Ed Raber, Director of the Washington Economic Development Group (WEDG), attended the January meeting of the Washington County Conservation Board to discuss the master plan for the trails of Washington County, and the board’s role therein. Conservation Director Steve Anderson said WEDG received a $30,000 grant from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation during their fall grant presentation, for county-wide trail planning. WEDG is allowing Washington County Conservation a place in the planning committee, with Anderson and board member Barb Donkersloot being assigned.
Anderson explained the goal of the planning committee, “Basically the purpose of it is to coordinate the efforts of all the entities within Washington County, and then also to connect regionally with a master plan. The original master plan was done some years ago, and it has come to the time to do it over again. It’s time to update and rewrite that.” In addition to gaining committee members, Raber also requested and received a $5,000 contribution from the conservation board toward the project. The committee will convene in the coming months.