News from the Board of the
Lake Shamineau Lake Improvement District
As a subscriber, you are receiving an edition of the Electronic Newsletter for the Lake Shamineau Lake Improvement District (LSLID). The LSLID Board of Directors issues the monthly newsletter to provide updates on LSLID activities. Check out our website for detailed information, announcements and documents.
Message to Subscribers

To Lake Shamineau Property Owners, Neighbors and Friends:

As you know we have faced increasing problems with heavy rains in late fall causing rising waters and more flooding around the lake. Through the many months of trying to find a solution to alleviate the high-water problem we have faced many challenges and issues. The latest challenge is opposition to the legislation to fund our project. We continue to need your help in getting the message out to legislators to support the legislation. See article below for details on sending your messages.
Update on High-Water
Outlet Project
WSN continues to make progress with their work to complete the design details for the infiltration area and pumping site, and the r oute from the pumping area to the infiltration site.

As we announced in the last newsletter, we have Letters of Intent from all property owners along the route including the pumping site, the force main (pipe) route, and with the property owner of the infiltration site. We are now working to finalize the easement agreements. Note that the location of the infiltration site has changed. A map of the route is on the website and below.

In addition to determining the design and route for pumping, the following tasks have been completed:
  • Additional borings, surveys and design work for the infiltration site and pumping areas have been completed.
  • Drafting of the documentation required for permitting has begun.
  • An initial draft of an Operations and Maintenance Plan has been completed.
  • The LID and WSN has met and corresponded with neighboring property owners to the project and will continue to be open to address questions and concerns.
Environmental Assessment Worksheet ( EAW)

Per MN Rule 4410.4300, the LID, as the Responsible Governmental Unit, has issued a discretionary Environment Assessment Worksheet (EAW) for the High-Water project.

The EAW form provides information about a project that may have potential for significant environmental effects. The EAW allows for comments to address the accuracy and completeness of material contained in the EAW, potential impacts that warrant further investigation before the project is commenced, and the need for an EIS on the proposed project.

A copy of the EAW has been submitted to the MN Environmental Quality Board for publication. A hard copy is available for public viewing at the Scandia Valley Town Hall, at Morrison County Land Services and at the WSN offices in Baxter. The LID website also includes a link to the document.

The EAW contains hundreds of pages of detail about the high-water project, including:
  • Project location and description
  • Permits and approvals needed
  • Geology, soils and topography
  • Fish, wildlife, plants and sensitive ecological resources
  • Historic properties
  • Visual, Air, Noise and Transportation
  • Other potential environmental effects
  • Seventeen appendices that include detail data regarding the project plan and an Operation and Maintenance Plan.

Check the LSLID website for a link to the EAW and more helpful High Water Outlet Project information. The EAW also includes information for submitting comments by the Wednesday, March 25th deadline.
LID Schedule

The LID Board of Directors holds Board meetings to review, discuss and vote on various LID items. These meetings have been held as needed and notices are posted on the LID website. The meetings have been held at the Scandia Valley Town Hall or through an online conference tool.  Minutes of all Board meetings are posted on the website.

The next Board Meeting will be held on Friday, April 10 at 9:00 A.M. through the online conference tool. The agenda for the meeting will be posted on the website prior to the meeting. To attend, send an email to Fred Comb to receive an email invitation to the meeting at fred@homeinspectionsofmn.com. Prior to the meeting, Fred will send you an email invitation for the meeting. Information regarding online meetings is on the LID website. 

Other LID meetings and activities coming up over the next several months:
  • On May 16th a regularly scheduled LID Board meeting will be held at the Scandia Valley Town Hall.
  • In June, a letter will be mailed to property owners advising them that nominations are open for 3 Director seats.
  • We anticipate that an informational meeting or public hearing on the high-water project will be held in the late spring or early summer.
  • Nominations for the Board of Directors will be due in July.
  • At the end of July or early August, a letter will be mailed to property owners advising them of the Annual Meeting.
  • The Annual Meeting will be held on August 29th.
  • On September 19, 2020 a LID Board meeting will be held. New and continuing Directors will be introduced and welcomed onto the Board.
Emergency Task Force

While the LID continues to work hard on a long-term project to begin pumping next fall, an E mergency Task Force has been formed to explore and work on additional steps that can be taken to alleviate the flooding problems. These steps include mitigating inflows and improving outflows, as well as looking at the possibility of emergency pumping in the spring.

An update on recent activities of the Emergency Task Force includes:
  • The Ditch has been excavated East to 30th Ave. and the water is flowing to the West. This ditch needs to be cleaned farther to the East. The Task Force will ask Scandia Valley for more assistance.
  • There is an additional ditch that needs to be cleared and the task force will be working with Scandia Valley Township to see if they can assist.
  • The Emergency Task Force is working with property owners and agencies to extend the ditch to the East and to, potentially, create a control structure for the water flowing into Shamineau through the DNR property on the South East bay. 
  • The Task Force is also working on the possibility, pending approvals, of emergency pumping in the Spring.
Task Force members have worked closely with various agencies including Todd and Morrison County Soil and Water departments, as well as the Scandia Valley Township for approvals and to obtain financial assistance from the Township due to the impact on roads.

The Task Force includes members from the LID Board, the Lake Association Board, and other property owners. We want you to know that while LID Board members are participating on the Emergency Task Force, the LID Board's focus continues to be our long-term plan.

The initial excavation of a ditch has been completed. Below is a picture of water flowing in the ditch. The Task Force is also considering getting approval to continue the ditch another 2000 feet. The work this committee is doing is commendable!
Legislative Update

Bills have been introduced in both the MN House and the MN Senate in support of funding for the Lake Shamineau LID (Lake Improvement District) High Water Outlet Project. HF 2942 has been introduced by Rep. Ron Kresha and SF 3285 has been introduced by Sen. Paul Gazelka.
A hearing was held on March 4th for the House bill which earmarks $2.275 million dollars for the Lake Shamineau High Water Project. Thanks to all that attended! The wave of light blue shirts helped to show solidarity for the lake. Thanks also to Director Ardis Sandstrom who spoke on behalf of the Lake Community. The handout from the meeting has been posted on the website.
We continue to need support for the bills. Please contact your home area legislators (who represent you where you live) and inform them of the dire need for this project. Let them know of the bills that have been introduced and urge them to contact the Capital Investment Committee members regarding HF 2942 to ask them to support Lake Shamineau. You can find your MN House Representative and MN Senator contact information at: https://www.gis.leg.mn/iMaps/districts. Please let us know at BLOLL@icloud.com if you are willing to contact your legislators via email, US Post, or in-person at the capitol and we will assist you.

A special thanks to our LID Legislative coordinators - Cheryl Koll, Nancy Hanson and Ardis Sandstrom.
To assist with communications about our project, a media website link has been developed. You can view the link and share it with your legislator at: http://lakeshamineauflooding.org

We also need your help in getting a thank you message to our local legislators who have authored the bills to fund the Lake Shamineau High-Water Outlet project. Please send your thank you to Senator Paul Gazelka: sen.paul.gazelka@senate.mn and to Representative Ron Kresha: rep.ron.kresha@house.mn  

See sample letter below. Please send a separate letter to each legislator. Include your name, address and the fact that you are a constituent.

Dear Senator Gazelka, or  Dear Representative Kresha,
Thank you for your work to provide funding on behalf of the Lake Shamineau LID High Water Outlet Project. We are still in a dire situation. The ice is melting and soon spring rains will bring even more flooding. Many of our neighbors have water inside their homes right now!

Please continue your efforts on behalf of Lake Shamineau residents, Auger’s Pine View Resort, Shamineau Acres Resort, Camp Shamineau Bible Camp, area wildlife and water quality.
Thank you again.
Updates from the Board of Directors
Letter to Property Owners

The LID Board of Directors recently mailed (through the US Mail) a letter to all property owners on Lake Shamineau to provide an update on the High-Water project and other items of interest. This letter has been posted to the website.
Website Information

Be sure to visit the LID website for the following information:
  • Treasurer's Reports are posted at least quarterly, but more frequently as available.
  • Status reports from WSN are posted as they are submitted.
  • LID Board Meeting Schedule and agendas
  • High-Water Project Information, Map and Timeline
  • Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) Information
  • Announcements and notes for meetings such as the LID Board meetings and public hearings.
  • There are many other documents and information available that you might find of interest.
Aquatic Invasive Species
Partnership Grant

Each year, the LSLID submits a grant application to Morrison County for funding to support the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Prevention Plan. For 2020, the LID submitted the following requests:
  • AIS vegetation surveys which are used to guide our treatment planning and improve accuracy in our brochures - $3,500
  • Updating and maintaining the AIS Educational signs for the lake landings - $200
  • To continue the Ambassador program to monitor the two lake access landings - $31,571
  • AIS Management project which includes chemical use and scuba diver hand pulling - $32,028 (while we requested this amount, there may be a $5,000 per lake limitation).
We will keep you informed on the amount of grant funds that we receive.
A Message from the LID Board
The LID Board of Directors are continuing to work on the very important High-Water Outlet tasks with the goal to begin construction in late spring or early summer. We again urge you to call or send letters to your legislators in support of Flood Hazard Mitigation Grant Funds for Lake Shamineau. These funds depend on approval of bonding funds by the legislature and will be used to offset the cost to property owners.

We will keep you up to date with postings to the website and newsletters. Continue to let us know your comments and questions. We welcome your input.

If you know of someone that would like to be added to our newsletter subscriber list, have them send a text to 22828 with the message LAKESHAMINEAU or send an email to LSLIDBD@gmail.com . You may want t o add this email address to your white list to ensure that you will receive future newsletters.

Thank you for your support,

Cindy Kevern, Bob Koll, Rick Rosar, Fred Comb and Ardis Sandstrom
Lake Shamineau Improvement District Board of Directors