JUN 4, 1996

The Honorable Craig Thomas
United States Senator
2632 Foothill Boulevard, Suite 101
Rock Springs, Wyoming 82901

Dear Senator Thomas:

        I am responding to your letter on behalf of your
constituents,      XX          and        XX        , regarding
the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Please excuse the
delay in responding.

        Your constituents' correspondence alleges that the rules of
the subdivision in which they live prohibit snowplowing in the
winter. Your constituents argue that this rule may inhibit
individuals with disabilities from visiting them at their homes.

        Title II of the ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of
disability by State and local government entities. Title III of
the ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by
places of public accommodation, which are, by definition,
nonresidential. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination on
the basis of disability in residential facilities. It is not
clear from your constituents' correspondence which, if any, of
these provisions covers the Hoback Ranches Board of Directors.

        Under the ADA, the local government may not deny services to
individuals on the basis of disability, if it makes those
services available to other citizens. Generally, however, it is
not required to provide special programs or services for
individuals with disabilities if it does not provide such
programs or services for individuals without disabilities.

        The rule against snowplowing that your constituents complain
of does not appear to discriminate on the basis of disability
because the rule affects both people with disabilities and people
without disabilities equally.

01-04280

                                - 2 -

        I hope this information is helpful to you in responding to
your constituents.
      
                                Sincerely,

                             Deval L. Patrick
                        Assistant Attorney General
                           Civil Rights Division

01-04281
                                                        March 4, 1996

Hoback Ranches Board Of Directors
P.O. Box 33
Bondurant, Wy 82922

Directors,

   We are writing in regards to the newly adopted rules of no snowplowing in
Hoback Ranches Subdivision. These rules were adopted without the knowledge or
consent of the residents of Hoback Ranches, along with the general public
which they affect. We know of hundreds of people that feel as strongly opposed
to this action as we do.
   When we purchased our property there were no restrictions of this nature in
our deed or in the covenants.
   By attempting to stop snow plowing, which is a way of life in Wyoming, you
are denying us and the general public our constitutional rights.
   First of all our equity is being stagnated. This by people who are not year
round residents.
   Second, we are registered Sublette County voters and taxpayers. We are
being denied some of these services, that we pay for, during the winter
season. One of the reasons given for the new rules was because of safety. How
safe is it when we are denied medical, fire and sheriff personnel? How safe is
it when our vehicles, snowmobiles and trailers have to be parked out on the
highway? Not too safe since there have been break ins and thefts. If you think
your home is safer in the winter, then we suggest you think again.
Snowmobilers with sleds can empty out a house and depart in many directions
and never be tracked.
   Third, we have friends and family that are disabled and would be unable to
visit us unless the road was plowed. We find this to be discriminating and we
feel against the American Disabilities Act. This is a public road to be used
by the public.
   These legal rights are being denied by you, the same biased Board of 
Directors, who in December of 1995, illegally closed and padlocked a gate
across this public road. In a meeting called by the Civil Attorney of Sublette
County in regards to the locking of the gate, this same biased Board of
Directors denied the other residents, whom you are suppose to be representing
on their behalf, their legal rights to equal time to state their cause. When
finally given a chance to speak they were unprofessionally interrupted and at
one point were called liars.
   We do not feel this biased Board of Directors has the right to continue to
take away our constitutional rights.

Respectfully,
XX
Certified Copies to:

Governor James Geringer - State Capitol - Cheyenne, Wyoming
U.S. Senator Craig Thomas - Hart Building - Washington, D.C.
U.S. Representative Barbara Cubin - Longworth House - Washington, D.C.
Senator Grant Larson - Jackson, Wyoming
Representative Louis Tomassi - Big Piney, Wyoming
Sublette County Sheriff Office - Pinedale, Wyoming
Wyoming Health Care - Hathaway Building - Cheyenne, Wyoming
B.L.M. Resource Area Pinedale - Pinedale, Wyoming

01-04282
MAR 19, 1996

H.R.I.S.D.
Box 33
Bondurant, Wyoming 82922

Directors:

This letter is in reference to the past action of building and locking
a gate across a public road -Rim Road- approximately 8 miles south of
Bondurant. Forestry personnel say that Rim Road is a public road and
this action was illegal and is a dangerous thing to do.

I understand your group has taken it upon yourselves to limit the lifestyles
and property use of residents that choose to live on Hoback Ranch Estates
all year. Although you don't live full time at Hoback Ranch Estates,
you feel you have the right to control the lives of those that do. This is
dictatorial and not the way our republic was meant to function.

The impact of your decision affects many facets of the residents lives
and I can see no logical reason for such an action to be taken by your
group.

Your decision affects residents economically by having a portion of their
tax money not being used to keep Rim Road open; affects safety as no
ambulance, police or fire vehicles can reach the properties if the roads
are not plowed; the property is devalued due to the limited access and
most importantly, you are discriminating against any handicapped person
that might visit there, if they can't ride snowmobiles due to their handicap.

I hope your group can realize how untenable your position is in trying
to control the lives and property of the full time residents. As I look
over the deed and covenants there are no provisions for restricting usage
of the property to summer season only.

Respectfully,
XX

CERTIFIED COPIES TO:

GOVERNOR JAMES GERINGER -STATE CAPITOL ROOM 214 -CHEYENNE, WY. 82002
U.S.SENATOR CRAIG THOMAS -302 HART BLDG. -WASHINGTON D.C. 20510
U.S.REPRESENTATIVE BARBARA CUBIN -1114 LONGWORTH HOUSE -WASHINGTON D.C.20515
SENATOR GRANT LARSON -P.O.BOX 3490 -JACKSON, WY.83001
REPRESENTATIVE LOUIS TOMASSI -P.O.BOX 549 -BIG PINEY, WY. 83113
WYOMING HEALTH CARE -HATHAWAY BLDG. ROOM 117 -CHEYENNE, WY. 82002
B.L.M. RESOURCE AREA PINEDALE -432 EAST MILL PINEDALE, WY. 82941
SUBLETTE COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE -HANK RULAND -PINEDALE, WY. 82941

01-04283
                                                 March 1, 1996
(HANDWRITTEN)

H R S ILLEGIBLE
PO BOX 33
Bondurant Wyoming 82922

To whom it may concern:
   I understand from the public notice in
January's Pinedale/Big Piney Roundup that
you are attempting to restrict access to other
peoples property on Hoback Ranch Estates. This
at the very least is dictatorial - no one has the
legal or moral right to prevent any persons
access to their private property at any time.
   I visit Wyoming regularly and have always
been impressed with the honesty and fairness
of the natives. Are you and others in your
organization natives or out of state ILLEGIBLE
people?
   A copy of this letter will be sent to the
elected officials of the state of Wyoming
and law enforcement agencies.

                Disappointedly -
                XX

01-04284