By Stephen Smoot
“We’re still having trouble with the trail,” Wallace Goff told the Harrison County Commission last week, citing “uncontrollable traffic, things like that.”
Goff represents himself and his partners who operate Trinity Experiences, a non profit organization working to create a recreational facility along the West Fork River. He came to the Commission to share their experience with thoughtless and harmful criminal activity on and around his property.
Those “things” he described included relating that “somebody parked on our trail about a week and a half ago and broke into our pole barn and pretty much stole every tool I own.” He later added “they’re cutting cables to come out onto the property.”
An earlier proposal that permanent barriers block traffic on the trail met an explanation from county officials that they needed access for their maintenance vehicles. Goff came to counter offer, asking that barriers be placed on the trail in exchange for a permanent right-of-way agreement. That would allow county officials access to the trail through his property while blocking hooligan criminals from robbing and defacing the property of his organization.
“We’d sign whatever needed to be signed,” he promised. “I don’t know if this helps, but we really need to do something about this trail.”
Although it was not pointed out, if criminals and thugs start to habitually use the trails, it would deter the desired visitors and tourists from coming to enjoy it. Goff said that the trail and river cannot be advertised as an asset if people are not safe walking upon it “because they might be run over.”
Goff suggested that another strategy for the county could be to intentionally narrow the trail width so that it accommodates hikers and bicyclists while denying access to larger vehicles. “You all are maintaining a trail that is wider than the roads used to get to the trail,” he noted.
He also shared that he had concerns about the safety of their guests, explaining “they’re cutting cables to come out onto the property.” He said he’d made several calls but “I’ve had yet to see law enforcement.” Goff complied with suggestions that he post cameras, saying they posed no deterrence against criminal activity there.
“People can’t be safe” staying on his property with the threat of the presence of criminals and their activity, he said.
When he closed his remarks, he said “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry one bit,” replied Susan Thomas, President of the Harrison County Commission. She said “I don’t understand the barricade either. I don’t understand why I’m being told they’re on the trail,” referring to law enforcement.
Goff said he had not seen them, to which Thomas said “I mean, they’re not there all the time.”
Though Goff’s problem did not come up in these later discussions, all Commissioners agreed on the need to add all terrain vehicles to the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department’s fleet. A suggestion that both the ATV and officers operating it work in civilian garb to catch more perpetrators met the approval of all Commissioners present.