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I am disappointed to see that last year’s funding request by the Shell Rock River Watershed to finish dredging Fountain Lake did not have support in the Minnesota Legislature. With the Legislature now back in session for 2022, it is time again to contact our elected officials at both state and local levels to request that funds be included in this year’s bonding bill to finish dredging Fountain Lake. I would like to ask you to please join me in contacting Albert Lea’s City Council and the Freeborn County Board of Commissioners, requesting them to pass resolutions supporting funding for this worthwhile project and that their resolutions be sent to our state officials in St. Paul. Also, contact Rep. Peggy Bennett and Sen. Gene Dornink, stressing to them that this project needs to be a priority in the House and Senate bonding package for projects in our area.

Gov. Walz’s failure to include funding for the Fountain lakes project in his bonding package proposals is disheartening. I truly believe, with strong local support from the Shell Rock River Watershed and the citizens of Albert Lea, Freeborn County and throughout south-central Minnesota, we can succeed in having this project included in this year’s bonding bill. We need to tell the members of the House and Senate bonding committees and the governor that we are able to see what a difference dredging has done to Fountain Lake so far. That said, there is still more work that needs to be done to finish the project. Having Fountain Lake unfinished is unacceptable. We need to finish the job that was started, and then start planning on the next stage of preparing to dredge Albert Lea Lake to the I-35 freeway bridge.

The time is now to contact your City Council person and county commissioners and ask them to send a letter of support to Rep. Bennett and Sen. Dornick, emphasizing the importance of procuring funding to finish the dredging of Fountain Lake. It must be included in this year’s bonding package.

Mike Lee

Albert Lea