DNR/Ahtanum Meeting

Here is some information from Devin D. posted on SnoWest:
The Washington State DNR has announced that, unless a funding source is found, there will be no supervisory position that oversees the sno-park plowing and grooming (ie, they then will not allow it) from the above south central WA areas. A much more complete analysis/thread is available on the Washington State riding area section of this forum.
DNR CLOSURES OF AHTANUM (2), RATTLESNAKE, LILY LAKE, AND MANASHTASH SNO-PARKS AND GROOMING CONNECTIONS TO THOSE SNO-PARKS.As some of you may be aware, the DNR's budget cuts have put popular grooming programs in the Yakima and Ellensburg areas in doubt for the 2009-2010 season.AS OF NOW, there is NOT funding available to provide oversight of the plowing of the above sno-parks and grooming on DNR lands in those areas. State Parks provides the actual funding for the plowing and grooming, what is in question here is the funding for the "oversight" of these programs on DNR property. DNR spokespeople are stating that they do not have the 25K to fund this position. The reality is, if you divide the 25k over the 5 areas, the $6250.00 per area is costing us (using the Ahtanum's 08-09 figures as an example) around $71,000.00 in grooming for that area. In other words, 9% of the funding is costing us 91% of the total. Unfortunately, our Olympia bureacracy makes them unable to walk across the government campus and sort this out. This only affects DNR sno-parks, no state park or USFS parking or grooming programs. This will also not stop grooming that is based on other sno-parks that cross DNR land. These areas will not be closed to riding, but there will be no parking, except along side the existing county roads (this probably will result in other problems from the county law enforcement areas). This dilemma alone will result in huge traffic jams in some of these areas, especially the North Fork Rd. that serves the Ahtanum sno-park.If you frequent these areas, you realize the huge impacts this will have on snowmobiling in the south-central Washington Area. The Ahtanum area alone is fairly extensive, with 2 sno-parks. It is also the highest elevation area south of I-5.DNR is asking for donations to help fund this position for this season. Although it is easy to blow this off and say "I've already paid my taxes" or to blame DNR employees, this will not solve the problem for this upcoming season. Our local DNR employees are NOT the problem in the big picture (even though I don't totally agree with them, they had a few incorrect statements/assumptions last night), so berating them will not help our cause. Our problem is at the state level. Like it or not, the states current budget fiasco had to hit us sooner or later. It will simply cost us more to do the sport that we love and live for.SOME SOLUTIONS to make plowing and grooming of these areas take place this winter season (realizing that we are on a tight time schedule to get funds in before grooming contracts go out). -Contributions to a fund to pay for this position; DNR is working this out and hope to have system in by next week to collect DEDICATED FUNDS for this purpose. There have been donations already started by WSSA or various local clubs, I or somebody else will post this direct information later. As a starter example, my family is donating 100 per sled as a start, for me it is a small annual cost to ride the Ahtanum, and I will save that in gas money by having to travel to other areas. -Contributions of like kind to defer future expenses; This would include such things as facilities maintenance, road work, etc. I realize that not everybody can do these things, but every little bit helps.-Contact your local representatives; They are elected to serve our interests, and we are lucky to have generally good representation in the Yakima / Kittitas areas concerning snowmobiling issues. Give them a call / email and let them know what the effects are of these closures.-Contact your local business's that will be affected by these closures, they can also contact thier representatives. -Make sure our local dealerships are aware of these actions. It is easier to sell sleds when there are adequate areas to use them.-Contact DNR is a polite way, if possible, preferebly by email, and keep a record of the email so they/ourselves can keep a tally of the consequences of these actions. Large numbers of contacts only help our cause.-Get involved and keep involved; Via a club, WSSA, SAWS, appointed land use committees, etc. We will continue to have problems every year with our public lands. We must work to keep our public lands public. Waiting for someone else to take the lead will result in our long term loss of use for snowmobilers, this is not an option.WE need to take action promptly; I (and many others, I'm sure) will post more information as it comes up. I know that many local snowmobile clubs will have their first meetings soon, with the Ski-Benders the First Tuesday of October (the 6th) at El Rincon. I am positive this will the a main subject of discussion.I have hopefully gave as much information as possible, but I am sure that I have left out some points or explanations. I am still in the harvest season, but will try to post more information as I have time to do (legislative info, etc). I have written this mostly from the viewpoint as an Ahtanum rider, as I am in close proximity to that area. I do not mean that the other areas are any less important.Thank you for your time, and I know as a group we can get this done for this season in the short term, and start to implement a more satisfactory long term solution to have in place for the 2010-2011 and beyond seasons.Devin Dekkeraka Tampico :
The above post on Snow west is from Devin D.

Bottom Line: The Ski Benders has made a decision to open a trust account and proceed in requesting donations for anyone willing to support this years access to the Ahtanum Snow Parks. All proceeds will be gathered for 3 weeks and then we we'll make them available to the responsible entities to allow us to go forward with this seasons snow mobiling. If we do not do this now and i mean their needs to be a sense of urgency going forward, we stand to lose our groomers contracts and the money supplied for the contracts, approximatley $200,000.00 will revert back to the state for other usage. I will personally donate $1000.00 from my own pocket and we have commitments from two other people for $2000.00 plus any other donations we can come up with, also this will be amajor topic at our first meeting of the Year October 6th at the ElRincon. Non member are more than welcome to join us in this discussion, as it is time to unite for our favorite sport. It is too late to argue or proceed this year with any legal or senate action, but we must preserve our usage or my experience is that once you lose any funding from the goverment it takes many years to get it back, if you can. We can sort this all out as the season goes on and make a stand for the upcoming year. Why we are going with a trust fund is so that everyone is guaranteed a return of their money should we fail to procure the $25,000.00 needed for this seasons management. Anything will help $50, $10, whatever you feel a seasons riding is worth. Please feel free to contact me 509-949-9005 or Paul 952-9478 or Mike V. @225-6681 for contribution to this fund raiser.
I will post the Bank and account information if you prefer to deposit it direct.
All help will be appreciated.

Thanks

Carl

Greetings 9/19

I hope all is well and everyone has had a great summer. With the last few weeks of good weather remaining and hurrahs for barbeques it certainly has been an interesting and fast summer. A quick review of soem things as I'm off to be a field man for the day during our apple harvest.
Please everyone remember that our 1st meeting of the new season is upcoming on October 6th at the El Rincon on Fruitvale and 40th ave in Yakima at 7pm. We have confirmed with the manager that we are good to go for the meeting room through the season and i'm sure everyone has a lot to talk about. Please remember my challenge for new members and we look forward to greeting the new memebers I signed up at our last meeting; Brent & Billie D., Tim S., Bob and Vickie T., hopefully they will grace us with their presence and we can find a way to initiate them into our club in a memorable fashion.
Also, their will be a meeting at the West Valley Fire Staion on September 29 regarding some issues with DNR and other goverment entities regarding the possible closure of the Tampico Snow Park and I will be there to find out the details> I want to extend and invitation to anyone who uses this park summer or winter to find out what is exactly going on. I believe our club and other users best interest is at stake and we should show with attendance our interest.
Devin Decker has told me that he will be sending the news letter out in the next few days with more information, however please get as many of your friends to show as you can.
On 9-13 Paul, Rona, Gene, Mark, Jo and I went up to Darlan and retrieved our Ski Bender sign that was blown over and I brought it back to my shop and am currently working it over with a new coat of paint and reworking some other issues it had. I will make my best effort to ahev it finished by the 2nd week of October and am looking for some volunteers to help resurect it with the help of my fathers boom truck and portable welder. Anyone interested please give me a call 509-949-9005 and we can make a good day of it as well as possibly get in a little trail cleanup since we missed it during the fire. The weekend prior to picking up the sign the S.A.R. team was up there to put new solar panels on the repeater tower to insure we have communications for lost and troubled camper, hikers and of course the occasional snowmobiler. It looked as though some solar panel poachers shot it up. While we were up to get the Skibenders sign Mark, Gene, Jo, Paul, Rona and the other gentlemans name which escapes me "senior moment" did some much need maintenance. Oh by the way, please don't give Paul a hard time but i'm not so sure the stick on signs he put on the repeater pole are straight.
So i'm calling it good for now as I need to write for the Sno Flyer and then off to work. I don't know about the rest of you but the anticipation of snow and getting together with our great group of friends and new members is growing stronger everyday as we approach the new season.
God Speed, keep safe!

Carl D.