The petition to remove the fence on Sandy Hook

[TimS]

Thanks to Sudsy for doing the legwork...lots of it

Sandy Hook Rip/Fence Petition

**If you find any problem with the petition, the form, spelling, addresses - with anything - shoot me an email at tims@stripersonline.com and I'll make the corrections

And there's letters w/ addresses for yah to print, sign and mail on the page after the petition

TimS

[Sudsy]

Here is a list of who has volunteered to help distribute and monitor the petition and the stores they are handling.

We need all the help we can muster. If you have a spot nearby that might be good for a few signatures please sign up by contacting me via E-mail or PM and I'll e-mail you a printable copy in MS Word format.

Sports Authority type superstores, Bait & Tackle shops, marinas especially those with party boats, your place of work............

mrsunrise
Ray's
Effingers

PeteD
Coastal Flyrodders

jeffg
a friends restaurant

Linesides
Brielle B&T
The Reel Seat
MV B&T
and the marina/party boats

Boots
The Tackle Box
T&A

Digger
Harry's Army Navy
The Sportsman's Center

Sudsy
Dicks Sporting Goods in Manalapan

[CHIEF500]

Done

[Surflion]

Thanks Sudsy and Tim great job done.

[Rich / In2Bass]

Tim / Sudsy -

I already signed the petition posted yesetrday. Is this a another petition that can be signed??

Rich

[FISHNFOOL]

I signed, now can I be the one to pull out the 1st fence post? I have a question.... If the DEP didnot issue a permit for this, how did the Coast Guard get the money to do this? Who signed the expense check. As a tax payer I find this to be a total waste of our money and a platen missuse of our tax $. Who ever approved this WASTE of Tax payers money should loose his/ her job.. Criminal charges should be brought against this tard.

[C. Regalis]

Signed. Letters tonight.

[Backbeach Jake]

Signed it earlier. I'm from Massachusetts, I signed this petition because I believe that if they can do this to you, then they can and will do it to me. There is less and less beach available to fishermen every year, and I really don't care about the reason. It's not right.

[Sudsy]

Originally posted by Rich / In2Bass:
Tim / Sudsy -

I already signed the petition posted yesetrday. Is this a another petition that can be signed??

Rich

No, this is the same one

[TimS]

Originally posted by Rich / In2Bass:
Tim / Sudsy -

I already signed the petition posted yesetrday. Is this a another petition that can be signed??

Rich

Rich, I hear yah, it's confusing...to be honest, if I knew there were going to be petitions all over online, I'd have not posted one here. I know next time to find out ahead of time how many online places the petition will be posted I think Sudsy originally was planning on just having it online here with printed copies handed out to every store/shop that would accept them. Then others got involved and it got confusing

If you signed one petition on the Sandy Hook Fence issue and you are certain those signatures will be presented to the appropriate persons at the appropriate time, then there's no need to sign another one. If the petition you signed doesn't clearly state what is going to be done with the collected signatures, be careful. It may be just another "feel good" petition - the kind started when folks get outraged, but then nothing is done with the signatures. I haven't read the other petitions so I'm not saying that any of them are just "feel good" petitions, just a warnin' yah, I've seen a lotta feel good petitions in the past.

TimS

[Hammer]

As an out-of-state fisherman,I signed the petition.With Fed money involved,I think all concerned fishermen from every state should sign it.WE COULD BE NEXT! We should stick together.Any Fed. addresses that would be more important for us out-of-staters to write to?

Jim.......

[AI4WD]

TimS and all,

I have suggestion that I think may be acceptable to everyone. I have not been following the previous thread closely. But, as a group, you have a alot of clout in the local community in that area.

That being said, the Coast Guard NEEDS good community relations to survive. They rely on the locals to provide off-base housing and usually try to accomodate whenever they possibly can, suggestions and requests from the locals. The base commanders realize this and nearly always will meet with community groups/activists to resolve areas of conflict!

Has anyone considered approaching the Commander of the Base as a group and request a public meeting to discuss the fence? The last thing a GOOD Commander wants is the locals PO'd at them. This makes for a very disruptive wedge being driven between the Local Community and the CG Personnel that have to live and work there. I have found that most of the Commanders will be glad to attend a Local meeting to explain their position and listen to possible alternatives that would be satisfactory to the CG security and local Interests. Usually the CG is willing to TRY to accomodate local concerns.

I would absolutely continue with Petition drive, but in the meantime form a group and select some representatives to formerly address the Commander with written correspondence inviting him to a public meeting concerning the Fence. Or offer him an alternative to have the meeting and hear public opinion at the Base. Sometimes they are more comfortable on their own turf!

After 9-11 the last option might not be available. Schedule the Meeting say 2 to 4 weeks down the road and collect all the Petition signatures that you can collect, then have them available for him to see the night of the meeting!
After he consents to a meeting, put notices in the local Papers to get lots of Public attendance , usually most Newspapers will publish notices of public meetings at no charge.

If you can get him/her to commit to a time and place, then you have a chance of getting them to at least consider the Public and Local impact that their fence is having. Weighing the Pro's and Con's ...i.e good Community relations vs. Poor community relations. The CG quite possibly will be willing to try and work out an amiable solution for everyone. I have seen this work at other CG facilities. Like I said A GOOD Commander will not let a Local Dispute ruin his Base's relations locally. Just my .02 worth.

Hooks up,
Forrest

[Sudsy]

Petition Volunteer Update List

mrsunrise
Ray's
Effingers

PeteD
Coastal Flyrodders

jeffg
a friends restaurant

Linesides
Brielle B&T
The Reel Seat
MV B&T
and the marina/party boats

Boots
The Tackle Box
T&A

Digger
Harry's Army Navy
The Sportsman's Center

Sudsy
Dicks Sporting Goods in Manalapan

Shadman
New Dolphin
Jersey Joes
Betty & Nicks

AdrianF
Sports Authority - New Brunswick

[TimS]

Forrest, excellent suggestions. I believe almost all of them have already been done - there's a meeting on March 12th - there's been a number of different contacts with the Coast Guard - most recently, NJ DEP even issued them summonses for putting up an illegal fence I think the good neighbor/good PR route was almost immediately squashed when the CG basically said "It's up, it's staying up."

TimS

[AI4WD]

A Non-Profit Organization is very easy to form. In MD, you can do everthing online at no charge. I am sure you can probably find the same type of services online. You could call your organization F.I.S.H. "Fisherman Insuring Surffishing Habitat" . Just a suggestion, but you can certainly think up your own acronym..

Hooks up,
Forrest