September 12, 2013 Meeting Minutes

Attendance:

About 20 members present

Secretary’s report:

Last meeting was in May.  Board had meeting in August.

Treasurer’s report:

Treasurer’s report was read and accepted.  $7342.59 balance on groomer

Vice President’s report:

We finished last year with 85 members, an increase of about a dozen.

Members can now pay dues with Paypal on our website! http://kellnerknights.org/join-our-club/

Trails:

• Mowing started but now will need to suspended mowing as bow season starts
• We expect to find trees down on trails
• Grand Rapids board approved us moving trail in Kellner around 75^th Street.  They requested gates at both ends
• We are looking at GPS signs at intersections for emergencies and intersection numbers to coordinated with maps
• We will work with trial sponsors to have trail signage
• Looking to create route to Conley’s, V-Ski’s, and UW Kellner
• Looking to make six new Map signs, design was discussed

AWSC (Association of Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs):

• ISC (International Snowmobile Club) met in Green Bay and was well attended.  There were 478 attendees and Wisconsin had a huge showing.
• Joanne Smith was elected as chairman of ACSA (American Council of Snowmobile Clubs Association )
• DNR advised executive board and informed them that the state snowmobile program in out of money so there will be no trail projects this year except for what was already approved.  Kathy Burrows in new director.  Governor’s council does not support the CAP/STEP as it has currently been presented.
• Polaris is looking into a state wide trail system map app that can be downloadable
• We are working with DNR on making out of state trail stickers available online
• Youth committee on behalf of KAOS (Kids and Adults On Snowmobiles) donated $300 to the legal defense fund at ISC
• A big issue facing the snowmobilers is shutting down the federal forests to motorized traffic.  It is a big issue in Idaho and if Idaho bans motorized vehicles, it probably will happen in Wisconsin.
• CAP/STEP Initiative is in jeopardy.  AWSC legislative committee promoting this program to our legislators.  It has been assigned a bill number (LRB 1345) club members should call their legislator to ask them support this bill.  Make sure they know that the snowmobile clubs provide and maintain the trails, not the DNR, and we need to look at alternative funding to continue to do so.
• AWSC Convention is November 1^st to 3^rd  at the Holiday Inn in Stevens Point
• Miss Snowflake

Portage County:

No Report

Wood County:

• There is no money for trail improvements
• There is no money for GPS signs for intersections
• New Wood County maps are done
• Hope to have Julie Lassa, Amy Sue Vruwink and Scott Krug at next meeting

Youth Committee:

• Looking at various activities this upcoming season: Hot dogs at intersection at North T, bon fire, bowling, etc…
• On Saturday, October 12^th, planning on building new donation boxes

Vision Committee:

• Year 1: Increase membership, Get Sponsors, increase relationships at sponsor level
• Year 2: Work with media, politicians, and community; Trail to Osborne’s & Sleep Inn: Develop Youth Committee: Member Recognition, Groomer donation buckets; Website updated and PayPal
• Year 3: Reach out to snowmobilers in community that are not members of a club

Old Business:

• Commercial sponsors: add Country Sports
• Dan Guck is slowly collecting all of the club archives
• Wood County map ads are in, maps are done
• Sleep Inn: slowly getting permission to get a trail to Sleep Inn, now need Water Works and Lighting Commission permission
• Wausau Grass Drags and Swap Meet is September 28^th and 29^th

New Business:

• Voted to get a Post Office box for club so all of the club mail goes to one spot
• Radar Run Date: February 1^st
• Charity Fun Ride Date: February 2^nd
• Have event with Boys and Girls Club again
• Talked about working with Kiwanis on your sports event
• Club ride on fourth Thursday s again
• Join the Chamber / provide them with trail maps / get listed on their website
• Grass Drags at Osborne’s working with Vesper Snowdrifters

Landowners Appreciation Dinner, October 6^th at Biron Hall

4:00 pm Social Time, 5:30 dinner

Members should bring a dish to pass

Details were discussed

Motion to adjourn: Lori, seconded Julie

Calendar of Events:

October 6^th, 4:00 pm: Landowners Appreciation Dinner at Biron Hall

October 7^th, 7:30 pm: Wood County Alliance Meeting at Sherryland Ballroom

October 8^th, 7:30 pm: Portage County Meeting at Jordan Park

October 10^th, 7:00 pm: Kellner Knights Meeting at Ridges

October 12^th, 9am-3pm Youth Activity: Make Groomer Donation Boxes at Moon’s garage

October 19^th, 10am-2pm  Brat Fry: Baker Street IGA

October 25^th& 26^th, Open House Donahues

November 1^st to 3^rd:  AWSC Convention is at the Holiday Inn in Stevens Point

February 1^st    Radar Run

February 2^nd   Charity Fun Ride

Understanding the CAP/STEP Initiative

For well over a decade the AWSC has been investigating how best to address the vastly under -funded snowmobile program in Wisconsin, which in turn would ease the burden put on clubs to supplement the cost of maintaining quality trails.   First introduced to the membership under the concept name of the Club Assistance Program (CAP), the initiative has since been fine-tuned and reintroduced as the Snowmobile Trail Enhancement Program (STEP).

For nearly four decades, volunteers (particularly AWSC members) have maintained the quality and safety of Wisconsin snowmobile trails. These trails are regarded as some of the best (if not the best) in the country. Snowmobiling has become one of our state’s leading outdoor activities, contributing hundreds of millions of dollars in tourism and retail revenue to state coffers.  During these many years, AWSC members have been paying up to $20 annually in membership dues in addition to standard registration fees. They have purchased expensive grooming machines, acquired access to properties and volunteered countless hours of their time in order to assure the quality of our trails.  Shortfalls in funding and reimbursement have become regular occurrences, and the financial burden and time commitments placed upon AWSC members have grown immense.  Nearly $2 million in project requests for the 2009-

2010 snowmobile season were denied due to a shortfall in available funds, while the number of volunteers maintaining our trails is shrinking.  Several states have addressed these growing problems by instituting their own versions of the CAP/STEP program, successfully increasing funding for snowmobiling and increasing membership in organizations that foster trail maintenance, quality and safety.  Meanwhile, registration fees in our state have not increased in over 10 years. Even though costs have gone up significantly over that period, each year the quality of our trails has remained intact due to the efforts of volunteers who often pay out-of-pocket to keep our system in top condition.  Combining annual registration and trail pass fees, snowmobilers in our neighboring states typically pay more than Wisconsin operators even though our state has many more miles of trails to maintain and supervise. Through the CAP/STEP program, Wisconsin can remain a tourism draw, infuse much-needed revenue into the Snowmobile Program and increase membership in clubs which for decades have been carrying more than their fair share of the workload with respect to maintaining Wisconsin’s snowmobile trails.

Under this program, snowmobilers would not be forced to join club. State officials have been asked to consider raising the cost of resident trail fees for every resident snowmobiler. The exception is that if an individual already contributes $20 annually to a not-for-profit AWSC member club, the cost of that club membership would act as a credit toward the purchase of a resident trail pass. Again, similar programs in other states have proven to be extremely successful in raising capital and increasing active membership numbers.

When the Legislature adjourned the 2009-2010 Session on April 14, 2010, it did so without passing the CAP/STEP initiative.  Companion bills in the Assembly and Senate were both approved by respective committees, but neither was considered by the Joint Finance Committee. The committee instead focused on economic development and job creation and never scheduled either CAP/STEP bill for consideration. Subsequently, neither bill proceeded to the Assembly or Senate floors.  Should the AWSC mount another effort to institute the CAP/STEP program, such a pursuit will require the introduction of new bills after the new legislature is in session in January 2014.