By: Sheila Crowley
Murray County News Staffwriter
If you’ve driven past the Ampride located on the corner of Hwy. 30 and 59, you may have thought they’ve created new lakefront property. Many businesses and residents have been hampered by the recent heavy rains, however at Ampride the excess water created a critical situation – fuel barrel was tipped on its side due to the rising water.
“This is an emergency protective measure,” stated Heath Landsman, Murray County Emergency Management, at a recent Murray County Commissioner meeting.
As the waters rose along Beaver Creek the excess found its way to Lake Elsie located on the edges of the Ampride parking lot. The lake, however, overflowed its banks and created a lake in the Ampride and Highway 59 Auction Center – some places were recorded at ten inches deep.
Landsman contacted Todd Malecha last week. They coordinated a plan to pump the water out.
The process was mapped out with Austin Thaler operating the pumps. Thaler is a graduate of Foley, Minnesota but has ties to local residents. He is the nephew of Pam and Darwin Johnson and Steve and Rhonda Wynia. During a conversation on Monday morning, Thaler received a supper invitation for that evening from Rhonda Wynia.
Following graduation, Thaler attended Alexandria Tech for diesel mechanic and in the process met Todd’s son, John, and they quickly developed a friendship. Thaler took a part-time summer job working for Malecha. Following a stint for a construction, Thaler found himself back with Precision Pumping and has remained there for the past year.
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