County could receive river property

St. Joseph County could be in line to secure a wooded parcel with river access in Fabius Township.
Parks and recreation director Jaymes MacDonald told commissioners during their executive committee meeting Wednesday that a 60-acre property was willed to three siblings. The so-called Kettles parcel is on the east side of U.S. 131, just south of Gleason Road. It abuts the St. Joseph River.
MacDonald said one sibling wants to donate her one-third portion to the parks and recreation department. The other two, however, do not but are interested in selling their collective two-thirds.
The property has about 3,500 feet of frontage along the St. Joseph River.
The appraised value of the 60 acres is about $225,000. MacDonald said a Michigan Department of Natural Resources grant for property acquisition would fund up to $166,500, meaning that amount plus the value of the donation would cover the 60-acre purchase.
Whether to proceed with securing the grant will be up for a vote during Tuesday’s county commission meeting.