Eight years after the Parker Mills Pond Dam was designated a High Hazard Potential Dam by the state, residents are invited to learn more about the state of the dam and its potential future.

On June 7, tune into a Zoom meeting from 6 to 7:30 p.m. for an introduction to the advisory committee, project team and current plans for the dam. The town is looking for feedback from the public.

The town project, which began last summer, aims to restore the Wankinco River, protect infrastructure and improve nearby flood conditions, according to the town’s project documents. Further goals for the project include bettering public access, improving the migration path and habitats for fish and supporting the redevelopment of the nearby Tremont Nail Factory.

The Parker Mills Pond Dam, located under a closed section of Elm Street, has long been an object of attention for the town. For a time the ownership, and thus responsibility for renovation, of the dam was under debate between the town and the cranberry company A.D. Makepeace.

In 2018, the town filed suit against the cranberry grower, claiming that it owned only 25% of the dam. The company claims that the town has full responsibility. The town later dropped the suit and entered into a series of negotiations with the company, an official said at the time. The town has not given up its rights to file litigation about the matter in the future.

An inspection of the dam was completed on May 5, according to the project’s website. Experts from the civil and environmental engineering firm Fuss & O'Neill are working as consultants to the town for the dam assessment project.

An advisory committee composed of various town officials, developers, residents and others is tasked with guiding the project.

One future public meeting is scheduled in September for the committee to present alternative plans for the dam’s future and for residents to give their feedback to the group. A final public meeting is scheduled for October for the committee to present its final plans.

The Zoom link for the June 7 meeting is available at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86138554556.