Next Annual
Katmai Service Providers Meeting, scheduled
for 9:00 am Saturday
March 1st, 2008, at the Golden Lion, 1000
East 36th Ave, Anchorage
If there is a particular item you would like to see
addressed at the next Katmai Service Providers meeting,
please e-mail your comments and suggestions to info@katmaipark.org
Jim Hamilton would like to discuss
problems with operators of Katmai National Park
who would like to avoid conflicts between hunters,
bear viewers, transporters and sport fishermen.
As one of the two hunting guides in the Park,
Jim would like to make positive changes for not
only different user groups, but also like to help
ensure single use groups have a way to air differences
and come to a mutually satisfactory outcome. He
can be reached at jimhkodiak@gci.net
Unfortunately, KSP has recently
lost it's post office box due to a miscommunication.
We have obtained a new address, Katmai Service
Providers, Inc. P.O. Box 4092 Kodiak, AK 99615.
We apologise for the confusion this has caused.
If you had your membership dues returned to you,
please send them to the new address. Thank You!
New Election of Officers &
Board of Directors. We are as always interested
in active participation from our members. If you
would like to serve as an officer or a director,
please attend the meeting and volunteer, or if
you know a member you think would be good, please
nominate them to the position. We need your support
to be effectitive.
Katmai Park Superintendent Ralph
Moore will be unable to attend the upcoming meeting
but welcomes all comments. Ralph can be reached
by e-mail at ralph_moore@nps.gov
Becky Brock will be in attendence
for the session also and we always appreciate
her input and information on all the current topics
at the NPS.
We are currently compiling
a list of equipment & expertise to make an
emergency response plan in the event of potential
emergencies in Katmai Park. Please
click here to be included. We will be
finalizing the format to make this information
availble at the meeting.
Previous topics of discussion
were;
KSP's Emergency Response Survey
was discussed. We all recognize the best First
Responders are our fellow commercial operators
on our standard operating frequencies. The information
we are compiling can be useful to the Coast Guard,
State Troopers, National Park Service, and individual
Operators in their training programs.
It was pointed out several times
at the meeting that KSP is a place for operators
to meet, discuss issues of common interest, and
to resolve potential conflicts among ourselves
before going to Park Management. When dealing
with difficult issues we can be more constructive
and effective as an organized voice
In the past three years KSP has
developed a positive working relationship with
Katmai Park management. We can build on this good
start by increasing the involvement of our current
members and by attracting new membership. To this
end we have changed the associate membership.
Associates will now be voting members, still do
not have to be IBP holders, and the cost for this
class of membership is now $100.00 annually.
The Pebble Mine was discussed.
Attending members felt as a group we should state
our opposition to destroying watersheds. One of
the reasons KSP was started was for resource protection.
We would like to do this in a positive way. There
is no doubt the leech pond will sterilize the
area. Members felt compensation for loss of revenue
for traditional business's in the area needs to
be discussed from the beginning. If you want more
information on the pebble mine, check out www.bristolbayalliance.com
Brian Kraft is very informed on this issue. His
e-mail address is bkraft@alaskasportsmanslodge.com
If you have not completed your emergency
response survey, please do so as soon as you can.
We will be condensing this info and making it
available to members, the National Park Service,
Alaska State Troopers and US Coast Guard in the
next month or so.
If you would like to comment on
the type of Superintendent you would like to see
in Katmai Park, stop in to the park service and
see the Regional Director, Marsha Blasic, or her
assistant Vic Knox. Make sure you call before
you stop in to the Anchorage Office, as you will
need someone to let you in the door with the heightened
security at the Park Service. We are trying to
keep all our comments in a positive nature.
Officers and Board :
• President: Sonny Peterson, (Katmailand Inc.)
• Vice President: Brian Kraft, (Alaska Sportsman
Lodge)
• Board Member: Van Hartley (Branch River
Air)
• Board Member: John Trautner (Canyon Creek
Photography)
• Board Member: Rolan Ruoss (Sea Hawk Air)
• Board Member: Pete Raynor (Katmailand Inc.)
• Secretary/non-voting: Jo Murphy (Sea Hawk
Air)
• Treasurer/non-voting: Jo Murphy (Sea Hawk
Air)
All major issues will
be voted on by the general membership.
Please send your vote
via email at info@katamipark.org
or attend the next meeting.
To request a copy of
the minutes of the last KSP meeting, please e-mail
your request to info@katmaipark.org
At
the meeting on January 20, 2003 the membership
discussed and created a Mission Statement it is as
follows;
An Organization
dedicated to:
• Resource Protection
through stewardship.
• Promoting public access to Katmai National
Park.
• Provide conduit for communication between
the Katmai Service Providers and government agencies.
• Partcicipating in planning future development
of Park use.
• Enhancing Katmai National Park recreational
activities for personal enjoyment.
• Promoting safety and education.
• Foster cooperation among users.