Breaking News! OSMB to revote on the No-Wake-Zone proposals that were voted down in July over the Holgate Channel and Ross Island Lagoon. We need your help! Read Below to see what you can do...

Even though on July 27th 2009 the OSMB rejected the No-Wake-Zone proposals for the Holgate Channel and Ross Island Lagoon, it is clear that this point is far from being over! Below is the public release sent out from the Oregon State Marine Board over the last few days. Read it, and you will see that the original proposal for a No-Wake-Zone has been put back on the table for review and possible approval at the next OSMB meeting October 13th 2009 in Bend.

Several upper level officials from the State Capital and representatives from the City of Portland are the ones who have requested this review and revote. It is of our opinion at the “Boaters' Rights Coalition of Oregon” that the City of Portland's interest in supporting the No-Wake-Zone in and around Ross Island area is clearly part of the long term plans for the northern end of Ross Island being developed and controlled by the City of Portland’s Parks and Recreation Department. This has been the agenda since they received the area as a donation from Ross Island Sand and Gravel several years back.

We the Boaters’ Rights Coalition have diligently been working with the paddle community that regularly uses this area as a member of a community group to find a more appropriate solution than the complete closure of thea area to watersport enthusiasts. We got in contact with Sam Taylor (head rowing coach at Lewis and Clark College), and we formed the group the week after the OSMB "special meeting" held in Portland on July 27th, 2009.

Although this group was not sanctioned by the OSMB, it was clearly a suggestion by several of the board members at the conclusion of the July meeting. The idea was to let the community that uses the area come up with a compromise plan for all.

The group currently consists of all the boating groups that utilize this area as a recreation zone in downtown Portland including: motorized craft, non-motorized craft, and personal interests in and around Oregon and the City of Portland. In addition to these general interests, there are also a number of clubs and teams taking part in this group including: the ski/wake board community , club and school rowing teams, dragon boat teams, fishermen, a sailing club, and the yachting community.  As this "ad-hoc" group, we have been working together to come up with a counter proposal for the Marine Board as a "workable" compromise for the area and the entire boating community. Draft’s are being completed and will be presented to the OSMB as an alternate option to OSMB Staff recommendations to close nearly 80% of the area ultimately creating boat displacement and safety issues all over the downtown waterway.   On October 13th, 2009, many of the members of the ad-hoc group will be attending the next OSMB meeting including at least one of the Board Members from your own Boaters' Rights Coalition of Oregon. We encourage any and everyone that has the opportunity to attend to come and lend your support to the cause.

We will provide you the details of the content of the alternate proposal the Boaters' Rights Coalition of Oregon is supporting as soon as it’s final drafting is completed and reviewed by the entire ad-hoc group.

This current news break might be something of a shock to you. It was to this board, because we had already been working proactively to plan for the future of the downtown waterway per the advise of the Marine Board itself. But, now to have them backtrack due to governmental pressures that do not have the jurisdiction to act on their own is troublesome. Hopefully our compromise solution being put forth will be seen as a better protection of the area and the rights of all boaters in the Holgate Channel and Ross Island and the entire downtown Portland waterway.

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You might be wondering what you can do: .

First, as a group of people and a boating community, we need to send letters, emails and even make phone calls to the offices of all the various public officials asking for the revote to question one, their motives and two, why the legal process required to take Marine Board action (which consisted of detailed steps including the required public testimony from both sides of the argument) that was already completed earlier this year wasn't considered "good enough". Why are these elected officials trying to circumvent the legal process by applying "behind-the-scene" pressure so that it appears to still be part of the legal process?

Second, we to find other public officials (those not wanting to be a part of the backdealing) for support and help to oppose this circumvention of the rules of "due process". Look to your district representatives for help. You can follow the link below if you are not sure yours is. The deadline for action is the day before July 13, 2009 Oregon State Marine Board Meeting in Bend.

Here is a list of some of the people pushing for the revote:
Governor’s Office              Direct link to the Governor:
Portland’s City Council     Direct link to the City Council:
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Oregon Senators Specifically:
Jackie Dingfelder    Direct Link to Jackie’s contact info:                                         
Ginney Burdick       Direct Link to Ginney's contact info:                            
Diane Rosenbaum Direct Link to Diane’s contact info:
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House Representatives Specifically:
Carolyn Tomei     Direct Link to Carolyn’s contact info:
Mary Nolan          Direct Link to Mary’s contact info:

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Also contact your specific representatives in your district who might not know how the Marine Board is being coerced and the legal process is being ignored….
Helpful links to both the House and Senators Direct:
Click Here for Complete House List
Click Here for Complete Senate list

Official News Release OSMB: See Below or you can go to the OWMB website and view the latest attachment.

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Oregon State Marine Board Meeting

October 13, 2009

Page 1

OREGON STATE MARINE BOARD

MEETING AGENDA

October 13, 2009 9:00 am

Cascade H

The River house Resort

3075 N. Business 97

Bend, Oregon 97701

Material delivered to the Marine Board sufficiently in advance of the meeting will be distributed to the Board members. If bringing written materials to the meeting, please provide the Marine Board Assistant with 10 copies for distribution. If you have questions regarding this Agenda, please contact the Director’s Office, Oregon State Marine Board, 435 Commercial Street NE, #400, PO Box 14145, Salem OR 97309 or telephone (503) 378-2617.

The meeting will begin promptly and under normal circumstance will proceed through the agenda chronologically. The meeting is being held in a facility that is accessible for persons with disabilities. For reasonable accommodations, i.e., material in alternative format, please contact the Director’s Office a minimum of three working days in advance of the scheduled meeting.

Marine Board Items:

Marine Board Meeting Minutes of July 27, 2009

Action: Review and Approval

Request for Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items:

Agenda Items:

Item a Possible Reconsideration of Proposed Rules for Boat Operations in Donheffner

Multnomah County OAR 250-020-0280

Possible reconsideration of the July 27, 2009 Board rulemaking decision concerning adoption of a no-wake zone in Holgate Channel and Ross Island Lagoon.

Action: Potential Rule Adoption

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See attached document for the remaining agenda as the www.saveboatersright.com