I’d like to set the record straight.  If one is going to state facts, then the facts need to be accurate.  That being said, to start with, I have been seeing videos and photographs of my store, The Smiling Cow, for the last year or so that appear to show that my building is experiencing flooding during rain events.  Nobody has contacted me to ask me if this is actually the case.  

For at least the last 10 years there has been absolutely no water in our basement until this past storm of Halloween night, when we did have about 3 inches of water in our basement that receded within a matter of hours. 

There was no damage to any merchandise or displays that are stored in our basement.  In fact, I feel very fortunate because it was reported that many homes throughout Camden were flooded with 6 inches or more during this storm. 

My building has been portrayed as being in one of the most vulnerable locations in the downtown.  However, for many years, since Ken Bailey began managing all the dams in Camden, flooding has not been an issue at my location.  Ken carefully controlled the water levels of the river, and it continues to be managed that way today.  Based on my experience, even in an extreme weather event the Montgomery Dam is not causing flooding in my building.

I would also like to mention that it feels insultingly dismissive to read letters to the editor and hear dialogue claiming that the business people are not concerned with any environmental impact along the Megunticook River. I, for one, live here, grew up here, raised my kids here and care very much about the current and future ecological health of the Megunticook River corridor. 

We all appreciate the benefits of a vital downtown and enjoy the unique visual beauty that is Camden.  We should be sure that we are receiving the correct information before we proceed on a recommendation as drastic as the removal of the Montgomery Dam.

Meg Quijano live in Camden