Broadwater County Parks & Recreation Board
Author: Rachael Brug, Staff Reporter
Article Published: 07/31/2026 Volume: 5 Edition: 04Broadwater County Parks & Recreation Board
Rachael Brug
Staff Reporter
The Broadwater County Parks & Recreation Board reaffirmed its role as the county’s clearinghouse for recreation proposals at its July 20 meeting, recommending that park-related inquiries be routed through the board rather than going straight to the commissioners.
Chair Carol Hatfield presided over the 6:04 p.m. meeting, with Vice Chair Jennifer Dalrymple and members Amy Currence and Wendy Graveley in attendance. Nichole Brown, community development director and board liaison; Administrative Assistant Aubra Lewis; Commissioner Lindsey Richtmeyer, the commission liaison; Mayor Vickie Rauser; and Commissioner Jesse Swenson also attended.
Member Amy Currence reported on the State of Rural Montana summit she attended June 10, sharing handouts and a “State of Rural Montana” document she had emailed to the board. She said funding and volunteer recruitment are common struggles statewide, and highlighted grant resources including the LOR Foundation, Montana Community Foundation, and Headwaters Foundation — plus a Columbus civic center described as “a place to warm, to cool, to gather and to shelter,” which could open the door to emergency-shelter grants.
The board voted to reroute the county website’s parks and rec contact link to Lewis’s email, and urged that the board and commissioners follow the board’s bylaws by funneling public proposals through the board for review before they reach the commission.
Brown and Richtmeyer reported on a listening session at Conners Field with adult softball, girls’ fastpitch, and youth and high school baseball representatives, stressing that the county carries no parks budget line item and that project requests should come to the board.
The board recommended sending a proposed interest-group checklist to County Attorney Kevin Bratcher for legal review before adoption, and tabled discussion of holes at Centerville after facilities manager Bill Malone found large trees still blocking equipment access; members asked staff to explore interim safety measures.
Gopher holes at Canyon Ferry are being tackled with an environmentally friendly eradication approach.
In round-table discussion, Brown noted Townsend Rotary is still pursuing a Rotary-sponsored park, with a Bozeman Sunrise Rotary event set for August 13, and a member floated the idea of low-cost, non-permanent beach volleyball courts. The board’s next regular meeting is August 17.
