending and we don't have that money to spend."

"There's going to be side effects to the roads, to the fire department with the crumbling of our fire station, and there's going to be problems with the water quality as well as exposed sewer lines in the river," said Wilson. 

But the Trumbull County MetroParks Board voted in favor of its demolition, citing flooding and drowning concerns. 

A commissioner-funded independent study showed a rock ripple alternative.

"They paid for the DLZ study to combat the ideas that there could be problems that the MetroParks Board doesn't agree with," explained Trustee Ryan Yoko. "The rock ripple alternative backs up the dam one to four-foot boulders so far out to where that would be more like white water. I believe if you're the MetroParks, you just created yourself also an attraction to one of your properties for people who do canoe and kayak."

The rock ripple would be far less of an expense to taxpayers compared to the $3.5 million removal.

"It gives them what they want," Roth added. "This is what they set out for. They just choose to completely ignore it. If your goal was to make the dam safer and be able to kayak through there, that gives you both things that you wanted."

"We're looking at every single avenue if the legal battle doesn't go our way next month," Wilson added. "We're going to do everything we possibly can and I feel good about it. The Trumbull County Commissioners have been helpful and are on our side."

The Trumbull County Commissioners have stated they remain neutral on the dam debate. 

According to the preliminary schedule, mussel relocation efforts were scheduled to begin May 1. Mobilization, access & staging was expected to start on May 5. 

The park board agreed to halt the demolition schedule until June 1, which pushes the project back.