Marble working with county to hire Forest Service enforcement

$10,000 gets two USFS officers two days per week

[ By Katherine Nettles ]

The loud, late-night buzzing and flood lights of motorized recreational vehicles with music blaring, as many as 75 hikers sharing a cramped quarter-mile trail, illegal camping, fishing and paddle boarding and cars parked for hours beneath ‘no parking’ signs are part of what Marble town councilors described during a work session earlier this month with Gunnison County commissioners about the conditions they face each summer. The town of Marble and Gunnison County met on Tuesday, April 13 to brainstorm what can be accomplished to improve the situation this season and even beyond. Law enforcement, Forest Service officers, public outreach efforts and data collection are all part of the plan for summer 2021.

Commissioners are working on an agreement with Marble to help pay for White River National Forest Service enforcement in the area to reduce resource damage and general disruption from off-highway vehicles (OHVs). Marble town council voted earlier this month to contribute $3,000 for a protection officer with the Forest Service, and would like to be a co-operator. The county has agreed to that arrangement, contributing $7,000 and hosted the Marble town council for the work session.

Marble mayor Ryan Vinciguerra and council members Josh Vogt and Emma Bielski attended, as well as the two administrators from the town. Commissioner Roland Mason and Vinciguerra reviewed the numerous meetings they have held with land managers, involving Colorado Parks and Wildlife around Beaver Lake, the White River National Forest Service, the sheriff’s department and the Sustainable Tourism and Outdoor Recreation (STOR) committee.

A federal contract between the town of Marble, the county and the USFS this summer will provide two rotating Forest Service officers roughly two days per week, targeting busier weekend days as much as possible.

“This relationship with the Forest Service is not something the county is going to… continue in perpetuity,” noted Mason of the short-term arrangement.

On the contrary, Vinciguerra said he is hoping this arrangement is a foot in the door with the Forest Service, and that the cost sharing and contract can continue beyond this summer, increasing the number of enforcement days as well.

“To have that Forest Service representation is going to be huge,” he said. “A huge concern is that even with the educational outreach we are doing, with the type of influx that we see we definitely need to get as much structure in as possible.”

Commissioner chairperson Jonathan Houck suggested that the town bring more people into the process from within their community. He referred to representatives from the motorized community, others who represent the quiet users, backcountry skiers and other constituents. “Those folks are going to need a voice at the table,” said Houck. “I really encourage you to recognize the power of your elected voice to bring people in, year-round.”

Houck also honed in on “a common theme of desired outcomes,” and proposed a paid permitting system for the Lead King Loop. The trail system is getting busier with individual OHVs and hikers, and there is now a Lead King Loop steering committee in Marble working on it.

“It’s a volume issue,” said Houck, and he advocated repeatedly for the USFS to update its travel management plan to balance out the overwhelmed system.

“We’re committing funding this year… but it’s hard for me as an individual to commit beyond that,” said Houck.

Marble council member Josh Vogt pointed out that the number one increase in users there is hikers, and all agreed that collecting data on user groups is vital to submit to the USFS and CPW.

Vinciguerra said the town has successfully funneled OHVs to one area on Mill Creek Road near a restroom. But in order to create better trail etiquette among user groups, including possible noise restrictions and hours of allowed motorized use, the council all argued for more paid enforcement. The town also passed a sales tax initiative last fall to increase the town’s budget for the resources it needs, but councilors did not think they could make up the difference in costs to hire more staff.

“We’re past the point of running our town with volunteers,” commented Bielski.

County manager Mathew Birnie said as the resource cost increases, there could come a time when an additional sheriff’s officer could be provided. “And the sheriff’s department has jurisdiction over the town, the county road and the Forest Service as well if there is a contract agreement,” he said.

The group also discussed simple ways to manage the situation, such as increased signage and taking full advantage of the new sheriff deputy and outpost that will be stationed there later this summer.

Houck also suggested numerous other outlets to which Marble council members could reach out for input and ideas, including the town of Silverton, which he described as having “almost a completely identical situation to yours.”

The group agreed to keep a more close-knit meeting schedule in the future, to keep in better touch and to monitor how the current solutions work out this summer. “Everyone who lives in this county is a constituent of ours,” concluded Houck.