GRAFTON, Wis. — The Grafton Village Board voted Monday to start the process of repairing the Bridge Street Dam by soliciting bids, ending months of debate over the fate of the century-old structure after its hydraulic arm broke in early May.
The board's decision came after three hours of passionate public comment from residents divided between repairing the dam and removing it altogether. Most who spoke at Monday's meeting were in favor of repairing the dam.
Watch: Grafton village board greenlights bid process to repair dam after months with a broken hydraulic arm
An initial bid submitted for the repairs in May would have cost upwards of $150,000, but members of the board signaled Monday they hope to get a better deal through the bidding process.
The hydraulic arm failure has lowered the Milwaukee River level noticeably since Spring, draining the millpond and leaving mud flats behind. Neighbors say the change has affected the look, smell, and feel of the river running through downtown Grafton.
Lisa Kincaid moved to Grafton a year ago and lives in site of the dam. She says the structure is an asset to the community.
"Kids come here for fishing. They ride their bikes. There's a school over there," Kincaid said. "It smells. It's just awful."
Kincaid said she wants the dam repaired quickly and reached out to share her concerns with a wider audience.
"I love this river. I love this dam," she said. "I just hate seeing it be such a hot point. It doesn't need to be this way."
Fellow neighbor Bill Harbeck echoed that urgency, arguing the dam's role in shaping downtown Grafton cannot be understated.
"This dam creates a millpond that's different. It's right downtown. So you're going to drastically change the nature of what's downtown," Harbeck said.
Not all residents agreed. Some speakers at Monday's meeting argued the dam should be removed entirely, saying it causes more harm than good to the river ecosystem. Julia Lee was among those who made that case before the board.
"Dams are one of the most harmful things you can honestly do to a river," Lee said. "It's the Milwaukee River, and the fact that it resembles a lake at all underscores the real harm being done."
The village also signaled Monday that it has received a new petition for direct legislation related to the dam — echoing a 2010 referendum in which Grafton neighbors voted to save the same structure.
Similar debates over dam removal have played out in nearby Cedarburg in recent years.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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