New NHSA Executive Director

[WINNOCTURN 60]

20 minutes ago, rneal55555 said:

Why enter it twice, the NHSA system lets me export a club membership report CSV file into Excel in about 5 seconds. As a rule it also lets me enter renewals in about less than 30 Seconds. I search for a member enter about the first 3 letters of there last name pic them from the list and verify what's in the system is still correct and click renew. If they moved or something it takes a little longer. Once I'm done I bring up the activity report to print and save there vouchers to put in the mail along with a welcome/thank you letter. the hard part is stuffing envelopes.

Entering a new member is about the same as before I'm just typing on a web form instead of Excel.

If I think they will have need of and immediate voucher to register a sled (most don't because they are joining at a registration agent when the register there sled) I email there voucher to them right away and follow it up with the snail mail version and sticker/letter.

There are things about it that could work better and it will change over time but the online system makes my life easier.  I probably cut the amount of time I spent in half and will be better this year because with the back to normal membership level a much greater percentage of the applications will be renewals.

 

 

I have 39 Fields in my "DATABASE" with basic Member information How many field does NHSA.

I have to run some errands that I was supposed to do around 10:00am. If my wife comes home and finds me still on this thread I am a dead man.

I will return an show you how fanatical I am about a "REAL DATABASE not a SPREADSHEET

.  

 

[Freedom Rider 209]

12 minutes ago, Skip said:

John, having seen first hand decisions made before, between and after meetings excluding the Board of Directors, I'll stand by me term "cabal" and only say I was being very polite using that term.  Some day I'd like to sit down a write a book at what I saw in Tilton that made me walk away from the whole mess....I'll even include a bonus chapter on Grass Drag cash handling and finances!

Bet it would be a best seller on what NOT to do as a non profit.I think at some point the IRS would like to read such a book.

[jhwentworth 307]

34 minutes ago, Skip said:

John, having seen first hand decisions made before, between and after meetings excluding the Board of Directors, I'll stand by me term "cabal" and only say I was being very polite using that term.  Some day I'd like to sit down a write a book at what I saw in Tilton that made me walk away from the whole mess....I'll even include a bonus chapter on Grass Drag cash handling and finances!

If I'm catching your drift correctly, you're saying they're only secret when it counts.

[Skip 263]

39 minutes ago, jhwentworth said:

If I'm catching your drift correctly, you're saying they're only secret when it counts.

You got that right Grasshopper!

[rneal55555 12]

7 hours ago, WINNOCTURN said:

I have 39 Fields in my "DATABASE" with basic Member information How many field does NHSA.

I have to run some errands that I was supposed to do around 10:00am. If my wife comes home and finds me still on this thread I am a dead man.

I will return an show you how fanatical I am about a "REAL DATABASE not a SPREADSHEET

.  

 

I don't know how many fields it is but it lets it gives me all the info I need to do mailing and email. There are a couple of things I used to record that I don't now but I haven't really missed them. 

[nhgator 89]

10 hours ago, Freedom Rider said:

 

Same goes for Registration increase push. I post the copy of letter and get called a liar, shit stirrer, and that it never happened. Even though we all know it did get presented and a committee was formed. You commented on what transpired at meeting, yet a 2-County Director's and a Past President denies all of it. Who really are the liars would be my question.

You know,it's funny I went a few rounds on Facebook with some dribble lip telling me that was "fake" news,from 2007,then last years,blah blah blah,all fake

He came off as mentally unstable and a little unhinged so I didn't pursue it with him.

He must have been one of the cabal.  

[WINNOCTURN 60]

Found this on the SAM WEBSITE, Quite Refreshing to hope the SAM message follows to NHSA

 

 

                                     

The Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts was formed in 1969.

“Committed To Enhancing Safe Snowmobiling in Massachusetts”

The Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts (SAM) strives to develop and maintain an expanding interconnected snowmobile trail system, allowing snowmobile enthusiasts to travel from Worcester County to the Berkshires, in a safe, efficient manner. There are approximately 9,000 members of SAM, of which 70% are married and over the age of 36 years--a mature responsible group of citizens. According to a 2003 study conducted by the University of Massachusetts, snowmobiling has an economic impact of $54.7 million per year in our state alone! That’s taxable dollars.

 

 

Simply put, the forty clubs, which are the backbone of SAM, pool their resources to better the sport of snowmobiling. Each club selects a delegate to represent their interests as a Board of Director of SAM. The club delegates attend monthly meetings and make all final decisions regarding the association; from selection of officers to policy, budgets, bylaws and strategic goals of the organization.

 

The officers (president, vice president, treasurer and secretary) are elected by the delegates at an annual meeting held in April. In addition to our state association, several SAM members sit on the boards of regional, national and international snowmobile associations.  These organizations hold yearly and quarterly meetings to develop plans to better the sport of snowmobiling all over the world.

 

Currently we have two active committees. A trails & safety committee and a legislative committee. The trails & safety committee researches and makes recommendations to the body about trail standards, possible links, grooming, and safety-related issues. SAM has several Vermont certified safety course instructors who train hundreds of snowmobilers every year. SAM is very pro-active in all matters of safety. The legislative committee works hand in hand with the membership to file bills and promote snowmobiling on a state level. At this time there is a bill pending that will close a loophole in the DUI law that does not cover trails on private property. Representative Anne Gobi is the primary sponsor of this bill.

 

There are a few snowmobilers who do not understand the need to join a club and obtain SAM membership. First, let’s talk about the trespass law. Before the law was enacted there were a considerable number of non-member snowmobilers riding on private property without permission of any kind. These individuals were indeed trespassing and frequently were unregistered as well.  Although the local club had secured landowner permission for its members, they were powerless to control non-members from trespassing. Since the law has been enacted, one must either obtain written permission from each individual landowner, or join a SAM affiliated club that has obtained permission. This law mirrors that of Vermont and the VAST trail system.

Second, let’s discuss the subject of joining both a club and SAM. If one chooses to become a member of an affiliated club, they must also join SAM, as stated in the SAM bylaws. You cannot become a SAM member without first joining a club. This unity of snowmobilers is necessary to fund, promote, enhance and maintain the sport in our state and on a nationwide basis.

 

The cost of a SAM membership, which is set by the delegates, is $25. A trail pass is proof of SAM membership. Club memberships, on the other hand, are decided by individual clubs, and the rates vary between $15-$30. Some clubs have a flat fee, say $50 per sled, which includes both the club and SAM membership fees. Others have separated the club fees from the SAM membership fee. In this case, club fees can vary from individual rates of $15, to family rates of $40. The club then charges an additional $25 for each SAM membership trail pass. There are other variations to club membership fees, but most fall under the above structures. Again, this is like Vermont and other state associations.

 

The clubs use the majority of collected funds to maintain and groom trails. The annual cost can be in the tens of thousands of dollars for a large club, not including capital costs such as groomer purchases. Club volunteers donated over 11,500 hours of trail work on public and private property in 2003-2004. Snowmobiling on groomed trails is a pay-asyou-play system, membership dues are used by associations throughout the U.S. and Canada to raise the necessary funds to maintain quality trails.

 

The dues collected by SAM are used for many budgeted items including the major purchase of a liability insurance policy that protects the landowners and the clubs, as well as contracting for the services of an executive director, legislative advisor, and newspaper editor. In addition, over twenty thousand dollars are contracted annually from SAM  back to clubs to help cover the overhead cost of grooming, which is performed by volunteers. This system of fund distribution assists the clubs who maintain a trail system and groomer fleet, a very costly endeavor. Members of clubs that do not have a trail system to maintain are paying, via a trail pass, to help groom the trails where they actually ride. Many states in the snow belt enjoy the benefit of state supported funds for snowmobiling through gas tax and registration fees. We, on the other hand, do not receive state funds and are completely dependent on the membership for income. Maintaining trails is expensive and those who play should support the costs.

 

Funds are also used for the new SAM “Trails Safety Grant,” announced this season to hire additional patrols of SAM snowmobile trails by the Massachusetts Environmental Police Officers. This $5,000 grant is being used by clubs to provide additional trail enforcement and safety checks throughout the 2005 snowmobile season.

 

SAM publishes a monthly newspaper seven times during the season that is used to communicate with the membership at large. We do accept outside submissions and commentary. We also host a website, www.sledmass.com.

 

Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts 2004/2005 Officers

                                        President, Dan Gould; Vice President, Paul Trova; Treasurer, Jeff Allan; Secretary Charlene Whitaker

                                            Contact:  Rena M. Sumner, Executive Director, P.O. Box 386 Conway MA 01341 (413) 369-8092; (413) 369-0203 Fax

Edited May 27, 2017 by WINNOCTURN

[jhwentworth 307]

On 5/27/2017 at 3:27 PM, WINNOCTURN said:

There are a few snowmobilers who do not understand the need to join a club and obtain SAM membership. First, let’s talk about the trespass law. Before the law was enacted there were a considerable number of non-member snowmobilers riding on private property without permission of any kind. These individuals were indeed trespassing and frequently were unregistered as well.  Although the local club had secured landowner permission for its members, they were powerless to control non-members from trespassing. Since the law has been enacted, one must either obtain written permission from each individual landowner, or join a SAM affiliated club that has obtained permission. This law mirrors that of Vermont and the VAST trail system.

Second, let’s discuss the subject of joining both a club and SAM. If one chooses to become a member of an affiliated club, they must also join SAM, as stated in the SAM bylaws. You cannot become a SAM member without first joining a club. This unity of snowmobilers is necessary to fund, promote, enhance and maintain the sport in our state and on a nationwide basis.

 

On 5/27/2017 at 3:27 PM, WINNOCTURN said:

Quite Refreshing to hope the SAM message follows to NHSA

 

Well, George, it's not clear to me that the "SAM message" of mandatory membership in the the state organization in order to join a local club was all that popular among some reluctant NHSA members. I do believe in giving the new guy a chance to show what he/she can accomplish before making a judgement, but coming in with a top-down view of the NHSA's role could make for some bumps in the trail as some of the clubs have become quite feisty. Maybe best to give it a year to see how it all works out.

[Freedom Rider 209]

The article was written in 2004/2005 season. Hopefully the release of timely news will be better than that.

[PolarisCobra 132]

On 5/27/2017 at 3:27 PM, WINNOCTURN said:

This unity of snowmobilers is necessary to fund, promote, enhance and maintain the sport in our state and on a nationwide basis.

I found this particular line interesting, and I agree with the concept. I hope that the Association can do a better job of earning our support, and showing us all what they are doing to 'enhance and maintain' the sport in the coming years. 

[PolarisCobra 132]

On 5/26/2017 at 2:03 PM, Freedom Rider said:

wonder if he has a clue how the NHSA even feels about people from Mass? If you are elected to the Board as an Assistant Director, cannot be anything else unless you live in NH, you are not even allowed to make a motion or second one even when you are filling in for the County Director in their absence, which according to the Bylaws is allowed.

I noticed this when it was posted, but have been busy the last few weeks. I had no idea this was true. As a Mass resident, who had felt a bit guilty about not getting up there in the fall and helping out with trail work (not so easy to put in a few hours when you live 100 miles south of Concord), I am feeling less guilty. Seems to me that any member of NHSA 'in good standing' should be able to participate fully, particularly if you own a vacation home in NH. 

Can anyone explain why this rule is in place?