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This post does not bear good news, so if after reading it, you want to shoot the messenger, fire away. If on the other hand, you recognize that the messenger is not the enemy, then perhaps you need to realize that you need to take a more proactive stance to save Johnson Valley.
Helen
www.pfjv.org
I attended the DAC tour on Friday, and I too heard all of the wonderful comments made by the DAC members and the others in attendance. Incidentally, in case you didn't get to meet him, San Bernardino County First District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt went on the ride.
It was truly wonderful that all of you gave freely of your time and your equipment to show the Advisory Council just how special Johnson Valley is to all of us. I know that by the end of the day you were all pretty hyped up over the how well your efforts were received. I have no doubt that there was a great deal of 'bench racing' done by the DAC members on their way back to Barstow. I bet there was a lot of "I can top that stories" of daring-do by their drivers. With this tour being an unqualified success, and without a doubt, one of the best that has ever been presented to the DAC, I, and I'm sure all of you had high hopes that surely the DAC would be very vocal in their comments to the BLM and the Military, that Johnson Valley MUST be saved.
I went to the DAC meeting the following day, with visions of grand statements of support for saving Johnson Valley dancing in my head.
What did I hear instead? The sounds of silence! The rave reviews of the previous day were nowhere to be heard. The DAC members were back to business as usual, and when the representative for the Barstow BLM gave the required report of the previous day's tour, what did it consist of? Words to the effect of, 'What you saw yesterday was just a small part of Johnson Valley, there's more to it than just that one area.' HUH? To say that I was shocked by the failure to recognize the effort that went in to giving the DAC members, the 'ride of their life,' is a gross understatement!
I know that the volunteers were thanked on Friday out on the lakebed, but frankly, none of that is part of the public record, and in general terms, if it ain't in the minutes, it didn't happen.
I will give credit to Steve Borchard, the California Desert District Manager, who did make a statement for the record. Mr. Borchard said, "It was an exciting and illustrative ride, thanks to the volunteers and their equipment."
Later in the meeting, following a briefing by Col. Weston, USMC, I thought that surely, now the DAC members would speak up in support of saving Johnson Valley, after all they could make their statement directly to the Colonel. Didn't happen. At no time during the meeting, did the council take any position of support for saving Johnson Valley.
There was one bright point in the day, and that was when DAC member Dinah Shumway pointedly challenged the Marines by saying, you should include looking at wilderness areas, because everyone should be asked to support the military, not just the recreationalists! She continued, "No one sector of our community should be asked to sacrifice." I thought, perhaps now, the council would speak out to save Johnson Valley. They did not.
Did the advisory council give any advice to the BLM during the meeting? Yes, they asked them to implement the following rules on BLM land: no wood with metal, no glass, and implement a 10:00 PM curfew for noise. Oh yes, and some other motion about putting up more signs.
All and all, I was hugely disappointed in the BLM and the DAC, and I am very proud of the Off Road Community.
Helen
www.pfjv.org
I attended the DAC tour on Friday, and I too heard all of the wonderful comments made by the DAC members and the others in attendance. Incidentally, in case you didn't get to meet him, San Bernardino County First District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt went on the ride.
It was truly wonderful that all of you gave freely of your time and your equipment to show the Advisory Council just how special Johnson Valley is to all of us. I know that by the end of the day you were all pretty hyped up over the how well your efforts were received. I have no doubt that there was a great deal of 'bench racing' done by the DAC members on their way back to Barstow. I bet there was a lot of "I can top that stories" of daring-do by their drivers. With this tour being an unqualified success, and without a doubt, one of the best that has ever been presented to the DAC, I, and I'm sure all of you had high hopes that surely the DAC would be very vocal in their comments to the BLM and the Military, that Johnson Valley MUST be saved.
I went to the DAC meeting the following day, with visions of grand statements of support for saving Johnson Valley dancing in my head.
What did I hear instead? The sounds of silence! The rave reviews of the previous day were nowhere to be heard. The DAC members were back to business as usual, and when the representative for the Barstow BLM gave the required report of the previous day's tour, what did it consist of? Words to the effect of, 'What you saw yesterday was just a small part of Johnson Valley, there's more to it than just that one area.' HUH? To say that I was shocked by the failure to recognize the effort that went in to giving the DAC members, the 'ride of their life,' is a gross understatement!
I know that the volunteers were thanked on Friday out on the lakebed, but frankly, none of that is part of the public record, and in general terms, if it ain't in the minutes, it didn't happen.
I will give credit to Steve Borchard, the California Desert District Manager, who did make a statement for the record. Mr. Borchard said, "It was an exciting and illustrative ride, thanks to the volunteers and their equipment."
Later in the meeting, following a briefing by Col. Weston, USMC, I thought that surely, now the DAC members would speak up in support of saving Johnson Valley, after all they could make their statement directly to the Colonel. Didn't happen. At no time during the meeting, did the council take any position of support for saving Johnson Valley.
There was one bright point in the day, and that was when DAC member Dinah Shumway pointedly challenged the Marines by saying, you should include looking at wilderness areas, because everyone should be asked to support the military, not just the recreationalists! She continued, "No one sector of our community should be asked to sacrifice." I thought, perhaps now, the council would speak out to save Johnson Valley. They did not.
Did the advisory council give any advice to the BLM during the meeting? Yes, they asked them to implement the following rules on BLM land: no wood with metal, no glass, and implement a 10:00 PM curfew for noise. Oh yes, and some other motion about putting up more signs.
All and all, I was hugely disappointed in the BLM and the DAC, and I am very proud of the Off Road Community.
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