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FLLA shocked by council move to end weed harvesting program in 2008 |
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Monday, 31 December 2007 |
As the board of the newly formed Forest Lake Lake Association, we were shocked by the Forest Lake City Council’s recent elimination of the aquatic weed cutting program.
We had two good reasons to be dismayed:
This summer, the city’s own Comprehensive Plan Advisory Panel — formed to help the council understand what’s important to citizens — identified the lake as the city’s greatest strength.
They also said that failure to manage the lake’s ecosystem was one of the city’s greatest threats. The diverse group of 25 volunteer citizens recognized the lake is beneficial to more than just lakeshore homeowners.
It brings in visitors and business, so it is vital to our economy.
On November 13, 2007, more than 100 citizens attended a panel discussion about weed harvesting, hosted by the Forest Lake Lake Association.
Among the panel members were city representatives Chip Robinson, Mike Tate and Mayor Stev Stegner. It was a very educational and open discussion about how to improve weed elimination.
We discussed the idea of jointly exploring an environmentally friendly herbicide, which has proved more effective than cutting at other lakes.
Then less than a month later, with no warning or even a courtesy call to the association, the city pulled the plug on weed harvesting funding for 2008.
Our intent in forming the Forest Lake Lake Association was not to take over the financial and functional responsibilities of our local government, but to simply assist city leaders in improving our aquatic community.
If you want Forest Lake City Council members to uphold their obligation and reinstate the weed harvesting program, please send them email messages or join us at the Monday,, Jan. 14 city council meeting, 7 p.m. at Forest Lake City Hall, 220 N. Lake St., when the matter will be discussed.
— An opinion column from the Forest Lake Lake Association.
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