Toomey wants to start saving to fix Lake Mitchell - Daily Republic
Since taking the mayor's office in June, Toomey has been digging through a thick stack of newspaper clippings and feasibility studies about lake cleanup projects and potential solutions. By investing large amounts of time and absorbing all of the information he can, Toomey hopes to finally address the long-standing issues plaguing Lake Mitchell. Although Mitchell's water is now drawn from the Missouri River, the lake remains a major recreation spot for Mitchell residents. Toomey hopes to use the upcoming budget hearings to propose a plan to save money for a potentially large lake cleanup project, but he is not convinced an expensive drainage or dredging plan is reasonable. "We need to start developing a reserve of cash so that whenever we decide to start moving on Lake Mitchell, we've got money there to do it," Toomey said. Issues with fecal coliform levels and high phosphorus rates were found in a study submitted to the city in 1985, but similar issues remain. In June, high coliform levels, which Parks and Recreation Director Dusty Rodiek suspected was from a large number of dead fish, closed Lake Mitchell's Public Beach for a day. City Councilman Marty Barington, who has spent more than nine years in city government and heard several lake cleanup proposals, was also concerned with the estimated cost of a drainage process. Source: www.mitchellrepublic.com
