A Presque Isle resident has called upon others to help stop a possible change in Vilas county ATV policy.
In 2004, voters in Vilas county passed by a 63 to 37 percent margin an advisory referendum not to allow ATV's on county roads and property. The county board followed up with a resolution affirming the advisory referendum.
The county Forestry committee earlier this month voted to amend the 15 year Forestry Management Plan which would allow ATV's on county land. The matter was referred to the full county board. The committee also voted to cancel the language of the 2004 actions to allow ATV's. While the Forestry Management Plan change is likely to be acted on at the full county board's July 22 meeting, the change in ordinance would likely need to go to the August meeting.
Sue Drum has asked those who oppose the ATV change to begin a letter-writing campaign to the county board....
".....so now they want to rescind that resolution. First they have to amend it in the 15-year Forest Management Plan. They have to take it out of there. That doesn't make it law. But then they've drawn up an ordinance. Once the ordinance is passed it will will effectively rescind the 2004 resolution...."
Drum says she's hoping the public becomes aware of the possible changes this month and next and ask the board to first consider another advisory vote. She thinks another referendum would come up with the same results....
"....we do, we really have that feeling because as soon as this starts to happen I get, I've been organizing this, I get a lot of contacts from people who don't want it. I bet if we had another referendum again, we'd have a large majority against this..."
Drum noted the Lac du Flambeau tribe recently voted against having ATV's on their land.
