Call to Order at 6:00pm at the County Annex Building Pledge of Allegiance
Roll Call – Roger Chaffins, Skyler Ellinger, Debbie Mix. Absent: Rosemary Rose.
Minutes: Roger motioned that the minutes be accepted as written and Skyler 2nd‘the motion. A vote was taken and the motion carried.
Guest: Mr. Jerry Broadstreet a Director of the Bass Lake Conservancy District (BLCD) came here to speak in an unofficial capacity. Mr. Broadstreet had a meeting with the Indiana DNR last week regarding invasive weeds – frag-mites and purple lusestrife on the northwest side of the beach and are native plants. He wants to inform the Park Board that 625 square feet per year on each property is permissible. And, although this is not a BLCD problem, it can affect all property owners. Therefore, last week the BLCD has put in for approval to get rid of the weeds and for a grant from the IN DNR. They should be notified by March 1, 2016 whether or not the grant is approved.
Starke County Forest- Mr. Wakeland reported on the Field Day Tours that were held on Oct. 17. MJ Bendt and Laura Boyd helped put the day together. About 85 people attended and took tours. The point of the day was to introduce the forest to the public. He suggested that we should do it again, but during a different season.
Regarding the Drainage Board, several proposals have been made to solve the problem. A bypass ditch around the marsh is a possibility. Bob Aloi of Territorial Engineering suggests to apply for a $30,000 grant. We would need permits from many groups. Mr. Wakeland found out that the Arrowhead RC&D maxes out at $5,000 grants. The Nature Conservancy was contacted but our issues don’t fit their criteria, as well as the US Fish and Wildlife. Possible solutions: place boards by the dam area to be a device to prevent the beavers from building their dams. There are 3 devices for solutions that Mr. Wakeland is aware. 1. Ducks Unlimited- they have a patented device. 2. Potato Creek State Park has a device and 3. A Canadian source: Mr. Wakeland will initiate a new device that he had been working on years ago from this source and will try again.
Mr. Wakeland believes a Bypass Ditch should be left on the table. If a drainage levy on the Anderson Ditch is put into place, that might be a solution to paying for the work. Per County Surveyor, Mr. Estok to Mr. Wakeland, 1949 is the last time the ditch was dredged. Mr. Wakeland noted the lifespan of a ditch is usually about 20 yrs. and he believes that there’s about 3 ft of silt.
The water level hasn’t changed. At C.R. 1100, there’s about 3 feet of water. Mr. Wakeland hopes the drainage board will give the forest time to try a beaver control device. Mr. Alan Solz, the man who made the complaint, was encountered at the forest last week and Mr. Wakeland met with him at CR 1100. Mr. Wakeland thinks he was able to demonstrate that the beavers aren’t the problem. Perhaps a legal stay would allow time to find a long-term solution.
Bass Lake Beach and Campground Update: The beach will be closed on October 31.
The bills from the beach were presented again and Deb Mix told Mr. Callahan that we already had the bills in this same format. Mr. Callahan was asked to put the bills on a spreadsheet where the bill is listed, the items purchased were listed and the location of where the items were used is noted.
Mr. Chaffin stated that the bills would most likely be taken off the rent. Additional receipts were submitted as 5 more installations were made to upgrade the electrical services to 500 amp
service. In addition, there are more receipts for the west wall bathroom repairs for the beach side bathroom. Roger suggested they submit all the bills to the Auditor for payment and see if the Commissioners approve them.
It was agreed that we need to get together with the attorneys and make sure everyone understands the contract. It was reported that Mr. Callahan would like to have the lease reassigned to 2 people he trusts since Brian Callahan is no longer employed there. He would like to have these 2 people have authority over the beach and campground, and therefore would like a modification to the lease contract. Mr. Callahan will return in April. Skyler will line up an executive session. The next regular meeting is Tues, Nov. 17, at 6:00 p.m.
The meeting adjourned at 7:20 pm.
Respectfully submitted by Deborah Mix, secretary.
Board Attendance: Roger Chaffins, Skyler Ellinger, Debbie Mix, Rosemary Rose.
Call to Order at 6:05pm at the County Annex Building Pledge of Allegiance
Roll Call -All current board members are present.
Roger motioned that the minutes from the August meeting be accepted as corrected. Rose . seconded the motion. Vote and Motion carried. Corrections include: under SC Forest last ; paragraph, “Perhaps a legal stay would allow time to find a long term solution.” And, under Bass Lake Beach & Campground, paragraph 6, “he should have been notified, and he hasn’t been’. Mr. Callahan pointed out that he should be invited to attend the inspection. Debbie suggested that if the board members attend an inspection with the inspector, there should be 2 board members – one from each political party- for the sake of equal representation. Or, the inspector can inspect on his own. ·
Bass Lake Beach and Campground Update: ‘:!
Mr. Callahan handed in individual receipts with notations on them where the materials i1sed was what he could estimate. They were handed back to him with a request to put them in some orderly fashion before submitting them. .
Mr. Wallsmith requested that the board meet with he and his client, Mr. Callahan, in an
executive session to re-negotiate the terms of the lease. His request was to meet after the next
board meeting in October. Discussion regarding definitions for capital improvement and · maintenance will be tabled until that meeting.
Starke County Forest- The Marsh at the Forest was discussed. A letter of complaint had bd n made by a neighbor with added addresses on it that brought the issue of flooding to the Drainage Board. The Drainage board has ruled that the beavers had to be removed. No one from the: Drainage board was present, nor did a representative of Territorial Engineers appear before. he Board. Mr. Wakeland, Forest manager, reiterated his resolution to find a long-term solution for the
forest. Mr. Ellinger spoke with Commissioner Danford, who stated he would like to get this issue _
resolved and if we can find a solution that will keep the neighbors from flooding, he will be happy to accommodate. Mr. Wakeland noted a possible long-term solution is to make a bypass ditch round the marsh. It was noted that permits from the Indiana DNR and the US Army Corps of Engineers would be necessary to disrupt marshland and remove spoils from the area. It was noted that there’s a culvert at 1100 N, and a 2nd culvert on private property. That culvert is completely submerged under water. There’s a 2.63′ drop and that would mean the obstruction is between 1100 and the Marsh. Mr. Wakeland believes the beavers can’t be blocking it. Further discussion brought a consensus that we need experts to help guide us. There is a species of beaver that are federally protected and it is unknown what species we have at the forest. All marshland is federally protected, although it was conveyed by some that was not a concern for everyone. ;’.;
With no further discussion, the meeting was adjourned at 7:25pm. The next meeting is on October
20, 2015, 6pm at the Annex building.
Respectfully submitted by Deborah Mix, secretary.