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HomeMy WebLinkAboutForestry & Parks Committee - Minutes - 8/5/2009BAYFIELD COUNTY FORESTRY COMMITTEE Wednesday, August 5, 2009 County Board Room Bayfield County Courthouse, Washburn, Wisconsin Members Present: David Good, Chairman of the Committee, Marco Bichanich, Kenneth Jardine, William Kacvinsky and Shawn Miller. Staff in Attendance: Jason Bodine, Administrator, Steve Probst, Assistant Administrator, Mike Amman, Forester and Barbara Suminski, Office Manager. Other in Attendance: Steve Coffin, DNR Liaison, Ron Bergin representing CAMBA and Dave Tee, Executive Director of Mt. Ashwabay and Mark Abeles-Allison, County Administrator. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Good at 1:00 PM Meeting minutes: On a motion by Bucky Jardine to approve the June 3, 2009 meeting minutes and seconded by Bill Kacvinsky the motion was approved and carried. Financial Report: Jason Bodine shared the July net/gross timber sale receipts with the Committee on a seven year comparison fact sheet. The Committee also received the current Expense/Budget Performance Report. A motion to accept the financial reports as presented was made by Bill Kacvinsky and seconded by Marco Bichanich and the motion was approved and carried. CAMBA: Jason Bodine referred the Committee to the packet that had been prepared for them by the Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association (CAMBA). Also, included in the materials were letters of support from the Bayfield County Tourism Director and International Mountain Bike Association. CAMBA also shared a copy of their Land Use Agreement with the Ashwabay Outdoor Education Foundation. Mr. Ron Bergin made a rather thorough presentation in regard to the proposal that was being presented by CAMBA to the Forestry Committee for creation of a new mountain bike trail on Bayfield County Forest land and Mt. Ashwabay. After discussion the Forestry Committee felt that at this time they could not move forward until the Department had the opportunity to complete an Access Management Plan. On a motion by Bill Kacvinsky to postpone a decision on an agreement until an Access Management Plan could be completed by the Forestry Department when feasible for the Department. The motion was seconded by Shawn Miller and the motion was approved and carried. Permitted Use Agreements: The Administrator shared with the Committee the Department’s Permitted Use Agreement for discussion, the Agreement is used for user groups throughout the County. David Good, Chairman, suggested that the agreement be referred to the County Corporate Counsel for checking provisions existing or needing to be added in the current agreement. Page 2 Bayfield County Forestry Committee August 5, 2009 was approved and Shawn Miller made the motion to refer the agreement to the Corporate Counsel and Marco Bichanich seconded the motion and the motion carried. Sand and Gravel: Jason Bodine had mailed to the Committee items for discussion regarding the Sand River Pit. There was a great deal of discussion regarding the determination of a fair per ton royalty of mined gravel, the Town of Russell and Town of Bayfield responsibilities regarding reclamation, what was in the best interest of the County and Zoning and DNR permit fees. The Administrator had available a few private estimates on pit run royalties. The market rate for the material was estimated at roughly $2.00 per ton or more if the County handles permits. The Administrator suggested that the market refers to this material on a tonnage basis and suggested that the County move in that direction. The Administrator also shared with the Committee a draft non-metallic mining agreement from the Highway Department and a sample Permit that the Forestry Department had on file. The Committee members were in receipt of the proposed gravel mining and crushing operation for the Towns of Russell and Bayfield. The towns were requesting a ten year authorization for this mining and crushing site with an option to extend the agreement if additional material is identified during the mining phases. Marco Bichanich made a motion that the Townships of Bayfield and Russell would pay $.75 per ton on a 1.50 conversion factor per yard on the twelve acre site in the Town of Russell based on crushing scale. Bucky Jardine seconded the motion and the motion was approved and carried. The Committee discussed the issues of permits and reclamation on the Sand River Pit site and felt that it should be the responsibility of the Townships of Bayfield and Russell. Bucky Jardine made a motion that the Bayfield County Forestry Department will draw up the agreement for the Sand River Pit Mining and Marco Bichanich seconded the motion and the motion was approved and carried. Bill Kacvinsky made a motion that once there is an Agreement signed and in place with the Townships in regard to the Sand River Pit that the Forestry Department will proceed with a Timber Sale for the area. Marco Bichanich seconded the motion and the motion was approved and carried. CY 2010 Budget: Jason Bodine reviewed areas in the CY 2010 budget. Items discussed were overtime, NL equipment repair and staffing. The Committee was supportive of expenditures where they were directly related to getting the work completed. Timber Sale Status: The Committee received a report from Jason on the Closings and Final Data on Timber Sales that have been closed in the last three months. Fifty-four sales have been closed with forty-eight being forwarded to the DNR as of this date. There are approximately twenty-six more sales to be closed. The months of May, June and July have brought in a total of $207,563.81 in revenues from closing finals and there is an outstanding balance of revenues due in the amount of $ 26,975.90. Page 3 Bayfield County Forestry Committee August 5, 2009 Jason also shared with the Committee the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Timber Sale Progress Report. Volunteers: The Administrator wished discuss with the Committee the current use of a volunteer and future involvement of volunteers. Mark Abeles-Allison stated that he is currently looking at policy for volunteers. New Forester: The Committee was informed that applicants have been interviewed and that references are currently being checked in regard to the position of new forester for the Department. General Discussion: The Administrator briefly discussed the ten items he had listed to update the Committee members on and they were: Natural Resource Board visit to deer exclosure, Jack Pine Symposium attendance, Jolly Trail involvement, receipt of the Wisconsin Wetland Gem Award, future billing procedures, short and long term harvest goals, allocation of Land Acquisition dollars to the General Fund and Department accomplishments. Executive Session: The Committee entered into Executive Session on a motion by Bill Kacvinsky under Wisconsin Statute 19.85 (1)(i) to discuss and take possible action on issues regarding the transfer of Timber Sales, the seizure of wood products and the resale of seized wood products. The motion was seconded by Marco Bichanich and on a roll call vote the motion carried. Reconvene to Open Session: On a motion by Bill Kacvinsky and seconded by Marco Bichanich and the motion carried the meeting adjourned at 3:40 P.M. Respectfully Submitted: Barbara Suminski Office Manager