Lake County commissioners voted to contract with a private vendor to groom the Mineral Belt Trail for the 2025 winter season, approving Option 2 as presented by county staff and excluding the Mount Massive Golf Course from this season’s grooming plan.

Candice Bryant, county manager, and Michael (Public Works) provided the briefing and cost comparisons. Staff presented three options: an in-house estimate using county equipment (about $90,008.80), a contracted option (Option 2) priced in staff materials at $57,912.75 including a 5% contingency for grooming the Mineral Belt Trail up to four times weekly for a December 1–March 31 season and up to nine sessions on the tubing hill, and a buy/equipment option with purchase credits toward equipment acquisition.

Commissioners said the county’s in-house equipment is older, slower and would be more expensive and riskier to rely on, and that contracting would allow more consistent, higher-quality grooming and accommodate the tubing hill operations during peak holiday demand. The board discussed whether to include the Mount Massive Golf Course in the contract; staff said adding the golf course would increase the contract by roughly $3,105 (5% contingency included). The BOCC elected to delay grooming the golf course this season to focus limited funds on the Mineral Belt Trail.

Commissioners also discussed using donations (the Mineral Belt Trail committee holds funds at a community foundation) and possible future strategies to acquire grooming equipment: the vendor offered trade-in or credit arrangements that could reduce future purchase costs. Several commissioners said they favored buying more-capable equipment over time if fundraising permits, while using contracted grooming in the short term.

A motion to approve Option 2 and hire Mountain State (vendor named in staff materials) for the Mineral Belt Trail grooming passed on an affirmative vote. County staff said they will return with the supplemental appropriation needed to cover December operations and will provide contract details after legal review.