SnoTrack has let us down

We all hate it, but its forced upon us. Any local political issues we should know about ??

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john
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SnoTrack has let us down

#1 Post by john »

Just received word that SnoTrack has decided to limit all funding of SnoTrack funds to grooming. What I received in regards to the Iron Dog grant application:
I just got news that we may have been dropped for ANY grants for 2014. Apparently, in a desperate move, someone made a motion to drop ALL funding for any programs other than grooming…and it passed!

The question is, do you recall if there are any mandates, bylaws or statutes that require the SnowTRAC board to fund at least some level of education/safety programs? (FYI, only NAOI and Iron Dog have applications for this)

Either way, we do plan to make a very strong appeal to this motion/decision. It is wrong on principle to drop all educational programs, regardless if do/don't get funded.

Thanks,
Kevin
My response:
1st, this type of action was/is our concern with the SnoTrack committee from the beginning and I'm not surprised they did it.

As a recommendation committee "not" appointed by the Governor, DNR has broad administrative powers, to broad I believe.

You should read their Operating Procedures, located at http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/misc/operat ... edures.pdf and also contact every snowmobile club in the state to address this issue,

I plan to make this action known to the Fairbanks Snow Travelers.

Unfortunately the only real action that the snowmachine community can take is to contact Juneau and ask the powers that be to consider defunding SnoTrack if they don't follow their own Procedures as written and published. It is a violation of the trust they have been given to disburse the funding they receive representing the snowmachine community of Alaska.

Best we can do is try and get them to reverse their decision based on the verbiage of the Operating Procedures they published.
It may be time to contact Juneau in a coordinated effort to address the SnoTrack issue in general.

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mit
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Re: SnoTrack has let us down

#2 Post by mit »

As you know I want to start referendum to eliminate the whole program.
Tim Berg
The Snowmachine Registration, needs to be Repealed!

Stephen E. Enochs
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Re: SnoTrack has let us down

#3 Post by Stephen E. Enochs »

As a current Snotrac Board member I too share the displeasure of all funds going to grooming. Read the minutes of the meeting to get a feel for what was stated and the actions taken. Note as well that the majority of the board members are either groomers Past & present, or have a hand in the grooming pool. The mistake is that the board created the grooming pool to begin with and it now dominates all actions....if your in the pool you are funded without question, and the backdoor to future grooming action is open and available to those that ask. As for Iron Dog and NAOI, I think (see my comments) the action by the snotrac board was wrong and should get the reaction by the public that it (Snotrac)deserves if it is pursued by those that care. Certainly with enough pressure, dnr can decide to dis regard the snotrac board and take any action it deems appropriate, as they have done in the past. The caution I throw out there is that this current director does step lightly compared to the former director (King) ...he did whatever seemed good for his staff and office vs Ben Ellis who seems to do what the board recommends or does what the legislatures pushes or leans on him. SO IF YOU THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE TO CALL FOR ACTION, I recommend calling Darcy Harris 1st, then Ben Ellis, then start calling all Interior Reps etc!

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Re: SnoTrack has let us down

#4 Post by Stephen E. Enochs »

Be advised the minutes have not been posted to the SnowTrac web site as of todays date...it is important that those minutes be read to fully understand what took place and why

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