Wadena County parks are set to undergo some impressive improvements to handle more capacity and more traffic as they continue to see a great deal of use.
The Wadena County board approved the following recommendations of the Wadena County Park Board, who are planning improvements in parks:
- Speed limit signs at all campground access points.
- Tree Farm Landing: New single stall outhouse in parking area, expansion of existing parking area, new double stall outhouse in existing lower campground; develop an upper campground to the north of existing campground including an access drive, new well and hand pump, new double stall outhouse, picnic tables and fire rings for about 10 new sites.
- Anderson’s Crossing: Metal hand railing along one side of new landing
- Frame’s landing: New landing with cement planking; CCC site memorialized including a monument or plaque explaining history of the camp.
- Little White Dog: New double stall outhouse
- Bullard’s Bluff: Access improvements
- Old Wadena: Stairway replacement from campground to landing.
Many of these projects were already approved in 2020, but actions were held off in part due to concerns over protests and demonstrations taking place in some of these parks in the northern part of the county. The work is to be completed using some of the $141,150 that are in the Park Reserve Fund. This fund includes monies from tax forfeit land sales.
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The board reviewed many of these needs on a park tour earlier in September. Commissioner Murlyn Kreklau said the projects were doable with the funds at hand and that they can make large improvements without too much expense. His concern was to avoid spending down the fund too much in one year.
“These parks are nice places, they are a real asset to the county,” Kreklau said.
In other actions, the board:
- Approved placing for sale a hydrostatic walk behind mower on MinnBid with a reserve price of $500. The Solid Waste department no longer uses it.
Concerning items up for bid in the county, commissioners questioned if they or their family members could bid on county property. The answer was unclear but the question was going to go before Wadena County Attorney Kyra Ladd, then a response shared at an upcoming meeting. A response was sought soon as there was potential interest in bidding during an upcoming tax forfeited land sale.
- Approved the reppointments of Dorothy Kennely and Trina Lind to the Park Board through October 2024.
- Authorized solid waste director to electronically sign the SCORE Agreement via Docusign. This document outlines how the county is given about $68,000 each year from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for its recycling program and how the county may use those funds to provide recycling opportunities. In 2020, the MPCA started requiring that each county sign a “SCORE Agreement” before payment is made. The only noticeable change is that last year’s agreement was for one year. This agreement is for five years. Commissioners heard that a large amount of this funding goes to cover the cost of hauling and repairing recycling bins from throughout the county.
