Mission Statement
Calkins Bridge Dam was completed by the City of Allegan in 1935 and acquired by Consumers Energy in 1968. The facility was named for the bridge that originally crossed the river immediately downstream of the dam. The bridge is believed to trace its name to Dr. Arbram R. Calkins, a physician who practiced in the Allegan area from 1841 to his death in 1873.
According to the History of Allegan County from the U. of Michigan “Another prominent physician of Allegan was Dr. H. S. Lay, who began practice in the village in I849 and with brief exceptions practiced in the county over thirty years. A contemporary of his was Dr. Abram R. Calkins, who began his preparation for medicine with Dr. Coates at Otsego and after graduation from a medical college in New York located in Allegan during the forties. His was also a pioneer practice, and for thirty years he was one of the best-known citizens of Allegan. He served as surgeon in the Seventeenth Michigan Infantry during the war and took part in local politics and public affairs. He died in Allegan in I873.”
Years later, prior to 1968 as the City of Allegan had successfully operated its own electric system at Calkins Dam consisting of a 2,550-kw hydroelectric plant and a 4,576-kw diesel plant with transmission and distribution facilities necessary to service 1,822 customers in Allegan, the City’s electric system was not interconnected with any other system and generated its own energy requirements. However, in 1966, the City began seeking an interconnection with some other electric system from which it could purchase power.
After receiving proposals from Consumers and Wolverine Electric Cooperative, the City Council decided to consider an offer by Consumers to purchase the entire system from the City. The resulting agreement, dated December 5, 1966, for the sale of the City’s system to Consumers for $1,785,000, was submitted to a referendum election held January 18, 1967, which resulted in a vote; 798 in favor of the sale and 438 against that satisfied the 60% vote requirement of the City Charter. The sale was not without its complications when the Citizens for Allegan County filed a petition in opposition to the sale. https://casetext.com/case/citizens-for-allegan-cty-v-fpc
Ninety years after the inception of Calkins Dam, Friends of Lake Allegan are promoting a new mission statement.
Assuming a decision by Consumers Energy to relinquish their FERC license to cease hydroelectric operations and the attainment of a long term financial commitment between residents and the county, Friends of Lake Allegan is advocating for a transfer of Calkins Dam ownership as a privately owned entity by Consumers Energy to a publicly owned entity by the lake residents thru a special tax assessment district with oversight and administration by the Allegan County Drain Commission.
Along with public ownership of Calkins dam, the lake water level will need to be legally established thru a court order using Part 307, similar to the existing seven Allegan County lakes with established legal lake levels. Those lakes are Base Line Lake, Dumont Lake, Miner Lake, Monterey Lake, Osterhout Lake, Pine Creek Lake and Pine Lake with Barry County.
Friends of Lake Allegan is also advocating for lake improvements that balance the needs of lake residents with the sustainability of the lake’s natural resources using Part 309 like other existing Allegan County lakes such as Hutchins Lake, Lower Scott Lake, Miner Lake, and Gun Lake which is an intercounty project shared with Barry County.
The civic partnership Friends of Lake Allegan is advocating will be optimally supported thru an alliance with the lake community and four pivotal organizations; Consumers Energy/Public Sector Consultants, Georgia-Pacific, the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and the DNR, and the Allegan County Commissioners.
Lastly, Friends of Lake Allegan is an advocacy group supporting lake stewardship, educational outreach, and will seek to collaborate with visionary stakeholders who are focused on preserving and protecting Lake Allegan for future generations.