Hubbard County,it's your turn now!!!

[Benny]

I t won't stop till all of Minnesota has a ban in place.People you have to get to your representatives and governing bodies first.Stop all the counties from banning ATV travel,get out an speak up!
The following message was sent to me by a state ATV association.Please read it and get on the phone and call the county to protest thier ban.

The Board has been informed of post card campaign in HUBBARD County. The post cards have been placed at various business's through out the county requesting residents to contact the county Commissioners to support a BAN of ATV's in ditch's and on snowmobile trails. We do not have any more details to offer at this point. We wanted to inform the membership of what we have heard.

If you ride, would like to ride, have friends or land in this area then it would be a good idea to contact the commissioners below and express that you do not support this. Most officials are happy to hear from people outside of their county, but resident/land owner comments will take precedence. When submitting comments please remember to be polite and courteous. Any derogatory comments will be discarded.

Hubbard County Commissioners

Swede Nelson
18672 County 20
Park Rapids, Mn 56470
218-732-5408

[email protected]

Dick Devine
14122 Eagleridge Circle
Park Rapids, Mn 56470
218-732-5807
[email protected]

Floyd Frank
23419 State 87
Nevis, Mn 56467
218-732-4880

[email protected]

Lyle Robinson
30253 State 200 P.O. Box 58
Benedict, Mn 56436-9998
218-224-2669

[email protected]

Cal Johannsen
38179 US 71
Lake George, MN 56458
218-266-3344
[email protected]

Thanks, Benny

[Sod Farmer]

Benny -
Thanks for the heads-up! I spoke with several of the commisioners by phone this A.M. as a result of your post. I encourage others to do the same. They were very receptive to comments and ideas. I was left with the feeling that they are not in favor of eliminating ditch riding, but they feel that there is a problem that they need to address somehow. They are aware that many people come to the area because of the recreational opportunities (ATVs being one of them)and do not wish to eliminate them. I think that they are looking for ways to maintain the trails and are looking for a source of funds to do so. I also got the idea that some trails might be closed while others would be maintained. I also learned that the MN DNR is looking at reducing or eliminating "Managed" trails in the Natl. forests. This would mean that only those trails that are posted as "open" would be available to ride. Un-posted trails would be closed.

Contact your representatives (local and state)and let them know what you think, or our world will get alot smaller!

[This message has been edited by Sod Farmer (edited 02-19-2004).]

[Little_Bones]

if you don't have time to attend the public meetings about these bans, I encourage you to at least write to the commissioners. I could not attend the meeting in Oglivie, but I wrote a letter to each commissioner. I had one of the commissioners call me Friday night and speak to me for quite a while. He was very open to listening to my ideas, and he was not convinced that a ban was a good idea. By asking for and presenting facts we can show that these bans are not necessary. The MRR and other groups are very organized, but we can be more organized and we have facts to back up what we say. Even though I do not presently ride in the Kanabec or Hubbard county I will send letters. Once one county bans them, others will follow.
If you want trails please take the time to write a letter or attend a meeting.
Jim Walters Jr.

[Benny]

Thanks guys for your efforts.It is true the MRR is organized, but they don't have any facts or viable evedance that the ATV damage will stop just because they are banned.The damage being caused now is done by people who have no regaurd for the law or personal property.
They won't abide by any ban and will continue to cause problems, even if they are caught at it may not stop some of them.
The two guys from Atkin who got fines and jail time for thier roll in damaging the wet land, have already said they will do it again just in a differant spot.

Dave posted some good info on another thread about the meetings up at Knife Lake area.He said a small group of anti ATV people showed up, but there were many supporters.The commisioners and the Sheriff even said the ATV problems were a very small percentage of thier calls.
It is just that the MRR people have so much clout that the commisioners must at least hold a meeting or they will get harrased for weeks by the MRR people.

Thanks again for your time to call and write.

Benny