By Chas Hundley, Banks Post editor
Salem – The Salmonberry Trail Intergovernmental Agency (STIA) will hold a board meeting in Room 50 at the Oregon Capital in Salem on Friday, February 2 at 10 a.m. Topics on the agenda include an update on the Valley segment of the trail, which runs from Banks through Manning and Timber, fundraising updates, and an update on a Trail Benefits Study that was conducted by researchers at Portland State University.
A pivotal moment in the development of the Salmonberry Trail is the last item on the agenda: entering into a Salmonberry Trail lease agreement with the Port of Tillamook Bay, the owner of the railroad right-of-way. Should the board adopt the lease agreement, it could pave the way for development on the Salmonberry Trail.
The board may also meet in a closed executive session to discuss real estate negotiations.
There will be an opportunity for public comment at the beginning of the meeting and toward the end of the meeting.
The Salmonberry Trail Intergovernmental Agency is a group established in December 2015 to form a framework of government agencies – including the Oregon Department of Forestry, Washington County, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and others – and is the government entity responsible for promoting and leading planning, development and maintenance of the proposed Salmonberry Trail.