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Board approves timber contract, trail plan and airport fuel-facility bid in unanimous votes
Summary
The Muskegon County Board approved a timber sale contract at the fairgrounds, authorized a mountain-bike trail agreement at Pioneer County Park, accepted a $2.43 million bid for an airport fuel facility (with a local match of about $120,000), and approved routine committee items including a veterans services grant authorization and a HealthWest reappointment.
The Muskegon County Board of Commissioners approved several contract and budget items during its meeting, including a timber sale to harvest dead and declining red pines at the county fairgrounds, a partnership allowing a mountain-biking association to design and maintain trails at Pioneer County Park, and acceptance of a low bid to construct an aviation fuel facility at the Muskegon County Airport.
Timber sale: The board approved a motion to contract with Habitat Management of Michigan to harvest red pines identified as dead or dying at the Muskegon County Fairgrounds. Public Works Director Wade Vanden Bosch said dead trees can fall and create a safety hazard and noted the timber has commercial value that offsets removal costs. A roll call recorded seven "yes" votes and the motion passed.
Pioneer Park mountain-biking trail: Commissioners approved a proposal from the Michigan's Edge Mountain Biking Association (MEMBA) to design, fundraise for, permit, construct and maintain natural-surface trails on a roughly 30-acre county parcel east of Scenic Drive. Bob Lukens, community development director, said MEMBA would raise funds and the county would retain property ownership; the board approved the agreement on a voice vote.
Airport fuel facility bid: The board accepted the low bid from Carbon6 Construction Inc. for $2,432,545 to build an aviation fuel facility at the Muskegon County Airport and authorized the chair to sign contracts subject to corporate counsel review. Airport Director Ken Effeen explained the funding structure: the federal grant covers the majority of the project, a small state match is included and the local contribution will be about $120,000. The bid acceptance passed on roll call with all commissioners voting yes.
Other routine actions: The board approved a revision to the FY2026 capital-improvement budget that maintained the previously approved $130,000 local allocation while redistributing funds among priorities; authorized county veterans-affairs staff to apply for a FY2027 State of Michigan County Veterans Service Fund grant; and reappointed Cheryl Neddy to the HealthWest board for a three-year consumer representative term. Several commissioners asked for clearer documentation of appointment processes for future votes.
All motions described above were moved, seconded and carried during the meeting floor; when roll calls were taken those recorded were unanimous 'yes' votes.
