The Itasca County Board meeting was held on Wednesday, Nov. 8

Hundreds of miles of Itasca County recreation trails are in jeopardy of opening after Dec. 1 this year unless various outdoor clubs in the area can land trail liability insurance in time.

Previously these clubs, around 15 or so, were covered under an umbrella policy by West Bend through the Northland Outdoor Recreation and Land Use Alliance (NORLUA). But NORLUA received notice recently from West Bend that they will no longer approve an umbrella trail liability policy that would cover the various outdoor recreation trail clubs in the area, forcing each club to find their own individual policy, which many would be unlikely to afford.

The change from a blanket umbrella policy to individual policies made them so expensive that most clubs would not be able to gather the funds in time, threatening not only the clubs' ability to recreate but Itasca County's tourism industry as well; an industry that brings around $78 million in revenue per year from all combinations of trail use.

The law requires trail liability coverage, and without it, private land-owners that have intersecting trails on their property would be liable for incidents or accidents that occurred on their property.

Representatives from NORLUA were present to explain the circumstances to the county board and possibly find a solution that would keep the trails open and avoid the economic hit as a result.

The quoted price from West Bend for the new policies was approximately $52,500 and the clubs received $12,500 previously in the fall, leaving them at least $40,000 short.

Itasca County Commissioner Terry Snyder (D2) proposed several options, none of which would use taxpayer dollars, to aid the clubs and avoid potentially millions of dollars in lost revenue.

Ultimately the board approved a ceiling amount of $50,000 for a grant to NORLUA to purchase the policies using $18,000 from the county's TED account, which is revenue from Timber Harvest meant to be allocated toward economic development; and their Environmental Trust Fund (ETF) account that is revenue from land sales that is intended to be reinvested in the community.

The board asserted that these accounts are not associated with taxes or levies.

"Get everyone insured please so we can open up our trails," said Itasca Board Chair Burl Ives.

The City of Nashwauk held a discussion at their last budget meeting to determine the viability of the Nashwauk ambulance services. There are nine EMS services in the area that provide emergency coverage across the entire county.

One of the primary concerns is that if Nashwauk were to cut their EMS services, the other area EMS services would have to absorb Nashwauk's territory.

EMS services in the state of Minnesota are not considered an essential service, making it especially difficult for rural areas to attract private companies, such as Meds-1, in Grand Rapids. Because EMS services are not an essential service, they do not receive any subsidies. Not from the state or federal government, meaning legislative change must take place to stabilize the EMS services in rural areas.

Greg Stoltz presented the proposal of a new zoning fee schedule that would take effect on Jan.1, of next year.

The new fee schedule will now coincide with the size and scope of a project, rather than a standard fee for all. The fee schedule in comparison to neighboring counties shows Itasca's schedule remains favorable. For example, a building permit that now costs $150 would be in the neighborhood of $300 in Aitkin and $250 in Crow Wing, among other counties with various fee schedules.

The approval was moved to the consent agenda for next week.

Dianne Larson gave a presentation to the board informing them about the benefits of a Local Housing Trust Fund (LHTF), if they were to consider opening one.

The fund would be set up by the local government, in this case Itasca County, and would be funded to assist the county in local housing needs. Larson explained these funds are in the county's control, can be funded from any source, and can only be used toward housing projects within the county.

The fund itself is flexible according to Larson and has potential to receive additional funding from state programs. With Itasca County's need for housing, this fund could be used for gap financing, attracting new development to the area, rehabilitation grants, loans, and other useful purposes related to housing.

The board members will review the information and consider their options at a future date.

The board will approve a lease agreement next week between the Itasca County Agricultural Association and Itasca County for the 2023 Lights in the Pines event at the Itasca County Fairgrounds.

A sub-committee of the Agricultural Department will create a drive-through Christmas light show on the footprint of the fairgrounds for multiple weeks that will include lights, 12 Days of Christmas, and Santa-Land for families to enjoy through Dec. 31.

The new attraction is not-for-profit. All net profit from the event will be held in an account to fund future improvements at the fairgrounds. A potential improvement could be a covered livestock arena for fairgoers.

To review all of the information presented at the Itasca County Board meeting on Nov. 8, the meeting can be viewed on ictv.cablecast.org