ALMOST COMPLETE: The fishing pond at The Ranges at Oakfield will be completely stocked and have a walking trail, along with a small pavilion with picnic tables for people to enjoy lunch at while fishing.

THOMASVILLE- The Thomas County Board of Commissioners Public Property Committee met on Tuesday morning at the Ranges at Oakfield to view some of their ongoing capital projects, including the stocked pond.

Public Works Director Tony Bodiford provided the Commissioners with a map of what the proposed pond would look like. The pond includes a walking track around it with a small 1-foot-deep shelf.

The pond would require some of the dirt to be moved to create a barrier between the pistol range and the pond, taking up some of the entrance.

According to Bodiford, the law requires the dirt to not leave the pond’s property, so it will be filled in prior to the entrance of the pond and behind the pond.

However, Board Chairman Zippy Vonier felt like that took up too much room.

Vonier stated the dirt could be moved to the edges of the pond.

Bodiford explained if they were to move the dirt to the edges of the pond they would have to cut down an excess amount of trees, and if they moved it behind the clay shooting range, it would be leaving the property.

Commissioner Mark NeSmith questioned Vonier on what was wrong with the current proposal, with Vonier stating “it took away two acres of water.”

Bodiford assured Vonier it didn’t take away two acres, although he didn’t have an exact figure.

Bodiford went on to explain that he and Jay Knight, Director of the Ranges at Oakfield, chose the area for the dirt, because it was directly behind the pistol range and was a low-lying area.

“It would go dry first and so that was why we chose it,” he said. Vonier also addressed other concerns of his, including the depth of the pond.

“Why do you want to have it so deep?” he asked. “The idea was for a fishing pond. Y’all have this pond at almost eight feet.”

Bodiford explained there was a serious weed and lily pad problem with 3-4 foot water, so they had to deepen the pond slightly.

NeSmith agreed with Bodiford, sighting the constant upkeep with shallow water.

“You can control everything with chemicals, but it’s a much better pond with some deep water,” NeSmith said.

NeSmith addressed Vonier’s constant questioning of Bodiford’s work, stating it was unnecessary as the teama had done a “fantastic job.”

Vonier stated he was under the belief that Bodiford and his team would be removing the muck in the pond in order to create a fishing pond and nothing more.

“That’s what they have done,” NeSmith argued. “I don’t know why you are challenging what they’ve done. They’ve done a fantastic job.”

Vonier accepted the drawings as presented, but still believed they (Bodiford and team) had changed the structure of the original pond proposal.

NeSmith insisted the pond presented in the drawings was what had been approved in a prior meeting.

“We approved it and they built it,” NeSmith said.

Vonier agreed to move on in the discussion, but once again mentioned his disappointment that the pond would be all deep water.

“This is what was proposed, so this is what we’ve done,” Bodiford explained.

Vonier apologized to Bodiford, stating he must have misread the proposal. Knight added onto Bodiford’s presentation, sharing that the pond would be flat-bottomed with a few concrete pipings he had added for structure and fish habitation.

“I just wanted to add it for the fish to grow and thrive in,” Knight said.

Commissioner Wiley Grady commended Knight and Bodiford for a job well done.

Bodiford thanked him, stating that the Ranges at Oakfield have received a lot of feedback about the pond with many visitors sharing their excitement for the future.

Bodiford expects the pond to be ready for fishermen in the next six months, sharing that he is ready for people to come and enjoy the open outdoors.

The Commissioners then followed Bodiford and Knight out to the pond to view it for themselves, following the discussion and viewings of the drawings.