Warrant Articles Push Balmoral Dam Removal

A plan to remove dams in Andover progresses along as selectmen mull a decision to endorse two warrant articles related to the removal of the Balmoral Dam in Shawsheen Village.

Selectmen met with a consultant Monday night to discuss the status of the Balmoral Dam removal process as well as the Stevens Street Dam removal process.

Project consultant Tom Ardito said that the Balmoral Dam would be the first to go and estimated the total cost of removing the dam at $200,000 to $300,000. However, he said that many dam removals have been funded almost entirely by state and federal grants and other forms of aid.

Ardito came before the board Monday to prepare them to make a recommendation on two warrant articles.

The warrant articles pertain to "taking" land around the dam in order to perform the deconstruction. The articles simply give selectmen the authority to take both permanent and temporary ownership over the land in and around the dam, as well as the dam itself, which is owned by a South Carolina company who didn't even know they owned it.

Half of the land surrounding the dam, located directly off Haverhill Street, is owned by the town while the other half is owned by the Balmoral Condominium Trust, whose board supported the dam removal unanimously.The town also owns half the river bed while the condo trust owns the other half of the river bed.

Selectman Alex Vispoli asked Ardito if he expects the project will need taxpayer funds and, if so, how much.

Ardito said that they wouldn't turn away funds if taxpayers wanted to allocate them and added that, if not, they would find funding, either privately or through grants.

"If the town is not interested in contributing funding we certainly feel we can raise funds elsewhere," said Ardito.

Selectmen have until next month to make a decision on the warrant article endorsement.

Removing the dam is expected to help flooding problems in the area, restore the natural river ecosystem, and improve the river overall for better use by the community.