Sawyer County committee approves Seeley Forest Trail proposal 3-2; sends plan to county board

The Sawyer County Land, Water, and Forest Resources Committee voted 3-2 to approve the Seeley Forest Trail proposal and forward the project to the Sawyer County Board for final consideration.

Proponents told the committee the trail would create an easier, year‑round, multiuse corridor that serves older residents, casual outdoor participants and people with disabilities. The project team plans to upgrade roughly 4 miles of existing corridors, link the route to the Double O trailhead and maintain a dirt surface suitable for grooming in winter.

Project proponent Moe, who led the presentation to the committee, said, "This project is about expanding recreational access to a wider audience, including people with disabilities." Moe said parts of the route would be designed specifically for users with limited mobility and that the group already has funding to build the first phase.

Why it matters: Committee members and public speakers framed the debate as a balance between expanding public access and preserving existing uses of Sawyer County Forest lands. Supporters described community backing and grant awards; opponents raised safety, emergency response and forestry management concerns.

Supporters' case

Suzanne Mao, speaking from Seeley, told the committee the project has growing local support and several letters and grant awards. "This project has been the recipient of multiple community grants," Mao said, and she reported nearly 100 petition signatures and multiple supportive letters from local organizations and neighborhoods.

Carolyn Sentry, another supporter, said the trail would provide recreation options for aging residents and people with disabilities. "I support the Seeley Forest Trail proposal and ask for your approval for this much needed resource," Sentry said.

Michael Choate, a Hayward lodging owner, said the trail would help attract a different set of visitors and be usable year round. "I really see this as a benefit," Choate said, adding his company often fields guests looking for lower‑difficulty routes.

Opposition and concerns

Several speakers and forestry staff raised concerns about user conflicts, trail density and emergency response. John Mrotek, representing the Sawyer County Snowmobile ATV Alliance, warned about safety and poor phone coverage in parts of the Seeley Hills. "We have very poor phone coverage up there... how are we gonna be able to handle that?" Mrotek asked.

County forestry staff, identified in the meeting as Greg, detailed operational worries about timber sales, trail maintenance and staff capacity. Greg said existing contractors sometimes reduce bids near recreation corridors and that the office is "pretty strapped" for time to manage another organized trail program.

Greg also flagged a liability question around calling portions of the route "ADA accessible." "I don't think you can dabble in ADA requirements on a trail system," he said, cautoning that formal accessibility claims require satisfying technical standards.

Project design and mitigation

The proposal calls for reusing existing logging corridors and maintaining a 12‑foot corridor with an 8‑foot clear tread to support grooming equipment and year‑round use. The presenter said the design minimizes new clearing and that two new crossings of existing ATV/snowmobile routes are unavoidable given private property and topography.

To reduce crossing concerns, the project team proposed clearer signage and a seasonal change to stop signs on the Berkey trail, suggesting the removal of summer stop signs where appropriate so motorized users would not have to stop at additional crossings.

Committee action and next steps

After extended public comment and staff discussion, a committee member moved to approve the Seeley Forest Trail System and forward it to the county board. The motion passed by a 3‑2 vote. The committee recorded the action as a move to send the proposal to the full Sawyer County Board for consideration and potential final approval.

The project team told the committee they have funding available for construction; the presenter also said the emergency location system used on nearby trails would be extended to the new corridor to help responders find injured users.

The county board will receive the committee's recommendation; committee members said they expect legal review and further permitting steps (stormwater, final location) before construction could begin.