'Sounds familiar' - Articles, letters, and Documents
relative to promises and statements of 'bigger plans for PCMS' and
'economic benefits' and 'public input' made in the 70s and 80s
Protecting Colorado's Ranchers: A Position on Pinon Canyon: As most ranchers and livestock operators in Colorado know, there is a great deal of concern about the Army's plans to expand the boundaries of Fort Carson's training facilities at Pinon Canyon in southern Colorado. It is not enough to oppose the use of eminent domain (condemnation) at Pinon Canyon. In an already fragile economy, it is not fair to add more pressure to landowners in the area. That is why we support the state legislative ban on the lease or transfer of state lands for expansion, why we support the Congressional moratorium on expansion activities and why we are opposed to the additional loss of productive land in agriculture and livestock production that would follow from Army expansion. It is important for the communities most impacted by the Army's planned expansion in Southern Colorado to have the ultimate say in whether they would agree to any expansion proposal. It has been clear to us that so far, communities in Southern Colorado are adamantly opposed to the loss of this land (even through leasing) and we believe Colorado's next Governor must stand with them.
We hope to see everyone at the comment meetings but there are also other ways to comment:
Comments by the public, government agencies, other appropriate
entities, and stakeholders may be submitted at the above-mentioned public
meetings or sent to the U.S. Army Environmental Command (USAEC) during the
applicable published comment period. Comments can be sent by e-mail to USARMY.JBSA.AEC.MBX@mail.mil or
mailed to: Public Comments USAEC, Attn: IMPA — AE (Kropp), 2450 Connell Road
(Building 2264), Fort Sam Houston, Texas 78234-7664. For questions regarding
comment submittals, call (210) 466-1590.
GAO study slams Army on Pinon Canyon expansion - Rocky Mt. News Article
The Rocky Mountain News Published January 13, 2009 at 12:09 p.m. Updated January 13, 2009 at 12:09 p.m.
WASHINGTON - A new Government Accountability Office study criticizes the U.S. Army's approach to the proposed expansion of the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site in Colorado, saying a lack of early communication with nearby residents allowed rumors to run rampant.
The report, one of two being released today in response to congressional requests, also says the army's land acquisition approach is based on out-of-date strategic plans, and recommends periodic updates as well as new methods of keeping members of the public informed.
The Pentagon has faced vocal opposition from some residents of the area south of Fort Carson when word first spread that the army might be trying to add up to 418,577 acres of land to the Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site.
Last summer, the army reported that it planned to limit the proposed expansion to 100,000 acres, but not before public outrage echoed by congressional opposition.
Congress asked the nonpartisan GAO to study what happened.
"Without adequate explanations, key stakeholders at times relied on rumors and leaked documents," one report concludes. "These information sources often did not provide a clear, complete or accurate explanation of the Army's need for and approach to acquiring additional land or of the Army's plans to also use other strategies to meet critical training needs."
In a written response, army officials called their approach to land acquisitions, including the one proposed for Piñon Canyon, were "fundamentally sound," but conceded that they would benefit from updating strategic plans and communicating more effectively.
People
Many families are threatened by the expansion. This is the story of one of those families, the Jackson's, as written by a family member. People should not think that this story is the only one, there are many more like it. Older multigenerational families like the Jackson's as well as newer families with a love for their land are threatened by the Pentagon's lust for land.
Bud and Lillian Jackson Family
The Jackson’s may not be the oldest family in the Kim community but our roots go back as far as most. Our great-grandfathers were among the first homesteaders arriving in the early 1900’s. Many families came but few had the endurance to last through the 30’s, the 50’s or the 80’s – but some did. Those who remain cherish the land as a family heirloom to be preserved for future generations. The last 90 years of hardship is pale in comparison to governmental seizure – which is a one way trip with no return.
Bud and Lillian Jackson
Lillian’s grandfather’s Jasper Newton Seay and Logan Richmond Davis both homesteaded in the Tobe area about 15 miles west of Kim.
Lillian’s mother, Marie Davis, married the Reagan fork of the family tree. The Reagan’s homesteaded south of the Villegreen store when Clell Reagan was only five. In the 1930’s the elder Reagans moved to Trinidad, but Clell and Earl remained in the Villegreen community. Clell Reagan worked for the T7 ranch as a cowboy until he could put together enough financing to purchase a place of his own. Clell and Marie accumulated their acreage by fixing up and trading up.
Their first new home was built where Everett and Flow Jackson currently live. From there they moved to the place currently owned by Johnnie Mayhan. Their next move was to the place Clell always dreamed of owning just north of the Villegreen Store, which is the current home of Lester Jackson. This land is currently owned and operated by their grandchildren.
The William Jackson’s, Bill and Lula, were not homesteaders but multi talented entrepreneurs whom purchased a foothold in the Villegreen Community in 1940. The rest could probably be summed up in one word “wheat”. A bumper wheat crop in 1947 put them on firm financial ground. The next 22 years wheat and cows were good to them. Bill continued to purchase small parcels of land and had accumulated several thousand acres before his death in 1959. All of his land is currently owned/operated by his daughter-in-law Lillian (Seay) Jackson and his grandson Lester Jackson.
Bill and Lula, circa 1908
If you pick up a Kim phone book you will find many Jackson’s listed but it doesn’t matter which number you dial you are calling one of Bill and Lula’s children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, or great-great-grandchildren. Being a prolific group, the generations tend to meld, with only a couple years between generations in some instances. The succession of management began forty some years ago with the fourth, fifth and sixth generations. Direct descendants include fifty potential managers ages 45 years to 12 months. Eighty percent of Bill and Lula’s direct descendants, that are of working age, are agriculture producers or employed in a field that directly supports agriculture.
After Bud and Lillian were married they worked the farm with Bill and Lula. The drought of the 1950’s required a short leave of absence to work in the steel mill in Pueblo. With a new grub stake, they returned to the farm. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree, Buds’ passion was farming and cattle. He was especially proud of the Gelbvieh herd he and his son Lester developed through artificial insemination and imported semen. For more that forty years, Lillian supplemented the family income with a contract mail route. True to family tradition, Bud and Lillian added acreage as parcels became available. Lillian still owns all parcels they purchased.
Bud and Lillian have seventeen children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of working age. Fourteen of the seventeen are agriculture producers or employed by an industry that directly services agriculture. Agriculture intelligence is not taught - it falls from the tree.
Bud and Lillian, 1946
You can bet on one thing – any member of this family that does not currently live in the “area of interest” is working, planning and saving to go back. Our hopes and dreams are being smashed, the same as the current inhabitants.
William Jackson Family, 1944
To my knowledge, a Jackson has never lost or sold an acre of land outside of the family. It breaks our hearts that “Uncle Sam” will confiscate the opportunity for future generations to exercise the option of continuing the agriculture legacy, if they so choose.
Lillian and family
We ask everyone to join us and to push our leaders and legislators to rein in the DOD and hold them accountable. Let's stop these wasteful and destructive efforts to seize a huge portion of land in Colorado larger than the State of Connecticut. Click I CAN HELP to get started.
