County Council Tables Establishment of Parks and Recreation Board

  
 

The Starke County Council will discuss the establishment of a parks and recreation board in greater detail during a work session on Friday, Sept. 6 and could act to formally set up such a body during their regular September meeting. After quite a bit of discussion, council members decided more input is necessary before creating a new department within the county. Perennial problems at Bass Lake Beach and Campground led the commissioners to recommend establishment of such a board to oversee that attraction and other non-municipal facilities within the county like Boa Shores, the public beach at Koontz Lake and other properties there, the Starke County Forest and the park in San Pierre. The board would not manage the attractions but would serve as a liaison between the management and county government officials. Commissioner Jennifer Davis notes that all aspects of managing public areas that would fall under the purview of such a body are very time consuming for elected officials. Recently issues at Bass Lake Beach and Campground have dominated the commissioners agendas. However, an Aug. 1 inspection by a state health inspector found both were in “reasonable compliance.”