2005-04-13 CC Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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DETAILS Here is a rough chronological history of events surrounding this issue. In 1998, Gerald Lindner and Paul Dentz setup a slalom water-ski course right next to the great blue heron and black-crowned night heron rookery in Peltier Lake. The herons seemed to be disturbed by this activity and the numbers ofherons seemed down. On Feb 23, 1999, Carol Fritchie wrote a letter, Exhibit 6, expressing her concern for the environment. Many others including myself were concerned for the environment. This letter is in the sheriff's folder. On April 27, 1999, the Peltier Lake Association asked experts and community leaders to attend a meeting to decide a course of action. In attendance were: Minnesota DNR Wildlife expert Joan Galli, Anoka County Parks Natural Resources Specialist Jeff Perry, Anoka County Sheriff Bruce Andersohn, Anoka County Parks Operations Manager Jon Oyanagi, city of Centerville administrator Jim March, city ofLino Lakes representative Kim Sullivan, ski course people Gerald Lindner and Paul Dentz, Chainnan of the Peltier Lake Association Wayne LeBlanc, and many others (see the sign in signature list Exhibit 7). The wildlife and naturalist experts explained the sensitivity of the area around the island, the sensitivity of the birds, the rare plants and the sensitive lake environment. After about 2 hours of discussion, everyone agreed that water skiing should be done south of the island. There would be no waterskiing near the island or north of the island.TPe two slalom water-ski course people insisted the agreement be informal. They did not want to see a formal ordinance, for instance. Everyone said okay. Nobody objected. This meeting was documented in at least 2 Peltier Lake Association Newsletters and in a detailed letter from Anoka County Parks Operations Manager, Jon Oyanagi. See Exhibit 8. The city of Centerville wrote a letter, Exhibit 9, opposing a ski course and asked to be kept informed of any ski course applications. The DNR wrote a similar letter, Exhibit 10. Both the Centerville and DNR letters are in the sheriff's folder. Ouestion 1; Whv doesn't the letter from Anoka County Parks Operations Manager. Jon Ovanam. Exhibit 8. .apoear in the sheriff's folder? Look at Exhibit 8. A coov was sent to Sheriff Bruce Andersohn. In addition. Sheriff Bruce Andersohn was at the meeting. The meeting of April 27. 1999. set the management oolicv for the north Dart of Peltier Lake. It was a very imoortant meeting with state. countv. city. and local reoresentation. Ouestion 2: I wrote letters to the sheriff against the ski course. Neighbors wrote letters a~inst the ski course. I've been told the Lino Lakes Environmental Committee reiected reauests on the ski course. I've been told Anoka Parks reiected reauests on the ski course. Whv don't anv of those letters or documentation about those resoonses aopear in the sheriff's folder? Incredibly, in 200 I, the slalom water-ski course was again in use, but it was rigged to submerge when not in use, to keep it hidden from view. The course was also used in 2000 but it is so isolated and wild north of the island that nobody noticed. (The herons first left in 2000. Was this a coincidence or the reason they left?) When I found Gerald Lindner and Paul Dentz in their ski course north of the island right next to the great blue heron rookery on July 7, 2001, they said they could do anything they wanted and flatly refused to stop using the course. When I asked about the agreement they said they never made any agreement. They also said, and I remember the words exactly, "The herons are fine." I said look around. There wasn't a single heron to be seen anywhere. The herons are normally thick in back (north) of the island. There used to be thousands of herons on the island. (Now there are only a few hundred.) Virtually nobody went back there - until these 2 people invaded the area. In fact, the herons had basically abandoned already. They obviously couldn't even tell the herons were gone. The meeting with the experts obviously didn't mean a thing to Gerald Lindner and Paul Dentz and the insistence on an informal agreement seemed to be a trick. The March 2002 issue ofthe The Hugonian newspaper reported the attitude of the ski course owner, Gerald Lindner, ".. .moving the slalom course isn't an option." Gerald Lindner insisted on putting his ski course in an area that results in damage to the lake and the environment. The fact that there was an agreement against that with state, county, and many others present meant nothing. There is a lot more that can be said about the environmental damage, but that will be referenced later. I started to ask people around the lake about the ski course and what the agreement meant. I don't know how to say exactly what happened next as it is so outrageous, but I'll just say it. Someone must have told the Lindners that I was asking questions. On July 10, 2001, at 9:05pm, Gerald Lindner and Cindy Lindner came to the door of my house, rang the doorbell, and then began reading a prepared script. They said they were suing me and the Lake Association was in the wrong too. Presumably it was being sued too. I better stay away from their ski course. They were basically saying that they were going to tie me up in court for years and take as much of my money as possible unless I shut up about their ski course. At the same time they were standing there threatening and intimidating me and my family, they had an illegal ski course (no permit) north of the island in native aquatic plants in shallow sensitive waters next to a heron rookery that was known to be in trouble because of abandonment, and there was an agreement against it. What's wrong with this picture? It was clear I could no longer talk to people on the lake. I took these statements very seriously and me and my family was very distressed.