The mystery of the 'broken' River Run gate...which remains closed!

click on picture to enlarge

'When the people you elect to positions of authority fail to perform in small ways, then how much confidence can you have in them in larger arenas?'

A gate that blocks the back entrance to River Run on Baker street remains locked even while the park has (apparently) re-opened. Adding insult is the fact that this gate is not signed properly and is therefore hard to see. Another example of blatant and callous disregard for civilians safety by the Army Corps of Engineers? You be the judge...

Interestingly, a neighbor of mine ran across what he thought appeared to be one of the Corps of Engineer people while walking earlier today. He inquired about the gate and the fact it was locked, while the other gate off Hwy 76 was now open. The man responded, by saying that the ‘gate is broken’ and cannot be opened.

Being a curious man, I decided to drive over to that location and do a look see on my own. After a few minutes, I could detect no damage such that it could not be opened completely. (See pictures). I also had another individual inspect the very same gate and they arrived at the same conclusion. So, what gives? Are we being jacked around around here or what?

If the gate is, in fact damaged, then why hasn't it been fixed or simply removed for repair elsewhere? Also, why is there no reflective material on either side of the gate to allow motorists a chance to clearly see the obstruction. It’s currently painted a nice dark shade of brown which renders it hard to see. Anyone who enters the park from Hwy 76 and then attempts to come up that back way into Valley View Village could be in for an unpleasant surprise! The picture on top uses a simulated sun but in a few weeks with enough leaves off the trees, it may even be brighter. Add that to a dirty windshield and an accident could be the result.

In my opinion, this represents an accident waiting to happen. Cutting through the park area to get to the housing development is common practice and is used by a lot of citizens. What if some elderly person with marginalized eyesight were to plow into it? Couldn't the Corps at least put up a day-glow orange sign to warn motorists?

If you're wondering why I haven't attempted to do anything  about this, well I have. I've made numerous calls to the City of Forsyth and to the Corps of Engineers office at 870-425-2700. That's about all I can do at this point other than to post this on my blog. In the mean time, if you use Baker Street or know anyone who does, please advise them of this situation and we'll all wait for a resolution.

As a final note, I'm not trying to pick on the Corps in this post. I know they are just as affected by the chaotic social and economic times as anyone else. Rather, I am hoping that by publicizing this matter, I might help to avert an accident!

More on this to come.....

Followup: As of October the 20th, there's has been no news from any of the sources I have contacted, including Senator Claire McCaskill's office which sent me a 'complaint form' that asked for my soc sec and other personal information. Give me a break Claire! I was only trying to point out something I consider to be an issue of motorist safety. That's it! I'm done. I'll now just sit back and wait for someone to run into that gate! Hope it's nobody I know.

Followup: On or about May the 26th (2012), signs were finally attached to this gate! I, myself, observed a ranger doing so.What struck me as strange was the overall timing. Here is was late spring when little to no rain had fallen for two months and just now the Corps decides to finally erect signs that should have been there all along! Well, I guess that it's better late than never!

By the end of the summer of 2012, both gates also now sport reflective tape that should make them very visible at night!

Disclaimer: All the opinions expressed here are those of the author of this post and were made with honest intent.

River Run is recovering quickly! Fishermen return!

As of the 6^th of October, the River Run Park is beginning to look a little like it’s former self. I had a chance to walk there this morning and was pleased to see that some fishing trailers were parked by the boat ramp. There was also a couple walking around like I was.

It amazes me how fast the grasses have recovered from being submerged for most of the summer. As you can see by this picture of the log that stuck in a tree, the water level was considerable.

As I walked around, I noticed that a few of the trees had died during this period and will need to be removed, but also surprisingly, the area was relatively free of flotsam. A few good rains should take cared of the layer of dust that covers much of the campsites, although they will be useable once the Corps restores power and water to the area. Something I conjecture will not happen until next spring at the earliest.

The entrance to River Run needs widening! Don't ya think?

 Before and after

If you’ve ever had a large RV or boat that you’ve tried to maneuver into the entrance of the River Run Park in Forsyth Missouri, then you know what a challenge it can be. On busy days when people are coming and going, this intersection can become logged piled up resulting in traffic congestion at the least and an accident at the worst.

By widening the entrance as shown here, vehicles towing other vehicles would be able to enter and exit without infringing the other lane. This would promote a smoother and safer flow of traffic.

I am promoting this with the thought that attention to details like this are what separates a mediocre government from an excellent one.And yes, I know...there's no money for this!

Audit of Forsyth Missouri begins Wednesday: Could take a year!

The Missouri State Auditor’s Office has announced an audit of the city books in Forsyth will begin Wednesday, October the 3^rd. A process they have indicated could take up to a year to complete. I wondered why such a thing would take so long and came up with this:

“Many factors, including the size and complexity of the audit, agency schedules, staffing resources, and data accessibility, affect audit time-lines. However, one factor--compiling and verifying source evidence--consistently impacts the speed with which audits are completed.”

Unlike some other sources of information, audits are based on evidence that must be sufficient, competent, and relevant. As such, the State Auditor cannot accept information on face value and must independently verify its accuracy and reliability. Often, this requires audit staff to obtain, compile, and analyze source documents, such as file records.

When data are unreliable or cannot be verified, the data cannot be used as the sole basis of an audit finding. Rather, the finding must be supported by other audit evidence, such as auditor observation, interviews, surveys, comparative data from other states, or other analytical reviews.

Whether that's the way it's done in Missouri is not known to me, but the explanation makes some sense.

Forsyth Car and Craft Show!

I had a great time at the Forsyth Car & Craft show that was held at the Shoals Bend Park this date. The weather was picture perfect and everyone I talked to seemed to be enjoying themselves. In the picture, a Chamber of Commerce Board member named Craig (hope I got that right) did a great job greeting folks who attended!

I put a very short short video on YouTube for anyone with an interest. There's no music as the selection I originally choose (a fragment of America by Neil Diamond) was silenced by the Warner Music Group. A mega conglomerate whose corporate motto is to ' suck every dollar we can from our customer base '. Sorry about that, but when I see a group of people I think of as crooks, I make it a point to point it out.

River Run Park remains closed in late September 2011!

Even though the great flood of 2011 is now history, the River Run Park remains closed. This popular RV and camping destination located in Forsyth, Missouri is normally crowded this time of year with late season fishermen and retirees who like the area and have been coming here for years. That is not the case this time, even though the grasses have recovered nicely from spending a summer beneath the waves!

As you can see, some structures like both this restroom complex and even Baker Street, look a little the worst for wear and will require some effort and expense to restore to useable shape. I’m guessing that the cost and maybe lack of manpower are two reasons for it to remain unavailable to the public. It’s good to know, however, that its sister park, Shadow Rock, is open a doing good business.

Update: As of October the 5th, the gate that was closed off Hwy 76 is now open. However the gate that exits the park to the west remains closed. I'm not sure why that is... Anyway, the streets in the park have been cleared of the mud and debris that covered some areas and it looks as though some use can be had. Once again, I thought it might be a good idea to contact the Corps to see what's going on as I have not seen any official notifications in the park proper. Later on, I learned that a neighbor did call the Corps office only to be told he needed to submit a letter explaining why the gate needed to be unlocked. He told me when he heard that, he hung up.

Powersite Dam in September 2011. Come on down the fishing's great!

What a difference a little bit of time makes! Not very long ago the Powersite Dam, located in Forsyth Missouri, looked like this after the area was inundated with over fifteen inches and more of rain in a short period of time! That much water had no where to go and so it backed up and closed down park operations for all of the summer months.

It certainly was all swollen and muddy, I can tell you! Then, the summer came and went on a mostly dry note and now today the waters have receded. Just look at the difference in the height of the water! I took the opportunity to stroll down to the base of the dam on a late September day that was just about as nice as anyone could ask for; seventy two degrees under sunny skies with the barest hint of a breeze out of the northeast. My kind of weather, my kind of latitude! Hey! I even liked the damn dam!

It's nice to know that this weather should be pretty much the norm for the next forty days or until sometime in November when cooler regimes will become the rule. When I first got out of my auto, I immediately ran across a couple of fishermen – and ,as you can see, the ‘fishin weren't too bad’. I then walked on down to the base to get the picture I took at right, and then climbed some (a million) stairs that took me to the top for a more a scenic view.

Yes, it was a great day all the way around. I had the feeling that even this pair of Empire Electric employees didn't seem to mind doing a little welding. They had a small boat tied up down the hill and I assumed they were going to perform some maintenance on the dam itself. Man, some people have a job and others have a great job!