Sanford

The opinion released Thursday by the Michigan Court of Claims says state environmental officials did not overreach their authority, and that the dam was ultimately private property.

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.

The Sanford Dam Mural Project is raising money to put an 80-foot mural on the newly built dam’s powerhouse wall, along with a community gathering space and a trail that connects the dam to the Sanford Village Park.

A bill proposed by Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Bay City) and Congressman John Moolenaar (R-Caledonia) are pushing to cut red tape for communities impacted by natural disasters.

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.

It will be a few more days before a dam safety task force will finish its final report.The task force was expected to complete its work on Wednesday.…