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Baraga County has been offered some land with frontage on Huron Bay, but there’s a catch.
The offer includes 231 acres with 3,400′ of beach frontage along Bower Road north of Bendry Point. It comes from a trust established by Markus J. Ladd, who passed away in June.
The catch, as explained to the Baraga County Board of Commissioners last evening by trust executor William Delene, is that there’s a mortgage that needs to be paid off.
Delene said the county would be obligated to assume the dept, if it accepts the land. Use of the land would be restricted to a “primitive county park,” with rustic camping and a boat launch allowed.
Delene explained that, if the county does not accept the bequest, the land will be sold to private ownership.
Commissioners expressed their thanks for the bequest, but had reservations about assuming such a large financial liability. They will take some time to consider the offer and its ramifications.
L’Anse resident Donald Elmblad proposed to commissioners that a series of two-way radio repeaters be established in the county.
Elmblad said that GMRS radios are increasingly being used by those who enjoy the outdoors…
GMRS radios are similar to CB radios, but are much more powerful. The repeater network would enable those signals to be transmitted over a wider area.
Elmblad said the system would make Baraga County a more desirable area for for recreation, and would also facilitate emergency notifications from areas where cell phone service is lacking. Commissioners suggested that it could also assist first responders in areas of the county where the present radio system doesn’t work.
Elmblad agreed to provide information to County Clerk Wendy Goodreau, who will begin some research into the feasibility and cost.
