Starke County Park Board
May 10, 2025
Meeting Minutes
Present: R. Ballard, T. Busch, S. Byer, D. Sinn, & T. Trout
R. Ballard called meeting to order.
D. Sinn made the motion to accept the minutes of the April 8, 2025 meeting, T. Busch seconded. Passed 5-0.
Discussed the pier and renovation project progress. Piers have been installed by Johnson and Sons, including the additional aluminum piers purchased. Portside Marina and Les Jensen will be to access the beach early to set lifts and then we will have the gates open to pier holders the weekend of May 16 to allow for boaters to stage boats for Memorial Day weekend. The renovation project is mostly on track. The campground bathrooms are still not open though.
Discussed possible ribbon cutting dates for the renovation project. Left with a tentative July 5th ribbon cutting date.
Superintendent Flora shared that the free reservation website we had been pursuing is not working out very well. She reached out to a web designer who suggested to try a company called Stay List, which is the calendar website needed to make reservations; which can be embedded into the county website. Superintendent will be pursuing this avenue.
Superintendent’s Report:
- Memorial Day Parade takes place at the Veteran’s Memorial on Monday, May 26th at 9AM. We just realized this week that the shrubs around the Memorial are dead, so I am going to try to get those replaced before Memorial Day using some of the money in the Foundation fund. Jacque let me know that we have $2,586 in that fund.
- The World Environment Day event Art at the Forest takes place June 5th at the Starke County Forest from 9-4. There will be a plein air art contest, a kid’s craft table, nature photography app lessons, and more.
- Thank you to Starke Co surveyor, Gwen Rentz, for organizing the self-guided nature scavenger hunt going on at the Forest this month. Gwen has a working compass for each child under 12 who participates.
- 12 open campground spots (6 weekend spots last year); 13 open pier slips
Financial Report-T. Busch made motion to accept the financial report from May 2, D. Sinn seconded; passed 5-0.
Other business-
Claire Miller of BEVY, shared her business plan to have her coffee cart at Bass Lake Beach this summer, once the beach house opens, at least every Saturday and Sunday, possibly Fridays. She has been in contact with the Starke Co. Health Dept. and has permits lined up.
June 2nd there is the Quiet Claim Deed court date at the Starke Co. courthouse regarding Kramer’s Beach. Need as many people there to support as possible.
L. Schoon suggested to mark with campsites are seasonal at Bass Lake campground.
G. Laiter suggested we get a vinyl or some kind of sign to hang on the fence to advertise weekend camping sites, as many people are unaware we have weekend camping spots available.
C. Hensell shared there will be 4th of July festivities being held at Kramer’s Beach, including a band and kayak races.
S. Byer shared that he had been able to go out to Bass Lake and check the renovation. He feels strongly that the department should look into moving the dump station from it’s current location near the camp bathrooms to the back of the campground, near the garage. He would like to see a concrete pad poured back there as well to make it easier for RV’s to use the station.
D. Ballard adjourned meeting.
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Richard Ballard-president Tom Busch-vice president
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Sam Byer-member David Sinn-member
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Teresa Trout-member