Rancher Wants Back Money For Grazing Lease Bid To Keep State Lease Felt Like ‘Ransom,’ He Says

A rancher who successfully outbid environmentalists to keep a state grazing lease asked the state on Tuesday to give him his money back.

Steven Hart of the Sheridan/ Golden Eagle Ranch said he felt like he was “harassed” into paying “ransom” when he outbid Jon Marvel of the Idaho Watersheds Project for the land. Hart bid $13,550, beating Marvel’s final $13,500 bid for 320 acres in southern Idaho.

“I felt like I just paid ransom to rescue somebody,” Hart told the state Land Board. “The guy bidding against me knew I needed that.”

Hart, who is chief financial officer for the ranch, said owners Roger and Sybil Ferguson didn’t want to hurt Idaho’s schools by asking for the money back. So if the board agreed to give it back, the Fergusons would make a donation to Idaho’s schools in the same amount, Hart said.

Idaho’s state lands are required to be managed for the benefit of an endowment fund for the state’s public schools.

Debra Kronenberg, a Ketchum attorney who represents the watersheds project, said, “You give them the money back and they’ll give it right back to you? I find that rather strange.”

Kronenberg said the auction was fair.

“No guns were in the room, and no one was held hostage.”

Hart also argued that the Fergusons are strong supporters of public schools, and that that should be considered in the board’s decision.

“Madison High School won the state championship - they play on Ferguson Field,” Hart said.

The state land department staff put little stock in the arguments, noting that the auction was legal, other ranchers have paid higher premium bids, and donations to schools “although commendable, would have no bearing on this issue.”

The rancher also argued that the 320 acres was a prime chunk of his land.

The land board was about to vote on a motion to toss out the rancher’s appeal when Secretary of State Pete Cenarrusa, a longtime rancher, pleaded with the other members to put off a vote.

“All I want is an opportunity to digest what we’ve heard today,” Cenarrusa said.

In an impassioned speech, he said, “You’re saying it’s all right to destroy the stability of a ranching operation. This is setting precedent.

“I don’t agree with that. It’s not all right.”

Attorney General Al Lance said he was willing to withdraw his motion until the board’s next meeting “if the secretary of state feels that strongly.”

Marvel said the only reason his group bid on the land was because the creek had been “severely damaged” by grazing.

The grazing applications in question were filed before the Legislature passed a new law aimed at restricting Marvel’s challenges.

The law requires anyone challenging an existing leaseholder to file a management plan showing how they would handle grazing on the land.

The state department has recommended that the Sheridan/Golden Eagle Ranch develop a plan to better manage riparian areas.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo