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Vernon County committee approves resolutions to pursue two land acquisitions; project-loan agreement postponed
Summary
The Land and Water committee voted to approve resolutions allowing staff to apply for funding to acquire the Duck Egg and Avalanche properties, while discussion about a state project-loan memorandum of agreement that would raise the county's revenue-sharing requirement from 20% to 40% was postponed.
The Vernon County Land and Water Committee on a voice vote approved separate resolutions authorizing staff to apply for state funding to pursue acquisition of the Duck Egg property and the Avalanche property.
Committee members voted to move both resolutions forward after staff described the application process, appraisal timing and potential financial impacts of using state project-loan funding.
The resolutions authorize staff to apply for project loan funding that, if accepted, would require the county to dedicate a larger share of future timber-sale revenue to repay the state loan. Committee members said the change in the state's model would move the county from a 20% to a 40% share of timber-sale proceeds toward loan repayment for properties acquired with project loans; staff said the 40% share applies only if a project loan is actually used.
County forester and acquisitions lead Nick (staff member) told the committee the county's current loan balance from prior acquisitions is $893,000, and that the state expects a 40% repayment level under project loans. He said the county can still apply without committing to a project loan and that appraisals, township reviews and townships'involvement would occur if the county moves forward.
Tom Hawk, identified in the meeting as a public forest land specialist by staff during discussion, told the committee the Avalanche property might not score highly in the Knowles-Nelson ranking because only about 30 acres of woodland are present and the parcel is not adjacent to existing county forest boundaries, which affects ranking for the Wisconsin County Forest System.
Committee members discussed the county's 15-year forest plan and the "blocking boundary" that defines where the county can apply for county-forest status. Staff said the blocking boundary can be adjusted through the county board and that updating it would allow more parcels in-county to be considered for acquisition and enrollment.
When the project-loan memorandum of agreement (MOA) that would formalize a 40% repayment share was presented (agenda item 12), staff recommended taking no action this month. The committee agreed to postpone signing the MOA and to revisit it after appraisals and additional township input; no MOA was signed at the meeting.
The resolutions to apply for funding for the Duck Egg and Avalanche properties passed by voice vote; meeting minutes record the motions as carried. The meeting record does not specify individual roll-call votes or a numerical tally.
Staff noted possible next steps included obtaining appraisals, coordinating township reviews and, if pursuing a project loan, communicating terms with the state before final approval by the county board.
Outlook: Staff will pursue application steps and report back; the MOA and any decision to accept a project loan will return to the committee for action after appraisals and further information.
