SACBEE Op-Ed on Brown's Decision to Dismiss Daphne Greene at OHMVR

As someone who has known and worked with Daphne Greene since the late 1990s, I felt it was important to try and articulate what she has meant to the OHV program and larger community. That is why I submitted an Op-Ed to the SacBee.


December 30, 2011 SacBee Op-Ed on Daphne Greene
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/12/30/4152007/ohv-officials-dismissal-signals.html

I also want to thank all of you who worked hard sending in support letters to the Governor’s office asking him to retain her. Remembering that her position is a political appointment and that “all land-use decisions are political decisions” – I really don’t know what is going to happen over the next few days regarding her reappointment or the appointment of somebody else to that position.

Be assured the thousands of letters from OHVers, staff from sister land agencies, local elected government officials, state park employees, industry, and others have made a large impact on the administration.

Thanks for your continued support of responsible OHV recreation and their managers.

Political Turmoil at CA State Parks - Rangers Ask Gov. to Replace Coleman

Sometimes the irony of an issue requires a comment. Just as thousands of OHV enthusiasts, local and national recreation organizations, government park rangers, and elected officials ask Governor Brown to reappoint Daphne Greene as Deputy Director of the CA OHV Program, a large group of state park law enforcement officials are asking that Ruth Coleman (Director of CA State Parks) be replaced.


SACBEE Article on Replacing Coleman
http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_19586349

I know Coleman and have worked with her department on many issues and I too like her on a personal level. However, I believe Coleman’s greatest weakness was her inability to make the non-motorized units of State Parks relevant to Californians in this day and age of decreased budgets and low visitor usage.

Rather then make the non-motorized state park system relevant (which should have included converting several of them to SVRAs), it appeared that Coleman, some non-profit foundations, and the legislature relied on the OHV Trust Fund (and a bogus statewide fee initiative that was rejected by voters) as an easy crutch to prop up a broken department.

Just what the Governor does with the Coleman and Greene appointments will be a signal as to the longevity and/or viability of either program. Will Coleman get support letters coming in from politicians and user groups, as is the case with Greene? (see below examples)

State Senator Joel Anderson Letter in Support of Greene
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/Daphne_Greene_Letter_Joel.pdf

BRC Letter in Support of Greene
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/BRC_Letter_to_Gov_Brown_on_Greene_Reappointment_12.19.12_FINAL.pdf

As many OHVers get ready to take a few days off to enjoy the holidays, it appears that some of us will have to monitor events in Sacramento. OHV politics does not respect any holiday season including Christmas.

HQ ACTION ALERT - Christmas Miracle Needed at CA OHV Program

HQ does not want to waste your time with an extensive recap of the past week’s news that Daphne Greene (Dep. Director for the CA OHV Program) was given a termination notice by the Governor’s Office. December 31, 2011 is currently her last day on the job.


While state and national OHV groups reviewed this issue last week (a smart thing to do in politics), there arose a massive grassroots movement led by YOU – the OHV enthusiast.

OHVers starting sending in letters to the Governor's Office and made phone calls as well. Local legislators were also contacted. As noted in the SacBee article below, OHV Commission Chairman, Eric Lueder, sent in a strong letter of support for Greene’s reappointment.

Dec. 17 SacBee Article on Greene Issue
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/12/17/4128694/the-buzz-off-road-enthusiasts.html#disqus_thread
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After spending several days digging thru the political swamp that exists in Sacramento, HQ believes Greene’s termination was prompted by a nasty smear campaign (yes, politics is a nasty business) led by a few extreme anti-OHV non-government and government activists.

HQ believes that unlike most political appointments, the Governor does not have an immediate replacement already selected. In fact, his office may be open to Greene’s reappointment if the OHV community makes a strong case on her behalf.

ACTION ITEMS


If you are a rider, club leader, environmentalist, OHV business, conservationist, or fellow land manager, there are several ways you can make your views known to Governor Jerry Brown and other state officials.

1 – Send a short (they are most effective) letter of support for Greene’s reappointment to:

Governor Jerry Brown
State Capitol, Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814
FAX: 916.558.3160
Email: veronica.ortiz-torres@gov.ca.gov\


2 – Utilize CAL4WD’s Letter Generator

CAL4WD Alert and Letter Generator
http://capwiz.com/cal4wheel/home/

3 – Send a copy of your letter to State Senator Joel Anderson. He will hand carry your letters to the Governor.

Email Senator Joel Anderson
saveohv@gmail.com

Let’s turn this potential OHV-related “Lump of Coal” into a Christmas Miracle.

CA Governor Makes Political Decision to Replace Current OHMVR Deputy Director

                                                         OHMVR's Daphne Greene
HQ has a motto that “All land-use (and staffing selections) decisions are political decisions.” Well, that axiom came to life yesterday via the announcement by Daphne Greene, deputy director for the California OHV Program at State Parks, that she is being replaced on December 31 by another Governor’s appointee. That news sent a violent shockwave through the OHV community.


During her tenure of almost 8 years, the OHV Division went through a number of much needed reforms that improved all aspects of the program. Some of those milestones include; streamlining the grants program, improving the wildlife habitat monitoring, fiscal accountability for the OHV Trust Fund, creating new soil standards and guidelines, opening new OHV areas, funding important trail restoration projects, and the list goes on and on.

As OHV leadership continues to assess this new political development, I believe that we will learn a lot by the person who is appointed to take over Daphne’s post. HQ hopes the Governor will appoint somebody that will continue Daphne’s legacy of accountability, environmental stewardship, and commitment to the program and the community it serves.

Stay tuned for future developments on this issue and during this Christmas and Holiday Season let’s give thanks for Daphne’s (and her staff) unwavering commitment and service to you and your family’s favorite form of outdoor recreation over the last 8 years.

OHV HISTORY LESSON FROM THE DARK AGES
BRC News Release in 2005 –Describes How the anti-OHV Commission was abusing their position and power to corrupt the OHV program and steps the OHV community was taking to address that issue.
http://www.sharetrails.org/news/2005/12/14/ohv-groups-call-disbandment-ca-ohv-commission

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New Member of OHV Family

Op-Ed by Don Amador

It’s not often that a trail rider or land-use organization is witness to a watershed moment in motorcycle history. Such events for me include the rollout of the 1969 Honda CB750 inline four-cylinder street bike, introduction ...

For Complete Op-Ed go to:

http://www.sharetrails.org/releases/media/?story=639

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Video/Audio of Starting Line

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3r5SJPKO5w

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Saved By Zero - 24 Hours of Electricross

When you take the OHV sound testing program often taught by Dr. Rob Harrison (the godfather of the SAE J1287 “20-inch” sound test for OHVs) he asks the class this question, “If a tree falls in the forest does it make a sound or a noise?” If you have taken the class you know the answer-- which is -- yes, it makes a sound since sound is a scientific measurement, but not a noise since noise is based on human values or interpretation.

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Photo to right is of Team HotChalk - hey, is that WPS's Rex Halepeska in the picture?

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Now the question can be asked another way…”If there is an all electric dirt bike race, does it make a sound or a noise?” After attending the 2009 24 Hours of Electricross and
taking some sound measurements at the starting line and at various turns, the “tree falling” could now be replaced with “electric OHVs” in that famous question.

I was proud to have attended the event on behalf of the BlueRibbon Coalition and intend to write a longer article for the coalition. However, The General wanted to post the audio/visual clip from the starting line where the crowd noise was actually louder than
the bikes. Another cool thing is that a number of teams were either BRC members or had BRC members as part of the team. How cool is that? (also, note BRC decal on front fender of winning bike)

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Official Sound Readings

Loudest dBA Reading at Start Line (crowd cheering/bikes) 79.6 dBA

Typical Single Bike Passing by Sound Meter Next to Track (tire/chain sound) - 74.0 dBA or less

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See clip below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3r5SJPKO5w

Helmet Cam Video from Starting Line

http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/electricross/

Congrats to Team HotChalk for placing 1st in the event
http://www.hotchalk.com/mydesk/index.php/math-matters/387-math-matters-offroad-algebra

Also kudos to Marin County Motorcycle Association for placing 2nd
http://www.mcmadirt.com/

And helmets off to Fox Racing Shox for placing 3rd
http://www.foxracingshox.com/

April 6 San Jose Merc. News Article on Event

http://www.mercurynews.com/centralcoast/ci_12080407

Last but not least – major congrats to Zero Motorcycles for having the guts to hang their product out on the line for the entire world to see. They have a lot to be proud of. Kudos to OHMVR Deputy Director, Daphne Greene, for attending the event and dropping the green flag at this historic race.

I believe folks will look back to this event as when the electric dirt-bike came of age.

If we can get some new all-electric OHV parks sited near large cities and/or open up some green belts for electric OHV use or site some indoor "year-round" tracks in empty industrial buildings … maybe we can say that urban OHV use has indeed been “Saved by Zero Motorcycles”

Saved by Zero Sound Track
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swzK7Q8teSM




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24 Hours of Electricross - New Member of Off-road Family

Taking a break from all the OHV “bad news,” The General is happy to report on a very cool event that is happening in San Jose on the weekend of April 4-5, 2009.

I will be representing BRC at the first ever 24 Hours of Electricross endurance test for all electric OHVs. The event will be held at the 408 MX facilities at the San Jose fairgrounds. OHMVR will be there as well, plus a number of other partners and sponsors.

A number of teams both domestic and international will be putting their electric OHVs to the test. The Guinness Book of World Records will be there.

***** Don Amador on Zero Motorcycles Dirt Bike in photo at right of screen *****

Zero Motorcycles Info on Event. (includes info about Demo rides, quotes from Zero founder Neil Saiki, Daphne Greene, and Don Amador, plus other stuff etc.)
http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/electricross/

Zero Motorcycles Code of Ethics
http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/electricross/Code-of-Ethics.html

March 27 Santa Cruz Sentinel Article
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_12008079

Fox Business Article

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/zero-motorcycles-set-world-record--hour-electric-vehicle-endurance-race/

Motorcycle.com Article

http://www.motorcycle.com/news/zero-hosts-electric-24-hr-endurance-race-88100.html

I believe that electric OHVs are or will become an important member of
the off-road family. I too share the sentiments of Deputy Director Greene (OHMVR Program) that having these products available increases our collective chance to site an urban/city OHV park so folks can ride close to home.

Don will be doing a post event story.

See ya there!

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