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Lake County commissioners say no county-funded winter plowing yet; ask CJK Milling for specific plan
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Summary
Commissioners declined to approve broad county-funded winter plowing for CJK Milling without more information on frequency, cost and a mine-safety plan; staff will follow up and ask CJK for a project-level proposal and consider over-snow access or limited exceptions.
The Lake County Board discussed a request from CJK Milling for winter plowing and access to a road serving mine operations. Commissioners voiced safety concerns about plowing steep, drop-off-prone sections and said the county lacks enough information to adopt a blanket plowing obligation.
Commissioners and staff recounted past problems with snowmills, grooming and an incident where county equipment slid off a hillside. Staff reported they had asked CJK to prepare a mine-safety plan and to stage materials for maintenance during current low-snow windows, and said county search-and-rescue capacity for complex mine rescues is limited.
Panel members emphasized the key information the county needs before approving a maintenance agreement: how often CJK needs access in winter, whether maintenance can be achieved via over-snow equipment, a mine safety and rescue plan, and reasonable cost-sharing terms. One staff estimate cited about $600 per plow event but commissioners noted that total costs depend entirely on frequency and equipment needs.
Several commissioners favored asking CJK to submit a focused project proposal (requested timeline, number of accesses, equipment/staging needs and safety documentation) rather than granting a general plowing arrangement. County staff said they would follow up with CJK and consider limited exceptions or coordinated solutions to protect public-works resources and recreation access.
No formal motion or vote was taken at the meeting.
