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FOREST, PARKS, AND RECREATION COMMITTEE MEETING Douglas County Board of Supervisors Monday, August 31, 2026, 9:30 a.m., Forestry Headquarters 9182 East Hughes Avenue, Solon Springs, Wisconsin Meeting called to order by Chair Mark Liebaert. 1. ROLL CALL Present – Mark Liebaert, Joseph Moen, Dennis Cummings, Steve Long, Jacob Moss. Other – Jon Harris, Kevin Feind, Jim Latvala, Dan Corbin, Sarah Kendall, Dave Sletten, Bill Whiteside, Clint Meyer, Val Chammings, Clem Larson, Shelley Nelson (virtual), Lindsey Conley (committee clerk). 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion by Cummings, second Moen, to approve minutes from June 9, 2026, timber sale. Motion carried. 3. DEPARTMENT REPORTS The following departmental areas reported: Forest Management Operations, Parks and Recreation, and Fairgrounds and Speedway. 4. ACTION ITEMS/REFERRALS a. Fairgrounds and Speedway Property Expense Reimbursement Policy : Department requesting guidance for approving expense reimbursement requests from Fairgrounds and Speedway operators. ACTION: Motion by Liebaert, second Cummings, to approve Fairgrounds and Speedway Property Expense Reimbursement Policy with all maintenance/repair costs to be paid from the respective surcharge accounts and all operational costs to be paid from the Fairground annual budget account, granting Department staff the authority to approve all individual reimbursement requests up to $5,000, with any request above $5,000 to be considered by the Committee. Motion carried. b. Redesignate 2026 Capital Improvement Project Funding : $325,000 previously approved for Gordon Dam Repair Project with $75,000 in reserve. WDNR Municipal Dam Grant recently awarded to cover approximately 50% of total project costs. Additional WDNR recreation trail grants to be pursued. Request to redesignate any savings from the total $400,000 project budget towards the acquisition of a new crawler dozer (approved priority #2 project – 2026 Capital Project Requests). ACTION (REFERRAL): Motion by Moen, second Long, to approve the redesignation of 2026 Capital Improvement savings from the total $400,000 Gordon Dam Repair Project budget to the acquisition of a new crawler dozer and refer to Administration Committee. Motion carried unanimously. c. Town of Bennett Property Acquisition: 1. Property Acquisition: Property owner interested in selling approximately 40 -acre parcel in the town of Bennett to Douglas County. Requesting $20,000 to purchase the parcel with up to an additional $2,000 for closing costs and other related acquisition expenses for a total not to exceed $22,000. 2. Release of Capital Reserve Funding (Land Acquisition): See above. 3. Application for County Forest Law Entry: ACTION (REFERRAL/RESOLUTION): Motion by Cummings, second Moss, to approve purchase of approximate 40-acre parcel in the Town of Bennett, release of capital reserve funding (land acquisition) not to exceed $22,000, application for regular use County Forest Law Entry, and forward to Administration Committee and County Board. Motion carried unanimously. d. Town of Wascott Property Withdrawal and Exchange: 1. Withdrawal of Property: Maps distributed. Recent survey contracted by landowner identified 2 areas where the Department has been unknowingly encroaching on privately owned, adjacent property for many decades. Land exchange of the 2 privately owned parcels for a single parcel owned by the County of equal acreage recommended as preferred and best option for resolution. Entering additional County owned parcel acquired for County Forest purposes to be used as additional offset for loss of public benefit in withdrawal application. 2. Exchange of Property: See above. 3. Application for County Forest Law Entry: ACTION (RESOLUTION): Motion by Long, second Cummings, to approve the withdrawal and exchange of no less than an equal acreage parcels in the Town of Wascott; entering additional County owned parcel to further offset the loss of public benefit; County Forest Law Land Entry Applications, and forward to County Board. Motion carried unanimously. .. e. 2027 Budget 1. 2027 Budget Review : Included in packets. Harris reviewed the 2027 budget . Personnel increase, operating increase, reforestation budget increase, and slightly increased timber sale revenue and general fund transfer. 2. Non-profit Funding Requests: a. Northern Regional Trail Advisory Committee : Clem Larson - $500 request (letter enclosed). ACTION: Motion by Moen, second Cummings, to approve and include the 2027 funding request from Northern Regional Trail Advisory Committee for $500 in the 2027 proposed budget (organization and purpose of request meets non -profit funding request criteria). Motion carried. b. Tri-County Recreational Corridor Commission : Dan Corbin - $6,000 request (letter enclosed). ACTION: Motion by Long, second Cummings, to approve and include the 2027 funding request from Tri-County Recreational Corridor Commission for $6,000 in the 2027 proposed budget (organization and purpose of request meets non -profit funding request criteria); and consider the concept of turning over maintenance responsibility for the trail of the County in the future. Motion carried. c. Wisconsin Conservation Congress Delegates : Kevin Feind - $3,500 request (letter enclosed). ACTION: Motion by Moen, second Long, to approve and include the 202 7 funding request from Wisconsin Conservation Congress Delegates for $ 3,500 in the 2027 proposed budget (organization and purpose of request meets non -profit funding request criteria). Motion carried. ACTION (REFERRAL/RESOLUTION): Motion by Long, second Cummings, to approve all 2027 budget items as presented, including all approved non -profit funding requests, and refer to Administration Committee and County Board. Motion carried unanimously. 5. INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/CORRESPONDENCE/UPDATES/REPORTS: a. Forest Carbon Project Update (Anew Climate) : As of July 20, 2026 Douglas County carbon credits are officially on the open market and available for sale. b. 2027 County Forest Certification Audit Update: Surveillance audit completed August 4, 2026, in Douglas County. Bayfield, Ashland and Iron Counties also participated during the same week. Preliminary reports indicate clean audit with no corrective actions (major or minor), opportunities for improvement, or observations. The third consecutive year of a clean certification audit for the Wisconsin County Forest program. Department has received much positive feedback and recognition for audit efforts. Final reports forthcoming. c. WDNR FY2026 Time Standards Report : WDNR reported a goal of 4,228 hours for the fiscal year, with actual hours accomplished totaling 4,275.00 - equivalent to two full-time employees. 6. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS None. 7. ADJOURNMENT ACTION: Motion by Cummings, second Moen, to adjourn. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 11:02 a.m. Submitted by, Lindsey Conley, Committee Clerk