Looks Bad For Viney And Possibly A Few Others.

[Fishin Hodge]

This is interesting, they are "partially" closing a COE park on Blue Mountain lake in Arkansas, but leaving the ramp open. Same office (Little Rock) controls both Viney and the park in Arkansas. So if they can leave one ramp open, why not the other? Link below:

http://www.swl.usace.army.mil/Media/NewsReleases/tabid/7165/Article/21384/corps-to-host-workshop-to-discuss-lick-creek-park-partial-closure.aspx

I shot that link to Rodney and asked...

[Justin Spencer]

Makes perfect sense to leave the ramp open as an unmaintained access but this is the govt. Must be worried about liability if someone gets hurt. This is why government cutbacks are so difficult, there is always a small number of people fighting for whatever cuts they want to make, get congressmen involved, cuts don't get made, they get re-elected everybody happy, deficit keeps going up. The lack of common sense on the part of govt. officials is what bugs me, but they have their own game to play and the only reason I can come up with for many decisions is fear of litigation. Maybe they could pass a bill that relieves the govt. of any liability on public lands, but then they would probably let all facilities fall apart.

[Bill Babler]

This might sound stupid but the AGFC ramp and 12 Bridge is open on Beaver Lake year round. It has no trash cans no bathrooms no picnic tables nothing but ramp and parking lot. Seems to me ACE could simply leave the gate open and let people launch at their own risk. Put up a sign that says unmaintained access users use facility at their own risk problem solved at least for use.

The bigger problem comes with the simple fact this is government. A very simple solution ( and yes I can hear the complaints about to come ) Is Raise the cost for use of the area to $10.00 per car and $15 per boat for those who do not have the sticker. If you buy a sticker at say Tablerock the money stays at that lake if you buy it at beaver the money stays there. I know on any given summer weekend I will see 2 to 300 people at Prairie Creek ramp area each day of the weekend. 6000.00 a weekend generated just at one park. I know they mow 3 times a year nice article earlier this year about that and if they are paying someone more than 1,000.00 for each mow they are insane. If I would guess and that all it is I would say these lakes could generate a million dollars a year easily at just the parks.

How about raising the fee for all those dock as well? Say 100.00 per slip per dock think of how much that would generate. We shouldn't have to as these are public lakes but I would guess all said and done ACE could generate several million a year off each lake and keep the dam money generated in that lake.

Or better yet take ACE out of the picture and allow private enterprises to manage the parks with fixed prices for ramps. Million ways to keep it open if you don't close your mind and try and make people suffer so they bitch to their politicians.

Pretty much as I stated, Fin, makes no difference in the income that the parks provide, none what so ever. That money goes into the general fund and is absorbed. Money thru an act of congress is appropriated for the recreational operation of the parks and that budget for our parks was reduced this year by 1/2 million.

Another point he made is he is also in control of the Table Rock Power plant. That plant produces Government Income of 55 million dollars a year and the entire plant has to operate on a budget of 3 million dollars. Pretty good return on their money.

[Bill Babler]

It would only take a couple of days work and a dozen signs to fence off the campground and put up signs to state no trespassing government property Access only permitted on paved surfaces and this would be a done deal at Viney. I guarantee we could get the fence and signs up and get the fence paid for unless the government told us how to build it.

[Feathers and Fins]

There is a quote I am reminded of... GOVERMENT IS NOT THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. GOVERMENT IS THE PROBLEM!

[dtrs5kprs]

I guarantee we could get the fence and signs up and get the fence paid for unless the government told us how to build it.

Too true. You should try living in a "government town" like the Leavenworth area...Fed Penit., Ft LV, VA, KS Corrections, etc. Can't swing a cat on a Monday without hitting someone who is off for a holiday.

[denjac]

http://www.katv.com/story/16551050/500-campsites-closed-in-us-army-corps-of-engineers-propsed-cuts

[denjac]

A non profit volunteer service that kept the day use fees local , then the corp pulled the plug on them after 2 years siting they wanted to keep the fees in there general fund. They want there cake and eat it too ! (The corp that is.)

http://bransontrilakesnews.com/news_free/article_735619e0-1fd3-11e3-aa98-0019bb2963f4.html

[Quillback]

I sent an email to Rodney. I was nice.

[dtrs5kprs]

I sent an email to Rodney. I was nice.

Being otherwise certainly would not help.