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Council establishes committee to evaluate suspended weed harvester program |
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Wednesday, 16 January 2008 |
Jennifer Larson
Times Staff Writer
The Forest Lake City Council unanimously agreed at Monday’s regular meeting to establish a committee to evaluate the suspended weed harvester program. They took action to form a committee comprised of representatives from the DNR, Lake Improvement Association, Comfort Lake/Forest Lake Watershed District, the council, city staff and residents.
The committee is charged with evaluating the weed harvesting program that has been operated by the city for a number of years, and to make recommendations back to the council on how to best control the weeds in Forest Lake in the future.
The audience, which numbered around 100, pleaded with the council during the open forum to reinstate the program. Funding for the weed harvester was cut last month from the 2008 budget for a cost savings of over $66,000 next year.
“I’m sure everybody’s real concerned by the turn out here,” said local Joan Holm.
However, Mayor Stev Stegner said they would not address specific questions during the public’s portion to weigh-in on the topic.
He made a motion to set aside funding for the program but that failed without support from the council.
Members of the public who took to the podium concurred that a study should be completed to determine what is the best method for controlling the weeds. They were adamant that something should be done.
“We need those weed eaters,” said lake shore resident Bob Devine Jr.
Greatest Asset
Blake Roberts, president of the newly formed Forest Lake Lake Association, said property owners on the waterfront pay their fair share of taxes. He questioned the council’s decision to cut funding for the program last year, a matter of days after a panel meeting in November Roberts attended to discuss possible weed treatments.
He said the FLLA had hoped to use some of the city’s harvesting budget to treat test areas to see how a chemical herbicide effects the weeds. There is a possibility that the program to harvest 90 acres of weeds could be done for a third of the cost, Roberts added.
He said they are spending less then 1 percent of the city’s $15 million budget on weed control. Roberts said that the lake is ranked as the number one asset in the city’s comprehensive plan.
“We are asking the city council not to turn its back on Forest Lake’s greatest asset,” he said.
Councilwoman Susan Young said Forest Lake is one of the largest assets but that the city also has a phenomenal transportation system, which drew some chuckles.
“I do not believe it (Forest Lake) is the number one asset,” said Young, who was met with boo’s from the crowd.
“I am disappointed the council didn’t earmark any funding,” Roberts said in an interview on Tuesday.
He said the ideal outcome would have been to go forward with the study after funding was in place.
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