A request by Sno-Eagles snowmobile club to take control of about four miles of current ATV/UTV trail south of Bauer's Dam allowing the Landover ATV/UTV club to obtain about 5.5 miles from the new Rummels Road bridge was on the agenda of the Vilas County Forestry, Land & Recreation committee recently. It was immediately tabled to the disappointment of a large number of members of both clubs present.
Supervisor Jay Verhulst requested the committee move to agenda item 5.b – Sno-Eagles request for ATV miles - and was supported by committee chairman Steven Doyen to take the item out of the agenda order. Verhulst then moved to table this item to November 5, which is the next regular committee meeting, and was adopted.
Many of those present for this agenda item rose and left the meeting room without being able to comment and without hearing any reason from committee members as to why this was being postponed, why an amended agenda was not noticed to remove it prior to the meeting date, and questioning outside the meeting room if this action was pre-planned by certain supervisors prior to the meeting.
Recreation administrator Dale Mayo received a letter from Sno-Eagles president Howard Wolf dated Sept. 22 requesting the exchange and a letter from the LandOver ATV/UTV Club president Roger '' Flaherty dated Sept. 25 opposed. (This would have allowed time to send an amended agenda removing the item.) Wolf indicated their board of directors unanimously voted at their Sept board meeting to “become a dual sports club” and if approved “will ensure trails will always be safe, sign compliant and well groomed for our guests to the Eagle River area.”
Flaherty indicated their club is “vehemently opposed the surrender of ANY trail and this “would create a very slippery slope and set a precedent that could have very unfavorable outcomes in the future.” Flaherty suggests this is a “conspiracy ” and could set a precendent for other snowmobile clubs to do the same, adding “this smells to high heaven.”
The issue is expected to be on the Nov. 5 committee agenda.
