WALKER-Cass County brought in 10 percent less revenue from selling timber and land from tax-forfeited property in 2015 than in 2014, but expenses to manage that land in the county
ran 7 percent lower as well, meaning a slight overall drop in the fund balance.
Chief Financial Officer Sandra Norikane reported this information to the county board Tuesday.
From revenue going into that fund each year, the county board designates a percentage to be used for reforestation, a percent to go to trails maintenance and a percent to pay to townships and schools where the land is located to offset the fact they cannot collect local levy from the tax-forfeited properties.
This year, reforestation will continue to receive 30 percent or $365,758. The percent going to
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trails will drop from 17 percent last year to 8 percent this year, because trails already have a healthy balance from state and federal grant, according to former Land Commissioner Joshua Stevenson.
The higher portion going to local governments will enable the county to keep that total payment about the same this year, though each individual town or school may receive slightly more or less, depending upon how much timber or land the county sold within that town or school district.
The local governments received $704,727 in 2014, $729,395 in 2015 and will receive this
year $754,923.
Natural Resources Research Institute at University of Minnesota, Duluth campus obtained
county board approval Tuesday to sample bird species and numbers at Deep Portage Learning
Center, with special focus on the golden-winged warbler this month.
Debbie Peterson, Hackensack, who is a high school science teacher in Walker and has worked part-time for 20 years for the science institute, will conduct the survey.
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Sawyer Timber presented the lowest of three quotes to replace two deteriorated trail gates within Deep Portage boundaries for $500.
Future Forest won the contract to trench 110 acres for $8,250 and to apply herbicide to 174
acres at several sites for $4,380. This work will be done on logged sites in preparation for
planting new trees.
Cass sold timber from all five tracts offered at a May 26 auction. Bidders paid $35.30 per
cord for aspen.
