Park Board talks about a host of issues and projects

The Hill County Park Board discussed a wide range of issues, projects and events at Beaver Creek Park during its monthly meeting Monday.

Among the issues discussed was the fact that two board members, including Board Chair Tony Reum, have terms ending this year.

Hill County Commissioner Diane McLean said this, combined with the recent resignation of former board member Nick Siebrasse, means there will soon be three open positions on the board if no one applies for reappointment.

McLean said those looking to be reappointed must get letters of intent to the commission office as soon as possible, and people looking to apply for open positions should do the same.

She said so far the commission has received one application.

The board also looked at a draft for application forms for people who want to apply for the right to graze on Beaver Creek Park, whether they are applying to retain their allotment, requesting a transfer to a family member, or are a new grazer looking to get on a waiting list.

See related story on this page.

Retired rangeland management specialist Lou Hagener said he also created an extension to the new grazer applications that would record things like an applicant’s preferred area of the park.

The board looked at drafts for the applications at Monday’s meeting and decided to spend the next month looking them over, so they can vote on whether or not to approve them at next month’s meeting.

During the meeting, Hagener said Montana State University-Northern Professor Terri Hildebrand would soon be ready to give a presentation to the board on her studies of algal blooms and the public’s knowledge of them.

He said Hildebrand got over 300 responses to her community survey on the subject including an impressive number of responses from cabin owners, though, he said, she only received a handful from grazers.

Hagener said he also wanted to reiterate what he said last month about the less-than-ideal conditions on the park and requested that grazers tailor their expectations and requests with that in mind.

The board approved a number of projects on the park including the construction of a new cabin at Mooney Coulee and a new trail between Bear Paw Lake and a nearby shelter to provide more easy access to the water.

Beaver Creek Park Superintendent Chad Edgar said the latter of these projects comes from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, which will be paying for the project but wanted the board’s blessing.

Edgar said this is something that has been requested by park goers as well and he thinks its a fine project.

The board also approved a project to add a new road to the Hagener campground to make it more easily traversable by recreational vehicles.

Edgar said Friends of Beaver Creek Park has agreed to pay for the project, which will make things easier for people to get into that area with larger vehicles.

Board members also approved a small memorial to be set up near the top of Mt. Otis to honor Billy J. Buerkle, who died last year.

The request for the memorial came at the request of Buerkle’s sisters Pam Buerkle and Kathy Brough, who said the memorial would be a marble plaque on a post about four feet tall reading “If you don’t climb the mountain, you can’t see the view,” a favorite saying of their brother who hiked the mountain many times.

Edgar provided an update on the Beaver Creek Lodge project, which he said has had its structural drawings completed, with electrical and plumbing plans not far behind, though some architectural details are still being worked out.

He said there has been no recent news on the grant they’ve applied for to pay for the project which will include wall stabilization as well as bathroom and electrical upgrades.

The board also approved a disc golf tournament at Rotary Pond May 14, as well as the Bear Paw Marathon June 4.

Edgar requested that he be allowed to advertise for a seasonal office worker position at the park because it has become so difficult to find someone to fill a full- or even part-time position there.

He also requested that he be permitted to advertise for a pair of seasonal laborers, which the board also approved.

Edgar said conditions on the park are still dry, but it looks like they might have an early spring.