Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission authorizes rail‑trail switchback work, discusses ranger officer and condemnation risks
Summary
Harrison County commissioners authorized attorneys and staff to pursue negotiations and engineering recommendations for a northern rail-trail switchback and discussed a proposed rail-trail ranger ordinance and position; United International has raised property-retention concerns that could prompt condemnation negotiations.
The Harrison County Commission on March 18 authorized staff and counsel to pursue final engineering and legal work for a northern rail‑trail switchback and discussed a proposed rail‑trail ranger role and accompanying ordinance.
Staff described United International’s request to preserve part of the old rail right-of-way near the county’s power plant and recommended a switchback alignment that would extend the trail northward while avoiding prolonged condemnation litigation. “United International wants to keep the old rail section because they believe that it may at some point be reactivated around the power plant,” a county staff attorney summarized during the briefing, and staff recommended negotiating terms that could include a trailhead on adjacent parcels.
Commissioners directed staff to continue negotiations with the company’s attorney, authorized county counsel and the county engineer to finalize recommendations, and approved the attorney’s and engineer’s recommendations for the switchback by voice vote.
Separately, staff presented a three-component draft for a rail‑trail ranger: a job description, an enforcement ordinance and a pro‑forma budget. Staff said the ordinance would define the ranger’s enforcement authority and that the job would not include arrest powers; enforcement would rely on a citation/complaint process. Commissioners asked for clearer enforcement regions and reporting lines and asked staff to return with a revised ordinance and budget for consideration at an upcoming meeting.
No formal condemnation action was approved at the meeting; the board’s action authorized negotiation and engineering to proceed so the county could move forward without unnecessary litigation where possible. Staff emphasized the county’s interest in avoiding protracted condemnation while securing a viable trail corridor.
The commission carried the switchback authorization by voice vote and asked staff to bring a more detailed ordinance and enforcement map back for review.
