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By Ivan Raconteur
Staff Writer
WRIGHT COUNTY, MN – Only two of Wright County’s 29 parks are open to equestrian use, and a move to close one of those to horses met with strong opposition from two county commissioners.
Parks Administrator Marc Mattice presented recommendations from the Sept. 8 parks commission meeting during Tuesday’s board meeting.
These include a request to authorize equestrian use of trails at Robert Ney Park east of Endicott Avenue, and a request to close the north and south units of Stanley Eddy Park, and to establish equine trails in the “Alma unit” of Stanley Eddy Park, with a goal of having these established by fall 2012.
Mattice said the north and south units of Stanley Eddy Park were opened for horse traffic in November 2003 “for a period of five years or until the Ney Park trail expansion is usable for horse traffic.”
That period is nearly over, which is why the parks commission reviewed the situation, Mattice said.
“Don’t horse owners pay taxes in this county?” Commissioner Jack Russek said in response to the recommendation to close Stanley Eddy Park to horses. “I have a problem with this. I don’t own a horse myself.”
“I don’t know why you would close trails that are already there, and spend money to open other trails,” Commissioner Karla Heeter said.
In response to questions from Heeter, Mattice said there are 29 county-operated facilities (parks) and two of those are open to horses.
“It’s just not fair,” Heeter said. “As much as I would like to support our parks commission, I absolutely cannot support this.”
Commissioner Dick Mattson said the family that donated the park to the county was concerned about horse traffic. Mattson described a time when his daughter visited a park, saying “The trail was all beat up from horse traffic, and there was horse manure all over. She will never go back. I just can’t see the mix of people and horses.”
“That’s probably why horses are only allowed in two of 29 parks. People can walk in the other 27,” Heeter replied.
After asking Mattice how long the planning commission discussed the issue before making its recommendation, Commissioner Pat Sawatzke expressed support for the recommendation.
“I assume there aren’t six people on the parks commission who hate horses,” Sawatzke commented.
Heeter said there can be strong personalities on a board that can influence decisions.
The board approved the recommendation on a 3-2 vote, with Mattson, Sawatzke and Board Chair Elmer Eichelberg in favor, and Heeter and Russek opposed.
“I encourage people to contact their commissioners and park board members and let them know how they feel,” Heeter said in response to the decision.
Odds and ends
In other business, the board:
• set a closed meeting Tuesday, Oct. 7 at 10:30 a.m. to discuss litigation with Corinna Township. Assistant County Attorney Tom Zins said the county received a summons Sept. 19, and said the township wants the court to rule that the township has exclusive building permit authority.
• approved a $33,000 quote from DGS Classic Cleaning for final cleaning of the jail/law enforcement center.
• set a closed meeting Tuesday, Oct. 7 at 8:30 a.m. to discuss the potential purchase of property adjacent to the fairgrounds.
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