The crowd of people attending the March 4 South Whitehall commissioners' meeting presented a mix of viewpoints concerning the future of Wehr's Dam.

Most were residents. Others were professors or people outside the township who expressed opinions on what they believe is best for Jordan Creek and Covered Bridge Park.

Bob Schantz, who has been participating in the Save Wehr's Dam organization for more than nine months, said a visitor to the dam told him the structure is like an aging parent or loved one. It needs care.

Schantz reported another person declared appreciation for the extraordinary beauty of Covered Bridge Park and advised his group, "Don't make the extraordinary ordinary."

Landscape photographer Mary Hess expressed dismay at the thought of losing the dam.

"Heavy overgrowth would prevent accessibility to the creek," said Hess.

Don Holden has an opposing view.

"The creek was there a long time before the dam was built," Holden said. " If we take the dam down, common sense says it will be all right."

His wife, Sharon, agreed.

"There are a large group of residents who want the dam removed," Sharon Holden said. "It should have a natural flow and a natural look.

"Why spend money on this?" she asked. "Remove it without any cost to the taxpayer."

On the other hand, Ron and Celie Turner, who live in a stone farmhouse near the dam, want to have it preserved.

"Without the dam, the park is not going to be the caliber of attraction it is today," Ron Turner said. "Let's focus on the 7,000 people who signed petitions to save the dam."

Director of Environmental Sciences at Moravian College Frank Kuserk said there is some safety hazard to the dam, along with economic issues if it is repaired.

"These dams serve no function they already had," Kuserk said. "I think this plan would improve the aesthetics by moving forward with the restoration," observed Kuserk.

Joe Colosi, who teaches environmental science at DeSales University, had similar beliefs.

"The mill, not the dam, was the bigger historical feature of the park," Colosi said.

Charles Laputka offered his thoughts on the matter.

"I think the dam is pretty, but I don't think that's a reason to keep it. It doesn't serve a purpose anymore," Laputka said. "The stream should flow the way nature intended it."

Abigail Pattishall, vice president of conservation at the Wildlands Conservancy which secured the grant funding for the study by KCI Technologies, commented on the issue.

"The science is indisputable," Pattishall said. "We will always work collaboratively with the community. The decision is the township's alone. We respect the public process.

"The study does validate what we all thought at the beginning.

"Many experts and specialists were involved in this study."

Commissioner Glenn Block said the future of Wehr's Dam has been under discussion at meetings for many months.

"Here we are at March 4 and we're still talking about this," Block said. "I fully intend to bring this to a vote.

"We have enough information at this point to move forward with some kind of decision. It's time to move on."

President Christina "Tori" Morgan stated a decision could be made at the next commissioners' meeting March 18.