Cracker Boys

Bass Club

100% Payback Florida Bass Trail

Fishing Florida’s Waters For Over 30 Years

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
 304 North West 2nd Street
 Room #106
 Okeechobee, Florida 34972

Crackerboys Bass Club

8302 N. 40th St.

Tampa, FL 33604-3612

RE: Okee-Tantie Bandshell

To Whom It May Concern:

On Saturday July 24, 2010 the Crackerboys Bass Club launched it’s 50+ boat bass tournament out of Okee Tantie Public Ramp for the first time since 2006. With the water levels back, we decided in December of 2009 to add Okeechobee back to our schedule. We applied and were awarded the waivers for Okeechobee by the Florida Wildlife Commission with the launch and weigh-in to take place at Okee Tantie.

At 2:00pm we setup our scales under one of the public shelters at OkeeTantie. Noticing the old shelter we used in years past was no longer there, we setup in the new shelter (bandshell). Ten minutes after the weigh-in had started, Aroa Crawford, an employee of OkeeTantie, drove up and rudely told us we had NOT PAID for this shelter and demanded we move. I told her “we would only be 15 minutes more and the weigh-in could not be stopped or the fish would die”. She then stated “No tournaments are allowed to use that shelter per the Okeechobee County Commission” and that “all trucks and boats had to be moved from the grass.” At this point she started getting very belligerent and insisted everyone (including residents) to vacate the shelter and move the entire weigh-in. By now, weigh-in had halted for several minutes and many anglers noticed some of their catch was dying. We decided to move the weigh bucket and the anglers in line to the side of the shelter and into the direct midday sun (in the 98 degree heat). I however, could not do so with the laptop or I would not have been able to see the screen to enter results. She continued to insist that all people (mostly residents) sitting on the benches must move, then contacted her manager Susan Baker. The local residents were furious to be told they could not even sit under shelter to watch the weigh-in.

Susan Baker was just as rude and said we had not registered and that we will have to vacate the shelter immediately or they will have to call the Sheriff. I told her we would be finished shortly and asked why no one had told us that morning (when our anglers were purchasing coffee, ice, gas and snacks) that the facility was off limits.

After approximately 20 minutes, we completed our weigh-in and vacated the shelter. A sheriff arrived and stated that since this is a public facility and no signs were posted, he could understand why we would assume the shelter was for public use.

Our anglers come to Okeechobee and purchase gas, motel rooms, tackle and food. They also eat several times at local restaurants and spend an average of $280.00 per boat for a single night’s stay. This is an influx of approximately $14,000.00 into your local economy. Several teams stayed 2-3 nights to pre-fish for the tournament. Local hotels contacted us several months in advance to offer deals to stay in their facilities and are very unhappy with the entire situation.

The tournament was a great success; however, it turned into a public relations disaster that could have been avoided in many different ways, including allowing us to complete the weigh-in within the shelter and informing us that for future tournaments we must register for the use of that public shelter. We would have understood and made note of this new policy. That did not happen and many locals, anglers and fishing enthusiast witnessed the unprofessionalism and rudeness of the two Okee-Tantie employees. The park Ranger, however, was very nice and apologetic for the entire situation.

In the unlikely event that we ever vote to include Okeechobee on our schedule again, we request that you make it clear who should be contacted to “register” and indicate any additional cost to use that public facility.

Thank you for your time and consideration of this situation.

Brian Crocker

Co-Tournament Director

Crackerboys Bass Club

www.Crackerboys.net

813-781-0909