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REMER - Cass County officials are looking into two new or revised easements to cover the connecting recreational trail that runs through the former Ah-Gwah-Ching property where the county and DNR currently own abutting properties.

In the state legislation that enabled Cass to purchase most of the Ah-Gwah-Ching property near Walker from the state, there was a clause providing for county easements over Leech Lake shoreline land the state retained.

The state assigned management of that portion of their ownership to Minnesota DNR.

The clause provided the county with a view corridor (an area where the county could clear trees to give a view of Leech Lake from county property). It allowed for utility easements and an easement for the paved snowmobile and bicycling/roller blading trail connecting Paul Bunyan Trail to the city of Walker.

That easement clause had a Dec. 31, 2016, expiration date.

When the county sought to extend the easement with the DNR, the DNR asked instead for a whole new easement involving new property value estimates and several easement terms revisions.

The county board asked the county staff Tuesday to research options for seeking a permanent easement with the state, either through the DNR or through special legislation, since the Legislature set the original terms.

The second easement is one the county will offer over land it owns at Ah-Gwah-Ching for another portion of the Paul Bunyan-to-Walker trail. This portion extends from the DNR property toward Walker.

Under consideration is revising terms to make that easement perpetual, so that it would remain with the property should the county ever sell that portion of its holdings in the future. Currently, the agreement is between the county and Shingobee Township, the agency that will maintain the trail.

Second publication rights after Brainerd Dispatch.

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