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HomeMy WebLinkAboutForestry & Parks Committee - Minutes - 8/13/2018 BAYFIELD COUNTY FORESTRY AND PARKS DEPARTMENT COMMITTEE MEETING August 13, 2018 County Board Room Members Present: Fred Strand, Chairperson; Jeffrey Silbert, Vice-Chairperson; Larry Fickbohm; and David Zepczyk Members Absent: Harold Maki Staff in Attendance: Jason Bodine, Administrator; Steve Probst, Asst. Administrator; and Pat Bruno, Office Manager Others: Joseph LeBouton, Wisconsin DNR Liaison; Jeremy Oswald, Representing the Bayfield Chamber of Commerce; and Mike Cariveau, CEO, Bayfield Wireless 1. Call to Order of Forestry and Parks Committee Meeting. The meeting of the Forestry and Parks Committee was called to order by Chairman F. Strand at 6:01 P.M. 2. Public Comment. Chairman Strand called for public comment. No one from the public in attendance. Closed public comment. 3. Approval of the June 11, 2018 Meeting Minutes. MOTION: (Fickbohm, Silbert) to approve the minutes of June 11. All: Yes. Carried. 4. Monthly Reports. A. Forestry (all updates): 1) 2018 Budget. Timber Sale revenues have stayed below average in the last two months; total current timber sale revenues are $2.6 million. This is approximately $1.0 million lower than the past three years. Some markets are expected to pick up in September; activity in the woods is still high for now. Expenses are slightly below budget. Bayfield County has been selected with three other counties for a certification audit and a full FSC SFI full re-certification audit in 2019. 2) Stewardship Grant. The state of Wisconsin’s Joint Committee on Finance (JFC) raised an objection to Bayfield County’s project proposal along with numerous other counties’ large project proposals. As a response, Jane Severt, WCFA Director; and Shawn Pfaff, Pfaff Public Affairs, a lobbyist hired by WCFA; and J. Bodine met with various members of the JFC to provide additional information and to better understand the objection. There is general scrutiny of the program focusing on the match properties. It is possible the JFC could remove all of the Bibon Swamp land from the Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 2 of 6 August 13, 2018 project or possibly a decision will be postponed until after the election. A second meeting is planned for next week. More information to come. 3) Hautop (Duck Lake) Appeal Decision. The Court of Appeals affirmed the previous judgment of the Circuit Court ruling in the favor of Bayfield County; the DNR; and Bob Bay, the logger under county contract to cut timber on the property. Corporation Counsel believes the case is essentially complete. S. Probst reported that one timber sale on the property is complete and a second has not yet begun. 4) DNR County Forest Time Standards. The DNR puts in a considerable amount of time in managing county forest land which includes timber sale establishment, timber sale administration, reforestation activity, reconnaissance, planning activity, general administration/meetings, prescribed burning and assistance for overall management of the county forest. The chart shows how the annual statewide cap of 46,000 hrs/year is distributed; of which Bayfield County received 3,395 hours the past two years; determined by a formula. A new calculation FY 2019-FY 2022 has allotted Bayfield County 3,916 hours for 2019. B. Parks (update). Parks revenue are on target; currently at $80,000. Camping use is about the same as last year with increased use of beaches and boat launches. The MOU with the DNR for Big Rock has been a low priority for the state due to action required from spring storm resulting in a delayed agreement. Zielies stores equipment at the highway department shop so they in turn helped the County by removing the dead white pine without fee. The extensively trimmed 40’ white pine is going to stay up for wildlife habitat, but it could come down later if needed. Other needs at Big Rock are a new sign (other parks also), minor regrade of the parking lot, access drives, minor touch ups on some camping pads, and rules and regulations refresher. The highway department helped us remove hazardous, remnant stumps at Delta. Retaining wall repair at Twin Bear will also be addressed. Estimates are being gathered. C. Trails and Recreation (all updates). 1) Motorized Trails. The ATV trail season has been good. 2) Non-Motorized Trails. After a highly competitive year for Recreational Trail Grants (RTG), Bayfield County’s $17,000 application request for funding was denied which would have provided additional boardwalk trail work and steps built to the river at Lost Creek Falls. However, a portion of the trail was re-graveled, and the parking lot was regraded. Gravel was put down on Jolly Trail. Trail improvement funding for 2019 is included in the draft budget. Several trail activity counters are in place to monitor use to provide information for expansion budget planning. 3) Yurts. The Bayfield #2 yurt is currently under construction. Once completed, the UDC inspector will complete the final review. The yurt has a fantastic view in the direction of Pikes Bay Marina and Madeline Island. It may be ready for Labor Day opening but a close call. An additional Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 3 of 6 August 13, 2018 $1,200 was required to add a certified engineered plan. The original budget was $40,000; however, the project is expected to cost $45,000. Budgeted recreational improvement funds will be tapped to cover the overage, that were originally earmarked for Big Rock updates. J. Bodine is recommending establishing the price at $70 per night at the new yurt and possibly increasing the rate at the original Bayfield yurt in 2019 to the same. Because the demand for the Cable yurt is lower, the recommendation is to keep the rate at $65 per night. The occupancy at the existing yurts are Bayfield yurt is 100% over the summer and Cable is 55%. 4) Events. South Shore School District has two cross-country running events scheduled for October using existing trails that are located adjacent to the golf course in Iron River. These events are included in South Shore School’s long-term recreation use agreement. MOTION: (Silbert, Fickbohm) to receive and place reports on file. All: Yes. Carried. 5. Siskiwit River Preserve Project Update. Discussion and possible action regarding the initial developments of the project, including short and long term goals and objectives, as well as a future meeting with the Town of Bell. Since the sale closing, an extensive title search discovered that the land south of the road and west of the river was actually part of the property that was sold to the County. The property was not identified on any of the maps as being part of the transfer. This approximately 1-acre ownership discovery changes how the property will be managed. Once the re-zoning and County Board approval is secured, establishing two parking areas will be a priority this year; a primary parking area on the east side of the river (and north of the road), to access the northern portions of the Siskiwit and the primary hiking trail, and also a secondary but smaller parking area on the west side of the river and north of the road primarily to access the southern portion of the Siskiwit. Also, invasive species treatment is planned. Trail improvements on the east side of the river, extended from the primary parking area, signage, and informational kiosks are planned for 2019. The intent is to meet with the Town of Bell prior to the September 2018 Committee meeting to present and discuss updated development plans. No action taken. 6. 2019 Budget. J. Bodine summarized the draft budget explaining a $61,000 increase in overall revenue combined with a $7,000 decrease in overall spending are expected. This would result in depositing net revenues of about $1.948 million into the general fund; an increase of $70,000 when compared to the 2018 adopted budget. Capital project requests, would include $30,000 for Siskiwit Falls projects, $17,500 for Lost Creek Falls projects, $20,000 for office remodeling, $7,500 for Jolly Trail improvements, $10,000 for county forest road improvements, $10,000 for campground infrastructure maintenance and $1,500 for picnic table replacements. Adjustments to revenue and expenses may be necessary because of the FEMA declaration from the June storm repair costs. MOTION: (Fickbohm, Zepczyk) to approve and forward to the Administrator and Executive Committee. All: Yes. Carried. 7. Recreational Use Agreement. Bayfield Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Bureau. Discussion and possible action regarding a long term recreational use agreement with the Bayfield Chamber Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 4 of 6 August 13, 2018 for the maintenance of property and trails associated with the Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race. J. Oswald attended to answer questions from the Committee. J. Bodine recommends approval. Corporation Counsel has reviewed the agreement. MOTION: (Silbert, Fickbohm) to approve the recreational use agreement with the Bayfield Chamber of Commerce for the Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race. All: Yes. Carried. F. Strand requested at 7:12 P.O. to move ahead to Items 11 and 12 to accommodate Bayfield Wireless. 8. Recreational Use Request. Ashwabay Outdoor Education Foundation. Dirt Lip Mountain Bike Race on September 29, 2018. J. Bodine recommended approval of this new event which is expected to have 20-40 registrants using existing trails on county forest land. Proceeds of the race will benefit Mt. Ashwabay. MOTION: (Fickbohm, Zepczyk) to approve the request. All: Yes. Carried. 9. Breached Timber Sale Contracts: CJL Transfer. John Brilla has requested to get out of two contracts with a combined value of $113,000. Both have bonds secured. The department will re-evaluate each sale before being offered for re-sale and will track administrative expenses incurred in the process. Once the sales are re-offered and sold, the final bid amounts are compared to the current value of the breached contract. Based on the losses or gains from the re-sale and associated administrative costs from the re-evaluations determines if any or all of the breached sales’ retained performance bonds are returned. The contractor is banned for two years normally when a contract is breached. J. Bodine recommendation is to maintain the bid bond after damages are assessed and to include these sales with the fall bid letting. MOTION: (Zepczyk, Fickbohm) to follow existing policy and practices on breached timber sale contracts including a two-year ban on bidding. All: Yes. Carried. 10. 2018 Storm Damage Report/Update. Bayfield County trail system damages totaled an estimated $400,000 from this storm. However, it is expected that the Drummond Connector at Pot Lake costs ($125,000-$140,000) will be covered by the Forest Service. Also, a portion of Trail 4 damages ($147,000), south of the Delta Dump, are part of a more extensive damage that occurred within the White River Fisheries Area. The DNR will include the repairs to Trail 4 in their project. The County’s expected portion is $112,000-$120,000 of the approximate $400,000 in damages. A request will be submitted from snowmobile trail grant funds to cover the County’s 12.5% portion of the total FEMA claim. Delta Lake Campground had approximately $6,000 in damages and the repair work was completed almost immediately. Early estimates of damage submitted to FEMA for the Town of Delta Dump repair project was $810,000. The Delta Dump damage is in the process of re-assessment which is now closer to $350,000-$600,000. Several options are being considered. Temporary repairs may be completed this year and more extensive in 2019. Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 5 of 6 August 13, 2018 FEMA requires a stringent standard is followed when soliciting proposals. The plan must be developed by a certified engineer. An RFP for proposals to fix the drainage and to move the path away from the dump is being developed. Plans will include removing hazardous materials, if any are found; removing trash, some tree removal, re-capping the old dump, and possibly increase the size of the pipe under Hwy H to provide future storm damage abatement. No action taken. 11. Presentation: Mike Cariveau, CEO, Bayfield Wireless. Presentation regarding the use of county land, located in the Town of Bayfield, for the construction of a communications tower. M. Cariveau has been working for the past two years with several northern peninsula governmental entities to improve broadband and telecommunication services in the area. Two WI Public Service Commission grants were secured in public and private partnership arrangements between Bayfield County, Town of Russell and the Town of Bayfield (one grant). The other grant partners Bayfield Wireless, Norvado and the Red Cliff Tribe. The entire network will be owned and operated by Bayfield Wireless to provide fixed wireless broadband services to customers and subscribers of residences and business in the area. Customers along the Happy Hollow Road Valley were not initially included in the service area; however, by connecting with a Norvado tower near Cornucopia would provide radio service to the existing Fire Hill Tower equipment. That connection would provide high speed internet broadband services to the Happy Hollow Valley Road area. The long-term strategy of Bayfield Wireless is to build an internet infrastructure with assistance from the grant program and then to leverage the towers, fiberoptic and radio backhaul assets to market to mobile cellular companies (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) to expand their coverage areas. If the negotiated agreement is approved by the County Board, area emergency services network equipment and antennae could co-locate on the tower. He is requesting that the Forestry and Parks Committee support the project and to also support removal of 2.71 acres (tower structure location off Star Route Road) from county forest law (CFL) to enable the project to move forward. See resolution in Item #12. It is understood that the entire process removing county forest land can take some time. However, it is requested critical construction components begin prior to the cold weather. Therefore, the request is for the County allow brushing, access road building, and grubbing in the area where the tower would be constructed in preparation prior to the completion of the CFL removal process. J. Bodine feels it could be a slight risk to allowing pre-construction prior to official approval by the state for the CFL withdrawal. There was a precedence set where land was withdrawn in Barnes for a communications tower. No action taken as the project was reviewed and approved in a County Board Executive Session. 12. Resolution: County Forest Law Withdrawal Request. MOTION: (Silbert, Zepczyk) to remove 2.71 acres from county forest law. All: Yes. Carried. Returned to Item 8. Bayfield County Forestry and Parks Committee Page 6 of 6 August 13, 2018 13. Access Permit Request. DRP.O Properties, LLC. Discussion and possible action regarding a request to access property located in the Town of Clover A request to secure a 10-year temporary access permit using existing trails, on a good sand access road has been received. The property is located off of the Campbell Rd. The permit is contingent on a successful land sale transaction. Bayfield County currently has a reciprocal agreement with the previous owner. J. Bodine recommends approval. MOTION: (Silbert, Fickbohm) to allow this access permit request for DRP.O properties. All: Yes. Carried. 14. Joseph LeBouton, DNR Representative. J. LeBouton thanked Jason for all the hard work in the last month. F. Strand and J. Bodine reciprocated with a thank you to the DNR for all the hours to the county and the increased hours they will be providing. The State does a phenomenal job and does a lot of work helping us out and doing more with less. The production and history is solid. The DNR partnership is a substantial economic investment. The meeting adjourned at 8:01 P.M. The next Forestry and Parks Committee meeting will be held Monday, September 10, 2018 at 6:00 P.M. at Bayfield County Courthouse, County Board Room, Second Floor, 117 E. 5th Street, Washburn, Wisconsin. Submitted by, Pat Bruno