Medicine Creek a sign of things to come?

Dear Editor,

The Bureau of Reclamation is proposing to make improvements to Hugh Butler and Swanson Reservoir marina areas. Improvement is usually a good word and makes people hopeful for the future.

So why are the Bureau's proposed plans causing so much concern?

Well, In order to START this project, the BOR has mandated that anyone owning a trailer at Hugh Butler or Swanson reservoirs needs to remove or demolish (if removal is not possible) said trailer by November 2024. (if this seems like de ja vu ... this happened at Medicine Creek in 2018). According to the BOR website, this would affect 110 trailers at Swanson and 71 at Hugh Butler. So that's the background?

The Bureau of Reclamation is now inviting the public to comment on the proposed plans to improve these marina areas. I highly encourage each and every citizen of our surrounding communities to do so. However, first I want to give everyone a few things to consider.

On the Bureau website you can find the "proposed" plans they have for the reservoirs. To be fair, they have put together quite a nice power point and many of their ideas are great. However, ALL of the ideas could be successfully implemented WITHOUT disrupting the lives of at least 400+ people and their extended families.

To take you through a quick tour of the website, you will find pictures of the "now and the "proposed".

These are items in the proposal ... inlet dredging (we have asked for this to be done for several years)

New playground equipment (yay!) ... Floating docks ... (great idea, and we do not have any trailers in the water) ... A dog park (okay) ... Updated Marinas (still no argument).

Then the fancy stuff. 14 to 20 Glamping sites, 10 to 12 tiny homes or cabins, 6 car campsites and 40 to 65 RV sites. Swanson is also proposed to get a splash pad and a sports court.

If you take away the current trailers (181 for the two sites) and add the new camping spots (188 according to the website) there is only a gain of 7 spots.

What you will not see on the BOR website are the beautiful trailer homes that anyone would be proud to have, well-manicured areas, and awesome decks. You will not see that the trailer homes are on a very tiny piece of the land at both lakes so there is more than enough room for Glamping and tiny homes as well!

They won't show you the Saturday night bands every summer that are enjoyed by several area communities, the Sunday volleyball tournaments, holiday boat and golf cart parades and community service events. You will not see the hard work the concessionaires do each day to keep up the area and serve their communities.

The labor they have put in and what they will lose when they have to close for several years while the "proposed" renovations take place.

One more important piece of information that you will not see on the Bureau website is the progress they have made with the Medicine Creek improvements that were promised pending the removal of the trailer homes in 2018. Perhaps this would be a good starting place for their improvements. They already have the land cleared. Perhaps this could be the proving ground that could show their plans as a success. Would it help the past residents of Medicine Creek to not feel as though they were removed for no good reason?

I invite you to please go to these lakes and drive around, (all roads are always open to the public). Check out the areas and make your own informed decision. The Bureau is asking for public suggestions on how to "ensure a smooth transition and minimal disruption". Ask any Medicine Creek former resident how "minimal" their disruption was. When people have put their heart and soul into something, there is no "minimal disruption" when there are so many other options.

One last request. If you do send in a comment (and I hope you do), send our Congressional leaders a copy as well. They need to know your opinion and the Bureau needs to have accountability.

BOR email BOR-sha-NKA-Concessions@usbr.gov

Honorable Senator Fischer Mikayla Gross@Fischer.senate.gov or https://www.fischer.senate.gov/public?p=email-deb

Honorable Senator Rickets https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/contact/

Honorable Congressman Smith https://adriansmith.house.gov/contact

Bonnie Brown,

Proud to be Hugh Butler Trailer Owner