Antrim County drain commissioner urges Grand Traverse board to delegate authority for Elk Rapids spillway repairs

Leslie Myers, Antrim County’s drain commissioner and operator of dams, told the Grand Traverse County Board on Dec. 3 that the Elk Rapids hydro dam appears structurally sound but its overflow spillway is undermining and risks collapse if not addressed.

Myers, who said she has led engineering and legal work across the Elk River chain, described roughly $1.2 million already spent on studies and design work and said some grant programs have dried up. She told commissioners the Bel Air Dam — in the upper chain — is now estimated at about $6.2 million to repair and that once detailed construction drawings exist, the true costs become clearer. “The longer we kick cans down the road, the more expensive things get,” Myers said, urging the board to act proactively rather than reactively.

Why it matters: The spillway work affects lake levels and the recreation, property access and shorelines of thousands of parcels. Myers said a special-assessment district would apportion costs according to direct and indirect benefits and that municipal and state-owned properties would not be exempt from assessments if the district is created.

Commissioners pressed for details on how earlier study dollars were spent and whether contracting followed the county’s bidding processes. Myers said roughly $125,000 was authorized for preliminary work (including engineering and hydrologic studies) and described grant matches, Army Corps work and in-house efforts to limit consultant costs. On the likely per-parcel estimate for the lower district, Myers called the roughly $2,000 figure “napkin math” derived by dividing a preliminary estimate by the 4,000 affected lots and said a formal calculation will follow more precise design numbers.

Board action and next steps: Commissioners directed administration to prepare a revised resolution for the board’s second meeting in January that would (as discussed) define delegated authority, spending limits and quarterly reporting back to the county. The board also voted to respectfully request a review and opinion from Grand Traverse County’s own drain commissioner on the Antrim proposal.

What remains unresolved: Exact construction costs for the Elk Rapids spillway are pending the final report and design drawings; Myers said a design report was expected by the end of the month and that cost estimates would be refined once soils and designs were final. If a special-assessment district is formed, parcel counts and formal apportionments will be determined later in the process and subject to public hearings and court oversight as required by statute.

The board asked staff to return with a written resolution and associated legal language in January so commissioners can consider delegation or alternate approaches once the documentation is complete.