Polk County reports $192,561 in timber revenue; towns to receive $57,768 in county-forest distributions

Polk County forest staff reported fiscal-year timber receipts and the related distributions to towns at the Environmental Services Committee meeting.

Brett, the county forest staff presenter, told the committee that calendar-year 2024 gross stumpage (timber-sale) revenue totaled $192,561.33. Under the county’s practice — which exceeds the minimum required by state statute — 30% of timber-sale gross receipts are distributed to towns containing county-forest-law land. Brett said this year’s town distributions totalled approximately $57,768.40 and that checks had already been written for the payments.

Brett also told the committee that the county currently has about $303,851.11 of stumpage remaining on contract or on the books and that staff expects to offer six timber sales for bid in spring (March–May, weather dependent) covering roughly 383 acres. He noted the county’s long-term revenue history: over 2015–2024 Polk County distributed more than $600,000 to towns from county-forest timber revenues, and the county’s revenue stream is recovering after earlier market disruptions.

Brett gave an acquisition update: the county closed on a 40-acre Ice Age Trail Alliance property in the town of Lorraine and expects Knowles–Nelson grant reimbursement of roughly $37,000 on a $55,000 purchase; the project was funded temporarily by a project loan that will be repaid from future timber receipts.

Committee members asked about timing of enrollments in County Forest Law and whether the county needed a resolution; Brett said his read of grant and DNR requirements is that enrollment requires signatures and routine administrative steps rather than a full board resolution.

The committee did not vote on new appropriations at the meeting; Brett will return in February with timber-sale maps, sale schedules and proposed county-forest-law enrollments for committee action.