Residents press Natrona parks board to finish Hogadon drainage and add water access for fire response

Residents at the March 12 Natrona County Parks Board meeting urged faster repairs to the Hogadon parking lot, better drainage and potable water access on Casper Mountain to help firefighting and campsite safety.

Bruce Lambertson delivered the most sustained public comment, describing a recurring drainage problem at the Hogadon lot that he said began when the facility was built and has not been fixed despite earlier commitments. "When that mountain burns, they're not going to care who owns that either," Lambertson said, arguing that public safety and park stewardship require a frost-proof hydrant or water-fill station and quicker completion of the parking-lot box culvert and grading work.

Staff and trustees acknowledged the problem and said significant preparatory work — including a topographic survey and interim hauling of about $20,000 in base course material from Knife River — was completed last fall. Michael, a parks staff member, said contractor availability and frost conditions prevented completing the box culvert and other work before winter. He said a planned installation remains on the agenda for the coming spring or fall construction windows.

Board members also agreed that potable water and hydrant access on Casper Mountain are priorities for fire mitigation and camper use. Trustees said they want a frost‑proof fill line and clearer signage for visitors; one trustee noted the county’s authority over certain properties varies because some mountain properties are city-owned and lease negotiations remain unresolved.

The board asked staff to continue to pursue contractors and to include drainage and water-access projects in upcoming budget planning—while cautioning that budget uncertainty and pending lease work may limit what can be done this season.

The board appended the item to its spring work schedule and committed to updating residents as vendor availability and funding align.