Frustration was palpable during last Tuesday’s Eagle River City Council meeting after discussion of the River Trail project dominated approximately an hour of the nearly 2.5-hour meeting.
The topic was on the agenda to discuss creating a resolution of support for the trail project, similar to the one the Town of Cloverland recently inked. But after more than five years of talking about the trail, city aldermen and -women, River Trail project representatives, and others involved in the process have dug their heels in either staunchly in support of the project, or against.
Most of the information brought forth during the Sept. 9 meeting has already been talked about previously. In reference to that fact, Alderman Dan Dumas said he was “sick of spinning tires on this.”
Speaking in support of the trail were Alderman Vic Walshalesky, who kicked off the discussion saying he was “100% in favor” of signing a support resolution.
Alderman Jerry Burkett launched his ongoing concerns with the project — including the safety issues of the proposed trail option that comes down Highway 17/70 into Eagle River and maintenance costs the city would be responsible for — and said that no further action should be taken on the subject until a meeting was set with officials from the town of Lincoln.
“I still don’t think it’s safe,” Burkett added. “I think it should go north.” (Another trail option that has been presented includes a route that bypasses the city of Eagle River, and instead directs bicyclists to Sunset Road and out to County Highway G.)
To date, Lincoln officials have not expressed interest in joining the River Trail Commission, composed of St. Germain, Town of Cloverland and City of Eagle River. The trail route using Highway 17/70 would have to cross town and private property in Cloverland, Lincoln and the city of Eagle River.
Burkett also asked that the opinions of the 22 landowners who would need to sign land-use agreements for the trail to cross their properties be brought into the mix.
Laura VanValkenburg, president of Great Headwaters Trails Foundation, told the council the group is close to finalizing a letter to send to the property owners and expects to send it out in the next couple weeks.
Jim Swenson, River Trail Commission chairman, spoke on how beneficial it could be to bring the trail further east into Eagle River, and how the towns “from Mercer all the way to St. Germain” that already host portions of Heart of Vilas have seen great benefits for all types of trail users because of their involvement.
“The benefits for the municipalities, the businesses, the health aspects for everyone, it’s tremendous. And it’s only increased in the six to seven years I’m talking since the commission has been formed,” Swenson said.
Karen Margelofsky, executive director of Eagle River Revitalization Program (ERRP), went on record saying that even if safety is a concern using the Highway 17/70 route, it’s still much safer than what’s there now.
“There isn’t anything, and right now people are still using it,” she said. “I keep hearing ‘the safety’ (issues), but right now they are on the road biking, with kids, with adults. By doing nothing and saying ‘it’s not safe’ (the proposed trail route), you’re putting the bikers in the biggest risk, the walkers, because you’re saying ‘hey just walk on the highway.’ We’re just trying to direct them to a safer path.”
Dumas said that he supports the concept, but maybe not the route, adding, “I find it hard to swallow that we are not connected to one of the most beautiful trails in America.”
Ultimately the council decided to set up a meeting later this fall with supervisors from Lincoln in order to discuss their involvement with the project.
Burkett indicated he would like those 22 landowners to also be invited to the informational meeting with Lincoln supervisors in order to gauge their support of the project. No date for that meeting was set.
In addition to the lengthy River Trail discussion, the council also received an update on the city’s audit process from Clifton Larsen Allen CPA’s Scott Sternhagen.
“The audit went really well this year,” he said, adding that the Eagle River Light and Water Utility audit also went smoothly. Sternhagen gave the city a clean audit opinion, which he described as the “highest honor you can get.”
MSA submitted a change order for the Silver Lake Road Project totaling $52,936. The spokesman for the company said that order included a number of small projects around the city and was not all relating to the construction project on Silver Lake Road. He further noted the reconstruction of the road was going well.
On the agenda was discussion of the possible conversion of the Sheridan/Silver Lake Road intersection into a three-way stop sign, which died for lack of motion after council members agreed it was not necessary. While they agreed the addition of a stop sign was not necessary, Police Chief Chris Dobbs said that additional speed enforcement was needed on that street.
The council voted to amend the code of Ordinance #599 to create a new section entitled “City of Eagle River Yard Waste Disposal Facility” in the hopes of enhancing the enforcement capabilities of the police department when people dump things illegally at the site.
“We have very little teeth in our ability to cite people who misuse the facility,” Ginner said, noting they’ve experienced a number of scenarios where people dump non-brush items, including a recent one involving cement blocks.
She added that there is a trail cam in place that captures license plates currently, which makes identification easier for Eagle River Police Department.
Kathy Linville, municipal sales manager for Republic Services gave a brief presentation of recent updates at the recycling and trash facility. Linville said the facility employs more than 50 local people and provides great benefits to its workers and their families.
Republic Services also is “deeply committed” to nonprofit organizations in the area, offering 100% of its trash services to a number of community events, including many of the larger gatherings put on by Eagle River Chamber of Commerce, as well as Sausage Fest and Phelps Scarecrow Fest. Bleachers also were donated to the local pickleball group.
Linville said the company has put $1.5 million in updates to the facility here, including an optical sorter that was installed in July. “It can read the type of plastic and sort it properly with a 95-plus percent accuracy rate,” she said.
She also highlighted a new polymer center built in Indianapolis, Ind., built this year that is the first of its kind in the nation. The polymer center takes mixed plastics and turns them into recyclable pellets that are used to make sustainable packaging.
“We process and send out between 110 and 140 tons of recyclables per day,” Linville said of the company.
• Mayor Deb Brown said the Eagle River Golf Course brought in $78,000 over last year, but no full report was given as both golf course employees slated to speak were absent (excused) from the meeting.
•A conditional use permit was granted to Jen Tucci to install a drive-thru at 708 E Wall St.
•Tappy Rentals, LLC - TNT Nutrition was granted a conditional use permit for an electronic sign protruding from the exterior of the building, assuming they adhere to the city’s messaging rules.
•Zoning regulations relating to a minimum lot size for an originally platted residential and office-residential development were amended to allow construction on 50-foot lots, following the recommendation of the Planning Committee.
•The city okayed temporary signage and more for the annual Live Nativity put on each December by Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church.
The next meeting will be held Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 6 p.m. Meetings take place the second Tuesday of the month at Eagle River City Hall.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here