As you are probably aware, the gears of government turn slowly. The State of MI did its part, and completed the first land acquisition. The next step is Oakland County completing the lease agreements and giving the folks at Parks and Recreation the green light to complete the planning and start the programming. Unfortunately, some at the County seem to be dragging their feet...or getting cold feet. Dragging their cold feet? Anyway, it is not moving forward as we had hoped.


If you are an Oakland County resident, I encourage you to contact your County Commissioners and let them know you are interested in the project. There are meetings scheduled, although the agendas are not yet available. For anybody in the State, there are a number of opportunities to make your voice heard on this subject:


Oakland County Board of Commissioners
For general information:
https://www.oakgov.com/boc/Pages/default.aspx
For calendar of full board and standing committee meetings:
https://www.oakgov.com/boc/Documents...ngCalendar.pdf
(Note that the majority of meetings are during business hours with the exception of three evening Board Meetings for the remainder of this year: August 23rd 7p.m.; September 6th 7 p.m.; October 11th 7p.m.)

Oakland County Executive
To leave a question:
https://www.oakgov.com/exec/Pages/default.aspx

Oakland County Parks and Recreation Commission
To leave a question:
https://www.oakgov.com/Pages/Contact-Us.aspx
To contact the Park Administration:
https://www.oakgov.com/parks/getinvo...ontact-Us.aspx
To view Park Commission members, upcoming meeting dates/locations/times, and Commission Agenda Packets:
(Note that Commission Meetings are typically scheduled for Wednesday afternoon at 1pm; past agenda packets are archived at this link including the 2018 Budget that was proposed at the March 15th meeting)
https://www.oakgov.com/parks/getinvo...Commision.aspx


MDNR
For ORV information:
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7...070---,00.html
For Jason Fleming:
Jason Fleming, Michigan DNR, 517-930-6726 (I believe this is his mobile.)

ORV Workgroup
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7...424---,00.html



Natural Resources Commission
For information:
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7...145---,00.html
For member contact:
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7...6986--,00.html
For meeting schedule:
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dn...6_535375_7.pdf


I am not supplying you with talking points or a sample letter to write - take a few minutes and draft a simple e-mail, take an evening and attend one of these meetings, or call your elected officials. Be respectful, but let them know we are continuing to spend our recreation dollars elsewhere while they figure out what color to paint the mail box.