Queen Creek - Oak Flat Petition from FOQC

Mike Covington wrote: What exactly is your relationship with the Governor's office Fred?

My status with the issue and the parties involved has always been the same as I explained in a previous post. I am not under the employ of anybody in this issue. I do not receive subsidy, support, donation, transfer payment, or any special access from any party, including the Governor, in this issue.

Based on the Governor's letter that she recently sent to the congressional delegation, I believe that she has heard some of the concerns involved from various sources, perhaps including our debates here, on this deal and has responded with a conceptual analysis appropriately. A fine thing to do. It was good to see that the written details have taken a position of importance as some of us thought they should.

By the way, I think your question is a fair one that should be continually asked and answered by any and all in the debate as things tend to change from time to time. Best to know who is being paid, subsidized, supported, provided access, etc., by one of the parties.

Moving on.

Fred, do you think the amount of $ the Governor is asking is reasonable?

Mike Covington wrote:Fred, do you think the amount of $ the Governor is asking is reasonable?

Mike,

I believe the bottom line in the letter from the Governor basically is that the state citizens should not have to bear the development, capital, or operating costs for the park.

"Reasonable" depends on what those actual costs would be.

Dief wrote:The license agreement is a bad deal??? Without the license agreement there would be no climbing at Atlantis or the Pond. Period! RCC owns these two areas outright. They basically said "no license - no climbing". Even if RCC decided to abandon this project they still could require us to keep the insurance policy FoQC and the Access Fund have/are paying for. Or they could kick us out. We are at the mercy of RCC. RCC has a waiver that they want every climber to sign when climbing at these two areas but they have not installed the sign-in boxes yet.

Paul -- This agreement is so screwed up...."Oh PLEASE -- Oh PLEASE RCC, LET ME climb at the Pond today...P-L-EEEZE"..!! -- RCC knew when they purchased that land that climber's climbed there, they knew exactly what they were doing.

And this situation reminds me of a certain word ~

co·erce (k-ûrs)

1. To force to act or think in a certain way by use of pressure, threats, or intimidation; compel.
2. To dominate, restrain, or control forcibly: coerced the climbers into compliance. See Synonyms at 'force'.
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RCC is playing us. We (the public) have something they want (public lands, Oak Flat) -- so RCC is holding something they know we want. Personally, I say "No" to being able to "temporarily" climb at Pond & Atlantis because it means exactly that. It's "temporary access" -- and then what....we loose Oak Flat Forever. With this deal we loose Oak Flat, the Pond & Atlantis, we loose it ALL...!

No trade - no deal. Unfortunately Mike -- there really is no way to compromise or work anything out and that is what RCC wants is to "stick it to us", So we have NO choice...

But we do have a choice. Say NO to the trade means that ALL lands will remain undisturbed. Heck PAUL, it's not the first time that climbers have "temp" lost access to climbing. But like Pinnacle Peak, it may resume someday. What the heck would RCC do with Atlantis & the Pond anyway - Blow it up just for Spite..?? Doubt it.

I agree with you Mike ~ "What happened to Oak Flat is not for sale? What happened to protected lands should stay protected?"

We should all return to that stance, it's the only way to "Win". Some of us have never left, it's just we've been quiet for too long.

Any news from the Superior Council meeting last night?

Last night the Superior Town Council voted unanimously to support the land exchange. Afterwards I spoke with John Rickus (RCC president) about some of our issues. I will follow up with him with more details.

Paul, what caused Mayor Hing's recent change of mind..?

going out on a limb here....

Economic prosperity for his town and its residences?

Well, Superior's residences could certainly use a little sprucing up...

Curt

Gee, I think Globe got the shaft. Superior gets a $10 million "assistance" package from RCC if the land exchange happens and Superior "supports" it.

Buying friends; it must be the American way.

BGBingham wrote:Gee, I think Globe got the shaft. Superior gets a $10 million "assistance" package from RCC if the land exchange happens and Superior "supports" it. Buying friends; it must be the American way.

Can you detail the specifics here? Is the $10 million a new deal to guarantee the adjacent resident's support or is it the same old deal for the land at the airport, etc.?

It is in the current Globe newspaper - The Silver Belt, published today. My copy is history or I'd quote you more. Sounds like the airport stuff is still happening too, as well as some other things. This deal appears to be brand new.

After all, you can't have the locals against the mine. It might cause the politicians in Washington to hesitate. RCC is really good at this. They worked climbers against climbers. Birders against birders. Enviros against enviros - and $ or the promise of it, seems to be the magic ingredient. I'd rather see them spend the money on something truly innovative.

Apparently there was another meeting tonight, (27th) of the City Council - not that folks are aware until the last minute because they don't update the Superior calender on their website.

B.G. - don't forget the x-tra $100,000/yr for additional police, fire, light bulbs, toilet paper etc...Is that included in the 10 mil..?

superior-arizona.com/PDF%20…

The town also got funded recently for WiFi. Can't blame the man for trying to help his town, but to sell your soul is never a pretty sight in the end. Seems crime is on the increase perhaps because of a growing wave of discontent as the town council is not listening to what the people really want. If put to a vote to vote out RCC -- chances are their walking papers would be served (after dinner). The Mayor is really liking the high life of being flown to D.C. to testify and such. The people in Congress should really save these folks from themselves. It's still not a done deal yet nonetheless.

If you wanted to dig a huge hole next door to sell tickets to China -- the neighborhood would probably commit you. O.K. a crude x-ample, but regardless of how close this town is to Oak Flat, it doesn't change the fact that Oak Flat is still public land. It still belongs to the people of Arizona and belongs to everyone.

The Mayor is quoted to saying that he doesn't rightly like climbers anyway - and referred to having picked up trash after the Boulder Comp was over (is this true.??) Heck, maybe he is just doing this for spite (and for his town)...heh-heh.