TWRA to take over the Carroll County 1,000 acre recreational lake (update of sorts)

RUGER

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I posted on the facebook page for the lake yesterday and asked when TWRA was supposed to take over the lake yet.
They replied as follows:

Not yet. Supposed to be after July. It still has to go past the governor.

So now I am confused. I know the article said the 11 million dollars was in his proposed budget but now I ain't sure if TWRA is taking over for sure or if it depends on whether the budget is approved?






This was taken from the Carroll County News Leader site:
I pray they don't screw this up as bad as they did the duck hunting.



"State Senator John Stevens delivered some good news Friday morning during Capitol Talk at the Civic Center. This is a time each year when the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce sponsors sessions where Carroll County's three representatives deliver news on what is happening in the state legislature.

Stevens talked about bills that are being considered this year and also took questions from the audience.

At the close of the session he said he was surprised that no one had mentioned or asked a question about Carroll County's 1,000 Acre Recreational Lake.

Stevens, who represents the 24th Senatorial District of which Carroll County is a part, said that Gov. Bill Lee had agreed to place the $11 million payoff of the lake in the 2022-2023 state budget.

TWRA is to take over the management of the lake.

Of course, Lee's budget is a proposed one right now and hasn't been formally passed. However, since Stevens is the first vice chair of the Ways, Means and Finance Committee, I would expect it to remain in tact.

The lake which opened in March 2013 has been supported with state funds, the local wheel tax and the future growth revenue tax. The town of Huntingdon property owners could have even been involved in the payoff as they were written in the payoff through possible added property tax.

The added wheel tax of $10 has been a sore spot with some citizens, especially in north Carroll County.

The lake is beginning to bring in big tax bucks in the way of property taxes as more and more homes are being built there.

The idea for this lake was the dream and passion of Huntingdon Mayor Dale Kelley that came to pass after a lot of starts and stops that have taken place over the years. The Carroll County Watershed Authority was created in 1984 and became a reality in March 2013 with the lake's opening.

It has become a favorite place for fishermen all over West Tennessee, a place to boat and swim, a gathering place for picnics as well as making it a sought after place to reside.

Of course, funds for such an endeavor is always a situation and how to get it completely paid off. In April of last year, county commissioners put a cap on the payment on the indebtedness that was paid by the Future Growth Revenue Tax in the lake area. A cap of $50,000 was placed on the tax that was to end by 2031.

Now it looks probable that the lake will be paid off through the funding of $11 million in in this year's state budget.

And that will be a good thing."
 
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younggun308

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I'm missing a little context here—is this an artificial lake, and they were simply paying off their debt for its construction? Or are they paying off the purchase of the property?
 

fairchaser

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I've been to the lake once and it's a gorgeous lake with lots of expensive homes built all around it. The facilities are first class with nice ramps and docks. It's mostly a bass lake with probably too many small bass and very few crappie. At least I couldn't find any. Around noon, the pleasure boaters and jet skis swarm the lake and it becomes way too crowded for anything much less fishing. A part of the lake is designated for fishing only which is good. I don't have any opinions about the state taking it over but I hope they can get the fish population more balanced.
 

RUGER

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I'm missing a little context here—is this an artificial lake, and they were simply paying off their debt for its construction? Or are they paying off the purchase of the property?
I'm not sure actually on what they are paying off.
It is an artificial lake.
@cbhunter can probably explain it better than me.
He is the one that first told me about this.
Plus, it's in his backyard. :D
 

RUGER

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I do know TWRA put in 20,000 golden shiners last August.
They added some shad as well but can't remember when or how many.
I wondered then why they would be doing that in a more or less privately owned lake.
 

TNGunsmoke

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I hope this means that the TWRA family fish lakes permit (or sportsman's license) will cover fishing there, instead of an extra use fee that has to be paid at the lake office as it is now. It is a beautiful lake, and I'm hoping to got over there a little more often than I have in the past.
 

RUGER

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I hope this means that the TWRA family fish lakes permit (or sportsman's license) will cover fishing there, instead of an extra use fee that has to be paid at the lake office as it is now. It is a beautiful lake, and I'm hoping to got over there a little more often than I have in the past.
No need in coming, there are no fish there. :D
;)
 

TNGunsmoke

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No need in coming, there are no fish there. :D
;)
Couldn't prove there are any in there by my last trips. I've caught 1 small bass outta there, but it was a quick trip made faster because the guy I went with forgot to charge the trolling motor battery on his new to him boat.
 

RUGER

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Couldn't prove there are any in there by my last trips. I've caught 1 small bass outta there, but it was a quick trip made faster because the guy I went with forgot to charge the trolling motor battery on his new to him boat.
One of the only two skunk days I have had this year was there.
I was fishing for crappie though and that was my first time trying them there.
Trolled around and ran around for nearly 2 hours and never found a school.
Weather was crap though.
 

WTM

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this is what happens when a bunch of good ole boy democrats comes up with an idea to make money for themselves, but dont have enough gubment money to pay for it. so now the state is going to bail out their broke arses so they dont have to raise property taxes.

id say this is going to piss a lot of folks off in Stevens' other district counties since they have already raised our property taxes and our roads look like crap, county and state.

if the TWRA wants to own and manage it, then fine, pay the $11 million out of TWRA funding not the state's fund.
 

TNGunsmoke

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They can't, they spent all OUR money on pos duck blinds that nobody wanted or needed.

"We are doing a good job. If you don't believe us, just ask us." TWRA
That reminds me, the Commission meeting starts this afternoon at 1, with proposed changes to the blind draws, rules and regs, and season dates up for discussion today, to be voted on tomorrow.
 

WTM

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They can't, they spent all OUR money on pos duck blinds that nobody wanted or needed.

"We are doing a good job. If you don't believe us, just ask us." TWRA
if they dont put some restrictions on that lake and enforce them itll be fished out like browns creek, pin oak and a couple of other family lakes. i know a teenager from lexington and his daddy that has basically stocked their pond with big bass from those lakes. no telling how many they took out of browns creek.
 

beefydeer

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The lake will to crap now. It is already not as good as it used to be. Maybe they will get a fishery guy from Texas. They seem to know what they are doing down there.
 

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