The Marshall County Park and Recreation Board conducted their final meeting of the year on Thursday. Board President Greg Hildebrand called the meeting to order.
Board Secretary Deb VanDeMark presented claims for approval. Dan Hass presented an invoice for $180.91 to replace a tire he blew on his tractor while mowing around the cabin in the Memorial Forest. The monthly NIPSCO bill for lighting and security was $24.30 and the initial bill from Marshall County Fiber was $84.92 which included the set-up cost. Brandon Calhoun, co-chair of the Trails at Mill Pond presented a receipt from Lowes in the amount of $483.08 for lumber to be used on the trail. All claims were approved for payment.
Park Board members also approved the 2024 meeting schedule. The County Park Board will meet on the first Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. The January, February, and March meetings will be held in the County Building while the April through October meetings will be held at the historic Trustee Cabin in the Memorial Forest at 18452 14th Road. The remainder of the year, November and December meetings will be held back in the County Building.
The County Park Board received notice from Arrowhead Grant that the next opportunity to apply is due by January 31st. The maximum amount is $5,000. In discussing possible projects, Jeff Houin, co-chair of the Trails at Mill Pond committee suggested hiring a professional to assist with creating a trail map.
An update was given on the Memorial Forest projects. The security cameras have been installed and are working and the new well is up and running. VanDeMark said she stopped by to check on the well and had to prime it again to get the water flowing. She said it should be working and open to the public.
The update on the Kayak/canoe launch wasn’t what everyone wanted to hear. Committee Chairman, Terry Borggren is stepping back for personal reasons for an undetermined time. The board is looking for someone else who might be willing to step in and keep moving forward on creating a project.
