Tempest brews over Fernan Lake
Mr. Miller's response to the My Turn piece I wrote requires some clarification. Apparently a public airing is what is required to elicit a response from the Fernan Lake Conservation and Recreation Association (FLCRA). It is important that the public be better informed of efforts of all groups/individuals who endeavor to keep our environment clean.
He suggests I join FLCRA to work together to improve Fernan Lake. I might suggest he join the much larger and more active environmental group that I represent, the Fernan Rod & Gun Club, Inc. (FRGC). In fact, it was only about six or seven years ago when FLCRA was created that FLCRA asked FRGC, through East Side Highway District, if they could take over the roadside litter pickup around Fernan Lake. FRGC has been the "Adopt a Highway" litter cleaner of Fernan Lake Road from Fernan Village to the Fernan Saddle since 1989. We of course welcomed another group's assistance in this task and agreed, continuing to pick up litter from the lake to the saddle. FRGC thought we both had a common goal.
Mr. Miller should perhaps look closer to home for the ill will he accuses me of. I don't know if he is complicit in or ignorant of the ill will that FLCRA has directed towards FRGC for the last number of years. FRGC only last October became aware that FLCRA has been the author of numerous untrue accusations and complaints leveled against FRGC for the past six years. I say authored as not only have these falsehoods been verbal but have also been made in writing. These specious claims, directed to governmental agencies and others, have caused damages to FRGC that I will not detail here.
FRGC attempted to communicate by letter to FLCRA late last year. Not only did FRGC not receive a response, we were made aware that our letter resulted in further complaints about FRGC by FLCRA to the United States Forest Service, who administers our permit. I did attend two recent meetings of FLCRA in the past couple months. I sat quietly in the first, taking notes, from which I made my recent comments in the Cd'A Press. It seemed to me that most of FLCRA members I saw there were well intentioned, but ignorant in some regards.
As a teacher it has been my experience that we all are ignorant of many things, hence our efforts to inform ourselves. So, I decided to attend the next meeting only to ask when FRGC might schedule time with FLCRA at a future meeting since our written communications failed. I was not allowed to complete my sentences before being "shut down" by FLCRA officer Susan Andrews with a loud proclamation that I was "a distraction, a distraction!" Apparently Ms. Andrews doesn't want her fellow members to hear the truth about FRGC.
What has FRGC done for Fernan Lake and that drainage? In addition to the foregoing litter patrols, FRGC completely cleaned up the old public shooting site at our current location. This was literally a dumping ground straddling Fernan Creek, as well as a location of unsafe and illegal activities. Anyone need only visit the Hayden Creek dumping area to get an inkling of what this looked like. FRGC changed a dump into a premiere shooting range, one of the largest National Rifle Association (NRA) affiliates in Idaho. It is utilized by a large segment of our community including Federal, State, and local police as well as our civilian and other shooters. FRGC has been proactive since day one in managing not only the FRGC facility footprint, but the immediate area surrounding it. These efforts have taken years of time and treasure of our volunteers and are ongoing today. And what do we discover? FLCRA has been accusing FRGC of the very environmental travesties that in fact FRGC did away with all these years ago. The claims of FLCRA lodged against FRGC are the patently untrue accusations and falsehoods.
I do agree with Mr. Miller that we should all work together to improve and enjoy our local resources. I extend here, FRGC's offer to do just that. While FRGC may not have the word "conservation" in its name, I can assure all that our members and other range users are indeed protectors of the land and waters. Our actions these past 25 years speak louder than words.
Robert Smith is a Coeur d'Alene resident.