8:40 p.m.: The Town Council Wednesday evening voted 11-1 to go forward on a $1.1 million plan to dredge Mead Pond.

"If you've seen mead pond lately, you've seen a big green puddle," said Director of Public Works Mike Pastore. "There's a history to Mead Pond... That history is every year we look at mead pond and we say next year."

The Department of Public Works has been requesting to dredge Mead Pond since 2007, according to Pastore. However, due to budgetary constraints the plan has been repeatedly put on hold. 

Members of the Town Council wrestled with the decision to approve the expenditure less than a month into the fiscal year.

"Where does the money come from for this project?" asked Councilman Paul Foley, who was the only member to vote against the project. "21 days into this [fiscal year] were already going into the general fund for $800,000... I'd rather include this in the real budget and have it in the budget for next year. I think taking this out of the general fund now is irresponsible."

While other members of the Town Council echoed Foley's sentiment, most felt waiting another year could lead to Mead Pond being declared a marsh -- which cannot be dredged.

"Waiting a year could preclude us from dredging the pond," said Town Council Chairman Mark DeWaele. "This issue is so time sensitive, I don't think we should put this off a year."

The project will be partially funded by a $300,000 bond from the state. The remaining $800,000 will be taken from the town's general fund. 

Original story: The Town Council Wednesday evening will decide whether or not to approve a $1.1 million request from the Department of Public Works to dredge the algae-covered Mead Pond, a project many residents are in support of.

"If they don't dredge it, it'll be a parking lot," said Tom Lee, resident of New Canaan. "They need to clean the pond up, this is a park after all. More people use Mead Pond than Mill Pond."

The proposal to dredge Mead Pond is being modeled after a similar project recently completed on Mill Pond. Over 36,000 yards of sediment are expected to be removed and transported to Waveny Park.

"[Mead Pond] never had algae like this," said Dominic Palladino, a New Canaan High School student who was fishing at the pond on Wednesday afternoon. "This is the worst I've ever seen it."

Palladino cast his line into the green waters, his lure splashing next to an upturned fish.

"There's a bunch of dead fish," said Palladino, pointing at the pond. "There's one right there, another there and another there."

New Canaan residents aren't the only ones who are tired of looking at the sediment-filled water. Trevor Laing, a United States Postal Service employee who has delivered mail to Mead Park for years thinks the dredging is a good idea.

"People love the pond and I think everyone would love to see it cleaned up," said Laing. 

The decision will be made during the Town Council Meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the Board Room of Town Hall. If the plan is approved, the town expects $300,000 of the $1.1 million price tag will be covered by state funds.