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Volunteer fisheries contractor urges clearer county oversight of Smoky Gardens management
Summary
A longtime contractor and volunteer, Kenny Sanderson, told commissioners he had been sidelined from managing aeration and biological treatments at Smoky Gardens and asked the county to formalize staff responsibility so maintenance and state grant funds are managed consistently.
At the Sherman County Board of Commissioners’ June 1 public forum, fisheries contractor and longtime volunteer Kenny Sanderson urged the county to clarify who will be responsible for managing aquatic work at Smoky Gardens and to ensure coordination with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP).
Sanderson said he had been appointed previously as a liaison between KDWP and the county to translate biological plans into lay terms and to assist with electrofishing and other lake work. He told commissioners he had provided calculations and recommendations for an aeration system the county purchased and that the county later installed the system without contacting him. He said he had performed multiple chemical treatments and made five applications of a chemical, and described observed changes in lake vegetation: a decline in algal filament growth and increased growth of sago pondweed, which he described as beneficial.
Sanderson said he has a history of working with KDWP and other consultants, that he raises fish under contract with the state and that he had donated fish to Smoky Gardens. He told commissioners a state check of $40,000 is forthcoming to the county for lake-related work that the county may direct; he said he had prepared many CFAP applications over decades and that a similar $40,000 award had been approved for the county previously, although disbursement can be slow.
Commissioners and staff told Sanderson they value his expertise but said the county needs a staff member to be accountable. Commissioners said they had previously relied on a county employee identified in the meeting as Rod (Rotor) to coordinate lake work; after that employee left the board the connection lapsed. County staff and commissioners said Rod will be asked to serve as the county point of contact and that KDWP regional biologist Dave Spalsbury is expected to visit to review goals and next steps.
Sanderson requested a joint site visit with commissioners, county staff and KDWP when Spalsbury is available; commissioners and staff agreed they would attempt to schedule a public field meeting while following open-meeting rules. Sanderson said he is willing to continue advising and working with county staff if asked, and he asked that the county contact him directly with updates.
Why it matters: Lake management decisions—placement of aerators, chemical use and habitat enhancements—can affect fish populations and water quality. Sanderson warned that incorrectly placed aerators or improper chemical use can cause fish kills if not installed and managed with attention to the lake’s biological layers.
What the county will do next: Staff said they will coordinate with KDWP and Rod (county staff) to set a public meeting at Smoky Gardens when Spalsbury is available and will ensure commissioners receive the same information individually if three commissioners cannot meet informally outside an advertised public meeting.
