Supporting our roads and trails - Gotta Pay to Play

[Waverous]

Several events and issues have been discussed in the last few days and I want to pass along what I have learned. One huge issue regards the CoA4WDCI's membership in the United Four Wheel Drive Association. As an organization, CoA4WDCI pays $10/member to United for our membership - that adds up several thousand dollars per year. Our membership (via our dues paid to United) allows us to vote on where the money or effort of the organization is focused. We found out (through our delegates to the convention) there is a loop hole that allows states like California (with a much larger club base) to get away with paying $100/year total while they "evaluate" their membership. This is fine if you plan on officially joining and becoming a member like we are and pay the appropriate dues, except there are no provisions or rules that force these clubs to do that. Several State organizations have remained on this "trail membership" status for years now spending our money. Our delegates voiced concern over this and, as expected, met heavy resistance from these free-loading organizations. Our advise at the last delegates meeting was to match the $100 membership with a letter stating we would no longer participate at the $10/member level until there was some form of equity. This issue really is evident when you consider a State organization paying only $100 for its membership gets United to fund an issue within their state using our money. As a group, CoA4WDCI fully supports United and their issues - we just want everyone to participate equally
Another issue we all talked about was how we as a group of recreational enthusiasts pay so little to participate in our sport. Every other outdoor recreational activity requires fees, licensing, permits, or whatever. It is time we pay to play, either through donations or sweat equity. a great example of this comes from the innovative approach taken by Len Marks and the Central Chapter of B.R.O.N.CO. The club voted to pay $20/member to COHVCO instead of the usually $50/club amount. If we all did this in our clubs, imagine the funding COHVCO would have - and if anyone not associated with a club just paid $20 individually, we could really build up the coffers of COHVCO. An example of COHVCO assistance can be seen in the new trail at Billings Canyon.
Another one of the things we can do as a group is everyone purchase an OHV sticker. This money goes into to grant funds that will allow us the opportunity to repair trails.

For $35.25 (the cost of a COHVCO membership and an OHV sticker) we could really start funding land use fights and issues around OUR state FIRST.

[Camp]

I think this is a great thing to mention. I also agree that every vehicle that uses our trails should be required to have a green sticker. Even if it is a tagged street vehicle, a green sticker should be purchased. This is money that goes directly to our trails and the support of purchasing the permit will help the cause. One of the major problems we are currently facing is that the Forest Service has very limited funding to enforce the laws that exist up there. This leaves it open for people to break them with no real risk of getting caught.

[ThePagan]

Just keep in mind that there are other states / and Associations that pay in full to United. I know that the Association I am currently in SWFWDA covers 7 states and has close to 2000 members who are paid in full to United.

I can also tell you that the United BOD is working on a plan to resolve the current inequities (real or percevied) in the membership structure today. They have a goal of having a new plan in place by the end of the year.

If you have any specifics or concerns please feel free to e-mail me off-list and I will try to get answers back to you.

Shawn Pagan
VP United Four Wheel Drive Associations
thepagan@rockcrawler.com
(281) 298-9520

*Soon to be a member of COHVCO and a resident of the Fort Collins area.

Edited because I can't spell.... :rolleyes:

[Waverous]

Hmmm... "perceived" inequities - seems pretty concrete to our delegates and the rest of the State Association. I will pass this info along to the State Association

[ThePagan]

Hmmm... "perceived" inequities - seems pretty concrete to our delegates and the rest of the State Association. I will pass this info along to the State Association

I am not arguing with you by the way... As you can ask your delegates to United I agree 100% that it is not fair to ask some Associations to pay full tab and others to pay less - I don't think anyone on the United Board would argue that fact.. there were a number of reasons why this was allowed at one point in time before me so I can't address the "why" I can only move forward and tell you that they are working on it.

Your delegates to United should already know this as they were at the United meeting last month, I sat at the table with them - in fact they nominated (helped coerce) me to run for the VP position. There were hours of discussion around this topic and it was decided by the Delegates to United to give the board until the end of Nov. to come up with a plan for addressing these issues.

I totally agree that there are some real issues to be addressed; just remember, there are two sides to every story and the BOD is trying to address the larger issue(s) around membership in general not just this specific single issue - and in general there are both real (the dollar inequity) and perceived (value for $$ vs. clubs invovlement vs. value to associations etc) issue to take into consideration.

What is best for wheeling in general, United.. it's associations.. it's members and clubs and in the end what's best for moving United forward as a voice and in a direction that the Associations who choose to be part of United want to move in.

- Shawn

[Cris T]

As far as the OHV registration goes, if anyone is interested, here is the link to the form, just click on "OHV Registration Form", fill it out and send it with your money to the address listed in the directions, pretty easy:

http://parks.state.co.us/default.asp?action=park&parkID=99

And for those who are already signed up but need to renew, here is an online renewal link:

http://coparks-ivrs.state.co.us/vehrenew/vehrenew.dll/MIval=/ivrs/home

[StayOutside]

Waverous & Cris T. Thanks for posting of this information. We at COHVCO are working harder to show the 4x4 community what battles we are fighting for them and ways we can grow our support. Purchasing an OHV sticker has a HUGE impact on the way we can maintain our 4x4 trials. It is not just the money involved but access to that money. Many are not aware that the OHV sticker money is held by Colorado and allocated specifically for OHV trail maintenance, improvements, route signage etc.. One of the big gaps the COHVCO Board is working on is how to get more money from the 4x4 community into this bucket. Currently no sticker is required to use the trails but many 4x4 projects are funded from this bucket. The 4x4 community can't afford to lose access to these funds for our beloved trails. The best way to ensure your voice is heard and the money flows in the right direction is to support COHVCO. The money coming from the 4x4 community makes a definite impact whether the state will continue fund large grants to specific 4x4 trails issues. Why would supporting COHVCO have an impact at the State Level? It simply because COHVCO is on or directly connected to many of the State and Federal Land Managers committees that decide these matters. Supporting COHVCO matters tremendously. We could use 100 a more Len Marks to lead the way in funding the fight for 4x4 support.

Eric Jepsen
COHVCO Director

[StayOutside]

Waverous, Lets start something here that can bolster 4x4 support for our Trails. Lets start by purchasing and putting 1 OHV Sticker Drivers Side, Top, of our 4x4 Windshields and the other on the bumper. I can't overstate how important this is and how much it will be recognized by Local and State Officials since most will say "Why did you get that -you don't need those". But we definitely want to respond that we care about supporting our trails.

http://parks.state.co.us/default.asp?action=park&parkID=99

Eric Jepsen
COHVCO Director

[ThePagan]

This is a great idea... and while it may seem strange to buy a sticker you don't need today - buying it may make a world of difference tomorrow.

Being from a state that has no public trail systems... it's much easier to fight for it before it's gone then to try and get it back later.

- Shawn