CAIRO — Like the water levels, recommendations and expenditures are rising for Tired Creek Lake. 

Lake Authority Chairman Lee Gainous met with the Grady County Board of Commissioners to discuss the recent recommendation from the authority. 

The recommendation, which was made at the June 14 Lake Authority meeting, was to consider soliciting bids for tree removal at the lake’s beaver dam. 

Project consultant Will Butler recommended removing the trees at a vision meeting for Tired Creek earlier this month. 

“I’m taking his (Butler) recommendation and bringing it to you,” Gainous said. 

Gainous said Butler’s recommendation on the trees, if not removed, would reduce lot value in half. The recommendation also noted removing the trees that obstruct views at the lake. 

Lake Authority members were in favor of the recommendation, Gainous said. 

Tree removal is expected to cost $300 per hour.

Former county commissioner Charlie Norton expressed his concerns with cutting down the trees, also noting the lots at the lake are useless without getting water and sewage first. 

Norton also addressed a rumor about the Cedar Springs boat ramp closing. Gainous said he was not in favor of closing the ramp. 

Tired Creek Lake, Norton said, was built for the people of Grady County. 

“It needs to stay that way,” he added.  

Commissioner T.D. David suggested the Lake Authority create maps for future recommendations. 

The commission also discussed Tired Creek’s budget for the next fiscal year. 

Grady County Administrator Carlos Tobar noted the biggest change in Tired Creek’s budget was a proposed $291,000 expenditure for debt repayment on the lake’s interest revenue bond. 

“That’s the big ticket item for Tired Creek next year,” Tobar said. 

The expenditure could result in a half mill increase in property taxes, according to Tobar. 

The bond repayment budgeted for 2017 was $82,000. 

Other discussion included posting Lake Authority meeting notifications on Tired Creek’s Facebook page. 

Gainous also noted the difficulty of getting all the authority members together at the same time. 

“We’ll work on all that,” he said. 

Reporter Jordan Barela can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1826.