Hi Akkana,
Always nice to hear from one of the SJAA board.
I'm sure Ranger Bowers believes he is being a nice guy. But then most
people are nice guys when you agree with them.
Who was sending letters of complaint?
>> Why was Cameron more accommodating the other night?
>> Two words - Pacheco - Coe. We spoke, and they're
>> beginning to listen.
>
>Except that he wasn't "more accomodating"; he's always been that way. I
>see a lot of flaming about him here, but very little of it is from
>people who have personally had a conversation with him.
>
> ...Akkana
I've had several personal conversations with him. He is a nice guy but I
don't agree with his policies at the Peak. How many personal
conversations have you had with Supervising Ranger Mary Pass? I've had
several.
Here are some changed made under Ranger Bower:
1. Ranger Bowers wanted people using the SW parking lot to only gather
around the perimeter of the parking lot, leaving the center open. This
greatly reduces the useful space for us in the parking lot. Note, there
was never a conflict between us and the other visitors using the SW
parking lot in the daytime, which was the ranger's stated concern.
2. I believe he wanted no scopes set up until after dark.
3. He was talking about wanting us to get some sort of authorization each
time prior to have a good sized group observing in the SW lot.
4. We (FPOA members) now have to sign in before going up to the
observatory.
5. We can no longer set up between the observatory and the ranger's house
(but maybe he will give an occasional exception for one or two people
setting up along the fence) a loss of what was a prime observing site.
Akkana, your group is relatively small and you prefer to observe next to
the observatory. This area has yet to be off limits (but parking me
become a problem for you in the summer).
6. People using the observatory must check in beyond the usual FPOA sign
up sheet in the observatory.
7. Per Ron D., Supervising Ranger Pass made him feel that trying to pursue
the "scope pad project" along the path to the observatory was not a good
idea. This caused Ron to drop the idea.
What I see is a heavy handed case of "controlitis" by the park service
without any serious consideration to the history of observing at the park.
If we had been the ones at the park getting drunk, scaring the campers and
vandalizing parts of the park I could understand the heavy handed control
over the astronomy community. But AFAIK we have caused virtually no
problems at the park. The only problems I'm aware of are from a few once
a year Star B Que people and their parking. The other problem was from
some college group and again it was a parking problem. Wow, get out the
handcuffs!
So, this his how the park service treats a bunch of amateur astronomers
who have been an asset to the park, even to the point of being listed in
official state park guide books. I believe our presence at the park has
reduced vandalism. We have a very low impact on the overall park. For
the most part we are only in the parking lots. Our long history at
Fremont Peak has been one of virtually zero problems for the park and a
nice attraction for the other park visitors.
Rich