Temporary close of the Plank Trail? Difficult choices in difficult times

Should the Sheboygan County Board close the Old Plank Road Recreational Trail for the remainder of the year and maybe the next? That is not a question that is being raised at this time, but is one that will need to be discussed.

Parts of the trail are in need of repair to ensure the trail is safe for riders and walkers of all ages. But if you have read the papers, watched or listened to the news, you know we are in a recession and money is tight. Finding money for major trail repair or rebuilding is not a high priority item. Local and state governments have limited financial flexibility and Sheboygan County is no exception.

There is no question that parts of the trail are in need of extensive repair and resurfacing to ensure the safety of users. With the trail condition deteriorating, one never knows when or where the next pothole will occur. Trail safety must be a priority. Patching new and older problem areas has its limits and at some point is not a good financial option – we are likely at this critical point now.

What kinds of financial solutions are available? There is an effort underfoot to add a user fee for all people using this and other county properties in Sheboygan County, including trails, boat ramps and county parks. This would bring in enough dollars, but would add an additional layer of county government oversight and administrative costs. It is not a first choice for many (if not most) county residents.

Sheboygan County could join the majority of other Wisconsin counties and add a one-half cent sales tax to cover this and other rising county costs. That approach would capture dollars from tourists and other outside users of county services throughout the year. It would cover trail costs and likely allow Sheboygan County to lower property taxes for a year or two. But adding the sales tax during a deep recession is something that would be a difficult sell.

There are some county dollars set aside for trail improvement to be used for a match with state and/or federal dollars. But if used prior to getting a match, there would likely be a major loss of those state and federal dollars for trail resurfacing. The long-term result here would be to limit the ability to upgrade the overall trail itself. It is not a good option to follow.

Sheboygan County has a certain amount of available dollars set aside. That assures a good credit rating and is important when applying for needed long-term major project loans. Those dollars, along with a strong drop in interest on that money, have already been a declining resource over the last few years and are unlikely to be used for recreational trail improvement.

Donations from recreational users and industries whose employees use the trail are always an option. But with the amount of dollars needed and the difficulties employers are having in this recession, it would hard to raise large dollar amounts. Still, in any trail resurfacing, donations for the work to be done are always a good idea.

An outdoor recreation fee could be added to the Sheboygan County property tax. This would conflict with the county trying to lower property taxes (as has been done the last two years) or at least limit any increase (which is likely the case this year). While an interesting concept, in our anti-tax climate the idea would likely be dead on arrival.

Are there other options? Probably. But if we cannot move forward to assure the Old Plank Road Recreational Trail is physically safe for all users, a discussion might be appropriate about closing it down the remainder of this year and the next. That is an option few want, but one that may need to be on the table for discussion.