ABOVE: A look at the basket that aligns the channel wall between Hall Lake and Budd Lake in Fairmont. The basket is leaning and falling apart and requires repairs.

FAIRMONT– The Fairmont City Council on Monday heard from Public Works Director, Matt York, who spoke about some unexpected repairs needed to the Gomsrud channel wall between Hall Lake and Budd Lake.

York said the item hasn’t been budgeted for, but came to the city’s attention in May after former City Administrator, Cathy Reynolds, received a letter from the city’s engineer at Bolton & Menk about the Gomsrud channel wall, specifically the Gabion baskets in the middle of the channel.

“Those baskets were installed sometime in the 1990s and they have a useful life of about 25 to 30 years,” York said.

He said the baskets are falling apart and they’re proposing taking some of the funds the council has earmarked for the first phase of the Gomsrud Park upgrades, which is fixing the parking lot and boat ramp, and using it on the channel wall repairs. The council had budgeted $1,375,000 for the phase one project.

York further explained the current conditions of the channel wall and supplied some visuals so the council could see the areas of concern. He said in the middle section there’s an area of “substantial failure” where the Gabion baskets are starting to move toward the channel.

Renderings of what the repairs to the wall will look like were also shown to the council. York said it will be a benefit to the boaters moving forward. He added that the repairs need to be made because if the Gabion baskets further deteriorate and fall into the channel, the channel will become inhabitable.

The cost is estimated to be between $300,000 and $350,000 with an additional $100,000 in removal and other expenses.

“At this time we’re asking to move forward with a contract with Bolton & Menk to put together bid specifications and get it out to bid so we can start this project in earnest,” York said.

Ideally the contract will be awarded this summer and the project will start in the coming fall or winter. York said they’re also adjusting the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for next year so that the Gomsrud Park projects originally associated with this year can be completed.

Council Member Britney Kawecki asked why the structural failure is just on the west side of the channel wall. York said it has to do with salt and snow that has been expelled from the parking lot and runs over the wall and into the water.

“I think it’s changing some of the management of that area. Plus with the Gabion baskets being removed, this will become a piece of infrastructure that will be scheduled to last about 75 years instead of 25 to 30 years,” York said.

Wes Brown with Bolton & Menk added that the east side of the wall is also newer than the west side which could play into why the west side is showing more deterioration.

Council Member Randy Lubenow asked whether the channel will need to be closed while repairs are being made. Brown said that if the repairs are done late enough in the year, it may not be an issue from a boat standpoint.

“Obviously the goal is to minimize construction traffic as much as possible… but if we wait for it to fall apart and just let it go, no one will be able to go between the two lakes,” York said.

Lubenow asked whether the work on the boat ramps, which was originally scheduled for this year, will still get done.

“I’m asking for this to be priority one. The boat ramps, yes, we understand they need to be fixed, but they’re not as far in peril as this wall is,” York said.

The council approved a motion to look at design and contracts for the repairs of the Gomsrud channel wall.

Moving to other business, the council heard an update regarding the search for an interim or full-time city administrator.

Mayor Lee Baarts said he received an email on Monday from GovHR, the firm hired to assist the city in its search for an interim or full-time city administrator.

Baarts read the email, which said in part that nine potential interim city administrators were contacted and none were available or have not responded. The reason for why the candidates said no or did not respond was unknown but seemed to be unrelated.

In other news, the city has received a Preparing for Emerald Ash Borer grant in the amount of $4,600. The council approved and authorized the city of Fairmont to enter into a grant agreement with the state of Minnesota.

The following city employees were recognized for various years of service on Monday:

— Ben Austin, street department, 10 years.

— Neal Becker, water department, 35 years.

— Jaime Bleess, police department, 20 years.

— Eric Schaefer, park department, 25 years.