Koochiching County is planning to move forward on its proposed plan to reroute the northern entrance of Highway 332 after a dispute resolutions board found in favor of the county Friday.
County Highway Engineer Doug Grindall told the Koochiching County Board Tuesday that the next step in the project is to write the federal environmental documents required and to start the design of the road to be reconstructed. Grindall said the deadline for the plan is September 2009, but he believes more issues surrounding the Highway 332 project will arise that might delay the project.
Officials from Koochiching County, International Falls and Boise Inc. met before the Minnesota Department of Transportation dispute resolutions board Friday on three issues in a five-hour meeting Commissioner Wade Pavleck called a “very fair process.”
This is the first time the county has used the board to resolve an issue and the third time a dispute resolutions board has convened in the state.
Board Chairman Wade Pavleck said he hopes the dispute with the city is now in the past and the county can now move forward.
Before Tuesday’s meeting began, commissioners also questioned the city’s intentions if it attempts to skirt the dispute resolutions board’s ruling, such as annexing Highway 332 to International Falls, stating that it would be just adding fuel to the fire.
The dispute resolutions board found in favor unanimously on two of the issues — whether a dispute existed between the city and the county and on the revocation of state aid highway mileage. The board also agreed in a 4-1 vote that International Falls would not be given a year to review the county’s proposed plan.
Pavleck said that there was not animosity between the county and the city during Friday’s meeting and wanted to make it clear that the county does want to cooperate with the city on the project.
“But at the end of the day, the question is who’s going to manage the county’s road system? The city or the county?” Pavleck questioned.
Meanwhile, the board was divided on the gapping areas on Highway 11, which is also designated as a scenic byway.
The Minnesota Scenic Byways Commission recommended three areas for gapping, which allows development that otherwise would not be allowed in a scenic byway. The scenic byways commission recommended areas around International Falls, Pelland Junction and Birchdale, but not Loman, which the county had requested.
The county board is requesting the commission’s reason behind not choosing Loman as a gapping area.
Commissioner Chuck Lepper was calling for the designation as a scenic byway to be dropped.
“I think it’s a joke,” Lepper said, noting that the commission is not offering the county anything.
“Shame on us for being asleep at the wheel” when the highway was originally designated as a scenic byway, Lepper said.
But Pavleck said that keeping the designation might prove fruitful if it helps the county receive funding for construction on Highway 11.
Grindall noted that some tourists seek out scenic byways to drive on and the designation might bring people into the community.
Lepper then questioned who the county votes for — the tourists or the business owners in the community.

KOOCHICHING COUNTY BOARD NEWS NOTES
• The Koochiching County Board agreed to support the International Falls-Koochiching County Airport Commission financially with a loan for upcoming projects at the Falls International Airport.
Commissioners stated they supported projects at the airport because it is an important part of economic development in the community.
• The board heard that commissioners Wade Pavleck and Kevin Adee were told at the Association of Minnesota Counties conference last week that the budget shortfall next year is estimated at a minimum of $3 billion.
“It paints a dark picture for the future,” Pavleck said.