New rules aim to reduce noise from Soo Line trail

Trail rider groups and local homeowners concerned about noise from disrespectful ATV and dirt bike enthusiasts who literally roar onto the access road of the Moose Lake Old Soo Line pit mostly approved of the ordinance passed unanimously by the Carlton County board on Monday. About 15 people came to give their input on the issue.

Eric Senarighi of the Carlton County Riders ATV club addressed the board, offering to pay for a portable decibel reader to check machines that have loud mufflers. Guidelines now call for motorized ATVs and dirt bikes to have a decibel range of no higher than 96 decibels. Such a machine costs about $2,000.

"I have been in constant contact with land commissioner Greg Bernu these last two months sharing ideas," Senarighi explained. "We as ATV users cannot enforce this ordinance but we can explain to violators what the ordinance rules are. There is now an ordinance to enforce."

Jeff Firman, also of the club, said he had helped the Carlton County land department plant seedlings on the sides of the Soo Line Trail to, in time, provide a sound barrier for the local homeowners along old County Road 8. Several addressed how the sharp growth of ATV and side-by-side riders brings lots of people to recreate in the Moose Lake area and has a positive economic impact on the local business places.

Plans include three gates providing access to the pit area and for the access trail to run along the north side of the rail grade. The rail grade will buffer the noise. Fencing will funnel the traffic along the designated access points.

Sheriff Kelly Lake said she was aware of all the complaints, and encourages locals to call 911 when they see a problem. Response time for a deputy to get to a trail incident can be lengthy and often too late.

The board also discussed planning for the new jail, which continues although the state legislature has not given Carlton County the authority to levy a 0.5-percent sales tax to pay for the project or given its blessing for a women's program in the new jail while they are incarcerated. This would be the first of its type in the state.

Consultant Mike Griebel has been working on several options for a corrections program in the new facility. An architectural/engineering firm will be hired to figure the costs to build each size and design of the particular proposal. A $10,000 cost ceiling was agreed to by the county board.

"In this type of costly project, the taxpayers must be satisfied that we checked out all options before making our choice," Commissioner Mark Thell said.

County coordinator Dennis Genereau asked for a clear direction from the board to have a proposed probation committee meet separately from the jail study committee. Commissioner Tom Proulx asked who is on the committee and what is its purpose.

Sheriff Lake pointed out that the earlier, lengthy jail study suggested Carlton County study the role of the Arrowhead Regional Corrections and its effectiveness in meeting Carlton County needs. A lot of money is paid to ARC (11 percent of the programming costs). "We have to find out what programming they can provide for probation services and what are the specific costs," Lake said.

This committee will be a standing committee and Commissioner Dick Brenner will serve on it.

In other county news, land commissioner Greg Bernu has been working with a group that is completing the North Country Trail into Wisconsin. A lease was granted on tax-forfeited land in Wrenshall Township needed to complete the project in this area. The trail is 6 feet wide and open for all uses other than motorized vehicles.

As a point of information, a new St. Louis River state forest is being established on old Minnesota Power & Light holdings along the St. Louis, White Face, and Cloquet rivers and in the Thomson Dam area. It will be a multi-use wildlife management area and the state will pay PILT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes) money to the affected local governments.

Gov. Tim Walz announced a statewide mandate requiring mask wearing effective last Saturday. The state has asked and the board agreed to have a similarly worded mask requirement in our area.

The county board will hold its regular meeting at 8:30 a.m. Aug. 11 in the Tamarack Room of the Health and Human Services building in Cloquet.