“BAD APPLE” LEADER OF THE BLUE RIBBON COALITION GETS BUSTED
The Forest Service frequently calls on organized motorized recreation groups to self-police. The recent citation of the BlueRibbon Coalition’s director for illegal dirt bike guiding demonstrates the failure of the agency’s strategy of employing the fox to guard the henhouse. Bill Dart was cited for exemplifying “bad apple” behavior on August 20th when a Sawtooth National Forest officer encountered Dart providing paid, backcountry motorcycle tours without an outfitters license. Forest Service spokesman Ed Waldapfel said the fine is $250 and could be paid by mail or contested in court.
Dart has been temporarily placed leave and Clark Collins, co-founder and former director of the national off-road vehicle group, is now serving as acting director in the interim.
The Associated Press reported that Jake Howard, director of the state Outfitters and Guides Licensing Board, said that the board would likely prosecute Dart for illegal outfitting if the Forest Service citation stands up.
But Collins emphasized that "the plain fact of the matter is that in our legal system he's innocent until proven guilty, and that's pretty much where we're at."
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September 1, 2004, Idaho Falls Post Register....
BlueRibbon Coalition chief placed on leave Director charged with
outfitting
with no license
Associated Press
BOISE (AP) - The director of the BlueRibbon Coalition has been placed on
indefinite administrative leave after being cited earlier this month for
outfitting without a license in the Sawtooth National Forest.
Bill Dart was placed on leave without pay pending resolution of the
charge
against him, said Clark Collins, former director of the off-road vehicle
group who is serving as acting director in the interim.
"We're taking this very seriously," Collins said Monday from the
organization's headquarters in Pocatello. "Right now, it's a board
matter."
Dart did not immediately respond to a telephone request from The
Associated
Press for comment.
But Collins emphasized that "the plain fact of the matter is that in our
legal system he's innocent until proven guilty, and that's pretty much
where
we're at."
Forest Service spokesman Ed Waldapfel said Dart was cited by enforcement
agent Breck Young on Aug. 20 for providing backcountry motorcycle tours
for
a price to an unknown number of clients.
Waldapfel said the fine is $250 and could be paid by mail or contested
in
court. There was no indication Monday whether Dart would contest the
citation.
Jake Howard, director of the state Outfitters and Guides Licensing Board
said that if the Forest Service citation stands up the board would
likely
prosecute Dart for illegal outfitting. Dart became the coalition's
executive
director last fall after serving as its public lands director since
mid-2002. He replaced Collins, the group's co-founder, who has been
concentrating full-time on fund-raising and membership development.
Before that, he was an official for the American Motorcyclist
Association
in
California.
http://www.sierraconservation.org/Dart citation.htm
