First let me say that I am not opposed to the boat inspections. If I have to do it to enjoy the lake I will follow the rules and do what is ask of me.
Saying that, if you are going to have the bait shop owner”s doing the inspections (and not getting paid to do it) then at least give them the necessary supplies to do the job right and not run out.
I was up there on Saturday (April 12) and the bait shops had run out of forms and stickers, so you had people that were trying to do the right thing and get inspected, but since the bait shop was out of forms and stickers they were not doing any more inspections and the people were launching anyway.
The Chamber of Commerce, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and the City and County boards should be out there on the ramps monitoring what is going on. The people who have passed this ordinance should be out there and should not rely on the people to do the right thing. Additionally, you should not be putting the burden of inspections on the owners of the bait shops who are trying to make a living.
I also would like to know were in the world am I going to put the sticker for my tow-able. I guess I would also need stickers for the 12 floating swim rafts I have also, where do they go? Again, I do not have a problem with the new ordinance ? just the way that it is being handled. You shouldn”t start something until you are ready and that means having all the necessary forms and stickers in abundant supply for the shops so that they don”t run out.
Dennis Parker
Fairfield
