The Monroe County Board of Commissioners voted Thursday to accept a donated easement for a proposed multi-use trail and authorized related spending not to exceed $7,000.

A county staff member who spoke on the item described working with a local landowner, identified in the meeting as Travis, on donating the easement for the trail and said the property is scenic and borders a creek. Travis reportedly asked that the county consider marking the site’s former railroad platform with signage explaining the historic use.

The agenda listed the approval as relating to “Bledsoe Rigert Cooper James” for a multi-use trail and showed the expenditure charged to a GO bond fund with a not-to-exceed amount of $7,000. County staff said the expenditure would facilitate the transfer and easement processing required for the donation.

Commissioners praised the donation and discussed the historical context; no public comment was offered. The motion to accept the easement donation and authorize associated funding was approved on a 3-0 vote.

County staff said the easement will be used to expand the county’s trail network and that additional design and connection details will be handled by parks staff as the project progresses.