ATVs continue to draw residents to meetings

The subject of the proposed all-terrain vehicle trail isn't ending for Crow Wing County commissioners.

Residents spoke out again Tuesday during the open forum both for and against the proposed trail in the county's southern townships.

"The majority of the people in the southern portion of Crow Wing County do not want an ATV trail going through their rural community," said St. Mathias Township resident Mary Sather as she read from a prepared statement. "How many times do the people have to speak? How loud do we have to speak before you can hear us?"

Sather questioned the economic benefits of a trail and said the county board's energy could instead be put to helping people find employment.

"We don't owe anyone ATV trails," Sather said. "We owe our people jobs."

Roger Bentley, Crosby, with the Cuyuna Iron Range Riders and a trail ambassador, said recent surveys of ATV riders on the trails point to 12,000 ATVs registered in Crow Wing County and another 7,000 ATVs coming in from outside the area.

Bentley said the economic benefit is seen from ATVs at Brothers Motorsports in Baxter to businesses in Outing and Emily.

"If we get designated trails we can control the traffic and we can control people going on other people's property and maintain the trails," Bentley said, adding the roads and ditches do not belong to the property owners they belong to the public.

"The ATVs do bring money into the economy," Bentley said.

The DNR is currently reviewing the proposal for an ATV trail in the county's southern townships.

In other business, the board:

Will meet as the Board of Equalization beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday.

Established a public hearing at 9:30 a.m. June 22 at the county board meeting room to consider repealing the county's tattoo and body piercing ordinance on July 1 as licensing is regulated by the state.

A new state law as of May has the Minnesota Department of Health licensing tattoo artists as of July 1 and licensing establishments on Jan. 2.

The state law prohibits those younger than 18 from getting tattoos but piercings are allowed with parental consent.

Established a public hearing at 9:15 a.m. July 13 on the Big Pine Lake for a subordinate service district, which is not unlike a lake improvement district, except this one is designed to fund a dam. A stone dam, originally built in 1970 by the county and the DNR, has needed repeated repairs. The area at one point was a swamp before the dam was used to create a lake, which averages a depth of 6 to 8 feet. Without a working dam, the homeowners have faced low water conditions in 2008 that left watercraft like pontoons stranded on lifts for six weeks.

The Big Pine Lake Association met with the county regarding continued maintenance issues and presented a proposal to assess each property owner $100 per year for three years. After the three years, the assessment amount is up for review. Of 97 property owners, 68 signatures were secured for the petition to establish the district, amounting to 70 percent. By law, 10 percent of homestead property owners are required for the petition. Putting in a permanent dam is expected to cost about $250,000. Commissioner Paul Thiede said establishing a system to take care of what has been ongoing maintenance costs for the dam is beneficial for the county

Met in closed session for a performance appraisal of Community Services Director Susan Beck.

Approved spending from the recorder's office land-based unallocated funds, which must be used on land-based projects. The county plans to use $65,433 for a surveyor technician, $118,587 for the computer-aided mass appraisal system and $30,000 for a future land use map phase one, among other projects.

Approved a land acquisition of 12 acres for the Little Nokassippi River State Wildlife Management Area for water and wildlife conservation. Per policy, the DNR presents such purchases to county boards for review. The DNR had willing sellers and wanted to add the land to the wildlife management area. The land is on the river.

Approved the appointment of Unorganized Territory election judges at a rate of $12 per hour for head judges and $10 per hour for other judges. Authorized the establishment of an Absentee Ballot Board.

Auditor Deborah Erickson said a law change for 2010, which came after the Minnesota Senate race recall in 2008, was the reason for the change as absentee ballots were handled many different ways in the state.

Counties are now required to process absentee ballots as they come in and send a replacement ballot to voters whose ballots are rejected. The replacement ballot comes without an explanation as to why the ballot was rejected.

Between 10 and 20 judges are expected to be appointed to the board to have maximum flexibility to meet deadlines to have the ballots processed. As a plus, those ballots won't have to be processed at the polls on election night. Absentee ballots still have to be received by the 3 p.m. deadline on Election Day.

RENEE RICHARDSON may be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.