Another site just had an an open letter thread, so now it's my turn

Below is a letter I sent off today to Rod Fleck the City Attorney / Planner for Forks regarding his actions at last night's Quillayute Valley Scholarship Auction and our decision to pull our support for the event this year:

March 21, 2004
RE: Participation in QVSA
Rod Fleck
Forks City Attorney / Planner
rodf.forks@centurytel.net

Dear Rod,

My name is Bob Ball. I’ve lived and guided for salmon and steelhead in Forks for more than a decade. We’ve never had the opportunity to meet face-to-face, although we’ve had a lengthy phone discussion regarding the WDFW’s recent moratorium on the harvest of wild steelhead on the local rivers. You certainly seemed to know me and my support for a ban on the harvest of wild steelhead in Washington State.

I am writing to you and the other CC recipients of this letter on a rare sunny Sunday morning in Forks in the latter half of March. Both my fiancée (Corey Hoercher) and myself look forward to this March weekend and both take time off work to participate in the Quillayute Valley Scholarship Auction (QVSA) as we have for a number of years.

The QVSA is a huge event in the Forks community. Now in its forty-first year, it raised over $70,000 last year for Forks High Seniors graduates pursuing a post-secondary education including college, technical training programs, and apprenticeships.

In the past, we have been ardent supporters of the annual auction. Despite the fact that we have neither children, nor any close friends with children that would benefit from our donations, we have purchased roughly $1000 of merchandise at each of the past three auctions. We have long felt that it is important to support local schools and causes whenever possible. We’ve engaged in heated bidding wars in previous auctions and in some instances, paid over 10 times the retail value of an item. That’s the spirit of what this auction is about! In addition, we’ve donated several guided trips that raised roughly $300 for each trip and our donation of smoked seafood and razor clams last year netted the auction roughly another $500.

However, on this particular Sunday morning, I find myself writing this letter rather than attending the auction as we had planned to do for some time. We have also decided to hold back our donation of several hundred prepared / packaged razor clams that we dug and paid to have cleaned /packaged specifically to donate to this year’s auction that surely would have raised many hundreds (perhaps over a thousand) of dollars for Forks High School seniors.

Why?

Your comments and actions as the live auctioneer on the evening of Saturday, March 20 while we attended the auction have forced us to make the hard decision to pull our financial support for this year’s auction.
Instead of a night / weekend of fun times and exorbitant spending to benefit the young people of the Forks community, you chose instead to turn the event into a show of political grandstanding. You should be ashamed of your actions and comments. We think that it not only set a poor example for the students, it will in the end, cost them dollars for post-secondary education.

It began with your comment while we were the high bidder for a carved wooden salmon in which you stated, “You can even take this one home,” with a scan of the audience to find us and make direct eye contact and followed by a derogatory little laugh.

Corey and I found this comment to be distasteful and inappropriate for mention in the setting of the auction. As strong as my feelings are for the release of wild steelhead in our streams, I have never once walked up to an angler out of the blue on the river or boat ramp and made comments as to their stance on the issue.

There is a time and place to “play politics”; in our eyes the river should not be one of those places. We also feel that the QVSA should also not be one of those places; however, you obviously see things differently.

We did our best to overlook your little barb directed our way; we certainly had no opportunity to make a rebuttal, nor would it have been the place for us to make one.

A few minutes later, another item came up for bid: smoked steelhead. As you announced the new item, you once again looked directly at us and said, “That’s all I’ll say about that.” Another barb directed our way. As if one snide comment wasn’t enough, you couldn’t help to include another.

Fortunately, your turn as auctioneer soon came to an end. Instead of listening and waiting for another comment on your part, Corey and I had a few moments in our seats to discuss your actions and comments that were directed as us. Our feeling was that the money we donate to the area’s young adults funded mostly by our guide service (operating with a strict policy catch-and-release of wild steelhead and lucrative for ourselves and the city’s businesses) was “tainted” or “less worthy” in your eyes. Thus a few minutes later, we decided to pay for the one item we had purchased and left; from that point forward we would no longer financially support the QVSA this year since you decided to turn it into a one-sided public forum and auction officials made no attempts to put an end to your “bash catch-and-release session”.

We think we should also point out that we are currently conducting a raffle for a guided fishing trip and a number of other prizes on our website. The setup of the raffle allows the winner to disperse the proceeds to a worthy cause of their choice – with several Forks-area causes suggested as recipients, and the QVSA Fund listed once listed as our number one suggestion.

Because of the events at the auction last night, we have removed the QVSA Fund from our listing of suggested recipients for this year.
Last year, following our suggestion of the family of Jill and Jess Henry as the recipients, the family received over $1200 of raffle proceeds to help pay for medical and travel expenses for the family while the twins battled leukemia. To date, we have nearly $1500 of tickets sold for this year’s raffle and there are several weeks left for ticket sales that may have gone to the QVSA Fund. We expect roughly $2000 to be raised and it remains to be seen where these dollars will go, but our recommendation to the winner is no longer the Scholarship Fund.

While we will still donate five or six trips a year to worthy causes and donate significant amounts of cash to similar causes, we would rather see this year’s raffle’s proceeds and our hard-earned dollars that we would have spent at the 2004 QVSA go to a worthy cause that will take the funds without prejudice and with an outlook for the future and not just for today.

At this time, we do plan on re-establishing our support for the QVSA in future years as we feel it is a integral part of the community’s future.

In the future, we hope that if you remain involved with the QVSA that you will forgo the political innuendos / attacks and allow the spirit of the auction to remain as intended: a weekend dedicated to the community’s support of the future of Forks High School seniors.

Respectfully,

Bob Ball
RLBALL@OLYPEN.COM


cc: TO A WHOLE BUNCH OF PEOPLE - City people, local papers, etc...

Hi Bob,

Here is what I got from your letter:

1) Rod Fleck was acting as an auctioneer at this charity auction, and during the time he was on the podium he made a few snide comments directed solely towards you and Fish-Gal. These comments were RE: your position on the CnR rules.

2) Because of his comments you and Fish Gal left the auction, and are pulling all of your support for that charity.

3) Confusing to a reader - The auction appears to have been on Sat. eve., but now it is Sunday (when you wrote the letter) and your pulling your support...but weren't your items donated (clams, guided trips) sold at the auction Sat. night? (Sounds confusing to me...Is it a 2 day affair and your items have not been brought to the bidders yet?)

Suggestion? If it hasn't already been sent, you might shorted it up a bit..people don't generally read that long of a letter carefully..instead they read the first paragraph then scan the balance for relevant info..perhaps missing important points.

What kind of reaction/response are you expecting/desiring from him, or the City of Forks?

Overall very well written, and well stated..but were it me (and its not) I would have shortened it and been more direct to the point..IE: Bullet points noting the reasons why you pulled your support.

My 2 centavos...

Mike B

My take...

Nice letter, I was confused a little on the dates as well... my only concern is that it seems as if the seniors are losing out out because of the actions of one person... Perhaps you have other plans to donate and help the students that we are not aware of. Its obvious you do more than your share!

Sounds like that guy is a jerk.

elkrun

Bob, well done on the letter. People reading your letter and posting their opinions about what you wrote need to realize that the comments made by the auctioneer toward you were not only directed at you but towards all the other sportsmen that frequent the Peninsula and support CnR. A certain level of class was shown in that you did not make a scene about it in a setting that was not appropriate. To let them know that you would be willing to support them in the future, despite the comments, shows that you are looking out for the needs of the community more than your own.
Thanks for a great trip Friday the 19th and I look forward to doing it again in the future.
Dave
P.S. Am I out of the penalty box yet for losing that mid-teens hen because I was staring off into la'la' land?

Bob
Great job on the letter.
I realize it is hard to punish the kids by withdrawing your support, but people must realize that when comments are made and the people they choose to appear at thier events reflect on them as an organization. There are so many worthy causes out there that we all have plenty of opportunity to support. These groups compete for our dollars and we have the right to show our displeasure by withholding our support. Make sure the scholarship organization gets a copy of your letter, I am bet they think alittle more about who they have represent thier organization.

Bob

You said Will you please show us the site/articles that have gotten you so heated?

How else do you think that we can understand why you have posted your letter to Mr. Fleck?


Cowlitzfisherman

CFM: I can easily see why Bob posted his excellent letter, without reading some other letters, which may or may not be related, in any way, on another web site. I think Bob did an excellent job of explaining the motivation for the letter within the letter. Well said Bob!

Pretty clear to me, too. Bob, I suspect this guy doesn't care much. I'd send copies to the sponsored organization.

Dave

Bob doesn't have to post what they have said, but in my opinion, Bob should at lease let his members make up their own minds, and see for themselves what is being said! Anyway, that's how I see it. He could simlplely post the site where this was said.

I have represented thousands of members in another organization, and I have learned the "hard way" not to cover other opinions from them. If what you say is true, the right side of this issue will prevail!

If not, then it's back to the drawing board!

We are for the most part, all adults and we can for the most part, make up our own minds with out help from others that may believe different.

Personally, I believe if you truly believe in what you believe is right, you will not worry about what others will write or say about your beliefs. This to me, is a test of persons own self and belief.


Cowlitzfisherman

CFM, AKA ConspiracyFisherMan

I think you read way too much into my mention of another board having an open letter thread. It was a simple tongue-in-cheek comment regarding a thread entitled "An Open letter to Bob" regarding Olympic Sporting Goods here in Forks at WashingtonFlyFishing.Com ... nothing more, nothing less.

Mike B, sorry for any confusion, although I made some mention of the history of the auction for a few CC recipients that may not be as familiar with it as most Forks-area residents ... I didn't make it clear that the Auction is a two-day event.

It was a hard call because it does affect the seniors and not Mr. Fleck directly. However, the power trip that some of the local gov't officals (that really have zero first-hand knowledge of these fisheries) have been on has gone a little too far ... I'm sick and tired of hearing that EVERYONE in Forks feels this way or that way. It simply isn't true regardless of the propaganda that city officials are spewing out.

I just learned today that one individual in the community that has been heavily involved in volunteer efforts in this town has put an end to his involvment due to the Mayor's comments.

But I'd like to reiterate, that it simply isn't the city's stance ... it was the totally inappropriate situation to play politics. I'm surprised a little that this came from the person here in town that was so adamant about following proper procedure ...

Thanks for your quick response Bob!

Now from you, that was pretty funny!

I just like to see what others are saying when someone else says that they have said something!

Cowlitzfisherman

Too bad the recipients of the charitible fund raiser are the real victims of this whizzing match. I suspect that the Forks people you sent the letter to will take the letter with a laugh if your portrayal of their attitudes is on target.

Bob,

Thanks for the clarification Bob..I did make that assumption that it was a 2 day affair but every time I do that I get in trouble..:-)

BTW, overall I DO think it was an excellent letter. In another capacity I work as an editor for a number of writers, hence, the hyper-critical eye towards anything to be "published".

I hope the letter gets their (the City of Forks) attention and they begin to reconsider the attitude of "no kill-no business" founded in fear and not fact.

Mike

Bob - why can't you just give away a scholarship in your own name? Whatever you were going to donate to the QVSA, couldn't you just give on your own behalf? Hell, there's scholarships out there for $500 - I believe you exceed that by quite a bit, anyway.

The selection could simply be the same person the QVSA chooses. That way the kids don't suffer because of some ignoramus that plays politics at inopportune times.

The animosity the people of Forks, both government and private, have toward Bob has always astounded me......

Don't they realize they have the same resources the small towns like Terrace and Smithers BC, etc. have? - Yet because they continue to focus on harvest rather than conservation, fisherpeople from around the world will chose SE Alaska or somewhere in BC over Forks in the drop of a dime for their "once in a lifetime" $5,000/week steelhead vacation. It could be the other way around.....

I truly believe that Bob, despite his guide status, and the majority of members of this site (not you CFM), have the health of WA wild steelhead stocks as their #1 priority. I can not say the same for the business establishments in Forks, the Tribes, or the State.

For them it is the almighty $$$. Ultimately, I know we would forgive the opportunity to fish to see that the species survives. I think the others will continue at status quo until there are none left and they will wonder where they all went.

Thanks to Bob and the WSC for all their hard work!

Ike

Ikissmykiss

That's pure undocumented hogwash! Do you kind of people really believe that "conservation" does not include "harvest"?

A lot of sport fishers don't really follow your kind of logic, and neither do I. Why would you think that it would not make Forks any more "appealing" to the "world class fishermen", just because the state still allow Forks rivers to have a harvest fishery on there rivers? Do you really THINK that these "fisherpeople from around the world will chose SE Alaska or somewhere in BC over Forks in the drop of a dime for their "once in a lifetime" $5,000/week steelhead vacation. It could be the other way around....."? As long as they can still catch steelhead, why on earth wouldn't they want to come to Forks to fish?

What world are you living in? Why would these world class fishermen not want to go to Forks to fish? They themselves (the fishermen), and no one else, makes the "decision" if THEY want to harvest the fish, or let the fish go. It's not a decision that is up to you or me, or even their guide, it's their own where legal to do so at. The decision is 100% theirs and no ones else's! Sure, a guide may tell his clients ahead of time that he only practices catch and release, but that doesn't mean that the client has to throw HIS fish back in if HE decides to keep it.

I guess that you also believe that it's OK to kill wild fish by hooking mortally, rather then bonking it in the head. Its an undisputed fact that wild fish will die from being hooked in an C&R fishery, so what makes killing the fish OK for you, but not OK for the other fishermen that chooses to bonk his catch at his feet? The only real difference to the fish is; he dies at you feet instead of 30 or 40 yards down the river were you can't see it happen! Is that a "feel good" thing to your type of fishermen?

Finally, you said Ikissmykiss, You talk up a good line of BS, but the proof is in the pudding! There are a lot fishers out there that are getting pretty tired of people like you, that have no idea whatsoever what they are talking about telling them what is right or wrong. Feel free at anytime to "COMPARE" what YOU have done to assure that "wild" fish will continue to survive in Washington State more then what I have done.

Your kinds of "mind sets" always seem to think alike! Just because a person believes that it's his decision to bonk or release a wild fish, sure doesn't mean that he doesn't work hard to see that "wild fish" maintain a place in our sport fishery. I would suggest that you do a little bit more homework before you make such blanket statement about what someone has, or has not done, for the "wild fish" of Washington State. If my memory serves me right, Bob has not always been, or practiced C&R in his guiding services (feel free to correct me if I am wrong Bob). By his own choose, Bob has decided in the last couple of years to go 100% C&R. No one is trying to discredit Bob for what he believes is right for himself or his clients. Maybe Bob will tell us when he first started going to a 100% catch and release service…. not that it even matters in this issue.

I am a firm believer that fish were not just put on the earth for men to "play with". If that's your own choice, then that's great! But if a person wants to harvest a fish once in a while, then that also great! What really bothers me the most is when people such as you criticize others who in all likelihood have probably done tens time more to help wild fish to reproduce and survive then you have!

Care to tell us what you personally have done?


Cowlitzfisherman

CFM -

I've been around long enough to know not to get into it with you...frankly I don't have the time. Do you have a typist?

I was only referring to the fact that you always seem to be on the other side of the fence - the wrong side.

Apparently you (unlike me) HAVE spent much time on wild fish restoration projects, presumably mostly on the big fat Cow. How many wild fish went above Barrier Dam to spawn last year? Just curious.

Ike

Ikissmykiss

Hell no! It takes me forever to type stuff up on this board!

Well that may or may not be true………….it all depends which side of the "fence", or sport fishing issue you want to be on!

I always try to walk my talk!

PS, even those these fish are not wild genetic fish, I believe that we had a couple hundred pass over the dams last year.

Even "hatchery" fish can produce and survive in the wild!

Mykiss-

You are a cliche. Its easy to agree with the majority in their home turf.... make a point or say something at least... but dont knock someone for having a different opinion.

As much as CFM can tick me off, and he has many times, I wouldn't get on him for not caring about wild fish. have you met the man? ever fished with him?

It just amazes me that every board fishermen is the best, purist sportsman ever to walk the face of the internet. Never killing or harming a fish, hell half would claim not to make a footprint on the virgin soil along our rivers... In real life, those same internet gurus, sit on the bank, untying themselves from their line, holding their rod upside down, telling people what color the fish are hitting as they pull in the 4th fish snagged in the a$$!

He has a different opinion about a rule than you there are a lot of other people who feel the same.

Whats the world coming to when I agree with CFM!

Hang in there, Bob. I am having real trouble trying to justify my annual trips to Forks where, as a C&R steelheader, I feel unwelcome and unwanted.
The folks in Forks just can't seem to understand that they are only a few years away from where we now are in Region 5 regarding wild steelhead. We don't have many left, because we killed so many of them in the past. You should see the records from Lucia Falls (on the East Fork Lewis River) back in the 1960-80 era. Down here, we went to wild release years ago, and it is working for us.
In my opinion, the Forks area river could be world class, if they were properly regulated.
Please don't give up.