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HomeMy WebLinkAboutForestry & Parks Committee - Minutes - 11/10/2025 BAYFIELD COUNTY FORESTRY AND PARKS DEPARTMENT COMMITTEE MEETING November 10, 2025 County Board Room Members Present: Fred Strand; Steve Sandstrom; Charly Ray; Jeff Olsen Members Absent: Larry Fickbohm Staff in Attendance: Jason Bodine, Administrator; Deanna Regan, 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 6:00 PM. 2. Public Comment: None. Public comment closed at 6:00 PM. 3. Approval of the October 13th Meeting Minutes. MOTION: (Sandstrom, Ray) Approve minutes and place on file. All: Yes. Carried. 4. Fall Timber Sales. There were 79 bids submitted, none rejected. All new sales sold as well as 1 of the reoffers. The 4 no-bid sales are being offered as direct sales MOTION: (Olsen, Ray) Approve 2025 Fall Timber Sale high bids. All: Yes. Carried. 5. Sustainable Forestry Grant. We are proposing a road improvement project for this round of applications. The project would be located between Settlement Dump and Happy Hollow in the Town of Bayfield and would address a notoriously wet stretch of road that limits motorized access. This would improve access to a roughly 2,000 acre block of aspen and hardwood, much of which is on the schedule for management within the next 5 years. An improved access road would increase the attractiveness of future timber sales within this block and benefit the snowmobile trail (which shares some of the access route), as well as public accessibility. Still working on the budget but anticipating an application in the $30k range. If awarded, the grant is funded at 100%, no match required. The application is due Dec 1st. MOTION: (Ray, Sandstrom) Approve Sustainable Forestry Grant application. All: Yes. Carried. 6. Recreational Use Agreement. Bayfield Area Trails Committee (BAT). The BAT rec use agreement has been updated following the same format as other recently updated agreements. Working on an updated map that will be attached to the agreement. BAT has already reviewed and approved. Bodine recommends approval. MOTION: (Olsen, Ray) Approve Recreational Use Agreement. All: Yes. Carried. 7. Monthly Reports. a) Forestry: Working on the 2026 workplan. The goal is to present the plan during the January meeting. The workplan requires Board approval. AB612 (reauthorization of the KN Stewardship program) has been in the news recently. This is the republican version of the reauthorization. It would reduce the allotment for county forest acquisitions from $3.0 million/year to $1.0 million but still require no additional JFC review. However, KN reauthorization remains a big question mark. There is a strong possibility that it’s not reauthorized, which would have a significant impact on our future acquisition goals. a. 2025 Budget. Total stumpage return in October was just over $121k, marking one of the weakest Octobers on record. Typically, October is one of the stronger months of the year, generating around $400k in stumpage returns on average. The unseasonally dry field Bayfield County Forestry & Parks Committee November 10, 2025 Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 3 conditions are likely the biggest factor for the slow month, as contractors are either operating in a different county where the ground is normally wet, or, when in Bayfield County, harvesting sales that are, on average, of lower stumpage value. To date, total stumpage returns are just under $3.1 million. This is noteworthy, as the weak October has pushed us behind schedule with regards to the projected annual return. November and especially December are traditionally slower months. But, if we produce at around average, we will likely meet the revenue budget ($3.5 million). However, there is now a real risk that we underperform, which is something that’s never happened under my watch, but also something I’ve been warning about for the last 5+ years as we continue to increase the revenue budget. Expenses remain on target. b. 2026 Budget. A few more adjustments were made to the 2026 budget, this time focusing on capital requests. The replacement ATV was eliminated from the budget but will be pursued again in 2027. The campground infrastructure assessment item was reduced by $10k. c. Carbon Project. We continue to work with ANEW on potential projects. Otherwise, nothing new to report. d. UWSP Forest Products Week Tour. The tour was canceled due to low interest. May consider hosting a similar tour in the future. e. Land Acquisition Projects. i. Stewardship – Round 2. Submitting the Carroll Lake application next week, which should secure a place for that project in the next round of funding. Future projects may be at risk. Also, if the grant becomes oversubscribed, there could be a proration on future project awards. Bottom line, the potential for 50% acquisition funding on future projects (after Carroll Lake) is not as likely as it was just one month ago. We continue to work on another potential project near Crooked Lake. ii. Siskiwit River. Closed on this acquisition last month. The Coastal grant was wired at closing. We’ll be adding another high quality, 125 acre parcel to the county forest! iii. Whittlesey Creek. The landowner agreed to Landmark’s terms. This project is back on. The hope is to close before the end of 2025. Bayfield County was awarded roughly $94k Coastal grant to help with this purchase and will be contributing $28k in cash with Landmark providing the rest. This one has been in the works for nearly three years! f. WCFA Board Member Update. Haven’t met since last meeting. Watching stewardship money. b) Parks and Recreation. a. Camping season officially ended late last month. Nearly $145k in net camping returns have been received. b. Motorized trails - Snowmobile. The last few months have been heavy with trails maintenance and brushing projects, as clubs get the trails ready for the season. Many smaller improvement projects were completed in-house by Nick and Lindley. Hopefully have resolved a long-term road route issue in the southern part of the trail system. A joint effort with snowmobile clubs, township, Feds and DNR. c. Motorized trails – ATV. Clubs are still out grading trails, with many smaller projects still in progress throughout the county. Most of this trail work is done with contractors. It will be interesting to see how this first ATV season wraps up, now that all ATV miles are being managed by the county. d. Campgrounds closed on October 19, and the final walk-through happened on October 30. Staff will spend the Fall, Winter, and Spring making improvements to Delta Lake Campground and Twin Bear Campground. Nick spent 4 days at Delta Lake Campground leveling sites and making other site improvements. e. Sara is participating in the Bayfield Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan committee. This project is led by the NWRPC and Bayfield County Highway Dept. The kickoff meeting was held on Sept 22. f. Sara is participating in the Climate Champions Program hosted by UW-EX, Sea Grant, and the Lake Superior Reserve to create an interpretive sign plan and template for the Forestry and Parks Dept. The goal of this plan is to: 1) create design standards that can be used on all County Forestry and Parks areas; 2) create basic language that will appear on all signs with a space to place specific (place based) language; 3) create concept plans for 4 sites: Siskiwit Falls, Glacial Kettles, Barrens and Big Rock; and 4) creation of a sign for a Lost Creek Falls. Bayfield County Forestry & Parks Committee November 10, 2025 Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 3 g. Due to the federal government shutdown, the Lake Superior Collaborative Symposium was rescheduled from October 27-29 to January 26-27, 2026. Although the symposium was canceled, the Slow the Flow Workshop for Road Managers was held. The Forestry and Parks Staff helped coordinate and attended the workshop on October 29 in the EOC. Around 30 road and natural resources managers attended. h. A reappraisal of the Pigeon Lake Field Station was carried out on October 30 by Steigerwaldt. Sara participated in a walkthrough of the property with the appraiser. i. All Forestry Staff participated in an internal First Aid Summit on Tuesday, November 4. Each staff member created a first aid kit for each Forestry and Parks vehicle, plus the ATVs and snowmobiles. Staff also did a short first aid and CPR review, along with completing some shop and locker room clean-up. j. Two Wisconsin Coastal Management Program Grants were submitted on Monday, November 3, 2025. One grant was for the Lost Creek Falls Trail Addition and EMS Access. And the second was for Fire Hill Preserve Development: Design and As-Builts. Sara also helped prepare Ashland County’s WCMP Grant proposal for the Maxwell Forest Acquisition. This project was approved by resolution by both County Boards on October 28, 2025. k. Sara attended the Fall Meeting of the Brule St Croix Chapter of the North Country Trail Association on Saturday, November 1, in Solon Springs. l. Completed onsite meetings with SAS (planning consultant) at the three properties being considered for future planning: Topside Lake, Big Rock Campground and Fire Hill Preserve. m. Met with a trail builder at Lost Creek Falls to begin planning for trail expansion. n. Beginning planning for potential future grooming of the cross-country ski trail at Siskiwit Falls for this winter. o. Yurt occupancy is up from November but still much lower that September and October. p. Events. Nothing new to report. Committee acknowledges that reports are received and placed on file. 8. Committee Members Discussion. Jeff is on the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation board. They are busy developing Telemark Village, looking into a high capacity well for snow making. Want to do a “Turkey Birkie” with fake snow. Supported by many donors. 9. Joseph LeBouton, DNR Representative, Comments: None. The next Forestry and Parks Committee meeting has been scheduled for Monday, December 8th, at 6:00 PM in the County Board Room. Meeting adjourned at 6:43 PM. Submitted by, Deanna Regan