Perry County Park Board votes to keep Eagles Bluff open 24 hours while pursuing light-timer fix

The Perry County Park Board voted to keep Eagles Bluff park open 24 hours a day at its regular meeting, while asking staff to pursue a daytime shutoff to cut overnight lighting costs and to monitor the site for damage. Chair said board members preferred to leave the park open "until we start having damage," provided the daytime switch could be fixed.

Board members discussed a mechanical solution for the park lights so the fixtures are off during daylight hours and only come on at night. "If we can get that fixed, I say my personal feeling is we'll leave it open until we start having damage," Chair said during the discussion. After a motion to keep the park open, members responded verbally to the roll call with "Aye," and Chair declared the motion passed.

The board also debated whether to set an explicit revisit date for the 24-hour policy and decided to remain "in the loop" between meetings. Members asked how they should be notified of any incidents; one board member offered to send a group email, and Chair said routine follow-up would happen at future meetings if problems arise.

Separately, board members discussed signage to indicate that a polling-place gate is closed the day before and after elections for setup and breakdown. A board member asked whether the clerk's office, county commissioners or the park board should cover the cost for a temporary banner. Chair suggested checking with the clerk's office about available election funds before the board decides to pay for the sign.

What happens next: Staff will work to secure the daytime switch for the park lights, the board will track any damage reports and the clerk's office will be asked about signage funding ahead of the next elections.