The Rice County Board of Commissioners last Tuesday voted 3-2 to keep its policy of no longer paying for bike trail and sidewalk work on county roadway construction projects in the county’s two largest communities.
For several weeks commissioners Jeff Docken and Galen Malecha had expressed support in changing the policy to a case-by-case basis in deciding if a project warranted county dollars.
Before last year’s policy change, the county covered 55 percent of the costs for cities with a population more than 5,000.
During discussion Tuesday, Malecha said he was concerned other commissioners may feel, should they have approved the revised policy, they would be obligated to fund money for capital improvement projects that have sidewalks and bike paths tied in.
“I hope there’s no misconception there,” he said.
Commissioners Jake Gillen and Milt Plaisance were adamant that now was not the time to reconsider the policy.
“This is a time when funds are not there,” Plaisance said. “Every county in this state is in dire need of road funds and to use them for sidewalks and bike paths out of transportation funding is ridiculous.”
Last August, the board voted 4-1 to remove the county from financial obligation to joint capital improvement projects that involved creating or repairing sidewalks or bike paths.
By reverting the policy back to a case-by-case and showing support of sidewalks and bike paths, Docken said he believed it would open up opportunities for federal grants to filter down for transportation. At worst, he said, the county would have a policy for which it wouldn’t be obligated to provide funding.
“If the funds aren’t there, we obviously can’t fund (sidewalks and bike trails) in any way, shape or form,” he said.
Commissioner Steve Bauer sided with Gillen and Plaisance, striking down a revised policy.
Bill Ostrem, chair for the Northfield Area Task Force on Nonmotorized Transportation, has been a supporter of a revised policy since Malecha brought it back to the board In March.
“I’m disappointed with the vote,” he said. “What’s missing is the sense that transportation involves multiple modes. If we don’t have a full picture, we’re not serving all the residents of the county.”
Faribault Parks and Recreation Director Paul Peanasky, who had expressed his support of a revised policy from not only a recreational standpoint, said he too had hoped for a different result.
“I’m extremely disappointed,” he said. “It’s a form of transportation for people. That’s what they are using to get from point A to point B and they need to have a good transportation route as well.”
Gillen said he understood the dissenting votes, but said now was not the time. He said in a few years if the financial state of the county looks better, then it would be appropriate to reconsider the policy.
“We’ll keep an eye on the funding situation,” Ostrem said about future lobbying.
— Staff writer Corey Butler Jr. may be reached at 333-3135.
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