DNR grant for trail draws discussion

BAXTER - The Baxter City Council is mulling whether to apply for a DNR grant for a Mountain Ash trail that would complete a trail loop around Forestview Middle School.

It's not that council members are against the trail, it's what the required matching funds required by the grant would do to the city's park dedication fee.

Last year, the city received about $77,000, which it matched, for the Clearwater trail. At Tuesday's Baxter City Council meeting, Community Development Director Bill Deblon informed the council the Mountain Ash trail would cost about $234,200, which means the city would have to find $134,200 in a local match even if it received a grant.

City Administrator Gordon Heitke said $134,200 would use up about half the city's park dedication fund, and with slowing development the fund isn't growing.

Staff, therefore, left it to the council's discretion on whether the city should apply for the grant.

City Council member Todd Holman said it couldn't hurt the city to apply even if it later has to seek other funding options for the local match along with the park dedication fund or back away from the grant entirely.

Mayor Darrel Olson wondered if backing away from a grant that's been awarded would sit well with the DNR.

Resident John Sullivan questioned whether the city has asked the Brainerd School District if it would be willing to participate in the funding. The district has already dedicated the land for the trail.

To allow time for those questions to be answered, the council tabled action on the grant application until its March 16 meeting.

In other action, the council:

Met in a closed session to discuss Cypress Drive right-of-way acquisition.

Approved hiring Wenck Associates Inc. to complete a traffic study for Excelsior Road, Knollwood Drive and Inglewood Drive. The study will look at relocating stoplights from Knollwood Drive to Inglewood Drive, the potential extension of Elder Drive from Fairview Road to Excelsior Road and the potential extension of Fairview Road to Excelsior Road. The cost of the study is estimated to be $19,900.

Approved the Baxter Police Department entering into a grant agreement with the Department of Public Safety, Office of Traffic Safety for the Safe and Sober Communities project from Oct. 1, 2009-Sept. 30, 2012.

Approved the use of Southdale Park on May 2 for the MS Walk.

Approved the short-range plan for accessible playground equipment and other improvements for Whipple Beach Park and directed staff to prepare the process for fundraising for the equipment.

Adjourned to 5:30 p.m. on Monday for the continuation of a council workshop.

While meeting as the Baxter Economic Development Authority, approved a $22,325 contract with Brainerd Lakes Area Development Corp. for 2010, a 5 percent decrease from 2009 as proposed by BLADC.

MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.