Councilmember Jean Godden and Councilmember Mike O’Brien sponsored a budget proposal to fund the studies and permitting necessary to treat Green Lake for toxic algae blooms. For three straight years, toxic algae blooms have kept swimmers and dogs out of the water in late summer and fall.
Many Green Lake users and supporters wrote letters to the City Council urging them to fund cleanup of the lake. In November, the City Council Budget Committee approved $300,000 in funding for Green Lake by a vote of 9-0.
This jewel of a lake will get studied in 2015, but funding for the actual treatment was not included in the 2015 budget.
With the allocation of adequate funding in the 2015 budget, Green Lake could be treated in spring 2015 instead of 2016.
Friends of Green Lake would like to see action taken on the alum treatment in 2015, to prevent closures in the summer and fall of 2015.
We urge the City Council and Parks Department to continue to explore what options may exist for keeping Green Lake open in 2015.