The treasurer’s report was given.

Bath Property Update:

·         600-700 acres of trails to be cut. ½ wooded, ½ fields.

·         Club Board of Directors to meet with Town representatives, law enforcement, fire department/EMTs, local ATV dealers, camp ground owners, land owners and lake association to make sure all questions and concerns are addressed on April 13.

·         All riders must join our club. Campground staff will handle on-the-spot signups and collect per-ATV parking fees (parking fees to go to the landowner to help support the property).

·         Trails will only be open on the weekends during the riding season.

·         If all goes well with this property, there is another landowner adjoining this property with 500-600 acres that is interested, too, which will open up even more riding area for us to use!

·         ATVs must be NYS compliant, especially sound requirements (to keep the peace!)

·         There will be a speed limit through the campground, strictly enforced.

·         All NYTRO rules and NYS laws will apply regarding noise, proper riding apparel and adult supervision for minors and will be enforced by the board, appointed members, the land owners and local law enforcement.

·         One warning to anyone caught breaking any rules, membership will be terminated on second offense. A warning or termination of membership will be issued to anyone breaking the rules depending on how severe the offense. A repeat offense will (for those who were issued a warning) will result in a termination of NYTRO membership making you unable to ride any NYTRO trails and you will be asked to immediately surrender your NYTRO membership cards and land use stickers.

·         The campground has camping (of course), a lake with boating, swimming and fishing, a snack bar and small store, playground, arcade, and real showers and bathrooms!! They also have an event schedule with picnics, chicken BBQs, Roast Beef Dinners, Pork Roasts, Ice Cream Party, Hawaiian Luau, DJs and bands at the pavilion, and will offer a discount for tent camping for NYTRO members.

·         Our club will apply for Polaris and Yamaha grants to buy signs and tools to maintain the trails.

·         We are planning on accommodating UTVs (side by sides like Rangers and Rhinos) on the trails. Hopefully, NYS gets off their butt and passes a law so these machines can get registered!

Memorial Day Weekend Ride:

We are working on firming up the annual Memorial Day weekend ride at Susquehannock and Sproul state forests in PA. Looks like we will head to Sproul on Sunday, May 25th and then up to Susquehannock on Monday, May 26th. We will spend the night in Renovo, PA. So get those rooms reserved! Sportsman’s Hotel: 570-923-0775.

Meet at either:
  – 8:30AM at the Mobil Gas Station in Apalachin off Route 17 Exit 66. 
  – 10:00AM at the rest area on Route 15 South of Corning.

Further Details:
  – Pam's Phone: 607-760-0517. Bring walkie-talkies if you have them to communicate on the drive, and on the rides. (Like Motorola Talk-a-bout radios)
  – We plan on arriving at the lower parking area of Sproul off Kettle Creek Road around noon on Sunday. Bring a bag lunch or at least some drinks and munchies.
  – Monday morning we plan on meeting at the Susquehannock Parking Area 4A off of Sunken Branch Road between 11AM and noon. We will meet for breakfast at 9:00 AM at the Sportsman's Motel in Renovo for anyone interested. There you can order a bag lunch to take with you on the ride! 
  – You can view and print a Susquehannock/Potter County trail map here: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/atv/d15-atv_trail.pdf.
  – The Sproul/Clinton County/Whiskey Springs trail map is located at http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/atv/clinton.htm.

Updates from the NYTRO, Inc. meeting held Sunday, April 6 in Syracuse:

·         Newsletters cost us 90¢ each to print and mail

·         NYSORVA Dues are due quarterly based on new memberships, $1 for single and $2 for family.

·         NYSORVA is concentrating on working with the private sector and clubs to develop trails. They also provide affordable liability insurance to the clubs.

·         There will be a NYSORVA state meeting after the May 3^rd Benefit Ride on the Tug Hill. All are invited to attend, at the Wax House, 7:00 PM.

·         NYSORVA is running a fundraising cash raffle that clubs are invited to participate in. The club keeps ½ of each $5 ticket sold. The drawing will be on October 15, 2008.

·         NYSORVA is requiring member clubs to use the membership application they’ve developed. Member clubs must send copies of them along with their NYSORVA dues, quarterly.

·         NYTRO Inc dues paid by the chapters will be reduced from $200 per year to $150 per year as the clubs will now pay NYSORVA dues themselves.

·         It was decided not to raise NYTRO club membership dues, but instead to stop including free merchandise with a new membership to help save some money.

·         We will be charging $5 per membership next year for those who wish to have their newsletter snail-mailed.

·         The newsletter will be published 10 months: February thru November.

·         Current officers re-elected unanimously:
- Executive Director: Pam Burns
- Assistant Director: Joanne Wemes
- Treasurer: Pat Heifferon
- Secretary: we still need one!!!

·         Next meeting: Sunday, October 5, 2008

Club Officer Benefits:

We discussed benefits for club officers. Currently, your membership fees are waived during your term of office. Pam made a motion, Tammy seconded, that the club’s Board of Directors will only include current elected and appointed officers. Anyone serving two or more years as President shall receive a life-time membership. Voted on and passed unanimously.

Next club meeting: 7:00 PM, Tuesday, May 13, 2008, Gander Mountain in Johnson City.

Next Club Ride: TBD

Work Party: 10:00 AM Sunday, April 20 at Howard, NY property.

Upcoming Events:

·         May 3: Lewis County ATV Benefit Run

·         May 17 & 18: Marienville VFC Tour de Forest

Respectfully submitted,
Pam Burns
Secretary

Late Breaking News:

Hello Fellow riders. This important news is just in from the Tug Hill. I told Joe that I would pass it around...Side by side machines that were not registered and insured were rounded up by the dozens and removed from the trails this past weekend at the SNIRT run. Sheriffs, state police and DEC stopped and ticketed EVERY unregistered side by machine that they could find. Until this gets resolved you can do one of two things. One...do not go to the Tug Hill Plateau to ride with your side by side, or Two...go to the Pennsylvania DMV website. Tell them that you intend on doing a lot of riding in PA, and register your side by side there. Then you can legally ride on the Hill.

I was also told that a bill is in the works to get these machines registered in New York. We knew that this day would surely come...more money for the state to steal from us!!!   :(

If the bill information gets passed to me, I will pass it along to you all.

Please pass this email along to all of our riding friends who have Mules, Rangers, and the like.  With the cost of gas today it would be a terrible thing to drive all the way up there, only to get sent home...with a ticket to boot!

Happy Trails

Lee Ann Harris
TrailPass/OHV Purchasing Group
Executive Director
151 North Auringer Road
Constantia, New York  13044
lharris@trailpass.com
www.ohvpg.org
315-623-7264
1-800-381-2260 ex 72