Park Board discussed new lodge, park conditions

The Hill County Park Board heard an update on the committee drawing up plans for the new Camp Kiwanis Beaver Lodge as well as park conditions at their monthly meeting Monday evening.

Board Chair Jeff Jensen said the lodge committee met and talked about things like the structure's size and potential heating sources and has started researching specifics.

Jensen said they've also drawn up requests for qualifications for an architect.

Board member Lou Hagener said architects can account for a substantial chunk of a structure's overall cost, so he suggested the committee try to do as much as they can to hammer out details on their own so they don't have to rely too heavily on an architect.

Hagener also said he has an issue with the conversations that went on suggesting that they ask Friends of Beaver Creek Park to pay for the architect.

He said he's afraid they are leaning too heavily on the organization and such a thing would be a justifiable expense to come from the park's capital fund.

He said they haven't actually spent a lot of money from that fund on the project so far, despite the issues with the current lodge having been known for years, and he thinks the park should be investing in that kind of thing.

During the meeting the board also approved a fact sheet about the park's budget and finances, which Beaver Creek Park Superintendent Chad Edgar said he made some corrections to since they discussed it last month.

The board also approved the purchase of a new chop saw, as he's been using his own and its shield recently shattered.

He said the park really should have its own, which the board agreed with.

During the meeting Edgar also provided an update on park activity, which he said is surprisingly high given the time of year.

He said there's been a lot of ice fishing and even some hiking.

Conditions on the park are still pretty wet, he said.

During the meeting Hagener also raised concerns about the level of livestock on the park during the grazing season, which he thinks is still too high given that the area is still in drought.

He said the board's grazing committee has approved a modest reduction, but even if some models are predicting better spring conditions this year, that doesn't make up for poor growing conditions they've seen recently.