Trails & Open Space 9/1/2026

The Saratoga County Trails & Open Space Committee met on September 1, 2026, to discuss several procurement and project updates related to county trails, open space grants, and timber harvesting contracts. A key procurement decision involved awarding a timber harvesting contract for county forest land, with two bids received: Bailey Group at $54,924.38 and Pitts and Suns Logging at $53,600. The committee agreed to award the contract to the highest bidder, Bailey Group, with a contingency to award to the second bidder if necessary. Additionally, the committee approved an amendment to a grant resolution for relocating a dog park project in the town of Milton, maintaining the original funding and match amounts. Updates were provided on open space and trail grant contracts, with award letters expected to be sent soon. The committee also discussed significant storm damage to county forest land, which will require further assessment and decision-making regarding cleanup and timber salvage. The meeting included considerations of market impacts on timber and firewood sales due to recent closures and storm damage, highlighting challenges for future timber revenue and salvage operations.