Judy Kramer
County Reporter
The Harry S. Truman Visitor Center had one window blown out and seals on a few more windows damaged during a storm on the evening of July 1. Ranger Allen Flint reported that some repairs were made on July 2, but the upper area of the Visitor Center will be closed as well as the surrounding area outside of the windows until parts and materials are ordered and the area is safe for the public. When Ranger Allen gets approval from his chain of command, the Visitor Center will reopen for weekends. Regular hours are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday plus Monday federal holidays, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Open season began this year on April 15 and will end on September 30.
According to the website welcometowarsaw.com, the Visitor Center construction began in 1975 and was completed in 1977. It sits atop Kaysinger Bluff and provides a spectacular view of Truman Dam and Reservoir. Exhibits within the Visitor Center provide information about the rich history of the Osage Arm of Lake of the Ozarks Valley from pre-civilization to modern day.
The open hours for the center are down from its former seven-day a week schedule, due to lack of federal funding. Ranger Allen and Bradly Wright, Truman State Park Manager, said that there are several funding pots being used to “keep the lights on” at the Visitor Center.
“Recreation is low on the federal government’s priority list,” said Ranger Allen. “And the Visitor Center is on the low end of recreation. So, one way we keep it going now is to take $80,000 from our recreation budget to use for the basic needs. We are operating on a bare budget, while the Corps of Engineers in Washington D.C. are making funding decisions. We have promised to stay open until next year’s fiscal year, and after that it is back to the drawing board.”
About four years ago, people in Warsaw and the county came together to talk about strengths, opportunities and other aspects of the community. A study was done which resulted in the establishment of the Benton County Economic Development Committee. This committee has continued to meet every month. James Sandford from the Corps of Engineers hosted the meeting last month at the Visitor Center and Congresswoman Vicki Hartzler was once very involved in a master plan related to Truman Lake and its Visitor Center. So, the concerns have been ongoing for some time.
Benton County citizens and officials are trying very hard to save the Visitor Center and want to come up with ideas to make it self-funded. There have been suggestions that the building might be turned into office space, or made into a convention center, leased to a great steak house or the Visitor Center could charge $5 a car to generate funds. Last year the Warsaw Area Chamber of Commerce formed a partnership with the Corps to have the Chamber collect donations in the Visitor Center. The donation box is still in the building, but there is no information available about amounts collected.
One couple of concerned citizens who are working hard to find solutions to keep the Visitor Center open are Larry Berry and his wife Peggy Crabtree-Berry. He is a Southside County Commissioner, and she is Chairman of the Republican Central Committee as well as Chairman of Concerned Citizens of Missouri.
“We have to find a way to make the Visitor Center pay for itself,” said Mrs. Berry. “My husband has been calling Congressman Mark Alford, District 4, who has some ideas how we might try to save it and he and the Corps need to meet to discuss them. There is so much history associated with the Visitor Center, and the Kaysinger Bluff Pioneer Heritage Association needs to be invited to give their thoughts and ideas. People from many surrounding counties and around the state come to visit the Visitor Center, and they spend money in our county. I have been in contact with Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft who also wants to help. There will be a meeting on July 15 in the Warsaw Community Building at 6:00 PM regarding information on the Visitor Center. The public is invited to come and bring ideas about how we can all work together to save the center.”
Park Manager Wright reported that the Corps public information office has reached out to Congressman Alford to try and set up a meeting with the Corps about his ideas for funding. The Economic Development Committee is set to meet again on July 26 at the Truman Visitor Center at 4:15 PM. The meeting is not about the Visitor Center, but there is a short period of time at the end of the meeting for open questions. Everyone is welcome to attend.
(The Benton County Enterprise attempted to contact Congressman Alford’s office with questions about his idea for the visitor center. A response had not been received by press time.)
