Lake County has a comprehensive trail plan, and Cook County shouldn’t be too far behind in developing its own multi-trail system.
After years of talking about a comprehensive trail plan, the county board approved a resolution Feb. 10 to apply to the Minnesota Lake Superior Coastal Program for funds to develop a comprehensive trails plan. There is a $7,500 match and Arrowhead Regional Development Council (ARDC) will seek additional funding for the match. The goal is to identify needs, prioritize projects, improve connectivity and improve the management of the trails.
According to the application, Cook County is home to 250 miles of cross country skiing, 450 miles of snowmobiling, 380 miles of hiking, approximately 2,000 miles of potential biking, and seemingly endless miles of rivers and lakes for canoeing and hiking. The trail’s plan will dovetail with the current updating of the county’s comprehensive land use plan, and will create an opportunity to develop each plan with consideration and cooperation of one another.
The plan will include developing a report that includes available county, state, federal and local plans, maps and Global positioning Systems (GPS) data. Once possible trail corridors and connections to trails have been identified recommendations will focus on trail and destination connectivity, construction and maintenance, amenity and experience enhancement, intergovernmental and public/ private partnerships, marketing awareness, and management and administration.
Cook County will collaborate with Andy Hubley who is the director of the Regional Planning Division at the ARDC. Hubley helped Lake County complete its comprehensive trail use plan.
County approves joint powers agreement with MPCA
The board approved a joint powers agreement with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) so the county can receive up to 75 percent of the cost of work performed by a certified advanced septic systems inspector, which Cook County Environmental Health Officer Mitch Everson is.
Only work completed by an advanced inspector under a joint powers agreement that has been executed with the MPCA is eligible for funding.
“This is a great opportunity for the county to reimbursed for staff time,” Everson said.
This work involves inspecting septic systems much larger than a three-bedroom home would use, said Everson. When asked by Commissioner Frank Moe how many of these systems Everson had inspected in the last five years, Everson said, “two to three.”
But Everson added that the last one took about 80 hours of his time due to its complexity.
County supports change in beaver trapping season
Commissioner Garry Gamble said he had been in touch with Shawn Johnson, president of Minnesota Trappers Association from Duluth, who asked for county support in the form of a resolution to establish different spring trapping seasons within the state (similar to Ontario). This will give trappers in the northern region the same opportunity trappers have in the southern region of Minnesota to trap when there is less ice to deal with and waterways are open.
Johnson asked to have the spring beaver trapping season permanently extended in the forest zone of northern Minnesota to May 15. Gamble said this corresponded to the closing date in Ontario along the border.
Commissioner Frank Moe said he had received the same request and he was in favor of permanently extending the spring beaver-trapping season. After some discussion the board voted in favor of sending a resolution of support to Tom Landwehr, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
In other business
. The board passed a resolution of support for the Lutsen TrailBreakers Snowmobile Club’s grant application to the Federal Recreation Trails Grant Program for enhancements to the club’s trails, which are used for snowmobiling, biking and ATVing. Lutsen TrailBreakers are seeking a federal grant of $15,450. A 25 percent match is required, which the Lutsen club will meet via $1,250 in in-kind labor and Minnesota grant-inaid trail funds of $3,900.
Lutsen TrailBreakers will clear brush and overhanging branches from trails on existing trails and replace or fix bridges and side rails as needed. They will also repair washouts and gullies when they present a problem.
. The board approved a $100,000 Iron Range Resources Grant agreement to help with the construction of the Cook County Airport. These funds are part of the Federal Aviation Administrations 90 percent grant for the runway extension and improvements for the Cook County Airport at Devil Track.
. Also approved was $1,015.95 to complete the move of the old Gunflint Fire Hall No. 3 to the mid-trail area to become the new Search and Rescue building. Originally the board approved $10,000 to complete the move and setting up the building. However, grading and site work costs were more than expected.
. Don Lease and Gary Maciejewski were approved to serve another three-year term on the Cook County Water Plan Committee.
. Cook County Community Center Director Diane Booth asked to carry-over several thousand dollars of unspent Extension funds from 2014 to 2015. Normally unspent funds would go back into the county general fund balance. There was $5,903 left from the “Snacks and Packs” school program and $3,000 from State Health Improvement Program (SHIP) funds as well as a small amount from the Second Harvest fund. The board approved her request.
. The board approved an application for a special event permit to hold the Rocksteady Running Superior Spring Trail Races, contingent upon race organizers receiving formal approval of event routes and closures by the Cook County Sheriff. Organizers must also provide all appropriate traffic signing and safety equipment at all county roadway crossings and there must be an agreement by event sponsors to pay all costs associated with traffic control.
Two races, a 25K (15.5 miles) and 50K will take place May 16 on the Superior Hiking Trail, starting and finishing at Caribou Highlands Resort. The races were founded in 2003.
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