Forestry committee continues motorcycle ban on ATV trails

By RICHARD JENKINS

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Hurley — Iron County will continue to prohibit motorcycles on all-terrain vehicle trails in the county.

The Iron County Forestry and Parks Committee agreed Tuesday to keep the ban in place, at least until the state devises a way to provide additional revenue for trail upkeep.

“The reason this has come about is the state has recently passed a new law that is going to allow motorcycle use on ATV trails,” County Forest Administrator Eric Peterson said. “The state has approved ... the formation of a council, similar to the (off-road vehicle) council and snowmobile council, to oversee motorcycle trail development, trail use. It’s a funding process.”

While the state has moved to give counties the option of allowing motorcycles on the trails, Peterson said there isn’t any additional funding at this point to pay for the added trail maintenance.

“Well here’s the kicker — by law they’re allowing them, there is no funding ... right now,” he said.

The additional users created by allowing motorcycles mean more maintenance to keep the trails in useable condition — maintenance that is funded by trail users.

“My recommendation would be to not change our policy of, ‘No motorcycles on our trail system,’ until that funding system is in place,” Peterson said.

The law that would allow all off-road motorcycles takes effect Oct.1, according to Peterson. He said it could take a couple years for the funding issue to be settled, given the state legislature passed a multi-year budget last year.

In other action:

—Supervisor Thomas Thompson, Mercer, was re-elected committee chair. Supervisor Bill Thomas, Gile, was elected vice chair.

—The committee discussed imposing a fee on towns for using the county’s gravel pits, with the money going toward the discovery and development of future pits.

—The committee voted to extend 29 timber sales, with four being charged a 5 percent increase in stumpage fees. Peterson told the Daily Globe following the meeting the other 24 sales have either pre-paid or cut over 50 percent of their timber, which is why the fees weren’t increased for them.

—The committee recommended the county board’s finance committee approve the job description and wage increase for office manager/trail coordinator position at the finance committee’s Thursday meeting.