State bill still has some money for Lake Titloe
May 10th, 2007Although one pot of money for the Lake Titloe clean-up efforts has dried up, some money for the project still remains in another bill.
State Rep. Terry Morrow said last week that Governor Pawlenty vetoed the bonding bill, which included money for pre-designed holding ponds for Lake Titloe.
However, $200,000 remains in the Environmental and Natural Resources Conference Committee for Lake Titloe and watershed improvements, he said. This bill is now on Governor Pawlenty’s desk waiting for a signature. Pawlenty does have the option to line item veto it, Morrow explained.
Over the past years, the quality of Lake Titloe has been compromised from soil erosion along drainage ditches, non-compliant septic systems, and from storm sewer water from the City of Gaylord draining into the Lake. Rep. Morrow, along with State Sen. Kathy Sheran, introduced legislation to assist local residents with the clean-up efforts.
In March, Morrow credited the residents of Gaylord who have worked diligently to clean up Lake Titloe and to restore some of the beauty the lake was known for. He also stated that he was happy to help to “restore this community treasure.”
The bonding package had allocated $165,000 in a grant to the City of Gaylord for watershed improvement. One appropriation would provide $150,000 for the pre-design and design of holding ponds upstream from the Lake Titloe Watershed. The second appropriation would have provided $15,000 to the city of Gaylord to be used to purchase open intake tile covers or to install slotted risers, that limit soil erosion and chemicals from entering the ditch systems of the Lake Titloe Watershed.
