Park board says fees will stay the same

Beaver Creek Park board members decided Monday night that park fees will be left as they are until at least this time next year.

“It’s not necessary as of yet to raise the fees,” park superintendent Chad Edgar said.

Park board members agreed there’s no point discussing the issue any further until a finance committee that can assess park needs has been assembled — there isn’t sufficient data to determine what, if anything, should be done with the fees

“Let’s leave the fees alone until this time next year, until the committee has had time to do their due diligence,” Park Board Chair Steve Mariani said.

Mariani also pointed out that it was also important to leave fees alone past summer of next year.

Board member Renelle Braaten, who is part of a group working to put together the finance committee, said the future finance committee is in the planning phases but no members have been determined.

Braaten said the group working to form the finance committee is looking at things like what kind of people should be on the committee and how many. She said a two-hour meeting was held last week and felt progress had been made.

“We got some good ideas,” she said about the meeting.

Yearly park use permits for residents of Blaine, Chouteau, Hill and Liberty counties are $50, with the charge $75 for people out of those counties. One-day use permits are $10, with Golden Pass permits for people 65 and older $30 for the four-county region and $40 for outside of it.

Some campgrounds and recreation areas and Camp Kiwanis and the Beaver Lodge at Camp Kiwanis can be reserved for a fee.