Mineral County Resource Advisory Committee Meeting
Meeting
Notes
Meeting Location: Mineral County Courthouse
Commissioner’s Room
Superior, MT 59872
Designated Federal Officer: Robert Harper
Facilitator: Sharon Sweeney
Recorder: Sandy Green
RAC Members Present: Michael Byrnes, Gordon Hendrick, Patrick Hayes, Dennis Hildebrand, Phil Donally, Dale Harris, B.J. McComb, Denley Loge, Ray Rugg, Beth Keyser.
RAC Replacement Members Present: Mike Gullette, Katie Deuel, Beth Keyser
Others Present:
Chad Fealko, Jim Warnken,
Larry Price, Jim Schultz, Angelo Ververis
Meeting Minutes Review – The meeting was called to order by Chairman Mike Byrnes at 1805 hours. The minutes from the June 3, 2003 meeting were approved. The agenda for this meeting was amended to add a cut-off date for proposals and was approved by the members.
Blacktail Weed Spread Prevention and Erosion Control Project: Rob Harper gave the background of the project and the projects within, which included the write up for ATV trails. The intent of the project (as stated in the proposal) was to reduce unauthorized use of ATVs, reduce the erosion associated with unauthorized ATV use, and apply herbicide to weed infestations. The project was posted in the meeting room and in each member’s packet to review with questions or comments before the vote. Mike Byrnes recalls that this proposal was a unanimous vote in favor of the project.
Pat Hayes asked RAC member Dennis Hildebrand what his issue is with this project. (Dennis has a complaint about the project and has gone to the local newspaper to voice it.)
Dennis Hildebrand said that he viewed the project and the bottom 2/3 of the trail has 19 kelly humps in the first 200 yards. He approved the project from the Forest Service description until he personally viewed it. He said that the visible damage was more than 100 ATV’s could do. He didn’t check on the remaining project as he was disgusted at what in saw in the first 200 yards. This needs to be fixed and he brought it to the attention of the public through the newspaper. Larry Price presented pictures of the road work.
Gordon Hendrick asked Rob Harper if the spraying was done per the proposal and if any of the trail had been closed to the public. Rob responded yes to the weed spraying. Rob then explained that motorized use on the Lolo NF Forest is limited to designated routes. Rob explained that this rule has been in place since the 1986 Forest Plan was adopted.
Denley Loge stated that he was familiar with this trail and was glad to hear that ATV use has been stopped. He asked how else you stop ATV usage. He doesn’t feel he was mis-informed about the project but then, he hasn’t seen this “mess” Dennis is speaking of.
Dale Harris spoke directly to Dennis and said he was very upset with him and his newspaper article. Dennis needed to approach District Ranger Rob Harper with his concerns. Dennis replied that tonight was the first meeting of the RAC since the beginning of the project and he wanted exposure to the public. Dale said that he also gets angry with the Forest Service but he goes to the source, not the paper.
Mike Gullette stated that the previous Superior District Ranger did not act on previous complaints and it was good to see action now. ATV users will keep abusing the trails until something is done.
Rob Harper apologized to the group as he was not anticipating this sort of reaction to a proposal. Rob said that the RAC recommended a good project and suggested that the RAC go to the field and discuss the project as a group. Rob reminded the group that he had extended the invitation to schedule field days to review implemented projects but the group was not particularly interested.
Mike Byrnes looked at the project and took pictures. He was appalled. “This is an abomination.” The kelly humps are on the road bed and not on the ATV trail. This makes a statement to the public: 19 kelly humps in a row, STAY OUT of here! He felt it excessive and makes a negative statement to the public. Mike felt he was lied to in the proposal as his understanding was weed control to dovetail with the ATV trail.
Mike said that if you are doing road closure work, say it! Gordon Hendrick said that more definition is needed in future proposals. Denley Loge responded that the Forest Service sees 19 kelly humps while Byrnes and Hildebrand see 1 gate and 1 kelly hump to close this road. Mike felt that erosion is the big issue and the Forest Service missed the ATV trail by 50 feet. The FS did nothing to close the trail but did accomplish a road closure.
Rob Harper referenced that the front page of the project proposal clearly states “additional road closure work would done on the closed road”. Rob Harper said that had ATV users abided by the existing couple of kelly humps, more kelly humps and a gate would not be have been needed. Rob said that RAC members have a responsibility to read the project proposals.
Sharon Sweeney interjected with what she is hearing from the group is that field reviews of the proposals are needed in the future and more details are needed in the proposals. Dennis and Mike said the project was OK but not the road obliteration. Katie Deuel asked “What is your point? Are you going to fix this or correct future projects?” Dale Harris agreed with these comments but reiterated “Do not go to the press without going in-house.” Mike Byrnes wants a clear definition from project proposals and he wants a field trip in the spring to look at the Blacktail project.
New Proposals:
Dennis brought up bridge decks. He feels that reinforcement is good and asked if there is a new way of doing it now so the wood doesn’t deteriorate as fast? Rob said that he does not know but will ask Eric Barclay (Engineer at Superior RD).
Dale Harris wanted to know if there was going to be presentations on the 3 proposals that were sent to each RAC member for this meeting. Chad Fealko was present and spoke on his proposal of the Dry Creek Fish Passage. This was an excellent presentation to the members and Chad stated that the property owners Warnken and Savage are in favor of the proposal.
Miscellaneous:
Mike told the members that per diem can be paid by Title II money. He suggested sending some representatives to the next annual meeting in Reno, NV. This can be accomplished as a project and presented to the RAC for travel and per diem. Rob said that he wanted to double check this.
Rob suggested that the RAC consider sponsoring a land management project. Angelo Ververis asked for examples of projects. Rob responded to Angelo and also shared a phone conversation he had with Jim Elliott, State Senator and a member of the Sanders County RAC.
Mike Byrnes called for a deadline date for this year’s project proposals and a motion for February 27, 2004 was made and passed.
The next RAC meeting will be January 6, 2004, 1800 – 1930 in the Commissioners room at the Mineral County Courthouse. The agenda will consist of new project proposals and the RAC will re-evaluate the criteria for proposals.
Public Comment: None
The meeting was adjourned at 1940.