OHMVR Commission needs ours help!

Brewster

Well-known member
The OHMVR Commission has scheduled an important meeting on Feb. 27.

https://ohv.parks.ca.gov/pages/1140/files/02-Agenda-OHMVR-Commission-022720 Final.pdf

The Agenda is vague about what is to be discussed, but it has to do with the not so positive changes that have taken place in the management of the OHMVR Division and SVRA's. Also, this may be the last meeting for awhile that has a quorum of OHMVR Commissioner seats filled. No quorum = no power.

If you can't make it to the meeting and have comments about how the SVRA's are being run, you could send them to:

ohvinfo.ohv@parks.ca.gov

Ask that the email be forwarded to all of the OHMVR Commissioners.

Ride on
Brewster
CORVA
 

The Deanster

Well-known member
Thanks Brewster, From what I've heard this will be a workshop style meeting. This means that the public may be able to have more say at the table than just 2 minutes.
 

budman

General Menace
Staff member
Interested to know more about the management issues.

Guess I am a little oblivious.

Thanks for doing what you do Brewster! :port
 

Brewster

Well-known member
Interested to know more about the management issues.

With the change in management districts, combining regular state parks and SVRA's under the same managers, some of the SVRA's have ended up with management that is either not familiar with OHV recreation, may not be in favor of OHV recreation, or in the case of Pismo (Oceano Dunes) NO top management. There has been some questions as to how the OHV Trust Fund money is being used and possibly diverted to state park functions.

The OHMVR Division deputy directors position has been vacant for a long time.

I hope that helps at least a little.
Ride on
Brewster
CORVA
 

Butch

poseur
Staff member
Item IV, OHMVR Division Transformation...
This worries me. If the SVRAs are not managed by folks who are understand the needs these parks will fall into disrepair. An even bigger deal is the trust fund $$$
 

Butch

poseur
Staff member
As I see it, this is another veiled ploy to dismantle the Off Highway Motor Recreational Vehicle (OHMRV) Division of State Parks and illegally confiscate the monies in the trust fund.

The OHMVR funds lots of stuff, including trail maintenance and conservation and law enforcement efforts throughout the state. Places like Metcalf, Santa Clara Motorcycle County park are greatly helped by this division of state parks. If the program goes away as this will promote it will effect motorcyclists thought the state.

I go to Metcalf alot and hope it always available to me.
 
Last edited:

budman

General Menace
Staff member
Oh man... it would so suck to have the SVRA's get tossed due to not getting the right people into the right positions.

I kind of figure this is on the older crowd to figure out.

I am a super busy business man so I cannot dig in, but I would like to know how to help.
 

Butch

poseur
Staff member
I’m gonna send something like this...

We have (had?) a system that worked well to manage the SVRAs. These special areas are critical to relieve pressure from other areas from OHV use. OHVs are a legitimate form of recreation and nature exploration.

Management of SVRAs, and the funding created for the program requires special skills and background. This is what the OHMVR Division was created for.

Redistricting the park system such that management falls upon ones with other responsibilities and priorities will compromise this sector of the park system and be a disservice to those the park system is entrusted to serve.
 

elemetal

3 pings and a zing
Was talking about this and the changes with red sticker coming up and a question arose: with only plates and green stickers available after 2025 (and most green stickers will be less dirtbike that plated) will there be enough ohv funds coming in to support it?
 

Butch

poseur
Staff member
Was talking about this and the changes with red sticker coming up and a question arose: with only plates and green stickers available after 2025 (and most green stickers will be less dirtbike that plated) will there be enough ohv funds coming in to support it?

Yes. The OHMVR Division is funded heavily by gas taxes proportional to the fuel we use in pursuit of our activity. Goes into the “trust fund” which is raided regularly.

Of course, these electric vehicles are being disruptive of the status quo. Not many dirt EV yet tho, so not so much for our gig.
 
Last edited:

Butch

poseur
Staff member
CA State Parks OHMVR Division Comments for Feb 27 meeting

just sent to State Parks, Senator Beall, Assemblymember Kalra...

I have frequented Hollister Hills, Carnegie and Prarie City since the mid seventies.
I understand the SVRAs have been redistricted among other park Sectors.
As I see it, this is another veiled ploy to dismantle the OHMVR Division and illegally confiscate the monies in the trust fund.

The OHMRV funds lots of things, including trail maintenance and conservation and law enforcement efforts throughout the state. Places like Metcalf, Santa Clara Motorcycle County park are greatly helped by this division of state parks and provide outdoor recreation in a largely urban environment. If the state OHV program goes away as this will promote it will effect motorcyclists thought the state.

Motorcycles make a great contribution to our society in terms of making transportation available to more people, easing congestion and economy OHV helps train people to do this safely, as well as providing access to the outdoors, exercise and familiy bonding.

Please keep the OHMVR Division intact.
 
Last edited:

Butch

poseur
Staff member
This is from Don Amador’s site:

OCEANOFICATION State of CA OHV Program

Like many of you, I have had more than a full plate over the last couple of months but am now back more fully in the OHV saddle. With the upcoming OHV commission meeting slated for Thursday, February 27, I wanted to share my view on the current state of affairs at the CA OHV Program.

The following comments are hard for me to pen and share because of my long history with the Program and my deep appreciation for the OHV staff that I work with and for the many partners it has in various local and federal jurisdictions.

For reasons I don’t fully understand the Program has entered into a “Dark Ages” status where substantive communications with Park/Division leadership are almost non-existent. Transformation has largely obliterated the hands-on SVRA superintendent role where management is meaningfully engaged with unit staff and partners in operation of the SVRA.

Probable loss of the opportunity to purchase the 1,300 Blue Oak Ranch, because approved grant monies to help with the purchase of the property - that would act as a high quality staging/camping area for the BLM’s South Cow Mountain OHV area - are now lost in a bureaucratic black hole in Sacramento.

While there remains the responsibility of grant applicants to be accountable for grant funded projects, there are a growing number of past and potential future grant applicants (including government agencies) that have told me the massive increase in grant reporting requirements goes far beyond other grant reporting requirements including those who get non-OHV grants from other state agencies.

The Oceano Dunes SVRA PWP - absent any meaningful projects that would benefit OHV recreation – is simply adding momentum to ongoing political efforts that seek to permanently ban OHV recreation at the SVRA while at the same time supporting the continued gross misuse of dedicated OHV funds to manage and support non-motorized recreation at the SVRA and other Park units.

It is my hope the Thursday OHV Commission meeting will provide an opportunity for Parks leadership, Division staff, and stakeholders to reconnect, find solutions, and chart a positive course for our OHV Program.
 

Butch

poseur
Staff member
Help! we need riders to have their voices heard. Please send an email to
ohvinfo.ohv@parks.ca.govt
tonight or first thing tomorrow morning. Meeting is at 8:30 am. February 27, 2020.
CORVA will be there representing our position. Please send an email similar to the paragraphs after the background.

Background
The Department of Parks and Recreation (Parks) moved forward with an ambitious plan to reorganize the department starting in 2015. Immediately prior, Parks had undergone a difficult period of negative publicity due to the revelation of financial mismanagement. This created an opportunity for a new management team to propose changes to improve the fiscal viability of the department which then evolved to the enactment of considerable hierarchal structural changes which were untested before implementation.

Summary
Please support the CORVA position for the future of our OHV program. We observe that instead of strengthening ties between different parks users by combining districts, the new paradigm has diluted the attention given to each individual park, and taken away the culture of each individual SVRA. Instead of keeping SVRA’s on the same track as before reorganization, what has evolved is a deterioration of the SVRA system.

Solutions
• Return: employee positions to one division, then use expertise on an ‘as needed’ basis.
• Restore: OHMVR Division autonomy. Management decision-making from the highest levels down must include representation by off-road knowledgeable and experienced Parks staff.
Reassess: OHV Trust Fund allocations.
Thank you for your consideration.
 

Butch

poseur
Staff member
Dave Pickett, AMA D36 says...

D36 was there with Don Amador, Jerry Fouts and myself. We all spoke. Issues below were petty much covered.
The commissioner’s, DPPR Director Mangat and Dep Dir Liz Mcgurk all heard loud and clear of concerns. Many 4WD folks in attendance.
PC, Carnegie & Oceano Dunes issues came up, ditto financial stuff related to OHV program. Trust me, they got an earful on Parks Forward for NOT having an OHV person on this………..
Also, 5o year anniversary festivities planned, The Commission gave written letters concerning some issues of problems, eventually going to the Governor.
 
Top