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Something of a sandstorm is brewing in the Lake Neshonoc Protection and Rehabilitation District as it says the county hasn’t shared in the sale of sand from the lake.

At its May 21 meeting, the district passed a resolution requesting La Crosse County reimburse it for at least half the money the county received for selling sand that was taken from the lake during a dredging project eight years ago. The district also wants half of any sand sales in the future.

“We just feel we paid probably 60 percent of the project, and we just think, in partnership, we should share in the revenue of selling the sand,” said district board chair Jim Leicht.

In 2000-01, the district and county entered into a partnership to dredge Lake Neshonoc and remove sediment from the lake bed. The project removed 1.1 million cubic yards of sediment, most of which was sand.

The project cost $2.23 million, of which $1 million was paid by the county and another $1 million was funded by the lake district. The remaining cost was paid by a state grant the district received.

In addition, Leicht said the district paid almost another $206,000 for the project’s preparation, including engineer studies.

The sand has been stored on what is known as the County Farm, owned by the county and located south of Lake Neshonoc. Since 2003, the county has sold sand, although the lake district has not received any of the proceeds.

“(Lake district residents) put in a million dollars to clean up the lake and now (the county) is reaping the rewards,” Leicht said. “Our taxpayers not only paid a million dollars in their share but they also paid the million dollars (though county taxes) for the county’s share. So our taxpayers got hit double.”

County Administrator Steve O’Malley said he was surprised to hear of the lake district’s discontent of how the sand has been managed.

“It’s just interesting that now it’s an issue when it’s never been an issue before, and quite frankly we don’t know why,” O’Malley said. “We’ve been doing this for a while. ... I’m at a loss why this is a problem now.”

Leicht said the district did know the county was selling the sand and, on occasion, he would ask how much the county was receiving. However, he said he never got a straight answer.

“They always said, “Oh, it’s not that much,’” Leicht said. “I don’t care if it’s $5 — our taxpayers should get some type of cut from this.”

According to O’Malley, the county has received $29,080 from sand sales and expects to generate another $7,500 this year. The largest sale was $26,800 in 2003 when the county sold sand for fill at the Onalaska Wal-Mart site; there were no sand sales in 2004 or 2007.

O’Malley said sand sales are approved by the the county’s Public Works & Infrastructure Committee.

“These are not just done by staff,” O’Malley said.

James Speropulos, director of the La Crosse County Facilities Department, also said he did not know the lake district had a problem with the county selling the sand.

Speropulos said the county attended a meeting with the lake district in April 2001 to discuss possible benefits of using dredged material and there was discussion on selling the sand. Speropulos said the county later discussed selling the sand and it was approved.

“It’s never really been an issue,” Speropulos said. “That was a question we took through committee and the board and got it authorized.”

Leicht said selling the sand was discussed, but the lake district never agreed to it.

“The next thing I knew they were hauling sand out of there like crazy,” Leicht said.

Speropulos, though, said he feels the county is more entitled to the sand than the lake district. He said the county is in a unique situation with Lake Neshonoc because it actually owns the lake bed.

“From my view, it’s county sand dredged with county money stored on county property,” he said.

Leicht said the lake district has requested to be on the county board’s agenda in July. However, O’Malley said he and other county staff would like to meet with lake district representatives before then.

“We would like to meet with them and find out what’s going on,” said O’Malley, who also said he didn’t find out about the lake district’s concern until after its last meeting.

“We’re just disappointed on how we learned about a potential issue. We just want to work with the folks in the lake district and address whatever concerns they have. We’ve been partners with them and want to continue to be in partnership.”