The future of Blazer Bash. Good news.

[Bent77]

Will registration reopen with the new costs built in?

Yes, just working bugs out. Those that have already registered, I get to go back through and either have them adjust what they’ve paid, or back them out and re-register

Either way, it will probably be a few days or so

This thread will be updated when it’s fixed

 

[ktmoutfront]

Will registration reopen with the new costs built in?

What Mark said.

The thing that galls me about the sales tax is that we wouldn't be charging anything for the event if it wasn't for all the fees and requirements being imposed.

I found out talking to a friend here last night, they put on a car show last year in a mall parking lot as a fund raiser for some kid. The city sent them a notice afterwords that sales tax must be paid on the registration fees and t-shirt sales. They were raising money for a 10 year old burn victim. The city's name is Clinton.

Also be aware that pretty much any public land where you want to hold an event is going to have a permitting process. For example our local club got in hot water with the forest service because we wanted to do a poker run on some of the local trails. We had to cancel the event because we didn't apply for a permit to do it.

Our church in Colorado got the permit waived as long as it was done by the non profit, under 100 people and we had portable crappers on site. There is a picture somewhere of the Jimmy towing a trailer with his and hers outhouses on it.

 

[mrk5]

I'll add some history on Blazer Bash, a refresh for some and a reminder for others.

Their has been some talk about going back to a structure where we're just a bunch of friends meeting up to run trails. That's how we got into this whole permit thing to begin with.

In 2008 when Nicole and I started helping Steve organize the event, we were trying to keep it on the down-low and attract no undo attention. We weren't the only group trying to do this. However, that didn't work. The BLM started to more actively enforce the Special Recreation Permit. They were keeping a close eye on internet activity and the presence in town and they began sending letters to group contacts where they could find them.

They weren't the only ones who noticed either. In the early years of my involvement, I had a couple of conversations with the infamous local tour guide, Dan Mick. He had noted a large presence of fullsize GM trucks on the trails over a weekend once a year. By that time we were under a permit, but you can be assured he asked me if we had one. It's understandable from his point of view, he's following the rules and those that don't give all offroaders a bad look and provides fuel to the fire for those that want to shut down all such use.

Once you have that BLM permit, other interested parties become aware of the event. It was a couple years after we started getting the BLM permit that I started seeing groups were getting letters from a law firm for an organization called the Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA). They were looking thru the lost of BLM permit holders and contacting groups that weren't getting the SITLA right of entry permit as they should be. So that added another permit to the event.

I'm saying all this to illustrate that we can't just show up on the same weekend and expect to not get noticed. Especially since our group has been operating under a permit, we're very much on the radar.

Unfortunately even more layers of difficulty have been added since Wade and Mark took over organizing the event. Also more attention.

 

[Bent77]

It’s also part of the reason I parked the Blazerbash IG. We use it to generate attention for donors, but it also attracts dumb AF entities that want a piece of that pie

If they are on this site, using it to cull information so as to generate profit, they’re in violation of the vendor use…

 

[Blazer Bash]

They keep piling on.

From Grand County.

"So my commission liaison pointed out something in your event I missed that may sway your decision. The BBQ at Old City Park with the Raffle would need a permit from the City as well as a temporary food service permit. I should also let you know that raffles are illegal in the State of Utah as they are considered a form of gambling. I'm attaching the forms you need for the City of Moab permit as well as the food service permit. Please submit the City of Moab permit to the contact listed on the form. The contact for food permits at the Health Department is Hailey Gardner haileygardner@utah.gov"

 

[fastazz81]

They just don’t quit, bunch of a$$hats!

 

[Truckman4life]

Those Grand County leaders are the dumbest morons around.
They hold them all over the place in Utah, yes if you google it they are technically illegal and considered gambling(stupid Utah) but no one enforces it and there are raffles everywhere even in Moab. They held like 2 raffles at the rodeo I was at this weekend.
From the Utah PTA site they say you just have to word it as a "drawing" and that your fee for the bbq gets you "X" amount of entries into the drawing.

Can our PTA do a Raffle?

The definition of a raffle is: a lottery in which each participant buys a chance or chances to win a prize. Chances are considered gambling in the state of Utah so the answer is No, your PTA can not hold a raffle.

PTAs can hold drawings for prizes. One example includes when a parent purchases a PTA membership, their name goes into a drawing. This means that they have purchased the rights to be a member and get discounts from PTA partners and such. Another example would be if there is a purchase involved and they receive something for that purchase, such as xx.xx amount in carnival tickets purchased; their name goes into a drawing.

Google raffles in Moab and every event coming to Moab has a dinner and raffle listed on their website. The jeep safari has the biggest one out of all of them I'm pretty sure.
The Rocky Mountain Elk foundation raffles off tons of Utah hunting tags every year at their banquet.

 

[Blazer Bash]

Reading through the requirements for the City of Moab, the permit application had to be in 90 days prior to the event. No exceptions. We are at 73 days as of today.

I will make calls when they open.

 

[Blazer Bash]

I also have to admit to making a mistake in the pricing of the Grand County Permit fee.

I added $15 to each registration based on 75% attendance from last year, due to the Putin inflation costs. We set it up as a per truck cost, when it should have per person for the event.

My brain is too broken to do this anymore.

 

[Chickntrk]

I for one don’t have an issue being told an additional grand total I owe at the event to cover what’s needed, I won’t speak on anyones behalf but that’s me….I’m registering this Thursday when I get paid.

 

[Blazer Bash]

I am going to use this thread to document my conversations with the powers that be.

Just heard from the City of Moab permit lady. We do not need to have the 9 to 12 week planning time line as we are a small event and only using the park. I will not have to be back in Moab for a debriefing 30 days after the event. Evidently, this is all being updated and the documentation does not reflect this. The permit did go from $99 to $466. So they got that figured out right away. Again, more costs.

With the sign ups as of right now, we are $2500 short of paying for the event.

 

[500$k5]

My close group will register, as soon as it is open. We will have two rigs, and at least 3 passengers. Add in what needs to be paid, and we will gladly pay it!

 

[Babaganoosh]

They are making this event not fun anymore…

 

[Bent77]

They are making this event not fun anymore…

The event is still fun

 

[Blazer Bash]

The event is still fun

You are correct. Getting it to happen has taken all of the fun out of getting it ready. Now it is, I want to make this happen no matter what. Because they are trying their hardest to run us out. I think it is worth fighting for.

As long as everyone is OK with paying for it.

 

[Chickntrk]

I’m sure, like everyone else, they’ve found a way to capitalize on all the groups that come to Moab, sounds like we may have dodged some of it by being a smaller group

 

[Babaganoosh]

The event is still fun

Leading up to it isn’t but yes the event and seeing my friends is fun.

 

[ktmoutfront]

Leading up to it isn’t but yes the event and seeing my friends is fun.

Wait. You have friends? When did this happen? Why weren't we told?

 

[Bent77]

Ben acts like he’s been talking to Grand County

 

[Babaganoosh]

Ben acts like he’s been talking to Grand County

If I did I’m pretty sure they would cancel us hearing my thoughts…

Wait. You have friends? When did this happen? Why weren't we told?

Shhhh don’t tell anyone.