Re: BLM Meetings and issues

I was not present at the meeting. I knew the meeting was going to be held and that a Representative of the County Supervisor's office and County Counsel were going to be there. The meeting involved many many groups and I did not know that the issues about Moss Mill Road, Mike Castro and/or Ranger Nelson were going to be brought up specifically.

After the main meeting, there was a smaller meeting where these issues were discussed. Present were Bob Smith, representative from the County Supervisor's Office, Tim Salt, District Supervisor, Mike Poole, State Director, and the equestrian lady and her husband.

From what I understand, the BLM were confronted with the Moss Mill Road easement which they did not deny. With the new RS 2477 (right of way) passing county wide, Moss Mill Road is eligible to be opened again. The BLM were told about the rock blockade and their responsibility. The BLM were told that this lady and others felt the area was not safe because of Mike Castro's violent confrontations and Ranger Nelson's intimidation. I don't think the vandalism was brought up. I don't have any documentation that clearly implicates Mike Castro on the car vandalism. I was told that the BLM were pretty upset and said that they were going to have Mike Castro removed. I don't know what they are planning to do but they were not happy with Mike Castro by the end of the meeting.

I am not the only one concerned about these issues. This equestrian lady wants to access the area, has had problems with Ranger Barry Nelson and did not feel comfortable with Mike Castro. She has become familiar with public land issues and has reviewed my documents concerning Deep Creek issues.

I have been concerned since the 1995 proposed management plan (which did not pass) that the ongoing access issues and resulting personal enmities referred to in this proposed plan would be used against the people who go to the hotsprings.

The BLM have acknowledged the confrontations and violence which were related to public access in many of their letters.

However, the BLM created the public access issues by not being truthful about Moss Mill Road and illegally allowing a private individual to close a public road. Then when confrontations occurred over Moss Mill Road, the BLM again was less than truthful when they stated in writing that they had no authority over these issues. It was recently revealed that the BLM had a memorandum of understanding with the Sheriff's Dept. to enforce state law on Federal land.

I collected evidence to document that the BLM created the access issues thereby creating the confrontations over access. The documentary evidence was given to County Supervisor Bill Postmus' office who is strongly in favor of public access in the Deep Creek area. This evidence is being used to protect our access rights and to ensure the safety of the public.

This documentation could be used to defend our rights in court if the public agencies close and/or restrict the area based on these issues. I thought about offering to send you a copy but realized that I would have to go through it all with a fine tooth comb to obliterate names to protect the witnesses/victims.

I will keep you posted.