By Josh Margolis
HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – The Hill County Park Board met on Monday afternoon and approved several agenda items.
The Board unanimously approved the Grazing Committee’s recommendation for test spraying of cheat grass on the north end of the park.
An update was provided on the construction of a frisbee golf course near Rotary Pond. Havre Trails has agreed to purchase the removable baskets, which are scheduled to be installed later this week. Havre trails is applying for a grant to help with some of the funding.
The new Beaver Creek Park website is up and running, and the Board reports they’ve already received $2,600 in sales through purchases made on the site.
Park Superintendent Chad Edgar said on July 4th, Beaver Creek Park set a record for park permits sold for an entire year. Edgar attributes this in part to the lack of events taking place this summer due to the pandemic.
Camping spots have been nearly completely taken throughout the summer, and members of the Board and public complained of people taking up spots for prolonged periods of time.
This sparked a discussion on how to better enforce the 48-hour and 14-day rule. Campers or vehicles are not supposed to be in a spot for more than 14 days at a time, and must be occupied at least once every 48 hours.
As a result of this, the board approved the purchase of 1,000 stickers for a total of under $700. These removable stickers will be placed on campers and vehicles to monitor how long they are unoccupied or are sitting in a camp spot.
Those found in violation of Park rules are potentially subject to their vehicle or camper being towed as well as a citation that could lead to a $500 fine and up to sixth months in jail, enforceable by the County Attorney.
The next Hill County Park Board Meeting will take place on September 14th.
