Many would agree that Lake Okabena is Worthington's most asset, yet every year its overall condition is a subject of common complaint.
That's why, in large part, it has been fascinating to read the last two entries of Jay Milbrandt's areavoices blog, "The Public Square" (thepublicsquare.areavoices.com). Originally planned as a two-part series (it's now going to be three), his essays on Lake Okabena are not written as rants on the decline of the lake, but rather from the point of view of one suggesting -- and seeking -- solutions.
We don't know if the algae skimmer suggested in part two of Milbrandt's series would work. Still, his so-called "out-of-the-box solution" seems to be just the right type of fresh approach needed. (And, at $50,000, it's not nearly as ridiculously expensive as some of the more usual ideas.) We wouldn't necessarily hand Milbrandt the check just yet, but we can't help wonder if an algae skimmer couldn't be given some sort of trial run here in Worthington to see if it would indeed make a difference.
Or, maybe someone out there has an equally intriguing idea. Most importantly, "The Public Square" is encouraging its readers to gather in a virtual public square to discuss what's best for their community. And that's what makes it such a fine -- and important -- read.
