Get Our ATV Trails back....

To:  State of Kentucky

I have been in contact with the Trail Keepers Foundation and the London Ranger District. I just got off the phone with Tom King of the USDA Forest Service. Mainly, the area known as Cromer Ridge, Livingston I75 exit 49, Hwy 909 is NOT legal to ride on. The road going over the hill is designated a state owned road where according to KY law ATV's are not allowed to ride on. The property on each side of the road is owned by up to 25 to 30 landowners and again according to KY state law you may not ride on without the owners permission. What brought the latest bout of rumors on was the Forest Service has recently acquired some of the property down by the river and essentially landlocked some of the property owners which instigated the Forest Service to contact these land owners to find them a designated road into their property. That's when the property owners informed the Forest Service that they didn't want OHV's on their property. He also advised me that we need to get with the NOHVCC to get more involved with them as they are already connected with the state agencies. I have already talked with the KY state representative back in Feb (he was the guy that was going to speak at a meeting before part of the group decided not to be a club) I'll be contacting him again, and since then he has attended the National NOHVCC meeting and I need to get caught up with what happened.
On a more positive note, Mr. King is going to be contacting me as far as using our club to match funds already acquired from the RTP for various motorized trails projects such as S-Tree and Turkey Foot. This is where we can use our labor to literally double the amount of funding available for designated motorized trails projects. We would be able to learn a lot from them as far as how to build and maintain trails by helping the Forest Service with these current projects. Not to mention, give us notoriety with them as a legitimate group. I'll be in contact with the county judge in Laurel County to see what is happening with the county roads in the area, and what may be able to be done with them. I'm told he is very attuned to what is happening and is sympathetic to our situation, since we bring dollars to his county.
Looks like we're back to work. What I need to know now is do we still have the backing of the membership to do the right thing? I want to know if you are willing to help with trail construction, contacting various agencies, sitting in on meetings concerning trail issues or whatever we need to do to get us trails in KY? What we (ATV riders) need is all our resources combined. Everything from our sweat to our best effort at educating ourselves about how these things work. Remember people the Government (taxes, votes, Department of This and That, Landowners, and our representatives) is involved here. We need strength in numbers and determination. I’m not about to question the number of ATV riders, but it is our determination to actually ban together as a consortium to actually further our interests that concerns me.
All I'm asking for is you stand up when called upon. I have no problem contacting the proper officials to get our voices heard. But I have to hear YOUR voice, when I talk to these officials, one of the first questions they ask is how many in our group. And believe me when I tell them over 170 and 14 clubs they take notice. I've stated this before, and the reality is here and now. I'm asking EVERYONE that has been interested in ATVing to put this silly feud aside and let's start working together to save our trails! NOBODY is going to win if we can't get along ourselves. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. We don't have TIME to wait. If we don't get this settled we ALL LOSE. I have contacts, and a plan to implement. I cannot do any of this unless there is support from the group. I'm ready to bury the hatchet to save our trails.
I've jabbed a lot of irons in the fire. The full plan is not gelled completely. But I'll tell you in a general way I have talked to the Trail Keepers Foundation and the Blue Ribbon Coalition has become involved. These are very heavy hitters as far as lobbyist and legal help. I'm very excited to see them taking an interest. There is ways to designate a road usable by ATV's, and it would only take one person that has the power to do this. Then there is a bit of research and legwork that needs to be done. Next, and this is the tough part, is to approach the landowners and DNR with a plan that suits everyone. But my initial concern is the backing of the membership. Without you, there isn't much point in me beating my head against the wall. What is going to get their attention is NUMBERS. Obviously, looking at Livingston on a given weekend, there should be massive support to get this area legal to ride on.....

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The Get Our ATV Trails back.... Petition to State of Kentucky was created by Heartland Trail Riders Council and written by Mike Bernadi, Brian Worley.  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.

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