HomeMy WebLinkAboutForestry & Parks Committee - Minutes - 5/9/2022
BAYFIELD COUNTY FORESTRY AND PARKS DEPARTMENT
COMMITTEE MEETING
May 9, 2022
County Board Room
Members Present: Fred Strand, Chairperson; Jeffrey Silbert; Larry Fickbohm
Members Excused: Charly Ray; Steve Sandstrom
Staff in Attendance: Jason Bodine, Administrator; Steve Probst, Assistant Administrator; Cassie Taylor,
Office Manager
Others in Attendance: Joseph Lebouton, WI DNR
1. Call to Order of Forestry and Parks Committee Meeting.
This meeting was called to order at 6:04pm.
2. Election of Forestry and Parks Committee Chairperson.
MOTION: (Fickbohm, Silbert) Silbert nominates Strand. Motion to close nominations and cast
unanimous ballot for Fred Strand as Chair. All: Yes. Carried
3. Election of Forestry and Parks Committee Vice-Chairperson.
MOTION: (Fickbohm, Strand) Fickbohm nominates Silbert. Motion to close nominations and
cast unanimous ballot for Jeffrey Silbert as Vice Chair. All: Yes. Carried
4. Public Comment: None.
5. Approval of the April 11th Meeting Minutes.
MOTION: (Silbert, Fickbohm) Approve and place on file. All: Yes. Carried.
6. Monthly Reports.
a. Forestry (all updates): Bodine presented stumpage revenue for April was slightly below average at just
over $387k. To date, timber sale revenues are a little over $1.3 million. Below average revenue
primarily impacted by lower stumpage rates and below average first two months of the year.
Expenses are on track.
a) Carbon Project. Still on target. A third-party carbon field audit is expected to occur mid-July.
First carbon revenue expected mid to late 4th quarter.
b) CFL Withdrawal – Red Cliff Land Sale (706 acres). Bodine has received verbal notice that this
withdrawal request will be approved; approximately 850 acres will go to the tribe.
c) Burns/Duquette Trespass Land Sale. Still progressing.
d) Stewardship Project(s). Hope to have an idea of what can be accomplished with various land
acquisition projects by mid-June. If everything falls into place, TPL will purchase Ceres Timber
properties and BCFD would purchase the land from them. Value of land in Clover is discussed
including good connectivity, two miles of snowmobile trail, river frontage, aspen, etc. A private
landowner in Clover has contacted BCFD regarding a potential gift/donation of approximately
160 acres to the County.
e) Barnes Barrens Management Area Avian Monitoring Report. Sharp-tailed grouse (STG)
monitoring has resulted in data collection on a few birds over a short period of time. Hopes to
continue data collection into next year.
f) DNR Audit. Completed last month; final report will take about 45 days to complete and will be
presented in June or July meeting. No major red flags.
b. Campgrounds and Day Use Parks (update). Set to open May 12. Brenda and John are doing site
work. Discussion of deterioration of concrete structures at campgrounds; completing a
maintenance inventory this year. Possible use of carbon credit revenue for this budget item.
c. Trails and Recreation.
a) Motorized Trail Updates: ATV trails expected to open May 15; clubs are getting trails in shape.
b) Non-Motorized Trail Updates: Three concrete vault toilets expected to be installed late May at
the following trailheads: Lost Creek Falls; Siskiwit Falls; and CAMBA (Whiting Rd).
i. Siskiwit River Preserve Projects. 2022 and 2023 anticipated projects include restroom
installation, entrance/property sign installation, bird and bat house installation,
meadow/prairie restoration, hiking trail development, orchard rehab work, and potential
trail expansion on east side of river. At this point, we are not proposing development of a
trail that connects to the town road on the west side of the property.
ii. Lost Creek Falls Projects. Work expected to begin this month, including steps down to
the river using native materials and boardwalk/steps to picnic area.
c) Yurt Updates: Bodine presented the occupancy rates for each yurt. Occupancy is average.
d) Events: See below.
d. Delta Landfill Update. Low bids are coming in over budget, likely due to inflation and supply chain
issues. This has been shared with FEMA and is generally not a concern. We’re still on pace for the
end of May/early June.
MOTION: (Silbert, Fickbohm) Receive reports as presented and place on file. All: Yes.
Carried.
7. Spring Timber Sales. Spring sale bids were opened today with mixed results. Approximate bid total is
$1.9 million. 13 sales received no bids, 6 previous and 7 new, likely due to frozen ground and sizeable
ash and fir stands. Sale 52-21 was pulled as advertised volumes were inaccurate. A reoffer will be
advertised in the coming weeks.
MOTION: (Fickbohm, Silbert) Approve Bodine’s recommendation to accept bids, reoffer the
rest of the sales, make bid openings public again, and advertise as such. All: Yes. Carried.
8. Timber Sale Contract Extensions. Plan to continue to offer free extensions for sales from fall of 2020
and earlier. Will reintroduce the administrative fee and price increases starting in 2023.
MOTION: (Silbert, Fickbohm) Approve Bodine’s recommendation for contract extension fees.
All: Yes. Carried.
9. Land Use Request. Xcel Energy. Xcel is requesting abandonment of their initial plan to establish a by-
pass route and, instead, intent to complete upgrades within existing corridor. Xcel is requesting an
update of the existing permanent easements to address the upgraded powerline and temporary
permission off Potter Rd to access the existing corridor with construction vehicles. Will require use of
about 900’ of existing road on county forest land and construction of about 900’ of new road. We have
requested replacement of two failed culverts at their expense.
MOTION: (Silbert, Fickbohm) Approve Bodine’s recommendation for approval of land use
request. All: Yes. Carried.
10. 2021 Accomplishment Report. Noteworthy changes: timber sale pricing seeing a slow decline, CFI
establishment plots are a work in progress, carbon, increases in recreation, barrens research.
MOTION: (Silbert, Fickbohm) Approve and place on file. All: Yes. Carried.
11. Recreational Use Request: CAMBA. Two events: Women’s Mountain Bike Clinic at Mt. Ashwabay
(May 12-14, 2022) and Chequamegon 100 mountain bike race in Cable (June 18, 2022).
MOTION: (Fickbohm, Silbert) Approve events. All: Yes. Carried.
12. Committee Members Discussion. Brief discussion of Pratt’s Peak project. Bodine states we are
backing off for now and getting more eyes into the field to reassess.
13. Joseph Lebouton: No comments.
The next Forestry and Parks Committee meeting has been scheduled for Monday, June 13th at 6:00 P.M.
Meeting adjourned at 6:58 PM
Submitted by,
Cassie Taylor