US Forest Service, USDA

Second man sentenced for illegal trail construction

June 7, 20122 Comments2 Mins Read

coconino national forest Red Rock Ranger District

Sedona.biz Staff

2 Comments

Jayem on June 7, 2012 7:32 pm

This is too bad. The Sedona trails were pretty lousy 10 years ago. Now they got stuff on par with Moab and other epic destinations (brings in tourist money, good for everyone), the traffic is more spread out, the trails are more interesting clinging to mesas and edges, and you can enjoy many different types of trails now. The reason this good stuff happened is not due to the Forest Service.
Ron Vernesoni on June 13, 2012 10:02 am

I commend the local Forest Service’s actions in attempting to bring a halt to illegal trail building in the National Forest. I encourage the Forest Service to continue to identify and prosecute individuals who believe they can violate foundational environmental laws without consequence. I wholeheartedly support emergency closure to cross country mountain biking in some sensitive areas of the district while decisions on future trails are being considered.

Everyone is entitled to their viewpoint regarding the appropriate use of their public lands. However violating the law is not an option. I realize I am probably in the minority, but I favor lower impact uses of the Sedona area forests that promote conservation of wildlife and vegetation in a very sensitive high desert environment like ours, where vegetation can take 50 or more years to become established and viable. Having said that, I am not opposed to mountain biking, or any other form of forest recreation, if legally planned and implemented.

The building of new trails in the National Forest requires prior review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) so that all environmental and natural resource impacts are considered, and alternatives are scientifically evaluated. Facts matter when it comes to NEPA, not opinions. The Forest Service has personnel who are trained to conduct these evaluations. To the best of my knowledge, most mountain bikers do not have the training or qualifications to do NEPA assessments.

The Forest Service is required to provide appropriate (in quantity and quality) recreational opportunities for mountain bikers, hikers, equestrians, and all who want to enjoy their forest—while minimizing environmental impacts. However, the massive influx of mountain bikers into the Sedona area in a relatively short period of time represents a change in usage of the Coconino National Forest not anticipated in the current Forest Management Plan. Creation of additional multi-use trials is not even mentioned in the plan. This change in forest usage has not been properly planned. Planning means consideration of the future circumstances in advance of the activity, not making it up as you go along. The Forest Service is now trying to catch up with limited funding and personnel and address this unanticipated issue.

“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.” –John Muir

THE MOMENT IS UPON US

Dear Sedona,

The moment is upon us. The time for a united effort to shift the focus back to our community is now.

The ability to thrive in our community, our environment, our workforce, and the tourist industry, is entirely possible because we have all the resources needed for success.

Still, we need a council that isn’t afraid to ask the hard questions, that makes decisions based on data and facts, and through discussion, rather than moving and voting in group unison as they so regularly do.

This is my home. I have been a part of the Sedona community for 28 years. I witnessed the road debacle, the lack of planning, the city circumventing the local businesses ability to thrive, while making choices to expand the local government and be in direct competition with private industry.

I am a unique candidate because unlike the incumbents, I don’t believe the government should expand in size, nor in operations, nor would I attempt to micromanage every aspect of our community.

City government should stay in its lane and allow the competitive market of local private industry to prosper. And it should defend our community from corporate takeover and infiltration of our town.

I do not agree that we should sign onto International Building Codes and regulations by signing Sedona up to the ICC. It is imperative that we remain a sweet, rural community.

Where are the arts? Where is this organic thriving element that we allege to be animated by. Where is our culture? Where is our community?

The discord between the decision making process and the desires of the community have never been more clear. It has been nearly a decade in the making.

It is time for a new era of energy to take charge. An energy that is reflective in the ability to succeed rather than be trapped in out of date consciousness.

It has been a great honor meeting with each of you. I hear your concerns over the insane and out of control spending and I echo them. A budget of $105,000,000 in a town of 9700 residents is completely unacceptable. A parking structure (that looks like a shoe box) originally slated to cost 11 million, now projected to cost 18 million, is incomprehensible. Especially, considering there is no intention of charging for parking.

For those who are concerned that I lack the political experience within our established system- that is precisely what Sedona needs… Not another politician, but instead a person who understands people, who listens to the voices within the community, and who will act in service on their behalf with accountability, for the highest good of Sedona. What I am not, will prove to be an asset as I navigate the entrenched bureaucracy with a fresh perspective. Business as usual, is over.

Creative solutions require new energy.

Every decision that is made by our local government, must contemplate Sedona first.

Does this decision benefit the residents?
Does this decision benefit the local businesses?
Does this decision actually help the environment?
Will this decision sustain benefit in the future, or will it bring more problems?

What we have now is a city government that expands to 165 employees for 9700 residents. Palm Desert has 53,000 residents and 119 city employees. Majority of our city department heads are not even in town. I find this problematic.

Efforts towards championing in and courting new solutions for our medical needs are imperative. We are losing our doctors. We must encourage competition with other facilities rather than be held hostage by NAH, who clearly have their own set of dysfunctions.

We must remember that so many move to Sedona for its beauty, hiking, and small town charm. Bigger, faster, and more concrete does not, in broad strokes, fit the ethos of Sedona.

The old world must remain strong here in balance, as that is what visitors want to experience. Too many have noted that Sedona has lost its edge and charm.

As Mayor I will preserve the rural charm of our community, and push back against the urbanization that is planned for Sedona.

As mayor I will make it a priority to create opportunities to support our youth. After school healthy, enriching programs should be created for our kids, and available to the Sedona workforce regardless of residency and regardless of school they belong to.

As Mayor, I will create an agenda to deliberately embody the consciousness of our collective needs here, allowing private industry to meet the needs of our community rather than bigger government.

I hope to have your vote on Aug 2nd. I am excited and have the energy to take on this leadership role with new eyes, community perspective, and the thoughtful consciousness that reflects all ages of the human spectrum.

Thank you deeply for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Samaire Armstrong

Armstrong vs. Jablow: The Main Event
Ready to Rumble
By Tommy Acosta
In the Blue Corner stands Scott Jablow and in the Red Corner of the ring stands Samaire Armstrong, ready to rumble to the bitter end in their fight to become the next Sedona mayor. Jablow weighs in with 1,137 primary election votes (36.13%) under his belt, having wielded his advantage as sitting Sedona City Council vice-mayor to his favor. He brings his years of serving in that capacity into the fray and waged a solid fight in his campaign to make it to the run-off. Armstrong, however withstood a blistering smear campaign from the other opposing candidates and their supporters to make it to the final bout with 967 votes under her belt (30.73%), an amazing feat for a political newcomer. Unfortunately, for the other two candidates, Kurt Gehlbach and sitting mayor Sandy Moriarty, neither put up enough of a fight to make it to the championship bout. Read more→

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2 Comments

Second man sentenced for illegal trail construction

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