Okanogan Valley Chapter Back Country Horsemen of Washington

Transcription

1 Okanogan Valley Chapter Back Country Horsemen of Washington Minutes of the March16, 2016, Business Meeting The monthly business meeting was held at El Parisio Restaurant in Okanogan, WA. There were 21 members present; there were no guests. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by Mary McHugh, Chapter Secretary, acting in place of President Cher Bower. Mary appointed Trygve Culp as Acting Secretary. The minutes for the January 2016 business meeting were approved as printed in the February 2016 Chapter Newsletter. Reports: Treasurer: Trygve Culp explained the monthly report of income, expenses and current bank and investment account balances. The Chapter is solvent. Report accepted by voice vote. Director: Dave Sunde reminded members that Rendezvous would be this weekend and asked if there was anything that needed to be referred to the BCHW Board. Legislative: No Report. Volunteer Hours: Ted Sharr reported for Cheryl Johnson. Members are asked to use the new VH form on the Chapter and BCHW websites. In the future a common VH sheet will be utilized for all members at work parties. Ted collected mileage figures for everybody who attended the Whistler Canyon Work Party. Trail Boss: Trygve Culp reported on accomplishments at the Whistler Canyon work party and explained the upcoming April 9 th Work Party at the Carter Mountain Wildlife Area. He made a motion to spend up to $4500 to rent a narrow track excavator to construct tread for the new trail. The motion was seconded by Dave Sunde and passed by voice vote following discussion. The first Chapter ride will be on April 23 rd at the Horse Spring Coulee Wildlife Area. Publicity: Linda Oborne distributed Come Join Us flyers with contact info to be put up around the county. She also distributed a tip sheet for conditioning equines and equine first aid. Newsletter: Ted Sharr reported that newsletter advertising is running well ahead of past years and thanked Stan and Cathy Kvistad for their efforts selling ads. Ted also pointed out that the Chapter schedule of activities needed to be updated to show the correct meeting location(s). Social Director: Gail Sunde reported that the Sweetheart Potluck and Auction in February was a great success and that the dessert auction had raised $965 this year. Due to the distance from the trailhead that folks will be working at Carter Mountain, lunch will not be furnished, but snacks will be available for participants.

2 Membership and Communications: Cathy Kvistad reported that she had received several new memberships and that 90 percent of last years members had renewed as of March 1 st. A discussion of recruiting followed: Peggy Swanburg suggested developing a packet of information to be given to real-estate offices that could be passed along to individuals purchasing horse properties in the Okanogan. The packet could include our tri-fold brochure and membership application. (Note: This idea should be placed under new business for April, a committee appointed and necessary action(s) taken to make this happen.) Unfinished Business: Whistler Canyon Beatification: Work remains to be done relative to planting native vegetation and weed control. A motion was made by Cathy Kvistad and seconded by Michael Alvarado to purchase up to $500 worth of beauty bark to control weeds and beautify the island in the center of the parking area. Michael agreed to pile and burn the wooden debris along the hill slope northeast of the trail from the parking area to the base of the mountain. It was pointed out that the trail map sign needs to be refinished. Carter Mountain Trail Project: There is a fly in the ointment. WDFW has not received approved SEPA for us to proceed. They are waiting on approval of the archeological review of the site. Also, the grant application for the project indicates that OVC will pay for the SEPA for the project. Trail Boss was directed to follow up with WDFW. We will go ahead with our planning and hope that the necessary paperwork is in place for the April 9 th work party, but it may have to be postponed. RCO and BCHA Grants: A motion was made, seconded and passed to table this discussion until the April 2016 business meeting. Trailhead Information Boxes: A motion was made, seconded and passed to table this discussion/business until the April 2016 business meeting. Boy Scout Projects: Ted Sharr, Trygve Culp and Dave Sunde will continue to develop a list of possible Eagle Scout projects and coordinate directly with local Scout Masters. InReach and Satellite Communication Devise: Following discussion, a motion was made by Stan Kvistad, seconded by Dave Sunde that the Chapter not purchase an InReach or satellite communications devise. The motion passed. MedStar renewal: The Chapter Group MedStar memberships expire in mid-may, MedStar is offering 1 year renewals for $48 per membership or 3 year renewals for $126. In order to continue receiving the group rate we still need 10 members to enroll. Members pay the Chapter and the Chapter pays MedStar directly. (Note: I missed some of this discussion.) OVC Logo Clothing: Following discussion, Ted Sharr agreed to contact a firm in Grand Coulee, Shelly Walla will contact Pro Stitch in Omak and Gail Sunde will contact All Sew in Tonasket and report back to the Chapter in April.

3 Fund Raiser Yard Sale: Linda Oborne reported that the Chapter Yard Sale will be held on June 11 th and 12 th. Volunteer helpers are needed to make a successful event. Donations can be made to Linda for folks residing in the central valley or to Gail Sunde for folks from the north valley. New Business: First Aid Training: Reminder that there will be a first aid class sponsored by Ferry County Chapter in Republic on March 26 th. At the January meeting a motion was passed that OVC would pay for certified sawyers to attend first aid training. A motion was made by Trygve Culp and seconded by Gail Sunde that the Chapter pay up to $50.00 for any member of the Chapter who agrees to attend Chapter work parties. The motion passed without dissent. Saw Certification: The annual saw certification will be conducted jointly with the Ferry County Chapter on Saturday, April 16 th at Lambert Creek Horse Camp. Sawyers should be at the horse camp by 9:00 AM. State-Wide Work Party: This year the BCHW state-wide work party will be held out of the Twisp River Horse Camp hosted by the Methow Valley Chapter. A motion was made, seconded and passed to table discussion of this item of business until April Packing Contest 2016: The Chapter sponsored packing contest at Rendezvous will be held on Saturday afternoon from 1:00 PM until 3:00 PM. There will be only one open class this year. Trygve Culp, Stan Kvistad, Dave Sunde and Mary McHugh will judge the contest. Stan showed the prize saddle; he donated the tree and britchen, Steve Darwood donated the breast collar and materials for the half breed, Tom Tugaw made the half breed. The Chapter will purchase latigos and cinch. The Chapter will need to furnish donation forms to Kvistad, Darwood and Tugaw. OVC Membership Form: The 2016 BCHW membership form is now on the Chapter web-site. Good of the Order: Minimum Requirements Analysis: Trygve Culp passed out and discussed a proposed resolution urging the Tonasket and Methow Valley Ranger Districts to conduct Minimum Requirements Analysis for the use of mechanize equipment to conduct trail maintenance operations in the Lake Chelan Sawtooth and Pasayten Wilderness Areas. He made a motion that the resolution be passed and also forwarded to BCHW for endorsement. Dave SUnde seconded the motion. It passed without dissent. A copy of the resolution is attached. First Aid Kits: Stan Kvistad agreed to go through the kits and get them up to date. Colville National Forest Plan: Gene Wehmeyer reported that the draft Forest Plan has been published for the Colville NF. The Chapter should comment. By consensus the topic was tabled.

4 Dave Sunde reported that the Okanogan County Sheriff was sponsoring a series of firearms safety courses this spring and summer. The complete schedule of courses is on the Chapter web-site. Cathy Kvistad announced that she was resigning effective immediately as Membership and Communications Chair. She will turn over all of the membership information, records and check book to the Chapter Treasurer. (Note: This has been done.) Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 PM by voice vote on a motion by Ted Sharr and second by Jane Byram. Respectfully submitted: s/trygve Culp Trygve H. Culp Acting Secretary

5 Resolution For the Rehabilitation and Maintenance of Wilderness Trails In The Pasayten Wilderness and Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness Sponsor: Okanogan Valley Chapter of Back Country Horsemen of Washington Whereas, The Nation has provided for areas of landscape untrammeled by man where man is a visitor enjoying...outstanding opportunities for solitude or a primitive and unconfined type of recreation The Wilderness Act (The Act) Sec 2(c); and, Whereas,...wilderness areas shall be devoted to the public purposes of recreational, scenic, scientific, educational, conservation, and historical use. The Act Sec 4(b); and, Whereas, National Forest trails, particularly wilderness trails existing at the inception of The Wilderness Act of 1964, the designation of the Pasayten Wilderness (1968) and the Lake Chelan-Sawtooth Wilderness (1984), have experienced substantial deterioration due to changing conditions of fire, insects, climate, erosion and the passage of time; and, Whereas, United States Forest Service (USFS) funding allocations and grants have been significantly and steadily decreasing over decades thereby causing historic trails to be abandoned and maintenance of main trunk trails to be severely limited even in highly unstable and deteriorating areas; and, Whereas, Volunteer labor and resources of user groups such as The Backcountry Horsemen and motorized users, have been valuable in the national forest they cannot practically assist in the wilderness due to the restriction against mechanical means; and, Whereas, By necessity, outfitters serving horse and mule riders and providing hiker support provide extraordinary and onerous trail clearing in the wilderness throughout the season by primitive means; and, Whereas, Private citizens are generally without means to clear trails of fallen trees or circumvent dangerous areas, thereby placing them at an increased risk of injury or harm; and, Whereas, Multiple structures to drain/direct water, carry stock and pedestrians over ecologically sensitive areas or waterways have failed or are failing throughout the wilderness; and,

6 Whereas, The abandonment of historic trails and reduction in trail maintenance has intensified use to restricted areas thereby impairing outstanding opportunities for solitude and a primitive and unconfined type of recreation ; and, Whereas, The current condition of our wilderness trails does not fulfill the public purposes of The Act for recreational and historic use; now, therefore be it Resolved, that the Okanogan Valley Chapter of the Back Country Horsemen of Washington, 1) Urges the Congress of the United States to secure significant increased funds for trail rehabilitation and maintenance to fulfill the mandate of The Wilderness Act; and further, 2) Calls upon the Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest to authorize, as a minimum requirement, the use of mechanical means, by Forest Service, Back Country Horsemen of Washington and other user group certified and permitted users, to keep main trails clear and appropriately useable throughout the season and to reopen historic ancillary trail access for both stock users and hikers; and further, 3) Requests that the United States Forest Service propose and promote legislation and develop and implement administrative rules authorizing the use of mechanical means of trail clearing, tread and drain work on wilderness trails as necessary to meet the recreational and wilderness purposes of The Wilderness Act. Date Co-sponsors