The following is a write up from Sandra Mitchell concerning the OHV Sticker money. We are in favor of the money staying with the Idaho Parks and Recreation. IDPR are what is helping keep the trails open. They are the ones that set up the Trail Ranger Program so that clubs or organization can get out there and get the trails opened up for the public to use them. “And get reimbursed for their work”. They are also the ones that we get a hold of if we need a trail cat to help out on the trails. Yes we have to go through the Forest Service to get it done. But the funding is through IDPR.
Along with that, they have set up the training and classes for OHV users. Everything is about educating the public so we can keep the trails open. And Idaho Parks and Recreation does that.
And the last thing to keep in mind. If you do it by county, Does the County know where all the trails are?. How many people only ride in their area. So if a large number of people that own OHV’s live in one area with little or no trails. But ride in another county that has a small handful of people living there with lots of trails. The small county is going to have a harder time keeping their trails open or cleared out. Because the funding is not there. And the larger county is going to be sitting on a large amount of money and not the trails to work on.
The Idaho Pathfinders will writing in a letter in support to keeping the Sticker money with IDPR.
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The current Off-Highway Vehicle program administered by IDPR is widely considered to be the best in the nation. IDPR staff has provided testimony to multiple states across the country on how to set up and run an effective OHV program. It was the first in the nation to develop a Trail Ranger/Trail Dozer Program, is staffed exclusively by employees that are themselves registered OHV owners, and is one of the most efficient forms of state government in Idaho. The current program utilizes the revenue collected from OHV stickers towards trail maintenance, education, grants, and advocacy.
- The state program averages 1,800 miles of light trail maintenance (Trail Rangers) annually, and approximately 150 miles of heavy trail maintenance (Trail Dozer) annually.
- In the last 5 years alone, the IDPR administered grant program (OHV sticker funds) has awarded 46 grants totaling $1.5 million dollars to local, state, and federal OHV recreation providers.
- The state program has instructed 4,430 students in the last 5 years. They have also developed specific classes for motorbikes, ATVs, and UTVs….tailored to the needs of the student.
- The state has distributed $115,000 dollars directly to 17 unique OHV clubs/organizations across the state in the last 5 years for trail maintenance contracts.
- IDPR has also provided official comments for every federal travel planning effort for the last 20+ years advocating for continued OHV opportunities and access.
All of these things are accomplished with only 7 full-time IDPR employees and a handful of seasonal employees scattered across the state, dedicated exclusively to the pursuit of OHV recreation. The proposed legislation would take the funds that currently make those things possible, and give them to 44 individual counties in the hope that each of those counties could reproduce the same.
The truth is most of the 44 counties would receive less than $20,000 each based on current funding levels. That level of funding simply isn’t enough for 44 counties to pay for the things currently provided by IDPR. That level of funding wouldn’t cover the current amount IDPR budgets for a single Trail Dozer operator wages….much less pay associated capital expenditures (trucks, motorcycles, Trail Cats, etc) education efforts for the public, pay for Trail Rangers, award grants to other entities, give money to clubs/organizations, and engage in federal travel planning efforts in a meaningful way.
The beauty of the current, IDPR administered program is that it allows a single entity to be efficient across a broad landscape, and leverage the money in the most efficient manner possible. Re-creating this wonderful state program across 44 counties will drive up costs, severely erode maintenance efforts, and ultimately lead to a severe decline in recreational opportunities for Idaho citizens.
Sandra F Mitchell
501 Baybrook Court
Boise, ID 83706
208.424.3870
208.869.3318
The Idaho Recreation Council (IRC) is an organization composed of Idahoans from all parts of the state with a wide spectrum of recreation interests and a desire to preserve recreation opportunities for future generations. Our members include 4X4ers, ATVers, Horse, backcountry aviators, RVers, Recreational Miners, Motorcyclists, Mountain Bikers, Rock Hounds, Jet Boaters, Rafters and Snowmobilers.
