County Commission discusses upcoming projects

Nevada Daily Mail

The Vernon County Commission met during its regularly scheduled hours on Tuesday to pay some monthly bills and discuss an upcoming land use study at Camp Clark and work out the details for a kickoff to the Katy Allen Restoration Project.

Commissioners Bonnie McCord, Everett Wolfe and Neal Gerster met first with Deputy County Clerk Paula Messner to go over and pay some of the normal bills and some that are not done on a monthly basis. Bills like the gas, phone and electric fees had to be paid as well as some odds and ends, like employee mileage, repairs to some equipment or parts for machinery used by the road and bridge crew.

While going over the bills, Wolfe noticed that the electric bill had been reduced by about $1,000 because the cooler weather has reduced the need for the air conditioners in the courthouse. McCord mentioned that it is much quieter in the building when the units don't run.

Most of the bills were for normal expenses, but Gerster noticed a small increase in the fuel bills for the sheriff's office fleet and the road and bridge crew vehicles. The bill for both departments was a little less than $10,000, which is up from the normal bill that runs a little more than $8,000 per month. Fuel prices, increased patrols and weather allowing the road and bridge crew to stay busy accounted for the increase.

With the bills paid, the commission met with Sydney Wipff of the Kaysinger Basin Regional Planning Commission to discuss a joint land use study that has been approved for funding. The study will focus on the issue of Camp Clark and future encroachment of the county toward the camp or the camp's needs to maintain different standards of size, scope, operation or other issues.

A consulting group will be hired to study all the possibilities from both the county and Camp Clark points of view and recommendations as to the direction or developments taken by either entity will be taken under consideration by committees being formed for that purpose.

A technical committee of, perhaps, a half a dozen members consisting of Camp Clark or government representatives will be assembled with McCord representing the county. A similar policy committee seated with Wolfe and Gerster and other county, city and community representatives will be prepared to use the information gathered from the $200,000 study to assure that a good relationship continues to be a part of the Vernon County, Camp Clark picture. The study, according to Wipff, is funded by the Department of Defense.

Wipff and the commission also discussed the Katy Allen Restoration Project. A steering committee composed of interested community members was formed several months ago, but has been on hold waiting for things to get moving. The Kaysinger Basin Regional Planning Commission is willing to work with the group to see what kind of options are available to do something with the old lake.

The lake is well over 100 years old and dates back to the Missouri Kansas Texas Railroad, which became known simply as the Katy Line. The lake and property is due south of and adjacent to the Vernon County fairgrounds. The fairgrounds have been county property since 1956 and the lake was deeded to the county in the mid -1960s.

The lake has had to be partially drained and is shallow, but it is a favorite place to observe waterfowl, other birds and wildlife during various times of the year. A family group of several trumpeter swans, North America's largest waterfowl, visit Katy Allen and other local lakes during the winter each year.

Some of the land surrounding the lake is wetland type habitat and during previous discussions the group talked about preserving that but trying to provide recreation at the same time. A walking trail was one option. An elevated boardwalk with minimal environmental impact was also considered as a way to achieve both objectives.

All agreed that there needed to be some study done on the issue to determine uses, possibilities, costs, funding and other relative concerns. During Tuesday's meeting it was decided to hold an initial meeting on the topic in the Home Economics building at the Vernon County fairgrounds at noon on Oct. 29. The meeting will be "a starting point" said Wipff.

Wipff said the meeting will be open to the public as well as members of the steering committee and Missouri Department of Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and the Soil Conservation Service will all be invited to offer their input, ideas and possible funding sources to the initial needs assessment. That's what the meeting really is Wipff said. To "see what people need, what they think they may need, or can be done," with the old lake.