Fish Hollow order takes effect after appeal window ends

By Colin Willard, Advocate Staff Writer
Posted 10/23/24

VIENNA — Oct. 17 marked the 31st day since Judge John Beger accepted the survey of the Fish Hollow Access into the court record, which means the deadline for parties to appeal the order in the …

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Fish Hollow order takes effect after appeal window ends

Posted

VIENNA — Oct. 17 marked the 31st day since Judge John Beger accepted the survey of the Fish Hollow Access into the court record, which means the deadline for parties to appeal the order in the case has expired.

In January, Beger ordered, on the condition that the Maries County Commission submit a survey of the area, that Maries Road 306 (30 feet wide), its hammerhead turnaround (30 feet wide) and the boat ramp at the end of the road are public lands. The parking lot at the end of the road is private property.

The deadline passing brings an end to a court case that began in 2022 when Maries County landowners Eugene and Jacqueline Appel filed a petition asking the court to rule on the public or private nature of the access. The access to the Gasconade River took its name from the Fish Hollow Fishing and Hunting Club, which had a 99-year lease on the property that ended in 2021. At the conclusion of the lease, the landowners informed the club’s only surviving member that they did not intend to renew the lease. The court petition followed shortly after the lease’s end.

During the Oct. 17 county commission meeting, which was only a few days after the one-year anniversary of the trial, the commission discussed the end of the case with Prosecuting Attorney Tony Skouby.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Eastern District Commissioner Doug Drewel said. “There was a lot of paperwork, a lot of research time. But if it hadn’t been for Tony taking his time with it, it would have never worked.”

“I think we’re slowly being squeezed out of a lot of our areas that were generally considered public areas,” Skouby said. “The number of public accesses along our rivers, there’s not that many. Landowners are closing off what people have used. I think it’s a big win; the county now owns an access to the river.”

“Go on down, the fishing’s good,” Drewel said.