ABOVE: A look at the Budd Lake side parking lot near the boat launch at Gomsrud Park in Fairmont. The city council on Monday made a move toward improving the lot.

FAIRMONT– The Fairmont City Council revisited the topic of the north parking lot at Gomsrud Park during its meeting on Monday. The council has been discussing the project on and off over the past two years and on Monday took a step forward.

Public Works Director, Matthew York, provided a run down on the project timeline so far, which started back on Feb. 27, 2023 when the council hired Bolton & Menk as designers on the Gomsrud Park project.

“Due to estimated costs of the channel repairs in June 2023 the city council took a step back,” York said.

On April 8, 2024, he said that Bolton & Menk brought forth four different proposals, none of which met the requirements of the city council. On June 6, 2024 the council approved the design plans for the Gomsrud Park project and it was put out to bid.

“On July 22 at the council meeting, staff brought back bid results for the Gomsrud Park Phase 1 parking lot project. These bids came in $218,000 over engineer’s estimate. At that time we selected option 4 which stated: “reject bids and direct staff to rebid this fall for a summer project beginning approximately July 7.” This option was approved by the council unanimously,” York said.

At the Nov. 18, 2024 city council meeting, staff requested that the council approve releasing bid documents on or near Dec. 9 to put the project out toward bid. However, with the holidays and getting 2025 pricing information from contractors, the bids were not open until Jan. 21, 2025.

“Ulland Brothers were the low bidder for the base parking lot project as well as both options for the trails,” York said.

He said staff was recommending that the council either approve the bid from Ulland Brothers with trails (and to specify the trail type), approve the bid from Ulland Brothers without trails or other as council directs.

Council Member Britney Kawecki said, “I think the council all knows that I haven’t supported this plan because I don’t think it’s what the citizens of Fairmont want.”

She referenced a new boat launch, along with the dirt and rock, being put in.

“What are we going to do to fix all of the wash once the boats get on the new launch and power load? My worry is, and the worry of the citizens are, that we’ll put in a brand new boat launch but not solve the ultimate problem that the launch itself is shot. What is the solution?” she asked.

York said he did not have an answer at the moment. Kawecki said that has been her main concern around the project.

“We’re going to get a brand new launch from the DNR which is great, but we’re spending the money but we’re not actually solving the problem from what everyone is complaining about,” Kawecki said.

She said she went through all of the feedback from a survey SGA Group did back in 2022 and that what the citizens want did not match the current plan.

“I do believe that the council has made a mistake and I do believe that we have to do better for the citizens of Fairmont,” Kawecki said.

Mayor Lee Baarts asked whether other boat launches in Fairmont have this problem. Council Member Wayne Hasek said that power loading happens all over, which Kawecki agreed with. She reiterated that she would like to see the boat launch moved.

According to the Minnesota DNR, power loading is what it’s called when you use the boat motor to load and unload a boat onto and off a trailer. Power loading can damage your boat, motor and trailer, as well as the launch ramp and lakebed.

“We’re spending millions of dollars and now we’re elevating the lot…,” Kawecki said.

Justin Schmidt with Bolton & Menk was present and said that he’s relatively new to town but has heard this conversation in the past and called the launch in question a “typical DNR boat launch.”

“Anything above and beyond that would be paid for by the city and I’m sure that can be designed and put in place but at this time it has not,” Schmidt said.

Kawecki said Gomsrud is the most used park and that she did not believe the problem was actually being solved. She asked whether other parking lots will have to be elevated in the future.

York said, “it’s all based upon storm water allocations. There’s storm water, there’s DNR requirements, that’s why we have to raise the level of the parking lot as part of this project.”

At the June 6 2024 meeting, that was held in conjunction with the Park Board, it was said that the parking lot project has to meet multiple requirements including DNR, MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System) and ADA (American with Disabilities Act). Also to meet requirements, a storm retention pond needs to be added which will raise the parking lot about 24 inches.

On Monday Council Member Jay Maynard said, “I just wonder how many more times we’re going to have this discussion. We’ve been here. we’ve made this decision. Let’s move on.”

York said that staff was asking for council to either accept the bid and move on or to come up with another plan.

Council Member James Kotewa, who joined just this year, asked how the project is being paid for. Finance Director Paul Hoye provided a brief history on how funds have been set aside and reassigned over the two year Gomsrud Park project.

“Back in 2023, we originally had $2.25 million budgeted for Gomsrud Park. Part of that was coming from Lake Restoration funds, $125,000. Part of that was coming from sales tax and the rest was coming from the liquor store (funds),” Hoye said.

However he explained that the council had pulled some of the sales tax money, about $850,000, to designate for ice compressor equipment.

“The majority of this will all be from liquor store except $125,000 from Lake Restoration. About $2 million out of the liquor store funds,” Hoye said.

Then he said a good chunk of the project’s funds, about $1.1 million, has been spent on the channel repairs at Gomsrud Park.

Hasek made a motion to approve the base bid to redo the parking lot from Ulland Brothers, without the trails, for $825,448. Lubenow seconded it. The motion passed 4-1 with Kawecki opposed.

In other business, the council:

— Approved a new bone marrow/organ donation leave policy.

— Approved an update to the city of Fairmont’s Equal Employment Opportunity Policy.

— Approved adopting a school conference and activities leave policy.

— Approved the first reading of an ordinance that will establish a local housing trust fund in the city of Fairmont.