The following are comments made by local residents on the proposed bridge-dam project during the Tuesday meeting of the Freeborn County Board of Commissioners. It would have had a variable-crest dam. The plan had been approved 4-3 in August by the Shell Rock River Watershed District Board of Managers, but it was rejected Tuesday by the commissioners 3-2:

Larry Anderson, president of the Fountain Lake Sportsman’s Club, said the club favors the plan as approved by the watershed district. He said it is more hazardous for inspections of the dam in its present place, and he added it is safer for fisherman to have a parking lot than to park on the side of the road.

Anderson also is a candidate for Albert Lea City Council.

Ken Nelson has lived in Albert Lea Lake for 58 years. He said has worked on improving the lake and many people have worked for years on the proposal that became the bridge-dam project before the county Tuesday. He said they have documented damage to the shores of the lake by winter ice and by floods. He said 18 years of progress is being trumped by one man, Greg Jensen, who Nelson said has a desire for his own private domain.

“If ever there was a pursuit of action, the time is now,” Nelson said.

Michael Kenis also lives on the lake. He said he has seen the shoreline taken by the ice. He said when the Albert Lea sewer plant operated at Frank Hall Park, it created an ice buckle in the lake, which relieved pressure on the shore. When that plant shut down, the ice began pushing against the shores.

He said the Department of Natural Resources initially said that is what happens to a prairie lake, but the University of Minnesota did research and confirmed it is a glacial lake.

“Whatever dam goes in, it needs to protect the shoreline,” Kenis said.

He said there is some soil runoff from farm fields, but “the biggest erosion is coming from its own shoreline.”

Kenis said the variable aspect of the crest of the dam would allow for the killing of Asian carp. He said a variable-crest dam is in the best interest of lakeshore owners.

Tony Trow lives on Fountain Lake. He said he has participated in the effort to clean lakes and approve a half-cent sales tax, some of which was to help pay for the dam.

“The Albert Lea Lake plan was drafted by a broad, coalition of Freeborn County citizens,” he said.

The plan for the bridge-dam would help control fish, provide a safe spot for fishing and a launch for canoeists, Trow said.

“Now there’s been a change in ownership that is threatening to unravel these painstaking and extensive plans,” he said.

He said people are unable to travel the river from the lake and asked for using eminent domain to make access safe.

“What we do on that dam is another 100-year project,” Trow said.

Carol Bartleson of Albert Lea said her concern is the issue with Jensen is clouding the judgment of the commissioners on doing the right thing.

“He is now holding you guys hostage,” she said.

She said the actions taken by the county will affect future generations.

“Do the right thing today. Think of your children and grand-children,” Bartleson said.

Don Sorensen of Albert Lea said he has spent 35 years canoeing the rivers of America.

“We have got a resource here that is not recognized or understood,” he said.

He called for three things: 1. public access to the river 2. a carp barrier 3. a variable-crest dam. He added he would be happy to get arrested for crossing the dam in a boat.

All the comments came before the commissioners took action. Sorensen said if the plan is rejected, “I recommend the Shell Rock River Watershed District zip up its purse and walk away from this project.”

Former watershed district board member Harley Miller spoke. He said the dam could have been done last winter if the county hadn’t gotten involved to combine the dam project with the bridge project. He voted against combining the two because he said it could complicate matters.

“At this time I can stand here and look you right in the eye and say I told you so,” Miller said.

He said the watershed district legally can’t pay Barr Engineering for drafting the plans, the county will have to. And he said the Army Corps of Engineers needs to grant a permit for moving the dam and that would need a hydrographic study. He said there are fewer problems with keep the dam in its present position.

Miller said matters become complicated when two boards are involved.

“The lines of authority are pretty cloudy to me,” he said.

And he added the Shell Rock River Watershed District is not authorized to spend its funds on recreational amenities such as fishing spots or parking lots.

Former Commissioner Dave Mullenbach said he voted in 2003 on the comprehensive plan for Albert Lea Lake.

“This is a lifetime opportunity to close this ownership issue forever,” he said.

He said the public overwhelmingly supports cleaning the lakes and the bridge-dam plan. He said the commissioners should approve the project for the sake of the Freeborn County people.

“If you don’t do the right thing and responsible thing, I don’t think you deserve to sit in those chairs,” Mullenbach said.

Roger Nelson said he agrees with what other people said. He said in 1995 people had talked about doing something about the dam and now there is finally projess.

Gordon Jensen spoke against it. He lives near the dam, and he said he doesn’t want noise from parties in the parking lot.

He said he doesn’t mind a variable-crest dam but don’t lower the water level for good when building the new dam. He said Fountain Lake needs to be addressed, too.

“You boys have the cart in front of the horse,” he said.

Scott Hanna leads local boys on canoe rides down the Shell Rock River. He said he always requested permission from former landowner Lloyd Palmer and now has received permission from new landowner Greg Jensen.

Hanna said he has concerns about access to the river. He said kids travel to Freeborn County from northern Iowa and southern Minnesota for the local waters.

“If you had access to the Shell Rock River, I guarantee you there will be more use of the public waterway,” Hanna said.

He said at a previous meeting someone mentioned how people don’t fish there often, but he said there are people fishing out there all the time. He said the public fully supports moving forward on the plan.

Marlys Webber lives on Albert Lea Lake. She said she agrees with the supporters of the project.

Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce Director Randy Kehr said the chamber’s board favors public access on the Shell Rock River.

“Our waters are extremely important to us,” he said.