Reprinted with permission from the The Press-Dispatch, June 3, 2020

Pike County Commissioners got an update on Prides Creek Park, as well as the Economic Development Corp. and Soil and Water Conservation District duringvtheir Monday morning meeting.

Prides Creek Manager Brandon Schultheis told the commissioners they were getting ready to make several improvements this year. Those include two new shower facilities. Schultheis said they would be adding a four-room, family-style shower house next to the original shower house. Once the new one is completed, the old one will be removed. He said they will also add a new two-room, family-style shower house in the temporary campsites on the backside of the park.

Other improvements include repaving the current tennis and basketball courts, and adding a new basketball court in the temporary camp area.

Schultheis said the park lost about $45,000 of revenue during the time they were closed due to COVID-19. He said they were planning to open in June, then Governor Holcomb moved the date up for them so they could open on Friday before Memorial Day.

“I wasn’t quite geared up for that,” said Schultheis. But he said they had a great weekend and were packed out.

The playgrounds and shower houses are still closed due to COVID-19, but the campsites and beach are open. The beach has a 100-person limit to allow social distancing.

Schultheis said they reached the limit on both weekends at the beach and campgrounds. “If we keep up this level for the year, we are going to more than make up for that= $45,000 lost revenue.”

In other business, Kyla Estey, with the Soil and Water Conservation District, said they were reducing their budget this year. She said they reduced their request to the county to $15,400 for the 2021 budget.

Ashley Willis, with the Pike County Economic Development Corporation, said they also were reducing their budget slightly. They are requesting $118,000 from the county for 2021. They had received $125,000 the previous two years.

In other business, Auditor Judy Gumbel told the commissioners the Department of Local Government and Finance gave Pike County notice they were compliant with the state-required Phase II software certification. DLFG tested the Pike County system in the Auditor, Assessor and Treasurer offices and they passed. Pike County is now certified until March 17, 2025.

The next commissioners’ meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Monday, June 15.