Bass Lake Beach Erosion Prevention Project Underway

Posted on June 15, 2018
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI

A project to reduce future erosion at the Bass Lake Beach is finally underway. During Tuesday’s Starke County Park Board meeting, President Roger Chaffins said that the delivery of glacial stone was set to begin yesterday. The goal is to protect the beach and patio from incoming waves.

Chaffins said attorneys Marty and Steve Lucas helped obtain the necessary permit. The Starke County Highway Department will haul the stone, while inmates from the Starke County Justice Center will help take it to the installation site.

Chaffins said the reason it’s taken so long to get to this point is that he wants to make sure the work is done correctly. He also noted the limited availability of the facility’s managers. “A little bit of the reason why I was slow about it is Larry and Mara [Clarich’s] house burnt,” Chaffins said. “They’re still working on fixing that. They both work, so they’ve only got the weekends to work on this with themselves because you know [Richard] Callahan’s not going to give any help, and there’s not enough help out there. And I realize, yeah, well, we want it done, but my thing is bear with the man because he’s busting his ass to get stuff done for us.”

But board member Debbie Mix pointed out that many of the problems at the facility existed long before Larry and Mara Clarich got involved in its upkeep. “My issue is not with Larry,” Mix said. “My issue is with Callahan. And since eight years of not doing anything, because Larry’s working his tail off through the last two years, that doesn’t excuse Mr. Callahan for not getting someone else to get it done.”

“I’m sure he’s in Florida, and he’s not too worried about it,” Chaffins said. “It’s all on Larry’s shoulders.”

“But that’s our responsibility to make sure it gets done,” Mix replied.

She continued to voice concerns that the proper permits were not obtained for the repairs that have taken place. That would mean that they may not have been re-inspected, to make sure the work was done correctly. Chaffins said he’d discuss the matter with Building Inspector Terry Stephenson.