As discussion continues about whether the city should have treated Fountain Lake this summer to reduce its green hue, Albert Lea city staff and council members are discussing an option to raise the money for the treatments next year.

Albert Lea Mayor Randy Erdman said city leaders are considering raising dock fees by $40 during 2009. The fees are currently $60, and there is talk to raise them to $100. The money raised from the fees would give the city an extra $10,000, which is almost the entire price of the copper sulfate treatment. This year, staff estimated the treatment to be $12,000.

Erdman said a lot of the concern about the lakes comes from people who actually use them, so it would make sense to do this.

“One hundred (dollars) is not unreasonable,” Erdman said. In places like Clear Lake the dock fees are sometimes $200, $300 or even $400.

Nothing has been decided, however, as the council and city staff are still working to balance the budget, he said.

And in the mean time, Erdman said, he is frustrated with the situation this year as there’s been all sorts of discussion about the lake treatment, but very few people who have actually asked the council to treat the lake.

“Nobody asked the powers at be, they all kind of went around and pointed fingers,” he said. “I find that kind of disheartening.”

He said neither one of the councilors who live on the lake nor himself have received calls about treating the lake. He knew this week that Councilor Reid Olson has received three calls about it — two against treatment and one for.

“Everybody else is making a big issue about this, but they’re not asking the council to do it,” he said. “Everybody’s blaming the council but nobody’s asked the council.”

One of the first formal requests came this week by letter submitted by Albert Lea Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Susie Petersen pleading to treat the lake.

“The aesthetics of our lakes reflects directly back to the image of our community,” Petersen wrote. “‘The Land Between the Lakes’” needs to be lakes that are attractive to be utilized by citizens and visitors.

“The City council has made many great decisions to make our city inviting and create a good image … Why make so many great decisions and allow the image to be tarnished with a green lake?

“Please address this issue as soon as possible, before our image is changed and pride for our city fades.”

Petersen could not be reached for further comment.