COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Branch County Board of Commissioners voted on Tuesday to form a committee to make a recommendation on the future of the county’s 168-acre Bater Road property.
Action on forming the committee was brought forward during last Thursday’s working meeting by Commissioners following a closed session to discuss a legal opinion on the matter.
Commission Chair Randall Hazelbaker appointed fellow Commissioners Tim Stoll and Rick Hollister to the committee which will also consist of County Administrator Frank Walsh and the county’s legal counsel.
They will discuss options for the property and bring back a recommendation to the full Board.
Walsh has wanted to convert the property into a park that he said would offer residents and visitors a chance to explore nature and wildlife.
But Commissioners voted to table action September 9 after suggestions on generating revenue were mentioned along with issues with surrounding properties.
The property has a tax bill of over $30,000. The county has owned it since 1975. An agricultural lease on the property is set to end December 31, 2025 and $80,000 had been set aside from the lease proceeds to help with the cost of turning the property into a proposed park.
The County has leased the property in the past for farming and hunting activities.
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