Fisheries biologist takes on role of lakes, parks boss

When the Joint Advisory Committee on Lakes met the new Lakes and Parks superintendent they saw a familiar face.

POA director of Maintenance and Construction Mike Taggert introduced Rick Echols, who was hired last winter as the POA’s fisheries biologist. Now Echols is Lakes, Parks and Fisheries superintendent.

Taggert said former superintendent Vern Olafsen, who retired earlier this year, has agreed to help train Echols. Also, the budget for lake rangers was increased so that they can hire one more ranger to help patrol the lakes and parks. They will also have one more groundskeeper so the rangers won’t have to help with as much maintenance.

Echols asked the committee to consider a new limit of two saugeye and walleye, with a minimum length of 20 inches, on Bella Vista lakes. His concern is to protect the breeding stock of walleye which were stocked earlier this year. Because the state Game and Fish Commission has the authority to impose limits, Bella Vista’s more stringent rules are really only a recommendation, he said.

General manager Tom Judson asked the committee to consider regulating wake boats after a member pointed out some damage to the shore line.

Wake boats, board Liaison John Nuttall explained, use a tank of water to lower the boat, which makes the boat produce a larger wake for wake boarding. But the large wake also causes erosion along the shoreline.

Two members of the committee agreed to research how other communities handle wake boats.