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Visit eases fears regarding lake decision

Concerns that historic designation at Marion County Lake could conflict with long-term improvements were eased Monday following a visit with state officials.

Marion County Commission met at their regular weekly meeting with Susan Robson, county attorney, and Dale Snelling, park and lake superintendent. They asked commissioners to consider all aspects of a proposal to put the county lake on the state and national Register of Historic Places.

After Snelling and Commissioner Howard Collett visited with a state official that afternoon, Snelling said he would recommend it continue.

The lake and park were constructed in the 1930s by federal workers as an extensive recreation site. Remains of a trap shooting range, sand boxes, a skating rink, and a golf course are on the site.

If approved, it would be one of the few dams on the register. Many other structures built with Depression-era federal labor are on the register, but this would be the first dam in Kansas.

Snelling was worried that designating the structures at the lake as historic would limit repairs or improvements.

"If we need to contact the federal government before replacing a shingle, that would be a nightmare," he said. "But planting a tree, replacing a door, anything like that is not a problem."

Structural appearance

The state officials said repairs were not a problem. They were more concerned with structural changes that affect the structure's appearance — adding on to a shelter house, for example.

Snelling asked about the possibility of erecting shelters over the original picnic tables. He was told that would be acceptable as long as the tables were not altered by the project. And, since they would provide some protection to the tables from the elements, there might even be grant funds available to help with the project.

Since commissioners have to issue a formal resolution in support or opposition to the designation, state officials suggested the resolution simply list all structures they don't want included for designation.

Snelling noted that while most people see the lake as an asset, there have been attempts to sell the property and convert it to residential homes. The historic designation should limit potential of that happening in the future.

"This isn't a problem now, but with three new commissioners, a new superintendent, they could bring in a bulldozer, and there was nothing to stop them," he said. "This should put a brake on that, if it ever comes up."

Probably the first issue will be results of a breach analysis now under way. Another state agency ordered the analysis, which could result in changes to the face of the dam. Snelling said the historical society would want to review engineer recommendations and issue its own opinion before any changes were made.

RC&D projects

Bruce Wells, director of Flint Hills Resource Conservation and Development Council, and member Peggy Blackman reported on activities of the council for the past year.

The council includes Marion, Chase, Greenwood, Butler, Lyon, and Morris counties. Office staff, equipment, and facilities are funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but routine expenses and project funding are provided by member counties, grants, and donations to the non-profit organization.

Projects in 2001 that involved Marion County included:

— Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry, a program by which harvested deer are donated, processed into two-pound packages of ground venison, and distributed through food banks and other agencies. This year, 180 deer were processed, producing about 32,000 meals.

— Grant writing workshops, conservation workshops for teachers, and a range management school for ranchers.

— Involvement in various statewide projects.

The agency had income totaling $123,837 in 2001. About $117,020 was spent on various projects through the year.

The proposed plan of work for 2002, while presented, is likely to undergo significant changes this year, he said.

Blackman said that nationwide in 1999, RC&D councils received $29 million in federal funding, which was used to generate more than $1 billion in project funds through grants and other contributions.

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