Park super looking for loggers, funding and high-def monitors

The Beaver Creek Park superintendent is still searching for loggers to rid the park of burnt lumber, money to repair five miles of fencing razed by the East Fork Fire and a high-definition monitor to complement the park's new surveillance cameras.

The first logger he had spoken to over a month ago didn't pan out, Superintendent Chad Edgar told Hill County Park Board members during Monday night's monthly meeting.

Edgar said he had spoken to a second logger, Pat Marvel of Havre, who said it wasn't worth the effort for him. The timber is too scattered and there may not be enough of it for it to be worth the resources Marvel would have to invest to clear it out, Edgar said he was told.

Spring is the deadline, Edgar said, before he stops looking for fire relief funding - to pay for five miles of fencing to replace on the east side of the south end of the park - and takes out of park coffers to rebuild. The fencing may cost an estimated $10,000 per mile to repair, he said, adding it could vary.

Lou Hagener relayed to park board members bullet points from a discussion he'd had with a forester about wood salvage.

"Do not enter into a contract or agreement that delays the payment for wood product from the mill," Hagener said.

Other points included establishing detailed payment plans, giving Ponderosa pines more time to see if they recover and not getting in a hurry to start cutting trees. The forestry industry can be sloppy and the consequences very difficult to right, so it's worth the effort of thorough planning, Hagener said.

Board members said forestry specialists will be putting on workshops today in Havre on the best tree-care and logging-related practices and will offer a lot of valuable information on the topic.

Other fire-related discussion news included back and forth between Edgar and members of the public on how best to smooth out lines created by bulldozers while building fire lines during the East Fork Fire. The issue is whether to re-seed certain areas, or to wait and let nature take its course. Edgar indicated he is open to what is best.

Now that the park has cameras dispersed throughout the premises, Edgar said he is looking to buy a 1080p high-definition monitor. He's looking for a flat screen monitor between 24 and 30 inches wide. The high resolution would come in handy should an incident require details, he said.

Cabin owner Blanche Kellam was at the meeting, updating members on convicted cabin burglar Garrick Ferguson' status, who was caught on camera breaking into her cabin Dec. 8. She added it may be a good idea, after Ferguson is released from his two-year commitment with the Department of Corrections, to use social media and post his face so as to notify people he was free.