The Barton Community College Board of Trustees may consider a plan to allow limited bow hunting at the college’s Camp Aldrich.

Board member Robert Feldt discussed the idea Thursday’s at the trustees’ monthly study session and asked for it to be placed on the agenda of the next business meeting, Oct. 20. Feldt is the board’s representative on a committee formed to look at ways to improve the use and profitability of the rustic conference center, located near Cheyenne Bottoms.

The committee held its second meeting on Aug. 24 and has already come up with an idea that could put Camp Aldrich back in the black. Feldt said the idea is to open a two-person cabin to two bow hunters at a time in October and November. Hunters will reportedly pay $3,500 to $4,500 per week.

"If we go ahead with a bow hunting service there will be many details to work out," Feldt said. But the area game warden, a representative for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and others who attended the August committee meeting suggested it could be a profitable program and a suitable use for Camp Aldrich.

"I strongly support this recommendation and I hope the board will give its approval," Feldt said.

Board chairman Mike Johnson said the reason this plan would require board approval is because the Camp Aldrich bylaws would have to be changed. "Current camp bylaws say no hunting of any kind is allowed," he said. "We’re potentially talking a lot of income — 300 acres that have never been hunted."

Trustee Mike Minton asked what the liabilities to the college would be. Dean of Administration Mark Dean said the insurance company doesn’t have a problem with it if hunters sign the appropriate release forms. Dean said the initial investment would be "a couple thousand," which includes setting up six tree stands.

Local hunters are already warming to the idea and have been asking if they would have to stay at the cabin. Dean said the plan would be to rent the area for one week at a time, and the cabin would be included whether they use it or not.

Another topic discussed at Thursday’s study session was the BCC Foundation’s concerns with the future of the Highland Convention Center. The Foundation holds its annual Big Benefit Auction there and wants to make sure the change of ownership doesn’t leave them without a venue.

Darnell Holopirek, Barton’s executive director of institutional advancement, said she wanted the trustees to know that members of the foundation have asked to speak at a future Great Bend City Council meeting, since the city may acquire the convention center. They agreed to wait until December when city officials will know more themselves, but said the event is planned months in advance and they won’t want to wait too long.

A year ago, on the Monday before the Saturday auction, Holopirek got a call at 1:30 p.m. saying the Highland was closing at 3 and they needed to remove items that had been left for the auction. "At 2 p.m. they got a reprieve," Holopirek said, and the auction went on as always.

"We’ve heard all kind of rumors," she said. "The (foundation) board felt like we needed to go to the city and ask questions." Holopirek said the board is "not trying to ruffle feathers" when it goes to the city, but needs to know if the convention center will be ready for the August 2012 auction. Meanwhile, foundation members have searched for other locations, and said one possibility is the Case I-H facility on the Barton campus.