My last conversations with the Town of Morris 1st Selectman was that the town launch would be open for use by anyone from Labor Day until Memorial Day and then there was going to be a seasonal launch fee available to both residents and non-residents with non-residents paying a bit higher price. No daily launch fee available, you buy the seaonsal pass or use the state launch when launching in the summer months. This last conversation was at the public hearing late last fall in Bantam about the state purchase of Beverly's where some of us fishermen went to publically comment on the purchase and our support of this effort so this info is not time dated by too much. The "residents only" sign was put up during the big battle over public access that involved the state's Attorney General. I asked at least twice for it to be removed. I never could get an answer about who put it up and why and my request for removal was basically ignored. To the town it served a purpose in scaring non-residents away and until the Attorney General threatened some kind of contempt order it was going to stay up as crooked as that sounds. If you want to launch at the Town of Morris boat launch during the summer call the town Park & Rec office and find out how much a non-resident seasonal pass will cost. From Labor Day until Memorial Day I would simply just launch. No one has been arrested or ticketed for using the town launch since the Attorney General's letter to the town which was a couple of years ago. If you want to use this launch this summer call the Town of Morris for the latest status and kindly post what you hear. FWIW, town launches all over the state should be available to non-residents under the Attorney Generals ruling though some towns may force a fight in court before they will comply. This is due to the Ct. Supreme Court ruling in the "Greenwich" case and the AG's letter to the Town of Morris.
Dusty, as I stated, my last conversation on the subject with anyone from the Town of Morris was last fall. As you know, I don't even live in Ct. after the fall until the spring and would have no reason to pursue it any further once Beverly's was established as a state launch. In your position as a Cabela's department head you talk "shop" with sportsmen every day and if you were inclined to support the efforts of the website and other fishing organizations you could be extremely helpful in providing current information and assist in website initiatives. In that vein, if you have some more current information I think that everyone would be appreciative of your help. It would not surprise me that the Town of Morris would use the Beverly's purchase by the state and the new boat launch availability to now quietly come up with something new that would change the rules governing the Town of Morris boat launch and if that has occured then we should know about it and someone should start a dialogue with the town to make sure that the town remains in compliance with the AG's letter. The Bantam Lake boat launch issue was a major initiative by this site and the bass organizations and it affects every boat launch in the state so someone from the site should stay in touch with it. Since last fall that has not been me and I am reluctant to get back into it. That said, I do have the history with the town so I would if necessary but not with much enthusiasm. So if you know something different then let us know and also some suggestions on what might be a good course of action from your perspective. Working together is much more productive than any other alternative. Thanks, Buck
My comments on this subject have been primarily based off the fact that I've seen this several times in NY and now here in CT. I didnt believe from the beginning that any"sportsman group" would be powerful enough to overcome the selfish objectives of lake associations and rich and powerful town residents.
My feeling is that all the work you did Buck, though valiant and definitely appreciated by the masses...was not going to win "us" anything because of the fact that the Towns have the ultimate power in this state.
I've worked for state agencies for 6 years of my life and spent another 2 working as a contract worker for the state.....and unfortunately I worked with hundreds of FANTASTIC, ENERGETIC, and CARING individuals...and the sad part of it is that many of them feel defeated in their efforts as the state and towns continually beat them back, and crush their hopes of doing real "science".
I went into that field because I felt that my hard work would be something that I could wake up every day and care about and feel that it was supported by the state that I worked for. the sad part is that I left that field voluntarily because I didn't feel that it was a career that would be supported and be able to sustain that same drive and caring that I had before I started.
Many of my best friends on the planet still work for Fish and wildlife agencies...and I will always pull for those guys and support them...but there is little chance I would try to steer my children into that career....at least not in the northeast.
That being said....I think the state putting a launch on the other side of the lake pretty much negates any AG deals and gives the town of Morris the authority to make that launch "town residents Only"
But what do i know....I'm too passionate about this type of deal to get involved on any level other than following it on a site such as this.
Team Daiwaimano Team too many broken rods to count Team bluefish lawn ornament Team "oh shiit we are out of gas"
My comments on this subject have been primarily based off the fact that I've seen this several times in NY and now here in CT. I didnt believe from the beginning that any"sportsman group" would be powerful enough to overcome the selfish objectives of lake associations and rich and powerful town residents.
My feeling is that all the work you did Buck, though valiant and definitely appreciated by the masses...was not going to win "us" anything because of the fact that the Towns have the ultimate power in this state.
I've worked for state agencies for 6 years of my life and spent another 2 working as a contract worker for the state.....and unfortunately I worked with hundreds of FANTASTIC, ENERGETIC, and CARING individuals...and the sad part of it is that many of them feel defeated in their efforts as the state and towns continually beat them back, and crush their hopes of doing real "science".
I went into that field because I felt that my hard work would be something that I could wake up every day and care about and feel that it was supported by the state that I worked for. the sad part is that I left that field voluntarily because I didn't feel that it was a career that would be supported and be able to sustain that same drive and caring that I had before I started.
Many of my best friends on the planet still work for Fish and wildlife agencies...and I will always pull for those guys and support them...but there is little chance I would try to steer my children into that career....at least not in the northeast.
That being said....I think the state putting a launch on the other side of the lake pretty much negates any AG deals and gives the town of Morris the authority to make that launch "town residents Only"
But what do i know....I'm too passionate about this type of deal to get involved on any level other than following it on a site such as this.
It's unfortunate that you're descriptions of the circumstances surrounding fish and wildlife are accurate.
Certainly the new state launch at Beverly's would give the town some incentive to try and create an Ordinance that is "residents only". One of the key questions asked in any lawsuit is damages incurred, lost opportunities, etc. and the claim of a 1st Amendment violation of the Right to Assemble is mitigated by having a state launch a mile away from the town launch where fishermen can gather, exchange information and launch their boats. So this may be exactly what the town did if the current info being passed around is that it is residents-only now. It is ironic that with the state launch now open any non-resident offering by the Town of Morris would be an easy way to comply with the AG's letter since few non-residents would bother purchasing it for the summer months anyways. Now I am really concerned only about the non-summer months, especially for ice fishing so if there is no intent by the town to bother users in those months then probably no harm/no foul to any great extent. That is what the Town of Litchfield does with their tiny boat launch up at the other end of the lake, they try to enforce a residents-only launch ordinance in the summer but let anyone use it in the winter. Still, both towns should have provisions for non-residents since it is basically the law. Anyway, I will try to find out what I can. The town has a new administration so it is like starting over since no one knows me there anymore. Nothing in government at any level surprises me anymore.
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