Berrien County is adopting an official policy to govern the development of new trails throughout the community. As more municipalities and other groups seek county support for trails, the Berrien County Board of Commissioners wants to ensure the county isn’t on the hook for things that should be someone else’s responsibility. County Administrator Brian Dissette tells WSJM News such a policy is needed as trails grow in popularity.
“It is an asset residents want to see constructed and made available to the public, but it’s also one of these that, if the board is going to approve these agreements, they’re trying to set some guardrails to ensure that the trail development meets design and safety standards and is also something that doesn’t become a funding drain for future commission members.”
The policy addresses what obligations other organizations have when seeking county support for new trails. Among other things, the county wants those partner organizations to account for maintenance, design, and liability. Dissette said the board of commissioners could consider the policy next week.
