County seeks access to state, county trails in Chickamaw Bay

PINE RIVER -- The Cass County Board authorized Land Commissioner Norm Moody Tuesday to work with the city of Chickamaw Beach to buy a land parcel in that city.

That parcel will give the county access to state and county land and connect recreational trails.

The parcel lies northwest of Norway Lake and east of the Pine River.

The board approved permitting Blackwater Lake Association to anchor a floating bog to county-owned shoreline on that lake. Moody said the state permitted cutting a channel between the bog and shore on that lake in the 1970s. Recently, the bog floated free from the lake bottom and is free to float around the lake now.

Approval for connecting the bog to county land is contingent upon the county being held harmless for any liability if the bog should break free again in the future.

The commissioners approved resolutions enabling the county to exchange land parcels with Benjamin and Leanne Pollock, public land in Deerfield Township for private land in Bull Moose Township; Carvin and Deborah Buzzell Sr., public land in Shingobee Township for private land in Shingobee and Powers Townships; and Potlatch, public land in Trelipe Township for private land in Ansel Township.

Because land exchanges between the county and private individuals require state and township as well as county approval, the process from application through approval can take from one to five years, the land commissioner said.

Moody reported Rainforest Alliance SmartWood Program foresters and socio-economists will visit the county in July to review the county's forest management practices to determine whether they will continue to certify the county as managing a sustainable forest. Cass has been certified since 2000.

SmartWood will receive public comment on the county's forest management practices until Sept. 30 and reach a certification determination by Oct. 14.

The board authorized Moody to purchase two all-terrain vehicles for land department staff use from the lowest responsible quote/bid or the state contract, whichever is less.