Beaver Creek beaver management meeting Wednesday

The Hill County Park Board’s Rules and Regulation Committee is holding the third meeting Wednesday in a series of meetings on a controversial topic — beaver management in Beaver Creek Park.

An agenda sent by Hill County Commissioner Mark Peterson says three speakers will present at the meeting, which starts at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the 4-H Chuckwagon on the Great Northern Fairgrounds.

Peterson said this morning that while the speakers have been confirmed, he is unable to release their names.

Use of trapping to control the beaver population in Beaver Creek Park has been contentious in recent decades, with advocates saying it is an effective way to reduce the impact the animals have in the park with flooding and damage to trees and opponent saying other more humane ways of mitigating possible damage should be used.

Two meetings have been held so far with people on both sides of the issue putting their comments on the record.

The meeting, which will be recorded, will start, once it has been called to order, with a review of meeting rules and process.

Questions to the speakers will be limited to members of the Rules and Regulation Committee after each speaker’s presentation.

The agenda also says people can join the meeting electronically by going online to https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/8196788054 .

People can also dial in with their phone by calling 1-877-309-2073 toll free or 1-646-749-319 for a U.S. call. The access code for the telephone attendance is 819-678-805, the agenda says.