Lisbon - The future of thew Lower Blissful Dam should be put in voters’ hands, First Selectman Dan Teper said.

The dam must be repaired or destroyed by order of the state Department of Environmental Protection. Both options are costly.

Repairing the dam will cost an estimated $40,541. The estimated cost of destroying it is $23,213. That does not include seeding and landscaping. Two-thirds of the land under the pond created by the dam.

Selectmen held a special meeting this week to discuss the matter. They plan to have an information public hearing and put the issue to a vote.

"Now it’s time for everyone to do a lot of research and some soul-searching," Teper said.

The town has a $75,000 grant to repair or destroy the dam, but would have to acquire ownership and responsibility for the dam in order to use the money.

During the last election Democrats claimed credit for acquiring the grant to restore the dam.

Teper said the only advantage to destroying the dam is that it removes a problem. He said the town would be responsible for future repairs and maintenance cost.

Town Historian Richard Herrmann said the dam is valuable for aesthetic and historical reason.

"(Destroying) it would be a mistake. It would just ruin everything," he said.

No one knows when the dam was built or why. Records show it was used for a mill in the early 1800s.

"To (destroy) it is not the answer. They have enough money to keep the dam," he said.

Ted Linn has owned a home near the pond for three years.

"It would be a disaster for it to become just a mud hole and a stream," he said.

"The main attraction was the land and the pond," he said.

The controversy surrounding the dam has lasted for more than a decade because of problems in determining ownership and responsibility for it. Town officials are awaiting a decision about ownership from the state attorney general before taking action.

David DePietro and Pamella Sullivan are fighting to keep the dam.

They bought a house near the pond and land under the pond about a year ago after former First Selectman Jeremiah Shea told them the dam would remain in place.

"(The dam) basically depicts what Connecticut is," David DePietro said.

"First and utmost the pond has historical value. Second and just as important is fire safety," he said.

Town officials agree the pond is convenient for firefighters, but point out there are other water sources in the area.

"It’s a help, there’ no question; but it is not an absolute necessity," Teper said.

Fire Chief John Mather agreed, but said there could be a significant time delay while fire hoses are being laid to other sources.

Land under the pond is owned by three people. There is no public access to the pond.

Extensive temporary repairs were made to the 141-foot dam last summer at a cost of $9,000.