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Clubs cover grooming costs as Ashland County trails face equipment and funding shortfalls
Summary
After a strong season with heavy trail use, county volunteers and clubs stepped in to cover grooming and fuel costs when department funds ran short; the report also noted donated equipment and proposed reroutes tied to Line 5 work.
Ashland County officials heard a long snowmobile and ATV report detailing heavy trail use, volunteer maintenance and an equipment gap that left grooming operations short of funds.
The presenter said the department recorded "over 1,140 hours of trail maintenance" across more than 207 miles and that clubs provided about "850 hours of grooming time by the five clubs." He described routes that include 12-hour grooming runs from Melon to Iron County and credited volunteer clubs and local contractors for clearing downed timber and maintaining trails.
The county’s grooming budget was depleted after extensive dirt work and equipment repairs, the presenter said; as a result, four clubs — Ash, Melon, Glenn and Clam Lake — agreed to cover fuel and other grooming costs from club fundraiser funds to keep the trail system open through the season. "The club said we'll pay for the fuel," the presenter said.
The report also described equipment donations and purchases that eased pressure on the fleet: a benefactor donated a new Tucker (listed value $285,000) and drag ($35,000) for use near Clam Lake, and the alliance acquired an articulating boom mower valued at about $18,000 for $7,000 to improve roadside trimming and reduce manual pole-saw work.
Committee members discussed longer-term needs: a missing recreation officer position, barriers to hiring in remote posts (housing and weekend work), and the potential value of an economic-impact study to quantify tourism dollars from strong snow seasons. The presenter urged pursuing grants and nonprofit status changes to increase funding eligibility; he said efforts to convert the alliance from a 501(c)(4) to a 501(c)(3) were underway to improve grant access.
Finally, presenters raised infrastructure concerns, including bridges and trail reroutes tied to proposed Line 5 construction; any reroute would require consent from multiple landowners and — in at least one case — a bridge to be inspected and installed to county standards. Committee members asked staff to keep working with utility representatives and landowners to minimize trail closures next season.
The committee did not take formal action on the report; members acknowledged the volunteer effort and asked staff to pursue grant and partnership opportunities ahead of next season.
