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-2- <br />Aoproximately 250 families per year used the facilities. The camp operated on the <br />annual a-propriation of S10,000 from the state, $3,000 from Hennepin County, fees frcm <br />the auests and donations. No major improvements have been made for many years. <br />In 1967, the state sTnpped its appropriation. The camp continued to run on <br />its remaining income with minis, maintenance to keep the facilities at a barely <br />useable level. In 1969, the law was amended to require any requests for appropriations <br />to be made by the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs and the chairman of the <br />Board of Governors "who shall appear before the proper committee to explain such <br />request". Though It is not documented in our files, it would appear that the <br />Legislature stopped the appropriation because the camp had accumulated a large <br />improvement fund (apparently $50,000 to $70,000 at that time) and had not used <br />that fund to make some of the necessary improvements or was unable to convince <br />the Legislature that improvements on the order of S100,000 were necessary at that <br />time. <br />CURRENT STATUS <br />1. Facilities <br />The camp remains much in the condition it has been in since the 19301s. <br />There are 37 cabins, the large recreation -dining hall, a barracks building, <br />and some other buildings used for storage. The cabins are only sleeping <br />facilities. Cabins are clustered around lavatory buildings and most have <br />no furnishings other than bed:.. The barracks building is a two-story building <br />with several single rooms. It is basically a good structure but is in need <br />of current improvements. Several of the cabins are only used for storage. <br />There are some 25 inhabitable cabins. The recreation -dining hall is a large <br />building with a 100 x 150 foot floor. It Is used as a meal Paration and <br />dining facility and a new roof was installed in 1980 and in j32 the floor <br />was sanding and covered with urethane paint. The docks are maintained in a <br />useable and safe condition. The manager has been requesting since at least <br />1967, that a harbor be dredged in a swampy area -of the island that would <br />be protected from the elements. The grounds themselves remain beautiful and <br />there is an excellent beach around much of the island. <br />2. Board of Governor; <br />Of the current Board of 10 members, three have been members sinco 1923; <br />incluJing the chairman. The "Board has only rarely met more than once a <br />