~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline
The Greene County board of supervisors accepted a gift of land from the estate of the late Wallace Teagarden at the meeting Oct. 24. The 60-acre tract located in section 30 of North Junction Township will become the second wildlife refuge in the county.
Teagarden specified in his will that the gift be “under the management, custody, and control of the Greene County conservation board” and will be called the “Teagarden Wildlife Refuge.” Additionally, all hunting and fishing will be prohibited on the property.
County attorney Thomas Laehn told the board the land is land-locked with no way to access it, and an easement will be necessary.
Laehn said he had spoken with Teagarden’s executor and “all parties agreed we should make exchanges” of land (with nearby landowners) so an access could be constructed.
“The executor would like a letter stating the county accepts the land and the conditions,” Laehn said.
Chair John Muir asked if it would be worthwhile for the county to accept the land.
Tanner Scheuerman, Greene County conservation director, answered, “Yes. It’s important to add another wildlife refuge in the county.”
The board discussed possible changes to provide an access, including giving up cropland in the 60 acres in exchange for land to the south near 210th St.
“The possible changes make a lot of sense,” supervisor Pete Bardole said.
Supervisor Mick Burkett agreed and suggested discussing access with adjacent landowners.
Scheuerman is on board with maintaining the land for public use.
The board unanimously approved a letter accepting the gift of land and the prohibitions for its use.
In other business, Mike Bierl, office of veterans affairs, spoke about Operation Green Light in support of veterans and said a resolution in support of it is scheduled for next week’s meeting.
According to its website, Operation Green Light is a “new national collaborative that aims to support military veterans and raise awareness about the unique challenges faced by many veterans and the resources that are available at the county, state and federal level to assist veterans and their families.”
Engineer Wade Weiss reported the Scranton salt shed has been completed. He also would like to apply for county bridge funds that could be used for work on the bridge inside the southern city limits of Jefferson on Grimmell Road.
Weiss has previously said he thinks county funds could be used since the bridge is on a farm-to-market road.
Attorney Laehn told the board a trial is likely to begin on Nov. 1 and jury empanelment will begin then. Laehn said assistant county attorney Laura Snider will be the prosecutor.
