Board approves Beaver Creek Park changes

In a lengthy meeting sometimes including somewhat heated discussions, the Hill County Park board Monday in Havre approved changes to the Beaver Creek Park cabin lease site agreements.

Board member Robbie Lucke again presented recommendations of a committee, which he presented last month with the suggestion the board vote this month after it — and the public — had a chance to digest the recommendations.

The recommendations were:

• To keep the lease requirements on fences the same, allowing, with board approval, wood or metal fences with no wire fences allowed;

• To increase the maximum size of the one allowed outbuilding from 1,000 square feet to 2,000 square feet, with the dimensions subject to board approval, and

• To allow white window trim along with the existing yellow trim allowed, and allow metal siding on cabins in approved park colors.

The board discussed fencing extensively, including that board chair Steve Mariani, for whom the board approved Monday his taking over his family’s cabin lease, having wire fencing and being in violation.

Board members pointed out that saying metal fencing is allowed but excluding wire fencing — usually made of metal — is contradictory, and also that the lease as writtten does not allow plastic fencing.

The board approved an amended version proposed by Lucke, saying fencing along the perimeter of cabin sites inside the boundary of the lease site is allowed with board approval.

That also lead to a discussion of some sites having fences that extend outside the actual boundary of the lease, with the recommendation that letters be sent out to the leasers of those sites telling them they are out of compliance.

Hill County Commissioner Jeff LaVoi — commissioners are automatic members of the county park board — again raised a concern he has raised at previous meetings about changing park rules and county ordinance without need, especially without knowing how many park users support the change, and about the dangers of granting variances or grandfathering in existing violations. LaVoi said the board only should change ordinance with serious consideration of the need and implications.

The board also approved sending on to the Federal Emergency Management Agency a prioritized list of items for the improvement of the park in place of replacing a flood-destroyed bridge in Blackie Coulee. FEMA did not approve replacing the bridge, and allowed the park to propose other purchases or projects in its place, totalling about $162,000.

While some board members said they had some problems with some of the proposals, the board approved sending the list.

Some of the items on the list include a skidsteer loader to replace the worn-out skidsteer the park now uses, a trailer to haul the skidsteer and other material, finishing the sprinkler system being installed piecemeal at Camp Kiwanis and buying a pole barn to house equipment at the park offices, which could later be upgraded to a new shop for the park administration.

Using the FEMA money for other improvements, such as funding for a proposed walking trail and for a camp host site, were discussed, with Mariani pointing out that the purchases proposed would save money in future park budgets that could be applied to other uses like the trail or host site.

Beaver Creek Park Superintendent Chad Edgar said an energy efficiency audit — suggested at previous meetings by audience member Lowell Alcock — found numerous expensive innefficiencies at the park offices and buildings, which could save a significant amount of money if improved. He said the park staff now has a list of items on which to work.

He said contracts have been let for work on three projects repairing flood damage in 2013.

Rose Cloninger gave a report on the Hill County Park Foundation, including approving buying new playground equipment for a North Havre park and a bench for the Hingham Park.

She said she would contact Heather DePriest of Montana Grafix to send a payment for a new website DePriest will build for Beaver Creek Park. The website will include information about the park including its rules and regulations and allow visitors to reserve sites.

DePriest said in February the site could include allowing online purchases of merchandise and campsite reservations through PayPal, costing the county $499 for a three-page site. That would be a one-time fee, she said, and it would require paying about a hundred dollars a year for the domain and hosting.

She said updates to the site, including changing pictures or replacing text, would cost $20 to $60 a change. The site could be expanded to 10 pages for about another $600, and it could be set up to be managed by the park staff for another $600, she said.