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HomeMy WebLinkAboutForestry & Parks Committee - Minutes - 2/9/2015BAYFIELD COUNTY FORESTRY AND PARKS DEPARTMENT COMMITTEE MEETING February 9, 2015 County Board Room Members Present: Shawn Miller; Chairperson; Marco Bichanich, Vice-Chairperson; John Bennett, Harold Maki and Fred Strand Members Absent: None Staff in Attendance: Jason Bodine, Administrator; Steve Probst, Asst. Administrator and Pat Bruno, Office Manager Others in Attendance: Matt Blaylock, WI DNR Team Leader 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 January 12, 2015 Meeting Minutes. MOTION: (Strand, Bennett) to receive and place on file the January 12, 2015 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 January revenues were at $227,000. Nothing of note to report for expenses. The Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Grant process is moving forward with the WI DNR taking the lead on procuring appraisals for parcels being sold. The plan is for the County to send out appraisal bid requests this week for the purchase. The stewardship program would be negatively impacted if state fiscal year budget is approved as proposed by the Governor. J. Bodine is anticipating that Bayfield County’s project should not be affected assuming everything is signed prior to when the new state budget takes effect. Town Road Aid letters were mailed with a total amount available of just under $91,000. J. Bodine is pleased to hear positive comments from the Towns regarding the level of funding. In response to an inquiry from H. Maki, J. Bodine responded that the towns are asking the department what repairs are needed. H. Maki encouraged the maintenance to include mowing grass and brush to promote proper water drainage. S. Miller inquired if an easement had been obtained from private landowners in Red Cliff for a specific recreation trail access to which J. Bodine replied it had not. Bodine reported that during the process of establishing a timber sale next to Red Cliff Tribal property, Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 2 of 4 February 9, 2015 Meeting Minutes the Department discovered a potential encroachment of their Transfer Station. J. Bodine is researching the files for possible permissions, permits, etc. It was noted by S. Miller that the Red Cliff Tribe has requested a special meeting with the full County Board to address County forest land and other concerns. B. Parks: The Delta Lake Campground timber sale (95% birch) is completed. Futurewood’s Jeff Brown did an excellent job and avoided many obstacles with little to no damage. Detailed cleanup will be done in the spring. The campers will have better views of the lake. C. Trails: Trail use is quiet this year due to the less than ideal conditions. J. Bodine also reported that the White River Ramblers snowmobile group in Mason has officially withdrawn from the Bayfield County Snowmobile Alliance. Volunteers from Drummond and Iron River came to Mason to install signage and secure permissions for connecting trails. Because most of the Mason trail system is situated on private land (and railroad grades), maintaining access is becoming more and more difficult. MOTION: (Maki, Bichanich) to receive and place on file the January 2015 financial report. Carried. 6. County Forest Recreational Trails Grant. J. Bodine reviewed for the Committee the five grant applications that were received. The general purpose of the grant is to invest in recreation with the goal of increasing the use of the forest, as well as revenues to the local economy, all without compromising the forest management program. Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association (CAMBA-Mount Ashwabay Biking trails): Requesting funding to build additional trails, near Mt. Ashwabay, that had previously been proposed and approved by the Committee. J. Bodine anticipates no impact to timber sale access and the trail would be kept as natural as possible. The local volunteers have already built nearly 6 miles of trail, as per the previously approved plan. This new plan would build approximately 6 more. H. Maki voiced concerns which included being approached by a dog sled racer about perceived damage to trails from heavy equipment; lack of appreciation for not hauling wood during a dog sledding event; and overall concern that many groups are claiming ownership to the trails and not willing to work together. North End Ski Club (Cable area): Requesting funding for equipment purchase and trail improvements. North Country Trail: Requesting funding for heavy trail maintenance and a latrine construction. American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation (New Trailhead Development): Requesting funding to develop a new trailhead near Telemark. Ashwabay Outdoor Education Fund (same area as CAMBA North): Requesting funding for trail work and culvert replacement. H. Maki reiterated concerns that the funding is going to organizations who he believes do not understand what the Forestry Department stands for and does; and the feeling of ownership that the recreational advocates claim. Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 3 of 4 February 9, 2015 Meeting Minutes MOTION: (Strand, Miller) to approve 2015 County Forest Recreational Grant funding CAMBA North of $10,000. Roll call vote: No: Maki, Bichanich, Bennett. Yes: Strand. Motion failed. MOTION: (Bichanich, Strand) to approve 2015 County Forest Recreational Grant funding CAMBA North of $5,000 for additional trails. Roll call vote: No: Maki. Yes: Bichanich, Bennett, Strand, Miller. Carried. MOTION: (Bennett, Bichanich) to deny request from American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation from the County Forest Recreational Grant for 2015. Roll call vote: No: Strand. Yes: Bichanich, Bennett, Maki, Miller. Carried. MOTION: (Maki) to deny request from Ashwabay Outdoor Education Fund for funding from the County Forest Recreational Grant for 2015. No second. Motion failed. MOTION: (Bichanich, Strand) to approve 2015 County Forest Recreational Grant funding Ashwabay Outdoor Education Fund of $3,000 for trail work and culvert replacement. Roll call vote: No: Maki. Yes: Bichanich, Bennett, Strand, Miller. Carried. MOTION: (Maki, Bichanich) to deny request from North Country Trail Association for funding from the County Forest Recreational Grant for 2015. Roll call vote: No: None. Yes: Maki, Bichanich, Bennett, Strand, Miller. Carried. MOTION: (Maki, Bichanich) to deny request from North End Ski Club at $4,425 funding from the County Forest Recreational Grant for 2015. Roll call vote: No: None. Yes: Maki, Bichanich, Bennett, Strand, Miller. Carried. MOTION: (Maki, Bichanich) to approve 2015 County Forest Recreational Grant funding of $975 to North End Ski Club for the trail improvement portion of the request. Roll call vote: No: None. Yes: Maki, Bichanich, Bennett, Strand, Miller. Carried. Bayfield County Lost Creek Falls: This proposed trail improvement project will be held for future Committee consideration until a more detail plan is prepared. 7. Recreational Use Request. Mt. Borah Foundation, LLC. J. Bodine received a request from Mt. Borah Foundation, LLC to utilize trails located in the Town of Cable for the Mt. Borah Epic Mountain Bike Race on May 30, 2015. J. Bodine recommended approval. MOTION: (Bichanich, Bennett) to approve the request from Mt. Borah Foundation, LLC to use trails located on county forest land in the Town of Cable on May 30, 2015 as proposed. Carried. 8. Access Permit Renewal Request. Mark Gierl. A request has been received from Mark Gierl to renew an existing 10 year access permit in the Town of Barnes for another 10 years. J. Bodine recommends re-approval. MOTION: (Maki, Bichanich) to approve the 10 year access permit renewal as requested by Mark Gierl for property located in the Town of Barnes. Carried. Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 4 of 4 February 9, 2015 Meeting Minutes 9. Resolution: 2014 Budget Amendments. The 10% timber sale receipts due to towns 2014 budgeted line item was estimated at $250,000. The actual year end figure is $453,483.13. A resolution is required to adjust this budget line item. MOTION: (Maki, Bennett) to approve the 2014 Budget Amendment Resolution as presented and forward to the full County Board for consideration. Carried. 10. Land Exchange Proposal: Positive Energy Outdoors, Blake Cazier and Stephanie Love. Positive Energy Outdoors is considering purchasing land to provide youth and adults with outdoor recreation and education opportunities. The two forty acre sections under consideration are located on the north side of County Highway 13. For the purposes of participant safety, the group has proposed swapping one of the parcels north of the Highway for County Forest land, of similar value, south of the Highway. Positive Energy would use the parcel to station most of their activities, thus eliminating the need to constantly cross the Highway to access the trail systems. J. Bodine explained the timber on both forties are of similar type, age and value. No purchase has been made to date as this is an inquiry at this point. Miller proposed a straw vote to determine interest in considering the request. Yes: All. If Positive Energy Outdoors purchases the property, the request will be considered at a future Committee meeting. 11. Joseph LeBouton, DNR Representative. Comments. Matt Blaylock, DNR Team Leader spoke on behalf of Joseph LeBouton in his absence. There had been three unfilled positions at the Barnes DNR office until today when a lateral transfer filled a vacant position. One of these three positions had been a technical position but has been converted into a forester position. Until the proposed fiscal year budget is final, the DNR has been given direction to place all positions on hold. Also, the Governor has proposed in the fiscal year budget a 13 year moratorium on stewardship program funding. M. Blaylock also reported to the Committee that Bayfield County had the highest reported timber revenues for 2014 in the state. 12. Adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 7:30 P.M. The next Forestry and Parks Committee meeting will be held Monday, March 9, 2015 at 6:00 P.M., Bayfield County Courthouse, Washburn, WI. Submitted by, Pat Bruno