Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By RICHARD JENKINS
Hurley — Given the increased number of requests for these services, the Iron County forestry committee Tuesday approved creating a number of administrative fees for some work done by the forestry department.
“These fees would basically cover my time putting (the paperwork) together and any other administrative fees we have,” said Forestry and Parks Administrator Eric Peterson.
Several committee members also pointed out the time spent on the paperwork is time Peterson can’t be dealing with other issues and projects and the fees can serve as some compensation to the county. The fees may also deter unnecessary requests.
The approved fee schedule will have people pay $250 for road use permits and land access agreements. They will also have to pay $1,000 for applications to withdraw land from the county forest.
The fees are non-refundable, according to Peterson, regardless of whether the approval is granted by the state Department of Natural Resources.
“Withdrawals are formally approved by the DNR, they are out of our control. So all the work gets done and we wait on their decision,” Peterson said.
Even if the DNR decided to reject the application, the approved policy states the department will keep the fee.
If the county plans to retain ownership of the land taken out of the county forest, an additional $1,000/acre fee would be charged and the money would go into Iron County’s land acquisition fund.
“That way we’re meeting the statutory requirements of replacing that land,” Peterson said. “We don’t have to actually go out and buy land, ... we put it in a fund that is dedicated for that.”
If the property being taken out of the county forest is intended to be sold, the purchase price will go into the acquisition.
