The superintendent of Hill County’s major park said the fall season has started, including moving cattle onto the park, which has led to two car-cow collisions in the first week.

“Hopefully that slows down, ” Superintendent Chad Edgar said during the monthly meeting of the Hill County Park Board Monday evening.

He said the cattle moving into the park — about 1,200 head are on so far, with a total of about 3,500 scheduled to move in during the grazing season — has gone well so far, aside from the crashes. He said signs have been put up on the park to remind motorists the livestock is there and could be on the highway.

A night-time 35-mph speed limit goes into effect during the grazing season, which started the day after Labor Day and runs through Jan. 1. The Montana Department of Transportation also places a readerboard on the highway just south of Havre to remind motorists of the hazard, as well.

Edgar said the park has been busy once the campgrounds were opened, and work is progressing on disaster recovery and renovation at Beaver Creek Park.

“Labor was rather busy, but it went well, ” Edgar said.

The season started rather late, with flooding that led to a presidential disaster declaration in the region damaging campgrounds. Some of those still are closed.

Edgar said that as the campgrounds began to open, the park became very busy.

Work still is progressing from last year’s flood damage — money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency still is forthcoming to make the repairs, Edgar said.

“Hopefully when that comes through, we can get that (work) done, ” he said.

The county has received $140,000 in federal assistance for the park, with another $300,000 yet to be received.

Edgar said work is progressing with the FEMA officials on the projects being identified from this year’s flooding.

“Things are going along smoothly, ” he added.

He said work still needs to be done to complete the installation of the new footbridge at Rotary Pond, to replace the bridge damaged in last year’s flooding.

A pipe was installed underneath the road to drain Elks Campground courtesy of Triangle Communications, which donated manpower and equipment to bore the hole through which drive the pipe was driven under the road, he said.

He said work on renovating the chapel at Camp Kiwanis is nearly complete, adding that the deadline for completion of that is Friday, Sept. 30.

Work also is progressing on the Community Effort Campground and Pavilion at Beaver Creek Reservoir. Edgar said the workers, spearheaded by Railroad Pagers and the Fresno Chapter of Walleyes Unlimited, are now completing a fishing pier at the site.