County board approved grant funds for area groups

Area organizations will be getting a boost for their projects thanks to grants from the county’s power line impact fee fund.

The power line grant program was set up with funds from annual environmental impact payments made to the county from the Arrowhead to Weston electric transmission line. The money is kept in a fund where area groups can request grants for projects in spring and fall of each year.

While the intent of the funds is for recreational and environmental projects, the county board has approved a wide range of projects over the years from replacing windows in the courthouse to trail improvements and roofs on senior centers around the county. Under county rules, the projects go before the county finance and personnel committee before going to the full county board where they must be approved by at least a two-thirds vote. At Wednesday’s county board session, supervisors reviewed the requests.

Simek Center Ice

Pete Thums, president of the Medford Area Youth Hockey Association presented a request for funds from the county for upgrades made to the refrigeration system at the Simek Recreation Center. This is the equipment used to make and keep ice at the hockey rink.

The group had asked for $40,000 from the county and at finance and personnel the recommendation was to give $15,000. The total project cost was $134,285. Thums made the case to the full board to give a larger amount noting that the group’s annual budget exceeds $200,000 just to keep the facility operating. He said this is supported through the families who participate in programs and through rentals of the facility in the off season.

“We are asking families to cover the entire cost of this community center,” Thums said.

Supervisor Rod Adams made a motion to increase the county’s contribution to $20,000. “It is a well-used building,” he said.

Supervisor Mike Bub agreed and seconded the motion. “I think people greatly underestimate the number of people who come to the community because of the Simek Center,” he said.

Supervisor Jim Gebauer asked if the city of Medford had contributed anything for the project. Thums said the city provides the organization with $5,000 a year to keep open ice for community skating.

“Take that $5,000 over the years it has been open and it is a pretty good chunk of change,” Bub said.

Supervisors voted to give $20,000 for the refrigeration project.

Boat landing

The boat landing on South Harper Lake needed to be replaced and the Harper Lake Association worked to remove it and install a new concrete pad. The total cost was $19,550 and received funding from the town of Rib Lake, Taylor County Sportsman’s Club, the Rib Lake Fish and Game Association.

Rollie Thums on behalf of the lake association had made the request for $5,050 with the finance and personnel committee recommending $5,000.

County board members voted to approve $5,000 with Thums abstaining from the vote.

Rib Lake Ski Trail

Due to a miscommunication between the county and Rib Lake Ski and Snowshoe Club, club members were not at the finance and personnel meeting where their grant was discussed. As a result, the committee had merged two requests totaling about $29,000 into a recommendation to give the club $5,000 to cover both project requests.

Club representative Gary Thums apologized for not being at the initial meeting. “We would have been there, but we weren’t informed of when the meeting would be.”

Gary Thums said the club purchased a 2011 Jeep Rubicon “rock crawler” at a cost of $25,000 and military grade mat tracks for an addition $23,000 to pull the groomer for the trail system. “We have a little over $45,000 in that project,” he said. The club had requested $25,000 from the county.

The ski trail system is well used with many area families using it as well as travelers from as far away as Minnesota. Thums said they have received praise for the system from other communities. “It is a hidden jewel of Taylor County,” said Rollie Thums.

The second request from the group was for $3,556.50 to upgrade signs on the trails pointing out parking, trail locations as well as community partners to direct people to other tourism destinations. “It will be a game changer for our ski system,” said Scot Bromann, saying they expect a larger usage as a result of the new signs.

Supervisor Lorie Floyd asked about the lifespan of the signs and was told the previous ones were in place for 15 years before needing to be changed due to a change in the ski route. She said the requested amount is a low investment for the time they will be used calling for the funding to the club to be increased to cover the full cost of the signs.

Zenner raised concern noting that the county typically covers only a portion of the cost of the project and has never covered the full cost, choosing for the groups to have skin in the projects.

Bub asked why the amounts were combined and set at $5,000. “Because nobody was here,” Zenner replied. “If you’re asking for money you should find out when the meeting is,” he said.

“I fully understand where you are coming from with that,” Gary Thums said.

In the end, supervisors approved awarding the club $8,556.50 to cover the sign cost and contribute to the grooming vehicle.

Northwoods Archery

Paul Carlson from the Northwoods Archers presented a request for $10,446.65 to help with the roof replacement for the clubhouse located on county-owned land on Pirus Road. He noted the existing shingles are shedding stone and need to be replaced with the plan to put on a steel roof. He said the group does all the maintenance and upkeep of the facility with it used by other organizations for such things as hunter safety courses.

At the finance committee, members had recommended giving $5,000 to the project. At the county board meeting, Rollie Thums asked if the group had approached the Sportman’s Club about contributing.

Carlson noted the Sportsman’s Club has been supportive of Northwoods Archers in the past giving $20,000 toward the construction of the building. He said they don’t like going back to the same people time and time again to ask for support and had looked to the power line because they have never asked for funds in the past.

Supervisors approved giving $5,000 to the project.