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Only been a couple days since the Sheriff has been enforcing the "No Tresspassing" signs that went up about a year ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by FW
It's going to be a long summer for the Suwannee Co. Sheriff Dept.
I'll take a ride down there later this morning and let you know if there is any new sinage...who's gonna post my bail :wink: Just kidding, I'll go to the boat ramp but no traspassing! :D
Cave organizations should make every effort to buy land with Springs.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gary
I disagree and make my point with the area surrounding School Sink which had local families living on the property, in tents, raising children which resulted in great piles of trash all over. Heck, there even was a shallow grave from a homicide that had taken place there. Likewise there was an encampment at Cow before it was fenced, posted and gated. In neither case has there been any great operational expenses. To the contrary membership numbers increased to record levels after the purchases.
Ownership allows you to gate and properly post the property, allowing the Sheriff to be given the authority to arrest those that are causing problems. Divers can be assured they have a site that cannot be closed by the owner or other interested parties.
This appears to be precedent for these acquisitions and SRWMD had $20,000,000 in its operational budget for 2007. Hopefully TELFORD will be a replay of what happened at Madison and Eagles Nest after those sites were purchased by the WMD's. They will decide on the best management practices for the land and eventually it will reopen either managed by a state agency, county agency or an individual contractor. My doom and gloom guess is it will not be any time soon. /Ken
Okay. I did get some PM's from a few of you who fancy yourselves as comics.Quote:
Originally Posted by Caveranger
While I appreciate the quick response, the suggestion that that I paint the word "Telford" across my chest and set myself on fire on the steps of the Suwannee County Sheriff's office in protest is just not what I had in mind when I used the word "anything" to describe the level of assistance I was willing to put towards this worthy cause.
While I may be a self-centered nihilist who appreciates destruction and senseless burning as much as any leftist W.T.O. protestor, I feel that self immolation would be counter productive at this time.
It was a nice try though. :bekhair
P.S. A few of you also suggested that I should just go "fornicate with myself". I'll have to get back with you on this as I am currently conducting a feasibility study and a cost benefit analysis for this particular project.
Just an idea, if the cave diving community could find out who closed it, why they closed it. Maybe we could make a offer of putting up a BIG gate blocking all traffic back there for them. Have the 2 dive shops up there have keys and waivers so if someone wanted to dive it they have to check in. I don’t think any of the cave diving agencies are going to get the chance to buy the land there right now but offering to help the owners control access can’t hurt.
Eric
Please let me know how this works out. It may be cheaper in the long run than keeping my wife.Quote:
Originally Posted by Caveranger
:-D No problem Ollie.Quote:
Originally Posted by OFG-1
A while back it dawned on me that I have already been conducting research in this field since the time I was around 12 or 13.
I recently applied for and was awarded a State grant to continue with this important research.
Per the grant agreement I am required to submit a final report (Pie Charts, Photos, Video, etc) to the State agency by October 31, 2007. Since it is public record I will email you a copy.
If the owners started charging a fee to access the property they would no longer be protect be the Florida Sportman's Act.Quote:
Originally Posted by aainslie
The Sherriff's office can't restrict access to private property. They are more than likely enforcing the wishes of the owners that access to the site be shut off.
What if they don't charge, but we just donate money to fence/gate the property and maintain it? No requirement to donate, but donations could be accepted through the local shops (if they agree to take this on). The keys wouldn't be withheld from those who don't donate, but I'm sure word would get out...Quote:
Originally Posted by DeepSea
As cave divers we have always tried, as a group, to be good stewards of Telford Springs. I hope the owners will see this evidenced by the NACD paying for the dumpster, Cavers doing several clean-up over the years. One thing I wonder was the owner consulted about this? This may just be an effort to reign things in a little and show the locals that this is really not a free for all and they need to be better trespassers :-D too. I really hope that we can be patient and let the NACD and NSS-CDS be the one point of contact with the land trust that owns Telfors and let them make the case for access. The only problem I see is that once they acknowledge access then they have slightly more liability, (see sportsman law). As technically trespassers we have very little rights.
Lets just all let the people we placed in charge of the Organization do the job we asked them.
Curt