ATV group seeks county fiscal-agent role for $200,000 trail grant; board asks for application review before final approval

Tom Doherty, speaking for a local ATV club and the joint powers board working on the Blue Ox/ATV trail, asked the Koochiching County Board on Jan. 28 to act as fiscal agent for a $200,000 FRTP grant application. The grant would fund a roughly four-mile trail segment that would connect from Ray toward Ericsburg and Rogers Corner, helping extend the regional trail network.

Doherty told commissioners the steering and joint powers groups have been meeting and that an engineering firm (SEH) is assisting with the application. He said a preliminary application is due Feb. 7 and the complete application is due Feb. 28. He asked whether the county could serve as fiscal agent for the application and, if so, whether the board would consider the application on Feb. 11 pending submission of the preliminary materials.

County staff and commissioners discussed two practical points: (1) the DNR can perform draft review of an application without a board resolution, and (2) if the county serves as fiscal agent it would need to front eligible costs and seek reimbursement later; staff noted reimbursement typically requires costs to be incurred and paid before claiming reimbursement. Commissioners suggested the county already has standing fiscal-agent arrangements with other local groups and could consider a similar agreement.

The board did not approve the grant application at the Jan. 28 meeting; staff and the ATV group agreed to submit draft materials for staff review and to return the completed application and a proposed fiscal-agent agreement for board action on Feb. 11.

Ending: The club and engineering team will submit the draft application to county staff for packet inclusion ahead of the Feb. 11 board meeting; if the county agrees to act as fiscal agent, the board will vote on a resolution at that meeting.