FORADA HOPING TO EXPAND PARK BY BUILDING TWO PICKLEBALL COURTS NORTH OF THE FORADA FIRE HALL

The Forada City Council has given approval for a Pickleball committee to begin exploring fundraising efforts to build two-pickleball courts on the city owned lot north of the fire hall.  

This project will expand the city’s park space from Toby’s Park, the ball park and with this addition, a pickleball complex.  

The committee is hoping to secure corporate and business sponsors to supplement individual donations that will fully fund this park. Recognition for significant donations can include naming rights for the complex.

The pickleball complex will provide relief for the many area residents who routinely travel to Alexandria and Glenwood for their pirckleball play.

For more information, please contact Rhonda Verkinderen–see poster.

Brush Dumps Site Closed on September 28th by County

The county has closed the debris removal site in Hudson Township. Effective September 28 no additional debris will be accepted at that site.

The trees and branches will be mulched in the near future. The county thanks everyone who brought only the allowed items which made for a successful community-wide vegetative debris site.

Maple Lake Clean Up Information from Douglas County

NOTICE!!! The clean up of Maple Lake has been moved a week due to high winds. 

The clean up of Maple Lake is scheduled to begin Tuesday, June 14 at 8 a.m. the staging area will be the north Public Water Access on Maple Lake.

Materials that are in the water of the lake will be removed if it is feasible to do so with the equipment available.  Materials/items will not be removed if they meet the following:

• If the item or material is on land above the water.
• If the item or material extends from land above the water (i.e.; dock, boat tied to shore, fallen tree)
• If the item is clearly identifiable as belonging to an adjacent property owner or ownership of the item can be identified (watercraft #)

Debris will be removed from the lake by DNR and Lake Service Provider Crews and transported to the north Public Water Access (PWA) on Maple Lake.  At this access, dumpsters will be staged and DNR and Douglas County staff will be accepting the materials and sorting them into the appropriate dumpsters.  Materials will be sorted as follows:

• Construction and demolition (C&D) waste
• Mixed municipal waste
• Recyclable metals
• Reusable or reclaimed items (dock decking, whole items)
• Tree materials

As dumpsters fill, they will be hauled away and replaced.  Tree and branches will be transported to the staging area at the Duininck Gravel Mine.  Some items retrieved from the lake may also be recovered by property owners or reused, such as swim platforms, dock decking, or other items.  These items will be set aside for a short time to allow property owner to reclaim them prior to disposal.

From Dave Rush:

It is requested property owners mark their property that is in the lake that they may intend to keep.  Boats should be docked or tied to land, lifts and docks should either extend from their property or be tied to the property.  It may also be helpful if they label large items that are theirs with a name or to note “Do Not Remove” or “Not Refuse”.

If there’s any question if an item belongs to a property, we will leave it.  Unless the item is so mangled or is in pieces, then we will likely remove it.

Brush & Tree Clean Up Scheduled

The City has hired a company to come and haul away the existing brush and tree piles along the road right of way. They are scheduled for Friday, June 10th. If you have a pile that has other debris (metal, plastic insulation, etc.) mixed in with the brush, they will not haul it away and neither will the city. Stumps are not included in this clean up service that the city is providing. As discussed at the Emergency Council Meeting held on Monday, stumps will remain owners responsibility. So please separate your piles if you have mixed debris in them – this will help yourself and the city. Take care all – one more step in clean up and recovery is getting checked off the box!!

Volunteer Information/Tornado Relief Donation Information

Due to the tornado in Forada, communities primary need of volunteers is the ability to stack brush, haul away brush, cut trees, pick up steel, and one person to man the dump each day.

Please contact Command Central at Forada Fire Hall ASAP at 320-762-0300.Volunteers needed Saturday June 4 and Sunday June 5. Report to Forada Supper Club for parking at 9 a.m. and will be shuttled to a location of need. Please bring gloves and rakes if have. City has a limited supply provided by Red Cross.

If you have a truck/trailer/chainsaw please check in at the Volunteer Center at the Forada City Hall to be directed to a location still in need.

There has also been a fund set up at Hometown Community Bank in Forada for residents impacted by the tornado. The fund is called the Forada Tornado Relief Fund – Donations can be dropped of directly at Hometown Community Bank or at Forada City Hall.