As a government entity, the BOR has the task of being stewards of the public property for all of us. It acts more like the local dictator of Vallecito, and PRID is acting as its enforcers. One example of BOR’s management style is its avowed intention to confiscate all private boat docks at all of its facilities nationwide! There have been private boat docks at Vallecito since the reservoir was filled up in the early ’40s and they haven’t hurt anything. People buying lakefront property have always been happy to pay a premium since they would have the right to a private boat dock. That’s how it works everywhere else in the country besides at BOR facilities: If you have lakefront property you can have a dock out front. One bureau employee told me recently it would take an act of Congress before they’ll allow private boat docks at Vallecito! That’s funny because a recent article in the Herald quoted another BOR employee as saying it would take an act of Congress before the BOR could manage recreation at Lake Nighthorse. That is lucky for Lake Nighthorse.

The Forest Service has more or less volunteered to take over the job of managing recreation at Vallecito, but now the BOR and PRID are reluctant to turn loose of the reins. I would like to encourage the BOR and PRID to go ahead and let the Forest Service take over the recreation management at Vallecito and quit trying to rain on our parade.

Bill DeSouchet

Vallecito