Forget the big stick
More importantly, they did the right thing by adopting a conciliatory approach to dealing with landowners justifiably worried that property they have considered to be theirs for decades may suddenly not be theirs after all and the consequence being a snowmobile trail running near their home.
Now its time to act on that good intent. County Board members have repeatedly said there is no intention of claiming the abandoned railroad way between Washburn and Bayfield, where homeowners have used old right of way as walking trails, driveways and even as home sites. The county should lay those landowner?s fears to rest by granting clear titles to that land.
In southern Bayfield County, where there is a desire to link several trail systems, the title issue shouldn?t be wielded as a club. If approached in a non-threatening manner, most landowners are going to be more inclined to deal with the county and try and find a way to make everyone happy.
The worst thing the county can do is put itself in an adversarial position with the very people it is supposed to serve.