Brainerd Lakes starts to recover after Sunday's storm

Five days after one of the worst storms in years, Brainerd Lakes area resorts are starting to open for business.

But more than 1,000 homes and businesses are still without power after Sunday's storm, which brought heavy rain and high winds. It toppled hundreds of trees, particularly in the Gull Lake area.

"We could hear the trees falling," said Jan Nelson, who was staying at Kavanaugh's Resort on Sylvan Lake with her husband and grandchildren when the weather turned. "One fell right in front of the door. [But] they have done a fabulous job cleaning it up."

On Friday, Gov. Mark Dayton arrived to survey the damage and gauge whether the area needs state funding to recover.

"It's outstanding how this community has come together," Dayton said. "We have power companies staying in resorts. We have neighbors helping neighbors. This area isn't 100 percent back, but it's open for business."

Madden's and Cragun's Resorts on Gull Lake are still closed.

Dayton said private property will not qualify for state disaster assistance. He is hopeful that state aid will be allotted to repair damage to public facilities, but the total costs to make repairs, clear roads and restore power must reach a specific threshold.

U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan said the total amount of damage to public facilities would have to reach $3.5 million.

By the time Dayton arrived with Nolan and a handful of other local politicians, Kavanaugh's Resort was open and well groomed.

"We were lucky," Owner Dave Kavanaugh said. "Other places got it worse."

Kavanaugh said he hasn't seen such bad weather during his nearly 50 years at the resort. He spent the storm hunkered down with his guests in a storm shelter. For the last four days he's been working with crews to clear fallen trees.

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