LANESBORO, Minn. - The Minnesota Senate Capital Investment Committee is on its 4th of a series of #MNfrastructure tours. The bonding tour made stops in Rochester, Chatfield, and Lanesboro on Wednesday.
In 2018, legislature approved roughly $4 million in funding for the Lanesboro dam, a historic structure considered a high hazard dam by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. This classification means if the dam failed, it would be likely to take lives downstream.
"To be frank, every time we get a big rain event, it does cross my mind. Is the phone gonna ring and have something to do with this dam," says Mayor Jason Resseman. "I feel with this process starting we can all sleep a little bit better at night knowing this will be around for a long time."
Work on the dam will begin in the spring, including a secondary dam being built upstream to take pressure off the dam. The legislators checked in on the project during the tour.
During the committee's second stop in Rochester, the City of Preston presented its proposal for funding of the Preston to Carimona Trail.