by Kassadee Bradshaw | October 24, 2019 6:34 pm
FULTON – What seemed like a normal course of action for DPW Commissioner CJ Smith turned out to be a bigger problem for Fulton resident Dawn Bristol in the fate of Sharp’s Pond.
Bristol approached the Common Council during their meeting on Oct. 15 to inquire about why the boards for Sharp’s Pond’s dam had been removed and why the pond was draining. The councilors did not seem to know what she was talking about, and First Ward Councilor Tom Kenyon confirmed the confusion.
Smith cleared the air with the council during their DPW committee meeting on Oct. 22.
“Nothing in that project has progressed to any more of the extent than when we left the situation months ago,” Smith said.
He explained that he had met with the Department of Environmental Conservation on June 10 in regards to Sharp’s Pond to go over the pre-application and permit process to decommission the dam.
Because the permitting process is so long, the DEC recommended to Smith to prepare in the meantime by removing stop logs – the wooden boards – to start reducing the water in the pond and allow for vegetation to take over. This would make the project next season easier to accomplish.
“We’re the owners of the dam; we have the right to remove said stop logs,” Smith said. “What you’ve got to remember is the stop logs are not the dam… The dam is the concrete and the surrounding of [the stop logs].”
He said the DPW has been removing or replacing stop logs for several years and is not out of the norm for the city to do, and does not require a permit to do.
They began gradually reducing the water level of the pond by beginning to remove the stop logs from the dam in July. However, when they went to check on it, they discovered someone had cut new boards to put back in. Subsequently, the DPW had to take them back out.
At the start of October, the DPW went to check on it again and saw the water level was back up and new boards had been placed. This kept happening so Smith said they had to fence off the area and put up No Trespassing signs.
“Regardless of what our thoughts are on the pond, as of right now, we are decommissioning the dam. I can only do what our intentions are to do,” Smith said. “In order to do that, I have to remove these and get ready for that project next year, which should have been done this year. Had it not been for the social media aspect of it, it probably would have been done.”
Smith also said the DPW did not remove a beaver dam, and said the pile of branches near the stop logs was just debris that floated and gathered from the water flow. Fifth Ward Councilor Dennis Merlino said he believes the last of the beavers at the pond died this past summer.
“That pond has been neglected for years,” Smith said. “The city has not expended any funds to make it any better. We have done nothing to maintain the dam. The dam’s intended purpose of harvesting ice is no longer a useful need.”
Smith said when the dam is decommissioned and it reverts back to its natural form, a creek, it will highlight Rowlee Beach Park, where the pond is located.
He said while everyone is entitled to their own opinion regarding Sharp’s Pond, it was decided to decommission the dam to reduce the risk of a breach in the dam, which he said could potentially harm downstream properties and Route 3.
“Bottom line, that’s the only thing we’ve voted on so far – to decommission the dam,” said Common Council President Don Patrick Jr.
Previous coverage on Sharp’s Pond this year:
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/fulton/dpw-commissioner-clears-air-on-sharps-pond/
Copyright ©2026 Oswego County Today unless otherwise noted.