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Murray County board backs letter urging state not to cut AIS prevention aid
Summary
County staff warned a governor’s proposal would cut Aquatic Invasive Species prevention aid roughly in half for Murray County (about $97,000 now). The board voted to sign a Wildlife Forever letter asking the state to maintain funding.
Jean Christoffels raised alarm that the governor’s proposed budget would halve Murray County’s Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) prevention aid, cutting roughly $97,000 in annual funding the county currently receives.
The board considered a request from Wildlife Forever to add Murray County as a signatory on a letter urging the state to preserve prior funding commitments. Christoffels said the cut ‘‘would be about a 50% reduction in what we would get for AIS funding’’ and described local uses that include outreach at boat launches, printed tear‑proof maps for county parks and promotional items handed out with fishing and boating licenses.
Commissioner (speaker 6) moved that the county support efforts to prevent the funding reduction; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.
The board discussed whether the cut would cause any local layoffs; Christoffels said the proposed reduction ‘‘would not’’ directly cause county positions to be lost, though she noted the county might shift to contracting—for example, hiring third‑party consultants to staff boat launches—if funding is reduced. She also noted the county AIS fund balance at the time of the meeting was $498,005.56 and listed planned spending on printed maps (roughly $12,000–$15,000).
The board took no further formal steps beyond approving support for the letter. The matter will remain subject to state budget action.
