The Fred Nehls land on Summit Avenue will not be available as a site for the proposed southside water reservoir.

This was the decision of the New Ulm City Council Tuesday when councilmen were asked if they would object to such use of the Nehls land. The city bought the 12-acre Nehls site last month. The land had forfeited to the state a year ago for non-payment of taxes. When the council voted to buy the land it was with the stipulation that 87-year-old Fred Nehls would be allowed to continue living on his land for as long as he wants.

NOV. 13 the Public Utilities Commission had designated a site north of the TV Signal tower and south of golf course land as site for a proposed three-million-gallon reservoir.

Opponents of that site have lobbied for another site, the latest suggestion being the Nehls land.

“I FEEL this old gentleman has suffered a great deal,” said Council President William Gafford,referring to Fred Nehls.” He lost his property through assessments which were of no benefit to him. He didn’t have the money to pay the assessments.

“He wanted to live on this property until he died,” Gafford said. “The Lord only knows how long that’s going to be. The council had the option to repurchase this property from the state and allow this old gentleman to live there the rest of his days, hopefully in peace.

“I certainly wouldn’t ever want to hassle that old gentleman with a water reservoir at his age and maybe shorten the few remaining days he’s got left,” Gafford said.

Jim Rolloff asked if Nehls would have to move, couldn’t the rest of the 12 acres (aside from Nehls’ home) be used for the reservoir site.

Gafford said he understood the agreement was that the city wouldn’t disturb any of the property while Nehls remained on it.

COUNCILMAN JOHN MOWAN said Nehls may be on the property another 10 to 15 years and asked if the city was expected to delay the project that long. He said the city is in dire need of a reservoir for fire protection on the south side.

Mowan said a park is needed in the area of the Nehls farm.

“Why take a piece of beautiful land and plunk a reservoir there when it could be used for park purposes?”Mowan asked.

Many in the audience who do not want the reservoir near their homes by the golf course groaned.

COUNCILMAN GEORGE GERMANN said the present site near the TV Signal tower was designated a reservoir site when the land was acquired years ago from the Country Club. He asked how many of the houses in the area were built before that.

William O’Connor, New Ulm attorney speaking on behalf of some opponents to the golf course site, said owners of many fine homes built near that site had no way of knowing about the proposed reservoir.

Jim Rolloff, one of the home owners near the golf course site, said he hadn’t known the reservoir was planned across the street from his house until the recent PUC action. He asked who he should have checked with to discover this, that the abstract was clear and the land agent didn’t mention it.

O’CONNOR NOTED a petition signed by 170 people opposing the golf course site had been presented to the PUC in November asking that an alternate site be found.

“I’ve had probably 25 phone calls in the last week from people who don’t want it on the Nehls property either,” Gafford said. “I think you could circulate a petition to shoot me and you’d probably get 170 signers.”

“Mr. Gafford,we would get 13,000 signers,” O’Connor returned quickly, with a smile.

THE COUNCIL vote in opposition to use of the Nehls property for a reservoir site was unanimous.

O’Connor after the meeting indicated the opposition he represented was not over. He said a committee meeting of the opponents to the golf course site was planned.

New Ulm Daily Journal

Jan. 7, 1976