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In this issue:
Letter from the General Manager
Spring Launch Information
Online Summerizing Form
Messages from the Office & Service Dept.
2025 Annual Survey Results
Afton Summer Events
WMA Employee Roster
2026 Board of Directors
Local Ads
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Letter from the General Manager
Dear Marina Members,
As the days grow longer and the weather begins to warm, we are excited to welcome you back for another boating season at the marina. Spring is always a special time here as the docks come back to life and our community reconnects on the water.
Over the winter months, our team has been busy preparing the marina to ensure a safe, enjoyable, and well-maintained environment for all members. This year we completed several improvements, including routine dock maintenance, updates to electrical and water systems, and general facility upgrades to enhance your experience.
As you begin preparing your vessels for launch, please remember to review marina guidelines and safety procedures. Our dock staff will be available to assist with spring launches, slip preparations, and any questions you may have. If you need help scheduling service, fuel dock access, or equipment assistance, please contact the marina office.
We also look forward to bringing members together again through seasonal events. Details will be shared soon, and we encourage everyone to participate and enjoy the strong sense of community that makes our marina special.
Thank you for being part of our marina family. Your continued support helps make this a welcoming and vibrant place for boaters of all kinds. We look forward to seeing you on the docks very soon.
Wishing you a safe and enjoyable boating season.
Regards,
Scott Baken
General Manager
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SPRING LAUNCH INFORMATON
Happy Spring Windmill Boaters! It's almost time to get your boat summerized and launched for the 2026 boating season.
The online Spring Service Request for summerizing and launch has been updated this year!
Every boat in our marina needs to have this form filled out. This is how we are able to keep accurate records of service and work requests. DIY boaters will find options on the form to check that they do not need Windmill to do any summerizing work. Even if you've been a DIY for several years, we still need you to fill out the form!
Please fill out a form for EACH BOAT if you have multiple boats!
If you need to amend the information submitted on your form, you must do so via email! Send your requests to kelly@windmillmarina.com or shelby@windmillmarina.com. If you are having difficulties filling out the form, please reach out to the office at 651-436-7744 and we will be happy to help!
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LAUNCHING PROCEDURES TO KNOW
Windmill Marina does not unwrap or launch your boat until you have signed up via the online form! Windmill Marina is not responsible for any missing lines or fenders. It is the boat owner's responsibility to verify that all personal items are accounted for.
Boats are unwrapped one week prior to launch. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer same-day unwrapping services. We have a lot of boats to take care of and our process requires a one-week lead time between unwrapping and launching. If you unwrap your own boat, you must dispose of the wrap yourself! Shrinkwrap must be recycled and cannot be thrown in our dumpsters! Marina dumpsters are for residential trash only. If you leave shrinkwrap on marina grounds, you will be charged a disposal fee.
The weekly launch list maxes out at 50 boats and the earliest launch dates fill up fast! If the launch week you are looking for does not appear on the form, that means it has already been filled and you will have to choose from the dates available.
All boats in the marina must be launched or moved to summer storage by May 20th. If you fail to make arrangements to either launch your boat or move it off property by this date, you will be charged a daily land storage fee at $20.00/day. We no longer have space to offer summer land storage and recommend checking with Afton Boat Storage, located just a mile up the road.
If Windmill Marina did your winterizing and you do your own summerizing in the spring, we cannot guarantee last season's winter work.
If you do your own summerizing, you are responsible for checking your work and making sure your boat is floating in the slip after launch!
All customer accounts must be PAID IN FULL
prior to spring launch!
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Message from the Service Department
Hi Windmill Boaters!
We are excited to see you all again as we get your boats ready to be launched. Please keep in mind that service work can get backed up during spring launch and we will take care of any oil changes and tune ups after launch is complete.
As usual, our plan is to have everybody in the water by Memorial Day Weekend. Make sure to fill out the Spring Launch Form if we do your summerizing or launching services. And don't forget to have your batteries, tie lines, fenders and hull plugs on your boat before your are scheduled to launch!
You can give us a call at 651-436-7744 or email me at mike@windmillmarina.com with any service questions or repair requests.
See you soon!
Mike Hurley, Service Manager
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Message from the Office
Spring is here and boating season is right around the corner!
We have been busy this winter in the office painting all shelving to give an updated look to the Ships Store. The guys have been extremely busy outside redecking D-Dock and brush cutting the harbors. We will also continue to upgrade flower beds this season. Hopefully you enjoy the progress we are making to the marina. It's been a long time coming, but with all great things, they take time😊.
As you know, we are emailing invoices, contracts and all other marina communications to the email we have on file for you. Please make sure we have your current email, as well as updated addresses and boat information. If you have any ideas of how we can improve your experience at the marina, please let us know! We are here to help in any way we can.
You can visit us in the Ships Store weekdays from 8AM to 5PM and weekends from 9AM to 4PM. The Service Department is open weekdays from 8AM to 5PM and closed on weekends. We are all looking forward to getting back into the hustle and bustle of boating season!!!
Please visit our website www.windmillmarina.com to check the current river level and no wake status.
Looking forward to seeing everyone this summer and hoping for a terrific boating year.
Kelly Little, Office Manager
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Emergency Response Equipment
WMA has an automated external defibrillator (AED) located in the hallway between the Mens and Womens restrooms in the Ships Store for use in case of emergencies. These restrooms are accessible to members after hours by using the code given to you at the beginning of the year.
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2025 Annual Survey Results
Survey Committee: Todd Witt, John Jones, Bill Burkhardt
Staff is wonderful! Great place!
We didn’t say that. You did, in the comments made in our annual survey. You also gave us helpful observations regarding your slip area, porta potties, gas dock service and patio maintenance. The chart below shows how you rated our performance in the major operating areas of our marina. And, FYI, you backed up your headline with the highest Customer Service Rating in 6 years!
As the chart below indicates, responders are most satisfied with Customer Service and least satisfied with Your Slip Area. Your comments regarding your ratings are important and give direction to staff service and facility improvements and they are valued and appreciated.
Many thanks for telling us what you think. Now we can get to work.
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2026 Marina Updates
Marina staff are committed to creating a positive experience for our members. Along with the dock and slip area updates, we will be focusing this summer on maintaining the grounds, including: better spider control, dust control between the harbors, weed control in slip areas, and managing the weeds and brush that grow along the harbors and landscape rock throughout the marina.
You can email info@windmillmarina.com or click THIS LINK to contact us with comments and concerns.
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Clean In, Clean Out!
Important Reminder from Minnesota DNR
Friendly reminder to protect our river’s ecosystem by following MN DNR’s Clean in, Clean out regulations.
As per the Minnesota DNR website:
1. CLEAN all visible aquatic plants, zebra mussels, and other prohibited invasive species from watercraft, trailers, and water-related equipment before leaving any water access or shoreland.
2. DRAIN water-related equipment (boat, ballast tanks, portable bait containers, motor) and drain bilge, livewell and baitwell by removing drain plugs before leaving a water access or shoreline property. Keep drain plugs out and water-draining devices open while transporting watercraft.
3. DISPOSE of unwanted bait, including minnows, leeches, and worms, in the trash. It is illegal to release bait into a waterbody or release aquatic animals from one waterbody to another. If you want to keep your bait, you must refill the bait container with bottled or tap water.
KNOW THE LAW: You may not…
- Transport watercraft without removing the drain plug
- Arrive at lake access with drain plug in place
- Transport aquatic plants, zebra mussels, or other prohibited species on any roadway
- Launch a watercraft with prohibited species attached
- Transport water from Minnesota lakes or rivers
- Release bait into the water
Invasive species plaguing the St. Croix River include: Zebra Muscles, Eurasian Watermilfoil, Asian Carp and Rusty Crayfish
| | | General Manager | Scott Baken | SUMMER STAFF | | Office Manager | Kelly Little | Amelia Brower
Gas Dock Supervisor | | Office Assistant | Shelby Kearns | Audrey Bobrowski | | Service Manager | Mike Hurley | Mason Braun | | Service Foreman | Broc Leslie | Claire Capra | | Service Technicians | Andrew Stender | McKenzie Fieck | |
| Jake Schwartz | Colin Frans | | River Foreman | Levi Schoenecker | Alison Fuller | | Yard Foreman |
| Lizzie Gardner | | Yard Maintenance | Lee Zimmerhakl | Brooke Hanselman | |
| Ethan Clemens-Gervais | Malea Johnson | | Security | Steve Allen | Emersyn Little | |
| Kevin Waldon | Chase Nickelson | |
| Mary Mohn | Mila Nielsen | |
| Barry Russell | Sophia Thill | | Gardener | Tammy Waldon | Addie Toland | |
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| Nick Verby | | | | Todd Witt, President | Ray Stacey | | Jack Priest, Vice President | Marcus Peterson | | Jacob Riley, Treasurer | Paul Schoenecker | |
| John Jones | | | | | |
