(Boise, Idaho) No action will be taken on the matter of how to best manage endowment lands around McCall during the November 17 State Board of Land Commissioners (Land Board) meeting. However, there will be an informational update on the Idaho Department of Lands Payette Endowment Lands Strategy.

The concept is a result of internal guidance and historical plans, City of McCall comprehensive planning documents, other state endowment land plans addressing similar issues, and Idaho regulations and laws.

Land Board Meeting Details

 Tuesday, November 17, 9 a.m. (MT)

State Capitol, Lincoln Auditorium (WW02), Lower Level, West Wing

700 W Jefferson Street, Boise

The meeting will be conducted by virtual means; at least one Board member will attend the meeting at the physical location. The meeting is open to the public. Due to the Governor's Stage 2 Stay Healthy Order, dated 11/13/2020, gatherings, including public meetings, are limited to 10 persons or less in physical attendance. Individuals are highly encouraged to watch online or join via teleconference.

The meeting will be streamed live at https://www.idahoptv.org/shows/idahoinsession/

Members of the public may listen to the meeting via teleconference, using the following:

Dial toll-free: 1-877-820-7831

Enter passcode: 2479959, followed by the # key

The meeting will also be streamed live on the Idaho Department of Lands Facebook page at

https://www.facebook.com/IdahoDepartmentofLands

Agenda and other information is available at: https://www.idl.idaho.gov/about-us/land-board/

What is Idaho Endowment Land? At statehood, Congress granted Idaho endowment trust land for the sole purpose of funding specified beneficiaries, which are largely public schools. How the Land Board must manage these lands is also written in the Idaho Constitution. Article IX, Section VIII mandates that they will be managed “…in such manner as will secure the maximum long-term financial return to the institution to which [it is] granted.”

McCall Endowment Land: There is a continued need to evaluate and discuss the future of endowment lands within and immediately outside of the City of McCall’s growth and impact areas. While timber harvesting and cottage site leases and sales have been the most visible endowment land management approaches in McCall, new opportunities to generate income for the endowment beneficiaries are being considered.

The Land Board will also listen to another round of information from Trident Holdings, LLC and their proposal for endowment land in McCall at Tuesday’s meeting. This is also an information-only item, with no decisions being made at the meeting. The previous presentation proposed a land exchange for 28,000 acres of McCall endowment land.

The next dates to note for IDL’s strategy proposal are December 15, when the draft written plan will be presented to the Land Board. Public comments to the Land Board and an open comment period is planned for January 2021. A department finalization of the plan and presentation to the Land Board is not expected until late winter/early spring.

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CONTACT: Robbie Johnson, Public Information Officer, Idaho Department of Lands

208-334-0236/ 208-908-1786

rjohnson@idl.idaho.gov