06-10-2019, 05:59 PM
In a previous thread there was a bunch of discussion on some unclear new boat launching fees at Strawberry.
I setup my long term camp at Soldier Creek campground this weekend and got the details from the camp host.
The new management company Utah Recreation Company (385-273-1100) is trying to charge anyone camping and additional $9.00 per day to launch their boat. They do not appear to be trying to chase down float tubers, kayakers, and paddle boarders to charge them this fee though.
This new fee has "supposedly been approved" by the forest service local manager and it is not posted anywhere. This additional fee supposedly only applies to campers and not anyone paying the $9.00 day use fee. So only campers get penalized and have to pay.
We need to have everyone we can call both Utah Recreation and the Heber Forest Service office ((435) 654-0470) to complain about this. I also question whether we should pay this until is is clarified that this is an approved fee structure by the Forest Service and published.
I also want to see the details of the Utah Recreation management contract. I'd like to know the structure ie; who is responsible for the maintenance of facilities such as fish cleaning stations which are still not open at Soldier Creek. What is the structure of the contract, ie; are they paid a management fee by the forest service, or do they have total "ownership" of all the forest service facilities to charge whatever they want and run as they please with no oversight for whatever profit they can get, or is there some sort of profit sharing, etc.
Don't know if you agree with me but my opinion is that the Forest Service property is public land and was never designed to be operated For Profit and should not be. Fees should be based on what is required to maintain the facility above and beyond what the forest service budget can handle. The revenue generated from logging, oil/gas, and mining leases as well as appropriations from the federal government should roll into this. Public land should Not be Privatized!
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I setup my long term camp at Soldier Creek campground this weekend and got the details from the camp host.
The new management company Utah Recreation Company (385-273-1100) is trying to charge anyone camping and additional $9.00 per day to launch their boat. They do not appear to be trying to chase down float tubers, kayakers, and paddle boarders to charge them this fee though.
This new fee has "supposedly been approved" by the forest service local manager and it is not posted anywhere. This additional fee supposedly only applies to campers and not anyone paying the $9.00 day use fee. So only campers get penalized and have to pay.
We need to have everyone we can call both Utah Recreation and the Heber Forest Service office ((435) 654-0470) to complain about this. I also question whether we should pay this until is is clarified that this is an approved fee structure by the Forest Service and published.
I also want to see the details of the Utah Recreation management contract. I'd like to know the structure ie; who is responsible for the maintenance of facilities such as fish cleaning stations which are still not open at Soldier Creek. What is the structure of the contract, ie; are they paid a management fee by the forest service, or do they have total "ownership" of all the forest service facilities to charge whatever they want and run as they please with no oversight for whatever profit they can get, or is there some sort of profit sharing, etc.
Don't know if you agree with me but my opinion is that the Forest Service property is public land and was never designed to be operated For Profit and should not be. Fees should be based on what is required to maintain the facility above and beyond what the forest service budget can handle. The revenue generated from logging, oil/gas, and mining leases as well as appropriations from the federal government should roll into this. Public land should Not be Privatized!
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Sunrise on the water