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HomeMy WebLinkAboutForestry & Parks Committee - Minutes - 10/6/2014BAYFIELD COUNTY FORESTRY AND PARKS DEPARTMENT COMMITTEE MEETING October 6, 2014 County Board Room Members Present: Shawn Miller; Chairperson; Marco Bichanich, Vice-Chairperson; John Bennett, and Harold Maki Members Absent: Fred Strand Staff in Attendance: Jason Bodine, Administrator; Steve Probst, Asst. Administrator and Pat Bruno, Office Manager Others in Attendance: Joseph LeBouton, WI DNR Liaison; Brenda Garrett, Parks Manager; Charly Ray and members of the public 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 the September 22 Meeting Minutes. MOTION: (Maki, Bichanich) to receive and place on file the September 22, 2014 meeting minutes. Carried. 3. Public Comment. S. Miller called for public comments. None were received. 4. Logger Comments. S. Miller called for logger comments. None were received. 5. Monthly Financial Report. A. Forestry: J. Bodine reported that September’s timber sale net revenues were near $420,000. Expenses are on target. The budget line for the Town Road Aid fund will be exceeded as it is based on 10% of the year’s timber sale revenues. B. Parks: Revenues are at approximately $76,000. Expenses are normal. Fall maintenance projects have begun at the campgrounds. C. Trails: A few interested people in the Iron River area are working on the area’s trails. More help is needed; however at this time, there is no interest in forming a club. The Sanborn/Mason trail development is at a standstill at this time. It appears there is a lack of local volunteer interest. Also, it is anticipated that this trail and the Valhalla area trail will need trail re-routes due to private landowners rescinding access agreements. MOTION: (Bennett, Bichanich) to receive and place on file the September 2014 financial report. Carried. 6. Fall Timber Sale Offering. J. Bodine reported this offering will include 33 sales of 2,149 acres which includes a good mix of species. Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 2 of 3 October 6, 2014 Meeting Minutes Of note is that no adjustment was needed due to the gypsy moth invasion in Bayfield County. The gypsy moth population levels dropped because of the harsh winter of 2013-2014, thereby damage was minimal. MOTION: (Bennett, Bichanich) to accept the proposed Fall 2014 Timber Sale Offering. Carried. 7. Recreational Use Request. Charly Ray. A request was received for a recreational use access permit from a private, by invitation only, Northland College alumni group of 100-200 people for a camping gathering. The group has a 34 year history of gathering. The event dates are October 28 and 29. The group will provide liability insurance. MOTION: (Maki, Bichanich) to approve the use of a location off of Jodi Road, in the Town of Bayfield, on County forest land for a non-commercial, private camping event in October 2014. Carried. 8. Stewardship Grant Application. Since the September Committee meeting, J. Bodine has identified numerous parcels for acquisition and parcels to be used for the 50% match, received a letter of intent to sell from Meteor Timber and completed maps of those areas. The maps were reviewed. The 50% match properties will ultimately be entered into County Forest Law. J. Bodine will move forward with the application which includes estimates of value. The appraisals are ordered after tentative approval by the DNR. The County’s appraisal and legal fee costs are reimbursable at one-half. If the grant is received, the purchases would include estimated timber values of $750 thousand to $1 million dollars over the next 1 - 9 years. The expense cost to the County is expected to be between $5,000 and $6,000. This is informational only and no action taken. 9. County Forest Blocking. As discussed at the September Committee meeting, the County forest blocking will need to be revised as required by the Stewardship Grant parameters. The revised blocking provides other benefits as well. J. Bodine reviewed the proposed revised maps with the Committee. The purpose of blocking only defines the boundaries of where the County could have interest in acquiring additional forest lands, if there is ever intent to do so. The final re-blocking will require the approval of the full County Board. MOTION: (Maki, Bichanich) to expand the County Forest blocking as proposed and to approve the draft resolution amending the Bayfield County Forest Comprehensive Use Plan relating to the County Forest blocking boundaries and bring to the full County Board for consideration. Carried. 10. Stewardship Grant Resolution J. Bodine presented the Knowles-Nelson Grant resolution authorizing the Forestry and Parks Department’s application. MOTION: (Maki, Bichanich) to approve the draft resolution authorizing the submission of an application for a Stewardship Grant, as presented, and bring to the full County Board for consideration. Carried. 11. Parks and Campgrounds. A. Seasonal Sites: current, future, selection process and policies. J. Bodine is working with Norvado to bring Internet access to Twin Bear and Delta Lake campgrounds and a new playground is planned at Twin Bear. Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 3 of 3 October 6, 2014 Meeting Minutes J. Bodine presented a restructuring plan to address the process of seasonal site reservations at Twin Bear Campground; identifying optimum seasonal and transient sites with a focus on reducing the number of seasonal sites to 18; and creating a rate for a prime seasonal site. Seasonal site reservations may be made on a specific date and hour window with the campground manager. After the window has closed, the remaining sites, if any, may be reserved by phone call only to the campground manager, on a first come is first served basis. All reservations would take into consideration site sizes appropriate for recreational vehicle size, location, distribution, and previous use. J. Bodine proposed implementing this process for Twin Bear campground only at this time and implementing the process at Delta Lake campground, if needed, in the future. MOTION: (Bichanich, Bennett) to implement the proposed restructuring of seasonal site selection processes and policies. Carried. B. 2015 Rates. J. Bodine reviewed the proposed rate adjustments for the CY 2015 camping season; to include anticipated Internet costs, shower fees and new prime seasonal site rate. The shower coin system would be removed at Twin Bear and Delta Lakes. The following are also proposed only for Twin Bear and Delta Lakes: increase the daily camping rate, eliminate the monthly camping fee, lower the seasonal launch fee, and eliminate the monthly boat mooring fee. Big Rock remains at $13.00/day and the launch fees to be removed from Atkins Lake. MOTION: (Bichanich, Bennett) to approve the proposed, revised campground rates for the 2015 season. Carried. C. Delta Lake Timber Sale. The contract has been set up with Futurewood Corporation for removal of 70-80 cords volume from Delta Lake campground with the end date of December 31, 2014. 12. Joseph LeBouton, DNR Representative. Comments. None. 13. Adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 6:51 P.M. The next Forestry and Parks Committee meeting will be held Monday, November 3, 2014 at 6:00 P.M., Bayfield County Courthouse, Washburn, WI. Submitted by, Pat Bruno