Shawangunk Snowmobile
& Rescue Club  since 1970

7/10/08: SPEAK UP FOR SNOWMOBILING AT MINNEWASKA!

Speak up for snowmobile access to Minnewaska State Park Preserve.

Provide written comments by August 11, 2008:
Mark Hohengasser
New York State Office of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation
Empire State Plaza
Agency Building 1
Albany, NY 12238
Mark.hohengasser@oprhp.state.ny.us

Remember "Save the ridge" - well that "Bradley" property has miles of 16' wide ROADS on it that we could ride (off of Awosting Road, town of Shawangunk). They are talking about opening up the old Smiley Carraigeway that drops down into Ellenville. There is no reason we shouldn't have a local place to ride. So we need people to write letters and hit the following points:

• SMSRC was founded in 1972 to be a snowmobile AND RESCUE club on the ridge.
• we have performed search and rescue operations on the ridge in recent years.
• we have a dedicated rescue unit ready to go should other winter activities need us in an emergency situation. (ice climbing, snowshoeing, x-country skiing)
• we want to "decriminalize" snowmobiling (that's a joke.. somebody said they wanted to "decriminalize" swimming)
• we have about 100 FAMILIES (with kids) that need a safe place to learn to ride
• very little user conflict as winter use is very limited.
• we add over $800 million to NY's economy every year
• we take our money upstate instead of spending it here
• there are virtually no snowmobile trails in Ulster County
• snowmobiling does not disturb wildlife
• snowmobiling has very little impact on plants since we ride on appropriate snow cover
• snowmobilers are willing to do some volunteer work to maintain trails

some of their (State Parks) key points are

• they want to provide NEW OPPORTUNITIES for recreation
• the plan for this park needs to be EMBRACED BY THE COMMUNITY (that's us)

  Original notice:

  To: Persons Interested in Minnewaska State Park Preserve

  Re: Public Information Meeting for the development of a Draft master plan for Minnewaska State Park Preserve

  There will be two Public Information Meetings on the Draft Master Plan/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Minnewaska State Park Preserve on Tuesday July 8 and Thursday July 10, 2008.

  At this meeting you will be provided with a brief overview of the planning effort and the resources of the Park. The main purpose of this meeting, however, will be to listen to the Park users, and record the types of issues, impacts and alternatives that you would like addressed in the Draft Plan/DEIS, Park staff will be available at the meeting to answer questions and receive your comments.

  The July 8th meeting will be held at SUNY New Paltz Building, Lecture Hall 100 from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM. The July 10th meeting will be held at Ellenville High School Auditorium from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM

  If you are not able to attend the meetings, you may provide written comments by August 11, 2008:
  Mark Hohengasser
  New York State Office of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation
  Empire State Plaza
  Agency Building 1
  Albany, NY 12238
  Mark.hohengasser@oprhp.state.ny.us
  

7/10/08 Update - Million Dollar Sweep of Trail Fund

Attention NYSSA Members:

I have had the privilege of working very closely with the NYSSA leadership team over the past several months to respond to the snowmobile trail fund budget situation. Through these efforts, and with the partnership of the NYS legislature, we have been successful in communicating our concerns to state officials representing OPRHP, the Division of Budget (DOB) and the office of the governor. In response to these discussions, the governor's press release highlights 3 key actions:

1. The NYS snowmobile trail grants process will be revised to ensure that in the future, snowmobile registration fees will be spent solely on trail maintenance and related activities.
2. The DOB and OPRHP have projected that grant payments to clubs will increase from $2.8 million in 2007-2008 to $5.3 million in 2008-2009. This represents an 85% increase in funding to the clubs.
3. Over the next three seasons, the governor has directed that $1 million from OPRP and DEC snowmobile trail funding be diverted into the snowmobile trail development and maintenance fund.

The governor himself has characterized these actions as a "big win for NY snowmobilers", and I could not agree more. Your elected officials, representatives of state agencies, and NYSSA leadership have all worked together to improve the state of snowmobiling in New York. This partnership is important. We are successful because NYSSA and its members spoke with one voice when addressing the NYS budget process to our elected leaders.

Let us not forget to thank those who have partnered with us and helped us to protect and improve snowmobiling in New York State. I ask you to join me in thanking our advocates in the Capitol Group: Nick Barella, Tim Sheridan and Bruce Geiger. Without their relationships with key individuals in Albany, and their complete grasp of the processes and inner workings on the government of NY, we would not have come out on top. Rory Whelan of Whelan Media Strategies, our public relations and media strategist, has provided invaluable counsel and is also deserving of our gratitude. I also want to personally thank Jim Jennings and Dave Perkins, NYSSA executive director and trails coordinator, and Gary Broderick, NYSSA vice-president, for their role in helping lead us forward.

What should not be lost in our discussions, however, is to make sure that we thank the snowmobilers of New York. It is truly because of their dedication to the issues we face, and the tremendous grass-roots efforts in contacting their elected leaders, that we have succeeded. It is the 100,000 snowmobilers who participate in our sport, and who are responsible for the $1 billion economic engine that is New York snowmobiling that are most deserving of our gratitude. As we move ahead we must take the opportunity to thank the club members and their families who took the time to make their voice heard in Albany.

Therefore, on behalf of the NYSSA leadership and partners, thank you all for your consideration, concern, support, and hard work.

With congratulations and warm regards,
Mike Fischer
NYSSA PRESIDENT

6/10/08:

PLEASE read and sign the online petition:

"Restore all snowmobile trails in Perkins Clearing and Speculator Conservation Easement"

hosted on the web by PetitionOnline.com, the free online petition service, at:

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/ilsnow/

If you can spare a moment, please take a look, and consider signing yourself.

~~ Thanks ~~

Next Meeting: Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 7:30 pm
Catholic War Veterans, Center Street, Pine Bush

Club Trip to The Edge Hotel (Tug Hill) was a blast!

Photo by Lori Pinckney

Speculator club weekend was a blast!

ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 22ND:

A Team of Club members demo'd the rescue unit to the members of the COLDENHAM FIRE DEPARTMENT. Here the firefolks have strapped a rookie to the backboard and are about to set him into our rescue toboggan!

A reminder about ice safety - lakes and streams, and indeed even big puddles may not be frozen early in the season.
Click here for tips on how to survive if your sled breaks through the ice. Please be careful out there!

WOW! WE HAD FUN...

SEE MORE HOLIDAY PARTY PICTURES ON THE PHOTO PAGE!
(Thanks to Jess Dammeyer for taking these great shots!)

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