Forestry committee changes bough permit rate

By RICHARD JENKINS

rjenkins@yourdailyglobe.com

Hurley — As part of an effort to transition to online permit sales, the Iron County forestry and parks committee changed how much people will have to pay for a permit to harvest boughs on county land.

Prior to the decision, there were two permit prices — with county residents paying $100 for a permit and non-residents paying $150.

Iron County Forestry Administrator Eric Peterson said the transition to selling permits online would be simpler if the price was changed to a single price.

“It would make life easier for selling that stuff online if it was one rate, it would just be less work for somebody to having to do on computer programming,” Peterson said, adding an online system that recognizes what ZIP codes are within Iron County would have to be more complex than one that allows people to simply click a single form.

The county used to charge different rates for non-residents for a variety of things — such as using Saxon Harbor and the county park system — according to information presented at the meeting, but those have all been changed to a single fee over the years.

“This is the only thing that’s left that has resident, non-resident rates,” Peterson said.

The committee decided to split the difference between the two fees and set the single price at $125 for a permit.

Peterson said the department usually sells around 30 permits a year, with residents purchasing maybe 10 to 12 of those permits.

In other action, the committee:

—Authorized Peterson to advertise the county’s fall timber sale.

—Approved a draft of the county’s forest comprehensive land use plan.

—Approved the spill prevention, control and countermeasure plan for the Saxon Harbor marina.

—Authorized Peterson to get information on the possibility of selling firewood at Saxon Harbor.