Four Lakes Task Force

The Sanford Marina was ready to open the day the dam broke. The lakeside business, along with many others were complete destroyed. Six years later, the Sanford dam is fixed, the lake is full and the Marina is getting ready to open for the second time.

Six years after historic flooding caused by the failure of the Edenville, Sanford, Smallwood and Secord Dams devastated parts of Midland and Gladwin Counties, the Sanford Dam and it's lake are almost fully restored.

Nearly six years after flooding devastated the village of Sanford, residents are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel as water comes back to Sanford Lake. Officials estimate the refilling process will be complete by Memorial Day.

Property owners were unsuccessful in their court challenge of the special assessments that will go towards repairing the Secord, Smallwood, Sanford and Edenville dams after they were destroyed in 2020 by mass flooding.

The grant will go to reduce some of the assessment being levied on property owners in the area. It is not yet clear how much the grant will bring bills down.

On May 19, 2020, Sanford Lake Marina Owner Linda Shephard was getting ready to reopen the business when she got a text that she had to evacuate the area due to an incoming flood. Five years later, she is still rebuilding but is hopeful that the marina will be up and running after the lake returns.

In the five years since the Sanford dam failure, the village has rebuilt. But financial challenges persist as the community works on infrastructure projects and prepares for a special assessment to rebuild the dam.

The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled Monday in favor of Gladwin and Midland County officials, and their plan to implement a $200 million dollar assessment on property owners to repair dams that were destroyed in a 2020 flood.

The three-judge panel is promising to quickly issue an opinion

A conflict of interest caused Judge Stephen Carras to voluntarily remove himself from a case that challenges the Four Lakes Task Force's special assessment district.