JULY 27, 2016
WHITE BEAR PRESS www.presspubs.com
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GOOD NOTE: Leaving with a ‘smile’ FROM PAGE 1A
last five years. The longtime musician said his “approach” at the news would be (to quote Dr. Seuss), “not to cry because it’s over, but to smile because it happened. The house gig was a wonderful, wonderful thing. We’ll surface again somewhere, we just don’t know where yet. Dan and I will step back and take a breath and see where we go from here.” The McKeagues, both White Bear Lake natives, are moving to Florida, Jake said, due to Kate’s Lyme disease. “We want to reduce her stress level in a warmer climate, per her doctor’s advise.” The couple will miss White Bear, added Kate, who managed The Station. “I love this town and we have so appreciated everyone who supported us. It makes me sad to leave these people but we’ll be back to visit and I’m still going to be checking in on this place.” Calling it an insane new adventure, Kate said that she is determined to beat her Lyme disease and turn it into something positive by blogging about her recovery for other Lyme patients. “Instead of feeling sorry for myself,
I’m going to do something with this disease. This gives me a way to go heal myself,” she said, “and my wonderful husband is willing to move. He’s ready for a new project.” They are relocating to Ft. Lauderdale where Kate’s parents, Bob and Yvonne Miller of White Bear Lake, spend the winter, and plan to job hunt when they get there. Kate could see herself bartending poolside during the day; “something simple.” The Station helped raise the bar in White Bear Lake as far as live music, noted Jake McKeague. “This new guy just has to wrap his hands around how unique the place is and what we’ve built. He has his own ideas and so we’re letting him run with it because he’ll be in charge.” Fans are keeping their fingers crossed the music will someday resume. One Wednesday night regular was White Bear resident Rose Kubiatowicz, who plays mandolin with Perry in the band Bandana. She also gave kudos to the McKeagues for “endlessly promoting live music and making The Station the best venue around for regularly featured local musicians.”
DAVE KUBIATOWICZ | SUBMITTED
Longtime musicians Dan Perry, left, and John Evans have been playing together since the ‘80s when they were the house band at Bobby’s in the Park in downtown White Bear Lake.
IF YOU GO: John Evans and Dan Perry play their last gig at The Station 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. July 27.
Lake litigation holds up dock reinstallation DNR still working on protective elevation level for White Bear Lake
BY LOUISE ERNEWEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
WHITE BEAR TOWNSHIP — A dock on the south shore of White Bear Lake won't be reinstalled any time soon despite increasing lake levels. At their bimonthly meeting July 18, White Bear Township supervisors balked at residents' requests to reinstall the Summit Lane dock due to issues stemming from the White Bear Lake lawsuit settlement. "It's a property that has a dock that is currently not there because of the [lake] elevation," said Tom Riedesel, town planner. "As the lake level is [now] rising, we are getting questions asking, 'Are we going to see our dock back? ' The Park Board wanted to establish an elevation at which we would put the dock back in so we can address any phone calls." A review by Park Board members in June had resulted in the recommendation to install the dock once the lake returned to an elevation of 923.5 feet. That fi gure was chosen in light of a report that the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was considering designating a protected elevation of 923.5 feet for the lake. But Barb Naramore, DNR assistant commissioner, said no such figure has yet been defi ned. "It's not our number," she said. "We are still in the process under the terms of the settlement agreement of developing a protective lake elevation, but we don't have a number yet." The settlement agreement requires the DNR to determine a protective lake elevation by Nov. 1, 2016. At its lowest, in 2013, White Bear Lake stood at 918.84 feet, but the township board heard that in May this year, the lake had been measured at 922.06 feet, still a little short of its ordinary high water elevation of 924.89 feet. "Lakes are fundamentally dynamic ecological systems and they benefit from occasional low water levels," Naramore said. "Part of what we are thinking about for a protective lake level is to make sure that the lake is able to drop low enough with some measure of frequency to sus-
tain all of those ecological processes. Sometimes, we do fi nd that's at odds with people's wishes for recreational uses." The current lawsuit fi led against the DNR, White Bear Lake and White Bear Township — albeit on hold to see if the DNR's attempt to win support from the Legislature to fund a feasibility
SOME BACKGROUND: What is the White Bear Lake litigation? A lawsuit brought in 2012 by plaintiff White Bear Lake Restoration Association and intervenor White Bear Lake Homeowners’ Association, Inc. against the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR, defendant) and intervenors White Bear Lake and White Bear Township, alleging that the DNR had violated the Minnesota Environmental Rights Act by failing to protect the elevation of White Bear Lake after the lake levels dropped several feet in a few years. What is the White Bear Lake settlement? An agreement arriving out of mediation between all parties. Highlights include: putting a pause on the litigation for three years (until 2017); in that time, the DNR is to support efforts to explore a surface water supply for area communities; the DNR is to set a protective elevation for White Bear Lake; all parties are to pursue conservation measures. What is the surface water supply plan? Under Phase I of this plan, six communities (Mahtomedi, North Saint Paul, Shoreview, Vadnais Heights, White Bear Lake, and White Bear Township) would move from using groundwater to a surface water supply system. Phase II (no timeline yet identified) would see seven additional communities (Centerville, Circle Pines, Columbus, Forest Lake, Hugo, Lexington, Lino Lakes) moving from ground to surface water. What could it cost? Phase I alone is estimated to cost $155-230 million. What are the key dates? Aug. 1, 2016 - DNR-supported legislative proposal to fully fund the feasibility study and design of Phase I needs approval. Nov. 1, 2016 - DNR to have issued protective elevation for White Bear Lake. March 6, 2017 - Provisional date for trial before District Judge Margaret Marrinan if deadlines in the settlement are not met. August 2017 - Target for full construction funding of Phase I.
study into an alternative surface water supply system for 13 north-east metro communities is successful — has made the municipalities reluctant to step out of turn on lake-related issues. "Do we have any conflict on this with the litigation?" asked Town Board Chair Bob Kermes regarding the question of dock reinstallation. "We may want to hold off on this until after the litigation is complete," advised township attorney Chad Lemmons. According to Clerk Bill Short, the materials and labor to build the dock were provided by the Summit Lane Dock Association, a group of local property owners who say that their deeds include use of the access. The land was not originally dedicated as a public park and Short referenced citizens who say that it was originally intended to be a public safety access to the lake for fi re trucks to pull water. After a series of contentious public meetings several years ago, the Town Board agreed to maintain the property. The three town supervisors were unanimously agreed; there would be no action on the Park Board's recommendation, and consequently on the reinstallation of the dock, until a future meeting, although it was not determined whether this would be once the DNR issued its protected elevation level or after the completion of all litigation. Either way, that could take some time. It looks highly unlikely that the Legislature will agree before Aug. 1 to support fi nancially the feasibility study outlined in the settlement agreement. That means all bets are off with regard to previously agreed deadlines (see sidebar) and so citizens waiting to use the Summit Lane dock again could be waiting a while longer. "If — as certainly looks to be the case — we don't have legislative action on this [feasibility study by August], it will be up to all the parties to see if they want to renegotiate the settlement to keep it intact or to proceed with litigation," said Naramore, adding that if litigation proceeded, "I think the DNR and all the parties will need to look at whether they will implement all parts of the settlement."
MAHTOMEDI CITY COUNCIL NOTES At its July 19 meeting, the Mahtomedi City Council: • Approved a request from Mahtomedi Independent School District #832 for a variance to install a monument sign on property located at 1520 Mahtomedi Ave. that exceeds the maximum permitted size, height and right-of-way setback requirements. The original sign at the District Education
Center needed to be removed to make way for the Hamline Lake Streetcar Trail. • Scheduled a public hearing for 7 p.m. Sept. 6 to discuss the preliminary 2017 Budget. • Approved a pay increase for city election judges. Judges will see an increase to $10 per hour, and the Head Judge will see an increase to $15 per hour to work the Aug.
9 Primary and Nov. 8 General Elections. • Closed City Hall and its offices from noon to 1:30 p.m. July 21 for the employee picnic. • Approved Construction Pay Voucher No. 2 in the amount of $87,970 for park construction for the Hamline Lake Streetcar Trail Improvements. • Approved Construction Pay
Voucher No. 3 in the amount of $269,500 to T. A. Schifsky and Sons, Inc., for Phase 2 Historic District Improvements. The council next meets at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 1 at City Hall, 600 Stillwater Road. The date change is due to National Night Out occurring on the regular meeting date. Loretta Harding