San Diego plans a 2-5% reduction in “Recreation” programs for fishing and Hunting

msailor

Well-Known Member
Jan 30, 2014
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Just wanted to put this out so everyone can help flood the mayor’s office with emails see email below from a fellow hunter.

Barrett Duck Hunters,

It’s time to mobilize the troops as the San Diego City Council is mandating a 2-5% reduction in “Recreation” programs. The Mayor will complete his recommendations on April 13th, 2024 ( 10 days from now) for submission to the City Council. Barrett hunting and fishing as well as all of the recreation programs on the City Lakes are areas being looked at and considered for these cuts. We have been meeting with some City Councilmember’s staff and others and the best action they recommended that we take, starting now and leading up to April 12th, is flood the Mayor’s office with emails every day and as many as possible. They stressed the word FLOOD!! No amount is too many . Please do not dismiss this request thinking enough others will do it. Please take this personally and send an email. We are one group of perhaps hundreds of others that are doing the same thing. I’m asking everyone who receives this send an email. Our reach needs to go beyond this group so please convince your friends, families, co-workers, anyone to send an email and send it every day. This is grassroots and this is necessary. You do not need to live in the City for your position to be considered.

Your email can be as simple or as involved as you wish. Use this email address[email protected]

This is what I’m sending. You can use it or any version of it or your own. My first sentence could be enough. Please send something



Dear Mayor Gloria,

I am writing to ask that you do not include any funding cuts or reductions in hunt-days in the Waterfowl Duck Hunt program at Barrett lake. The City has had a waterfowl hunt program for over 100 years and at one point included two other reservoirs, Otay and Sutherland. Those are shut down now. Barrett is the only City Lake left that allows duck hunting. We all know that reductions lead to closures and once a program like this is closed, it’s not coming back. This hunt program is probably one of the smallest budget items for the City and any reduction, even minimal, would have a devastating impact. A number of us have been working hard the last couple of years to increase attendance and we have been hugely successful. I think we were able to double the revenue last year compared to the previous year and we expect to do better this year. Other things to consider: 1) There is already a limited time for us to enjoy this uniquely San Diego experience as the season is only three months long. 2) This is the only City lake left to hunt ducks at. It’s not like we can just drive across town and do it somewhere else. 3) Many of us do not have the time or means to travel to other destinations or belong to a private duck club. 4) This is also a quality-of-life issue. With every similar email you receive, please know that we are deeply connected to the outdoors, hunting and fishing in a spiritual way that is hard to explain if you do not share the same lifestyle.



Thank you,
 
Thanks Matt for posting this....If Barrett and fishing goes....Then the Lake Sutherland turkey hunts won't be far behind.

ps...We actually pay for the opportunity to hunt and fish...Wonder how many of these other "Budget Cuts" involve freebies?
 
Dawn Perfect out of Ramona helped a bunch on this topic the last time they tried to do cuts on city lakes
 
Can someone explain why is the Mayor considering this nonsense?
Is there a place to read about this?
Thanks.
 
Just wanted to put this out so everyone can help flood the mayor’s office with emails see email below from a fellow hunter.

Barrett Duck Hunters,

It’s time to mobilize the troops as the San Diego City Council is mandating a 2-5% reduction in “Recreation” programs. The Mayor will complete his recommendations on April 13th, 2024 ( 10 days from now) for submission to the City Council. Barrett hunting and fishing as well as all of the recreation programs on the City Lakes are areas being looked at and considered for these cuts. We have been meeting with some City Councilmember’s staff and others and the best action they recommended that we take, starting now and leading up to April 12th, is flood the Mayor’s office with emails every day and as many as possible. They stressed the word FLOOD!! No amount is too many . Please do not dismiss this request thinking enough others will do it. Please take this personally and send an email. We are one group of perhaps hundreds of others that are doing the same thing. I’m asking everyone who receives this send an email. Our reach needs to go beyond this group so please convince your friends, families, co-workers, anyone to send an email and send it every day. This is grassroots and this is necessary. You do not need to live in the City for your position to be considered.

Your email can be as simple or as involved as you wish. Use this email address[email protected]

This is what I’m sending. You can use it or any version of it or your own. My first sentence could be enough. Please send something



Dear Mayor Gloria,

I am writing to ask that you do not include any funding cuts or reductions in hunt-days in the Waterfowl Duck Hunt program at Barrett lake. The City has had a waterfowl hunt program for over 100 years and at one point included two other reservoirs, Otay and Sutherland. Those are shut down now. Barrett is the only City Lake left that allows duck hunting. We all know that reductions lead to closures and once a program like this is closed, it’s not coming back. This hunt program is probably one of the smallest budget items for the City and any reduction, even minimal, would have a devastating impact. A number of us have been working hard the last couple of years to increase attendance and we have been hugely successful. I think we were able to double the revenue last year compared to the previous year and we expect to do better this year. Other things to consider: 1) There is already a limited time for us to enjoy this uniquely San Diego experience as the season is only three months long. 2) This is the only City lake left to hunt ducks at. It’s not like we can just drive across town and do it somewhere else. 3) Many of us do not have the time or means to travel to other destinations or belong to a private duck club. 4) This is also a quality-of-life issue. With every similar email you receive, please know that we are deeply connected to the outdoors, hunting and fishing in a spiritual way that is hard to explain if you do not share the same lifestyle.



Thank you,
done thanks
 
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Great job and thank you. I’ve never hunted there and don’t know if I ever will, but it’s blatantly obvious why getting involved in issues like this is so important. Email sent.
 
Does anyone have a follow-up on what happened with this ? Thanks!

Thanks for reaching out. Our team worked to identify cuts within the Recreation Program where the least revenue was generated to offset costs. With that, the following reductions were made resulting in a net reduction of $59,475:

• El Capitan Reservoir would be closed during the month of January 2025.
• Hodges Reservoir is typically closed November through January, and this fiscal year would be closed in February as well.
• Sutherland Reservoir is typically open Fridays through Sundays during the months of March through September, and would now be closed on Fridays and remain open Saturdays and Sundays.

These closures will not impact the City’s Hunting Programs.

Let me know if you have any follow up questions.

Thanks,

Juan Guerreiro
Director
City of San Diego
Public Utilities Department
 
Thanks for taking the time to find out what's going on with these budget cuts.

Glad to hear they are not after what's left of Duck hunting down here at Barrett...yet. Seriously, $59K tho ??....DangItMan! Poke in the eye. They keep chipping away and soon there will be nothing left to support fishing, except excuses.

And well-said, just layoff one of the lazy city soakers and probably save X2.
 

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