Back Country Horsemen of America
Synopsis of 2003 Synopsis of Minutes of 2004 ANNUAL BOARD MEETING, Durango, Colorado
April 21, 22, 23, 24, 2004
The 2004 National Board Meeting was called to order at 1:20 p.m. by Chair Steve Didier who then led the Pledge of Allegiance to Flag.
- A quorum was declared with17 states represented (AZ, CA, CO, ID, IL, IN, MO, MT,NV, NM, NC, OR, SC, TN, UT, WA, WY; not present: AR, VA)
- Welcome by Colorado hosts – Frank Amthor, President of 4 Corners BCH, and Ottie Otterstein, Local Coordinator.
MINUTES - MSP* to accept 2003 NBM minutes as printed.
Treasurer’s Report – MSP* to accept the 2003 Treasurer’s Report.
Applications for BCHA Affililation and/or State Organization – MSP* to accept Arizona Back Country Horsemen and the Show Me Missouri Back Country Horsemen as state organizations.
Legal Fund Criteria
#1 - Request must have national significance, potential impact to, or set precedent for the management of public lands to include but not be limited to back country and wilderness resources, trails, and access facilities as related to the use of saddle and pack stock.
#2 – Monetary resources other than the BCHA legal fund are not otherwise available or are inadequate to meet total cost of litigation.
#3 Local efforts to resolve the conflict through the exhaustion of all administrative remedies, review, and/or other appeals process, to include involvement of legislators, have been exhausted.
MSP* that the purpose of this document (Legal Fund Criteria) is to inform the entities of BCHA of criteria guiding the use of the legal fund.
MSP* to form a separate standing committee comprised of the chairs of the Public Lands, the Public Liaison, and the Wilderness committees plus two other National Directors, and the Chair of BCHA to supervise the legal fund and review of incoming requests.
Conditional Retainer
MSP* to approve the Retainer Agreement that Steve Didier signed with Attorneys Saltman & Stevens, Washington DC.
MSP* that the only person who may authorize use of Attorneys Saltman & Stevens for BCHA business is the BCHA Chair.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
LNT Board – Linda Serdiuk (WY) reported on LNT board activities.
BCH Organization Reports were made throughout the meeting: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.
Wilderness Report – Ann Lange
Three Wilderness Plan – Bottom Line Position
- The 1988 Inventory Data List contains TMO’s in place at time of approval of Inyo LRMP and is the current Trail Transportation Plan reflecting current management objectives for those trails – designations for those trails will not be changed without NEPA/Public Involvement process.
- Trails will be managed in accordance with 1988 LRMP objectives until and unless changed through NEPA.
- What is called “Appendix C Trails Inventory” is only a listing of current condition and extent of some of the trails and reflects setting attributes that exist on those trails in their current condition.
Appendix C does not override or supersede the 1988 LRMP and does not establish criteria for management.
Settlement Agreement
- “Appendix C” is not a Trail Transportation Plan for the Three Wildernesses and does not constitute a decision document as to 1) the appropriate use to be made of or 2) standards or use levels for the trails nor does it change or alter existing trail use objectives, standards or levels.
- FS recognizes its responsibility to maintain trails to their current assigned levels subject to financial limitations.
- Defendants will complete a Trail Transportation Plan pursuant to a public process – completed by December 2006.
- In preparing the NEPA analysis for the TTP, defendants will use the 1987-88 Trail Inventory as the “No Action” alternative for the Inyo NF.
This settlement puts us in a position to address the trails management issue.
MSP* that this board take action to commend Ann Lange for her dedication to the Kern Sierra Lawsuit. (Donation to Legal Fund made in Ann Lange’s name.)
Strategic Plan for BCHA
MSP* that the strategic planning committee be made up of the officers and the committee chairs; and schedule a meeting in November in Reno for the purpose of developing a strategic plan.
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