Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Prairie Creek Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City, water company to form Prairie Creek stewardship council; campsite nonrenewal appeals set for review
Summary
City staff and Muncie Water Company held a facilitated meeting on Prairie Creek operations and water‑quality priorities and plan to convene a Prairie Creek Stewardship Council. Meanwhile, nonrenewal notices for campsites have been mailed based on Board of Health inspections; appeals are due Nov. 15 and will be reviewed in executive session with a
City staff told the Muncie Parks and Recreation Board on Oct. 21 that facilitated talks with the local water company have led to planning for a Prairie Creek Stewardship Council to coordinate reservoir operations, water‑quality priorities and campground operations.
Parks Superintendent Carl Malone and other city representatives said they participated in a joint session hosted by the water company earlier in October. Malone said participants from both sides acknowledged a historical lack of documentation and communication and that the meeting was collaborative. He said the goal is to form a stewardship council composed of stakeholders and community members; staff hope to have a format and participant list by early spring pending follow‑up meetings.
Campsite nonrenewals and appeals Misty and Tawny (Parks/Prairie Creek staff) have issued nonrenewal notices to certain campsite leaseholders, primarily based on Board of Health inspection findings and repeat or serious violations. Notices include an appeal form and supporting instructions; appeals are due Nov. 15. Park leadership told the board that appeals will be reviewed in executive session to protect individual privacy; any votes on renewals or nonrenewals will take place at a public December meeting and recipients will be notified afterward.
Board members discussed process details: they asked that staff collate all documents in hard copy for board review, provide a list of recipients and confirm that letters were mailed and emailed so older residents can receive notice. The board agreed to allow leaseholders to present at their appeal but asked that testimony be limited and that additional documentation be submitted in hard copy in advance; the formal appeal hearing will not be livestreamed.
Water and wastewater issues Malone said wastewater system sizing complicates long‑term campground planning: the existing lagoon/tank is undersized for the number of campsites the city currently operates. The sanitary district has indicated willingness to share some cost burden, but engineers need final campsite counts to size any new collection/treatment work. The water company emphasized source‑water protection and regulatory requirements as primary concerns.
Community input Campers and residents asked the board to be transparent about the nonrenewal list and to help elderly campers complete appeal paperwork; the board committed to sharing the collated PDF of letters and checking email contact information. Public commenters also raised operational issues at the campground, including gate and bathroom access, and expressed concerns about boat wakes and erosion on the reservoir.
Ending: City staff will gather the appeals and documentation, provide the board with a collated file and schedule the executive session review and subsequent public vote in December as required by the appeals process.
