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Park master‑plan update: Lookout and Cote D'Oreille near completion; Blacktail lease, boat landing and DEQ sampling flagged for follow‑up
Summary
Staff reported near completion of Lookout Park and progress at Cote D'Oreille, presented Blacktail schematic designs that shift the boat landing and add group sites and an amphitheater, and flagged recurring lease and boat‑landing access disputes; DEQ recommended continued/increased water sampling at Epping Springbrook and staff will integrate LG Sonic data into a supplemental report.
Williams County parks staff provided a master‑plan progress update and asked the board for direction on boundary surveys and lease amendments tied to long‑running access issues at Blacktail.
Project updates: JE Dunn’s work at Lookout Park is nearly finished — fencing has been removed and a shelter is expected in December; staff said final water and electrical hookups and a light for the shelter remain. Cote D’Oreille has had “a few hiccups,” but staff reported confidence the park will be ready before Memorial Day.
Blacktail schematic and lease issues: Jeremy presented the Blacktail schematic designs showing a relocated two‑lane boat landing, a mix of pull‑through and back‑in campsites (all sites with water and electrical hookups except where septic is pending), a camp‑host site, multiple shower houses, group‑site clusters that can be reserved individually, an amphitheater and an area being considered for fenced RV storage as a revenue option. He said the schematic is for pricing only and will be refined.
Jeremy also described recurring problems where private property owners use or block park lease land, including at least one incident this year involving restricted public access to a rock boat landing. He said the Blacktail Dam Association currently leases park acreage for an annual fee (noted in the meeting as $250) and that the association plans to inspect leased areas; staff proposed surveying contested parcels, coordinating with North Dakota Game and Fish about possible parking on adjacent state land, and amending lease exhibits to clarify boundaries. The board agreed to proceed with surveys and outlined a plan to remove unauthorized cables or barriers across park land where they exist.
Water quality and DEQ: Jeremy summarized a DEQ review of Epping Springbrook Dam that recommended continuing—and possibly increasing—water sampling at additional sites and adopting best‑management practices, including preventing cattle from accessing shoreline water. Jeremy said the DEQ summary did not include LG Sonic data he had already collected; he will ask the project manager to incorporate that data into an updated report to the board.
What’s next: Staff will obtain price estimates from contractors (Jay Dunn), proceed with targeted surveys at Blacktail, prepare any necessary lease exhibit amendments, and return finalized rural water agreements after Karen’s review. The board recorded the five‑year buoy‑maintenance commitment needed for grant compliance and authorized staff to submit the special road‑fund applications discussed earlier.
The meeting adjourned at 9:37 a.m.
