Bringing the North Judson Erie Trail under Starke County’s control is something the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum might be willing to consider. The museum owns the trail, but Starke County’s five-year park plan suggests that the county lease it and operate it as a park facility. Starke County Park Board President Roger Chaffins said Tuesday that he spoke with the museum’s president, Cory Bennett, and Bennett seemed open to resuming discussions.
Turning control of the trail over to the county would accomplish a few things. It may possibly allow the trail to be added into the county’s road inventory, allowing the county to take over maintenance. Members of the Prairie Trails Club say it could also make it easier to get grant funding and encourage people to volunteer.
There’s also the possibility that the county could save the museum money by taking over the trail’s insurance, but Chaffins said that wasn’t a big concern for the museum. “He said, ‘We’re really not too worried about the insurance because our insurance is a blanket insurance, which covers that trail, so we’re not too worried about that. What we’re concerned more about is maintenance and upkeep of it.’ Well, I said, ‘I don’t think that would be any problem.'”
County Attorney Marty Lucas has put together a proposed agreement, based on some of the suggestions that have been made. Chaffins said it will be given to the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum’s board of directors for their consideration. “It’s a rough draft,” Chaffins explained, “but if they’re interested and they like what it is, then we get together and we get it worked out, which I don’t see any problem talking to Cory, of having any problem whatsoever working it out, because they’d be happy, I think, to work with it.”
Discussions between the park board and the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum began last year, but little progress was made for several months.
