County Commissioners hear from DNR about Border-to-Border proposal in County again

By Karen Edelbach

The Clearwater County Commissioners heard from DNR personnel, Mary Straka, Karen Omphress, and Tim Williamson, who had a spot on the Board agenda of their April 10, 2018 meeting. They came to the meeting to investigate further possibilities for a trail route across Clearwater County in spite of opposition from the Townships and the County. 

The Commissioners wanted to know who of the elected officials promoted the feasibility of a Border-to-Border trail in Clearwater County. 

“What Representatives promoted this, and where did the bill come from for 'Session Law?'” asked Commissioner Neal Illies, which was echoed by other Commissioners. 

No one knew the answer to this question, but promised to look into it for the answer. 

“What are you going to do next,” asked Commissioner Dean Newland, “since the townships and the County turned it down?” 

“We will be pulling together all the information from the Counties, Townships, and the Listening Sessions held, and posting this on the website in April or May,” said Mary Straka, who has worked 30 years for DNR Parks and Recreation. “We'd like to work with you to figure out how to modify the route to connect between Polk and Beltrami Counties (across Clearwater County) to put into ordinances to get across the state.”

The presentation and discussion left Commissioners wondering what will be happening in the future. Several members of the community were present. 

Commissioner Dan Stenseng did some math about the 4000 member 4-Wheel Drive Association that could be using the route, and the indication made that “85% of the members are responsible and do no damage”. 

“That means if 2000 vehicles are on the little used minimum maintenance roads, that leaves 600 who are not responsible, and the damage they can do with no one to help to clean it up,” he said. 

“Those who use high performance vehicles and go out in the mud do more damage,” added Commissioner Neal Illies.

Concerns about potential harm to the routes desired to be used were met with  statements about funding being pursued to clean up the damage. It was stated that they are able to grab and confiscate equipment for violations; and impose stronger penalties if needed.

“You need local road authorization and approval to have a designated route with signage (from MnDOT if Highway 2 is used),” said County Engineer, Dan Sauvé. 

Suggestions by the County Engineer to go north of Red Lake Reservation (a dirt road), or south to U.S. Highway 2 seemed to get no acknowledgment of an adequate possibility for the DNR requests for a route, and were considered too distant from the other route.  “No one knew the route until recently,” Commissioner Illies stated. 

Susan Sunderland, who is an avid opponent of the trail from Bagley, and lifelong resident of Clearwater County said there was no information initially. Others in the community felt a lack of respect shown to the Townships by not having appropriate communication with them. 

Tim Williamson from the DNR Parks and Trails in Bemidji disagreed with their assessment that there was no information. Ms. Straka pointed out that the information was provided to the Township Association, or townships that would be impacted. 

“Protocols for communication are listed at the DNR website,” said Karen Omphress, seeming to indicate this to be satisfactory “notification”. 

Ms. Straka presented the argument again regarding the purpose of touring routes, and the pleasant experience hoped for by those following signed routes on rustic roads traveling through rural Minnesota.  

They spent considerable time rehearsing the initial feasibility for this, beginning in July of 2016, and the progress for funding from the Minnesota 4-Wheel Drive Association; lobbying; putting funding into place; letters sent in 2017 across the state to inform of the proposed route; and state-wide news release that went out in January of 2018 about the Listening Sessions. 

“We need a proposal for a signed, mapped route with provision for maintenance before it can have an environmental review. Then we would come back in June to provide information from what we are doing today.” 

“The proposition for using the route is during the time when weight restrictions are lifted into the fall,” said Ms. Straka. “We would be marketing a route for visitors we hope to bring here.” It was pointed out that it is a route already open, but not signed.

All Commissioners were present at the meeting: Daniel Stenseng, Dean Newland, John Nelson, Neal Illies and Arlen Syverson.