The proposed plan before the Land Board to dispose of leased-out lakefront cottage sites anticipates current lessees having three options: Join in an exchange, enter a voluntary public auction with credit for the value of their improvements and the opportunity for installment payments, or continue leasing - but at higher rates. The proposal calls for a 90-day public comment period to start this Thursday.

Secretary of State Ben Ysursa noted, "There are some lands around Priest Lake or Payette Lake that we may want to retain, not necessarily for single residential cottage site leases but for other purposes. Being an eternal optimist, I don't think the devastation in our land values will continue esto perpetua. But they will come back, and I think some of those properties we ought to look at strategically, at retaining some of those, but not for leases. Those are just my observations. I want to make it clear that we as a board have some more critical thinking to do." Ysursa added, "This is a first step. ... It is a step in the right direction."