Results of meeting of state agencies in Boca Raton

[GrizzlyBear]

On January 14th, 2009 the State OHV Recreation Advisory Committee sponsored a 1 day seminar to bring together the different agencies in the 10 southmost counties.  We had 45 attendees. The purpose was to get these agencies talking to each other so that they would work together. We are having some success, but I do not feel that the meeting was a massive success.

Let me explain.  Miami Dade and Collier counties are working together to develop a 2000 acre site at the TnT airport on the border between both counties. It will be 2 - 3 years before it is open. Other groups were present and possible we will have some success with them.

Now here is the kicker.  At our regular meeting the day before, a county commissioner from Hendry County (Clewiston, Labelle area) came to the meeting and made a presentation to the board wanting the different state agencies to open a project in his county.  Then he went back to his board that night and rejected a project in his county.  It took us a while to understand what he was doing.  His county had gotten a $500,000 grant from the state(RTP funds) to open a riding area. There was public opposition (though limited) to the site and this commissioner was hoping to have the advisory committee say we would open an area on state lands. We do not have that authority. Anyway, he left our meeting and went home and voted down the acceptance of the state money for the project for which it had been approved.  Don't expect to see any projects in that county very soon, I am sure when they ask for any money from the state soon, the state will look at how the handled the previous money they were offered.

The next grant cycle for T. Mark Schmidt funds ($700,000) will start Feb 1, with applications due in by the middle of March.   We were lucky enough, maybe because the fund is small not to have it raided to meet budget short falls.

[lswjth2]

Grizz, thxs for the update. I know the commissioner that you are talking about,(Swinton Jones) . He's not a bad guy but he is not aware of how this entire process works. Hendry county just lost about 650K because of him turning down the area that they were looking at. You have to wonder how these counties that are starving for money would turn it down.

Thxs again for all your work on behals of the responsible riders, as a side note was SFWMD there? IF so what were their comments,presentations, etc...Thxs Rick

[TRX450R_Racer]

No talk about Broward or Palm Beach? Thanks for attending!!

[GrizzlyBear]

no one from Broward County even attended.  And the commissioner from Hendry was Karson someone, I do not remember his name, he is a new commissioner on the board.

[GrizzlyBear]

Rick Conover and his boss from SFWMD were there, no presentation.  We are in the process of getting all the presentations together so they can be put on line at FLORIDAOHV.org.  Will keep you posted.