Posted: 8/14/02

City discusses boat ramp options

Jessica Foster
Staff Writer

Forest Lake resident Tom Whitacre came before the Forest Lake City Council Monday night with a petition in hand.

That petition, signed by about 700 city and area residents, was a plea to keep the boat ramp open on First Lake.

The petition was the result of conversations at Delís Garage. Del Branum and Whitacre have been leading the petition effort.

There has been discussion at city level about closing the downtown ramp to make way for a fishing pier and downtown development, but no decisions have been made.

Whitacre said the public was not kept abreast of developments about the boat ramp and urged the city to keep it open for a variety of reasons.

However, Mayor Ray Daninger said while options have been discussed, no action has been taken.

ìWe always have had the intention of finding an alternate source,î Daninger said. ìIt was never our intention to close that ramp and not have access some place.î

City Engineer Paul Hornby offered the public sketches of options.

Those options keep a boat ramp on First Lake at Lakeside Memorial Park, but move the ramp slightly to the south, more toward the concession stand.

While the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources would have something to say about it, Councilman Bruce Carlson said boaters could benefit by a ramp closer to the beach, as the water is deeper.

Whitacre volunteered his time in working with city officials to determine an option.

ìWe want progress to go forward,î Whitacre said. ìThe only thing is we do want public boat access on First Lake.î

Fishing contest

Saying ìit just canít happen two years in a row,î Jason Gadd of the Hopkins Jaycees came to the council to set a contest date.

While warm winter temperatures halted the annual Golden Rainbow ice fishing contest last year, the council approved dates for the 2003 contest, weather permitting.

The contest is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 1 with a fallout date of Sunday, Feb. 15.

Gadd said the organization is hoping for colder temperatures this winter. He said canceling the contest in 2002 ìthrew our organization into a spiral.î

ìWeíre looking at a lot of different avenues for our own security and to protect out interest as the Jaycees as well,î Gadd said.

July 4th

Barb Olson and Bob Flaherty, representing American Legion Post 225, came before the council to get a head start on planning the 2003 Independence Day celebration here.

Saying the Legion ìcanít let a lot of grass grow before 2003,î Flaherty asked for the cityís help in finding a suitable site for the carnival.

ìWe need to find a site for the carnival,î Flaherty said. ìWe do want to continue the celebration here.î

As in yearís past, there have been complaints about the carnival hired by the American Legion. Flaherty said the Legion would like to hire a better carnival. However, to seek out a new carnival operation, a site needs to be set by November of this year.

The city agreed to begin discussing options. The dates for the 2003 celebration were approved as July 3-6 with set-up on July 2 and tear down the morning of July 7.

Traffic concerns

Karen Voss, who lives on SE 11th Ave. also presented a petition to the city Monday night. She and her neighbors were asking for the installation of stop signs at the corner of 11th Ave. SE and 16th St. SE.

ìWeíd like to see a one way stop turn into a three way stop sign. The neighborhood has changed dramatically in the past five years,î Voss said.

The stop signs were endorsed by Director of Public Safety Dave Schwartz. The council approved the stop signs contingent on the engineer taking a look at the situation.

In another traffic concern, Rev. Jack Tenjack of Grace Alliance Church asked for a crosswalk between the church and the churchís parking lot.

The council approved, also at the endorsement of Schwartz, painting a cross walk toward the southside of the north driveway into the parking lot as well as posting signs.

Meetings

The Forest Lake City Council regularly meets at 6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Monday of each month in city council chambers. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 26.

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