Howdy! There is another, local organization that works very hard to maintain our rights of access to public land. Here is the current issue that they are working on. Our club could join theses folks if we wanted to support them.:
From: "Sandee McCullen" <sandee@mccullens.com>
To: "Sandee McCullen" <sandee@mccullens.com>
Subject: URGENT NOTICE: COPPER STICKER FOR OHV
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETINGS
AND
INFORMATION BEHIND WHAT THIS BILL IS ABOUT.
PLEASE take a couple of minutes and review this report. How this Bill moves forward and WHO gets the shaft from it depends on YOU.
The original intent of this Bill was to get some OHV laws on the books so the yahoos out there could be controlled or cited. It also is funded by US thusly we should be the beneficiaries of these funds. The intent was not to PAY G&F, nor was it intended to pay outright for total conservation as is being demanded by the enviros. Yes, it INCLUDES a substantial amount for Law Enforcement but if there is not an infrastructure to "enforce" there's no need for the Copper Sticker. It's to HELP the land management agencies MANAGE the lands and trail systems for US. This does include helping private land owners or ranchers leasing federal or state lands but only involving OHV.
BOTTOM LINE:
1) MUST be a USER DRIVEN BILL
2) MUST be the OHV proposal WITH the RESOLUTION issues
3) MUST be a "USER FEE" for all.
Will NOT SUPPORT any other way.
THANKS to all for your attention to this very critical issue!
PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO YOUR CLUB/GROUPS AND FRIENDS, FAMILY, NEIGHBORS OR ANYONE INVOLVED IN OHV RECREATION.
Sandee
Arizona Game and Fish Department
NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release Oct. 16, 2006
Public input sought on Arizona?s OHV management bill
PHOENIX ? The Arizona Game and Fish Department, on behalf of the Off-highway Vehicle Legislative Workgroup, is seeking input from the public regarding the ?Copper Sticker? off-highway vehicle (OHV) user fee proposed legislation. A series of informational open houses will be held around the state in October and November, and written comment will be accepted until Nov. 26.
The Off-highway Vehicle Legislative Workgroup, a group comprised of OHV recreationists and outdoor user groups, land management agencies, county and local governments, and Game and Fish, have worked together to develop a ?copper sticker? program to improve OHV management in Arizona. The bill will enhance funding for OHV programs including the maintenance and development of OHV trails and routes, education and information programs, enhanced law enforcement resources and mitigation for damage to environmental, historical and cultural resources from OHV recreation.
Informational public meetings describing the OHV user driven bill?s highlights will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on the following dates:
Tuesday, Oct. 24 - Tucson, Arizona Game and Fish Department regional office 555 N. Greasewood Road
Wednesday, Oct. 25 - Benson, Cochise College-Benson Center 1025 S. Highway 90
Monday, Oct. 30 - Prescott, Prescott Valley Council Chambers 7501 E. Civic Circle
Thursday, Nov. 2 - Pinetop, Arizona Game and Fish Department regional office 2878 E. White Mountain Boulevard
Friday, Nov. 3 - Mesa, City Of Mesa Utilities Department 640 North Mesa Drive
Monday, Nov. 6 - Yuma, Arizona Game and Fish Department regional office 9140 E. 28th Street
Tuesday, Nov. 7 - Kingman, Arizona Game and Fish Department regional office 5325 N. Stockton Hill Road
Wednesday, Nov. 8 - Flagstaff, Arizona Game and Fish Department regional office 3500 S. Lake Mary Road
Wednesday, Nov. 15 - Glendale, Glendale Foothills Branch Library 19055 N. 57th Avenue
Thursday, Nov. 16 - Safford, Eastern Arizona College Bonita Room 1014 N. College Avenue
The proposed legislation can be downloaded and additional information can be obtained from the department?s Web site at azgfd.gov/ohv.
Written comment can submitted until Nov. 26 at the meetings, through the Game and Fish Web site or by U.S. mail to OHV Comments, c/o Joe Sacco, Arizona Game and Fish Department, 2221 W. Greenway Road, Phoenix, AZ 85023-4399.
At this time the Arizona OHV Coalition (AZOHVC) is in a "holding" stance regarding support but unless G&F accept the OHV proposal along with the AZOHVC Resolution, the Coalition will not support this bill and will ask all OHV to help KILL it. It MUST REMAIN A "USER DRIVEN BILL" as has been proposed and I believe you will hear in the upcoming meetings but G&F have now decided it's to be a "COOPERATIVE BILL" and they plan on presenting THEIR VERSION to the legislature. Last year between G&F outright lieing and submitting a proposal that was not agreed to by the Task Team, and then the legislature tore it apart from there, the OHV community KILLED all three bills G&F kept submitting. This year G&F asked the OHV members of the Task Team to "draft a proposal". We did............. It was submitted to the Task Team and the Team agreed to all of it other than WHO would be required to purchase a Copper Sticker. The draft proposal asked that EVERYONE driving a vehicle off a highway or maintained road/trail would need a CS. This included the equestrians that drive their one ton truck with a horse trailer behind them; or the mountain biker driving his mini=truck or car with his bike on top or in the back heading to his favorite bike trail; OR the Sierra Clubber or bird watcher heading to a Wilderness area or bird watching area. They're all doing "impact" and "using" the trails. G&F INSIST the street licensed/registered full sized vehicles do not need a CS, thusly eliminating all recreationists that are "using" the trails but are not OHV recreation specific. The original intent was this was to be a USER FEE. Just for specific "users"?????????????
ALL ATV's, licensed or not, ALL MC, licensed or not and Unlicensed 4x4's MUST HAVE A COPPER STICKER............
There are numerous other issues G&F have eliminated from the proposal. The AZ OHV Coalition drafted a RESOLUTION (see below) with REQUIREMENTS of issues that must be back in the bill proposal. In the general Task Team meeting last week, G&F REFUSED to even look at the Resolution. They announced the G&F Commission directed them to PUSH FORWARD with the bill..... period. For the past year or more G&F have declared this was to be a "USER DRIVEN BILL" but now that the environmentalists have joined in this (they are DEMANDING the dollar breakdown of the 50% of the funds to go to OHV MUST BE 75% to Law Enforcement). The bill is now being heralded as a "COOPERATIVE BILL". To make matters worse, because G&F don't like what OHV have asked for they have now pulled all OHV Gas Tax project funding from us. It's being used as a blackmail technique.
(The dollar breakdown within the proposed bill)
7% Game & Fish for Administration (Last year they moved this % around so it read that they received 7% OFF THE TOP.... The rest of the %'s were from the 93% left. I will bet my boots they may look to try this again)
15% Game & Fish for G&F Law Enforcement
18% Game & Fish for Education (remember they already receive $800,000.00 per year for OHV Education & Law Enforcement from the OHV Gas Tax Fund)
10% State Land Dept. for an OHV Program
50% OHV......... Covering projects; grants; education AND Law Enforcement to the feds, county or city officers.
Some background info:
At this time the OHV Coalition is not actually asking to KILL the bill but we ask each and every one of you attend the meetings and DEMAND they put the issues from the Coalition RESOLUTION into the proposal presented by the OHV Task Team that THEY (G&F) requested. AZVJC & ASA4WDC are the two largest member groups of the Coalition thusly giving each of you the ability to state you support the resolution. There are also ATV and MC clubs that MUST stand up and support their sport. They have numbers the will show our depth. ATV's and MC should not be solely responsible for funding G&F. We're trying to get a meeting with G&F Director to determine how much of this blackmail and "cooperative bill" stuff is coming from the Director and/or G&F Commission vs one individual.............. Mike Senn. Joe Sacco will be directing all of the meetings and although he IS G&F and must follow the directives from his boss (Mike Senn) he is a nice guy. He is truly trying to be up front and fair........
Their excuse at this time for the requirement they demand of 3 members to be on the Advisory Group is they believe "anyone within a business should have a fair say in how it acts or votes". They are not members of a business they are simply WELL PAID ADMINISTRATORS (Bookkeepers) to act within the parameters set forth. The bad side of this whole thing is the G&F Commission have the final say no matter how we go so it's my belief having an Advisory Group isn't worth anything. They'll be overrulled any time a grant or disbursement is approved that G&F don't agree to.
Request: The AZOHVC simply ask each of you require G&F to accept the issues as presented in the Resolution as well as get back to this being a "USER DRIVEN BILL". WE (the OHV Recreationists) are the one's paying for this, WE should be the ruling guide as to how and/or where the dollars are spent. If an agreement cannot be reached we (OHV community) can KILL the bill at that time.
Sandee
RESOLUTION
OHV Copper Sticker Program
The Arizona Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition, as officially set forth by unanimous vote of the Board of Directors on September 30, 2006
HEREBY RESOLVES to support and go forth with the Copper Sticker OHV laws and funding as amended below.
1) We agree that a Search and Rescue Fund would be a valuable addition to the bill but it is not a requirement at this time. However, the AZOHVC would like to see further investigation into how a fund of this type can be created.
2) We agree there must be a clause in the bill indicating the bill will be withdrawn due to major changes of the intent of the bill, i.e.: if we decided that the laws and penalties, along with the fees and how the Copper Sticker dollars will be distributed, would be the most important aspects of the bill and if those change or are pulled, the bill goes away.
3) We agree on a fee structure not to exceed $20.00 for the first sticker. Additional stickers will be half price for all vehicles titled to the same person.
4) We require a 60% cap on funds disbursed by the AZG&F. The cap cannot be used in the same disbursement categories two or more consecutive years. A ?Grant Guidelines? must also be developed.
The guidelines shall include, but not limited to:
a. Will this fund be reimbursement or direct pay upfront?
b. Follow basic AZ State Parks Grant guidelines.
c. Pay for NEPA?. How much?
d. Do grants require match dollars?... If so how much etc.
The development of Guidelines shall be a consensus of the task group and can be a cause for failure of this bill if a consensus is not reached.
5) We would like vehicle dealers to be able to sell Copper Sticker decals.
6) We agree that any event or action under a Special Permit or hunting fishing license, while actively hunting or fishing, shall be exempt from the Copper Sticker requirement.
7) We agree a qualified lobbyist must be retained to help with legislative support for the bill. AZOHVC can provide OHV user testimony when needed, however, we do not have the resources required to drive legislative support actions. AZOHVC will not support the bill without this requirement being fulfilled.
8) The AZOHVC does not agree to the proposed changes allowing AZ Game & Fish to appoint three of the seven OHVAG appointee?s to the OHVAG. It is felt the current OHVAG nomination and appointment process allows for the most qualified person(s) to be appointed. We understand that Arizona Game & Fish is only looking to ensure the integrity of a program it would be administrator of, however, we feel the current process already allows for this requirement.
AZOHVC will agree to: (THIS is simply proposed as a "compromise"……. OHV proposal requested the Az State Parks OHV Advisory Group stay as is functioning…….. If G&F cannot compromise on anything it will simply go back to "NO SEATS on OHVAG).
1.a) Agree to allow Arizona Game and Fish (AZG&F) to appoint two representatives to the OHV Advisory Group.
No more than two AZG&F appointees may serve on the OHVAG at the same time.
2.a) No more then one AZG&F appointee may represent a single county at any time.
3.a) Appointees must be from the official OHVAG applications submitted to State Parks.
4.a) Seats must serve the 3 year appointed terms. AZG&F cannot pull their appointments each year or mid term to replace with other appointees.
1.b) AZOHVC will not support the Copper Sticker bill if AZG&F requires more then two positions on the board and do not agree to the stipulations as stated.
IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED AZOHVC acknowledge this Bill is to be an OHV User driven bill and is ready and prepared to support the Copper Sticker bill with these minor concessions.
Respectfully submitted,
Chris Benner, Secretary
Don Hood, President
Jim Florence, V.P.
Sandee McCullen, Treasurer
Steve Carmickle, Past President
Jeff Gursh, Executive Director
Sanford Cohen, Executive Director
