Windermere Township fishing pier request referred back to land advisory committee after county withdraws funding recommendation

Windermere Township officials and residents asked the Pine County Board for up to $32,000 to reimburse town expenses to build a fishing pier and pay for trees, benches, signage and trash receptacles at the new Sturgeon Lake Island bridge. The request prompted extended discussion at the board’s meeting, and the county’s earlier $15,000 recommendation was withdrawn by the board and the matter was referred back to the land advisory committee for further consideration.

Background and dispute Township representatives said contractor performance and unexpected additional work left the township with out-of-pocket costs. Windermere Township Vice Chair Tony Bakhtiari told the board the township initially sought $32,000 because residents lacked a safe public fishing place and township members had incurred costs to complete landscaping and driveway blacktopping that they consider outside the original bid.

Cou…