City won’t contribute to 3 Mile Lake project

After a brief discussion Monday, the Creston City Council decided against contributing $50,000 to a 3 Mile Lake restoration project.

Council members Matt Levine, Richard Madison and Jocelyn Blazek quickly denounced the idea.

“The commitment they got from the county is in the form of a grant so even the county’s not commiting actual funds out of their general funds,” Blazek said. “I mean if we have $50,000 to spend on something, I think we have a lot of other things we’d rather see that money go to.”

George Antoniou, from the DNR’s lake restoration office, contacted the city in January about the contribuition. He also spoke with the Union County Board of Supervisors and Southern Iowa Rural Water Association.

Both the county and SIRWA have agreed to commit funds to the project.

The attraction Three Mile Lake has was a strong reason why the DNR chose the lake for improvements. Work will include water quality, fish habitat and certain sections of shoreline.

The schedule is to approve bids in March and have the work start in May. Antoniou said the completion date is March 2024, which is probably longer than needed. He said there is no existing problem with water quality. Some preliminary work has already been completed.

The project is estimated to cost $4.5 million. When Antoniou met with council in January, he said, “Three Mile for us as a program is one we always kept on our radar for public benefit. The goal is to protect the lake.”

Andy Jansen, a DNR representative from Ringgold County, said a 2016 survey showed the lakes had 175,000 visitors that year spending a cumulative $16.7 million. Anglers spent 35,000 hours fishing and spent an average of $142.

Studies by the DNR show Union County lakes Three Mile, 12 Mile and Green Valley “pop out” as a regional draw based on the number of people visiting and length of stay.

Madison said as far as he was concerned, the discussion was over.

Levine echoed the sentiment. “We just don’t have the money.”