Rangeley residents and town staff at an ad hoc committee meeting on the Hailey Pond dam appointed leadership, adopted meeting procedures and directed staff to collect technical information on repairs and ownership.

The committee unanimously appointed Jim Genasi as chairman and Nick (last name not specified in the record) as vice chairman, adopted Robert's Rules of Order to govern meetings and agreed to meet monthly on the first Tuesday at 5 p.m., starting Oct. 7.

Committee members opened a broad technical discussion about the dam and its sluice gate, with repeated concerns about missing or rotted bottom boards, settlement and upstream erosion of embankments, and cracks in concrete wing walls. Members described visible shoreline rings and cobble exposure that indicate long-term level fluctuation and urged the town to prioritize a gate repair so the pond can hold a reliable water level.

"The dam was not an immediate threat to public safety. Inspection showed no signs of incipient failure, but the dam does require repairs," said Joe (staff member), summarizing a state inspection and action plan dated August 2021 that he said he would share with the group. He told the committee the action plan included an operating procedure and a paint mark on the dam concrete that is supposed to show the target water level.

Members discussed options for managing levels and repairs. Suggestions ranged from simple, on-site repairs to hiring an engineer; several members urged the committee to determine whether the town actually owns the dam and to contact outside parties that might have records or responsibility. The committee agreed staff would reach out to a state dam official who had previously inspected the structure and to a local contact at Union Power (name Peggy) to check historic ownership and maintenance records.

Several speakers described local volunteer gate operators who currently respond to runoff and storms and noted instances when volunteers were called in during heavy rain. One committee participant recommended formalizing responsibilities — including the possibility of a small seasonal stipend — so individuals are available to manage the gate rather than relying on informal volunteer arrangements. The suggestion included a specific example from the discussion: an added $2,000 per year to the sewer department to fund two people to monitor the gate during the six-month runoff season; that was presented as a proposal during discussion, not an adopted policy.

Members also discussed longer-term technological options, including an automated gate system that would use weather and streamflow data to raise or lower the gate under human oversight. Committee members said exploring automation may be worthwhile but would be a longer-term project requiring funding and voter or elected-official approval.

The committee directed staff to:
- Share the existing inspection and action-plan documents with members ahead of the next meeting;
- Invite the state dam official who oversaw the August 2021 inspection to speak at a future meeting;
- Contact Union Power (and the local contact Peggy) to search for ownership or historical maintenance records; and
- Inspect the gate and prioritize at least a temporary fix to restore the missing/rotten bottom boards.

The committee set its next meeting for Tuesday, Oct. 7, at 5 p.m. and asked members to review the inspection report and operating procedure before that session. No formal vote was taken on funding, permanent repairs, ownership changes or automation; those items remain under study and will return to the committee for future recommendation to elected officials.

Ending — The newly formed committee urged prompt fact-finding and technical review so it can produce a recommendation on ownership, short-term repairs and longer-term policy or budget needs. The committee will reconvene Oct. 7 at 5 p.m., when state and outside contacts are expected to be invited to brief the group.