Park board talks beavers, garbage, improvements

Along with approving a cabin transfer and improvements to three cabins on Beaver Creek Park during its monthly meeting Monday, the Hill County Park Board heard about and discussed a variety of topics.

The discussion included efforts to reduce damage by beavers on their namesake county park, more about a new garbage truck the park employees will be using and about a fundraising effort by a new group established to help fund improvements at the park.

One of the first topics was the number of beavers in the park, the trees they are chewing down, and a suggestion by John Keeley that the number of trappers be increased.

"When you go out there and those trees are already down, it's too late, " Keeley said. "If it was trapped a little more thorough maybe we won't have the problem.

"When the trees go, they don't come back, " he added.

John Holmes, who has been trapping the beavers in the park for decades, said he is working on the problem.

He said the high water in the last two years — Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation and Beaver Creek Park both have been declared disaster areas due to flooding — brings beavers into the park.

Park Superintendent Chad Edgar said he is happy with Holmes' work. He had problems with some other trappers who worked the park when he first started as superintendent, and has not had those problems with Holmes, he said.

Board member Robbie Lucke also complimented Holmes' work.

"I've known John for some time, and I think he's a really good trapper, for what it's worth, " Lucke said.

Keeley said he would like to see the park divided into sections, with more trappers working in different areas, to handle the number of beavers on the park.

"There's no doubt, John, you're a good trapper, everybody knows that …, " Keeley said. "It's just, I've never noticed all the trees coming down all the places like they are the last few years. "

Holmes, who said he has someone lined up to give him some help this year, suggested the board let him continue trapping this year and, if they are not satisfied with the results, they could revisit adding more trappers.

"I know that they need to be controlled, and I think I'm doing a good job, " he said.

The board also heard an update on a garbage truck Edgar is putting in the budget, and other work on the park.

Edgar said the truck, which takes $15,000 from the budget with the remaining $13,500 being financed by the county, got good reviews from two vehicle review agencies. The only apparent problem is some rips in the upholstery, he added.

The truck, a 1997 model with 44,000 miles, is being purchased from a company in California. Edgar confirmed for Lucke that nothing was available locally.

"That's very, very important, " Lucke said.

Board member Jeff LaVoi, a Hill County commissioner, said he looked into some other trucks from the California company. A 2001 model of the same truck with 92,000 miles selling for $40,000 and another from 2006 with 75,000 miles selling for $65,000, he said.

"So, if you look on the miles and that, I think this is the one we need out there, " LaVoi said.

The board heard an update from Ursula Brese, chair of the recently formed Friends of Beaver Creek Park, about a fundraiser planned this spring.

The board at its February meeting approved reserving Camp Kiwanis on the park May 12 for the fundraiser.

Brese said the group plans to go out in the next few weeks to start looking for sponsors for the event.

She said the plans now include a major meal, refreshments throughout the day, live and silent auctions and live music, with a band or bands likely performing at the lodge at Camp Kiwanis.

The group also has gone on the Internet, and has set up a Facebook page, Brese said.