The manager of the Bass Lake Campground is asking the Starke County Park Board to rethink its decision not to help fund electrical upgrades. Last month, board members voted to deny a request to deduct the $7,800 cost from Callahan Development, LLC’s rent payment to the county.
But during last week’s park board meeting, Manager Larry Clarich argued that the electrical capacity increase was requested by the board itself back in 2015. “The park board requested that we add 50-amp services to the campground with the help of an electrical services company,” Clarich said. “They wanted 15 done per year.”
Clarich said it wasn’t as big of a concern at the time, but now that more people are using the campground, there isn’t enough power. “We want to make sure that people are safe,” he added. “You guys don’t want people coming into this county and saying, ‘Hey, I tried to get into this campground. It’s a county-owned facility, and my camper burned up,’ or ‘My TV went out,’ because it’s on record now. You guys are aware of the fact.” Now, they’re looking into sites like callbigfamily.com/electric-services/electrical-panel/electrical-panel-upgrade-and-installation/ to upgrade their electrical fixtures.
But County Attorney Marty Lucas felt that Callahan Development, LLC has the primary responsibility to operate the campground safety. “I have to say, I don’t like it when you kind of come in and say you’re going to do something negligent and then blame the county,” Lucas said. “That’s what you’re doing, and I don’t think you can do that.”
Clarich also noted that the park board had approved a similar request in the past. In the end, board members decided to table the discussion and do more research on the board’s action in 2015.
