Park committee focusing on upgrading park area

Editor’s note: This version corrects that the grant proposal is only in planning stages and still has to be presented to the Hill County Park Board for approval, that the committee does not spend anything as it is an advisory committee and that Lou Hagener is a community member who participated in Thursday’s meeting.

The Hill County Park Board’s Finance and Planning Committee Thursday discussed advising the Hill County Park Board to create a matching grant program to help groups fund park projects, saying work has begun drafting a letter that could be sent out announcing this grants.

The group discussed setting a grant application deadline andthat they might not get many applications.

The matching amount is still to be hashed out, but Hill County Commission Vice Chair Diane McLean suggested that “we offer a range of up to 50 percent, so the park is not locked into 50 percent matching.”

The letter would be sent to different organizations throughout the county listing projects that they would like to help with.

“Three projects that are currently ongoing including rebuilding the outhouses,” Beaver Creek Park Park Superintendent Chad Edgar said the park staff members have identified three possible projects that could use grants.

He suggested alternatives to cash for matching funds.

“What about in-kind service?” Edgar said.

Lorang said that wouldn’t work well because “it would be to hard to equate the group’s labor to actual cash value.”

The committee also discussed a new pay box and adding new information kiosks.

“I would like input from everybody on the kiosks,” Edgar said. “This committee could do the ground work and then present it to the park board.”

He suggested Beaver Creek Park could have a map that expands from what is on its brochure.

“I definitely want a pay box that accepts park permits,” he added

Edgar said he is developing a fact sheet that will detail Beaver Creek Park finances and rates.

“I want people to understand that the revenue stays in the park and county taxpayers are not paying for the park,” said Edgar.

The committee discussed a donation policy and form but tabled it for later discussion at the park board.

Edgar discussed his budget and the needs the park has.

“I would like to have two patrol vehicles that are equipped with radio systems, so we could communicate in emergency situations and during patrols,” he said.

Lorang discussed creating a fund to help people use Beaver Creek Park.

“A hardship fund would help people and youth groups,” he said. “If you can’t afford a permit, then how can you afford to drive to the park?”

But after discussion, he said creating such a fund would be problem.

“This is not a good idea,” said Lorang. “It’s a complicated process to determine who would qualify and what would determine their need.”

The committee discussed the possibility of having a folf course.

“The only place I could see the folf course is at Rotary Hill,” Edgar said. “The college has donated the old baskets, so the current cost would be very little.”

He added that the course would be nine holes.

“The course would mainly be a way of getting people to spend time outdoors and promote health,” said Edgar.

A motion to support the idea of the folf course was unanimously passed by the finance committee.

Edgar said that beavers have become a serious problem at the park

The trapper said he has been able to trap 75 to 100 beavers a year at the park.

“Beavers are creating so many dams that people are not being able to fish,” Edgar said.

He added that the trapper said it’s becoming not worth their time to trap.

“He is only getting $5 for beaver hides,” Edgar said, adding that the trapper said he used to get more.

“I like our current trapper because he was always in contact and always gave us results,” said Edgar. “If we get a new one, we can’t be sure if they are a good trapper or one who would not be able to take control of the beaver population.”

Community member Lou Hagener talked about mapping the park.

“(Montana State University)-Northern Professor Tom Welch is developing a map of the park areas,” Hagener said. “He is only able to do some of the park, but hopefully we can eventually get the entire park mapped.”