Americans are becoming fed up with telephone solicitors. But reconsider hanging up if you receive a call from a firm called Cincinnatus. You might be interested in this call.

The Albert Lea City Council has hired the market-research organization to determine whether citizens would support a half-percent sales-tax increase for improvements to Albert Lea and Fountain lakes.

Cincinnatus market researcher Diane Herman said the firm is currently creating focus groups composed of randomly selected Albert Lea citizens. The participants will provide answers to questions to aid the creation of a questionnaire. Their responses will help the firm determine the issues that are important to the citizens.

According to City Manager Paul Sparks, there have been attempts to improve water quality for 75-80 years.

&uot;There is a concentration of sediment from the city and rural area farm fields,&uot; he said.

Sparks said that he thinks there is &uot;general support&uot; for the improvements, but hopes Cincinnatus can delve deeper into the issue. Officials want to learn about specific areas of improvement in which people have an interest. &uot;Are they interested in water quality, recreation, wildlife, fishing?&uot; Sparks asked.

The city manager said that after the city council approves the questionnaire, Cincinnatus will begin the telephone surveys.

&uot;A pretty large cross-section of the town will be asked their opinions about this proposal later this month,&uot; Herman said.

Approximately 300-400 people will be surveyed.

Albert Lea resident Phyllis Miller said she would support the increase. &uot;The water is really nasty,&uot; she said.

Dewey Fraser, who said he uses the lakes predominantly for fishing, also would support an increase, and said he would like the money to go towards cleaning out the &uot;brown stuff.&uot;

After considering the issue for a few seconds, Carol Waltz said, &uot;I would support lake cleanup, but I don’t want to pay too much.&uot; She added that she wants to know how much the taxes might increase because of the Shell Rock River Watershed District before fully supporting the lake improvements.

According to Council Member Randy Erdman, there are three things that the legislature needs to know before the public votes: The amount of the tax increase, the longevity of the increase, and the amount of revenue to be raised. Officials hope to raise $15 million during a ten-year period of the tax increase.

Comparable tax increases have been initiated in 11 municipalities in Minnesota, Erdman said. &uot;Winona did a similar project when they dredged Lake Winona,&uot; he said. They planned on a six-year tax increase, but the project was completed in 3.5, and taxes were returned to normal.

Upon completion, the survey results will be presented to the legislature for approval. &uot;We’ve already made a motion to the legislature for a special tax,&uot; Erdman said.

&uot;We want to give them a tight package and the survey results will help,&uot; Sparks said.

(Contact Benjamin Dipman at ben.dipman@albertleatribune.com or 379-3439.)