Democrats stick Salem County for Willow Grove Lake Dam renovation while having no liability.

Myself as County Counsel, County Engineer Chris Rehmann, Assis. Bridge Superintendent Bill Miller & Roads Superintendent Speedy Hogate developed an approach that successfully thumbed the County's nose at dubious claims by NJDEPE and others that the County had liability according to the Safe Dam Act to repair somebody else's problem.  We saved hundreds of thousands of Salem County taxpayer dollars!Counties own bridges, not earthen embankments or water control structures which property owners attached long ago to create ponds and lakes to fuel mills or irrigate cropland. 

The Salem County Democrat Administration either can't or won't figure it out. Salem County Democrats have been browbeaten by a Cumberland County judge to help fund an engineering study in concert with Cumberland County for renovation of the Willow Grove Lake.  No dummy, Cumberland Co.'s atty. Brendan Kavanagh says Salem County will pay 70% of the dam repair costs.

According to the Safe Dam Act, if you don't own, control or maintain the water control structure you can't be liable.  Tell the fabulously wealthy property owner, The Nature Conservancy and NJDEPE to drain the water in Willow Grove Lake for good.  They'll fix the Dam and the taxpayers won't be hoodwinked into paying for anything but their due, renovation of great but old & crumbling WPA bridges throughout the county.