City, county leaders unveil plan to sell Estabrook Dam to MMSD for $1 without County Board approval

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele, along with aldermen and a representative from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District have announced a plan to remove the Estabrook Dam without the required Milwaukee County Board approval.

Barrett, Abele, Alderman Nick Kovac, Alderman Jim Bohl, Alderman John Hermes and Kevin Shaffer with MMSD on Monday, October 3rd released a joint letter of intent to take the steps necessary to remove the dam.

The letter reads, in part:

Supporters of the Estabrook dam, in favor of repairing it believe it's good for recreation and property values.

Opponents of the Estabrook dam, in favor of removing it, believe the dam is a flood risk and public nuisance. They believe removal would be cheaper and better for the environment.

According to a statement from Chris Abele's office, the plan to remove the Estabrook dam would require the following steps:

The letter concludes:

The statement from the County Executive's Office indicates the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has declared the dam a public nuisance, and Milwaukee County, as the owner and operator of the dam, is required to solve the nuisance conditions.

The statement indicates it would cost more (at least $4.1 million -- $600,000 more than the county has available and not including ongoing maintenance costs) to repair the dam than it would to remove it (a one-time cost of $1.7 million).

City and county leaders say removing the dam would eliminate an eyesore and litter found in the river -- and curb the flood risk.

Milwaukee County Board Chairman Theo Lipscomb issued this statement on the plan to circumvent the board, and transfer ownership of the dam from the county to the city in order to demolish it: