California City Needs Your Help March 3 - Dirt Rider Magazine

MARCH 3 AT 5:30 P.M. CAL-CITY'S CITY HALL - Please mark the day, time and location. OHV'ers are invited to attend our City Council meeting March 3rd. This is a very important meeting as the City needs to have the input whether the Cal City OHV Trail program is to remain in force, extended or cancelled.You must know that we have local detractors to the program. You must know that we have complaints about OHV'ers riding on the streets where they are not supposed to. We know that many of these infractions are from our own local riders; however, some of our citizens just say that we are creating an "attractive nuisance."BOTTOM LINE: Many in our community feel that the OHV Trail program should not be renewed, citing horrible experiences, some of which, I believe are way overblown, while others, I'm sure are not.ON THE OTHER HAND: You ask the businesses in town, especially around the IMC Business Center, and other businesses across the street and they freely admit that had it not been for the OHV Trail program, some may have gone out of business by now. We can't let that happen!We would like to invite as many of you to attend and fill our City Council chambers on Tuesday, March 3rd. Not everyone will have the opportunity to speak, although I will ask the city to set aside as much time as possible and early enough to get you on your way home as early as possible.Here's what I think the city would like to hear from you:1. What do you think of the OHV Trail program?
2. What are you doing to educate those who come with you about riding in our deserts?
3. What do you think of the Cal City OHV License? Are you satisfied what is being done with that money? Have you seen the improvements in Borax Bill Park, the dumping areas, the signage?
4. What should the City do to those who do not stay on the designated trails into the City?
5. How can you help our City maintain this program for many years?
6. How do you feel about Cal City basically being the only city in the Western States, who welcomes OHV'ers with open arms? Should it remain as such?
7. And any other comment(s) you think important to the cause.I know it will be a burden for many of you to attend since the Council meeting is on a Tuesday evening and most of you have to work in the morning.We know it is going to be especially hard for those of you who live quite a distance from California City.But please remember, this is literally the last bastion where the OHV community can still enjoy their sport. We lose Cal City and you can just about write off anywhere else where you can legally ride.Have you tried riding in San Bernardino County, Santa Barbara, Stockton, San Diego County and Los Angeles and Orange Counties? Impossible!So we must get behind the OHV program in Cal City, with the fervent commitment that we must ALL police ourselves; that we must make the promise not to give our detractors an excuse to complaint, undermine or abolish the program.We will try to coordinate your appearance and time to speak. I suggest to hold all comments to a minute or less so that as many of you can state your case. As I said before, not everyone will have the opportunity to speak because of time constraints, nevertheless in numbers there is strength.We know this is short notice to give you, but look at attending this very important meeting as your investment in the future of your sport and that of your children and friends.Please contact us at this new e-mail address: editor@calcitynews.com and tell us if you can attend. Please provide us with your name, city where you live, telephone number(s) and if you would like some time to speak to our City Council. Please do it right away so that we can submit it to the City. We will try to coordinate as many of you to speak as we can.In the ALTERNATIVE, you can send your comments to: editor@calcitynews.com and we'll make sure the City and City Council sees them.Once again, remember, IN NUMBERS THERE IS STRENGTH!