HOLLY TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — A judge ruled Monday that the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy can continue drawing down the Stiffs Mill Pond in Holly, an emergency process that began Monday morning despite opposition from local residents.
The village of Holly filed for a temporary injunction to halt the drawdown, but a Michigan Court of Claims judge ultimately decided the work could proceed.
Watch the video report below:
The plan entails lowering the water level by 6 inches for a total of 4 feet.
Regina Kakos, who lives along the pond, expressed her dismay as she watched the water levels begin to drop.
"Moving here was a dream," Kakos said. "There's nothing like kayaking on the waterways and the headwaters here."
The pond is a beloved spot for many residents, including 7-year-old Stella Szarenski.
"When I went fishing one time, I caught a pike," Stella said.
Kakos captured the moment the drawdown began Monday morning on her cameras.
"It's actually really overwhelming. It's been a pretty long day and I think my emotions are going to get the best of me tonight for sure," Kakos said.
Village Manager Timothy Price emphasized that local officials aren't opposed to necessary repairs but are concerned about the process.
"What our concerns are with are not against the drawdown. We understand that we're gonna have to drawdown, repairs are going to have to be made. We are not arguing that at all. We are arguing about the process that's being followed," Price said.
Previous report: Many Holly residents rally to save historic dam as environmental concerns mount
The village typically conducts drawdowns in the fall each year, but Price claims they weren't properly consulted and engaged.
"We don't know what those impacts are gonna be and a lot of these impacts are concerning not just to us, our own community, but to our surrounding communities," Price said.
EGLE stated the drawdown follows years of working with the village to reduce public safety risks posed by the dam. Inspections found the earth embankments unstable, putting them at "elevated danger for failure during a high water event," according to the agency.
The state agency also claims the village never completed requested work and made unauthorized modifications in 2021 that worsened conditions.
EGLE released the following statement:
"The current drawdown follows years of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy working with the Village of Holly to take action to reduce the public safety risk posed by the dam. The village has been afforded due process in accordance with Part 315 of Michigan’s Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act [legislature.mi.gov].
"The Village of Holly was notified of the drawdown in an emergency order on July 14 (see attached). The Michigan Court of Claims today denied the village’s request for a temporary restraining order to stop the drawdown (see attached).
"We know the situation is frustrating, and we share that frustration. Michigan residents should be able to feel confident in the safety of our dams, and the use of our lakes and streams should not be interrupted because of failure to maintain infrastructure. We will continue to work with Holly and all other communities facing similar challenges to ensure that safety risks posed by dams are addressed."
Price counters that the village wants to fix the issues but has received inconsistent guidance.
"Everyone wants the same goals; we just want to follow the correct process. We want to know what regulations we need to be looking at," Price said.
Price says they're still hoping to work with EGLE on how to repair the dam.
“We don't even know what the goal line is, so we can’t even give realistic numbers about what this is going to cost us,” Prices said.
A hearing is scheduled for July 29 at 9 a.m., but the drawdown will continue and should conclude before the hearing date.
Kakos, part of a growing group advocating for the dam's preservation, plans to continue her efforts.
"I feel like people knowing the story is how we get it out there. It's how we find a win. It's how we find a path forward," Kakos said.
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