The Big Lake Twp. Board outlined some exciting upcoming events during last week’s meeting, such as election day and the annual Dog Vaccination Clinic, and discussed securing a fascinating bit of Minnesota history for use in Lions Park.

Historic Kern Bridge

The board is trying to secure the historic Bowstring Truss Kern Bridge for use in the Lion’s Park.

The Kern Bridge is from Mankato, originally spanning the Le Sueur River. It was built by John Mahowald with the Wrought Iron Bridge Company in 1873 for $8,652, which would be worth $186,811.82 in 2020.  It was originally used for horse and buggy traffic over the river.  According to MnDOT, the bridge is significant for being “the only example of a bowstring truss bridge in Minnesota, and for its exceptional span length.”

After removal from its long-time home in Mankato, the bridge will be held in MnDOT District 7 until a new owner can be found. Interested agencies, including Big Lake Township, can apply to take on ownership of the bridge, which had to be moved due to failed limestone abutments. The board passed a motion to write a letter of support to move the bridge to Big Lake.  The cost to Big Lake township would likely be very minimal, as the township could apply for grants to preserve the historic monument.

Dog Vaccination Clinic

Big Lake City and Twp. are hosting this year’s Dog Vaccination Clinic on Saturday, September 19 at Lions Park. All attending dogs must be leashed, and only healthy dogs will be vaccinated. Dog licenses are required for township residents, which can be purchased for $20 at the event. A rabies vaccination will cost $10; canine DHPP vaccination will cost $16; and the canine Lyme’s vaccination will be $30. Only cash payments will be accepted for all of these services. Dog owners with questions can contact Big Lake Township at 763-263-8111.

Turnout for Primaries

Four-hundred eighty-nine township residents voted in the 2020 primaries on August  11, out of 5,257 registered voters. These voters broke down into the following precincts: 164 voters from precinct one; 123 voters from precinct two; 110 voters from precinct three; and 92 voters from precinct four. The next election is November 3.

Vandals at Lions Park

Vandals have been targeting public toilets at Lions Park. The outhouses have been tipped and vandalized several times, including once after being chained up at the ball field. The Big Lake Police Dept. has been requested to patrol near the park more frequently in order to apprehend the vandals.

Road Sealant

Some roads in Big Lake Twp. are going to receive new sealant. The Big Lake Township board will test different types of sealants on some roads soon to see what works well. A couple different methods were discussed. The first was a seal coat, which involves applying a type of oil to the road and then laying on granite chips. This fills in deviations and extends the life of the pavement. The other method was the fog seal. This method may have several advantages. It may increase road friction, and could help snow melt faster in the winter, due to holding in more heat from the sun. The board moved to hold funds in escrow to pay for the sealant at a later time.

Twp. Housing

During the open forum part of the meeting, one citizen noted that there had been noticeably more high-density housing cropping up in Big Lake Twp. recently, and that he was against this use of township land. The board was under no obligation to respond to this, but Supervisor Aubol replied that the reason for this is because the owners of privately-owned land desired to use the land for housing. It is not the board’s prerogative to stand in the way of land owners for the sake of preserving Big Lake Twp. as it is. He went on to say that citizens, of both Big Lake Township and Big Lake City, should continue to voice their opinions at public forum regarding this issue.

Board Vacancy

There is currently a vacancy on the township board, in supervisor seat number four.  The seat would have to be filled by appointment from the board, and the board had a few potential members in mind, all of whom will be on the ballot for the board in November.  Given the fact that election day is quickly approaching, the board showed no urgency to appoint anyone at this time, but rather opted to take some time to consider a few options before taking steps, or not taking steps, to fill the seat.

CARES Funding

Treasurer Warneke mentioned that the township had received funding from the CARES act. This is the first time that the township has received federal funding in several decades. Warneke suggested mimicking the city’s plans for the CARES funding in their own plans. A committee, consisting of supervisors Aubol and Leslie and treasurer Warneke, was formed to investigate CARES plans of surrounding communities and to come up with one for Big Lake Twp.