LAKE LILLIAN -- It was a drizzly day and many of the campers had already left, but the Kandiyohi County Commissioners were impressed with the physical condition and high customer use of county parks 1 and 2.
The Commissioners toured the two southern Kandiyohi County parks Tuesday following their business meeting
Located on Big Kandiyohi Lake, Parks 1 and 2 have 90 campsites each and were 95 percent full all summer, with seasonal campers making up the bulk of visitors.
At Park 1, 95 percent of the visitors were seasonal, keeping their RVs at the park for 90 continuous days.
High usage of electricity by campers could result in an increase in utility fees for 2009.
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County Administrator Larry Kleindl said some seasonal RV owners leave their air conditioning on all day and all week, whether they're at the park or not. That usage has driven up the utility cost to the county.
He said it would cost $700 to install meters at each site. Instead, he said utility fees may have to be increased for all electrical sites.
A couple projects that had been planned for Park 2 in 2009, including construction of a new restroom/storm shelter, were pushed back for budgeting purposes.
The Commissioners also took a quick drive through a rather unknown county park on Lake Carrie. Most of the Commissioners had never been to Park 6, and would have a hard time finding it on their own. The small park, which includes a boat landing and large grassy parking area, is five miles southwest of Atwater on a dead-end gravel road off of County Road 86.
The secluded park is apparently popular with teens and the deep, clear lake is popular with anglers.
The Commissioners also stopped at a kiosk and historical marker at Capitol Hill. Overlooking Minnetaga Lake and Lake Kasota, the scenic hilltop had been platted by early settlers as the site for the Minnesota capitol. A marker was placed at the site for the state's sesquicentennial.
