SMP Overwhelmingly Opposed

Last night, at the Grove Community Center, the second of five public meetings was hosted by the GRDA to gather addition public input on the current draft of the shoreline management plan. I would estimate approximately 250 people were in attendance. The majority of them expressed views opposing the plan. The logistics and management of this meeting were far superior to the first gathering last week at Cleora Middle School.

Unlike the first meeting, GRDA CEO Kevin Easley was in attendance. His opening remarks were aimed at assuring those in attendance the existing draft was just that and would remain a work in progress and  the public’s opinion would go a long way in determining the final version of the plan.

As with the first meeting, support for the plan as it exists today was all but non existent. Predictably, Mike Brady, the president of the Duck Creek Property Owners Association, a sitting member of all three stakeholder working group committees and long-time critic of the authority was one of only two speakers in support of the plan. He had softened his approach of bashing the authority and commercial operators on the lake as the driving force behind the need for such a plan. But he didn’t miss the opportunity to perhaps offend the majority of those in attendance by accusing most of being ignorant when it came to the plans contents. In the first two meetings he has predictably criticized the authority, described the federal Energy Regulatory Commission as spineless and expressed his total dissatisfaction with the consulting firm, Kleinschmidt & Associates, hired to author the SMP. A sane person could only draw the conclusion that in Mike Brady’s mind he is the only one capable of effectively managing grand Lake and charting its future.

I followed Brady to the microphone and quickly covered our previously recommended changes to the plan which included fewer zones, a two tier vegetation management plan, and a different approach to determining the sensitive land classification and an appeal process for adjacent property owners if they were adversely affected by the plan. I followed that with my calling for a show of hands of those in attendance who supported the plan. There were two, Brady and Don Read. I then asked for a show of hands of those opposing the plan and the response was overwhelmingly in opposition of the plan. The mediator had it so noted in the official record.

I also spent time challenging the make up of the so called stakeholder working group committees and how the remaining twenty or so participants were in no way representative of the majority of Grand Lakers. I also informed the audience of something Mike Brady and his fellow committee members have never seemed to accept or understand; they are advisory in nature and have no authority. This twenty group, controlled by the Brady influence, has made no secret of their plans to file a majority opinion with FERC if the GRDA strays from their recommendations. I informed those in attendance we were the majority and we would act accordingly.

We need to stay committed to our course of displaying this plan is not embraced by the silent majority of Grand Lakers. We need to remain strong in our opposition to this plan throughout the remaining three meetings. The next one is next Wednesday in Tulsa at Union High School. It’s very important for our Tulsa Grand Lakers to make a strong showing at this meeting. We can get this plan changed if the remaining meetings go as the first two. Let’s not miss the opportunity for a common sense approach to prevail.

See ya’ in Tulsa!