TRAILBUSTERS SNOWMOBILE CLUB, INC.

PO BOX 193

LEE CENTER, NY 13363

 

President:  Mark Destito/336-1727                                                                                                    27 August 2008

Vice President:  Dennis Hesse/337-5373

Secretary:  Millie Piersall/336-5089/indytraks@twcny.rr.com

Treasurer:  Dave Peer/336-0593

 

 

Hello Everyone!  Summer isn’t quite over yet but its time to start thinking of the upcoming snowmobile season.  It’s time to renew club memberships and register the sleds.

 

- The first club meeting will be held on Tuesday, 9 September 2008 at 7:30 PM at the Lee Town Hall, Stokes-Lee Center Road, Lee Center, NY.  Members should attend and actively support their club!   Meetings are always held on the second Tuesday of the month so please note your calendars.

 

- The club hopes all of you return for this 2008-2009 season.  Early membership renewals are encouraged for several reasons.  First, state trail funding is based on the number of snowmobile registrations received by the 1st of December.  Secondly, it prevents the last minute rush for you and us to get your vouchers for your registration discount.  Since the New York State snowmobile registration renewals have been mailed why not renew and register while it’s on your mind?  Then you’ll be all ready to hit the trails when the snow flies. Last but not least, the club needs your membership money to build up our groomer fuel fund!  Clubs have not yet received trail funding for this season.

 

- Club memberships can be renewed online through our website, www.trailbusters.net or at the NYSSA website, www.nyssnowassoc.org.   Here, you use your credit card and can print your voucher immediately.  For those not having access to the internet, attached is a membership form, complete and mail it and your check for $25.00 to the club at the address shown on the form.

 

- Be sure to inform us if your email address changes and provide us with one if you haven’t already.   Many emails are returned due to changed email addresses.  Last season we had incorrect addresses and emails provided in new memberships which came through the local DMV.   Despite efforts to obtain correct information, some of these people were never located.   As a reminder, club memberships will NOT be available at the DMV this year.  You must get your club memberships as stated above. Also, please read your emails.   

 

- There is a major rerouting on C4A north (State Route 26 crossing) at the West Branch Coffee Ranch.  The landowner has turned most of his property into a willow tree farm which will be harvested for biofuel when mature.  These are very small seedlings right now so we must stay on the new trail.  This reroute changes the junction for C4I to Point Rock and C7 north to West Leyden.  Please pass the word on this change to your snowmobiling friends.  The landowner is very sensitive about this project, as he should be, so let’s all be extra cautious to not stray off this new trail or any trail for that matter!  We cannot afford any shut downs!!!!  While up there, stop in and have a hot cup of coffee from Guatemala, or a hot chocolate, soda, or some of the other food and dessert offered there.   

  

- Last season our club trails were groomed to perfection, thanks to our groomer coordinator, John Beggs and his faithful staff of drivers.  It is hoped the club can repeat the great job of grooming again this season, but the cost of diesel for the groomers may have an effect on getting this accomplished.  Grooming will depend on the number of memberships received and the amount of trail funding as well.  Also, remember we post daily grooming reports on the website when the season gets underway.

 

- Most of you are aware of the state raiding the snowmobile trail fund of one million dollars.  After many letters to politicians by club officers and members protesting this raid, many of them stepped in to help rectify this situation.  A settlement was reached wherein this money will be returned to the trail fund in the next three years.  Apparently, this settlement is not yet set in concrete so keep your fingers crossed!

 

- Website Grooming Reports:  We commend the work our webmaster, Joe McCarthy, has done with our website.  Last winter, he posted daily grooming reports, usually no later than 10:00 am.  He plans to do these daily reports again this year.  We believe our website was one of the best in the area showing current information...  Be informed and check it out!  

 

- Mailings:  Due to mailing costs, NYSSA does not plan to mail their monthly magazines to members this season.  The magazine will, however, be available for viewing at their website and we will also forward members the link to read it when it is published.  Likewise, the Trailbusters monthly newsletter will not be mailed on a monthly basis but will be available for viewing at www.trailbusters.net.  Hopefully everyone can get access to a computer to do this.  If you have an email address that you have not yet provided to us, please send it to indytraks@twcny.rr.com. 

 

 

- Last May the club raffled off the outdoor park bench and the lucky winner was Randy Topi, a club member.  Thanks to Karen and Bob Gerace for chairing this event and congratulations Randy.  Thanks to those members who supported this raffle too.  The club could use another fundraiser.  Anyone have any ideas and anyone out there willing to carry them out?   If so, contact any officer listed above. 

 

- Thanks to all who saved their snowmobile gas receipts at Stewart’s and Nice N Easy so that the club could receive the gas tax refund.  Our refund this year was low, $536.00.  We were first informed by the state that our refund was being denied because the paperwork submitted was not done in the latest format.  Later, another call was received informing us that we would receive this refund.  Consequently, next year, in addition to collecting receipts, we also have to collect signatures.  We will have signature sheets in addition to the receipt boxes at these two locations.  This is an extra effort on your part, we know, but we have no other choice.  Because most of us pay at the pump, we have lost a lot of revenue as a result, and this additional requirement will probably affect it too.  We’ll hope for the best here and hope you all make this extra effort for us.

 

- Safety Course:  The club will be offering the safety course, tentatively scheduled for Friday and Saturday, 5 and 6 Dec 2008.  If you have children who will be 10 by that date, they can attend.  More details will be provided later on our website and a notice will be put in the local newspapers.  Course is open to all and is free.

 

- We are proud of the photographic talent of our club member Dan Coffman who took  many beautiful winter scene photos this past winter.  Two of these trail photos were used by NYSSA to grace the covers of their Jan and Feb 08 issues.  Hope you saw them.

 

- This year’s Big East Show will again be at the OnCenter in Syracuse, 3-5 October.  Mark your calendars if you plan on attending.

 

- Lastly, there is the usual trail work coming up.  A bridge needs to be redecked, trail reroute marked out, and stakes and signs to be put out.  Members who are willing and able should contact Millie at 336-5089 or indytraks@twcny.rr.com.  Indicate when you are available, i.e., weekdays or weekends, etc. 

 

Let’s hope we have a long, snowy winter.