Beltrami County to place USDA wildlife-control agreement on consent agenda

Shane Foley, Beltrami County's director of natural-resources management, asked commissioners whether they had questions about a proposed agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's wildlife-control division and said he planned to place the document on the consent agenda at the next meeting.

Foley described the agreement as a standard landowner authorization that allows USDA personnel to obtain permits and perform depredation trapping (for timberwolf-livestock conflicts) or nuisance trapping (for beaver-related road impacts) on property where they have permission. Foley said county land is publicly owned and that USDA staff would contact county staff before operations; he did not expect "anything ominous" and said the county's role is essentially to grant land access.

Commissioner Wenger asked whether citizens would coordinate with the county or approach USDA directly; Foley said USDA would administer the work and would contact the county in coordination. Commissioner Carlson asked whether the county could be exposed to undesired actions; Foley said USDA would need proper permits and that, where necessary, USDA could perform work off county land if there were a dispute.

Foley said the agreement would probably be added to the consent agenda at the next regular meeting; no final action was taken at the work session.