To the editor:

The recent articles about the Green Lake Sanitary Sewer and Water District's problems are something to be concerned about. Not only do many of us have to pay huge assessments for sewer, water and roads, but now it looks like we're going to have to pay for the engineer's and financial consultant's mistakes and miscalculations.

We are told the GLSSWD is using more power than projected. There are also higher labor costs and additional expenses for copper problems and odor problems. We are told that usage estimates are way off and that we can expect still higher costs after warranties expire and the remaining pipes are hooked up.

How could the engineers and financial consultants make so many faulty estimates? How do so many highly paid "experts" so consistently get it wrong and then hand us the bill. Dejavu all over again from when they put in the last system. Shouldn't they be responsible and held accountable for their mistakes.

Why should we, the current users, bear the cost burden for future growth which may be smaller and slower than the "expert's" forecast.

Cities all over the country promote water conservation, and here we are being penalized for not using enough water to pay for the system we didn't ask for, design, and don't operate. The solutions are more users (more growth) or just stick it to the current users. The responsible parties hide behind bureaucratic amnesty or can't be found. Probably off vacationing on all those consultant fees.

Average monthly sewer and water costs in Willmar (including base fees) are currently 25.69 for 6,000 gallons. We are told that next year GLSSWD users will be paying double and triple that. Something is rotten in our district and it isn't just the sewage.

Ann P. Ward
Spicer

The staff has more time to design other projects, now that the Green Lake project is finished, he said.

"How does bonding help long term," asked Board Chairman Richard Falk.

The bonds will allow the county to repair more roads sooner, Danielson said.

"It eliminates the other costs associated with letting things go," he added.

Another consideration is that the county may have to lay off some engineering staff if there's not enough work to do, he said.

Roads on the construction schedule for 2002 include two sections of County Road 1, from Highway 40 to County Road 27 and from the south county line to Highway 7. A box culvert on the east side of Green Lake is to be replaced with a new bridge.

With bonding money, $6.1 million in projects could be scheduled for next year, including smaller resurfacing projects throughout the county.

Without bonding money, the schedule would include $5.3 million, and the smaller, county-funded projects would be greatly reduced.

The county receives about $2.7 million a year in state aid funds and spends another $1 million in local funds. Federal funding is also available for some projects.

Falk said the board would probably wait until next spring, when there might be some information on road funding from the Legislature.

Commissioner Harlan Madsen said he believes the Legislature may approve more state road funding next year. "Every plan I've seen will have some positive outcome," he said.

"In the meantime, if you have the staff, you get cracking on those projects," Falk said.

The county could be faced with a delicate situation on another road project that may come up in the next year.

The county may need to acquire land owned by Commissioner Dennis Peterson to realign the intersection of County State Aid Highway 10 with CSAH 9 west of Spicer.

The CSAH 10 improvements are on the long-range road improvement plan, but they might have to be done sooner, because that road may be a primary detour during Highway 23 construction through Spicer, Danielson said.

The detour could put an additional 5,000 vehicles a day on that road, he said.

While designing a new intersection won't be a problem, the new road will go across Peterson's land.

Danielson said he thought the county would have to use eminent domain procedures to purchase land owned by a commissioner. With a private citizen, the county might try to negotiate a sale before going to court.

Residents of Prinsburg won't be too happy, either, when they see their statements. Residential taxes appear to be going up there, too.

For months, Minnesotans have been told their property tax bills will be lower next year because of changes made by the Legislature in June.

While that appears to be true for most property, there are some exceptions, said County Auditor Sam Modderman.

Modderman used the county's new property tax software to review the 2002 tax bill on a variety of properties around the county.

What he found indicated that taxes aren't necessarily dropping in rural towns which lost state aid when a new formula was implemented this year.

"It really boils down to how the state dealt with the cities and townships," he said.

Spicer, with less state aid, could be seen as a good example of the impact of a change in property tax rates, Modderman said.

Before, all homes were taxed at 1 percent on the first $76,000 of value. The rate increased to 1.65 percent after that. Now, homes are taxed at 1 percent on the first $500,000 in value.

Because of that change, higher-valued homes will see a much larger drop in their taxes.

In Spicer, an $80,700 home will see its taxes go up 7.8 percent. Taxes on a $105,400 home will increase 3.8 percent.

However, a $129,600 home will see a 6.1 percent drop. And the taxes on a $280,800 home will drop 16.6 percent.

"People don't notice tax shifts. You have to do a lot of research," Modderman said. "When they changed the rate to 1 percent up to $500,000, it was a tax shift."

Willmar might be called the big winner. The city received nearly $1 million more in state aid, and taxes will probably go down across the board, in all classifications. The exceptions would be properties which increased in value or which changed classifications, from homestead to non-homestead, for example.

"On residential homesteads (in Willmar), I think they all got reductions, but the lower value got smaller reductions," Modderman said.

The statements mailed later this week will not reflect any school referendums passed in November, Modderman said. School districts were required to certify their levies to county auditors before those elections, and he could not legally include them on the statements.

In Willmar, the levy would add about $120 a year to the property taxes on a $75,000 house.

Some of the increase in Prinsburg could be due to increased property values, but it probably doesn't explain the entire change, Modderman said.

Two homes in the mid-$60,000 range will see increases of nearly 12 percent. A home valued at $128,900 will see a 6.9 percent increase.

Townships also lost state aid, but their levies are usually quite small and have less effect on the total tax bill, Modderman said.

Taxes on farmland dropped in many cases, as will the taxes on residential homesteads in rural areas.

In some other towns, taxes appear to be staying about the same.

Taxes on a $59,000 home in Pennock will fall 3.7 percent. In Raymond, a $51,900 home will see a 2 percent decrease in taxes.

"They're just kind of breaking even," Modderman said.

One problem, said Danielson, is that people aren't using as much water as had been anticipated. The GLSSWD had expected 178 million gallons of water would be purchased annually. "It turns out we're about 25 percent below that," said Danielson. "So we have to raise rates 25 percent to make up the difference."

It is projected that revenues for 2001 will be about 60 percent of what was budgeted.

If the GLSSWD approves the rates Monday, the current $.73 price for 1,000 gallons of water will increase to $1.85 per 1,000 gallons. Sewer will go from $1.62 per 1,000 gallons to a new rate of $2.85 per 1,000 gallons. The base fee for sewer will also be increased by $4 a month to $19. The water base fees will be reduced by $2 a month.

When asked if this would be the "last big hike," Hagemeier said that was the goal of the GLSSWD Commission.

Besides the low revenue, the district experienced higher-than-expected costs to operate the wastewater treatment plant, even though it is operating at about one-third of its capacity, processing just 300,000 gallons daily.

By November, natural gas, electricity and chemical costs were already $34,000 over budget. The sewer plant is also labor-intensive, which increases personnel costs.

There are more reasons to believe expenses will continue to rise. During 2001, repairs were covered under warranty. This year, that won't be the case. Also, segments of the sewer system weren't brought on line until late this year. With the system fully operational next year, costs will again increase.

Hagemeier said the GLSSWD needs to get more customers on line and sell more water to generate enough revenue to support the system. Until that happens, rates will have to be increased to create a balanced budget.

"We get the privilege of paying for the future," said Councilman Terry Holmquist. He then asked why the city should spend money to repair leaky water lines, which will reduce water usage, if it will mean rate increases to make up for reduced water sales.

New London reduced its water usage by 1 million gallons annually by replacing old water lines.

Danielson said reducing inflow and infiltration by replacing cracked utility lines will still be a cost savings to the city.

It is possible that the true water usage, especially around Green Lake, will actually be higher next year. This year some meters weren't hooked up and may not have accurately recorded gallons used. So far, Danielson said Green Lake residents use considerably less water than the average customers in Spicer or New London.

Hagemeier said by this time next year the district will have a much better picture of the actual water usage and the costs to operate the plant.

Councilman Gene Wenzel said he'd like to find a way to make the rate increase "more palatable" for residents. He said he liked a proposal Green Lake residents are requesting, which would put the monthly base fees on property taxes.

Doing that, joked Danielson, would "make you mad once a year instead of 12 times a year."

On Monday, Haukos said most people were trying to avoid that fate. Traffic was light. Those who were on the road were traveling slow, belying their anxiousness to get home. That included the driver of the large semi rig who told Haukos he watched a semi slide into the ditch near Olivia.

Area law enforcement officers responded to reports of vehicles in ditches and the occasional vehicle rollover.

Capt. Dave Wyffels of the Willmar Police Department had this advice for drivers:

"Slow down. Drive carefully," he said. "We've had a multitude of accidents today."

Travel on roads in Renville County was treacherous as snow and ice built up through the day. Sheriff's officers and state troopers responded to numerous reports of vehicles sliding into ditches.

"It's been a mess," deputy Scott Hable said. "But once the road crews get the roads back in shape, everything should go smooth."

In Olivia, Police Chief Don Davern said on Monday that side streets were icy and treacherous but travel on main roads was fair.

The open, windswept roads of Lac qui Parle County often feel the brunt of winter storms, but motorists here have long memories.

Dallas Schellberg of the Lac qui Parle County Sheriff's Office reported Monday afternoon that the department had received only one report of a vehicle in the ditch, and it had been pulled out by a private party.

"People are slowing down,'' said Schellberg.

On Monday, the National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for west central Minnesota.

Six to 12 inches of snow was expected over much of the state by midday today. A handful of area schools were planning to start two hours late today.

Accumulations by noon Monday ranged as high as 3 inches in Redwood Falls and Gaylord.

Seven inches of snow was reported in Willmar by 9 p.m. Monday.

The Weather Service said the heaviest snow band, from around 8 inches up to 12 inches, would likely occur from around Montevideo and Redwood Falls in the southwest through Little Falls and Cambridge in east-central Minnesota.

Winds in the 20 to 30 mph range were common, with some gusts hitting the 40s in parts of west central Minnesota, while mid-afternoon temperatures generally ranged from the mid 20s to mid 30s.

As recently as last week, most Minnesotans were enjoying temperatures as warm as the 50s and 60s.

Several people were glad to finally have snow for the holiday season.

"To get into the spirit of the season it helps to get some snow," said Brenda Holmberg of Marshall. "I think the kids were really looking forward to having some snow."

Winter is a new experience for Lek Kotte, who moved to Marshall from California a year ago, but she expects to like it once she gets used to the idea.

"I am not ready for it. I mean, it's so sudden," Kotte said. "I hope it won't be as cold as last year."

Gary Stolp of Milroy said while gassing up at Casey's General Store in Marshall that he knew winter would come sooner or later, and he was glad the bad weather held off as long as it did.

"A guy can't complain," he said. "It is Minnesota, you know."

Councils from both cities said they wanted more information from the GLSSWD about the rate increases before the GLSSWD Commission approves them on Dec. 10.

"We need more information," said Spicer City Councilman Terry Holmquist. "There's a lot of people asking about it."

With budgets of their own to approve before the end of the year, Amundson said it may be difficult for cities to make an "11th hour" decision on utility fees.

The GLSSWD, which is operated by Kandiyohi County, sets fees for sewer treatment and potable water that it sells to the two municipalities and Green Lake residents.

The 2002 rate increase is needed because of higher-than-expected operation costs and lower-than-expected usage - and revenues.

Gary Danielson, Kandiyohi County public works director, said there's about 25 percent fewer gallons flowing through the entire system than originally anticipated. Green Lake residents are using about 50 percent less water than expected, he said.

The new sewer plant has also proven to be more expensive to operate than expected. It demands considerable power and is labor-intensive, which increases staff costs, said Danielson.

A new requirement to handle unacceptable copper levels will also increase chemical costs after January, said Ron Hagemeier, GLSSWD manager.

All that creates a "double whammy" that means a rate increase, said Danielson. He said the new rates will be about 20 percent higher than original projections. The first year of operation was a transition year with artificially low rates.

Now, the commission is considering adjusting base fees and increasing user fees that it charges New London and Spicer. Under the current plan, water would go from 73 cents per 1,000 gallons to $1.85. Sanitary sewer would go from $1.62 per 1,000 gallons to $2.85.

Hagemeier said it's possible Green Lake users may have a higher fee schedule because of their lower usage. The proposed fees "are not etched in stone," he said, and the district is working with the Green Lake Property Owners Association to reach a fair rate.

New London and Spicer city councils will need to decide how to pass the new costs onto individual residential and business users.

Spicer City Administrator Kimberly Elton said the city will likely increase fees to residents by about 17 percent. "We're getting charged more and we have to pass it on."

Last year Spicer raised utility rates 28 percent when the new system became operational. Depending on how much revenue the city uses to offset the increase, Elton said average residential users will pay about $65 a month for utilities, compared with $55 now.

In New London, Amundson said the average user may pay about $72 a month next year, compared to $51 a month now - a 40 percent increase. The council hasn't decided exactly how the GLSSWD costs will be passed on to users, she said. "We'll have to approve an increase, or else we'll be deficit spending."

Council members in New London are concerned that elderly residents and people on fixed incomes won't be able to pay. "We don't have a surplus to help pay to reduce the impact," said Amundson. "It's a little bit scary to pass it on."

Amundson, who is on the GLSSWD Commission and has gone through its budget line-by-line, said she doesn't see how anything can be changed to lower the GLSSWD fees. "We're up against the wall," she said. "We built it and now we have to live with it."

Danielson said the system was built for growth. "The trouble is paying for it until the growth occurs."

Eliminating staff may be one option for reducing short-term cash flow problems, but Danielson said that could result in less maintenance and an eventual decline in the system.

Danielson said the GLSSWD Commission is "looking for feedback" before making a decision on Dec. 10. "This is real money and everyone wants to make sure they're not paying more than they should," he said. "It needs to be thoroughly discussed before action in taken."

The Spicer City Council has invited Danielson and Hagemeier to a December meeting to discuss the proposed rate changes.

Once both commercial properties are cleared, a two-cell retention pond will be constructed there with the purpose of slowing down and cleaning up water before it's discharged into Green Lake. A grit chamber will also be installed under the city parking lot.

The Spicer Economic Development Committee had recommended that the council delay a vote until MnDOT could study the possibility of shifting the ponds over 150 feet to preserve valuable commercial property.

Paul Rasmussen, MnDOT hydraulics engineer, said further review of the site indicates moving the ponds that far wouldn't work because of elevation and water flow issues.

The design of the water pond in that area has been studied extensively, and turning the water park into a water pond has been on and off the table in recent months. Rolf Figenskau, owner of the water park, said he's "just glad there's some finality to it."

Pat Laib, a member of the Lake Region Preservation Society, questioned how Spicer's tax base can be replaced if MnDOT continues to take more commercial property. He said protecting Spicer's interest in the Highway 23 plan is not a high enough priority.

"I'm here to protect Green Lake, but I want to keep Spicer in one piece," said Laib.

During a lengthy presentation about the storm water pond options, Rasmussen said the new approved design will help reduce the amount of phosphorous going to Green Lake. Currently, storm water is discharged directly into Green Lake near a popular swimming beach.

Skip Wright, from the Department of Natural Resources, said the revised plan is the best option for reducing the flow of harmful nutrients to Green Lake. That will slow down the growth of plants like milfoil, which was recently discovered in Green Lake.

It's estimated the ponds could reduce by about 35 percent the amount of phosphorous currently going into the lake.

Laib, who was supported by a room full of members of the Highway 23 watchdog group, pressed the council and MnDOT on a number of issues, including the cost of maintaining the ponds and who pays the bill.

Rasmussen said recent changes in cost-sharing policies will actually be more favorable for Spicer than before. He said MnDOT will be able to pay the full cost of more parts of the project than previously expected.

The task force has been meeting for several months to establish the parameters for the study. Subcommittees will now be created to research topics such as finance, administration, planning, zoning, public services, public facilities, police protection, fire protection and human resources that could be affected with a merger.

"The idea of merging three communities is new," said task force chairman Denny Baker, who personally supports a merger. The goal of the task force, he said, is to prepare a plan for a merger, present the information to the public and let voters decide the future of the community.

A majority of voters in each community must vote yes on the plan before a merger could take place. "Every resident has a chance to vote yes or no," said Baker.

The three entities have agreed to fund the study process, which is being facilitated by two consultants, including metro-area planner Dean Johnson, who was at the meeting Thursday. The initial study is expected to cost about $50,000.

Johnson said the investigative process of discovering the pros and cons of a merger will be exhaustive. Questions dealing with the tax and financial impact to the different communities won't be known until the end of the process.

He said one obvious benefit of merging would include access to nearly $400,000 a year in gas tax funds because the new town would have a population greater than 5,000, which is the benchmark for receiving those road repair funds.

There is also up to $400,000 available to help communities through the merger process.

Even if a merger vote fails, Johnson said the study process will still be worth it as the three communities deal with growth and boundary issues. He said some communities have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars fighting annexation and mergers because a cooperative planning process wasn't undertaken.

In many cases the fights are because of stands taken by local politicians and not the public, he said.

Johnson said the merger study will be "money well spent" even if it just helps the entities deal with future growth issues.

A crucial part of the process is to make sure the public has accurate and adequate information before the vote is taken, said Johnson. He said the public campaign should last a minimum of three months.

"The message needs to be heard loud and clear that the people have a vote," said Sen. Dean Johnson, DFL-Willmar.

"What I'm seeing here is exciting to me," said Rep. Al Juhnke, DFL-Willmar. He said local leaders should consider what the history books will say about them and how the future of this community is handled. "I see positive things coming."

County Commissioner Dennis Peterson pledged his support to help the entities work through the process. "I'm looking forward to positive results."

In September, the combined loss of water for Spicer and Green Lake was 34 percent. Spicer, with its older, leaky water pipes, was blamed for most of the loss, said City Administrator Kimberly Elton. The pipes around Green Lake are brand new.

But Elton said a new meter that was installed last month showed that just 14 percent of the water sent to Spicer wasn't sold to customers. For water sent around Green Lake, however, the figure was 62 percent.

That doesn't mean Green Lake's new lines are leaking. Elton said part of the discrepancy could be because some Green Lake residents are receiving water, but their individual water meters aren't hooked up or haven't been activated yet. "That could be where a lot of the loss is," said Elton.

"This problem will solve itself," said Councilman Gene Wenzel.

Elton said it's recommended that a water system see no more than a 10 percent discrepancy in the gallons distributed through a system and the number of gallons purchased by residents.

Spicer is planning on making repairs to some of its leaky infrastructure. A feasibility study on replacing utility lines on Lake Avenue South is almost completed.

The council briefly discussed the possibility that the GLSSWD may increase the price for water it distributes to Spicer, Green Lake and New London. "It's already twice what it was supposed to be," said Councilman Terry Holmquist. Wenzel, who is on the GLSSWD board, said no decision will be made on the price issue until the 2001 budget is reviewed.

In other action the council:

• Was informed that the Minnesota Department of Transportation will hire a consultant to do a noise study and make recommendations for noise abatement in Spicer along Highway 23. The action was taken as a result of a citizens group, the Lake Region Preservation Society, that's pushed the council to make changes in the four-lane reconstruction plan.

• Was informed that the merger task force will be holding a public meeting at 6:30 tonight at the Dethlef Center in Spicer. The task force is exploring the possibility of merging Spicer, New London and New London Township.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is funding the study, which is being conducted by SRF Consulting Group, Inc.

"As a city, you need to make some decisions on where you want to grow," said Patrick Weidemann, a planner with MnDOT. By having a plan in place now, the city can implement a strategy for land use in the future that will protect potential transportation routes, like preserving land for new frontage roads.

The study includes concepts, possible solutions and maps for potential growth areas and intersections and streets that have transportation conflicts. The study examines pedestrian safety, the lack of a frontage road that runs from one end of Spicer to the other, traffic congestion, safety issues and water quality.

One options SRF is exploring is to change the designation of some highways and roads to "major collectors" or "local neighborhood collectors." Federal funding could be accessed for roads designated as major collectors.

Other options include creative ways to solve various transportation bottlenecks, including moving the ballpark or cutting across a wetland to make way for a frontage road on the west side of Highway 23.

"We don't have a preference for any of these options. We just wanted to show you what's possible," said Dave Montebello, a consultant from SRF. "These are just some concept drawings of what you could be doing."

At MnDOT's invitation, the council agreed they wanted a more detailed study of the area where County Road 10 intersects with Highway 23, with the possibility of finding a route for a connecting frontage road parallel to Highway 23.

"The more connected we can make the town, the better," said Councilman Terry Holmquist.

Ron Schneider, a member of the Lake Region Preservation Society - a citizens group that opposes the current highway plan - requested the deadline. "The city must insist that MnDOT do more than say that its intentions are good," he wrote in a letter to the council.

During the meeting, Schneider said if MnDOT doesn't meet the Dec. 1 deadline, the city should invalidate its previous approval of the highway project. He said the city is "entitled to know" what MnDOT is planning to reduce the traffic noise for residents along the corridor.

Councilman Gene Wenzel said MnDOT has been "awful slow" and that council action might "spur them on."

It was "frustrating" that MnDOT hadn't provided any specific details for their plans, said Councilman Terry Holmquist.

Mayor Bill Taylor said MnDOT is actively working on a number of issues with the city and that the state workers strike could likely delay progress on the project and noise abatement.

The council unanimously approved the resolution, but didn't include the ultimatum of invalidating the construction permit if MnDOT didn't meet the Dec. 1 deadline.

In other action, the city once again revised a utility agreement with Faith Lutheran Church, which is installing private water and sewer lines to their new building.

In a lengthy, multifaceted motion, the council agreed to allow the church to put their utilities in the city's easements on the condition that the church donate the lines to the city. Taylor said the city attorney expressed concern about allowing a private entity using public easements unless the lines were donated to the city.

Jeff Johnson, a representative from the church, agreed that the lines would be donated if the easements could be used. The action will be taken pending a final review by the city's engineer. The church must also obtain several permits.

As allowed by state law, anyone who's 65 or older or who is retired because of permanent disability may apply for a deferment of assessments on their homesteaded property.

Residents who can prove that the assessments will prove to be a financial hardship may also apply.

All deferment applications will be considered by the County Board, which will make the final decision on each application.

Teresa Fredrickson, the new Kandiyohi County court administrator, met briefly with the board.

Tim Ostby, court administrator for the Eighth Judicial District, said Fredrickson was appointed by a majority of the judges in the district.

Fredrickson said she has 21 years of experience working in district courts in St. Louis County in northeastern Minnesota.

"I just started Monday, and I'm just getting to know the ropes," Fredrickson said. She told the commissioners she hopes to have a good working relationship with county officials.

Fredrickson was chosen from more than 30 candidates who applied for the job, Ostby said.

"She was chosen because of her experience, her knowledge and her interpersonal skills," he said.

In other business, the board:

• Adopted an anti-terrorism resolution that asks citizens to "be vigilant in their efforts to help and heal, but not be vigilantes."

• Approved a grant application for the Hawk Creek Watershed. The application to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency seeks $107,000 to improve tile intakes, stabilize ditch banks and offer incentives for ditch protection easements.

• Heard a report from Toni Braness, director of the Pact 4 children's mental health collaborative. Braness said the collaborative was notified that it will receive a grant of nearly $1.2 million over three years for early intervention projects. The grant will help address the needs of children younger than 6.

The money would be used to hire two consultants to facilitate meetings and help the committee work through the exploratory process.

The entire cost of the lengthy, complicated study could be in the neighborhood of $38,000 to $50,000, according to Denny Baker, chairman of the joint merger task force, which requested the funds. He said the committee will try to find the balance of the necessary funds from other sources.

"There's a number of sources that have funds available for these innovative studies," task force member John Bergman told the New London City Council.

The study will involve a number of topics, including the feasibility of merging the different government employees, services, finances, equipment and fire departments.

The study would not be done on the premise that a merger would definitely be proposed and voted on, but rather to determine if a merger proposal would be beneficial to the communities and worth considering, said Aaron Butler, a task force member from Spicer.

"It's just a process to determine if it's a possibility," said Bergman.

Pending the committee's recommendation, residents from all entities would have to approve a merger for it to happen.

Bergman said an initial calendar for the process calls for residents to vote on a merger in November of 2002. That target date is very tentative, and may not even happen if the study indicates a merger isn't beneficial.

Even without a merger, the study will provide a good foundation for the communities to base future planning and growth. Butler said some communities have spent nearly $750,000 on contested annexation cases and still haven't resolved their border disputes.

Jane Benson, another task force member, told the New London Council that the $5,000 for the study would be "money well spent" because it could reduce "potential problems in the future."

Baker told the Spicer City Council that merging three different entities into one new town has never been done in Minnesota.

"We'd be the first." Despite that, he said the committee agrees the idea is worth studying.

"We're not fearful of the merger. We're fearful of the task," he said, acknowledging the amount of time and work the study will take.

In contrast to public hearings that drew scores of people, just a few attended the Kandiyohi County Board meeting Tuesday. Assessments totaling more than $10 million were approved.

Construction on the huge project began three years ago. Before the project began, residents around Green Lake did not have access to municipal water or sewer services.

The area is now served by the Green Lake Sanitary Sewer and Water District, which also serves New London and Spicer with new water and wastewater treatment plants.

A committee appointed by the County Board made three adjustments to the assessment rolls after public hearings last month.

Assessments for lakeshore homes range from $16,000 to $25,000, depending on lot size. Assessments for homes across the road from the lake are as low as $1,000 and range up to about $13,000, depending on the lots.

The assessments may be paid in full this fall or in payments spread over 20 years at 4.5 percent interest.

Businesses around the lake have assessments that are much larger.

Indian Beach Resort's assessment is $167,000. The Old Mill Inn on the north shore faces an assessment of more than $68,000. The Spicer Castle bed and breakfast on the east shore will pay $36,000.

Other large assessments will be levied on nonprofit operations around the lake - Green Lake Bible Camp at $151,000 and Kandiyohi County Park 5 at $189,000.

Board room offered

The County Board voted to issue a standing invitation to the Willmar City Council to use the board room in the Health and Human Services Building for future meetings.

Mayor Les Heitke included $350,000 for a new council chambers in his 2002 proposed budget. The council will have to move from its current chambers in the Willmar Municipal Utilities building because the utility needs the space.

"I think it would be a good gesture for us to let them utilize this building," said Commissioner Richard Larson. While the city may not use the facility in the long term, it should be available to them, he added.

"For six years, they've had that option to come here," said Commissioner Bruce Shuck.

The City Council met in the board room in the Health and Human Services Building from February to November 1996. The building opened in 1995.

The board room was originally a joint project, and the city paid $43,000 for technical equipment in the room and also installed a $17,000 sound system.

The next step in the process will the appointment of a five-member review panel to look at the objections raised at the hearing and in letters to the county. The County Board plans to appoint the panel on Tuesday at its next regular meeting.

The assessments will help pay for a $36 million Green Lake Sanitary Sewer and Water District project. The project has been under construction for three years and includes new water and wastewater treatment plants, three new wells and three water towers for residents around Green Lake and the towns of New London and Spicer.

Before this project, Green Lake had no water and sewer service outside the Spicer city limits. After the utility lines were installed, the road around the lake was rebuilt. The final portion along the south shore is to be completed this fall.

Lake residents voiced several different objections during the hearing Saturday.

Some objected to the format of the hearing, as well. County Board Chairman Richard Falk of Willmar said the purpose of the hearing was to record objections to the assessments and not to answer questions. The county had hosted a six-hour open house for questions and answers on Friday, he said.

After a few seasonal residents said they hadn't been able to attend the Friday session, Falk allowed a recess so they could raise questions with county and sewer district officials.

"I object to the uniform approach to road restoration costs," said Carlton Erickson of Lindstrom, who owns property on Indian Beach Road. Erickson and others said they felt they should pay less for road restoration, because the road in their area cost less than in some areas, like along the north shore.

Several people, like Gerald Ruzicka of North Shore Drive, said they objected to the size of the assessments placed on property in the "second tier," across the road from the lakeshore property.

Some listed reasons why they felt the assessment formula didn't apply fairly to their situation. Others addressed broader issues.

"I object to the fact that New London and Spicer are not being assessed proportionally, as we are," said Dave Boehme of North Shore Drive.

After the hearing, County Public Works Director Gary Danielson said residents in New London and Spicer are paying for the portions of the project which provide benefit to everyone using the system, like the treatment plants and lift stations and oversized trunk lines for water and sewer.

Those costs are paid through monthly base charges and user fees for water and sewer, he said.

County Commissioner Dennis Peterson of Spicer, who represents the New London and Spicer areas, said he's heard mostly positive comments from his constituents.

"They appreciate the good road, they appreciate the trails, and they appreciate the good drinking water," he said.

Many lake residents have volunteered to serve on the sewer commission and on advisory committees during the project. "We couldn't have done it without their help," Peterson said.

Pending details about cost, the task force agreed that they'd like to work with a team of two experienced individuals to facilitate the merger discussion.

The key individual, Dean R. Johnson, a metro-area land use planning consultant, is currently working with New London Township on a comprehensive plan. Johnson, who has argued both sides of proposed mergers, has spoken to local representatives about the merger process on several occasions.

Despite his willingness to provide information about merging, Johnson had previously indicated he wasn't interested in working with this trio of entities. That apparently has changed.

Denny Baker, task force chairman, said Johnson, as well as a financial consultant with Ehlers & Associates, is now interested in facilitating the merger discussions here.

"I think he's intrigued with this three entity thing," said Terry Holmquist, Spicer.

Whatever the reason for Johnson's change of heart, it was good news for the task force members, who've developed a certain comfort level with Johnson. A presentation he made last month convinced the committee that his experience would be valuable. His knowledge of the community is also considered an asset.

"He's got a history of doing merger projects and we feel comfortable with his level of expertise," said Baker.

The task force wasn't concerned that Johnson's association with New London Township would be a conflict of interest.

The task force also agreed to visit Norwood-Young America next month to interview community leaders about their successful merger. They'll also visit Corcoran, which is reportedly considering some sort of a merger.

Going to those communities is "vitally important to us," said Baker. "Any information we can glean from these people will help," said John Bergman, New London.

A long list of sub-committees will also be developed and put to work to research merger issues like growth and development, finance, public services, human resource, planning and zoning and parks and recreation.

"This table will not be able to do it all," said Baker, emphasizing the need for the sub-committees.

One of the jobs of the facilitator may be to help the task force obtain grants to fund the merger study, which could take several years before a recommendation is made.

In the works since 1994 and under construction since 1999, the huge project has cost nearly $36 million. The last few pieces of the project are to be finished this fall.

"This was not an easy project by any means," County Public Works Director Gary Danielson said Tuesday. The total cost is within 10 percent of the original estimates, and he's pleased with that, he added.

The project has brought water and sanitary sewer service to residents around Green Lake. The area served by the Green Lake Sanitary Sewer and Water District, including the cities of Spicer and New London, has new water and wastewater treatment plants, new water towers and new wells.

The county roads around Green Lake were rebuilt after water and sewer lines were installed.

Money for the $35.8 million project has come from a variety of sources, including state and federal grants and the county's allotment of state aid for roads. Water and sewer users in the district will pay about $2.8 million through their utility bills.

But it's those living around Green Lake outside the city limits who will face the largest personal cost - a total of $11.3 million in assessments.

Assessments for Green Lake lots were estimated at $15,000 to $22,000 three years ago, before work on the project began. The amount of the assessments will vary, depending on lot size.

Danielson said residents could expect final assessments to be about 10 percent higher than the 1998 estimates.

The final portion of the project is utility and road work on the south shore of the lake near the Green Lake Bible Camp, Danielson said.

Work will probably continue after Labor Day there, he said, as contractors wait for the lake level to drop and for the Bible camp to finish its summer season.

County Commissioner Dennis Peterson, who represents that area, said he has heard many positive comments about the project recently. Many people especially like the bike trail included with the road project, he said.

One area to be treated will be near Saulsbury Beach in Spicer and the other area will be on the northwest shore of Green Lake. Both areas will be treated with an aquatic herbicide early Thursday morning.

After the chemical is applied, no swimming is recommended in those areas for 24 hours, said Roe. Saulsbury Beach will be closed Thursday and will reopen on Friday.

"That does not fit in with our schedule," said Lowell Flaten, MnDOT engineer, who was con-tacted at his home after the meeting.

Flaten said the final design won't be completed until August of next year. Bid letting would take place in November of 2002.

Schneider told the council the public needs to know details about noise abatement, water pollution, frontage roads, pe-destrian safety and the width of highway medians. He said the details are needed now "so we can make final decisions and not speculate."

The council voted unanimously to endorse concerns Schneider had spelled out in a lengthy letter, which will be forwarded to MnDOT.

Councilman Terry Holmquist said his "patience with MnDOT is rapidly growing thin," and that he's being asked questions about the project that he can't answer.

Councilman Gene Wenzel said it would be helpful if a MnDOT representative could be at some of the council meet-ings to address questions and provide information.

Mayor Bill Taylor said he has some of the same concerns about the project that LRPS members have identified, but he disagreed with some of the information stated in their letter.

In a later interview, Taylor said it would be unreason-able to ask MnDOT to provide the final plans next month when committees are still working on various components of the project. He said, for example, a water quality task force comprised of 17 different state agencies and groups, including the LRPS, is still studying that issue.

Taylor said the city has several meetings scheduled with MnDOT next week. "We'll get some answers," he assured the council.

The council also briefly discussed exploring the pros and cons of installing a city-owned marina near the city park.

A marina, known as the "M word" by city officials, is an emotional proposal that's raised every so often in Spicer. Some council members were a bit skittish about discussing it Wednesday, and others were openly opposed.

Wenzel, however, said he saw no reason why the city shouldn't install a marina, which he said could generate money for the city.

He said he's heard from a number of people who want a marina. "It wouldn't hurt us a bit," he said. "We need to accommodate our people."

The council agreed to study it.

In other action the council:

* Heard a report on a joint committee that's studying the possibility of merging Spicer, New London and New London Township. The group may consider hiring a facilita-tor to advance the process, which would require funds from each of the entities.

* Approved a feasibility report and called for a public hearing on extending utilities to the construction site of Faith Lutheran Church. The hearing is set for 5:30 p.m. Aug. 2.