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Atchison County Lake committee policy adopted; committee outlines cleanup, revenue and outreach plans
Summary
The Atchison County Commission adopted a county lake policy proposed by the county lake committee. The committee described cleanup work, volunteer days, a new Facebook page, a foundation and plans for limited RV and tent camping to generate revenue.
The Atchison County Commission on June 24 adopted a policy recommended by the Atchison County Lake Committee and asked staff to coordinate implementation, including website updates and revenue tracking.
Ian Saxton, committee chair, presented a short policy document and a committee plan. Saxton said the committee had agreed responsibilities with Road and Bridge staff and described the policy as “short and sweet,” asking the commission to accept the committee’s submission. Saxton told commissioners the committee has established a foundation for donations and plans volunteer cleanup days to maintain the park facilities.
Committee materials presented at the meeting showed planned amenities and revenue ideas: an initial set of 4–5 RV sites with utilities expanding to 10 over time, tent campsites in two locations that could total roughly 10 sites, and continued use of shelter houses. Saxton said the committee is pursuing a kayak rental business that expected to operate around the Fourth of July weekend and is organizing volunteer cleanup work; the committee reported coordination with the sheriff’s office for discarded drug‑needle removal at shelter houses.
Saxton asked the commission to accept the committee’s policy document as submitted; commissioners voted 3‑0 to adopt the policy. Commissioners asked staff to update county webpages to reflect the committee structure and to ensure lake revenue is routed through county accounting. The committee also said it would continue outreach, hold a “match day” fundraising event in August and present a broader plan at a July date requested by the commission.
The committee emphasized that it will not pursue selling county lake land, and that revenues (for example hay‑ground leases) will be routed through county accounting and reported to the commission. The committee requested staff help with minor edits to the draft policy (for example correcting department names on county organizational charts) and to bring a formalized policy or resolution forward if the commission desired a more formal record.
