New NHSA Executive Director

[Freedom Rider 209]

https://www.sledmass.com/dan-gould-named-executive-director-new-hampshire-snowmobile-association/

[Freedom Rider 209]

Surprise, surprise no news from NHSA website. At least Massachusetts has its shit together and gets the info out.

[Rock On 78]

The NHSA office sent ou an email to all clubs today about this news.

[Freedom Rider 209]

17 minutes ago, Rock On said:

The NHSA office sent ou an email to all clubs today about this news.

That is good but unless clubs meet and share the info it is not going to get out there. It should be on NHSA Website and Facebook page. Is that not why they are supposed to be representing our sport?To share important info?My info came from club member.

Edited May 26, 2017 by Freedom Rider

[jhwentworth 307]

This email to the clubs  is another example of the NHSA seeing their "membership" as being the clubs, rather than those folks who paid their $10. At some point they might realize that $30 times 115 clubs is only about $3500, but $10 times 30,000 is $300,000.  The NHSA depends on the clubs to deliver those $10 payments, and what happens if the clubs no longer deliver them?

 

Maybe they will put the NHSA financials up on their website so we can all look at them, and decide if their services are worth the money.

[Freedom Rider 209]

2 hours ago, jhwentworth said:

This email to the clubs  is another example of the NHSA seeing their "membership" as being the clubs, rather than those folks who paid their $10. At some point they might realize that $30 times 115 clubs is only about $3500, but $10 times 30,000 is $300,000.  The NHSA depends on the clubs to deliver those $10 payments, and what happens if the clubs no longer deliver them?

 

Maybe they will put the NHSA financials up on their website so we can all look at them, and decide if their services are worth the money.

Very well said John.Simple and concise.

[dubba 7]

Here you go-

The New Hampshire Snowmobile Association

614 Laconia Rd, Tilton, NH 03276

(603) 273-0220

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 25, 2017

 

TILTON, NH - The New Hampshire Snowmobile Association is pleased to announce Dan Gould as Executive Director. Hewill be responsible for executive leadership, communications, representation and administration. He will officially start July 1, 2017.

 

Mr. Gould, who will be relocating to New Hampshire, was the multimedia and audience engagement editor at the Worcester Telegram & Gazette and telegram.com. His stories and award-winning photographs have been published worldwide.

 

He served as president of the Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts from 2003-2017, implementing a multitude of programs, forward-looking policies and key technologies within the organization. He has also held leadership positions in regional, national and international snowmobile organizations, and served on civic boards.

 

As managing editor of On The Trails With SAM, he directed the transition from newsprint to a magazine format. He has been webmaster of sledmass.com and social media editor for 10-years, taking an active role in developing features that engage and serve the snowmobile community. 

 

“We are thrilled to have Dan on our team,” said NHSA President Beth Horvath-Palmer. “His wide range of skills and leadership experience will be a valuable asset as NHSA strategizes for the future.”

 

 

[RK-SXViper 144]

12 hours ago, Freedom Rider said:

Surprise, surprise no news from NHSA website. At least Massachusetts has its shit together and gets the info out.

Jeff

Not to point out the painfully obvious but we had no one to update the website about this news, since that is the job of the executive director. Trust me once we get the train back on the tracks I'm sure we'll see a lot of positive changes. Maybe as members you all could put together a punch list of things you'd like to see updated , changed or even continued as is. Let me know your thoughts and I'll bring it to the board.

[WINNOCTURN 60]

16 hours ago, jhwentworth said:

This email to the clubs  is another example of the NHSA seeing their "membership" as being the clubs, rather than those folks who paid their $10. At some point they might realize that $30 times 115 clubs is only about $3500, but $10 times 30,000 is $300,000.  The NHSA depends on the clubs to deliver those $10 payments, and what happens if the clubs no longer deliver them?

 

Maybe they will put the NHSA financials up on their website so we can all look at them, and decide if their services are worth the money.

John,

This year the $10 times "X" was way under the $300,000 figure. It was just under 19,000 Members witch would have only generated $190,000.  

 What happens if the clubs no longer deliver them?

It is already happening. This Season, 2016-2017, More Clubs were offering the "OPTION" to join or NOT join NHSA. I know of several Club that had good Membership numbers this Season but with the "CHOICE" of not joining NHSA, there seems to be a significant number of  Members that did not joined NHSA. Is this the start of a "TREND"?

I am going to petition my Club to Offer the "CHOICE" of Joining or Not Joining NHSA on our Club Application this upcoming Season. Part of my reason for doing this is for the Membership Person having to maintain 2 Membership Database, the Club and NHSA with the advent of the ONLINE Memberships Database.

Before it was just the NHSA Database and we had the ability of simply sending an Excel Spreadsheet to NHSA and they would upload it to their Database. Now we have to MANUALY enter it in to the "ONLINE MEMBERSHIP" Database. Can you imagine the "HOURS" in additional WORK this puts on your Membership Person. What if you had say between 800 to 3,000 Membership to process twice?

Here is an example, say it the first week in February. We just have gotten 2 feet of Snow, It's a Holiday Weekend and start of School Vacation Week and you just got hit with 300 Membership Applications to process. Which Database comes first? Yes, The CLUB COMES FIRST and the "HELL" with NHSA! 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 26, 2017 by WINNOCTURN

[PolarisCobra 132]

Sounds like this guy has the right credentials, with experience and a focus on social media. I think this is good news. 

[WINNOCTURN 60]

It sounds almost to GOOD to be TRUE!

Has he been introduced to the Attorneys General yet?

Have the Officers and Directors finally had a COME TO JESUS MOMENT?

   

Edited May 26, 2017 by WINNOCTURN

[Skip 263]

As others have already noted, this gentlemen definitely has the credentials and experience to move the Association in a direction that some of us critics would appreciate. I will definitely cut him some slack and give him the time to hopefully address long standing concerns that have simmered for years.

At first blush appears to be a sound and competent choice! 

[jhwentworth 307]

42 minutes ago, WINNOCTURN said:

This year the $10 times "X" was way under the $300,000 figure. It was just under 19,000 Members witch would have only generated $190,000.  

 What happens if the clubs no longer deliver them?

Yeah, I knew that 30K didn't represent either this year or last year, but wanted to use a number more close to what has been "normal."

Still, at $10/member it only takes 400 individual members to equal the club membership dues.A sensible organization aligns its priorities with its revenue stream.

In a previous post RK-SXViper asked for suggestions to improve the NHSA-members relationship, and I'd say that improving direct communications between NHSA and the individual members should be a priority. Right now, the NHSA depends on the clubs to communicate NHSA news to the members, and there's little consistency between clubs.Some ague that the individual should regularly attend club meetings to discuss NHSA policies and events happening in the sport, but not everybody wants to attend club meetings.It's not the regular meeting attendees and club officers that need to be re-connected to the NHSA, it's the people that aren't active in a club.That connection is the source of the annual $10 revenue to NHSA.

It seems to me that the NHSA's faith in the clubs' communication lines to the membership is misplaced.

Off topic but connected: There are somewhat over 100 snowmobile clubs in our state, and in a good year there could be close to 40,000 club members.How many of those members are "active members" who attend at least 4 meetings per year? How many attend at least 2 per year, or even 1 per year?

[Freedom Rider 209]

3 hours ago, RK-SXViper said:

Jeff

Not to point out the painfully obvious but we had no one to update the website about this news, since that is the job of the executive director. Trust me once we get the train back on the tracks I'm sure we'll see a lot of positive changes. Maybe as members you all could put together a punch list of things you'd like to see updated , changed or even continued as is. Let me know your thoughts and I'll bring it to the board.

I agree with you he can be a step in the right direction IF he is allowed to do anything without being under the thumb of those who are the problem.

As far as updating facebook and web page. I posted a remark on Facebook and it was gone in a matter of minutes a few weeks ago. Their are pictures of the FU2 cruise on there too. So it looks like they have someone who has been running page so no excuse not to put info out on it. With a few County Directors who are on facebook that react when anything is posted they could have put the info out as well. One being a Past President who was on hiring committee.

Improvements can only be made if the cronyism ends and it is allowed happen.

I do hope there are many improvements starting with communication. God only knows of the abuse you and Don take in our county for not having any info.

As far as my thoughts they will never be considered. I post actual court documents and am accused of making up lies about it. Until the Cronies are gone nothing will change.LOL!

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.

Edited May 26, 2017 by Freedom Rider

[Freedom Rider 209]

10 hours ago, dubba said:

Here you go-

 

The New Hampshire Snowmobile Association

614 Laconia Rd, Tilton, NH 03276

(603) 273-0220

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 25, 2017

 

TILTON, NH - The New Hampshire Snowmobile Association is pleased to announce Dan Gould as Executive Director. Hewill be responsible for executive leadership, communications, representation and administration. He will officially start July 1, 2017.

 

Mr. Gould, who will be relocating to New Hampshire, was the multimedia and audience engagement editor at the Worcester Telegram & Gazette and telegram.com. His stories and award-winning photographs have been published worldwide.

 

He served as president of the Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts from 2003-2017, implementing a multitude of programs, forward-looking policies and key technologies within the organization. He has also held leadership positions in regional, national and international snowmobile organizations, and served on civic boards.

 

As managing editor of On The Trails With SAM, he directed the transition from newsprint to a magazine format. He has been webmaster of sledmass.com and social media editor for 10-years, taking an active role in developing features that engage and serve the snowmobile community. 

 

“We are thrilled to have Dan on our team,” said NHSA President Beth Horvath-Palmer. “His wide range of skills and leadership experience will be a valuable asset as NHSA strategizes for the future.”

 

 

Here is what I see on their website right now and yesterday when I made my post.Says they are taking resumes and nothing regarding position filled. I will assume your post was a copy of email sent to club?

 

New Hampshire Snowmobile Association.pdf

[Skip 263]

Well said Jeff. His biggest impediment will be reigning in the Past President cabal. My experience in Tilton convinced me that they were and still remain the biggest impediment to the Association operating legally and with the best interest of all members in mind. 

[WINNOCTURN 60]

47 minutes ago, Skip said:

Well said Jeff. His biggest impediment will be reigning in the Past President cabal. My experience in Tilton convinced me that they were and still remain the biggest impediment to the Association operating legally and with the best interest of all members in mind. 

Skip,

Past President CABAL

Don't you just get that "ICKY" feeling when you go to the ANNUAL Meeting and see the one table with them all sitting together!

Edited May 26, 2017 by WINNOCTURN

[WINNOCTURN 60]

From,

SNOWMOBILE ASSOCIATION OF MASSACHUSETTS

 

Dan Gould Named Executive Director of New Hampshire Snowmobile Association

Now for the good stuff: Simply stated, I landed my dream job and get to move within a pinecone toss of the White Mountains. The crew at the New Hampshire Snowmobile Association are exceptional, and just as excited as I am. We speak the same language and aim at the same target. They have big plans for the future and so do I.

Dan, good luck and be very aware of the "Cabal"

 

[jhwentworth 307]

56 minutes ago, Skip said:

His biggest impediment will be reigning in the Past President cabal.

Cabal: the contrived schemes of a group of persons secretly united in a plot 

Well, Skip, if secrecy was a primary goal of the alleged plotters, then they shouldn't be sitting together at the same table during meetings .I've seen enough James Bond movies to know at least the basics of plotting, which requires covert communication methods like secret handshakes, codes, and invisible ink.

[WINNOCTURN 60]

8 minutes ago, jhwentworth said:

Cabal: the contrived schemes of a group of persons secretly united in a plot 

Well, Skip, if secrecy was a primary goal of the alleged plotters, then they shouldn't be sitting together at the same table during meetings .I've seen enough James Bond movies to know at least the basics of plotting, which requires covert communication methods like secret handshakes, codes, and invisible ink.

John,

Nobody has shone you the SECRET HAND SHAKE?

Who has the video of the Secret Hand Shake? Will you please post it again so John will know how to introduce himself at the "TABLE" next years Annual Meeting.

I hear something about a "Train Ride" for next year????  

[rneal55555 12]

5 hours ago, WINNOCTURN said:

John,

This year the $10 times "X" was way under the $300,000 figure. It was just under 19,000 Members witch would have only generated $190,000.  

 What happens if the clubs no longer deliver them?

It is already happening. This Season, 2016-2017, More Clubs were offering the "OPTION" to join or NOT join NHSA. I know of several Club that had good Membership numbers this Season but with the "CHOICE" of not joining NHSA, there seems to be a significant number of  Members that did not joined NHSA. Is this the start of a "TREND"?

I am going to petition my Club to Offer the "CHOICE" of Joining or Not Joining NHSA on our Club Application this upcoming Season. Part of my reason for doing this is for the Membership Person having to maintain 2 Membership Database, the Club and NHSA with the advent of the ONLINE Memberships Database.

Before it was just the NHSA Database and we had the ability of simply sending an Excel Spreadsheet to NHSA and they would upload it to their Database. Now we have to MANUALY enter it in to the "ONLINE MEMBERSHIP" Database. Can you imagine the "HOURS" in additional WORK this puts on your Membership Person. What if you had say between 800 to 3,000 Membership to process twice?

Here is an example, say it the first week in February. We just have gotten 2 feet of Snow, It's a Holiday Weekend and start of School Vacation Week and you just got hit with 300 Membership Applications to process. Which Database comes first? Yes, The CLUB COMES FIRST and the "HELL" with NHSA! 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

[Freedom Rider 209]

16 minutes ago, WINNOCTURN said:

From,

SNOWMOBILE ASSOCIATION OF MASSACHUSETTS

 

Dan Gould Named Executive Director of New Hampshire Snowmobile Association

Now for the good stuff: Simply stated, I landed my dream job and get to move within a pinecone toss of the White Mountains. The crew at the New Hampshire Snowmobile Association are exceptional, and just as excited as I am. We speak the same language and aim at the same target. They have big plans for the future and so do I.

Dan, good luck and be very aware of the "Cabal"

 

I 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.

When I was Assistant County Director when the NHSA threw Mr. Copeland out of the Association after the county voted him back into his position a second time after they illegally threw him out the first time and sued him. They asked me to take Oath of office as temporary County Director, but with no voting powers, even though the bylaws clearly state that in absence of sitting Director the residency requirement is rescinded. When I said FU I think that burned any remaining tie with the "Cabal".Sure fely good walking out of the room. Air was a lot fresher outside.I spent part of first time as replacement Assistant. Then a full 2 year stint as Assistant.I was never allowed to make a motion or second one because of residency.

Funny part they whine about no volunteers and many vacancies on the Board at various positions. Yet when I was challenged in 2005 by Carrol County Director to step and help I accepted offer to fill seat of NHSA Secretary. Charlie Kurtz almost had a stroke. He started yelling that I could not because I was not a full time resident even though I owned a few properties in NH and was planning on moving there.Look at how Mass, Conn.,Me., and RI. are treated by Charlies registration proposal. All anybody from out of NH is wanted for is their money!

I hope Mr. Gould isn't foolish enough to sell his home in a sellers market with what is looming on the horizon from AG and the state.The last Director didn't last too long. Matter of fact Vice President didn't either.

[Freedom Rider 209]

7 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 think George is meaning about if people who don't want to join NHSA the club cannot use club portal.Coupled with all of the issues with Portal being down at many times most clubs have been untrustworthy of it. I know when some clubs tried to take 2015 year member info to repopulate for 2016 it was no where to be found.My club could not even access the portal until the fall of last season. When your bylaws say all Officers must be member by July first how do you renew them when system is down until August? It is down currently if I an to understand correctly. Has been since May 1st. "Supposed" to back up in July sometime.

Russ can you tell me the number of people who joined thru the Point of Sale Portal this past season? All I have heard is that any club that relied on that method vs. the old methods (dealer, website, meetings, special event, mailings) took a beating. Rumor has it 20+ more clubs are bailing on that system. What is the cost of the system now that the $2.00 surcharge from using POS system has failed to offset operating cost of system? I know Phyllis was the saving grace in the office helping membership people resolve all of the problems. When Roger came to county meeting he promised a big savings of Association cost of processing the memberships. Supposed to make it easier for clubs as well. Thank you in advance for any response that you may be able to give us on here.

[Skip 263]

31 minutes ago, jhwentworth said:

Cabal: the contrived schemes of a group of persons secretly united in a plot 

Well, Skip, if secrecy was a primary goal of the alleged plotters, then they shouldn't be sitting together at the same table during meetings .I've seen enough James Bond movies to know at least the basics of plotting, which requires covert communication methods like secret handshakes, codes, and invisible ink.

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!

[Freedom Rider 209]

40 minutes ago, jhwentworth said:

Cabal: the contrived schemes of a group of persons secretly united in a plot 

Well, Skip, if secrecy was a primary goal of the alleged plotters, then they shouldn't be sitting together at the same table during meetings .I've seen enough James Bond movies to know at least the basics of plotting, which requires covert communication methods like secret handshakes, codes, and invisible ink.

Goldfinger comes to mind. They give the Goldfinger to the membership once they get the $10.00 from them.Dr. No comes to mind also. When any club needs a little financial support DR. No says NO!

Edited May 26, 2017 by Freedom Rider