We've got a guy here in Michigan who has repeatedly refused to take or answer any simple legitimate questions as leader of his non-elected club; let alone as our (supposed/now kicked off) representative to the state board.....who is now trying to "back-door" some non-consensual legislation down our throats that he won't even put up on his own club website for the rest of this state's ridership to view or much less comment on.

<u>At the same time</u>, we're being promised a 25-year orv update plan 'unveiling' by the state.....while <u>the state</u> (who have already cut down on the dates on which we actually have the ability to meet with them) "suddenly" flashes on their website that there will be no meetings with our board (the one we <u>cannot</u> contact publicly) or them, for a period of 6 months.

Who can tell us about the shenanigans being pulled here and (at the very least) point out <u>where</u> this "cowboy" legislation can be found and exactly who is supporting it?

 

Update:

Called the state and was informed that our own orv advisory board....convinced the state that there was NO NEED FOR THE CITIZENS OF THIS STATE TO MEET WITH THEM, AS THERE WERE NO ISSUES TO BE DISCUSSED THAT THE OFFROAD COMMUNITY NEEDED TO BE KEPT ABREAST OF.

This is the same advisory board which said absolutely nothing when meetings were cut down from 6 to 4 (quarterly) per year and the same ORV COMMUNITY who is siting back now with absolutely <U>nothing to say</U> in regards to being <u>completely</u> uninformed for half a year on the issues which affect them.

The citizens of this state are sitting on what has to be the largest trail system in this nation at over 3,000 miles of trails. Would anybody like to argue with me 'now' that many of us don't deserve stewardship over these trails and that we are more than ripe to be picked off of them by any environmental wacko with half a will to do so?

How much sickening apathy can this sport stand? (and why do you think we have bozos trying to charge parents $25 to sit in on their own kid's training classes?).

 

thanks 4 info, Keep it coming.

 

just wondering , but could this individual also be AKA "DICK" , i think that may be short for richard ??????? or am i way off base here, only trying to get things right

 

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I was utterly pissed off when I found out from our ORV Board Chairperson that the May 11th meeting was canceled because there was nothing to discuss..What BS!!

We have the DNR issuing tickets to innocent and unsuspect riders,we have a trail system in question,we have an ORV safety issue that the DNR has been screwing with since Oct of 2003,ect ect ect,

And we have nothing to talk about?

 

What kills me is that "to a man"......<u>every person that you would ever meet</u>; be it a state employee or orv enthusiast....will tell you that this board and the "God of all things off-road" who is the little bird in their ear; have been <u>ineffective</u> and <u>useless</u> for YEARS now....yet there seems to be only one guy from little 'ol "Vicksburg, Michigan" who will walk up to each and every one of them and tell this <u>to their face</u>.

These guys pull this stuff because they darn well know that the only club getting involved anywhere near politically right now is out there trying to draft 'cowboy' legislation by their lonesome and haven't uttered a significant word through these proper channels since the DNR kicked <u>their</u> guy off of the board. What's left is a bunch of people who go to these meetings and sit there like a bump on a log or say nary a word when issues like reduced meeting times, absolutely no public contact with the board itself, closing trails for 'study' and 100 mile "motorcycle only" trails are proposed.

All I've asked for on my board application is to let the voice of the people finally reach the DNR's ears and to start making this board accountable to the <u>people</u> that they serve.

The problem being..... that there seems to be absolutley no one out there who cares whether they are being represented or not....<U>and these people are out there riding the largest trail system in this country!</U> (and if that isn't a sad commentary on the state of our sport today.....<u>I don't know what is</u>).

Footnote: I will have to make an exception for Bill (Muddy). Although we often disagree, the man is actually one of the best trainers in the Midwest and has fought tirelessly on the exceptionally important subject of youth training (which has turned into an unbelievable debacle in recent times). He has helped me train kids in my region when you couldn't deal with the big (cough) "non-profit" trainers who were unresponsive/gouging them....and I'll forever be thankful for that. Thanks, Bill.