IOGA Moving to Red Lion Downtowner
The IOGA board of directors and staff would like the membership to know that they “listened” to feedback, researched alternatives in the Boise area for the annual December meeting and have chosen the Red Lion Downtowner as the new host for the IOGA winter meeting that is scheduled for the week of December 12-16, 2005. The Downtowner is located at 1800 Fairview Avenue, an easy five minute walk from the core of downtown Boise. Room rates will be $65, exclusive of tax. Reserve your room before November 21 (the deadline will not be extended) by calling 208.344.7691. IOGA needs 100 room nights to avoid additional costs related to the meeting. Suggestions for meeting topics are welcome. Contact Grant Simonds (gsimonds@cableone.net) and/or Section VP’s (Al Bukowsky, solitude@rivers.net ; Lynn Demerse, shepp@starband.net or Travis Bullock, milehigh@custertel.net ) with your suggestions and/or questions. A preliminary agenda will be available this fall. Attached to this FYI bulletin are the minutes of the March 2005 board of director meeting minutes.
Licensing Board Rules Negotiated
Members may remember that the IOGLB (Licensing Board) proposed rules were “pulled” from the Legislature this past winter due to concerns raised by several legislators that focused primarily on “sales agreement” language. Since mid-January, members of the IOGA executive committee, staff and government affairs committee (Kari Allred, Louise Stark and Shelly Fisher) have met several times with either IOGLB staff and/or the IOGLB to go over the rather lengthy proposed rules package with a fine toothed comb. A summary of the proposed rules includes, but is not limited to the following: Amends and deletes definitions; indicates that temporary employment, short term loan, or transfer of guides shall not be on a routine basis clarifies application, operation and records requirements, waiting lists and selection criteria and adds new river sections. The proposed rules are available to be read on the IOGLB website at http://www2.state.id.us/oglb/docforreview.htm
Counties take Input on Roadless Areas
In late June, Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne announced that he will take up the Bush Administration’s offer to take on the task of resolving Idaho’s 30-year debate over the fate of its 9.3 million acres of roadless national forest. Kempthorne said the starting point for discussions will be the current management proscriptions in existing forest plans. The governor asked county commissioners around the state to take the lead regarding gathering local input. County input to the Governor is due by January 2006. Some counties have held public meetings while others have them scheduled. Then he and his staff, led by former U.S. Forest supervisor Jim Caswell, will put together a statewide plan that will need approval from the federal government.
Information on the process including public meeting dates in various counties are available at Idaho Forests Roadless Contacts
- Lead County Contacts for Roadless Process
- Comment Form to be submitted to appropriate county/lead contact
- Frequently Asked Questions
IOGA urges members, especially those who operate in roadless areas (not current designated wilderness areas), to review forest plans of interest for information on current management of roadless areas and provide comment to county commissioners who opt to get involved in the Governor’s process. It is important to note that of the 9.3 million roadless acres statewide the Forest Service has classified 2.2 m/acres as “allows development with no road construction, 1.3 m/acres as “recommended wilderness” and 5.6 m/acres as “allows road construction and development”. A list and maps of Idaho’s roadless areas and how each area is currently classified can be found at http://www.wildidaho.org/update.php IOGA would appreciate copies of<