IVANHOE?- The Lincoln County Board amended the ban on ATVs in county parks at its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday on the recommendation of Daryl Schlapkohl, county parks supervisor.
At its last meeting on March 20 the board voted to ban ATVs in county parks because Schlapkohl told the commissioners there had been problems with people riding off the roads and trails, and riding while intoxicated.
On Tuesday Schlapkohl told commissioners an individual had threatened to sue for discrimination against golf carts.
Schlapkohl presented the board with an amended set of park regulations for the season for the board's approval.
Section 9. Permitted Vehicles, reads in part, "The following are specifically prohibited from park property. All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs, ATCs, or UTVs) whether licensed or unlicensed, golf carts, dirt bikes, and unlicensed mechanized scooters unless secured on a trailer or operated by Park of Law Enforcement Personnel. The provision shall not apply to bicycles which may be operated on park property during daylight hours."
Automobiles, trucks, camper RVs, campers boat trailers, and motorcycles are permitted on park property.
A copy of the regulations will be made available to all park guests throughout the season, which they must read and sign when registering.
Environmental Supervisor Robert Olsen informed the board the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources had approved a $35,000 one-year grant to treat Lake Benton for curly leaf pond weed. This year the county will treat 226 acres of the lake at Marshfield Cove on the east side.
The aquatic invasive species has been a nuisance in the past, choking off the surface of the lake with a thick mat of weed that prevents boating or fishing, and creates a foul odor when it washes on the shore and rots. Efforts to contain the weed in the past few years have succeeded in restoring the lake for recreational use, but the species is still established in the lake.
The board got some welcome news from Bruce Casey, a loss control consultant for the Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust, a joint-powers entity that pools resources to provide property, casualty, and worker's compensation coverage to member counties and organizations. According to Casey, MCIT was able to pay Lincoln County a $127,000 dividend from last year's year-end surplus funds.
County Emergency Manager Jeanna Sommers informed the board that with the severe storm season coming on, the National Weather Service will have storm spotter training for area fire departments at 7 p.m. April 19, in Southwest Minnesota State University's Charter Hall.