50 years ago
April 16, 1975
— TABLE ROCK PLAN OUTLINE IN SHELL KNOB TUESDAY
What was originally scheduled to be a review of Army Corps of Engineer policy revision considerations Tuesday at Shell Knob, more than likely will turn into a debate of the future of private dock facilities on the reservoir. The Corps scheduled meeting will be at the Shell Knob-Viola Community Building beginning at 10 a.m. Open to the public, the session was scheduled about a month ago to discuss what the Corps called possible policy changes in considering recreation, fishing, wildlife and other reservoir uses over the prime operations, flood control and power generation. However, an extra meeting called at School of the Ozarks last week, ran into the Corps policy of limiting private docks on the lake. Col. Donald Weinert, district engineer from the Corps headquarters in Little Rock, Arkansas is scheduled at the Shell Knob meeting, requested by the Cassville Chamber of Commerce and Central Crossing Association. Plans of the engineers to allow private docks on about 12½ % of the 750 miles of shoreline, turned the last meeting in Taney county into a five hour session. Col. Weinert told his last audience there were nearly 1,000 private floating facilities on Table Rock and 200 of this number are in areas no longer approved for boat docks. Owners of facilities in this area are apparently being told they will be permitted use of private docks for the lifetime of the present owners. In many cases existing permits would be withdrawn after this time. In previous sessions, owners of docks on Table Rock have been extremely critical of the Corps policy which went into effect last December 13. Basically, docks are now prohibited in or near parks, on aesthetically valuable segments of shorelines, in areas where sudden water level changes might leave a dock out of water or in areaswherethedockwould be subject to the prevailing winds. Tuesday’s meeting is also scheduled to discuss the Corps’ boundary monumentation to those attending. The re-survey of the lake shoreline is being conducted in a major project by the Engineers to establish government lines exactly. During previous sessions Col. Weinert said owners of docks in non-approved areas will be permitted to keep the docks during their lifetime as long as the facility is kept in good repair and its owner has a permit. Fees now charged for docks are to cover administrative costs the Engineers say. As originally scheduled, the meeting is considered an important one by Richard Groves, resident manager of the reservoir. He said all communities and individuals around the reservoir interested in operations should attend the briefing and express their opinions. One complaint of dock owners in previous meetings was that they had not been familiar with zoning proposals earlier outlined by the Corps in public meetings.
— BASS HAVEN RESORT SOLD TO CHICAGOANS
The 14-unit Bass Haven Resort on Table Rock Lake at Shell Knob, has been purchased by a Chicago, Ill. couple from Mr. and Mrs.Dunbar Wade. The new owners are Mr. and Mrs. Don Engelthaler. Operators and managers of the business on Highway 39 will be Mr. and Mrs. Ron Pfeiffer of Elign, Ill. Bass Haven facilities, including a swimming pool and familiar feature, a railroad access down an adjoining bluff to boat dock facilities, was originally constructed by the late Bert and Mrs. Cook. Engelthaler, is a business consultant in Chicago. Pfeiffer was a sales representative in that area before moving to the lake community. Mr. and Mrs. Wade, who are planning remaining in this area, have not completed future plans due to the injury of their son. —Barney Anderson, associated with Cassville Distributing for a number of years, has purchased the business from J. C. Kenney. Anderson has also leased the business building on South Main, from which he will continue automotive parts and fishing tackle wholesale and retail sales. Anderson’s son, Jim, will be associated with him in the business, traveling an extensive route of docks, resorts and fishing outlets in this section.
40 years ago
April 17, 1985
— DOGWOOD, REDBUD TREES IN BLOOM
Initial blooming of the Dogwood and Redbud trees in the Barry County Ozarks is much in evidence this week. Early season predictions of a full bloom had been for next week, and will probably still hold true. Earlier, Paul Johnson, ranger at the Cassville district of Mark Twain National Forest, had posted the week of April 21-27 for the peak, and he won’t miss it far since the full blooming will occur during this time period. Warming trends in the Ozarks are expected to boost blooms into the full stage in advance of calculations at the first of spring.
— HILLCREST ADDING 12 UNITS
Twelve additional units, all one bedroom, at Hillcrest Apartments in Cassville, are under construction. Owned by Hamilton Investments of Mount Vernon, the new units are to augment 24 two bedroom apartments constructed three years ago. Ray Burnette is complex manager.
— SPILLED POTATO PEELS MADE ROUTE 37 SLICK
A quantity of spilled potato peelings made Highway 37 slick as ice in some spots last week. The spill, from a truck going from Arkansas to Missouri, dumped the peelings at several locations. At one site in the Vanzandt community, an 18-wheeler overturned and blocked the road. A number of vehicles traveling in the area slid into the ditch when attempting to avoid the accident. Highway crews used gravel and chemicals to rid the area of the problem. According to officials, a farmer intending to use the peels as feed was transporting them to a location near Mount Vernon when a hopper on the trailer opened and dropped the cargo along the route. There were no injuries involved in the incidents that resulted.
— COUNCIL TO ABOLISH CITY VEHICLE STICKER IN 1986
Cassville city council went on record Tuesday night as favoring abolishment of the city vehicle sticker beginning January 1, 1986. Action came in an adjourned session called by Mayor Rolland Meador after presiding over his first meeting a week earlier. In other major action, council set an April 29, 7:00 p.m. study session to consider the 1986 budget. Doing away with the $3 city vehicle sticker the first of the year came on a 4-0 vote with all members concurring, Bill Ward, Bob Mizer, Bill Shiveley and Sue Brattin. Mayor Meador brought the item before the council. Meador pointed out the city budgeted $3,560 in revenue from the stickers this year, when in reality $2,700.50 had been collected. Designed as a lever, to collect personal property taxes several years ago, an ordinance will be drawn by city attorney Don Cupps to eliminate charges on the sticker: Vehicle stickers will be retained, but issued free of charge on payment of taxes. After the first of the year, council proposes the stickers be used for identification of those who have paid taxes. Failure to display same will still result in issuance of summons from the police department and possible payment of fines and court costs. Mayor Meador said in the discussion, this move could “ease tension” among some of our residents. Concerning the up-coming budget session, council did not close the meeting in two weeks, but will limit their agenda to covering and complete review of budget items. At this time, Mayor Meador commented, “we can get some insight into water and sewer rates,” as an apparent reference to pending litigation and differences of opinion with seven month old rate structures being used by the city. “We can’t favor running city government in the red, and at the same time we must understand what we’re working with,” Meador admonished the council. As a preliminary, Cupps reviewed categories of the 1985 budget and reminded council of possible commitments regarding a new water storage tower and fire protection expansion to some areas of the city limits. Cupps also reminded council obligations made to the public on passage of the city sales tax several years ago. These included dedication of 60 percent to streets, 25 percent to administration and 15 percent for parks and recreation. “These guidelines, as promised the people, have been followed by past administrations,” Cupps said. Early council action was to briefly interview eight candidates for two city jobs. Employed out of the two were Gene Robbins and Johnnie Berry. They will bring the city crew to full strength of eight persons. Robbins was assigned to the water department, Berry to streets. They are replacements for two resignations, Fred Evans and Roman Carney. Clarified in the meeting were provisions for senior citizen parking near the city pool. The Barry County Center will provide sign if desired. An Emergency Plan for the city will be forwarded to the state under Mayor Meador’s signature. Sergeant Lonnie McCullough of the police force was designated acting director. A proposal by Resources Conservation and Development, a federal agency, to revive portions of a flood control project designed a number of years ago, received no action by the council. Meador told council of discussions with Flat Creek Special Road District commissioners Charles Edmondson and Carroll Craig, for cooperation with equipment, material haul and making of blade-mix for street repairs. The mayor said he hoped cooperation would be re-established. Draining in the area of newly acquired Justin Boot Co. property at 14th and County, will be reviewed by superintendent Tim Miller and engineer George Ulmer.
30 years ago
April 5, 1995
— AREA LAKE REQUESTS 25% IN REVIEW PROCESS
Due to the “unprecedented requests for boat docks in growing areas of Table Rock Lake,” the Army Corps of Engineers has begun a review of those seeking permission to place docks or other floating facilities on the reservoir in areas not zoned for docks. Ken Fosterling, reservoir manager, said this week there were about 130 requests on file in Corps offices in Branson. Fosterling estimated about 25 percent of these requests originate from the central to upper regions of Table Rock, covering Shell Knob, Golden, Mano and Eagle Rock communities. He said the majority of the requests were in the lower part of the reservoir from the James River arm to the Baxter area. Additionally, the Corps will be accepting requests for rezoning through an April 14 deadline. Some of the pending requests are in the category of two years old. Corps personnel last year completed a review of old-reopened requests under directions of authorities who had determined adequate in-put had not been accepted in previous decisions. Those procedures have been completed with Corps personnel now addressing this latest project. Fosterling said personnel have begun evaluating each request. He noted “before a dock can be approved in an area not zoned for one, the area must first be rezoned under the lake’s shoreline management plan.” This plan establishes policy and guidelines that the Corps uses to protect and preserve Table Rock’s shoreline, while still maintaining a balance between public and private uses. The reservoir manager rated some of the requests “untenable and completely not in keeping with the best interest of the public on Table Rock Lake.” After the April 14 cutoff, site evaluations will be conducted and public workshops will be held in three locations. Hightower said one of these sites would undoubtedly be Shell Knob. He said the workshops would probably not be conducted until mid or late June. A 30-day comment period will follow, during which time the Corps will accept written comments by mail. Following the public comment period, the Corps will review the site evaluations and comments before submitting recommendations to district and division offices for final review and approval. Park ranger Fred Esser is also available at the Corps headquarters at Table Rock dam to provide additional information. Management plans of the reservoir have been in place a number of years. The plan zoned the 850 miles of shoreline for desirable dock locations. Those areas subjected to heavy boat traffic, high winds, on bluffs and other undesirable locations were redlined in the policy guides. Corps officials said facility growth factors and population increase figures in the reservoir area have brought the requests for location of floating facilities all along the reservoir.
— FULL BLOOM THIS WEEKEND
The Dogwood season is upon the Barry County Ozarks, with full bloom expected this weekend. About two weeks in advance of the normal sea-son, Cassville should host a lot of folks making their way to favorite vantage points of the area to see both the white blooms and the Red Bud as they present their contrasts in the forests. Most any route out of Cassville toward Roaring River State Park or Table Rock Lake country this weekend will take the Dogwood viewers to some outstanding exhibits.
