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.
Continue readingStarke County Park Board Approves Documents for Veteran’s Memorial Project
Several preliminary steps for the new Starke County Veteran’s Memorial were approved by the county park board Tuesday. The memorial will be placed on the southeast corner of the courthouse square. It will include the names of those killed in action in wars and conflicts dating back to the Civil War, etched in a black granite stone.
Continue readingStarke 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.
Continue readingStarke County Park Board to Meet Tonight
The Starke County Park Board is scheduled to hold its monthly meeting tonight. This will be the board’s first meeting since the county commissioners put it in charge of the new Veteran’s Memorial planned for the courthouse square.
Continue readingStarke County Commissioners Consider Resolution for New Veteran’s Memorial Project
The Starke County Commissioners reviewed a proposed resolution Monday night for the upcoming Veteran’s Memorial project.
Continue readingStarke County Officials Hoping to Make Visible Park Improvements with Stellar Finalist Funding
Starke County officials hope to make a visible impact on the county’s park facilities as a result of last year’s Stellar efforts. Constellation of Starke will get about $333,000 for being a finalist region in last year’s Stellar Communities Designation Program.
Continue readingBass Lake Beach Manager Plans to Continue Repairing Gate House
Repairs to the Bass Lake Beach gate house may be complete this spring. It was seriously damaged more than two years ago, when a pickup truck reportedly crashed into it. But during last month’s Starke County Park Board meeting, Board Member Butch Gerstandt reported that parts of the building still weren’t painted, and the wood was falling apart.
Continue readingStarke County Park Board Seeks to Clarify Bass Lake Beach and Campground Rent Credit
The Starke County Park Board is researching the Bass Lake Beach and Campground’s rent credit, as a discussion over electrical upgrades continues. Board Member Rik Ritzler has gone through the records and has determined that Callahan Development, LLC has a credit of at least $1,400 on its rent payment to the county.
Continue readingStarke County Park Board to Meet Tonight
The Starke County Park Board will hold its first meeting of 2020 tonight. Board members will likely choose their president, vice president, and secretary for the year.
Continue readingEfforts Underway to Control Invasive Plants at Starke County Forest
The Starke County Park Board is taking steps to control invasive plants at the Starke County Forest. Last week, board members agreed to let Forester Bruce Wakeland start seeking estimates for the work.
Continue readingStarke County Park Board Expresses Concern with Condition of Bass Lake Beach Gate House
The condition of the Bass Lake Beach gate house is once again drawing concerns from the Starke County Park Board. During Tuesday’s meeting, Board Member Butch Gerstandt worried that the structure would fall down.
Continue readingStellar Community Efforts Reviewed with Starke County Park Board
Constellation of Starke executive committee members shared their insights on the outcome of their Stellar Community application with the Starke County Park Board Tuesday. The region lost out on this year’s designation to Marshall County Crossroads.
Continue readingStarke County Park Board Discusses Signage, Website for County Forest
It may soon be easier for visitors to find and learn about the Starke County Forest. During Tuesday’s Starke County Park Board meeting, Forester Bruce Wakeland pointed out that signage to help motorists find the forest from local highways was supposed to be installed as part of last year’s parking lot project.
Continue readingStarke 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.
Continue readingStarke Park Board Again Defers Action on Bass Lake Campground Electrical Upgrades
The Starke County Park Board still hasn’t reached a 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.
Continue readingStarke Park Board Continues Discussing Potential Campground Electrical Upgrades
The Starke County Park Board has once again tabled a discussion on electrical upgrades at the Bass Lake Campground.
Continue readingStarke County Park Board Considers More Electrical Work at Bass Lake Campground
The operator of the Bass Lake Campground is once again asking the Starke County Park Board to cover the cost of electrical upgrades. County Attorney Marty Lucas says a representative of Callahan Development, LLC told the park board last week that the company is looking to expand the campground’s electrical capacity.
Continue readingEfforts Continue to Add Kayak, Canoe Access Points to Yellow River
Starke County officials are confident that kayak and canoe access points will soon be coming to the Yellow River. During a recent Starke County Park Board meeting, board member Rik Ritzler said river access would likely be one of the first projects, if the Constellation of Starke region is designated a Stellar Community, according to County Attorney Marty Lucas.
Continue readingForester Pleased with Growth at Starke County Forest
The Starke County Forest is responding well to a recent timber harvest. Forester Bruce Wakeland told the Starke County Park Board last week there’s been a good amount of natural regeneration, according to County Attorney Marty Lucas. That’s preferable to planting new trees, when it comes to the forest’s management.
Continue readingBeavers Are Back in Starke County Forest
An ongoing saga at the Starke County Forest was recently brought to the attention of Park Board President Richard Ballard. “The beavers are back,” Ballard told the rest of the Starke County Park Board Tuesday. “I don’t know exactly what that means for us, but he said the beavers are back.”
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