The Pearl River Valley Water Supply District issued this statement:
Committee recommends rescinding proposed Barnett Reservoir usage fee
After studying responses received during the public comment period, the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District’s Parks Policy Committee voted Monday to recommend rescinding a proposed lake usage fee at Ross Barnett Reservoir.
The full PRVWSD Board of Directors will consider the recommendation at its May meeting Thursday at 9:30 a.m. at the PRVWSD office at 115 Madison Landing Circle.
Passed by the board at its April meeting, the proposed fee plan would have become effective Oct. 1, 2015, and require a user sticker on most boats launched or moored at the 33,000-acre Barnett Reservoir. The fees would have ranged from $35 a year for boats under 26 feet, to $50 for boats 26 feet and longer. A $10 10-day permit was also proposed.
The projected annual revenue from the program ranged from $250,000 to $300,000, which was to be put in a special fund account to be used solely for recreation and boating infrastructure on the 50-year-old lake.
“We received many comments both pro and con on the proposed usage fee, and after taking those into
consideration, the Committee decided it would be best to send it back to the staff for further study,” said John Sigman, general manager of the PRVWSD. “This serves as an example of our board’s willingness to listen to its constituents and involve them in the decision-making process.”
Sigman said the Board of Directors has tasked the PRVWSD staff with seeking and developing additional revenue sources to fund the recreational needs of the District, and he said that work would continue.
Kingfish note: Lake looks like a giant mudhole. Facilities and bathrooms look like crap. The Rez should be the crown jewel of the Jackson metro area but no one gives a rats ass about it and they want to bitch about it without doing something about it as well. People don't want to do anything to make anything nice around here and then gripe about how we have nothing nice in Mississippi.
25 comments:
I agree with Kingfish. People, it takes money and effort to build, and then maintain, something that is nice.
Also true of your State Parks. I visit the parks in Alabama and Florida and they're beautiful with clean restrooms and facilities. Ours are dumps and an embarrassment to the state. Raise the damn fees and hire quality management...not some senator's brother-in-law.
Rejoice all you redneck and white trash moochers who complained about the user fee!!! (You realize, of course, you're no different than the urban welfare class you bitch about so much.)
They could raise all that and then some by doing away with the "Reservoir Police". They are nothing but glorified park rangers who cannot investigate property crimes on PRV lands but yet cruise around in new vehicles. Oh, and don't forget the all-important traffic control. Gotta make sure the stay at home mom comes to a 3 second stop before turning.
It's only $35. I will gladly pay the fee per year to avoid ruining the prop on my boat like what happened a few weeks ago at boat ramp that needs to be dredged out.
What gets me is why do people leave all that trash behind up river? Do they enjoy recreating amongst garbage? Boggles my mind to understand why they can't just pack their garbage out with them at the end of the day.
If you can't afford $35 a year you have no business owning a boat in the first place. Ridiculous.
As he often does, Kingfish pops off at the mouth from an uneducated, inexperienced and from-the-bleachers emotional position.
Many thoughtful suggestions were made and will be considered. This was not just thousands of people bitching about $35 as some of you sideliners seem to think.
For example, the proposal to exempt those with kayaks and canoes; Those people use the facilities and trash the place just like anybody else. Back to the drawing board.
Those with multiple small boats who may use a ramp four times a year and would have to placard all those boats 'just in case'. Back to the drawing board.
And the hundreds of pedestrian fisherpersons who probably do more trashing and damage than all the ramp users combined. Those were exempted. Back to the drawing board.
And there were many other good suggestions as well as full agreement responses. So, it's not simply a matter of opposed and unopposed and sideline referees.
@12:25 PM, couldn't agree more. Cronyism and nepotism and corruption is killing Mississippi.
If be happy to pay the $35 if it just kept some of the white trash at home. I disagree with the $35 per boat though. Should be per driver or something.
@12:27 why do you say that the Reservoir Police can't investigate crimes on PRV land. I know for a fact that they do. Just ask the guy who is in prison right now thanks to the Reservoir Police. And yes park ranger is part of their job along with many other things too. And if you had any factual knowledge of the PRVWSD you would know that the PD was created solely for water patrol at first. Then as years went by they slowly started to implement land patrol. Do some research on it. And it also seems you are one of the anti police idiots running around today.
An adequate revenue source for PRVWSD would be a narrowly tailored sales tax diversion applicable to those portions of the district situated in Madison and Rankin Counties outside municipal boundaries. A simple local and private could be passed.
As he often does, Kingfish pops off at the mouth from an uneducated, inexperienced and from-the-bleachers emotional position.
As you so often (and lamely) do you once again criticize the owner/editor of a publication you despise but can't stop reading from behind the veil of anonymity. Congrats Chump.
The fee was more than reasonable and would be paid by those who use the facility. Should also consider a small parking fee for those who fish below the dam. User fees are not uncommon as long as they are reasonable
I, as well as many of my friends are avid boaters, whether it be fishing, hunting, or just hanging out. I 100% agree with the comment of "if you cant afford the $35, you dont need to be owning a boat comment". It takes at least $35 to go to the lake for a day. I think everyone needs to take pride in it, Rankin, Hinds, and Madison folks. When it was first proposed, I heard a bunch of backlash from the bass fishing tournament guys(BASSCAR as I like to call it). They in themselves use the lake the most. During peak season there are multiple touraments on Barnett that make it super conjested, have one truck and triler take up 4 parking spots, and will run you over for being in their way. Not to get off subject, but those are the ones that should never complain about a user fee.
The bucket riders need to contribute as well. Everyone that uses it does. If you use the lake or the river, then you need to ante up, period.
I say all that to say this. Im all for a fee being imposed, BUT(big BUT), I want to see it being used wisely. I think it would bode well for the PRVWSD to show us the revenues it currently generates(think all of the land leases surrounding it) and how it is being spent. If we dont take care of it, remember the City if Jackson wanting to take control of it and use it as their own? Who wants that? Thats almost like the Jackson Airport(city of Jackson owned) in the middle of Rankin County.
Help me out, 1:26. Where, exactly, does it list any traditional policing powers on this page? They patrol the parks, setup roadblocks and make sure nobody messes with PRV stuff. Please show me where it lists crime prevention or investigation. I'll wait.
http://www.therez.ms.gov/Pages/Reservoir-Police.aspx
Keep popping off, Mr. K. First, we need someone to take a position so we can start the debate. Second, you are almost always found to have been more right than not. Third, no one else has a nose for news nearly as good as yours. You bring genuine value to the community.
End of fawning exhortation.
3:40, oh SNAP! You done gone and questioned an LEO's authority?!?!? Gotdam, the backlash of a thousand incoherent posts is sure to come.
Wait no more 3:40. Try going to the PD office and look at their calls for service,arrest and more. It is public record. They have normal police powers on PRVWSD property just as the cities have power in their jurisdiction. They do investigate crimes of all kinds. They also respond to calls in the counties when the Sheriffs dept. is busy. Doing so gives them the power to handle situations whatever it may be. More so in Rankin co that Madison co. They are also involved in crime prevention. More info on that at their office. Also who saved the lives of the people whose boat sank over the weekend. You got it the Reservoir Police. They have boats in the water 24/7/365 ready to go. So from now on try to be a little smarter and do your homework. I am a proud supporter of the Rez PD .As I said earlier when they put that guy in prison. They did all of the investigation by themselves.
1:26, I'm anti police idiots.
"What's that Flipper? You're saying even the drunks up river are smart enough not to carry a load of empty beer cans in their boat on the way home to the big water?"
"Eeeeeeeeeee!"
1:42 is that you Kingfish or just one of your fawning flunkies? Here is the comment by KF that I was talking about when I said he often just pops off at the mouth: "Lake looks like a giant mudhole. Facilities and bathrooms look like crap. The Rez should be the crown jewel of the Jackson metro area but no one gives a rats ass about it and they want to bitch about it without doing something about it as well. People don't want to do anything to make anything nice around here and then gripe about how we have nothing nice in Mississippi."
Actually none of that remark has jack shit to do with the fee proposal, the public comment period or the decision to go back to the full board for discussion.
Everybody wants to 'do something about it'. But, everybody was not in agreement and that's what a public comment period is meant to achieve. The process worked, so far.
Of course you would never hear KF say something like, "It's great that there was public comment and interraction to warrant further consideration and discussion". Nope. Gotta gin up a shit storm.
I agree with 2:56. I'd like to see what they are doing with the $$$ from our annual land lease -which, I must say, continues to increase each and every year without respect to property value.
I also feel that all the boat docks should require a parking or entrance fee to help keep up each dock. You should get a ticket if you take up more than one parking spot. Our neighborhood dock is private and as such remains in good condition.
All fishing tournaments should, if not already, require a special boating permit per competition for use of the reservoir.
All the reservoir parks should charge a strictly enforced entrance fee. Any littering fines should be hefty.
I agree that the bottom dam fishing/parking area should charge a fee for parking.
Finally, I feel that there should be a yearly fee for boat use on the Rez. $50/house boats, $35 for motorized boats, $10 for non-motor vessels such as small sail boats, kayaks, canoes, etc.
It takes money to keep things nice.
8:20 is trying to privatize the damn reservior with regulations. It's a public waterway. If you do this we will FIND a way to make personal property illegal on the reservior.
The real estate agent didn't tell you that you were living on state land ( 99 yr lease).
I know what we can do- we can start an environmental group and get your house removed ' for the animals'. That's what we can do-call the Sierra club and go all out.
YA wih me?
I love me some Bambi and Canadian geese. Yes, regulations can apply to you and your anti- wildlife house.
I hear Mississippi is turning more liberal by the minute and I think it's time to dive right on in so we can protect the animals - from you, and your property values
"Our neighborhood dock is private and as such remains in good condition."
There is no such thing as a private neighborhood dock on a public road on the Reservoir perimeter property.
You are only leasing land so shut your yap.
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