The regular meeting of the Murray County Board of Com-missioners was held on June 27th. Jay Trusty, Executive Director of the SRDC was on hand to present an information-al report. The SRDC is a nine county organization with offices in Slayton. Many of its employ-ees work out of offices in other communities. The organization is 50 years old this year. Trans-portation issues begin here with local planning. Economic Development is provided with gap financing of projects begun in the area. Comprehensive land planning and trails, such as the Casey Jones Trail, are projects involving SRDC staff. ACE, Broadband planning and Rural MN Energy Board also fall within its scope of activities. Acting on the recommenda-tion of the Planning Commis-sion, the Board gave its ap-proval to the Edgewater Bay Campground Conditional Use Permit. This allows the Barstads to add 110 new campsites and a plan for providing shelter-inplace. The plan is to be submitted to the Murray County Emergency Manager.
Three residents of Lake Sarah and members of the PALS club were on hand to discuss the Rock Arch Rapids dam designed for the lake. Parks Manager Justin Hoffman, a representative for the firm Houston Engineering and Ryan Doorenbos of the DNR Fisheries were also on hand to answer the concerns of the group. Their concerns centered around inflow of other species of fish from downstream (Lake Shetek), upkeep of the old and new dams and of the design of the new dams. A grant of $300,000 has been approved for construction of a new dam and the design work has been completed. Doorenbos explained that the unique species of walleye found in Lake Sarah would not be harmed from an inflow of fish from Lake Shetek. Houston Engineering explained the design of the new dam and that ice dams and movement of the rocks from the pressure of ice should not be problem. The design of the dam should not contribute to trees and debris being caught in it. No action or change in the plans was taken as a result of the discussion.
