FROM:  CITIZENS FOR KEEPING LAKE ISABELLA CAMPGROUNDS FREE

SUBJ: Citizens and USFS Face Off on Lake Fees

A second town hall meeting hosted by the grass root organization, Citizens for Keeping Lake Isabella Campgrounds Free (CKLICF), in conjunction with the Lake Isabella/Bodfish Property Owners Association attracted a standing room crowd at the Moose Lodge in Lake Isabella Thursday, August 23.

The reason for the meeting was the proposed, impending fees that the Forest Service is planning to impose at the currently free campgrounds known as Auxiliary Dam, South Fork Recreation Area, and Old Isabella Road.  The threat of access fees at these areas has drawn passionate reaction from visitors and community members alike. What the citizens want is the following:

The funding be restored to the U.S. Forest Service’s recreation budget so that the Forest Service could continue to run and maintain the above referenced campgrounds and not be forced into collecting fees.
Our legislators cancel the Recreation Fee Pilot  Demonstration Program. Lake Isabella campground users do not wish to be part of this experiment  or any other program that would result in fees.

The guest speaker was Greenhorn District Ranger, Dave Freeland. The 210,000 acre Greenhorn District includes Lake Isabella, Lower Kern Canyon, Greenhorn Mountain, Breckenridge and the Piutes.  Lake Isabella is located in the Kern River Valley, 50 miles north east of Bakersfield, California.  The population of the Kern River Valley is approximately 22,000, comprised of roughly 50% over the age of 55, 30% working age, and 20% school age.  A U.S. Forest Service study describes the Valley as being “economically deprived.”  Recreation is the areas only industry and Lake Isabella is the primary attraction.  Tourism is the lifeblood of this community.   Vacationers are drawn from a 200 mile radius and includes a diverse ethnic mix from Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Kings, Tulare, Inyo, Mono and San Luis Obispo, counties to mention a few.  The big attraction is the availability of free camping at Lake Isabella.

Ron Benoit who is the president of the Property Owners Association acted as spokesperson for the citizens.  Benoit opened the meeting by introducing Congressman Bill Thomas’ representative, Eric Quinley, and Kern County First District Supervisor, Jon McQuiston.  Benoit encouraged the crowd to write letters opposing the Recreation Fee Demonstration Program (Fee Demo) and to communicate with their politicians, urging them to appropriate sufficient funding so that the Forest Service could continue to maintain these campgrounds.

The Fee Demo Program came into existence as a result of the Omnibus (all encompassing) Consolidated Rescissions and Appropriations Act of 1996 {Public Law 104-134} passed on April 26, 1996, Section 315.(in Title III –General Provisions) of this bill passed as a rider.  The rider tacked on to the bill with no congressional debate or comment, allows public recreation lands including the Forest Service to implement the Fee Demo Program.  Congress has systematically cut back funding for recreation budgets, thereby forcing agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service to implement fees.

In response to a question from the audience by senior citizen who asked, “Why write to the politicians?”  Benoit replied, “Retirees have longer memories than people give them credit.  They vote like crazy and they turn out at the polls in larger numbers than any other group.”  The U.S. Forest Service fiscal year runs from October 1, to September 30.  That is why the emphasis is so great in eliciting a response from Congress within the next few weeks.

Freeland said, “We just plain do not get enough money.”  He explained that the U.S.F.S needs annual allocations for day-to-day operations such as cleaning toilets and disposing of trash.  He suggested that in addition to writing to the Congressman, people may write to the Chief of the Forest Service, Dale Bosworth, at 201  14th Street at Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. who may be helpful.

Lake Isabella received approximately $1,100,000.00 for it’s recreation budget back in 1991 when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers managed the recreation areas around the lake.  When a transfer from the Corps to the U.S.F.S. took place, the funding did not follow.  Currently, in the year 2001 the U.S.F.S. budget is $350,000.00.  It is a tremendous shortfall that needs to be made up.  This is why the public is urged to write or call their congressmen who are in the position to restore the recreational funding to the U.S.F.S.

During a question and answer period from the crowd of some 200 concerned citizens, comments ranged from complaints on the reservation system utilized by concessionaire managed campgrounds to complaints about fines that the U.S. Forest Service imposed for frivolous reasons.  Gene Lawhorn, a retired farmer made a passionate and heart-rendering plea for continued free access to the Lake.  “I cannot afford to pay for going down to the lake to fish.  Flatlanders, farmers like me, made America’s food supply.  I pay taxes all my life and chose to retire up here so I can fish.  I went to Korea, for what?  All my kin folk died for this country, and for what?  Now, we are dictated to.  What is this all?  Only a dictatorship!”  Mr. Lawhorn, with his head bowed softly conceded, “ I, for one, am tired of it.”

Eileen England pointed out that Congressman Bill Thomas saw fit to send his representative, Eric Quinley, which indicates the magnitude of the Congressman’s concern.  Quinley stated that the Congressman is hearing the pleas from this community and that Mr. Thomas really cares about this community.   Mr. Quinley said,  “I will lay before him all of your concerns.  He will surely contact Dave Freeland and contact his friends in the Appropriations Committee trying to figure exactly what is going on.  I will take suggestions made by people at this gathering back to Thomas.”

Freeland closed his remarks by pledging that, if the citizens are successful in obtaining a guarantee of the necessary funding for day to day operations and maintenance for the Greenhorn District of the Sequioa National Forest by way of a letter from Congressman Thomas, a senator, or federal congressman, or the chief of the Forest Service, delivered to him by January 1, 2002, then he will suspend any fee proposal.