President's Report
by Tim Groshens
Annual Meeting:
The Board of Directors met in early May and decided to go ahead with the annual meeting on June 19 at 9:00 at the County Park. We understand there are risks. There are some who will not feel comfortable attending in person, and we are attempting to have a live webcast of the meeting. Keep looking at the Diamond Lake website (www.diamondlakemn.com) and the Facebook page (Diamond Lake of Atwater, MN) on how to view the annual meeting.
If you are able to attend in person, great. Please be respectful of everyone else. Make sure you have been vaccinated and follow the then current guidelines published by the various government agencies. We ask that you be respectful of other peoples’ sensitivities.
Election of the Board:
Since the annual meeting last year was canceled, the members of the Board of Directors whose terms expired last year were not reelected. This year we will hold elections for seats that expired in 2020 and 2021. The group whose terms should have expired last year will be up for election for a three-year term ending in 2024. The group whose terms expire this year will be up for a term ending in 2025.
We have a couple of board seats that are open. If you have an interest in working with a great group of people to improve the quality of life on the lake, join us. Nominations will be open at the meeting, but if you have an interest, contact me beforehand (timgroshens@gmail.com).
Annual Meeting Agenda:
We have not finalized our speakers yet, but we are inviting speakers who can address last years “green slime”; the efforts to reduce phosphate by draining the Wheeler/Hubbard lakes (the secret winter home of carp and other rough fish). We will also hear from the new County Commissioner from our area, Duane Anderson. Once we have nailed down the speakers, the agenda will be posted on the website and Facebook before the meeting.
Of course, the best reason to come is to have coffee and donuts, and meet your neighbors around the lake. Mark your calendar now for June 19th at 9:00 am and keep watching the website and Facebook page for up to date information on the annual meeting.
Dues:
If you have not yet paid your dues, please do so. We need your support. Send to Diamond Lake Area Recreational Association, PO Box 307, Atwater, MN 56209.
Member Comments:
An important feedback mechanism for those of us on the Board of Directors is the comments we receive on the dues statement. Thank you to those of you that provided comments. We look at them closely for areas to improve and new areas of activity. Each year we receive a few comments asking the Board to intervene in private matters such as a property line dispute, or neighbor disputes like loud noise or other boorish behavior. Sorry, those disputes are above our pay grade. We focus on problems that are of concern to a larger segment of the membership, like water quality.
Enjoy the lake and take care! Tim
Grinder Lift Station Ownership
The Grinder Life station and the force main (discharge line) from the grinder to the District’s low pressure system is private.
Statement of ownership
The property owner owns, maintains and pays for all costs required to keep this private system in operation.
Items:
* Control panel and electric equipment
* Wet-Well, Floats, Check valves and Pump
* Force main – located from the grinder to the District’s curb box valve that is located in road right of way.
* Gravity sewer is located between the house and the grinder.
Note’s to Remember:
1.
When the light and alarm is on, it is alarming due to high water level in your wet-well. Never turn off the alarm and simply walk away and leave the system. There is a problem and it needs to be addressed and fixed NOW. The system will not fix itself.
2.When the alarm light is on and/opr alarm is sounding the water level is very high in the wet-well. Water could continue to fill the wet-well, which may be due to a check valve problem, infiltration, or some other issue that needs to be resolved.
3.Always check the system to see what is wrong by removing the cover on the grinder to see where the water level is. If you can’t make repairs call your plumber to assist you.
4.If you need additional information, please call GLSSWD.
On Call Phone 1.320.796.5565
Office 1.320.796.4523
Grinder/Pump Station Annual Cleaning & Inspection Routine
Below are listed simple annual cleaning & inspection steps regarding sewer grinder/pump stations. It is suggested that these procedures take place especially before any long periods of station non-use to insure proper operation when not being monitored more regularly.
1.Remove basin cover: Size of bolt head, you need a 9/16” socket or wrench to remove the bolts.
2.Open control panel: Find the Auto, Off, Hand pump control operation switch, its one switch with three positions. Turn the pump control switch to HANDS operation and pump station wastewater level down until about one half of the pump is visible, when completed place switch in Off position. When turning the pump control switch to HANDS the alarm light should activate and the audible alarm should sound. If either fails, repair is needed. To silence the audible alarm hold your hand under the speaker underneath the panel. The alarm light will clear when the pump control switch is returned to the auto position.
3.Floats: Pull up the pump control floats and clean them, return the second and third floats from the top to their normal basin position. These are the pump start and stop floats. Now test the high water level alarm. First, hold the top most float, the high level alarm float, in a downward position, second, return pump control switch to auto position, third, tip float vertically upward, alarm light and horn should activate, if not repair is needed. Return the top float to normal basin position.
Cleaning Wet Well:
4.Utilizing a garden hose and nozzle, spray down station breaking up all material in basin. Be sure to also break up any sludge layer on the bottom of the basin. You will need to cycle the pump on and off during this procedure, not letting the pump run dry, if allowed to run dry it may air lock, meaning the pump will no longer pump water without additional action such as burping the air our of the pump. Note, if the basin contents are not typical of normal sewer usage, meaning the basin contains rags, feminine hygiene products, sanitary wipes, diapers, cloth material, etc. you may want to consider having the basin commercially pumped out. This would eliminate the change of plugging the pump with material not suitable for normal operations.
5.Continue cleaning and pumping until the basin appears relatively clean.
6.Now turn pump control switch back to original auto position.
7.While cleaning and after shut down, check for any possible pump pipe leakage, meaning water spraying while pumping or water filling back into station after shut down.
8.Now start filling the station with water until the pump starts. This should happen when the second float from the top tips up. Discontinue filling and allow pump to pump down normally to the bottom float and stop.
9.If everything worked properly, reinstall basin cover.
10.No inspect control panel and general installation. Look for moisture problems & and corrosion, make sure alarm light installation is water tight no allowing water to enter panel, caulk around light base if needed. Look for burnt wires, check door gasket, check panel pos position, perform general overall visual inspection of the control panel. Check landscaping, basin cover needs to be a above sod and soil sloped away from basin so water sheds away.
When performing this procedure and if difficulties arise, feel free to call the GLSSWD at 320.796.4523 for information and suggestions to what to do and/or who to call for help. Please note that the District doesn’t do maintenance or repairs on your private Lift Station. You can do the maintenance or hire it out to someone of your choice.
Missile Lane
If you would like your Grinder/Pump Station cleaned & inspected (see insert in this edition) please call Tanner at 320 444-6860. At $125 retired plumber Larry Stranberg says it’s a deal and will be done right.
Kandi is Dandy Days
June 11 & 12. Schedule TBD. If interested in helping please let Jon Lindstrand (320 212-2978) or Tony Vruwink (320 905-5679) know.
Wanted
This Newsletter is in crying need of a fishing by-line writer. You needn’t give away your secrets, but the by-line can cover just about anything: fish caught in the past, winter vs summer fishing, boating etiquette, equipment, tall stories, short stories, new regulations, water quality, fish quality, your quality. If you need assistance with the writing we are lucky enough to have the State Grammarian on staff. This is an opportunity to gain immortality. Or, if shy, you can even
use a pen name – Wally Pike? Carpe Deum? Leo Perch (Leo Persch was a Willmar banker years ago)? Gil Bass (an actual person I met years ago and far away)? Sunny Tufts? Muddy Waters? Moby Dick or maybe Moby Richard (if your name is Richard)? Sturgeon Simpson (for you country music fans)?
Once Again
No, No, Nono Nanono Nono Nanono No!
1. The south side Boat Access on 49th Avenue when it turns to gravel, going out to the point, is private property. Please respect the No Trespassing sign.
2. Motorized vehicles are prohibited from traveling on the bike/walking trail on the south side of the lake. Nothing is said about horses, but that could be even worse, unless followed by sad clowns with shovels.
3. By order of the State Grammarian you are not to pronounce the letter “t ” in the perfectly Anglo Saxon pronunciation of the word “often .” It should be pronounced “off - in .” Violators will be referred to the Office of the Pronouncer in the basement of the Third Precinct for further rendering.
Annual Dues
If you have not already done so please consider signing up for your annual association dues. Letters were sent out but are easily misplaced. You can forward to DLARA, PO Box 307, Atwater (56209), and let us know your concerns. We will publish a list of paid up Dues members in the July 4th newsletter. Just sayin’.
Dumpsters at the boat access on the west and east sides of Diamond Lake are provided courtesy of the Diamond Lake Area Recreational Association – your dues dollars at work!
Atwater Festival Days June 13 - 20
For more information and to register for events, visit the festival website at AtwaterFestivalDays.com
Schedule of Events (tentative summary, more to be added)
●Sunday, June 13
○Drive-thru Pork Chop Dinner | Community Center | 11am-1pm
●Tuesday, June 15
○AFD Fun Night | Community Center | 5:30pm
■5:30pm – BBQ
■6:00pm – Derby & Kid’s Fire Challenge
■6:30pm – BINGO
●Wednesday, June 16
○Blood Drive | Community Center | 1pm
○Disc Golf Tournament | Disc Golf Course | 6pm
●Thursday, June 17
○Fun Jog/Walk/Run | Start at ProFitness | 6pm
●Friday, June 18
Friday Events - 5:30-8pm –Downtown
● Potato Race
● Horseshoe Toss
● Beanbag Toss
● Free-throw Contest
● Bait Casting competition
● Slapshot contest
○Kiddie Parade | Downtown | 6pm
○Waterball | Downtown | 6pm
○Chuckers Baseball | Kingery Field | 6pm
○Fireworks | Tadd Lake | 10:30pm
○DJ | In front of The Handle Bar | Evening
●Saturday, June 19
Saturday Events 3-6pm – Various Locations
● Kayak Race
● Disc Golf Throw
● Home Run Derby
● Bike Race
● Golf Shot
● Football Throw
○Turtle Races | Centennial Park | 9am
○Caramel Rolls | Centennial Park | 9am
○Family Escape Room | Centennial Park | 10:30am
○Kids Fishing Derby | Centennial Park
○Car Show | Downtown | 10am-1pm
○Bean Bag Tournament | Downtown | Afternoon
○Checkers | Centennial Park | 12pm
○Parade | Downtown | 2pm
○3x3 Basketball | Community Center
○Street Dance | The Handle Bar | 8pm
●Sunday, June 20
○Golf Scramble | Island Pine Golf Course
Ongoing Events
●Garage Sales | Thursday–Saturday
●Medallion Hunt
Dodecahedra Events
Letter from our County Commissioner
By Duane Anderson
Since getting elected County Commissioner in November of 2020,I have been busy attending meetings and learning a lot about how our county government works. I have been appointed to several committees including Aquatic Invasive Species, Kandiyohi County Extension Committee, Pioneerland Library System, Veteran Service Advisory Board, and the Drug Task Force as well as several other committees, for a total of 26 committees in all. So far, most of our committees have been meeting remotely due to the COVID 19 Emergency Powers Act. We hope to have all committees meeting in person by mid summer as restrictions are lifted.
I’m working hard to advocate for High Speed internet. The latest relief bill has set aside money to help assist in developing Broadband. I believe High Speed Internet is necessary for people who would like to work from home and the students that need High Speed internet for Distance Learning. Unfortunately, some businesses have passed up moving or expanding into Kandiyohi County because we lack the necessary speeds that they require. Surprisingly, I have learned that Internet speeds are one of the first things a future homeowner asks about when searching for a home in our area. They may love the home or our area, but won’t relocate if our internet speeds are too slow. High internet speeds similar to what is expected in the Metropolitan areas will make our community more attractive to both residential and commercial buyers, allowing us to increase our tax base and strengthen our county. The goal is to have download speeds of 100 mbps and upload speeds of 20 mbps. Please reach out to me if this is important to you so we can demonstrate a high level of interest in your area.
We will continue to have Inspection stations at our public accesses this summer to help boaters inspect their watercraft as they enter and exit our lakes to prevent the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species. This continues to be a challenge for all our lakes. We are also looking at ways to improve our water quality by monitoring our lakes and setting up and maintaining our traps for rough fish such as carp. I am always open to listening to everyone’s ideas and addressing their concerns on how I can be a better commissioner for our district. Thank you for this opportunity to serve you. I am also looking forward to the Diamond Lake Association Meeting this June where I hope to meet many of you.Your involvement is important both to inform me and for our county’s benefit.
Please feel free to contact me any time via email at Duane.anderson@kcmn.us
Memorial Bench Project / Future Projects
Seven memorial benches were donated last fall for placement in Diamond Lake County Park and along the new bike trail.
Families gathered at the park on Saturday, Oct 10, 2020, to hear each other's special stories about their loved ones and to share some of their fond memories made at Diamond Lake. The names on the plaques installed that day were Joey Balistreri, Barb Pauly, Cheryl Prescott, Johnson Family Farm, Kyle, Jared and Levi Schinschock, Tona nd Ruth Danielson/Harvest Bank, Clayton and Mary Ann (Tait) Smith and Warren and Diane Johnson Family. The families would be honored to have folks go for a walk to view the benches and plaquest and sit for a while.
Although the county has closed donations for benches, they may approve a memorial tree project for early spring of 2021. Another idea would be a mural to use as a background for photo opportunities. If you are interested in being a part of either project or have ideas for other memorial projects, please call or text Sandra Bacsa at 952.200.3876 or Pat Buboltz at 507.640.1610.
