Unwarranted Cost Increase at Florida Springs

[metaldector]

I have attached a letter from Larry Fooks to all Florida State Parks that directly effects all cave/cavern diving. The summation of the letter is that the Annual Park Pass does not cover diving. As such a $15.00 daily fee is in effect per park. This change was initiated by DEP Secretary Michael W. Sole who asks for your comments.

Let's be frank, the cave divers/cavern divers have an obligation to challenge this ruling. Not only does it financially harm each and every one of us, but it is far reaching into other states and countries and can conceivable curtail visitors to our Springs, thus loosing revenue at local businesses, dive shops, motels, restaurants, etc.

I'm asking all divers whether (OW, cavern or cave certified) to send emails to Mr. Michael W. Sole telling him in no short order that you are against this increase and want it rescinded now. I'm asking the BOD of the NSS-CDC, and the NACD to actively start action against DEP to institute a change back to the former policy of Annual Passes including diving in Springs. I'm asking all business, dive shops, etc. to also send emails to Mr. Michael W. Sole letting him know of the disapproval and dissatisfaction and affect his ruling may have on their businesses.

Meanwhile, turn in your State Park Annual passes and demand a refund.

Below are addresses, and contact information for the Florida official’s who can and should best effect the changes we seek.

850-245-2011 Secretary Mr. Michael W. Sole
or
Bonnie Hazleton
Director, Office of the Ombudsman and Public Services
3900 Commonwealth Blvd, MS 49
Tallahassee, FL 32399
Phone: (850) 245-2118 (850) 245-2118
Email:Bonnie.Hazleton@dep.state.fl.us
Public Services Contacts by DEP District
Northwest District:
Shawn Hamilton (Shawn.Hamilton@dep.state.fl.us)
160 Governmental Center, Pensacola, Florida 32502
(850) 595-8300 (850) 595-8300 *1180
Counties: Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson (Western half), Leon, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Wakulla, Walton, & Washington
Northeast District:
Russell Simpson (Russell.Simpson@dep.state.fl.us)
7825 Baymeadows Way, Suite B200, Jacksonville, FL 32256
(904) 807-3304 (904) 807-3304
Counties: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, & Union
Southwest District:
Anna Gibbs (Anna.Gibbs@dep.state.fl.us)
13051 N Telecom Parkway, Temple Terrace, Florida 33637
(813) 632-7600 (813) 632-7600 *475
Counties: Citrus, Desoto, Hardee, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, Sumter, Marion County, (West of I-75)
Southeast District:
Cristina Llorens (Cristina.Llorens@dep.state.fl.us)
400 N Congress Avenue, Suite 200, West Palm Beach, Florida 33401
(561) 681-6605 (561) 681-6605
Counties: Broward, Dade, Martin, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, & St. Lucie
Central District:
Lisa Kelley (Lisa.Kelley@dep.state.fl.us)
Address: 3319 Maguire Blvd, Suite 232, Orlando, Florida 32803-37677
(407) 893-3303 (407) 893-3303
Counties: Brevard, Indian River, Lake, Marion (East of I-75), Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Volusia
South District:
Rhonda Haag (Rhonda.Haag@dep.state.fl.us)
Address: 2295 Victoria Avenue, Fort Myers, Florida 33901
(239) 332-6975 (239) 332-6975 *174
Counties: Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Lee & Monroe
Mike Bullock, Director
Florida Park Service 850-245-2157

[FW]

I agree, I have no use for an annual pass, if it doesn't cever diving.

EDIT: I have heard that Manatee will honor all current annual passes. Perhaps Peacock and Madison will as well. Maybe we shouldn't stir the state up to much until we know for sure.

[amphipod06]

I agree, I have no use for an annual pass, if it doesn't cever diving.

The ONLY reason we bought annual passes for the last 10 years was to get to cave dive, if that is the current state of affairs then let it be so, we will demand a refund. If we all do then maybe they will get the idea...

Dive safe,

Celia

[tomhauburn]

I agree also. I think we all need to ask for refunds as that is not what we paid for when we bought our passes. It leaves open the instructor fee that covers his helpers at 200 dollars per year but it leaves a lot of people high and dry. I also suggest in addition to the list that we add sending letting and making phone calls to our elected representatives as this was done without any public comment. The local county goverments need to contacted since this will also impact each county where this is open. I know times are thight but this rulling was done without any imput from the people concerned. I think that there would be less concern if they had at least left open an option maybe for a higher priced fee for diving.

[Tegg]

If I am told to pay a fee at a state park, I will demand a refund for my pass I recently paid for and will no longer buy a state park annual pass and will do my best to not dive in a state park again... (not like that is hard to do... lots of great sites are not owned by the state.)

[Line Squirrel]

Good luck getting a refund even when they change the rules.

July of 2009 FWC decided to enact a law requiring shore bound fishermen to purchase a fishing license (this was new, they never required it before). So, I bought a 5 year saltwater license. This past May they (FWC) rescinded that law and said it was no longer required. I contacted FWC directly via email (I wanted it in writing) I asked for a refund since the license was no longer required this is the response I got -

Customer (Michael McAuliffe)06/09/2010 06:26 AM
So I went out and bought a five year fishing license last year when the new law went into effect requiring Florida residents fishing from shore to obtain one. Now that the law has been repealed, for lack of a better term, can I get a refund on the remaining four years?

Mike McAuliffe

Response (OL&P-ML)06/09/2010 09:17 AM
Your 5 year license covers fishing from shore or a vessel. It will be good until it expires. All sales are final and we will not refund your money.

In other words...screw you.

[Benthic]

I posted in another thread that the Wakulla Springs State Park is collecting this $15 fee ($16.05 with tax) in order to dive at Emerald. We were there yesterday and that was our experience.

Can anyone tell us whether or not the 'diving fee' is being collected from annual pass holders at Peacock, Madison and Manatee?

It would also be interesting to know how this is being handled at Pennekamp.

Brian

[amphipod06]

Brian,

"Apparently" they are supposed to according to the letter that was sent to the OP. Initially I thought it was all local politics until FW sent me the link. No wonder the gentleman at the gate said I could demand a refund of my park pass fees if that is what I bought it for....(he did not, however, refund my $16.05 when we did not dive due to the conditions....mmmmm!).

We dove Peacock last weekend and no one said a thing about it. I am sure we'd have heard from Cathy or Rennaker if they were doing that there... wonder what the real deal is...

In either case I am getting ready to write a note to a long list of government oxygen thieves and let them know how I feel, heck, the reason we MOVED back to FL was the cave diving!! Between property taxes, gas taxes and all the money we spend in the state I think they get enough!!

Dive safe,

Celia

[Line Squirrel]

No wonder the gentleman at the gate said I could demand a refund of my park pass fees if that is what I bought it for...

Demand it from who though? Not him, he wasn't going to refund you your annual pass on the spot, he's just passing the buck. He knows there will be no refunds. He wouldn't even refund your new "cave diving fee" even though you didn't dive!!

I can already envision the type of response we will get from DEP, it will mention all the other amenities the 260+ state parks offer, it will also mention that people who engage in horseback riding, etc., pay an additional fee, yadda yadda yadda. In the end, there will be no refunds.

PS: The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being either proven right or pleasantly surprised. - George Will

[JahJahwarrior]

Because we were told the pass covers diving when purchasing the pass, and because the letter seems to suggest not a rule change, but a clarification that says this has been against the rules the whole time, can we get a lawyer to sue the state for fraud?

I sent an email to everyone on the list provided, and I highly recommend that everyone interested does, too.