(Wahpeton)– Mechanical breakdowns and a lack of funding for new boats have been plaguing the Department of Natural Resources Lakes Patrol the past few years…raising concern it could force the agency to cut down on patrolling the Iowa Great Lakes.
Now, a local organization has stepped forward to help out. Phil Petersen of the Iowa Great Lakes Water Safety Council tells KUOO news they’re offering the D-N-R the use of a supplemental patrol boat, giving them a total of four boats on the Iowa Great Lakes.
Petersen says he travelled to Des Moines Friday and made the offer to Jeff Vonk…Director of the DNR. He says Vonk accepted…pending approval of the Natural Resources Commission which will meet sometime in the next few weeks.
Petersen says making sure the Lakes Patrol has its full compliment of boats and officers on the Iowa Great Lakes is a high priority of the Water Safety Council.
Petersen says the 55-thousand dollar supplemental boat being offered by the Water Safety Council was made possible by donations from lakes area residents, organizations and the council itself.
Various governmental entities and protective associations in the lakes area have written letters to the D-N-R expressing their concern over a lack of funding for water safety law enforcement.
