Maine Snowmobile Association
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466th Directors Meeting
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SAM Conference Center, Augusta
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August 18, 2009
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President Paul Davis was absent so Exec. VP Ken Ingalls conducted the meeting. Meeting opened at 6:10p.m. with a salute to the flag.
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Secretary's Report: Dick Peck made a motion to accept the Secretary's report as written and Bob Lafontaine seconded. The motion passed.
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| Treasurer's Report: The Treasurer's report was read by Treasurer Roy Tassinari as follows: |
Monthly Income $10,315.09
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Monthly Expense $11,1630.13
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Net Revenue ($848.04)
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Checking $1,991.64
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(7/31/09)
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Credit Line $29,000.00
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(7/31/09)
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Building Fund $47,831.91
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(7/31/09)
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Brian Wass Safety Fund $1,902.68
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(7/31/09)
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Snowmobile Division, DOC: Scott Ramsay told us his Department is gearing up for fall and winter. The Downeast Sunrise Trail is going to have the ribbon cutting so to speak on August 26. There is 32 miles of beautiful trail. In general terms we have had a great year. We overspent by $200,000 but the increase in registration fees this year should help this. The Millinocket Bridge Project is well underway. We received $18,000 less in gas tax money this year. Guess folks weren't traveling as much or they had more gas efficient vehicles. The New Hampshire Legislature has increased their snowmobile registration fees by 30%. FEMA has announced money available for emergency construction and replacements of trails and bridges which were harmed by the rains between June 18 and July 8. If you had damage during this time frame notify your Town Office. Scott reminded everyone about the trail workshop in conjunction with the Snowmobile Show. There will be more specific information in the Maine Snowmobiler.
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Executive Director's Report: Bob Meyers reported that clubs seem to be waking up from the summer months. The phones are getting busy and folks are stopping in. There seems to be a fair amount of interest out there.
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MSA is still monitoring the state budget discussions. Things aren't going well and we need to keep a close eye on the trail fund money. For the first time ever, the Revenue Service took a charge from the snowmobile accounts for reimbursement of the groomer tax exemption as allowed by law. Bob also has been told that part of the salary for the landowner relations position, that we worked so hard to save, will be paid by the trail fund.
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The final draft of LURC's Comprehensive Plan should be finished by the end of this month and presented to the Commissioners at their September 2 meeting. There are still quite a few issues we should be concerned with, particularly in regards to language about LURC monitoring and regulating recreation use conflicts on private land. The Commissioners and staff plan to fast-track this with public hearings on the CLUP by the end of September.
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| With the elimination of the 10-day registration IF&W will be going to one sticker this year for residents and non-resident 3-day and season registrations. It should save them some money, and will make more locations available for sales of non-resident registrations. |
Clubs should be hearing soon from Bombardier on their Club Support Program. It will be a very easy way for the clubs to make some money.
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There may be a citizen's appeal to LD 1495, the final version of the tax reform plan. This will go into effect on September 16 if this appeal doesn't happen.
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Things are coming along OK on the show. There is a sign up sheet here tonight as we still need help in a number of places.Ê
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Membership packages that haven't been picked up or aren't picked up here tonight will be mailed out tomorrow.
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Executive VP Report: Ken Ingalls says this 90 degree weather is not conducive to snowmobile or stirring up much interest in the sport.
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Eastern Region Report: Eileen Lafland. Eileen reports that clubs in her area are just beginning to get started for the season. Membership packets will be distributed soon along with Super Raffle tickets.
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Schedules for the season are being developed at this time by the clubs. Just a reminder to make sure you check with landowners before your trail work begins. Lands may have changed hands over the summer, so make sure you have permission.
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Northern Region Report: Dan Bridgham absent. No report.
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Western Region Report: Cap Campbell reports that things are happening in Rangeley. Steve Dudley has membership in progress and their club has taken 2000 Super Raffle Tickets. Trail work is started as there is a lot of lumbering going on. Western Maine Huts and Trails has come about in the area of Eustis toward the Forks. They would like snowmobile trails to be kept away from them due to the noise.
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Central Region Report: Mark Blake reports clubs in his area are starting to wake up and get ready for the winter. He has had a call regarding setting up a web site for clubs to have grooming and other used equipment listed for swapping. He thinks this might help clubs with purchasing used grooming equipment. More information will follow. Mark reminds snowmobilers to use the ads in the Maine Snowmobiler.
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Coastal Region Report: Bob Lafontaine was present and he reports he has asked his clubs to get their current information to MSA as soon as possible. There will be a Regional Meeting November 1 at 2p.m. at the Bowdoinham Fire Department. Another Regional Meeting will be held on November 15 at 3p.m. at the Ossipee Clubhouse in Waterboro. On December 6 at 3p.m. the Tri-Town Snowmobile Club in Morrill will host a Regional Meeting. Then on January 16, the MSA Directors Meeting will be held at the Ossipee Clubhouse in Waterboro with the E-board starting at 4p.m.
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Standing Committee Reports
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Membership: Debbie Long absent. No report.
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MSA Trails Committee: Maurice Marden reported that the Trails Committee met on August 11 to finalize the changes in the ITS map. Felicia O'Clair has agreed to be the Northern Region Vice Chair. He is looking forward to a good year in the county. Everyone is concerned as to the condition of trails and bridges due to the amount of rain we received this summer. There will be a new handbook coming out and in it will be suggested methods of using ropes alongside of trails. Joe Higgins has done a good job using GPS on our trails. Most all trails are in the system now. Maurice reminded everyone of the Trails Workshop to be held at the Snowmobile Show. There will be incentives if you attend the workshop.
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Scholarship Committee: Dick Peck announced the three MSA Scholarship recipients for this year. They are as follows:
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First Place: Edward Flaherty of Baileyville with 493 points. He will attend Ohio State majoring in chemical Engineering.
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Second Place: Mathew Harvey from Fort Kent with 486 points. He is going to Husson College in Bangor with a major in Anesthesiology.
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Third Place is Jolanda Wesley of Fryeburg with 481 points. Jolanda will be attending Endicott College in Massachusetts with her major being in Psychology.
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The MSA guidelines for their scholarship allow the applicant to receive 500 points. The above recipients will receive $1,000 each in late January after they are enrolled and have attended their first semester.
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Dick announced he still needed some help manning the Scholarship Booth at the Snowmobile Show in Augusta.
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Safety: Marion Pinkham absent. No report.
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Fund Raising: Jerry Major was absent but had reported to Bob earlier in the day. He had picked up the new trailer that is to be raffled this morning and will pick up the new sled from Polaris this afternoon. Posters and banners are made and being distributed as well as the tickets. The trailer and sled will be going to Maine Farm Days this weekend in Leeds where raffle tickets will be sold. This will be its first venture. Besides the trailer and snowmobile there are two large money prizes this year and 50 smaller prizes.
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Hospitality: Position still open.
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Old Business: There was none
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New Business: Bob announced that the Natural Resources Network, which we are a part of, is in the process of organizing candidate forums for Governor for 2010. They will be holding forums on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month once they get started. This will give the candidates a chance to speak. They will be held at the SAM Conference Center starting at 5p.m. There will be a social hour, dinner and talk with the candidates. If anyone is interested, please let him know.
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Eileen reminded everyone of the show once more as there will not be another Directors' Meeting before then. The Show is MSA's major fundraiser. There will be new MSA merchandise this year. The Show is October 2, 3 and 4 at the Augusta Civic Center.
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Dan Bridgham has resigned as Northern VP but is willing to stay on as a Regional Director if we so wish. Northern Region Director David Stevens has said he is willing to serve as Northern Region VP. Dick Peck nominated David Stevens of Ludlow to be our new Northern Region VP. Cap Campbell made the second. It was voted to cease nominations. David Stevens was voted to be the Northern Region VP. Eileen Lafland nominated Dan Bridgham as a Regional Director in the Northern Region. Jim White made the second. It was voted that nominations cease. Dan Bridgham was voted to be a Regional Director.
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Sonia Erskine gave a presentation and gave a handout on a fundraiser the Dixmont Club will be holding on September 12 at the Oriental Jade in Bangor for The Pine Tree Camp. For more information contact Sonia at the Dixmont Gold Crest Riders, PO Box 61, Dixmont, ME 04932.
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50/50 Drawing: Mary Tassinari won $56.
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There was no Ski-Doo $200 Pot-O-Gold drawing due to lack of equipment.
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Motion was made by Jim White to adjourn the meeting at 7:10pm. Bob Lafontaine seconded the motion.
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Respectfully submitted,
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Suzanne Hall, Secretary
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