Local scouts ask county to endorse stewardship of Humans Pond, request $1,500 annual support

Members of Boy and Girl Scouts affiliated with Troop 500G asked the Liberty County Board of Commissioners to authorize the troop as an ongoing stewardship partner for Humans Pond Sanctuary and asked the county to consider modest annual funding to support routine maintenance, signage and safety improvements.

Hailey Waterhour, who the board was recognizing earlier in the meeting, described the troop's three‑phase plan: safety and access improvements, interpretive and educational signage, and an ongoing community stewardship and reporting program. "We are trying to make this a safer environment as well as a more accessible environment, especially for wheelchair users," Waterhour said, outlining the troop's goal of using volunteer service hours to maintain trails, bridges and logs of maintenance activity.

Scoutmaster Rachel Archer said the troop has already done site work and recommended Troop 500G be the county's ongoing stewardship partner for Humans Pond; the group requested $1,500 annually "through the county parks department or other appropriate county agencies" to support walkway repairs, signage and limited site amenities rather than a one‑time capital request.

County staff told commissioners that if the board wanted to authorize funding or designate a stewardship partner, staff would recommend a memorandum of understanding to define responsibilities. "In consultation with the county attorney, we would need to do an MOU if y'all wanna proceed forward," a county staff member said.

Commissioners asked staff to coordinate the request with the recreation board and county park staff and invited the troop to return with annual reports if the arrangement is approved. The board did not take a separate funding vote at the meeting but directed staff to follow up on the steps discussed.