GRANITE FALLS -- A standing-room-only crowd of Granite Falls Fire Department volunteers attended Monday's City Council meeting to speak up for the department's contribution to the community, according to City Manager Bill Lavin.
In a statement read by firefighter Steve Hubert, the firefighters told council members they have been "under fire'' for a number of issues and want to make known the department's contributions to the community.
The department has been investigated by the state for allegedly operating a football board. Fire Chief Dan Enninga has publicly denied the allegation and said that the department has a state permit for an annual fund-raiser using raffle tickets.
In their statement to council members, the volunteers pointed out more than two dozen areas where the department has made significant accomplishments and contributions to the community. They range from a successful effort to link all of the emergency radios in Yellow Medicine County to service during two major floods and a tornado.
In concluding, the firemen said they have felt "little or no support from some City Council members. We are not here tonight asking for praises. We are not here asking for accolades for the good we have done. Being a human organization, mistakes have been made. We only ask that the entire City Council and the citizens of Granite Falls support us in our work so we can serve you as faithfully in the future as we have in the past.''
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In other business, council members made known the city's willingness to pursue options to lengthen the runway at the Lenzen-Roe Municipal Airport to accommodate larger aircraft, Lavin said.
The discussion follows interest expressed to the state by Joe Driscoll, who said he represents a company called Driscoll Holdings. Driscoll has contacted the Minnesota Department of Aeronautics and voiced his intention of privately developing a runway greater than 6,000 feet in length on land south of Clarkfield.
Driscoll said he will be conducting business in the area and wants ready access for a private jet. He identified his company as having oil and coal interests but did not disclose the nature of the company's interest in Yellow Medicine County, according to Lavin.
Driscoll's interests were discussed Monday by a working group of representatives from the city of Clarkfield and Yellow Medicine County. The state has encouraged Driscoll to consider an expansion of the Granite Falls or other airports in place of developing a third airport in Yellow Medicine County.
Granite Falls is seeking state participation to lengthen the runway from 4,350 feet to 4,990 feet in 2007.
The state had informed Driscoll that developing a runway of 6,000 feet or more would require an environmental impact statement, according to Lavin.
