HomeMy WebLinkAbout160517 LAC Minutes
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4646 Dakota Street SE
Prior Lake, MN 55372
LAKES ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
May 17, 2016
CALL TO ORDER:
The May 17, 2016 regular meeting of the Lakes Advisory Committee (LAC) was called to order at
4:32 pm. Present were Members Celski and Kallberg, Chair Weninger, City Water Resources
Engineer Young, City Council Member Thompson, Scott County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Todd Beck,
and Prior Lake-Spring Lake Watershed District board member Breitbach. Vice-Chair Streefland
joined the meeting before item 5a was discussed.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
MOTION BY KALLBERG, SECOND BY CELSKI, TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER 15,
2015 LAKES ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING, AS PRESENTED.
VOTE Celski Kallberg Shower Streefland Weninger
Aye
Nay
Abstain
Absent
The motion carried 3-0.
HEARINGS: NONE
OLD BUSINESS:
5a. Community Outreach Opportunities
Young: Presented the staff report for the agenda item. Noted that the list has been updated since
the last meeting.
Presentation item only; no vote was taken.
NEW BUSINESS:
6a. Sheriff’s Office Lake Safety & Enforcement Update
Young: Introduced Deputy Todd Beck of the Scott County Sheriff’s Office .
May 17, 2016 Lakes Advisory Committee Minutes 2
Beck: Presented information about Sheriff’s Office funding and operations over the past year.
Highlights included:
The Sheriff’s Office received two grants from the Minnesota Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) and the Coast Guard. These grants provided about $20,000 for
operations, $8,000 for enforcing Boating While Intoxicated (BWI) issues, and $40,000 for
equipment and maintenance.
Lake patrol in Scott County includes 1 full time employee (Beck), and up to 7 part time
employees. There are also trained volunteers available.
Equipment includes 5 boats, 2 vehicles, and 1 ATV.
Sheriff’s Office spent 750 hours on the program countywide. The average for a season is
about 1,000 hours. About 81% of this time was spent on-the-water. Up to 90% of the on-
the-water patrol time is spent on Prior Lake.
67 total enforcement actions and 230 warnings countywide. This included 3 citations and
41 warnings for navigation lights, 25 citations and 101 warnings for navigation rules
(primarily personal watercraft and slow no-wake violations), and 2 arrests for BWI.
2016 will be Beck’s last season in his position as the lake patrol Deputy.
There was a question about floating bogs on Spring Lake. Beck stated that all floating bogs
are potential navigational hazards and the Sheriff’s Office will tow floating bogs and stake
them back into the shoreline. If bogs become lodged on the shoreline he will report the
issue to the DNR. Noted that cutting bogs or other vegetation away from the shoreline
requires a permit from the DNR.
Noted that volunteer patrol officers are typically other Sheriff’s Office deputies and
reserves.
Presentation item only; no vote was taken.
ANNOUNCEMENTS / CORRESPONDENCE
Young: Reviewed the Water Surface Use Management (WSUM) ordinance (City Code Section
703) and highlighted the proposed rule changes approved by the Prior Lake City Council and
Spring Lake Township Board at a public hearing on May 9, 2016. Noted that the DNR must review
and approve the changes before the ordinance may become effective.
Celski: Suggested that public education should focus on the revised towing rules in the ordinance.
There are major safety concerns relating to towing through congested areas and now that the
rule has been updated to prevent this practice, the public should be made aware of the change.
May 17, 2016 Lakes Advisory Committee Minutes 3
ADJOURNMENT:
With no further business brought before the LAC, a motion to adjourn was made by KALLBERG
and seconded by CELSKI. The motion carried and the meeting adjourned at 5:40 pm.
_______________________________________
Pete Young, City Water Resources Engineer
LAC Staff Liaison & Secretary