Residents Charlene Reese and Aaron Rawls addressed the Fond du Lac City Council on Aug. 13 to raise concerns about erosion along De Neveu Creek and the city's management of a vacant parcel known as Off Road Park.
Reese said she owns property at 383 Taft Street that abuts De Neveu Creek and that the creek's man-made banks have deteriorated over time. "Since the lot survey on my property was done, I've lost approximately 8 feet of land because of erosion," she said, and she attributed part of the problem to city maintenance practices that "scalped the banks to the water level, cannibalizing the vegetation," which she said increases erosion and harms wildlife.
Nut graf: Residents asked the council to consider structural bank stabilization and changes to vegetation-management practices; council members did not take formal action at the meeting but staff indicated the Public Works and engineering teams monitor and prioritize bank and stormwater projects within the CIP.
Rawls, who identified himself as a longtime resident, supported Reese's account and urged the city to include the location in a city program or capital plan to repair banks and add protective rock. He also asked the council to pursue access to the Off Road Park site near South Main and U.S. 41, saying the city keeps gates locked and that a private owner indicated willingness to allow use if the city endorsed a group to operate it.
Discussion vs. decision: The comments were in the audience-comments period; staff later told the council the city evaluates stream banks and prioritizes bank-repair work in the CIP on a recurring basis and that pumping/station discharge and erosion are managed through stormwater and maintenance crews. No formal direction or vote was recorded at the meeting to initiate repairs or reopen the off-road-parks access.
Ending: Residents' remarks were recorded in the public record; further administrative follow-up was suggested in subsequent staff budget and stormwater discussion.