Starke Park Board Looks to Hire Park Superintendent, Amid Growing Frustration with Bass Lake Beach and Campground Manager

Mounting concerns at the Bass Lake Beach and Campground have the Starke County Park Board ready to hire a park superintendent for all of its properties. Board Member Kathy Norem told the rest of the park board Tuesday that beach and campground manager Larry Clarich isn’t doing the job she’d hoped he’d do.

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County’s Share of Bass Lake Beach and Campground Revenues $42,000 Short of Actual Collections

Merging the Bass Lake Beach and Campground’s finances into Starke County’s is proving to be tricky. During a special park board meeting Wednesday, Board Member Kathy Norem said that one batch of receipts shows the facility has brought in more than $58,000 this season, but only about $16,000 ever made it to Starke County.

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Starke County Park Board Works to Reassure Bass Lake Campers but Won’t Rule Out Future Rent Increase

The Starke County Park Board continued to reassure Bass Lake Beach and Campground users Tuesday that operations will stay the same for this year. But members won’t rule out a campsite rent increase in the future. The board approved a contract with Larry Clarich, allowing him to continue to manage the county-owned park facility as an independent contractor.

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Starke County Park Board Members, Lessee to Discuss Operation Plans

The Starke County Park Board is considering the future of the Bass Lake Beach and Campground’s operations. “I don’t know if everyone knows, but we were informed earlier this month, maybe last month, I don’t know, that Mr. Callahan is deceased now, is my understanding,” Board President Richard Ballard told the rest of the board Tuesday.

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Bass Lake Beach and Campground Insurance Concerns Raised by Starke County Park Board

The operator of the Bass Lake Beach and Campground has reportedly allowed the site’s liability insurance to expire. Starke County Park Board Member Kathy Norem told the rest of the board last week that she had asked the Auditor’s Office for an update on the insurance policy Callahan Development, LLC is required to have.

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Starke County Park Board Denies Rent Credit for Bass Lake Campground Electrical Upgrades

Starke County will not help the operator of the Bass Lake Campground with the cost of electrical upgrades. After six months of discussion, the county park board voted Tuesday to deny a request to deduct the $7,800 cost from the operator’s rent payment. The project would have increased the electrical capacity in the back half of the campground, to accommodate newer RVs.

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Starke Park Board Again Holds Off on Approving Bass Lake Campground Electrical Work

The Starke County Park Board still wants to do some more research before making a final decision on electrical upgrades at the Bass Lake Campground. The facility’s operator, Callahan Development LLC, wants to increase the electrical capacity in the back half of the property and is asking the county to deduct the $7,800 cost from its rent payment.

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