Complaint Review: Corps of Engineers

I am concerning over recent decling conditons of a lake here in VA located in Franklin County, Philpott Resevoir. There was a recent article on channel 7 news here in Roanoke that was profiling the lake level being so low. After the Corps was interviewed, the reason for the EXTREME low level of the lake was because of the drought. Strange though....all of the other lakes in the areas are right at full pond....this is definately questionable????

The ONLY marina at the lake, which gives us docking for our boats and rental garages, and especially gas...was lost to a fire in Jan..ruled accidental and a total loss for our store and eating facilities.

The owners gave me a copy of a letter stating that the Corps was not going to allow them to renew their lease (which they have only 13 months left on this one) and they are demanding that they tear down the burnt rubble as well as the garages, boat housing, 50 slips for docking, even the house the owners live in,and pull out all of the gas tanks that was just installed. What is wrong with these people? Even you can't build or own property directly,on the lake shore, there are campsites and swimming areas available. there are 11 launching ramps on the lake and only 3 are usable.

I have a copy of the letter that the Corps sent them, and this sound like a personal vindicive measure from a Carl Smith, with the Corps. He apparently has shown the owners he don't like them, irregardless, do not crucify the public. We are not into this ....if it is personal, take it to the wood shed, I say, and keep the public out! This marina has been there and intack since about 1951......a LANDMARK I'd say, and that's what most of the patrons of the lake remember.

Now Mr Smith is saying that he will build a facility for gas across the lake and that the current owners can bid on working the facility....what about what's there at the old marina now? Docks that are about less than 2 yrs old and tear out all of this just to go across the lake to destroy the trees and disturb the wildlife and the fishing over there? What is going on here?

The letter is stating, that they can rebuild the marina for the remaining 13 months of their lease, but after that lease expires, you tear it all down...these people have been good to us patrons and they have invested alot of money in this and it is their livelyhood......so at this point, we are taking the legal route and so far ..nothing...

How does this sound to you? We just bought a house about 1/2 mile from this marina and we keep our pontoon docked there in the summer....so much for my property investment as well..Can you help with this?
Saw you on CBS!
God Bless
Sheril Stanley Whiteside