Mayor John Terwilliger cast the sole vote against the study, saying it could be done more cheaply and the one-day flyover wouldn't provide accurate numbers.

Council member John Bukovich was absent from the meeting.

A.W. Research in Brainerd will conduct the flyover study in late May or early June to determine the population of horses, pigs and cattle in the watershed. The study is part of the process to determine what is causing excess phosphorous levels in Lake Margaret.

The city will receive an animal site location map as well as Geographical Information Systems imagery data from the survey.

A.W. Research will provide a final report within two weeks of the flight, and a public meeting will be held to explain results to the public.

Many in the audience questioned the cost, and why Lake Shore taxpayers have to foot the bill for a study of the entire 45,000-acre watershed area that extends beyond city limits. They asked why townships and Cass County residents couldn't help pay for the study.

City staff explained that Lake Margaret is on the state's list of impaired waters for excess phosphorous, and because that lake is located within Lake Shore it is the city's responsibility to clean up the lake.

Even though the majority of the watershed lies outside Lake Shore city limits, the city is required to take the necessary steps toward repairing Lake Margaret.

"It's not so much Lake Shore we are concerned with. We need to determine what's in our watershed," said council member Vicki LaMere. "And yes, I'm sorry it's an expenditure you as Lake Shore residents have to take on. But if we don't clean up Lake Margaret we're going to lose all of our lakes."

The city's engineering firm that's studying Lake Margaret pollution, Wenck and Associates, will use data obtained from the animal census for the final plan to clean up the lake.

Wenck will use the data to determine potential animal nutrient sources that are contributing to the lake's pollution. The data will help detrermine where the pollution is coming from and what can be done to reduce it.

Audience members asked why an animal count couldn't be done by phone or in person. LaMere explained that while that would be possible for Lake Shore residents, this count will extend far beyond the city's borders.

Residents in the audience also asked about water sample results pinpointing the source of pollution. They questioned at what point the water became polluted - before or after entering streams into Lake Shore.

They were told to come to city hall for those results.

Wenck has identified watershed loading as the primary source of phosphorous in Lake Margaret, and not direct lakeshore runoff.

Reduction in watershed loading is critical, the firm has said.

Residents also asked whether the animal census survey would account for wildlife. City staff will pursue that question.

While acknowledging that $7,000 was a lot of money, LaMere emphasized that it was budgeted. The council has budgeted money to deal with Lake Margaret, and has received monetary help from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, she said.