Hundreds of Gladwin and Midland county residents reacted with anger after the two county boards of commissioners voted Tuesday to enact a special assessment to pay for rebuilding two dams that failed in 2020.
The dams failed after days of heavy rain. The century-old dams unleashed a torrent downstream as water drained from Wixom and Sanford lakes. The flood inundated communities in both counties, damaging homes and forcing thousands to flee.
The special assessment will pay for restoring the Edenville and Sanford dams and the lakes.
But property owners said the assessment comes at too high a price. Many said paying the assessment will drain their savings and slash the value of their homes.
“They’re not listening. They have no heart. I don’t understand it,” said Michael Pickfitt of Sanford.
Property owners have 15 days to appeal the decision in court.
The cost of the restoration project is currently pegged at close to $400 million dollars. That's about $100 million more than estimated back in 2022.
“We know these increases are disappointing. And we understand the impact on our communities,” said Dave Kepler, leader of the Four Lakes Task Force.
Kepler blamed escalating construction costs in the broader economy.
The assessment is expected to raise more than $200 million. The rest of the funding is expected to come from state and federal sources.
