Bayfield Co. Board seeks resolution with railroad corridor owners
On a unanimous vote, the board passed a resolution creating an ad hoc committee comprised of corridor property owners, county board members, snowmobile group representatives and possible Bayfield County Clerk Tom Gordon charged with trying to find a compromise that keeps both property owners and snowmobile interests satisfied.
The resolution came after the board listened to Bayfield County property owner John Hawksford, who said corridor property owners would be willing to assist the county in creating a snowmobile trail in the southern part of the county if the county gave up any possible claim to railroad corridor land it may have.
Board member Bucky Jardine, who also serves as chairman of the Tourism Committee, said the county should give nothing up until after a trail is established.
Hawksford pointed out that considering his offer would avoid a costly legal battle between the county and landowners.
"You have an offer on the table," Hawksford said.
"It’s a good offer for you," Jardine countered.
Other board members had a more conciliatory tone.
Harold Maki said many of the property owners on the abandoned railroad grade between Bayfield and Washburn are worried the county will try and turn their backyards and driveways into a snowmobile trail, and he had never heard anyone specifically say the county had any interest in that portion of the corridor.
Jardine said there was never any plan to extend any railroad grade trail all the way to Bayfield.
Nonetheless, Maki said those property owners, many living in his district, felt threatened.
After discussing the issue for 90 minutes in a closed session through which many property owners waited, the board reconvened and made the motion to create the ad hoc committee, which will report to the full board.
In another snowmobile trail-related matter, the board passed a motion supporting the efforts of a group of southern Bayfield County parties requesting the U.S. Forest Service amend the plan for the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest to allow an existing snowmobile trail to remain open in an area in the Lake Namekagon area that is now slated to be a non-motorized area near Rock Lake.
Representing the interested parties, P.C. Rasmussen said the Forest Service is charged with finding an alternate route — and there is no good alternate route through the region, and losing this highly-used trail would cut off much of the traffic from northern Sawyer County into Bayfield County.
Rasmussen said the plan he presented fulfilled many of the Forest Service requirements for trail siting, and instead of waiting to see what happens, it is hoped the Forest Service will consider this plan.
In other business the board:
• Passed a resolution honoring June Wilber upon her retirement after 18 years working in the clerk of courts office and the register in probate office;
• Passed a resolution amending the Human Services Department to reflect both an increase in revenues and an increase in expenditures;
• Agreed to a one-year contract with Northwest Regional Planning Commission to oversee the county housing rehabilitation program;
• and passed a resolution to increase the county Veteran’s Services budget by $5,000 to cover the increased cost of transporting veterans to medical facilities.