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Morrison County awarded $150,000 federal trails sub‑award to repair 33 miles of Soo Line Trail
Summary
The Minnesota DNR and Morrison County formalized a $150,000 Federal Recreational Trails Program sub‑award to repair and maintain the Soo Line Trail; the project requires a $50,000 local match, covers about 33 miles with gravel maintenance on roughly 20 miles, and obligates the Association to operate and maintain improvements.
The State of Minnesota, through the Department of Natural Resources, approved a Federal Recreational Trails Program (FRTP) sub‑award obligating $150,000 for Morrison County’s Soo Line Trail Surface Maintenance project (Project #0026‑25‑3A). Morrison County will act as fiscal agent; the Eastern Morrison County 4‑Wheeler Club is the sub‑award recipient and is responsible for providing a $50,000 match and covering construction costs that exceed federal funds.
Exhibit B describes project scope and cost estimates: approximately 33 miles of trail are included in the project, with 3–4 inches of gravel placed and graded to a 10‑plus foot width for roughly 20 miles. The exhibit estimates about 650 yards of gravel per mile at $15 per yard in place and lists a total project cost of $200,000.
Key grant terms require Morrison County and any subrecipients to comply with federal grant rules, including Davis‑Bacon prevailing‑wage requirements where applicable, Buy America and Build America, Buy America Act provisions, procurement rules, single‑audit requirements, reporting, monitoring, and retained records for state and federal audits. The county must submit progress reports, invoice documentation for reimbursement, and maintain a conflict‑of‑interest policy. The DNR will monitor the grant and may suspend or terminate Authorized Court Data Services (note: different program) if compliance fails.
The County’s public‑works representatives for the project are named in the contract; Drew Hatzenbihler is the Grantee’s environmental/recreation manager and Tony Hennen the authorized fiscal agent. The Eastern Morrison County 4‑Wheeler Club contact is listed as Kurt Brixius. The county is the fiscal agent and will administer payments and ensure project milestones and federal grant conditions are met.
The sub‑award requires the Association to maintain and operate improvements for the useful life of the project and to avoid changing use or ownership without County approval. The federal award obligates the County to respect environmental and invasive‑species prevention measures and certain accessibility (ADA) and nondiscrimination requirements.
