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Board halts EAW on land for potential ATV park
Senior Reporter The devil remains in the details for an environmental assessment worksheet for a potential all-terrain vehicle park in Crow Wing County.
The county board Tuesday halted the EAW on tax-forfeited land in Irondale and Oak Lawn townships.
Never a smooth road, the environmental study received a green light by the county board in October. The idea of looking at tax-forfeited land for a potential ATV park has been controversial from the start. Residents opposed the plan and environmental study. They questioned the project's scope saying the study area grew in size while it was being considered. Others were opposed to including ATVs in the allowed recreational uses. ATVs are used on the site now.
The October motion to move forward with the environmental study, first approved last spring, clarified the project's size and opened the recreational uses to include nearly all possible options, including ATVs. But Tuesday, Mark Rudningen, parks supervisor, said the lack of detail to outline an ATV trail corridor or possible campground meant key questions in EAW couldn't be answered.
The EAW is 52 percent complete at a cost of $8,788. County Administrator David Hamilton said that to continue without a specific project would not be a wise use of funding.
In other business, the board:
Approved a Parks Advisory Commission recommendation to hire Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc. to develop a master plan, not to exceed $14,750, for the Milford Mine Memorial Park.
Learned influenza vaccine is still available at the health department.
Decided to wait, perhaps six months, to review a request for a financial worker in the Social Services Department. Human Services Director Susan Beck requested the worker, citing increased case loads and additional reporting requirements for medical assistance and food support. With revenue reimbursements, Beck said the position would generate $13,432 more than the cost of $39,544 in wages and benefits.
Hamilton did not support hiring at this time, saying part of the revenue Beck listed to offset the wages had time limits and other money, including a $20,296 Food Stamp bonus, could be used elsewhere. Commissioners Rosemary Franzen, Dewey Tautges and Paul Thiede spoke in favor of Hamilton's recommendation. Commissioner Rachel Reabe Nystrom was out of town.
Hamilton suggested that the additional work could be done by existing staff. Beck didn't agree, saying staff was already stretched.
RENEE RICHARDSON can be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.
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