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HomeMy WebLinkAboutForestry & Parks Committee - Minutes - 7/8/2013BAYFIELD COUNTY FORESTRY AND PARKS DEPARTMENT COMMITTEE MEETING July 8, 2013 County Board Room Members Present: Shawn Miller; Chairperson; Marco Bichanich, Vice-Chairperson; Bucky Jardine, Harold Maki and John Bennett Members Absent: None Staff in Attendance: Jason Bodine, Administrator; Steve Probst, Assistant Administrator; Pat Bruno, Office Manager; and Mark Abeles-Allison, County Administrator. Others in Attendance: Joseph LeBouton, WI DNR Liaison and Matt Blaylock, WI DNR Supervisor 1. Call To Order of Forestry and Parks Committee Meeting. The meeting of the Forestry and Parks Committee was called to order by S. Miller at 6:00 P.M. 2. Approval of June 3, 2013 Meeting Minutes. MOTION: (Bichanich, Bennett) to receive and place on file the June 3, 2013 meeting minutes. Carried. 3. Public Comment. S. Miller called for public comments. No comments were received. 4. Logger Comments. S. Miller called for logger comments. H. Maki encourages timber harvester participation at this agenda item at future meetings. 5. Monthly Financial Report. A. Forestry: The revenues for June were well above normal at $360,000. B. Parks: Revenues for the parks is at 43% of the year’s budget. Expenses are on target. MOTION: (Bichanich, Bennett) to receive and place on file the June 2013 financial report. Carried. 6. Access Management. J. Bodine contacted the WI DNR regarding truck usage on designated ATV trails which are maintained using state funds. The answer received was that maintenance funding will end if this is allowed. However, there was no state statute found addressing this specifically. J. Bodine has requested legal opinions on this matter. J. Bodine reports that the draft plan should be ready to present to the full County Board in July once the public comments deadline has past; July 13, 2013. A motion was made at the June 2013 Forestry and Parks Committee meeting to accept the draft plan as written if no further comments were received; which to date are none. No action taken. 7. Recreational Trails Update. L. Downing, the newly hired Recreation Forester, is meeting with the clubs and working with the clubs’ field people; addressing the recent storm washouts. A meeting with the U.S. Forest Service is scheduled for the end of July to coordinate efforts and develop an agreement for connecting trails. Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 2 of 3 July 8, 2013 Meeting Minutes The WI DNR snowmobile and ATV trail maintenance funding award letters for the next fiscal year have been received. 8. Access Permit Request. Lee Deiss. A request to access property located in the Town of Hughes has been received. The request resulted from a recent survey discovery that a corner of a private driveway cuts across County land. The driveway has been in place for 20+ years. MOTION: (Maki, Bichanich) to approve the request from Lee Deiss for a ten year access permit granted for private driveway use located in the Town of Hughes. Carried. 9. Access Permit Request. Tim Martens. A request to renew a 10 year access permit to property located in the Town of Iron River has been received. MOTION: (Bichanich, Maki) to approve the request from Tim Martens to renew a ten year access permit to private property located in the Town of Hughes. Carried. 10. Access Permit Request. Ed Broderson. A request to renew a 10 year access permit to property located in the Town of Clover has been received. MOTION: (Maki, Bichanich) to approve the request from Ed Broderson to renew a ten year access permit to private property located in the Town of Clover. Carried. 11. 2014 Budget. J. Bodine reports that plumbing at Twin Bear Lake and Delta Lake campgrounds needs attention. An analysis of the existing system would address the shortcomings of the current situation. No action taken. 12. Highway 13 Lake Superior Scenic Byway. J. Bodine recently met members of the Scenic Byway Natural Resources sub-committee to discuss the Scenic Byway Council’s request to maintain a 50 foot no-cut buffer on County owned property along the Highway 13 corridor on all future timber sales. J. Bodine was against the concept of a no-cut buffer, but proposed the following language: the Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Department will attempt to maintain quality, longer lived trees species within 50’ of the Highway 13 Scenic Byway, provided that the retention of these trees does not negatively impact the development of the new stand. Mature trees that exhibit the potential to persevere on the landscape, without jeopardizing the safety of those traveling the Byway, will be left whenever practical, as determined by the County. J. Bodine also noted that language currently found in the Bayfield County Forest Land Use Plan, Sec. 520.1, Aesthetic Management Zone A (where the Byway would be classified) does not restrict forest management practices in any way, but recognizes the significance of recreation and aesthetics. This information was conveyed to the Byway Council. J. Bodine also stated that the plan mentions restricting or limiting the presence of harvesting operations (within the corridor) during periods of peak recreational use, and recommended implementing that restriction during the months of July and August. The Committee expressed concern with the concept of a buffer or modifications of any kind. The Committee also expressed concern with adopting any new forest management restrictions, in addition to those already addressed in the 15 year plan. MOTION: (Bichanich, Maki) the Bayfield County Forest Comprehensive Forest Use Plan will remain unchanged and followed as written. Roll Call vote: 4-Yes; 1-No. Carried. Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 3 of 3 July 8, 2013 Meeting Minutes 13. Forest Certification Update. Per J. Bodine, the office and field audit will take place on August 14 and Committee members are invited to participate. Annual certification fees are paid for by the WI DNR. Timber industry stakeholders input could determine the importance of future certifications. 14. Forestry Building Update. M. Abeles-Allison reported that the City of Washburn contacted Bayfield County during the permit request process of the proposed new building and renovation of the existing Forestry Shop. A meeting held resulted in the City offering 1.5 acres with free utility hook up on property to the east of the existing County Highway property if the County would sell the existing Forestry Shop property to a private entity. The new location would serve as the new Forestry Garage site with one building only. The County could offer the property on open bid on the Wisconsin Surplus website as soon as possible, work out a timeline and an agreement to present to the City. The goal is to start building in CY 2013. The agreement with the City is contingent upon a satisfactory sale price. MOTION: (Bichanich, Maki) to authorize the County Administrator to prepare to sell the existing property; to proceed with a final agreement with the City of Washburn to be submitted to the County Board at the meeting on July 30, 2013; and to proceed working with the architect to develop detailed plans. Carried. 15. Joseph LeBouton, DNR Representative. No comments. 16. Supervisors’ Comments: None. Adjourned 7:23 P.M. The next Forestry and Parks Committee meeting will be held Monday, August 12, 2013 at 6:00 P.M., Bayfield County Courthouse, Washburn, WI. Submitted by, Pat Bruno