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HomeMy WebLinkAboutForestry & Parks Committee - Minutes - 8/14/2017BAYFIELD COUNTY FORESTRY AND PARKS DEPARTMENT COMMITTEE MEETING August 14, 2017 County Board Room Members Present: Shawn Miller, Chairperson; Fred Strand, Vice-Chairperson; Harold Maki; and Jeffrey Silbert Members Absent: Larry Fickbohm Staff in Attendance: Jason Bodine, Administrator; Steve Probst, Assistant Administrator; and Pat Bruno, Office Manager Others in Attendance: Ellen Heine, Chris Buboltz, Tim Lisson, and Laurel Hanson of Xcel Energy; Joseph LeBouton, WI DNR Liaison; 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. Public Comment. S. Miller called for public comment. Wanda Hyde, ABC Sportsmen’s Club Treasurer, read a letter that had been sent to all committee members regarding the Sportsmen’s Club’s efforts in the past few months to address the concerns of the two closest landowners to the North Boundary Road rifle range. The Club is currently building berms and the lead reclamation plan has been completed along with the lease agreement. Three hundred seventy-nine signatures had been collected supporting non-reduction of open hours. S. Miller called for additional public comments and none were received. Public comments were closed. 3. Approval of the June 12, 2017 Meeting Minutes. MOTION: (Silbert, Strand) to accept the minutes and place on file as presented. Carried. 4. Presentation: Xcel Energy. Discussion and possible action regarding a request to construct a low-voltage transmission line, partly on County Forest land, located in the Towns of Bayview and Bayfield. Ellen Heine, representative from Xcel Energy, introduced other Xcel employees in attendance. She described the proposed second circuit (low voltage) transmission line which is planned to begin at the Fish Creek substation (near Co Road G) and end at the Pike’s Creek substation east of Bayfield. Also, a three- mile tie line connecting to Washburn is part of the project. The purpose of the presentation is to seek viability for the project from the Forestry and Parks Committee prior to Xcel’s presentation to the Public Service Commission (PSC) for the state permitting process. Once approved by the PSC, Xcel would return to the Bayfield County Board for consideration. Phase 1 of added line would improve service to both Xcel and Bayfield Electric customers north of Highway 2. The purpose is to provide alternative power when an outage on the main line occurs for a variety of reasons. One-third of the line would cross Bayfield County forest land and a 25-year access permit is the anticipated method of legal access. Sharing existing rights-of-way will be pursued when Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 2 of 4 August 14, 2017 Meeting Minutes possible. The vegetation management plan is a 4-year cycle and the landowner is contacted prior to any ground spot spraying maintenance. No aerial spraying will be done. Also J. Bodine does not anticipate that the line would hinder any future timber management or recreational use plans. A public hearing is scheduled to take place August 30 at the Bayfield County Courthouse. J. Bodine will seek clarification on Bayfield County permitting (primarily Zoning) requirements, if any; and also to obtain answers from the DNR and the county’s corporation counsel. MOTION: (Strand, Maki) to give provisional approval for this project and recommend it to the full county board for the final decision. Carried. 5. Lead Management Plan: ABC Sportsmen’s Club. Discussion and possible action regarding a lead management plan for the existing shooting range and future trap expansion, located off North Boundary Road in the Town of Bell. J. Bodine explained the history of the plan and distributed general information. In general, maintaining the soil’s pH within recommended levels to encapsulate the lead, monitoring use to determine when lead reclamation is needed, progress and soil test result monitoring reports from ABC Sportsmen’s Club are expected annually. The WI DNR and J. Bodine have reviewed the plan and it is acceptable. The current pH of the lead testing was completed last fall was 4.8; slightly below the desired pH. Lime was added to all the impact areas. Retesting will be done again this fall. Shells are gathered by individual users and also during the annual spring cleanup. MOTION: (Strand, Maki) to accept the lead management plan as part of the lease agreement. Carried. 6. Monthly Reports. a. Forestry 1) Department 2017 Budget Update. The timber sale revenues collected in June were at an all-time high of $800 thousand. July was at $583 thousand. Expenses are on target. A budget amendment will be coming for the Summer Tour adjustment and another for the 10% to Towns and FEMA projects. 2) WCFA Summer Tour Recap. The tour went exceptionally well; staff shined (presentations, preparation and accomplishments); food and weather were good. One hundred fifty people collectively attended the 2-day event. 3) Red Cliff Land Sale Update. J. Bodine reported that the funds had not been received yet but believes they have been awarded. Corp Counsel is working with the Tribe on the purchase agreement which is expected to finalize this fall. 4) Stewardship Application Update. A project to present is contingent upon the final sale to Red Cliff. A few projects are being considered. 5) DNR – County Forest Program Review/Audit. The DNR will be coming to Bayfield County at the end of August for the three-year review of timber sale and grant accounts management for the one day audit. b. Parks To date approximately $88,000 in net revenues has been collected; a banner year to date with 2+ months remaining this season. Big Rock has seen an upsurge of campers; possibly because U.S. Forest Service’s Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 3 of 4 August 14, 2017 Meeting Minutes Birch Grove Campground has not reopened or Big Rock has been rediscovered. c. Trails and Recreation 1) Motorized Trail Updates. The ATV clubs are doing a tremendous job with routine maintenance. All storm damaged areas from the past year have been repaired. The Department partnered with the US. Forest Service to move forward to complete projects. 2) Non-Motorized Trail Updates. Lost Creek Falls will have 200 feet of new boardwalk completed this fall. Trail counters have shown 30+ hikers per day and up to 80 on the holiday weekend. Funds from the capital account may also be tapped for the Jerry Jolly Trail and kiosk improvements. 3) Yurt Updates The Bayfield yurt site is at 100% occupancy for August; 90% in July and high in June; beyond expectations. Gross receipts to date are at $22,000. Reservations and repeat renters for the next few months are high. Payoff is anticipated to be sooner than expected; 3.5 years versus 5.5 years. F. Strand commented that the employees and the Department shined because of the quality of the work done in the integrated resource management and integrated land management. Great programs that were presented well. MOTION: (Maki, Strand) to accept and place on file. Carried. 7. 2018 Budget. J. Bodine presented the proposed 2018 budget. J. Bodine explained that he has been working with the County Clerk’s office on the refinement of some accounts for 2018, making comparisons to last year difficult. The timber sale stumpage revenue line will be increased. The parks manager contract is due for renewal and that line item may have adjustments. J. Bodine shared various documents explaining the need for a new full time position and highlighted it as the single most important need of the Department. Due, in part, to increases in the sustainable harvest of the forest (by approximately 50%), as well as significant increases in workloads throughout all programs, it is recommended that a full-time position be added. The position would maintain an emphasis on forest analysis, monitoring and reporting, as well as take a lead role in the development of CFI plots, but also include general forest management, recreation and park responsibilities. Capital funds are proposed for Big Rock campground improvements; rec trail development; a third yurt; supplies and equipment for the new position; and maintenance of facilities at all campgrounds. MOTION: (Silbert, Miller) to approve this proposed budget and initial support for the new position. Carried. 8. Sustainable Forestry Grant. Discussion and possible action regarding the department’s intent to apply for the state grant. The application for this grant would be to cover the costs associated with establishing roughly 670 CFI plots throughout the forest. The application would be for approx. $70,000 and cover wages, fringe, mileage and equipment required to establish the CFI plots. Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 4 of 4 August 14, 2017 Meeting Minutes MOTION: (Strand, Maki) to approve the sustainable forestry grant as presented. Carried. 9. County Conservation Aid Grant. This application is for $3,993 of earmarked funding. No specific project is selected right now but this establishes the annual intention to apply for the grant. MOTION: (Maki, Strand) to approve. Carried. 10. Joseph LeBouton, DNR Representative. Organizational changes are coming. The team serving Bayfield County will gain an extra position. One forester and one ranger position will be added to Washburn and one forester added in Barnes. Supervisory changes have also occurred; Eric Sirrine, Supervisor, in the Washburn office and Craig Golembiewski, Supervisor, Spooner. J. LeBouton will remain the liaison for Bayfield County. Along with J. LeBouton’s 1,200 hours for Bayfield County the new forester will add another 400-600 hours. 11. Executive Session. MOTION: (Maki, Silbert) @ 7:54 PM to enter in and out of Executive Session pursuant to Wisconsin Statute 19.85(1)(g), for the purposes of considering legal advice regarding strategy to be adopted by the body with respect to litigation in which it is or is likely to become involved. Carried a) Approval of the March 13, 2017 Executive Session Minutes. b) Duck Lake Property Lawsuit and Timber Sale. 19.85(1)(g). Discussion and possible action. 12. Adjourn Meeting adjourned at 8:15 PM. The next Forestry and Parks Committee meeting will be held Monday, September 11, 2017 at 6:00 P.M. at Bayfield County Courthouse, County Board Room, Second Floor, 117 E. 5th Street, Washburn, Wisconsin. Submitted by, Pat Bruno