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HomeMy WebLinkAboutForestry & Parks Committee - Minutes - 10/10/2016BAYFIELD COUNTY FORESTRY AND PARKS DEPARTMENT COMMITTEE MEETING October 10, 2016 County Board Room Members Present: Shawn Miller, Chairperson; Fred Strand, Vice-Chairperson; Harold Maki; Larry Fickbohm and Jeffrey Silbert Staff in Attendance: Jason Bodine, Administrator; Steve Probst, Assistant Administrator and Pat Bruno, Office Manager Others in Attendance: Joseph LeBouton, WI DNR Liaison; and citizens. 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. Public Comment. S. Miller called for public comment. Wanda Hyde, ABC Sportsmens Club. The club posted new signs and increased the berms on the 25 and 50 but the work will not be completed until spring. The fence around the range has been completed. Amie Egstad, neighbor of North Boundary Range, list the following points: The Egstad’s, as neighbors, did not make a complaint about range noise, but are concerned for the potential increase in noise due to an added trap range. The club did not ask to meet with the neighbors but then came to test [noise levels]. Egstad’s are hoping that all can come together to find a win-win solution for everyone. They knew in 2009 when purchasing the property the range was there but usage has grown every year. She emphasized that the request is to keep the range open but to oppose the range expansion for trap as a way to address additional noise. Other concerns are of lead reclamation, ongoing maintenance (destroyed electronic equipment), required lease revisions and removal of county forest land and the potential reduction of taxes that could affect. Trail visitors to the kettles north of the property will also be dealing with more noise in the area. Brenda Lafrancois – Neighbor of North Boundary Range. She shared concerns that the addition of a trap range would bring in increased noise, contaminants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from the clay trap and lead leaching into groundwater affecting water quality), and long-term costs to the taxpayers. There are additional safety concerns for those shooting up into the air and not into the berm. Suggested Best Management Practices recommended by the state, EPA and NRA that can be put into place proactively. Concerned for long term costs to the taxpayer for contaminant clean up. She emphasized that this is not a gun rights issue but they are interested protecting property values, health and quality of life. Gary Egstad, Neighbor of North Boundary Range. Recommendation 1: Sound tests results done by the range are false. After reading the test results, the shotgun blast did not register when a 4570 caliber weapon blast was compared to a shotgun blast when it’s known that they make the same amount of noise. Egstad’s didn’t attend the testing because he suspected the results would be invalid. They heard one explosive at their place that shook their building. He called the sheriff’s dept. and met them at the range. Recommendation 2: Recommends the ABC Club digs down the lanes further to create a low buffer zone, where the sound won’t carry as much rather than build a berm on the west side. Doing so will create a valley in each of those lanes and use the material there for the berm that is exists. Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 2 of 6 October 10, 2016 Meeting Minutes S. Miller called for more comments and none were received. Comments were closed. 3. Approval of the September 12, 2016 Meeting Minutes. MOTION: (Maki, Strand) to approve the September 12th meeting minutes. Carried. J. Bodine recommended moving to Agenda Item #6 to accommodate the citizens who are in attendance and are interested in the shooting range. MOTION: (Silbert, Fickbohm) to move to Agenda Item #6. Carried. 4. Monthly Financial Report. A. Forestry 1) Department Budget Update. To date, the stumpage revenues for September are on average; anticipating $4.75-$4.9 million for the year. If so, the 10% to Towns expense line item will be adjusted accordingly. To H. Maki’s inquiry, Bodine replied that the towns are being monitored for the 2% town road expense projects and most are gravel projects. Expenses are at 55% to date. Besides the 10% to Towns, there will be end of the year grant adjustments for FEMA, Good Neighbor Authority and snowmobile expenses but also with offsetting revenues. 2) Yurt Construction Update. The newly added yurt revenue line item appears in budget reporting. J. Silbert and L. Fickbohm complimented the staff on their efforts, quality, and detail after having visited the sites. J. Bodine commented that the second choice for the Mt. Ashwabay location is closer to the network of trails than the original location would have been. 3) Certification Audit Updates. Overall it was another good audit. After this year’s sub-sample audit of four counties in Wisconsin (not Bayfield), the DNR sent a summary to all county forests with a corrective action request (CAR) from SFI and FSC regarding the use of the trademarks and licensing logos. The WI DNR is working on a plan to address. Also, stand level retention in our even age management; specifically aspen, which SFI and FSC feel has not been represented well in the narratives explaining why over mature aspen are not left in an aspen sale. Often aspen are left in a riparian management zone or removed from harvest consideration for another purpose. In general SFI and FSC would like the WCFA to better explain why this is not happening. The WCFA/DNR will be addressing it in the future with the best approach how to address this audit item. Several other issues have already been addressed during the auditing period in the past 12 years. DNR Soil Disturbance Audit is a byproduct of certification. An item from a past observation was to improve BMP monitoring. The DNR put together a monitoring schedule for soil disturbance and BMPs. A sub-sample of sites was monitored for BMP compliance. Results from monitoring indicate a 95% compliance rate regarding the proper incorporation of BMP’s on a timber sale. Preliminary results in Bayfield County of soil monitoring were excellent, and the County has met or Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 3 of 6 October 10, 2016 Meeting Minutes exceeded the standards in the timber sales audited. 4) State Land Sale. After details have been completed and the closing date is scheduled for the end of November; adding 194.8 acres to the county forest land. B. Parks. October was slow; docks will be coming out just before freeze over. Twin Bear use was over the top busy this season; which magnified the need for an overflow parking lot. J. Bodine updated the committee of the status of the fee tube theft of an estimate of $1,500 this season. The alleged perpetrators are incarcerated and awaiting trial before the end of the month. The cameras and advisory signage will remain in place. C. Trails and Recreation 1) Various Trails Update. Staff are working with the clubs to prepare snowmobile trails for the season and also to put ATV trails to bed. 2) FEMA Projects Update. Two FEMA projects have gone through the preliminary results; $38,500 for Trails #1, #18 and #31 repairs; which are snowmobile trail connectors. County Highway staff are near completion on Trail #18 repairs. J. Mesko is using a rented excavator for Trail #31 repair. It is more efficient to repair internally. Trail #1 repairs will begin at the end of the month. The second FEMA project will take care of some of the system road damage; overall it is anticipated to cost approximately $9,000 in repairs. Coordination between the Department and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is in place to repair portions of the Drummond/Grandview “Pot Lake” snowmobile trail connector. The trail connector is vital to their two communities. The County will be the contract holder and the USFS will issue the specifications and administer the contract. The grant money would be funneled through the County to the contractor. The USFS has earmarked about $31k for the repair and the County will apply for a state emergency repair grant for the balance. H. Maki inquired about the Good Neighbor Authority process. J. Bodine reported that 14-15 stands of red pine covering approximately 400 acres have been identified and staff are preparing the tracts for approval by the USFS. No paint has been applied yet. MOTION: (Silbert, Fickbohm) to receive and place on file the financial monthly reports. Carried. 5. Fall Timber Sale Offering. Twenty-five sale tracts covering over 2,000 acres are presented for the fall timber sale offering; anticipating $1.8 to $2 million dollars for the sale. MOTION: (Maki, Strand) to accept the fall timber sale bid offering. Carried. Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 4 of 6 October 10, 2016 Meeting Minutes 6. Shooting Range. J. Bodine requested clarification from the Committee regarding previous discussions concerning the shooting range and proposed trap range expansion. In June the Committee denied the request for an addition of a trap range. He read the motion from the August meeting which was “to approve the shotgun range contingent upon the Club doing the berms at some point in the near future; increase enforcement and signage; increase vegetation; reduce weekend hours by one hour each on Saturday and Sunday; and try to be as conscientious as possible in keeping a good, wholesome place for the whole neighborhood.” J. Bodine stated that there has been some confusion on what has actually been approved by the Committee. Additionally, the DNR would have to approve an amendment to the lease because the trap range would add additional acres to the original range. J. Bodine stated that Zoning may also have to get involved, but would check to clarify. Addressing some concerns brought up during the public comment, J. Bodine read Clause #6 of the current lease agreement, where the sub-leasor would be responsible for environmental considerations to address the remediation / reclamation of lead. W. Hyde said that the Club has been approached by a company that would like to reclaim the lead and the costs are unknown. Regarding the level of activity, W. Hyde said there are 4 trail cameras and since the cameras were installed there are fewer targets (ex. electronic equipment) brought in and volunteers clean up monthly. J. Bodine said shooting from the range goes back decades. Before it was a formal range, it was an old sand pit used for target practice that goes back 30-40 years. Doug Cannon who is a board member of ABC Sportsman’s Club said since there has been a rotation of clean up efforts in place, no debris has been dropped off after the cameras went up in June. The Club’s rules are that anything that is brought in must be taken out. If an expansion is requested, the club should bring to the Committee a formal trap range operation plan proposal to include anticipated use, a construction plan, hours of operation, remediation/reclamation plan of hazardous materials, new acreage (diagram/map) requested, etc. It was also encouraged that any new sounds made by a trap range to be pointed in a direction away from the residences and the club work with the neighbors to find common ground and to open a dialogue. No action taken, but it was noted that, to date, a trap range expansion has not been approved by the Committee. 7. Bayfield County/Red Cliff Tribe Forest Land Project. Of roughly 1,550 acres of total county owned land within the Reservation boundary, approximately 1,430 is designated as county forest. Tribal/County meeting discussions have led to an expressed interest by the Tribe to own all county lands within the Reservation. J. Bodine indicated that the county actively manages the forest within the Reservation and that they needed to get permission through the PAC process in order to do so. For the most part, the process has been fair, but they have been repeatedly denied on a sale in particular. Bodine stated that the county and Tribe are discussing numerous options that could be pursued to find ways to divest of county owned lands within the Reservation, for an equivalent amount of land in other areas within our existing county forest blocking (outside of the Reservation). A possible solution would need to benefit both the County and the Tribe and, ideally, come at no cost to either entity. Abundant industrial property outside of the Reservation is available for purchase from willing sellers and grant opportunities exist to assist with the purchase. The Tribe would contribute to the process by taking the lead on all grant writing and applications. J. Silbert, a County Board member of the Tribal/County Relations Committee, reported that the Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 5 of 6 October 10, 2016 Meeting Minutes Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) goes back to 2001 and has expired. A new MOU is being developed. A motion was made by Silbert to move to support the initiative. The motion failed. A revised motion was made by Silbert to approve the development of initiatives. Discussion took place regarding where the most desirable land could be that would best meet the standards required by the available grants; mostly held by private, large group land owners. Ellen Kwiatkowski, citizen, was present and invited to describe the Lincoln Community Forest Project which is a USDA sponsored community forest grant program, whose emphasis is on education, recreation, forest management. The grant program recognizes industrial red pine projects because it’s expected that forest management would be a part of that grant program. They like to see opportunities to learn about sustainable forestry practices. AMENDED MOTION: (Silbert, Fickbohm) the Bayfield County Forestry Committee approves moving forward with the development of the project of Bayfield County and Red Cliff to work with each other to seek a suitable land exchange, trade or other conveyance of lands. F. Strand offered support for the project but with the understanding that the land is of equal or greater amount in value and at a minimal out of pocket expense to the County. AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDED MOTION: (Miller, Strand) Also, that the land be of equal or greater amount in value and at minimal out of pocket expense to the County. Discussion: H. Maki expressed his concern for the private land owners whose properties adjoin County Forest Land located within reservation boundaries should have been notified that a land exchange/divesture/sale project is being considered. A vote was taken for the Amended Motion (Silbert, Fickbohm). The motion carried with one opposition. A vote was taken for the amendment to the motion (Miller, Strand). The motion carried with one opposition. 8. County Forest Comprehensive Land Use Plan. The Comprehensive Land Use Plan approved in 2006 will be expiring in 2020. J. Bodine suggested reviewing certain chapters over a period of time to allow the plan to evolve and be updated over time. Bodine also recommended starting on some of the chapters now, as many sections are outdated and revisions can take a significant amount of time. After Committee approval, the plan would go before the full county board for their consideration and then submitted to the DNR. MOTION: (Maki, Silbert) to move forward on the project. Carried. 9. Joseph LeBouton, DNR Representative. J. LeBouton had nothing at this time to report. Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 6 of 6 October 10, 2016 Meeting Minutes 10. Adjourn Meeting adjourned at 7:23 PM. The next Forestry and Parks Committee meeting and timber sale bid opening will be held Monday, November 14, 2016 at 6:00 P.M. at Bayfield County Courthouse, County Board Room, 2nd Floor, 117 E. 5th Street, Washburn, Wisconsin. Submitted by, Pat Bruno